The Broken Kingdom (Archives)

[Ben M]

Archives

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App:
Faction Name: Lumaria
Territory: See Map
Race by percentage: Snow Elf 80% Half Elf 15% Human 4% Other 5%
Population: 80,000
Society Description: The Society of Lumaria is based off of the worship of the ancient god. The paladins of the ancient god have a stranglehold over running the society. The Pontifex or Warden is leader.
Military Description: Every single member of the military is trained in holy magic. The structural order is based off of priestly rank.
Magic Type: 100% Holy.
Brief Description of Magic in Society Holy Magic is permeates into everyday life. Priests use it to convey power over the local populace and awe them with feats. It is also what allows them to keep their power.
The Threat: A Necromancer resides in the north, wielding corrupted Holy magic to raise the dead to combat the living.
Faction History:

Lumaria was not one of the original Factions created by Lysander. The Frozen North was originally a single Faction, the largest of the original factions under the leadership of a Warden who was weak willed and scared. The man was from Luxtoria, and hated the cold, so he didn’t ever really visit his lands. This meant that a power vacuum was created. The Warden managed to maintain tenuous control over his large lands, but the North Split along the mountain range. In the west a church to an old god had asserted itself as the power. They worshipped the ancient God of Snow Ilythros. They slowly but surely established themselves as the controller of the region. They converted the populace over time, and were gradually accepted into the Warden’s circle of advisors. Finally the Warden died, and his son inherited. His son was a follower of Ilythros and granted even more power to the cult, which was now flexing its power. Cult officials were dominating the west part of the Frozen North, with the east resisting the new religion.

In the great instability the Cult face its brightest hour and its darkest. The cult was graced by the death of the Warden and his child under an unfortunate and unforeseen sickness. They petitioned the weak king to make one of them Warden of the Frozen North and began rasing an Army to threaten the King. The East did the same so the King split them into separate factions and gave the cult what they wanted. This was how Pontiff Quenneli became the Warden of Lumaria. Yet it was the instability that gave the new Warden an extra-special threat. The Necromancer. Originally a young elf by the name of Elder Elderas, he saw the worship of Ilythros as misguided. He pored over ancient texts searching for answers. All he found was the words of a disciple. This woman was Ilythros’s best friend and had archaic writings depicting her falling out with Ilythros. She chronicled the ability to raise people from the dead. Elderas jumped at the opportunity to raise the dead with holy magic. He spent 7 days and nights holed up in his dark room writing out the incantation by candlelight. He emerged on the 8th day confident. He took the local priest to the graveyard and recited the incantation. Skeletal hands broke the surface. The Priest freaked out and cast a spell on Elderas, causing all to forget who he was except that he was The Necromancer, a being of pure evil. Elderas fled into the mountains where he vowed to return to the faction and rule it in worship of the Disciple Amithrel.

Additional Information: (Concept Art or random stuff)

The Capital of Lumaria, Ilythian. Population 10,500.


The Dark Fortress, home to the Necromancer.

Theme Song:Wars of Faith by Audiomacine

Warden App
Appearance:

Gender: Male
Name: Pontifex Ilariel Ladiore
Coat of Arms or emblem:

Race: Snow Elf
Age: 65
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Height and Weight 5’ 7” (1.7 Meters) 163 LBS (73.9 Kilograms)
Brief Bio:

Ilariel was raised in the church, a custom repeated by almost every single Warden not expressly picked by the King. He was as devout as the rest of them and took his Churchly vows upon selection. He was then nominated by the faction and of course selected by the king. As he said the sacred words “And so I shalt guard against the evil of the mountain, the dark of men’s hearts, and the fall of Myrtia” his bishop’s hat was place on his head. His humble church backgrounds never forgotten he still lives a spartan life style.

When Queen Margot died he saw his opportunity and leapt for it. He knew that if he was made king, all of Myrtia would know the religion of Ilythros. He rode for Luxtoria at once to convene the emergency regency council. Unfortunately not everyone was a devout Ilythrian and he was by no means elected king. As the comet graced the skies he knew that it was an omen, the end of peace and the beginning of war. Sure enough he received news about the Necromancer amassing forces of the undead. Torn between protecting his faction and nation, and becoming king over all he sits in Luxtoria desperately wanting the regency to be over.

Fighting Style: Highly conservative Ilariel fights with sword and shield seeking to tire opponents out and then cut them down in glory. His shield can use magic to blind and attack enemies.
Weapon of choice:

Long Sword, The Forgiver.

Magic type: Holy!
Personality: ENTJ. Likes: Ilythros, Cold, Snow, Meager Living. Dislikes: Bigshots, Heretics, The Dark, Non-Holy Magic.
Additional Info: Straight, and has a secret fear of the dark. This is ingrained from his first encounter with the forces of the Necromancer, which was at night. He also dislikes cemeteries and other places of the dead. He is slightly paranoid as well.

[Drakmah]

Faction Name: The Forsaken
Territory: Nala
Race by percentage: The percentages have not been recorded, but it is known that people of all race reside in the lands of the Forsaken, their doors always open to those willing to make the long journey into the mountains.
Society Description:

Nala and the Forsaken have always been a place for people of all backgrounds to come too, always accepting of everyone who come to its doors. This is because of the ability of the leaders of the Forsaken, who would eventually come to be the wardens in the new system, to remove the darkness and the evil from the people who came to its gates. This means that people, no matter what atrocities they had seen or had committed were welcomed to Nala.

The society is very socialist, everyone finding a role in society in doing whatever is needed. There aren’t many different forms of work, there only being miners, people who fight the monsters that threaten the towns, innkeepers and store owner and such, and the small group of people who manage the trade of gems and precious metals for things they are unable to produce, such as food.

Military Description:
The have no formal military, only a force dedicated to fighting the monsters that reside in the woods. This isn’t deemed a problem however as the entire region is surrounded by monsters except for one passage which could be easily defended in the event of an attack. Attacking the mountains however would not be a very good idea however as the journey up the mountain is not an easy one and the only thing that keeps merchants coming is the outrageous rate in which Valinthia offers.
Magic Type:
Magic in Nala is very diverse as many people come from all over, bringing many different magics into the region.
Brief Description of Magic in Society
Magic is free flowing, rules preventing people from harming others being the only thing that restricts people. All forms of magic are welcome and all are embraced, being used in all forms to improve the lives of people.
The Threat:
The threat to the Forsaken is the presence of monsters, usually taking the forms of huge, hulking beasts shrouded in darkness. They only attack in the night and no one knows where they come from or how they are made. Sometimes coming alone or sometimes in pack these monsters terrorize the populace and are the reason why a prevalent force exists to stop them.
Faction History:

Nala and the Forsaken have always existed in the histories that have been recorded, their origin not having been recorded as when it was found it had already formed. For years before this however it had been merely a myth, people who had no place in the world would set out for this mythical place of asylum, which offered a home to any and all who came to them. This was always a home of peace when it came to the people who inhabited it, the only threat always being the monsters that invaded during the night.

And so this air of peace between people held true when an army of Myrtia marched to its gates, the leader of the Forsaken then meeting the General in the mouth of the passage that would lead into Nala and officially surrendered under the condition that what they were at their core, an asylum for all who wished it. The army camped in the mouth for one night, and after being attacked by the monsters that haunted the woods they agreed, ending a war before it even began.

