The world of Nequam is the den of Villains. Its vast territory has been controlled by various factions of evil for as long as anyone can remember. Naïve forces for good occasionally rear their heads once in a while, but they never seem to gain much of a foothold. All flavours and genres of Villain have been able to establish themselves here, for in this world it seems villainy is just that much easier, successful and popular. Thus the ordinary citizens of the world live with a degree of underlying dread. Fear that they may at any point lose their belongings, their dignity or even their lives.

Power comes in many forms here. Magic can be wielded by those with the talent, advanced technology is utilised by others in an indistinguishable manner. Some are blessed with inherent power while others receive blessings from beings beyond this world. However, the Villains of the different Genres mix like water and oil. Those who have reached the peak of arcane study care not for volcano lairs, while those dedicated in servitude to those beyond our understanding have no time for “balance sheets”

Over time, Villains in a similar genre have gravitated to their various domains, which function more as cultural centres rather than formal organisations. Egomaniacs in Epicentre (in the South), the High Fantasy Villains in The Tenebrific Mountains, Gothic Horror Villains in The Quiverwoods, Otherworldly Villains in Abizyl, and Organisations in Central. Settlements exist outside these regions but they are mainly small outposts with Villainous misfits that do not find themselves cleaving strongly to a particular theme. A relatively recent development is the creation of Harmony in the centre of Nequam and “The Club”, a place where the most prestigious of Villains are invited to discuss their thoughts on how the world should be run.

Despite their varied attitudes, Villains have one thing in common; they develop an inevitable need for Underlings. Someone needs to take care of the menial tasks, after all. Therefore, vast swathes of the population of Nequam find themselves drafted, persuaded, hired or bound into the service of Villains the world over. They are not treated particularly well as a general rule, though their situation might still be preferable to that of the many hapless victims that litter the continent. Instead they are ordered to perform countless tasks to satisfy the dark ambitions of their masters, and thus perform a vital role in Nequam society.

All manner of travel exists in Nequam. For those who wish to do nefarious business across the world, transport around the place is easily accessible. Whether by boat, plane, hoverbike, horse and carriage, or arcane teleportation, getting from domain to domain is fairly trivial. Within domains, transport options are dictated by the Villains that control the territory, and genre-inappropriate methods generally are as frowned upon as they are unsupported in the Realm. It is not unheard of for helicopters piloting too close to castles in The Quiverwoods to be struck by suspiciously accurate bolts of lightning. Ultimately, transport hubs towards the edges of domains do a lot of business in transitioning travellers into more suitable vehicles, and are generally ignored by the Villains of the Domain, being viewed as necessary but distasteful.