Melhed is certainly a good example of a roman (pre keasar) themed realm, i've found my characters in the same situation as great historical figures from that time, or characters of there literature.
It's fun and somewhat diferent, allthough sometimes a little frustrating.
Madina is also very difirdent but not so much a ' pirate' realm. it's just a bunch of greedy land owners with lots of individual power and ambitons.
Alot happens but because of that, allot less hapens on realm level, because people just keep fuzing and fighting over there properties.
Theres basicly alot of freedom that alows for funny and intresting situations, there also quite isolative and sometimes cling on to there old colonies as there rightfuly claimed land.
Many lords involve them selve in some other 'criminal' or less honourable business, such as slave trade or prostitution and the nobles drink alot and go to place they shouldn't, to statisfy there lusts.
It's a tropical climate and people are lazy and not as motivated to be imperialistic as the northern realms.
plus they drink, alot.
Every citizen has to right to plunder somewhere, but they simply don't bother anymore...
Then there was thulsoma on dwilight(it still exists under the sumerdale banner.), who offered a really different culture from the rest BM has to offer, with even it's own language.
I always found it very intresting to follow this realm and believe even after it's fall it will stay a cultural center in dwilight and alot of different than the rest.
Than there is also archanon, they seem to be somewhat different from the rest as well, with there exotic religion and there isolation on that northern island on the far east.
I perosnally never been there but heard some good remarks on them.
Also this got me thinking, we acttually don't have a real monarchy in BM.
I have't seen a realm yet that worships it's king and family as decendants from god and have the throne passed from father to son or daughter.
I am brainstorming with a few players on it right now.
That would be the first realm that actually truely resembles a north european monarchy.
