Mei Kong Valley

The casual observer may simply state Talyun and Mei Kong culture to be the same.  While there are clearly similarities and possibly a shared genesis their is a distinct unique quality to the Mei Kong.  

The Mei Kong believes in trickle down morality but instead of an Emperor it is ruled by a council of peaceful warriors called the Shogun.  The shogun are a faithless sect worshiping instead the mystical force.  They seek harmony with the world around them and use the power of their mind to seek enlightenment dedicated to self sacrifice and service of others.  Their powers of the mind allow them to read minds, telepathically communicate, move objects and have premonitions of the future.  

The council of shogun rule from their 'Temple' in Bei Jing and the center of the valley surrounded by farm country.  The name Mei Kong means beautiful east.  Their temple and city and way of life has been drawn into constant conflict due to the Shogun's eternal rivalry with the SIth.  The Sith are as the opposite side of the shogun coin. Using the force but with opposing ideologies.  

Yet they survive in their humble ways, most recently bending knee to the EMpress, may she live forever, due to former master Jeric Windstarr's allegiance to the empire and his leadership of the Shogun.    

Pheliox Republic

East of the Ridic Plain there lies a small island continent.  It rests on the outskirts of civilization full of either primitive or xenophobic peoples.  The Pheliox Republic is the core of the continent.  A modest country between the Mei Kong mountains and the Orc lands of the north has one great city -- Midgar.

The citizens have proved maybe the world's most resilient. This one small city has been destroyed and rebuilt countless times in recent memories.  It's people have the unfortunate luck to be the first attempt as civilization in a land full of monsters.  There is also enough power in the tower of sorcery ran by Eric Alexander that the place attracts the attention of demons and other outer worldly folk.

Yet despite its vulnerability and resting in the cross roads of much violence, the people there endure.  It was started by Shissmaru Landstarr, a failed attempt at the Empires Mandalorian project.  Without his earlier memories he still rallied locals and made them heroes.  His leadership forged a city in nowhere, yet he never wanted leadership and left Midgar to explore his personal demons.

The mantel of leadership was picked up by Lilandra.  As a secret sith she attempted to used Midgar as a launching point to build a one world government.  Her plot was discovered and stopped by the Seeker of Truth.

Eventually admits the unrest and due to Shissimarus connections to the region the empire quickly assumed control of the region and the republic became a simple extension of imperial power. 

Riddic Plains

The very north of the great Imperial Continent is the Riddic Plains, a vast forested flat land full of the uncivilized --humans. Similar culturally they, like all humans, were petty and above all desired power.  This led them to a constant state of attempting to dominate each other and eventually established a feudalism political structure.  It emphasized farming and labor and the disenfranchised masses while those with power horded what wealth could be produced. 

However, due to the constant warfare and infighting long term prosperity and wealth creation were impossible.  The humans with their short life spans focused entirely on short term pursuits as the powerful flexed their muscle on the masses.  The masses were not educated or consulted for improvements just used as animals for labor.  Endless generations of perpetual poverty and hopelessness.  

The lords of the humans found their value in the glory of warfare.  Martial tradition and technology did prosper faster than others.  Strong armor and mounted knights roamed the country side seeking glory.  Stone towers and keeps dot the entire landscape as they are needed to protect the humans from eachother. 

When the demon war came to the continent the humans proved surprisingly resourceful.  Generations of warfare had made them callous and even fearless against these new invaders, and their plentiful fortresses gave safeharbor for their people.  However, their weapons were largely ineffective.  If not for the armies of Andea, may she live forever, they may have all fallen.  So it was then the most unified front of the humans was presented and it was to bend knee to the Empress, may she live forever. 

The Riddic plains were welcomed into the new forged Empire and infused with large populations of elves in attempt to stabilize the region, but to this date they remain clearly different and significantly more impoverished than the rest of the empire.  

Andreal

At the center of the vast Crystal Empire sits the vast wealth of the Crystal City, The Imperial City: Andreal.  Founded by and named after the First Empress, the defender of the Faith, the champion of the Light, Defender of the 7 kingdoms The Empress Andrea Silvermoon, May she live forever.  

