Countries Surrounding the Broken Spine

There are a number of countries surrounding the Broken Spine that influence the region, described in greater detail here:
Alba: The center of the world, Alba is far away from the Broken Spine, but delivers trade goods constantly via sea to the Masacali Consulate, Bengion, and to the nations beyond.  Alba is a small island nation with a cosmopolitan outlook and a sea-faring culture. They are not interested in expansion, content instead to rely on the military protection of their neighbors and instead focus on arts and further trade. Natsu Aurum of the Relinquished rules Alba, but most day to day operations are handled by his family and son. For those with coin in hand, Alba is a paradise, but the underbelly of corruption and crime coming from the overpopulated island show that not all are content on the island nation. 
Ibris: Ibris is the ancient homeland of most Gnomes and Minotaurs on Celasper, and is a rocky and valley-filled nation that allegedly falls under the yoke of the Empire of Bengion. Increasingly however Ibris has ignored Bengion's commands, leading to conflict between the two nations. Many of the Gnomes of Ibris double as spies in other nations, expanding Ibris' influence through shadowy business deals and assassinations. The coastal harbors of Ibris are some of the few havens of civilization in the country, as the valleyed interior is considered extremely dangerous for those unprepared. The shipwrecks of the Hurricane King's destruction of the imperial fleet washed ashore in Ibris, and to this day ocean currents cause frequent shipwrecks to wash ashore on their waters. Many of the tinkerers of Ibris build great metal racing machines to dual one another in the valleys of the nation, making it a favorite pastime of the people there. 
Nephysis: Nephysis is a desert nation ruled by a series of seven princes presiding over seven great cities. The princes of Nephysis are in constant conflict with one another fighting for superiority, and their division typically prevents them from being a greater threat to other countries or pirates throughout the region. Despite its arid climate, Nephysis exports vast resources to the other nations of Celasper, making it a hotbed of pirate activity. Many princes actively hire pirates to protect their goods from other thieves, and more than one pirate legacy has been secured by turning privateer to princes. Slavery is a hot button issue within the nation, as the island of Okeno and the largest city of Katapesh hold slavery as legal. Many pirates have taken up the cause of liberation as a result, and the naval conflict between Nephysian slavers and free captains are some of the most brutal in the Spine. Not all Nephysians condone slavery however, and many ships have the backing of certain princes who both oppose slavery and want to see their rivals diminished. 
The Spice Coast: The city states of the spice coast are unaffiliated with one another, and exist within a hostile jungle landscape dotted with plantations, farms, and palaces for wealthy spice-lords. The most famous city within the Spice Coast is the Palace of Water, ruled by the Sapphire Raja, an open Rakshasa and Sorcerer-King acting in opposition to the Masacali Consulate. Many Elves also live within the Spice Coast, acting as slavers and exporters of vast quantities of spices to the other nations along the Spine. The only safe port for pirates on the Spice Coast is Saltmarsh, and even it's validity as a pirate port is questionable due to an increased presence of lawmen hunting pirates in the area. 
Kaz-Medeem: The hold Kaz-Medeem hold one of the greatest settlements of Dwarves outside of Kaz-Irune to the far north. Atop Cloudspire, dwarves here work in tandem with cloud dragons to produce some of the great manufactured goods, especially gunpowder, used throughout the Spine. 
Port Romance: The city of port romance is no more and abandoned. It is said it's people were plagued with madness and destroyed each other long ago. 
The Great River Runway: The great river runway is a vast river network that connects the eastern side of Mana Jaqualbaa to the western side near the Gulf of Minara. With the advent of the Kraken it is perhaps the safest way to get from one side of the continent to the other for thousands of miles. Many different tribes, sects and cultures exist within the runway, but Elves, Halflings, Orcs and Hippofolk called Giff are especially common. Crazed demonic monkeys plague the runway, along with other monstrosities, but the rewards of the runway are worth the traversal. Bloodcove and the Kingdom of Susa lie on the far side of the jungled expanse, a haven for pirates everywhere and a safe shipping port for one to rest, repair and prepare for a trip back in a ship filled with extremely valuable cargo. 
Yadis: The once independent nation of Yadis has fallen over the yoke of the Hurricane King, who has claimed the territory as his own to exploit the riches of the region. The capital of King's Port is the Hurricane King's personal seat of power, and it is an open port for all pirates pay tribute to their king. 
