Estancia was once the most powerful empire in Southern Europe, defining the economy, politics and culture of the entire continent. Rising to become an eminent military power after the End Wars, it grew to its peak during the Decade of Chaos by annexing the many foreign territories that fell into post-nuclear anarchy. As it absorbed masses of fleeing scientists, soldiers and entrepreneurs, Estancia expanded its industrial and military prowess at breakneck speed. Emboldened by its new-found dominance, Estancia threw its weight around on the international stage and smugly extracted tribute from Gafia and the Agurts city-states. The golden age of Estancian might, however, proved to be a fleeting dream. Acid rainstorms besieged Estancia's heartlands during the Gray Summer, rupturing the empire’s ecosystem and triggering a mass famine in its eastern agricultural centers. As climate conditions worsened and livestock starved en masse, the Estancian government resorted to radical measures to halt the environmental decay…