It is a seat of great power.  The city is ruled by the handpicked Auroa, priestess of Love and loyal subject to the imperial family.  Her power is often overshadowed by the direct presence of the Imperial family.  In addition to Empress Anastasia, May she live forever, there are here two daughters Rin and Cortona.  The imperial palace is a true wonder beauty beyond description.

The city is extremely political, with all the most ambitious people in the world hope to get close to the power.  The noble houses all play what is called the Great Game or the Game of houses where they politically and socially attempt to via for favor of the Empress, may she live forever, eachother and crush their enemies.  It is a very dangerous game indeed.

With in the district resides the tower of high sorcery.  The home of the awesome Imperial Mage Corps.  Though devestated by the losses in the Crusade it remains the single largest repocitory of arcane knowledge on the planet.  They engage in research for whatever will forward imperial interests-- education, air ships, new spells and super soliders.

It has always been and will forever be the position of the Empire to forward the cause of the light wherever it maybe found. 

And Nothing Else matters

When I was a little girl, my understanding of revenge was as simple as the proverbs it hid behind, Neat, little morality slogans like, ‘Do unto others’ and ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right.’ But I have found the truth. For the truly wronged, real satisfaction can only be found in one of two places—absolute forgiveness or mortal vindication. Mine is not a story about forgiveness.

I have been wronged.  Wronged by many including myself.  It was those I trusted that did the greatest hurt and are responsible for the only time in my life I've every been truly defeated or captured.  Trust is a difficult thing, whether it’s finding the right people to trust or trusting the right people will do the wrong thing. But trusting your heart is the riskiest thing of all. In the end, the only person you can truly trust is ourself.  I trusted them and hence my downfall.  I trusted Logar to save me, I even chose compassion instead of will to let Lux live, and chose compassion to ask for my belongings instead of kill them and take them.  

It may not be trust that defeated me but compassion. The greatest weapon anyone can use against us is our own mind, by preying on the doubts and uncertainties that already lurk there. Are we true to ourselves, or do we live for the expectations of others? And if we are open and honest, can we ever truly be loved? Can we find the courage to release our deepest secrets, or in the end, are we all unknowable? Even to ourselves. 

Lumeria had abandoned many friends before and I know the guilt she felt.  The guilt I feel when I look at her and remember what I am.  Guilt is a powerful affliction. You can try to turn your back on it but that’s when it sneaks up behind you and eats you alive. Some people struggle to understand their own guilt, unwilling or unable to justify the part they play in it. Others run away from their guilt, shedding their conscious until there’s no conscious left at all. But I run toward my guilt. I feed off of it. I need it. For me, guilt is one of the few lanterns that light my way.

For a long time, I thought Lumeria and I were connected two halves of a whole. Just as there are two sides to every story, there are two sides to every person. One that we reveal to the world and another we keep hidden inside. A duality governed by the balance of light and darkness. Within each of us is the capacity for both good and evil, but those who are able to blur the moral dividing line hold the true power.

But even here in a cell guarded with my thoughts read and muddled by Shogun masters I am not defeated.  I still keep my secrets.  We all have secrets we keep locked away from the rest of the world. Friendships we pretend, relationships we hide. But worst of all is the love we never let show. The most dangerous secrets a person can bury are those we keep from ourselves.  I have a secret friend one I've been able to speak to.  A lightning bearer who serves Vegeta and Malekite before him.  She has bound herself to me so that I may not die.

A large boom echoes through the temple as the foundation and walls shake from the impact.  

I can feel it, your fear.  What is coming for you?  Can you defeat it?

Some say our lives are defined by the sum of our choices, but it isn’t really our choices that distinguish who we are—it’s our commitment to them. The will to do what is necessary. For some, commitment is like faith. A chosen devotion to another person or an intangible ideal. But for me, commitment has a shadow side, a darker drive that constantly asks the question, ‘How far am I willing to go?

Walls crushed as zerg poured into the temple.  She could feel them talking to each other and feel them devouring the shogun they attacked.  The Shogun fought bravely as they must.  The force was their ally, or so they say.  I was even going to be one of them. My father wrote, ‘Always question where your loyalties lie.’ The people you trust will expect it, your greatest enemies will desire it, and those you treasure the most will without fail abuse it. Some say loyalty inspires boundless hope and while that may be, there is a catch. True loyalty takes years to build and only seconds to destroy.  She had destroyed our loyalty. Loyalties forged in apprehension and mistrust are tenuous at best, easily broken when held up to the unforgiving light of the truth. But in the darkness of our most desperate hours, it’s often these loyalties that lend us the strength to do what we know must be done.