After the war nothing changed until the Warden system was put into place, the current leader being named the Warden as they were the most knowledgeable about how to deal with the monsters that raided the night. Things have remained such to this day, the power of dispelling darkness and the title of Warden being passed down through the family to continue the traditions that Nala represents.

Additional Information: SECRET: The source of the monsters actually comes from the darkness that is dispelled from people, the evil leaving the bodies of those the Warden helps and sifting around in a different plane of existence until it materializes as the monsters that the people of Nala fight. This is only known to the Warden, not even the king aware that the Warden of the threat is also the cause. Each Warden makes a conscious decision that the service they provide is worth having to fight the monsters, and that this is a system that while is flawed, is the better way to go. THIS MEANS: If my Warden uses her power outside of her region, a monster or a pack of monsters will spawn near where she uses her power, which makes her more likely to ask people to come with her to Nala before she uses it.
Theme Song: Change your Mind - The Killers

Appearance:

NOTE: The horns are spoils of war, taken from a monster she once killed. They are an apparel item, not a racial feature.

Gender: Female
Name: Valinthia, The Mother of the Forsaken
Coat of Arms or emblem:

Race: Half-Elf
Age: 30
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Height and Weight 5 Ft 11 in, 120 lbs
Brief Bio:

Born to loving parents she was taught at a young age the role she would be fulfilling and the values she should have as the leader of the Forsaken. When she was a young her parents began to show her around, introducing her to everyone within the dark mountains. She grew up interacting with these people and through this she became loved by all. Throughout this time her mother taught her how to help people, allowing her to sit in on the process and learn how to complete it. This form of “Help” was a process that allowed her to draw the darkness from people, and this fascinated her. She loved helping people and this was such a clear cut way to do so. As she grew older she learned about the many threats to their establishment and how to deal with them.

Her parents died peacefully, leaving her in charge of running the country, plagued with one dark secret, one she could never reveal to anyone.

She now resides in her home, having taken the formal coronation of becoming the warden. While she continues to guard her region's secret and helping all who come to her door.

Fighting Style: She does not know how to fight with her hands or with a weapon, but can wield magic with a fair hand.
Weapon of choice:

Magic type: Dark magic. While she has access to the many tools of her magic her signature trade is the removal of Darkness from within people. It is a power that is passed down from warden to warden and allows her to take darkness from within people (Ex. PTSD, murderous tendencies, psychological issues, curses & hexes, and other things of the sort). This process takes many hours and can only be done if the receiver of the treatment is willing. Nothing is known about where the darkness goes but it assumed that she either takes it into herself or dispels it somehow.
Personality: While her methods may be controversial she is kind at heart, always wishing the best for Nala. She is always around for people who need to talk and with the people she watches over this is something that is prized among those who need it. Her kindness extends to everyone she comes in contact with and is not limited by anything, having dealt with people who have seen the worst and done the worst many of the atrocities she witnesses pales in comparison to the things she has heard. She does not enjoy being brushed off and believes everyone can be helped, and will fight for that belief.

Likes - Those who return her kindness, bravery, and helping people

Dislikes - Arrogance, Denial, People who defile her homeland

Additional Info: She is Bi-Sexual and enjoys the process of expelling the darkness from people, finding a strange joy in the process. She doesn’t understand why and she is the first warden to do so, every warden before her finding pain in doing so.

[Quazin the Great]

App
Faction Name: The Incarcerat
Territory:East Hebury
Population:55,000.
Race by percentage: 23% Human, 25% Half-elf, 22% half-orc, 25% goblin, 4% halfling, 1% Dwarf.
Society Description: The society of the Incarcerat is a very free society, and its laws are created by the Guardion, the council of Incarcerat. Although the warden theoretically has absolute power, political decisions are left to the council so that the Warden can focus on the threat. This generally accepted tradition can be ignored in case of imminent danger, however it is generally not. The only rules the Warden cannot break are those that were established by Wardens before him, known as the Warden's Law.
Military Description: The Incarcerat military is mainly based in defence, the city itself possessing many protective magical traps and obstacles for attackers. The offencive aspect of the Incarcerat military is mostly composed of goblin machines of war and warbeasts. The rest of the military is volunteer based, as well as a small non-volunteer program that takes captured convicts and shoots them into enemy cities in hopes that the target enemy will have the manpower to kill them. The offencive basis of the military is in destruction and attacking, not holding. Its main purpose is to destroy threats and act as a form of deterrence, and is inadequately equipped to hold territory that is not already part of Incarcerat.
Magic Type: All magics
Brief Description of Magic in Society:The magic of Incarcerat centers around the Grail, a magical, sentient artifact of ancient power. Drinking from the Grail imbues the drinker with a magical power and a curse, both of which are unique and seemingly random. Although the outcome is generally random, (at least to the Incarcerat’s point of view) the drinker may wish or ask for the granted power to accomplish a certain objective, but this request is usually fulfilled in twisted ways. If one desires to drink from the Grail of their own will, they must simply express their want to drink from it and then open any door within the city. The doorway will then temporarily lead to the Grail, rather than what it originally lead to. Being sentient and wanting people to drink from it, the Grail frequently attempts to attract people to drink from it, whispering promises of power and revenge into the minds of those most vulnerable.
The first to drink from the Grail were the goblins, who were imbued with both the ability to create and understand, yet cursed with mad genius. The Goblins, for some reason had the unique ability to pass down this magic, and many still possess it to some degree, although few are as powerful as the Goblins of old. The current magically endowed goblins are the creators of the Incarcerat's machines of war. Unfortunately, If a goblin is not born with the Grails power, they have no way to obtain it, for the gateways to the Grail do not open for goblin-kind.
The Warden, as well as the Council of Incarcerat is forbidden from drinking from the Grail, however the Warden possesses a weapon that has been forged using its waters, giving it cursed magical power. The weapon’s metal is called Wardensteel, and hard enough and dangerous enough to make that instead of making it every time a Warden needs a weapon, they reforge the previous Warden’s weapon. The purpose of using Wardensteel instead of drinking from the Grail is that it allows the Warden to have a measure of control over it without having it compromise the sanctity of the council. Simply reforging it is not a cure all, however; Every time they are reforged, material is lost in the process, meaning more of them have to be sacrificed to make a new one. Because of this, Wardensteel blades are arguably one of the rarest types of weapon in the world, with Incarcerat only possessing enough of it to last them two more Lifetime's worth of Wardensteel.

