At a certain point in time, Roland Helgram created the Aurellis, a Great Power. This caused a number of Primal Realms to come into existence, and a new infinity of Shadow to occur between them.
The Empire of Eboracum was founded in Britannia on the Primal Realm of Land. It is based on a culture similar in many respects to the Roman Empire of old Earth, but with variations and differences.
One feature of the Empire which is noteworthy, particularly for any visitors from foreign lands, is that slavery is a fundamental practice within the Empire, as the basic process of punishment, rather than imprisonment.
The Geography of all Shadow can be reduced to a 3 dimensional model for ease of understanding, and in such a model the Primal Realm is to be found at the north pole of a globe. Travel is possible by means of Pilots from Britannia and the other portions of the Empire which are on the Primal Realm into Shadow.
Portions of the Primal Realm which are part of the Federation, including all the Americas, are also located at the north pole of the global model. It is also possible to travel, via Pilot, out into Shadow from the Federation, but direct travel between the Empire and Federation portions of the Primal Realm is no longer possible.
As one travels out into Shadow, south of the 15th parallel, it becomes possible to find Shadows where the Empire and Federation are both present, and the war between them is being actively fought. A third neutral party begins to be seen as one travels further into Shadow, until a point is reached at a band of Shadows which ring the equator of the global model, where no Empire or Federation influence is felt. This is the Technocracy.
If one travels further in Shadow, one finds Shadows becoming increasingly influenced by the Sable, a power created by Robert the Good. The location of the Sable primal Realm is at the south pole of the global model. The Aurellis fails south of the 165th parallel, much in the way that Sable fails north of the 15th parallel. Technocracy fails outside the band between the 15th and 165th parallels.
The Province of New Canada, with the capital city of New Yorvik, is a major Empire outpost, located near the 50th parallel. This is the second city of the Empire, despite its location far out in Shadow.