The masters outside were dead now.  She felt their control and influence over her mind break.  The door soon came open to the scratching and clawing of zerg.  
People only see what they’re prepared to confront. It’s not what you look at that matters but what you see. And when different perceptions battle against one another, the truth has a way of getting lost. And the monsters find a way of getting out.

The east wall caved in and burrowed zerg appeared.  As the ceiling fell around her she could see hundreds of flying Mutalisks swarming and seething above her.  She closed her eyes and raises her arms parallel to the ground waiting for oblivion.

A conflicted heart feeds on doubt, confusion. It will make you question your path. Your tactics. Your motives. When you stare ahead and darkness is all you see, only reason and determination can pull you back from the abyss. Doubt is a disease. It infects the mind, creating a mistrust of people’s motives and of one’s own perceptions. Doubt has the ability to call into question everything you ever believed about someone, and reinforce the darkest suspicions of our inner circles. I have no reason to doubt them Chastity has sent them.  

Openning her eyes she saw a queen floating above her.  As the spores sprayed Raven breathed deeply and used the force to wrap herself in the spores. The infestor was next as it latched her in a tentacle and began pumping its blood into her she could her the zerg more clearly.They wanted to leave the Shogun were regrouping.  The infestor lifted her up and placed her in the womb of the queen. 

Absolution is the washing away of sin, a promise of rebirth and a chance to escape the transgressions of those who came before us. The best among us will learn from the mistakes of the past, while the rest seem doomed to repeat them. And then there are those that operate on the fringes of society, unburdened by the confines of morality and conscience. A ruthless breed of monsters whose greatest weapon is the ability to hide in plain sight. If the people who have wronged me cannot be bound by the quest for absolution, then neither will I.

That list is long, Lux, Logar, Reven, Lumeria.  As I've said, those who have been wronged only have two paths.  The peace of complete forgiveness or the satisfaction of revenge.  And I know now, mine has never been a story of forgiveness.

The Queen made it to the teleport gate and back to the primary hive on the blood isle.  Chastity was there and helped them lower Raven into the hive.  She would soon have the power to exact her revenge.  

And NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

The Crystal Empire

Though the world has never seen an empire or a nation to rival mighty Kale, the Crystal Empire comes closest.  With the Infinite Sea on its East and the Ocean of Dreams to the West the Empire maintains itself over an area, a people, resources that are by every definition vast.  The land controlled by the empire is well over 100 times more than the other nations of the world put together with a population to match. 

Any structure or civilization of this scope can not be explained in sigular terms.  There are hundreds of people, cultures and histories within the empire.  Across the vastness of the empire many of the subjects seem more different than similar and one must wonder what could be powerful enough to keep the Ridic Plains, the Dark Wood and Andreal unified?  The Empress may she live forever -- Anastasia Silvermoon. 

While she may sit on the throne now she owes the near entirety of her power to he mother the goddess of prophecy, Andrea Silvermoon.  She was an intelligent, craft and above all ambitious elven woman. For a couple of centuries she studied the arcane arts traveling the extent of the land before it was a unified empire learning all the magical secrets she could.  She met an clever human thief named Swift whom she loved and married.  Together they discovered the heart of the mountain - It was a mountain whose entire interior was a solidified diamond.  Using the wealth and power they had they established the Crystal City Andreal and she was named Queen.  

Through a near decade of political movements and strategic expansion she spread her power.  During this time the Mage Corps was established and took Magic research from the fringe of hermit wizards to a systematic industry driving for progress.  She also had three half elf children -- Malekite, Eric, and lastly Anastasia.  

Her power was soon tested in the Demon Wars.  Demons began spilling onto the prime most likely attracted by the heavy influx of arcane power.  The seven kingdoms of the continent struggled to defend themselves from the onslaught and looked as though one by one they may fall. Largely due to Malekites dealings and sheer military force the demons were pushed back.  Though the Silvermoons were careful not to fully save anyone until they swore their allegiance to now Empress, may she live forever.  The Seven Kingdoms formed a unified Empire and devoted their love and devotion to Andrea.  