The Threat: The Threat of Incarcerat is the Grails Curse. Not all who drink from it benefit from it, and many succumb to the curse that comes with its power. These people are known as the Drowned. Many of the Drowned's curses have to do with violence and wanting to kill people or going insane, so they're generally extremely dangerous to the public. There are also sociopaths and psychopaths that drink from the grail and then go around killing people, called.
The threat is fought against by the Warden and his Hounds, a group of magical warriors that hunt down and capture or kill dangerous criminals. The Hounds have pledged complete loyalty to the Warden, and when they speak, their voices hold his command of law.
Faction History: Long ago, in the times of the sage Lysander, when the book of Opus had just been opened, there was no threat in the easts of Hebury. That is, unless you deem hunger and poverty a threat. It is said that the origins of the Incarcerat starts with a small band of goblins. It is not clear where these goblins came from, but it is know that they were homeless, wanderers forced into traveling across the lands in search for a sign of help, a sliver of hope. It was they who first discovered the Grail, although the only accounts of this event are mere speculation at best, as no-one knew where the Grail came from or how it appeared.
What is certain is that they heeded its call and drank from its waters turning them into what we now call the Architects. The Architects first act was to build the great clockwork city of Cog, a city matched by no other in its grandeur and mad complexity. A city that would serve as both a home for the Architects and the nest of the Grail. Cog is truly a masterpiece to behold, a fustercluck of magic and metal that stretches for miles and miles, its perfectly seamless, massively scaled pieces ticking away in perfect harmony. Despite this, it is obvious that the city was created by a mad genius, several in fact, as there is no rhyme or reason to any of it. Much of the city isn’t even habitable, composed of mazes and labyrinths of moving walls and magical doorways, the product of an Architect that was driven mad by their genius, yet continued building. Different sections and parts of the city show drastically different types of architecture as there was no cooperation between the architects in their planning, and neither did the city have a plan. They just built and kept on building until they died, creating a city so large that to this day, centuries later, it has not yet been fully mapped.
Soon, people arrived. They came from all over, remnants of the old war, inhabiting a city that they could never hope to fill. At first, lawlessness was prevalent. The threat that is now relatively controlled today ran rampant, and the government was virtually non-existent. The powerful and the insane ruled, killing and taking from the innocent. The elements clashed on the streets, turning the city into a constant battleground of deadly magic.
Their salvation came years later. The first Hero, Galdrin Barr. With an Iron fist he rose, practically wiping out the drowned and bringing Cog into a new era of peace and prosperity. It was he who founded the council of Guardion, and later he who established the city of Cog as the faction of Incarcerat. For himself, he took no political power, instead establishing the house of Barr as the domestic guardian of Cog.
For a time, the city was technically independent from Lysander's Empire, although it joined a while later, when the king began to personally assign Wardens to threats. It was at this point that the leader of house of Barr was dubbed Warden of the Incarcerat, which was petitioned to the king for need of a Warden that was experienced with the dangers of the Grail.
Additional Information:
Theme Song: C21 FX - Blood Red Roses Flyleaf- I'm So Sick Reefer Madness

Warden App
Appearance: This
Name: Alexei Barr
Coat of Arms or emblem :The Emblem
Race: 1/4 elf, 1/4 orc and half human. His father was a half-orc and his mother was a half-elf.
Age: 29
Alignment: Lawful good. Although, he is the law, so technically chaotic good.
Height and Weight: 6’2”
Brief Bio:Alexie was born to a half-elf mother and a half-orc father. Much of his life was filled with his training and education. What being a Warden meant, what his task was, how he dealt with the council and the Grail, how to use a sword, how to use a spear, use a crossbow, ride a horse. He took to it quickly, as all of the Warden's of Barr had. They had the blood of a hero in their veins, and they knew this well. When his training was almost complete, and he was near ready to take the mantle of warden, he was sent out to adventure in the wilds. This was where he learned to control Awiergan, and where his notoriety developed. In the span of years before the previous Warden died, he visited many of the lands of Myrtia and beyond, fighting its many dangers and experiencing its many treasures. In this time he learned the lessons that normal training does not grant, the lessons that would truly prepare him for the Incarcerat Wardenship.
His adventures ended with his father's career, when the mantle of the Warden was to be passed down. He took the title willingly, and since then has devoted himself to service.
Fighting Style: Following the path of the Wardens before him, X is a master of physical combat, possessing knowledge and expertise in many different fighting styles and weapons. When not using his Wardensteel blade, he chooses to use a variety of other weapons, only using Awiergan when he must.
Weapon of choice: Alexei's weapon is known as Awiergan, a black longsword that holds the power of the grails curse, and overflows with dark energy. The blade grants Alexei the ability to command dark magics, as well as curse those that it affects. The sword's flipside is its effect on him. The longer Alexei remains in combat and the harder he fights while holding the sword, the more the darkness envelops him and changes him. The more enveloped he is, the stronger and faster he is, the more access he has to the blade's dark magic, and the farther into evil he goes, robbing him of his morals, his will to stop fighting, and eventually his humanity. When he lets go of the blade, the darkness leaves him and he becomes his normal self.
Magic type: Dark
Personality: Hates politics, enjoys fighting although he doesn't show it. Charismatic leader and firm sense of justice. Has philosophy that one should fear the power that they hold, if they do not fear it than they are not qualified to hold it. He believes that he should be seen not as a leader of Incarcerat, but as a symbol of protection, and therefore is always seen by the public in his signature armor, face obscured. This, mixed with his efforts to prevent alienation with his people, have caused them to view him as a mascot for the Incarcerat and its ideals. Very rarely is he seen without his armor, both in and outside of Incarcerat, and he wears it so often that in a way it has become part of his identity as a person.
Additional Info: He's straight, although it is currently uncertain how any interest in that respect will be conducted in the future.

[Kaidou]

Faction Name
Scarne

Demonyms
Scarnian (s), Scarnians (p)
Scarnian (adj.)

Territory
North Weebluf



Mildly hilly terrain. Average temperatures between 0C to 20C.


Race by percentage
30.6% Humans (~5,960)
29.6% Wood Elves (~5,770)
17.2% Mountain Dwarves (~3,360)
9.1% Orcs (~1,760)
5.6% Half Orcs (~1,100)
4.9% Deep Dwarves (~960)
0.3% Dracones (~60)
2.7% Others (~530)

Note: Few attempts have ever been made by the Scarnians to take a census of its population. The figures above are accurate as of 4 years ago, the first census in almost a decade.

Population
Approx. 19,500

Society Description:
Since the Scarnians as a faction tends to be largely driven by agriculture, the large majority of common folk who live in lands under the faction tend to work as farmers, growing crops and, in the case of larger farms, livestock too. Horses are common as well, with almost all farms owning at least four or five.

Despite the differences in numbers of the different races, Scarnians tend to live in relative harmony with each other regardless of race. However, in some occasions, the language barrier can be quite a problem, especially when it involves money and real estate. To eliminate this problem, most people who trade and barter often tend to travel with interpreters, though this is not always the case.

The faction is led by a council simply referred to as "Leader". This council consists of 11 people who get together monthly and discuss matters of state, sometimes for days on end.

Military Description
The Scarnian military is very small, consisting of only 1,000 infantrymen and 550 cavalry. As Scarne is a faction that is traditionally more diplomatic, its military is seldom needed for border security, if ever. However, it is still in their interests to maintain an army, lest a foreign, unrecognised threat attempt to overrun them.

The army contains men from all races, though it is the Half Orcs and the Humans who make up the largest demographics in the army.

In addition to traditional fighting and martial arts, soldiers in the Scarnian army are also specially trained to fight dragons, as North Weebluf suffers from a dragon infestation, though not enough to warrant any urgent action.

Magic Type
Anything between Enchanting to Astral. The two extreme ends of the spectrum are seldom used by the Scarnians, if at all.

Brief Description of Magic in Society
The large majority of Scarnians seldom use magic, or even come into contact with it. Some families (particularly the ones with longer histories) tend to practise various quotidian forms of magic, such as simple healing spells and growth accelerators.