Sinking Moeras: Moeras was once a thriving nation along the coast run by a vast hobgoblin empire. However with the coming of the Kraken Moeras was sunk beneath the ocean waves, and large portions of the nation are now underwater or in otherwise swampy terrain. Some pirates traverse the shallows to plunder from the still sinking cities of the coast, and many crews of goblin, hobgoblin, or kobold crews originate from the nation, now sailing to regain lost homes elsewhere, or to combat the forces of the Kraken. 
Virthal and Kabout-Ral: Another nation that was once part of a Hobgoblin nation, Virthal became the first nation to bow to the Kraken, and now exports vast sums of people and resources to grow the Kraken's growing army. The Human majority placed on the fertile and lush lands of Virthal and Kabout-Ral are now in the midst of a civil war with the monstrous races they are now actively oppressing, along with those resisting the Kraken's yoke. Many fear it will not be long before the Kraken sinks the nations after extracting all wealth from it. Some pirates hope to extract wealth from Virthal before that happens. Kabout-Ral is similarly in revolt, for much of the nation refuses to yield to the Kraken's elemental forces and is suffering a terrible war for it's trouble. 
Sapa-Ti: Little is known about the southern continent. There are no cities on it's shores, and what few ruins found within it's jungles are filled with naught but death. Hydras, serpents and other beasts dot the landscape, and few feel the need to explore it's jungles further. 
The Smile: The Smile is home to Illizmagorti, a large settlement that serves as the base of operations for the Red Mantis. The Red Mantis are an ancient order of assassins who conduct their training from the Crimson Citadel located in the mountainous heart of the island. The rest of the island is largely jungle, and few dare to infringe upon the Mantis' territory. The Red Mantis often work with pirates of the broken spine to ferry them to the targets of their assassinations and are often available for hire to the right bidder. Their religious code makes it impossible to kill a rightfully ruling monarch, but all others are fair game for their saber-toothed saws. On occasion, the assassins will hire pirates or other adventurers to handle work they cannot be associated with, or even recover relics from their operatives lost on missions. 
The Masacali Consulate: An up and coming pseudo-empire, the consulate is perhaps the strongest military power in the world. Possessing vast resources, major cities upon it's coasts, fertile land, and abundant natural defenses, the consulate solidified its power several centuries ago when the consuls of it's territory combined their power and proclaimed a Living-Avatar as the latest reincarnation of Preservation. The consulate's greatest fear is the ancient sorcerers known as the Earthbound, who are said to be able to appear as mortal men to corrupt the hearts of men and woman and cause them to stray from the Path of Duty known as Dharma. The people of the consulate are said to worship incarnations of three primary forces within the universe: Creation, Destruction, and Preservation. Niswan, Taaj Shahar, and Manjuhi are the largest cities they possess upon the coast, and all naval power they exert within the region is centered on the military fortress of Varupa. The current Living Avatar has given orders for all gold to be abolished within the Consulate, to combat inflation from adventurers spending money within their lands, and to crack down on piracy in the Broken Spine. The current admiralty is said to be well trained and well positioned to crack down on robbery within the regions, and some rumor that the Consuls of the Masacali are preparing a fleet to wipe the free captains of the Broken Spine off the map. 
The Ferox Colonies: Loosely controlled by the Imperium of Bengion, the colony itself would be insignificant and dismissed as a series of inhospitable environments were it not for the sacred relic known as the Starstone hidden in the depths of Al'Kazzad. The holy object has led to religious hostility between the faiths of Aroden, Cayden Cailean, Vildeis, and the Nameless God among many others for control of the city. To the south the city of Daristan courts sedition with emissaries from the Masacali Consulate, who wish to use the great mountain tunnels to grant the rising nation a foothold into Ferox, and deal a political blow to the imperium.
Bengion: The Old Empire, or the Imperium as it is often known was once the undisputed greatest power in the world. However time has crippled the mighty giant to the point where Sardis, New Allons, and Alba have all but abandoned it. Ibris and Ferox grant only token loyalties, and even fair Illyria cannot hope to keep the empire afloat. Not helping it's problems, the Hurricane King wiped out a huge portion of the imperial fleet some years ago, and between that and it's ongoing civil war with Sardis, the empire of Bengion is in no position to exert power in the region. Still, even in decline the Imperium is dangerous, and more importantly, it is wealthy.

Maps

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  The Broken Spine - South

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  The Broken Spine - North