Some leaders excel and establishing an empire and other at maintaining one.  Rarely do they find themselves in the same person but Andrea was just that.  What could have been a one time alliance to push back the demons was solidified via marriage treaty and plain power of personality by Andrea to forge the lasting Empire.  In that tradition Prefects and governors empowered by  Imperial edict have direct and absolute control over their territories so long as they do not contradict the edicts of those above them.  

Andrea eventually passed from mortality ascending to become a goddess.  From the heavens she looks over her daughter and her empire.  She left to Anastasia a vast empire, and Anastasia is forever haunted by her mother's greatness.  So much is up to her and her force of personality to perpetuate the greatest nation on earth.  She has fullfilled her mother's legacy by expanding imperial control over the new provinces of the Mei Kong valley, Jong Guo, Seanchan. She has even successfully defeated and thwarted usurpers to the throne like her brother. 

Despite all this success the empire seems to crack at the edges.  The once 'eternal' friendship between the empire and one time colony Geneva has been strained by war and betrayal.  The Geneva no longer sees themselves as servants of the empire but a power unto themselves.  Malekite loyalist had to be purged in mass crippling the empire of many capable if disloyal personal.  The failures at the crusade nearly curshed the imperial mage corps, the plague now spreads through the empire threatening mass death and the chaos that comes with it.  

They have brought into their fold many allies to defeat these new threaths.  Polaridin Mordin, son of Andrea's apprentice Mordan, has brought a society of intelligent golems to the fold.  The current Daughter heir, niece to the Empress may she live forever, Elaina Mogath has become the Red Paladin and aligned herself with the Red Saint.  The aquisition of the Mei Kong valley has made the shogun servants of the Empire.  Anastasia hopes that she can do as the Empire has always done and forward the cause of the light in whatever way is needed. 

"All Hail the Empress, May She Live Forever!"

Specific provinces of the empire will be explored in future posts. 

The poison of guilt

Lord Oliver sipped his feign wine from his look out at the end of line bar.  Another ill gotten gain.  The world was full of insignificants, those who lacked position or power to mean anything -- like the founder of this bar.  Lord Oliver was just on the cusp of being one of those.  Third born of a major noble house in the empire he would inherit no title or position.  He had his portion of the family wealth as his only asset.  That and his name.

He used his family position to networks positions of power throughout the empire including the mage corps and agency.  Every day seemed like a struggle for him to remain relevant and not simply fade away.  He had positioned his son to be a hero among the agency and had multiple investments that would perpetuate his wealth.  Just when he thought he had secured his future his son threatened to ruin all of it.

"Its done my Lord. I thought you would be happier.  You sold your soul for this after all."  The cloaked figure hissed.  The cowl covered most of his face in shadow but black rotted patches were still visible.

Lord Oliver replied, "Balthier went rouge and blazed a very romantic reputation as a scoundrel.  They stopped talking about me and started talking about him.  His selfish childish search for adventure brought only embarrassment.  The scandal of a half elf bastard son was not enough he had to be famous and a dangerous fugitive as well."

"Yes I've heard this before, nothing but embarrassment.  Even stole your ship, you had every reason to want him dead and now he is.  So lets celebrate."  it said as it raised its cup of black liquid.

Lord Oliver grimaced.  "I'm not as heartless as you venom born, I need at least a moment to mourn my son."

"Your problem is you lack conviction.  You both want to keep him and destroy him.  You can't have both.  commit to your decision and embrace the reward or wallow in misery,  your debt to the cult remains."

"I've paid you all very well."

"Gold was not the most valuable part of our agreement and you know it.  We should move on...keep things on schedule.  We have a legacy to build for you Prince Oliver."

Oliver finished his drink in one swig.