However, there are also famous practitioners of magic who hail from Scarne, examples being the famous human astrologer Gernau Hironau and a half orc master of Natural Magic simply known as Banúmiru (both of whom are already deceased). Generally, most practitioners of magic here tend to use either Enchanting Magic or Astral Magic, with the more fluent and deft ones moving on to dabble in Natural Magic. It is very rare to see a Scarnian mage attempt either Holy or Dark Magic.

The Threat
Plague of Araunim

A formerly epidemic disease within the nation that has, as of the present, taken more than 10,000 lives. Symptoms include raging fevers, severe coughing and sneezing (through which the disease is spread, though a very small number of people are immune), fits, and in end stage cases, ataxia.

The disease, while curable and preventable, was extremely devastating to Scarne as it wiped out a good percentage of her population, not discriminating between any race whatsoever. Now, even though it remains at mildly endemic levels thanks to the efforts of Scarne's warden, rumours often spread of the return of Araunim, especially since said warden is already in her twilight years, and is having a hard time training an apprentice.

Faction History
The faction known as Scarne originally began as a small group of 36 farmers who travelled north from the southernmost lands in order to find more fertile land with which they could use to cultivate barley. Their leader, a halfling named Jorva Bellus Scarne, led the team across a mountain range that separated the land called Weebluf, eventually reaching a large plain, with rolling hills and flat fields perfect for agriculture.

The team, 20 male and 16 female, were overjoyed at their discovery of a new land, and decided to settle down. They made use of some of the numerous trees to build themselves small houses, while tilling the fields to plant their crops. As the group comprised mostly of young, unmarried men and women, many of them eventually married each other, having numerous children of their own. Scarne himself was, after a meeting session held by the group, instated as the leader of the new settlement. For a lack of a better name, they simply called their settlement "Scarne's Town", though it wasn't a town yet.

However, news of their success (the land was highly arable and yielded rich crops) soon spread, and slowly but steadily, farmers, merchants, and traders slowly streamed in to "Scarne's Town", building new settlements for themselves and making use of the rich gifts bestowed upon them by the land itself.

By the time Scarne died (at the age of 73), the new land already had around 600 inhabitants. As Scarne himself was celibate (he died a virgin), the most senior members of the settlement gathered to decide on some things. What was their settlement to be named? What were its boundaries? Who should be its leader? And so on.

Eventually, they decided to retain the name (albeit dropping the "Town" part, shortening it to "Scarne"), while a group of young horsemen went off to draw boundaries, taking generous parts of Weebluf, but never going below the mountains. The next Leader, a 76 year old Wood Elf named Julius Sargonin (one of Scarne's travel companions), was intent on building a new nation from what they already had. Through his efforts, Scarne eventually grew much larger, with more and more merchants coming in. They eventually considered themselves a faction or, in their words, a "nation". After all, they had a sustainable economy and a decent number of inhabitants of a wide variety of races.

Sargonin eventually passed on, having walked the lands for 163 years. His successor was a young and promising Half Orc named Koriassun Othock. Under Othock's leadership, the faction continued to grow, reaching 10,000 citizens by the time Othock died at the age of 58.

Generally, the land was peaceful, with people living harmoniously and gracefully despite there being many different races and cultures. However, this peace would not always last. The leader who succeeded Othock, a middle aged Human named Braan Braanachi, proved to be rather unpopular with a large number of people, owing to the fact that he was very expansionist. He was eventually murdered, leaving a power vacuum for the next 5 months. The chaos, along with the ever present spectre of economic doom, shocked the people to the core, and it was then that they decided; no one person should be the Leader. Instead, the Leader should be a council.

As such, a smooth transition was made from a one-man leadership to one with a small parliament consisting of 11 people who got together once a month and discussed matters relating to the running of the settlement.

Under this system, Scarne continued to prosper for many years to come.

However, a disease soon began to spread. Nobody knew where it came from. Some believed it was the sea, others blamed it on evil spirits that escaped from the mountains in which the Deep Dwarfish residents of Scarne resided in, while some even said it was the ghost of Scarne himself. Nevertheless, this disease spread, and became more and more severe. People would walk along a road, begin to cough, and then suddenly drop onto the ground and tremble violently and demoniacally. The people named the disease "Araunim", after a young Dwarf girl who was the first one to die from the disease.

During the next decades, misery reigned. The population, formerly close to 30,000, eventually thinned to 18,000. This was until a 15 year old Snow Elf girl named Aelruen Ioelena stepped up and offered to help. She, along with a young man whose identity was never found, scoured the deep wilderness of Northern Weebluf, searching for herbs and other things that could help as remedies. For 17 years, she did nothing but this, often having to fight off mountain bandits and the occasional dragon.

After those 17 years, she returned to civilisation, spreading word of the medicines that she had learned how to make. Word got round, and soon, every household began to grow the seeds and plants that she had given out. It wasn't enough, but it was a good start. With new hope, Ioelena returned to the wilderness, hoping to find more.

Three years passed, and she returned to the settlements, with an anguished expression and body language; her companion was dead. However, she had learned the Natural Magic, an arcane art in those parts. With this magic, she drove the disease from the ranks of the people and (mostly) purified Scarne of its demon. However, the scars still ran deep; with almost 12,000 dead, it would be a long while before the nation could recover. Ioelena continued to serve the people, and with nothing left to give back to her, they granted her the title of Warden, which she had no choice but to accept.

100 years passed, and through Ioelena and the people's combined efforts, Scarne slowly began to make its recovery. The flowers were beginning to grow back in the bomb craters.

However, as the past had taught all, Scarne remained wary of any other dangers that could come, whether in the form of the black hand of the Plague of Araunim, or something more sinister...

Additional Information
I will be adding some of my art here, along with individual theme songs and leitmotifs for various characters and other things.

The 36 founders of Scarne
Jorva Bellus Scarne
Parhu Xishuin
Oct Chinif
Ishii Hisuszeck
Ingvar Bainur
Profaro Augiolai
Golägo I
Sabo Naujokass
Elsa Doðsuk
Kuro-Aji Tenmeil
Leia Leinol
Kuzan Accasim
Enchi Voláif
Sanjin Zumar
Kaldu Kelme
Vughise Borgin
Billin Japoli
Julius Sargonin
Tsuru Ijiðil
Bar Barukin
Chogok Hirokisuj
Niij Aru
Bashii Keldäk
Waltraute Hezigaim
Michith Murmex
Ursul Konisch
Norbert Nuik
Sine Hammerfist
Curazúi Andrak
Kairon Illushu
Juin Juinora
Stormfly V
Damriu Stoneface
Alleria Tilienor
Yeushi Tilienor
Ram Consimajukinau

Koriassun Othock

Braan Braanachi

Theme Song
Richard Wagner's Prelude to Tannhäuser
(It may be long, yes, but I insist that you listen to it, at the very least, from 2:18 onwards. It's heavenly. )

---

Warden App

Appearance

Galadriel will be the placeholder appearance until I can draw something that looks remotely like an aged elf lady.

Gender
Female

Name
Aelruen Ioelena

Coat of Arms or emblem
Ioelena doesn't have any, as she is neither royalty nor nobility.

