The Main Conflict: 1427 A.D. The western continent of Estoren, King Abraham Kallallis of Aleia, known worldwide as the "Pig King" has fallen to a revolt led his eldest son, and formerly exiled crown prince, Nikolas. Having amassed overwhelming support by the low class and the military, Nikolas has sworn a brutal and uncompromising crusade to cut the heart of corruption, and called for the reformation of the Niminin faith. Having exploited his former allied country's weakened states from the civil war, he quickly seized the opporuntiy to forge Aleia from a kingdom into an empire. Those who had taken his side have been converted into vassals under the Aleian banner. Those who had taken his father's side were put to death. In the instance of Obela, the one neighboring region to stick to neutrality, King Nikolas had also ordered the deaths of their nobility. The Estoren continent, used to settling affairs primarily by political maneuvering and intrigue, remained unprepared for his unflinching approach to war, and now start to prepare realizing he will not be made to stand to down from his crusade. The populace who once hailed him as hero, now see him as something to be feared. However, those who remain loyal to the crown put their faith in him believing that such extreme actions are necessary and what it takes to fix the deep seated problems rooted in the corruption of nobility and all he does for the greater good is completely necessary. Spoiler: King Nikolas To the eastern continent of Rolas, a would be conqueror from the east, makes it's push with the Bikirehian Empire. A warlord whose endless hordes of horsemen and soldiers threaten the remains of the east, those on the coast, suspecting he very well has no plans to just stop there. Lord Taylan, once was a mere slave until he rallied a rebellion to overthrow his masters, has been called the embodiment of the warrior ways of his culture. From absolutely nothing, he has amassed a following from his strength great enough to become a horde to swallow the east. Driven by his belief that the only way the world can truly give up war is under one banner, he has no plans for respite, always keeping the horde on the move and always consuming. Many races such as the beast people and the orcs while stigmatized in most other parts of the world, have found themselves fully welcomed by the horde for their strength and treated as equals. Though, there is a small number that openly despise this, and those of their kind that affiliate with them, seeing it as just proof of being nothing more than the savages that other races see that as. Spoiler: Warlord Taylan Caught in the middle of two looming threats relentless of their pursuits, is Bouthria. Often known for being a proudly pacifistic and diplomatic country that prefers to deal with problems through arranged marriages and trade, the small country had always enjoyed good relations with the previous rulers of it's neighbors. King Wilhelm Vorgrimler, determined to keep the peace had set out to the growing Aleian empire....and hasn't returned. Believing it to be a sign of things to come, the eldest prince and princess, Leopold and Annika, had fled, quickly launching a succession crisis. With the remainder of his relatives either trying to run or fight amongst themselves, the king's youngest son, Issac, with little to no experience in war, has assumed the role of king and commander in order to defend homeland and prepare for the two looming shadows threatening to swallow his country. Spoiler: Isaac Vorgrimler
Potential Powers: In the farther reaches of east, exists the Osan Shogunate. As a mostly isolationist culture, they enjoy a healthy buffer of neighboring kingdoms to distance them from the growing horde. Once an aggressive expansionist regime, that had changed since the days the country had been overran by demons. With the rise of Imperial Empress Osan Seka, the aggressive expansionism of the Shogunate had stopped. Roughly having been in power for about five centuries, she spent the first two largely trying to even out tensions with the human population since her takeover. Given much of the original human population has long since died, most grew up finding the presence of demons normal, which lead to her next three centuries of her rule, to be focusing on the prosperity of her cities. However, as a Queen of the Mazoku, her definition of prosperity, and for that matter, right and wrong, can be summarized as simply whatever is good and bad for her. Seeming to have minimal interest in expanding, the countries that share their border still maintain a watchful eye in the event of her mood swings or one of her whims. While much of her country's infrastructure has flourished, only the most loyal insist it's out of benevolence and most know that she just sees the whole country as her personal plaything, albeit a toy that has to be taken good care of, to have fun with it. Something of a wild card in border politics, it's almost impossible to tell if it's a day she will keep to her isolationist policies or decide to entertain guests, or have already changed her mind by the time you get any of her letters. Spoiler: Grand Imperial Shogun Empress Mazoku - Osan Seka Far, far, in the north well past the point of any respect civilization or anything that could be called livable, the barbarian tribes exist. The people of the norther wastes are ....difficult to say the, least. No overarching leadership to unite them, they largely stay in tribes and defer to their own chieftain, if anyone. In strength, size, and brutality, they are more than comparable to the Eastern horde counterparts. The only thing setting them back from being such a force to swallow the west, is a lack of cohesive unity. Due to being a natural warrior culture, they have many, many, old grudges, equally, against foreigners as well as each other. The only times where the tribes will entirely set aside their differences, and work together is if in the threat of a direct invasion into their lands. While not quiet, and with a tendency to harass the countryside with raiding, they're divided two major clans. Aglurg who see raiding as a way of life and pillaging as just another part of natural selection. Largely opposed by the Thoem Dra who see their to be little honor and challenge in attacking simple farmers and believe that a warrior's worth is proven by having true foes. Whatever allegiance, many young or older ones wander into the arms of mercenaries and warbands, either to seek their fortune, or for more opponents to kill. Ultimately, while they are mostly an incoherent mess, the western province still fears what