Ancient Kale

Perhaps this should have been the first entry in our survey of the peoples of the world, for Kale was the first people.  The Kale and their Infinite Empire sprung up seemingly at the cradle of creation, for no records exist that predate Kalian time.  While their existence was grand it is their greater destruction that more heavily impacts the collective consciences. In fact the modern calendar reads the year as 9006 AD (9000 years After Destruction of Kale).  Time before this is kept as BC (Before Comet)

Their empire remains unrivaled even by the modern powers.  The Infinite Empire stretched its control from the shores of what is now the Crystal Empire to the Isles of Geneva in an unbroken mass which now rests under the Eternal (or Infinite) sea.  Their math, science and magic were glorious.  Tales exist of flying machines that did not use magic but math and science.  Magic was commonplace and everywhere. They made such great advances they even built the TriForce - an artifact meant to bridge the gap between mortals and gods, could even kill a god according to legend.

     

They appeared on average to be nearly immortal and exponentially more intelligent than the modern races though they most closely resembled elves.  Though, they had once advantage that all other races have struggled to master.  Clear foresight of the future.  Seers were common place and it gave the Kale great power, for they not only new their potential they new how to reach it. Lesser races began to appear off shots of the pure Kale -- Human's elves etc but they were all subservient, any resistance was crushed as the gift of foresight made them unbeatable.  They were invincible, or so they thought, they claimed even the gods could not defeat them.

. 

Though they were wrong.  Its debated who made the first action -- gods or Kale.  Kale said the gods were not needed and proposed life and prosperity with out them.  Did that cause the gods to strike forcing the Kale to imprison their angels and build their triforce? or was the the imprisoning of the angels and building of the Triforce which caused the gods to anger?  The gods sent a comet which could be seen in the sky for years sending angels and prophets to bring Kale to humility and repentance.  But their pride believed they could stop the comet.  They placed their faith in their own technology and magic.  In the end it failed the comet struck the blast could not be contained and Neptune swallowed them beneath the waves. 

Every civilization can trace its roots to Kale in someway, every story starts with them and their shared connection with the world serves as a powerful reminder to all that live on it now the price you pay for pride. 

Talyun

North of the Isles of Geneva rests a slender chain of 3 islands called Talyun.  From the Capital of Pingdong the Emperor looks out for the well being of his subjects and all else that is under heaven.  

While land area maybe small these islands are very densely populated and ancient in tradition.  When the humans of the plains were still hunting in small bands, the great father of Talyun, KongZi was already writing his treatise on ethics philosophy and government.  These humans show the earliest of the current civilizations to demonstrate writing, arithmetic and formal government.  

They advanced the quickest but stagnated very early.  In fact, many scholars see Talyun society as just a perpetual attempt to recreate the golden time of KongZi with exactness. Using the treatise of KongZi the governement of Talyun has formalized and ritualized an exam structure on which all education, advancement and virtue is measured.  Those scoring high are rewarded for perpetuating the traditions and those scoring low are condemned to perpetual poverty.

Their teaching and virtues emphasize the family to the extreme including ancestor worship, and promise trickle down morality -- that the morality of the leaders rolls down to his subjects.  This means a society will rise to the example their leader gives it also means that society can never become better than the emperor himself.  This poses a great amount of responsibility on the Emperor and those close to him.  Any societal problem is seen as a personal reflection of the emperor's conduct or morality and often they attempt to solve such problems by changing dynastys. 

Though their art, poetry, religion, song were all culturally rich and deeply beautiful most of the world lived blind to Talyun's existence.  Talyun felt it had all it needed from the past and from its own history, therefore there was no need to invent, explore search out or tolerate other peoples.  Though never hostile their actions are undeniably xenophobic until most recently. 

The Talyun isles and pingdong was attached by a great imperial parasite nation-- the Seanchan.  This attack left PingDong wounded and vulnerable.  They turned then to an ally whom they did not understand.  The Fox, leader of the foxes dead, paid off the Seanchan warlords and in essence bought Talyun as personal property.  The emperor was allowed to stay on the throne but within months Talyun became a protectorate of Geneva, submitting to Genevan taxes and Genevan law.  Despite Genevan elimination of slavery Geneva and Talyun seem happy enough to let each other separately coexist    

Scholars have yet to determine the exact source of Talyun society.  Similarities to the MeiKong Valley and to Jong Guo and even to Seanchan peoples are obvious.  For example the Xio Lynn monks have a near identical power and philosophy to the Mei Kong Shogun.  The most popular theory is that the civilization started in the Mei Kong and great fishermen lost as sea spread the ideas of their people to the distant lands.  New and more radical scholars now suggest Talyun was the birthplace of human 'civilization'.  The point to the proximity to ancient Kale, and in the Kale toungue Human is Tamun.  The two societies practice slavery.  They also recognize KongZi's ethics to resemble that of Kale -- a moral code with no mention or reliance upon diety.  Was the ancient golden age KongZi and all Talyun after him trying to mimic a shadow of the ancient human memory of cursed Kale?  A mystery yet to be solved. 