Race
Snow Elf

Age
125 ( >80 human years)

Alignment
Chaotic Good

Height and Weight (feet and pounds included for the benefit of the Americans here)
182cm / 5 ft 9
59kg / 130 lb

Brief Bio
Aelruen Ioelena was born in a small village cluster along a little creek somewhere in North Weebluf, run by the pacifist Scarnians. Her family owned a small herb plantation, which she helped to run in her early days. All in all, her childhood was a relatively uneventful one.

However, she was dramatically affected when, at the age of 15, she witnessed the Plague of Araunim strike North Weebluf, smiting people in the hundreds. Her father brought her to the market once, and the sight of over 10 people lying on the street and convulsing uncannily and violently shocked her to tears. She was determined not to let these people die just like that. Even though she had absolutely no plan whatsoever, she was adamant to do something about this whole problem, no matter how small. As such, much to her parents' discomfort, she decided to leave the plantations to search for a cure for the disease. In the interest of watching out for her safety, Ioelena's parents sent her brother Augrej to follow her. He was rather apprehensive of this task, and remained so, reluctantly following his sister around to strange places.

After 17 years of combing the wilderness, Ioelena returned to civilisation, and shared her findings and her concoctions with the people of Scarne. They accepted whatever she offered (being too desperate to think about its origins), but were still not cured or satisfied. She returned to her home dejected, only to find that it had been vacated. The worst, she reasoned with malaise, had happened. As such, Ioelena rushed back into the wilderness, with Augrej following her.

The two went all over the lands, trying to find that one thing that was missing. Along the way, they met up with an old Orc who lived in a house on the hills in the outskirts (where news of the Plague had not spread). They were generally distrustful of strangers, but being desperate for food (their lack thereof a result of Ioelena's failure to plan their trip), they accepted the Orc's offer.

It turned out that this Orc was the famous Natural Magician Banúmiru. He listened intently to Ioelena's explanations of the situation and offered to teach her how to use Natural Magic. As such, they stayed behind in his house, learning various skills and spells that Ioelena knew could come in useful in their search for a cure for the disease.

However, Banúmiru's house was, in the wee hours of the morning, attacked by a dragon. Both Banúmiru and Augrej were killed in the attack, with a teary Ioelena left to fend for herself. With nothing but one of Banúmiru's spears, which she had rescued just as she ran out, she impaled the dragon through the neck, before making her way back to the main settlements, injured and burned, but alive nonetheless. With her new skills, combined with her medicines, she was able to slowly but steadily (seemingly) eradicate the disease. Triumphant and jubilant, the people hailed their new heroine, as she slowly aided her compatriots in rebuilding their society.

During this time, she was granted the title of Warden. Thereupon, she began to attend the annual Warden meetings, though not all the time.

With the passing of a century, Ioelena could feel that her time was coming soon. As such, she began to search for an apprentice, one who could continue to watch over Scarne and ward off the spectre of the Plague.

Fighting Style
Ioelena relies mostly on magic to fight. However, she is moderately proficient with spear fighting, having taught herself to a small extent during her middle age.

Weapon of choice
Any spear, as long as it is more than a metre (~39.4 inches) in length.

Magic Type
Natural

Personality
Ioelena is a reckless person. She loathes having to come up with plans, and often decides to simply rush in to rectify a situation with little consideration for anything apart from the obvious (i.e. Will anybody have to die?).

However, this does not mean that she is stupid. She is intelligent, though in a world wise way. Philosophy and other such intellectual topics are not things that have ever interested her.

In addition, she is also very compassionate. This is probably the only reason why she even bothered to stay behind to help the Scarnians, though her family was rich enough to get out of the land before anything could happen.

Likes: People in general, lobster, botany, stargazing
Dislikes: Having to fight, dragons, beef, alcohol

INFJ-A

Additional Info
None

[Itium]

Faction Name: Highsmiths
Territory: A piece of land near the Luxtorian border.
Race by percentage: 60% human, 30% wood elf, 10% half elf
Population: 80,000
Society Description: Secret Police Alchemists. That'd be the best way to describe the Highsmiths, as men and women of medieval science who have a firm grasp on Luxtoria, and are willing to bribe, threaten, and murder those outside the faction to achieve their goals. Within their number, logic and intelligence are lofted as the reasons for one's success. Enchanting magic is seen as superior to the other "unrefined" variants. Within their own society, the Highsmiths are devoted to progress and advancement, for what they perceive to be the betterment of the world. Their position on potentially dangerous experiments is "as long as it isn't tested on us, it's okay."
Military Description: More of a secret police than a military, the Highsmiths are willing to do anything to win a fight, especially now that there are no royals limiting them. Their tactics are primarily centered around ranged combat and various enchanted gadgets.
Magic Type: Enchanting and Nature
Brief Description of Magic in Society: Enchanting is industrialized and combined with advanced (for medieval times) technology. Enchanted objects are used by Highsmiths in nearly every aspect of daily life. Nature magic is rarer, used to manipulate the elements for various purposes. The combination of enchanting and nature magic is what the Highsmiths refer to as alchemy.
The Threat: A rebellion movement attempting to do away with the faction system, which is secretly funded by the Highsmiths so that the threat can stay, thus allowing them an excuse for their perpetual state of high alert.
Faction History: Before Lysander took control, the Highsmiths were a guild of alchemists and enchanters who held a large amount of influence over Luxtoria. Their leader at the time, who held a seat on the council, requested that they be made an official faction, one that would be centered around the capital city itself. After an undisclosed amount of money was transferred from guild hands to royal hands, and a number of veiled threats were sent to the king via letter, the guild became a faction, with control over a small piece of territory near Luxtoria.

The Highsmiths functioned as a place of refuge and welcoming for the intellectually gifted and the financially lucky. For the most part, they rarely intervened in Luxtorian affairs aside from the occasional accident during some explosive work. They shared their successful work with the rest of the city, innovations such as giant ballistas mounted on the walls for defense, Alchemist's Fire, a weaponized flame said to never go out (based on Greek Fire for anyone wondering), enchanted stones that would 'hear' all sound around them, then be able to play it back.

Things continued peacefully in this way, until the assassination of Queen Margot. The warden at the time, Nikita Surkov, took this as the cue for the Highsmiths to seize control of all of Luxtoria, not just their small section. They have expanded their territory to it's present size, edging ominously closer to Luxtorian borders. They aggressively began hunting down those they saw as traitors and threats within their numbers. Any who did not support their goals (or at least pretended to support) was put to death. Their current goal is to get their warden on the throne.
Additional Information:

Highsmith watchtower on the northern border of their territory, feeling the effects of the winter.

One of the many alchemist's towers, which dot their original territory.

Theme Song:

Ominous soviet music for when they're being all Soviet
Light the hoop on fire
Red Alert
World at War (Soviet)
Insanely epic music for when things get cranked up to eleven
Reconstructing Science
World without end
Non-instrumental songs with lyrics that relate to the nation
This Is Your Life
From Shadows<- This one is actually about the Highsmith's threat, the Black Dawn revolution.
World War Me<- The faction secretly funds the Black Dawn.
Comatose<- If I had to pick a song that described the faction's relationship with Luxtoria, it'd be this.

Warden App
Appearance:

Gender: Male
Name: Nikita Surkov
Coat of Arms or emblem:

Race: Human
Age: 38
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Height and Weight: 6"0', 160 lbs
Brief Bio: Wardenship in the Highsmiths is passed down from master to apprentice. To be chosen as the Warden's apprentices is considered a great honor, and the fact that Nikita has yet to choose one has some members of the faction worried. He was one of the second round of Highsmith children, born to two members of the faction. After an apprenticeship with the previous warden, he stepped into position as the Warden of the Highsmiths.