they may be capable of if they ever united or thought to work to the long term. While they don't often possess heavy leadership, this isn't entirely impossible, as there do exist universally agreed upon positions among the clans that can overrule even the chiefs. The Onyxheart. A almost revered kind of warrior status of someone acknowledged by a true champion of their ways. To get them all to agree on this is difficult, but it has happened before, and there is a number of living cases, most notable ones, such as, Dhula "Wolfcrest", and Tyrm "The Mourning Sun." Spoiler A more complex power than the standard country is the Lyran Theocracy. While they do have settled roots in a far off island, it's not their size that marks their strength, but their wealth and world spanning influence. Almost all modern parts of the world, practice the Nimmin ways founded in Lyran. The strength and influence of the church is not something to be underestimated, and the refute the Aleian Empire's attempts to persecute those who follow them. Officially they have taken the stance, that people should only join their faith willingly. At the same time, they have zero tolerance for heresies. While foreign powers cannot be expected to easily give up their ways without introducing them first, there lies a much greater concern. Pockets of cults that weren't successfully stamped out still worshiping long dead gods. It's not clear if it's seeing a reemergence in popularity, or those who would follow heresies just went into hiding, but they consider one of their largest priorities aside from ending the Aleian Tsar's misguided attempt at a crusade, to be dealing with those who keep to worshipping gods of religions that shouldn't exist. Hellenism. While not many people worship it anymore, at least openly, for reasons only really known to the inner council, they have personally saw to it, that this kind of heresy will be stamped out, however, necessary. The church is composed of a grand council of seven. Varying ages, race, even years of service, it's not entirely certain how exactly the members of the council are determined. Some would think bribes. But they would only think it, not speak it.
Elite Mercenary Outfits: The Black Thorns: Known for being a special elite force, they were founded in the Aleian kingdom under house Thorn. For four generations, the leaders of the guild, have been composed entirely of Thorns. While the leadership of the Thorns is meant to be absolute, it is in turn taught and strictly enforced that each descendant has a responsibility for the people under their command and are pressured to be good strategists to ensure the best results. Due to even the rank and file they select typically being at least minor mobility, their numbers aren’t large, but all expertly trained duelists, and well disciplined. While they're are a rare few members who aren't purely human or nobility, it's not a common occurrence. As warriors-for-hire, they only follow three major rules. Respect the Thorn Legacy. Taking work against Aleia is fine, but they don't betray it’s ideals. And nobody. Nobody stabs the Black Thorns in the back, and gets away with it. The Pale Dominion: Originally Paladins of an old religion, they’ve been since banished and exiled by the Lyran Theoarchy, the details of their exact beliefs are only know to them. But they haven’t given them up or their training. Supposedly following a god of order, if what details are shared is to be believed, the view contracts as an absolute thing to a soul binding level. They must be followed to the letter, no more, no less. Well trained warriors and scholars, if there is one thing they suffer from, is their generally rigid nature makes them poor with subtlety and spies. As far as their chosen employers go, they are considered neutral to anyone, as long as they aren't supporting actions that directly hurt someone's religious freedom. Tyrants are just as acceptable to work for to them as anyone else, as long as they are not actively aiding or supporting any kind of inquistion. Sisterhood of St. Jaenessa: A chivalric order remote in the islands of Bouthria, they have often been employed as the secret weapon for invaders in the past. Unlike the Dominion, they aren’t necessarily an exclusively, religiously based order, but by duty to their kingdom. All female, the general rule is that relationships are a foolish distraction and could risk making a sister less dedicated. Even in their own order there is only a few members who can claim they have actually seen the Supreme Mother. It's not even widely agreed too much among their own ranks, if it's a legacy title, or it could very well be the same person since their founding. Loyal to their country, they still have no trouble taking on jobs in foreign lands, provided it doesn’t directly undermine Bouthria's interests. Often, their other jobs consist more of taking on the supernatural and demons that walk among men. Silver Foxes: Ally to all, loyal to none. The full history of their band can't really be traced back to any one specific incident. They do what they do simply for the fun of it, and the profit. Too well equipped, and well organized. to be just ordinary thugs, much of their members are usually survivors of war or just people who happen to just be really, really, good at fighting. Soldiers of fortune at the core, and their only philosophy is going by whatever job gets them the most. The overall morality of their members ranges, from some who act out of necessity, adventure, or just being pyschopaths, where the pay comes only as an afterthought to the killing. They are however, still a professional and elite group whether they love their jobs too much or not. While they don't usually complain about how exactly their members conduct themselves to get a job done, it's expected to be good to other members of the unit, and while they will give a lot of wiggle room for how their members do their work, there's still no tolerance for just an ordinary psycho, who can't properly follow orders or undermines their own group. They don't see themselves as anything that can be described as truly good or bad. Just people who are hired to do a job, and happen to be very good at doing it. Those who have seen them fight understand the difference between them and just thugs or small-time mercenaries on the payroll. They have at the very least, with mixed success or not, survived every war and job they've been on and lived to tell about it for the past three generations. With no real loyalties, or beliefs of their own, they for better or worse, embrace true neutrality and all the job offers that presents.