Tian Xia (Under Heaven)

Dwarven Mountain Halls

North of the human lowlands and as different from the elves as fire is to ice lay the Dwarven clans.  Ancient and honor bound the Dwarves are a proud warrior people.  The mountain peaks look like barren wilderness but the 12 clans have been burrowing deeper and deeper into the mountains since time in memorial.  Only their one surface city Dawnstar breaks the otherwise untouched scene. 

The underground world had constantly changing borders and the Clans fought amongst themselves and with the goblin and Minotaur kingdoms. While issues of clan pride occasionally drove the clans to conflict they were always brothers and comrades united to keep their lands protected from the goblin threat to the east. 

Years and years of eternal conflict in the east but the true threat came from west.  Talyun had been running successful slaving drives into the Dwarven lands.  The hardy dwarves made great works and warriors as slaves all over the world, so it was big business for the Talyun slaving parties.  

Another threat emerged deep within the halls.  The dwarves dug too greedily and too deep releasing a portal to the abyss and letting the great blood war of the infernals to spill onto the prime.  At great effort and great cost the portal was closed thanks to Drackus Truehammer.  The same Dwarf that fought the Talyun slavers and ended their pillaging.

Drackus was a dwarf who through his might and courage traveled away from the mines into the world and became a hero among the Genevans. He led the dwarves to aid when Geneva called for help against the Doomguard in the Two Fronts war.  The act led the Dwarven clans to make Drakus their leader their unified Bear of Truehammer clan leader, and wished to give all their aid and strength to Geneva under Drackus's leadership.  Such and action made Drackus a member fo the Genevan ruling council and gave Dwarves, for the first time, the Dwarves had a heard and equal voice on a larger world dominated by humans and Elves. 

The Grey Havens

There are many explanations for the beginnings of the Grey Havens and the elves that call it home.  They one steeped in tradition and believed by those who live there, and most important because its the one that has cultural impact is that of Dragon creation.  They myth holds that dragons came down from the blood isle to the grey isle to find a new home.  They created the elves to be their soldiers, and servants. The first elf created was the Greyfoot.  He was an example of all things elf and to act an inter-mediator between the elves and their dragon gods. Greyfoot and his descendants ruled as absolute monarchs for thousands of elven generations.

The elves were required to pay tribute to their dragon gods in large sums of gold and personal slavery.  This was celebrated by some, considered just the way of the world by most and hated by a few.  There have been a handful of rebellions of notions to change the system but they were all eliminated quickly by the Greyfoots who proved an extremely capable dynasty.

They were tested most when the Council of Wyrms faced their greatest threat -- the demon dragon Zyr.  Zyr claimed to be the vegeta of prophecy that would unit all demon kind and plunge the cosmos into war and eventually hell where he would rule for ever.  The council of Wyrms commissioned their elves servants to build a prison which could hold Zyr since they could not find a way to kill him.  The war with Zyr cost them much but the Hero Devin Greyfoot defeated Zyr using the infinity sword and locked him away in a prison tomb.

Their society reached a stagnant level reaching perfect equilibrium with what the dragons wanted. There were some heretics who wanted more for the elves.  Namely Lord Hyrule who led a band of followers to flee the greyhavens and find a new home establishing the elven kingdom of Hyrule across the ocean in the shadow of the eternal tomb of Zyr.

The last true Greyfoot-- Johnathan the Rock, was more loyal to the Dragons than any before, but he also sought greatness for him and his people.  He expanded his holdings over seas briefly holding positions over the humans and entirely ruling Enron.  Driven by personal conflict with Dante, whom he feared was the manifestation of a prophecy of the deceiver who would destroy dragon kind, he waged war on the man. The conflict ended in a challenge of champions which killed Jonathan and handed the rule of Grey Havens over to Dante.