When Queen Margot was assassinated, he ordered that his faction expand their territory. He stood before the emergency regency council, justifying his actions as a necessary caution to prevent an uprising in the area. Whether there is an uprising remains a matter of debate, one that will likely never be answered.
Fighting Style: Ranged combat using his enchanted crossbow, usage of other enchanted tools, nature magic for some extra oomph
Weapon of choice: Usually fights using magic, with nature providing elemental attacks, and enchanting to form his gauntlets into blades for when things get up close and personal.
Magic type: Enchanting, Nature
Personality: INTP. Likes: Order, logic, enchanting, improving. Dislikes: Letting emotions control one's actions, chaos, holy magic, dark magic, astral magic.
Personal theme: Black Rose, Green Sun
Additional Info: Demisexual; often comes up with crazy ideas that he becomes obsessed with until someone tells him how stupid it is.

[Naval Monte]

App:
Faction Name: Ionia

Territory: Homebelin Forest

Race by percentage: 30.6% Humans (~5,960)
29.6% Wood Elves (~5,770)
17.2% Half Elves (~3,360)
9.1% Orcs (~1,760)
5.6% Half Orcs (~1,100)
4.9% Deep Dwarves (~960)
0.3% Dracones (~60)
2.7% Others (~530)
Population100.000

Society Description:Ionia is lead by an Elective Matriarch who is elected into the throne by council members from each province within Ionia and once in charge is given power of the nation that is shared with members of the Kokkai (Diet), both Matiarch and Kokkai members are bound by the same laws that citizens follow and found breaking these laws often involve both punishment and lost of their position. Below them are three departments and six ministries.

The three departments are Central Secretariat, Department of State Affairs, Chancellery. The six ministries are Ministry of Personal, Revenue, Rites, Defense, Justice and Works. To enter the civil service one most go through a rigorous, competitive and strict examination system in which the future scholar official are tested in their proficiency in the "Six Arts". There are many degree types with the examination system and while it is based more on classic and literary styles with two militaristic actions (archery and horse riding) this system works on establishing both unity and a culture of merit within Ionia and opens up social mobility within the nation as any one can take part within the examinations.

Ionians are known for their veneration of their ancestors and their respect for family. They are also pragmatic, opportunistic, secretive, and value the merits and skills of others far more than noble ties, these people are humble enough to honor and respect those who have earn their position in life and perform great deeds in their profession and are loyal once they feel that you have earned their trust. Ionians do not let sex, race and creed bother them as much as most people as they don't believe those factors should limit a person from achieving their true potential. Ionias are also passionate, industrious, innovate, and creative people yet also respect tradition and preserving the knowledge and teachings of old while exploring new ideas. Ionia culture places rituals and ceremony highly so much so that there is a tradition of ritual mastery, often finding it link to their folk religion if not some of their other philosophical schools.

Ionia is also home to many ethical religio-philosophical traditions that can also be followed as religions but the largest one and is considered to be the states religion is one called Infinitism or the Infinity Faith or Way. Infinitism along with suggesting some virtues and ethics to follow also carries karmic belief, a cyclical nature of tall things. duality (Think yin and yang instead of good vs evil), reincarnation, and balance as it's main tenets, allowing for great variety when it comes to the inclusion of gods and spirits and what sort of rituals and practices follower should engage in, Infinitism was born from different philosophical schools in Ionia and while no one knows who founded it most Ionians don't seem to care that much.

Ionian folk religion carries the common theme of veneration of forces of nature and ancestors, exorcism of harmful forces, and a belief that both material world borders close to many spirit realms and that both realities are connected to the point that what effects one reality effects another. They also believe that the actions of a person can influence both worlds.
When it comes to gods and spirits in Ionian folklore you have nature and celestial deities, city deities or tutelary deities of other specific groups, national deities, avatars and incarnations, cultural heroes and demigods, animals and plant life, ancestors and progenitors, immortals and ascended masters, and deities of the kinship. You also have your mother goddesses and spirits and gods based on metaphysical things like concepts and emotions. In short there is a spirit and god for everything. They also have a belief of an invisible force that is essence of all things and binds the universe, the stars, planets and all of life with those of the spirit worlds, bringing harmony and balance to it, some believe that magic is this very force while others say it is something else. Shamanism, Animism, Totemism, and Fetishism also has major routes in their folklore and has both been changed by Infinitism along with folk religions finding ways change Infinitism in some ways as well.

Ionian culture of merit as a dark side that retirement is often low in Ionia, as most stay in their job for life unless advanced aging, disease or injury force them to retire. It's quite common for an Ionian to have small side jobs along with their main one, but most often stick with one, two or three side jobs. For some professions like scholars and philosophers they can continue on with their work regardless of age but for warriors they are often stuck between leaving behind their work or going out to battle one last time and returning back home lying on top of their shield.

While Ionia society does contain a hierarchic social class structure further commercialization along with meritocracy as caused this old structure to weaken by a considerable amount, on a similar note these same changes have also caused a shirt from military-aristocratic elites having influence in the nation to bureaucratic elites. Ionia is a leading power in commerce with them investing into joint stock companies, fleets of voyage merchant ships and creations of land trading routes. While the nation still has a few state run monopolies from the past dynasties they have lessen their hold of such monopolies to allow merchant families, artistan and merchant guilds, private entrepreneurs and business to rise into industries that the government once controlled, both private and government-controlled industries met the needs of a growing Ionian population. However the creation of guilds.

The Ionian government supported multiple forms of social welfare programs, including the establishment of retirement homes, public clinics, and pauper's graveyards. The government also creates many social clubs and entertainment centers in most cities and creates schools and temples for both education and for religious teaching.

Military Description: Ionia has a rather short army where they lack in vast quantity of soldiers they make up for it with excellent weapons craftsmenship, highly trained and discipline army and navy. Most of their soldiers are trained to used specialized weapons and this theme of specialization even translate to their navy as each ship is made for a specific role ranging from ramming, fire, and ballista ships. However the navy in question is much smaller than the army and due to the rocks on the coast suffer the risk of being damaged by the rocks before they even reach combat, the navy was made so no other naval power can easily attack them from the coast and to defend their merchant ships. Ionia archers are prized for their speed and accuracy and often ride on horse back to increase their mobility.

The merit culture has spread it's way into the military as most soldiers and generals rise through the ranks based on their skills in combat or by taking special military exams. Within the ranks of the Ionian military is a mysterious and dark order known simply as the Kemurikage. This order of spies, thieves, saboteurs, infiltrators and assassins were formed to defend Ionia from both foreign and domestic threats. Part Ninja, part state inquisitors, and part secret police the Kemuirkage are an extra edge to a military who's purpose if for self defense against any would be invaders. The army isn't picky on things like gender and race due to the fact that they serve mainly as a shield to Ionia than as a full fledged military force

Magic Type:Magic of all types is used in Ionia however the different types are split down by domestic use, military and those use by scholars and government workers.

Brief Description of Magic in Society It is said that magic is used liberally in Ionia and in a way they are correct. Artsians and merchants use enchanting magic on their jobs, farmers and hunters use nature magic while scholars and spiritual teachers use astral, holy and dark magic. The type of magic and the level that one is allow to use depends on your occupations and how skilled you are on said job, the lowest only knowing the exact basics for his or her's job while those above have more freedom to learn more and to use more types.

For military use echanting and nature magic is the most common forms seen with generals being able to use astral magic. Holy and dark magic are two types of magic that are normally reserved for top generals, Kemuirkage members, the Empress and Kokkai members, and high ranking scholar officials, and high ranking spiritual and philosophical teachers.

The Threat: (That you guard against) A dangerous cult that is organized in a cell structure who worship an eldritch abomination called Amastu Mikaboshi who's dark powers is effecting the nation in small ways. The first is influencing some groups of people to form either rebel clans or cults, causing the native monsters and spirits (collectively called Yokais by the Ionians) to become more rampant and weakening the veil between the material world and the ephemeral realms, cause beings from both worlds to travel into one another.

So far Amastu Mikaboshi is not in our world yet but it has it's cults and monstrous generals in the materiel world to do it's biding and as the veil weakens the chances of Amastu entering our world grows, spreading it's influence further throughout Myrtia. Already it's powers as grown to a point that it can effect natural forces at a random but luckily it doesn't seem to bend nature often due to it spending too much energy in it's current state.

Faction History: (At least 3 good sized Paragraphs) The land that would eventually give rise to Ionia allegedly began when a woman ate the egg of a celestial dragon that was the herald of heaven. The woman, now known as Wang Zhaojun, became a living bridge between the Earth, Universe and Heavens and by her divine right became the first Matriarch of Ionia. Of course this story may be nothing more but a creation myth but what is known that after Wang Zhaojun's supposed rule Ionia (though it wasn't called that name back than) was run by a confederacy of different clans that came from a far off land at sea, these Confederacy sadly ended when power hunger noble families and general decided to fight against each other for complete control over the nation.

This period know as the Zhànguó shídài (or Warring States) lasted for close to a hundred years. During this war many key figures that would shape Ionia's future emerged like general Wu Zhou's who's feats and strategies, the latter of which he wrote a book on along with his philosophy, inspire both future military officials but even merchants, scholars, nobles and artists. Scholars Rin Tze and Lou Taz, and Yi Mon who's teachings and philosophies would be followed long after their creators have left this world and many artists and writers like Song Moon-sik and Bashou, who's works would become cultural and historical treasures in Ionia. However it was also in this period that all Ionians found out that there land was a bridge between the world of the living and the spirit world, for not only were they co existing with the spirits of the dead but with all other spiritual and monstrous beings that come from the other side. Many warlords and clans either fell to the supernatural beings that were purging into Ionia or to their rival until one clan who was in fact a federation of many lesser and weaker clans remained and restored imperial rule, this clan was the Ioa and it was them that gave Ionia it's name.

The reign of the Ioa was one of bloodshed as they have to deal with both marauding bandits that were once warriors from fallen clans, rebels who did not agree to Ioa rule and the Yokais still roaming the nation, the Ioa empress was autocratic and cruel in her methods to restore order and to remove all subversive elements but while many suffered in the end order and stability finally came to Ionia and with it the Ioa dynasty introduced several reforms: currency, weights and measures were standardized, and a uniform system of writing was established. However there many incidents in which the Ioa dynasty burned books and scholars and sacked and tortured monks and nun all to prevent any forms of criticism against the government.

It was around during the Ioa dynasty that secret trade routes were made. At first they stuck to areas that were close to Ionia but as merchants and government officials grew bolder as trade routes went as far as Weebuff and the Poosh desert. However one underground trade route that changed Ionia was one that liked them to the Nala, where Ionian merchants encountered the March of Jin Shan. No one can recall how the merchants found the march but while relations at first were extremely rocky the two groups formed a begrudging respect towards another due to having some similar aspects to their culture. With most of the Ioa trading routes once they were discovered they are ordered to be abandoned less anyone follows the merchants back to Ionia.

Yet for the March of Jin Shan their relationship to the March was so well that even as the surface trade route was ordered to be destroyed a few powerful nobles were able to get miners to create an underground trade route to continue with trade. Trading with the March allowed Ionia to gain iron for their weapons, armor and chariots while the March received food and lumber. It was buy this trade that both March and Ionian culture began to influence each other.

While the Ioa had a strange military presence it still wasn't enough to save it when corruption and incompetence within the court failed to stop a coup from assassinating the empress and claiming another woman, Wui Jun, as the new empress of Ionia.

The Jun dynasty was consider by most to be an age of economic prosperity and one of many golden ages in Ionian history. The Jun dynasty saw significant growth of the money economy first developed by the previous dynasty along with both advancement in it's military and in it's technology. The government in this dynasty, while still holding absolute power, shared it with both noble families and appointed ministers of the gentry class. Another change was that many temples and shrines were give free pass from taxes and many schools were made for scholars to teach students, giving the Juns a good reputation by future scholars. The Jun even passed laws that not only made slavery forbidden in Ionia but also punished anyone who was to harass or kill outsiders who enter Ionia. However the Jun dynasty fell as both tribes from the north, rebels from within and power hunger lords brought the dynasty to a slow and pathetic end.

The period to have come from the fall of the Jun lived on in both myth and in history as the Three Kingdoms. In this period three states manage to gather great power and while one kingdom would try to control the other but the other two kingdoms would form a short live alliance to stop the other. This period of history was rather short live as the Wei Dynasty soon took control over the nation but as mention this period has been greatly romanticized in the culture of Ionia. It has been celebrated and popularized in operas, folk stories, novels, poems and in paintings. The reign of the Jun was a similar to the Ioa in that they were restoring order back into the nation but unlike their predecessor they were not as cruel, though they did create a secret police force encase of rebels. From Jun came the Sui dynasty who's reforms brought many great benefits to the nation. This dynasty was the one to create the civil service and the examination system that still exists today and it was this dynasty that made Ionia leave it's borders to explore other lands and to trade with them. The Yang that came afterwards expanded on the efforts of the Sui just as a great boon in art, culture, science and magic spread the nation, The Yang Dynasty brought yet another golden age to Ionia.

However this golden age could not last as soon a new threat appeared before the Ionia's eyes, Krafneg of the east. The Krafneg's increasing militaristic behavior worried the Ionians who feared that eastern nation would attack them and knowing that Ionia alone will not be able to stand against Krafneg. Ionia soon sent out diplomats to the western nation called Macklin kingdom, surprising them that any sort of civilization existed in what some called "the forest of death", this title was given to the forest that Ionia lived in due to the feuding clans of past wars and the spirits that haunt the forest. Soon both the Matriarch of Ionia and the King of the Macklin formed a pact both for security concerns of a future attack and for economic side benefits. The people of both nations were given free access to enter each others home lands and to learn more about the other.

However the Ionians did not calculate that the Macklin Kingdom itself was not strong enough to stand against Karfneg's military might, a problem that was only discovered once the Krafnegs finally attacked. The first battle against the Krakneg ended with a devastating defeat as the smaller Ionian navy was destroyed by the larger Krafneg fleet. Land battle was were Ionia had any chance of winning as most Krakneg either got lost in the forest, were devoured by the Yokais or fell to traps and ambushed made by the Ionians.