Dante surrendered any right to rule and gave the Gray Havens to Geneva trusting in their leadership to bless the people.  Geneva appointed Vadellya Mogath as the Queen of the Grey Havens as she had an ancestral connection to the Greyfoot name but was loyal to Geneva.  After she was proved to be a darkfriend and deposed Dante greatly regretted his decision to release the Grey haven throne.  After his epic valor in the underworld earned him a wish from the Gods, he wished himself to the undisputed throne of the Grey Havens.

Thus began the Great Leap Forward.  Dante denounced the ancient traditions of dragon worship, believing instead that the gods created all races and that the elves here were decedents or an off shot of the ancient people of Kale. The wars and cultural upheavals cost the Grey Havens and her people much, very much.  But now they work to rebuild a brave new world. One loyal to Geneva and the true gods of Olympus.

While most elves resent what has been done to them and the exodus of the dragons they all recognize Dante as supreme ruler and are starting to see signs of progress as a result of his radical reforms.  They all look forward to a prosperous future hoping in the Isle and Geneva.

IFFFFF YOU SMEEEEEELLLLLLL What teh ROCK....is coooking.

Enron

Elves are a beautiful people considered to be the fairest of all the races.  And while their culture, art, magic and people maybe very delightful indeed but their history and been very troubled.

Until recently their origins were lost to the mists of history despite not being that old especially for elves.  It was only a few thousand years ago when Hyrule collapsed a few strings of desperate refugees fled their homeland boarding ships to take them wherever the ocean drifted them. It drifted them to the wooded coasts of Enron.  In Elven Enron means lost.

This was not an organized colonization or even an intentional migration.  Panicked leaderless masses now had to build a life.  There were no nobles or classes to establish leadership and coming from a culture that had a complicated and hallowed process for chosing leadership they dare not assume such a role. They were so focussed on the simple act of survival and with out leadership the higher degrees of their culture died out in a generation.  They forgot their history, their written language, their traditions. They also forgot their feelings of inadequacy towards leadership.

Many would be leaders claimed nobility and created the their own rules and laws.  The tribes fractured and fought among themselves.  All united as elves every group wanted to claim leadership.  The history of Enron is entirely that of one house ruling the elves until another kills them and replaces them with a new leader.  Warring houses and infighting plagued them.  Many scholars believe that the elves only behaved so badly because the closest model of society they had was the humans who were just north of them in the growing empire.

It was a foreigner, a fellow elf, who moved to end such squabbles and rise them to the dignity befitting elves. Jonathan the Rock Greyfoot, ruled the GreyHavens as the last of a long line of absolute monarchs.  He simply claimed rulership of Enron and had the greyhaven armies and strength of personality to make it beyond contest.

That was until Dante.  As part of their epic personal feud Jonathan and Dante fought in a challange of champions with the winner taking all the possessions of the loser. Due to the interference of the Forsaken, Dante won and Enron and the Greyhavens fell to his ownership.

Dante renounced rulership of Enron and allowed the native Queen Illyena to ascend to the throne.  The now world power Geneva backed and supported her due to a deep personal relationship she had with prince Tassadar, in turn Queen Illyena surrendered her sovereignty and annexed into Geneva as a provience.  While the hope was to clearly define succession, as is Enron's fate it failed.  It was discovered the queen to be a doppelganger impostor and worse, one that the Foxes den had planted to control the country.

Currently, Councilmen Raquel Al Shatel rules Enron directly as a provience of Geneva and is hoping to find a new queen.  One with deep legal right  -- the last living heir of the Hyrulian elves from which the Enron branch sprung. But yet another foreigner hopes to take control.  The red saint is pushing wide scale propeganda through Enron and offers them an end to the rapid fall of dynastys and an eternal just kingship.  An idea that the native elves are very very found of.

Human Empire

For long generations of human life, a few moments of the elves, humanity spread, settled and conquered the flatlands of the great continent.  From roaming bands of family units that hunted the large mammals on the plain as nomads they gravitated to the rivers.  There they found fish with no need to hunt and more importantly during large parts of the year edible plants would grow along the banks.  They mastered the craft of domesticating the plants and started agriculture.  Some scholars argue this was not truly organic but something they had learned from the Kale before they were destroyed.