Ionia became a part of Myrtia right around the same time that the Macklin Kingdom joined the new superpower. With the death of Yin the new Matriarch, her daughter Rao, took over. Rao without realizing was possessed by one of Amastu Mikaboshi's generals who plan to twist the country inside out. Rao's dynasty was at first okay as she and her new Myrtia overlord helped Ionia recover from the war. However soon Rao's regain took a much darker turn as she became more crueler and corrupt, the ones who received the worst brunt of her cruelty were foreigners in Ionia.

Knowing that something was wrong with their sister many of them formed resistance movements against Rao, most were destroyed but a few manage to evade capture thanks to those within the government who suspect that something was wrong with Rao. Soon Rao began to lose her sanity as the demonic general degrades her mind and in a move that brought an end to her dynasty was when Rao, either in a moment of utter madness or clarity, revealed that she was possessed in front of crowd during a royal speech. The possessed matriarch fled to the forest and to this day she has not been found, but what happened afterwards brought both resistance fighters to the capital to purge anyone who was corrupted by the possessed matriarch.

After the purge Matriarch Fey steeped to take the throne. The first order was to make the matriarchy an elective position and the creation of a diet to create checks and balance to prevent a corrupt or possessed matriarch from taking too much control ever again. Years later during Fey's rule Ionian officials became aware of the cult and generals of Amastu Mikaboshi but to prevent panic they kept it a secret from the public from both Ionia and from the world, sharing the secret to only the wardens. With the fall of Myrtia many Ionians now see it as an opportunity for them to not only regain their sovereignty but for them to become a major player on the land, though none are sure if Ionia should rule all of Myrtia or not.



Additional Information: (Concept Art or random stuff)
What a typical Ionian city looks like
Ionia is based on East Asian cultures with China and Japan being the most obvious ones.
The Yokais that live in Ionia are just one of many types of beings from the spirit world and like the ones from Japanese Mythology some are malicious, while other are simply mischievous and others are good to an extent.

Theme Song:Ying Xióng Wang Lái Tian Dì Jian (Heroes Cross Heaven And Earth)

Warden App

Appearance: this [/b]
Gender: Female
Name:Matriarch Xi Shi
Coat of Arms or emblem:This
Race: Human
Age: 37
Alignment:True Neutral
Height and Weight 5'3" Ft 11 in, 120 lbs
Brief Bio: (At least 2 paragraphs)

Originally named Fu Hao the woman who would become Xi Shi, empress of Ionia was one of many sisters born from a father of the scholar official class and a mother who was a high priestess. Xi at a young age show not only great agility and stealth but her power to see and interact with the spirits that haunt Ionia. Her parents both fascinated and horrified about their daughters strange powers they agreed to keep her powers a secret in fear of how court mages would react to this development. For most of Xi's life she was given the same sort of privilege that most woman of her class would be given but Xi wish for more than to be like either of her parents, she wish to serve the country in her own way. Once she was of proper age she took up being a soldier in the Ionian army.

She served in the army for a few years and would have risen in the ranks to be a general but instead became a member of the Kemurikage once members of the dark order found out about her skills and powers. Her life within the group is shrouded in secrecy but what is known is that she was assign to mission that relate to both the same cult that manage to take control over Ionia after the war, Yokia attacks, haunting and possessions and dealing with small bands of rebels. The young would be empress would soon realize that this cult and the being that they worship have been around for a long time and have their hands in some moments in Ionia history, often staying in the shadows.

Her last mission while working for the Kemuikage was investigating a string of suspicious deaths all relating to woman picked to be elected as the next Matriarch. as the old one was near death due to age. Realizing that this was the cults doing and that one of her sisters was also a candidate she rushed back to her home province were she begged to her sister to drop out and instead let her take her place. Well reluctant the sister did and sure enough the same group of assassins that would have taken the sister's life instead lost theirs when they encounter the Kemuikage. Once the diet members found out that the cult was behind the killings they all agreed to vote for female Kemuikage to be the matriarch of Ionia.

Now as the empress of Ionia the woman that was called Fuo changed her name to Xi Shi has many empresses before her often changed their names after ascending to the throne and continue with both progress to restore and improve Ionia while finding and destroying the cult and preventing their god from entering the world. Xi soon gain the title of Warden and attended to Warden meetings, though her appearance in those meetings were random.

Currently she knows that Amastu Mikaboshi's influence is growing stronger as time passes and the cult is growing bolder as more rebels fall into their influence or Amastu's. The Yokais too can sense the coming change and some have either join with Amastu or are causing chaos of their own free will. She feels that soon she may have to ask for out side help into dealing with this matter.

Fighting Style: Xi's fighting style is heavily reminiscent of the Chinese martial art of Wushu, which involves ample flexibility and knowledge in both unarmed and sword combat. She prefers to use her innate speed, agility, stealth to deal with most opponents. She uses her magic as a surprise attack

Weapon of choice: (Picture can be included)Jian

Magic type: Dark and Holy magic. Xi was born with power to not only see and interact with Yokais but can also summon, command, and banish them. While the yokais themselves make up bulk of her magical might Xi can channel the powers of a specific Yokai to cast spells her self though this process is slow and for some spells to work she would need to perform a ritual for better concentration. Currently the limit of Yokais Xi can summon and command is three, any higher and she would loss control over them. Xi can give some of her own life force to allow a Yokai to unlock their hidden ability or to make them stronger temporarily

Personality: (Includes likes and dislikes)

Xi is a quiet, nearly emotionless, studious, and sarcastic woman, Xi Shi is a slightly distant and anti social person, often wishing to work alone or at the very least with a small group. She prefers to keep her past a secret along with most about herself and tends to be serious and cautious on all matters she deals with. At times she has moments were she broods to herself but thankfully doesn't last long nor does it become distracting. While she is cold to people most of the times she can warm up and care about people that she likes and can be grateful to anyone who assists her, often promising to repay a person back for their assistance. She hides the fact that she's afraid that at any moment she can fail her duty to her nation and that the cult of Amastu Mikaboshi will finally regain control over her nation and destroy, using the lives of her people as sacrifices to their dark god

Xi also has a strong desire for knowledge, specifically in learning about the world and the many beings, ideas and forms of magic that exists in it. She would search for information when none was given to her, even going against the wishes of others for her own clarity. Xi remained on-guard at all times, keeping a close eye on her surroundings for any possible threats. Because of this, she is somewhat restless, often staying up at night and preparing for an attack instead of sleeping. She also loves to experience and learn from new cultures and societies, and can become excited about the opportunity to understand people of different factions than her own, breaking the cold and quiet persona that she has made for herself.

Xi Shi when alone shows that she is a lover of the arts, often writing down her own poems (even though she is terrible at it), painting which she is good at and botany which she keeps as a secret.

Likes: Poetry, Tea, Music, Botany, Painting, Stargazing, learning new things, Her nation and people
Dislikes: Corruption, snobbish nobles, arrogance, quitters, math, anything that threatens her nation and people.
Additional Info: (Sex pref, Quirks) Bisexual but tries not to show any interest in anyone, is easy to fluster when topics about sex and love is brought up.
Has a secret fear over bugs and dolls that she had since childhood, they came due to a traumatic encounter that she had with a Yokai that was insect like in appearance that was possessing one of her dolls, it was the encounter that she learn she can banish them.
Xi is allergic to nuts.