Regardless of the true origin farming changed everything.  The small bands of hunters began turning into large groups of settled towns.  The towns grew and began to find and interact with each other.  They shared a common language and a similar evolving culture focussed on the worship of stars and celestial bodies and the believe in divinely born god kings.  Often they would fight but they would always remain bound by similar religious and culture ties.  

As is the case with all human societies, they are born live and die so quickly they give more tales to share than can ever be told.  It is enough to say that countless kingdoms, empires and conquers spread across the landscape and then disappeared.  There are many ghosts in the human empire.

At the center of the cost and the mouth of the three great rivers a center of Trade Emerged.  it was simply called -- Trade City.  It was the ultimate expression of human civilization -- full of great art, wealth, and extreme filth and violence and remains such to this day.

The wealth of Trade City allowed the rulers, the Merchant Council, to exercise greater and greater control over the surrounding city states.  Starting with just a need to secure food supply for the growing human population in the city, it became an extended network of influence and control.  The head of the Merchant Council began calling himself the Emperor.  At best the empires was a loosely connected band of city states which shared cultural religious and economic interest. It was only held together by the strength of personality of the emperor which held them together.

The last Emperor was an evil corrupt and viscous villain, one who had a conflict with the Empress, may she live forever, Anastasia of the elves.  She had Mordin fight and defeat the emperor.  With no heir the city states fell to local independence and the empire collapsed entirely. The resulting wars and chaos sent refugees fleeing to the safety of the the islands and Geneva began raising in power.

Leaderless the humans were easy victims to be pillaged by the Trevor and the black raven during the Raven wars.  Legions of the wizards trolls swarmed the land taking from the humans what they wanted and marched on to Geneva.

It was a Genevan Prince Tassadar which saved the humans from what could have been slavery or extinction.  Riding city to city he fought the trolls and gave them hope.  He was named the Bringer of Hope.  Out of love and gratitude for all the 16 year old prince had done the humans rallied around him and drove out the trolls.  They then reforged the trappings of the empire and named Tassadar emperor.  Being and young boy and with his primary loyalty to Geneva and the keeper of the seals he then swore loyalty and fealty to the council of Geneva and made the entirety of the lands now a Genevan province.

Well met traveller, you'll find among the world of men hard work and an honest hand solve any problem, and if that fails coin will succeed.

Isles of Geneva

Geneva started on the spread of islands west of mainland.  It was founded first as a province of the Crystal Empire.  The Empress Andrea, may she live forever, had a chief apprentice -- Mordin.  As the human empire collapsed on the mainland Mordin and his companions; Jericho, Shadar, Logar, and Filtch began building a new civilization that protected the ideals of the light while gathering wealth for the Empire.

Over the next several years the over 200 islands were claimed explored mapped and settled.  With the discovery of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis trade opened bringing great wealth.  The peace and prosperity of the islands attracted a wide variety of inhabitants. Imperial colonists (elves) refugees from the mainland (humans) prospectors looking to mine the wealth of the islands (Dwarves) and native halflings soon made a very diverse and cosmopolitan civilization.

Under the shadow of the isle of the winds, paladins and priests took the isles of Geneva as an extension of their home. The temple of light and keeper of the seals sat on the governing council of Geneva and ensured a quest for goodness.  The citizens quickly became rich, kind and brave.  The isles of Geneva were strong enough to stand on their own.  When apprentice Mordin asked to be granted independence, the Empress may she live forever, granted it in gratitude for his years of faithful service.  Though politically independent culturally and socially the strong positive connection with the empire remains despite even armed conflict between the two nations.

It was from there the Isles of Geneva expanded with their impressive navy and galant skyriders.  They were a beacon of light and hope in a world torn by darkness and war. Eventually entire other nations would seek to be part of the great Geneva.

With all its influence for good, like all beasts it has a dark underbelly.  Geneva is the cradle and breeding ground of the Foxes Den thieves guild.  Never has a thieves guild rose to power so quickly and absolutely.  Competition is not tolerated and nothing significant happens without the Den either knowing or causing.  many believe that such a thing could only be accomplished if the den was connected to the highest ranks of Genevan society maybe even the council itself.  Why the champions of the light would have such a connection is yet to be understood or even truly believed by the populace at large.

Geneva fights the fights that need fighting.  May the Light guide your path, May the light save us all.