ELYRIA,
𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕.

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❚ the royal family.
the rulers of elyria belong to house blackthorn and they were preceded by the royal house of bellegard. shortly before the rise of house blackthorn, the vipers were merely a noble high house residing in the city dubbed as gods' landing, a place rumored to be the city where the gods first descended upon the mortal plane. the city's actual name? delpha.

however, with no claims to royalty whatsoever, the blackthorns found it difficult to position themselves for becoming royals. so, when lord stefan ii became the king's right hand, he learned the king had contracted an ailment and was slowly weakening day by day and month by month. better yet, the king was aging and he'd yet to have a trueborn or bastard child and as rumors of the bellegard king's inability to produce an heir arose, the vipers struck. staging a mostly bloodless coup, stefan ii and his family offered the king mercy because they had been friends before the coup. the proposition was either the king could abdicate his throne and live a peaceful life until death or they would kill him and everyone left to care for him. he chose to abdicate and lived out his last six years in cydonia, a kingdom elyria used to be very close with.

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❚ politics & government.
politics in elyria are very strict and oppressive. though things could certainly be worse, elyria definitely is not the place to be if you had a choice between elyria and essentially all of the other countries. elyria is a sexist, homophobic society but i wouldn't expect them to verbally remind you too often if i were you. these codes are already obvious enough anyways. after all, everyone knows how things work and therefore things are only spoken when people step out of the line. in addition, elyria is a society where wealthy people get richer and where poor people get poorer. it's nearly impossible to work your way up the system unless you're one of those infamous lowborn mistresses or a lowborn queen. anyways, elyria is ruled by a royal family advised by both the king's council and the high houses of elyria. since elyria has expanded in the recent decade, governing lords now send their brothers, cousins, uncles, and sometimes sons, to govern parts of new conquered territories. lastly, elyria's justice system is heavily rigged to favor the wealthier person and execution is an eerily common punishment. regarding execution, well, there are many different kinds depending on the crime and one's social status. however, i'll give you the sparknotes version of elyrian executions:

— beheading. this method is reserved only for the wealthy and it can be done by either the sword or the axe (the sword being the more honorable way to go). commonly lowborn queens or ladies receive the axe although wealthy people heavily disfavored usually get the axe instead of the sword. the sword is really only given to those a king or queen still has some semblance of love for.

however, for those of the lower class, i am incredibly sorry. here are your options:

— hanged, drawn, and quartered. you really don't want this because what happens is they hang someone (a man) until near death and then they let him loose only to disembowel him, chop off his penis, light all that stuff on fire, and then they dismember him. yeah, that's not very fun. this method is reserved for traitors and those who attempt to commit or conspire to commit regicide.

then, some more self-explanatory methods:

— boiling.
— drowning.
— hanging.
— impalement. you really really really do not want this one. it can take forever to die and um, you probably already know where they put the spear. and then when the spear's in they just kind of set it vertical and leave you there as your body weight slowly pulls you down OKAY. i did not mean to include this one but i mean, elyrians really like a good execution.
— burned at the stake. this is self-explanatory but this is the one you see commonly given to people with magical abilities, however, since some have abilities to combat fire, they may receive any other non-wealthy execution.

then there's this horrible thing:

— the breaking wheel. this is a very complex one so um, search it up if you want the full details. essentially they break your bones with a wheel and string a person through the wheel and leave them out until they die. okay. yeah.

and for royals who attempt regicide:

— the metal crown. basically if a royal attempts to kill the reigning monarch, molten metal will be poured over their head to resemble a crown. it's the closest they'll ever be and that's the mockery of this method.

anyways, moral of the story? don't break the rules. sadly, this whole plot is about breaking the rules.

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❚ terrain.
considering the recent expansion elyria has received, the terrain is massive and differs depending on the region. northern elyria is cold, mountainous in some areas, and barren land in the rest. though beautiful, the north is a harsher climate than the rest. in the west, it is green and prosperous. the west is considered the most beautiful part of elyria, being home to some of the most beautiful wildlife and many rivers that make farming easier. then, the east is mainly woodland and occasionally home to mountainous territory. lastly, the south is sunny and warm. most notably, the valaryen seat of highcourt has many rivers running out to the sea that break the city into sectors (think venice). the seats of the high houses are as follows:

ivairis — where elenyi palace is located. this is the gated city built for nobles and wealthy people. the gates are golden and there are many manors built for high houses when they come and visit from their respective seats. it is a very beautiful city with the best shops for wealthy people to visit.
nighthold — the former seat of house storm is located in the north. it is a cold region but it sits right up against gods' landing (delpha) and shares a connection to it. within nighthold, there is an icy cliff that has a sharp drop into dark water that appears dark no matter the time of day. it's a strange phenomenon but it's a known fact that nighthold is heralded the seat of the death goddess which serves as one explanation. however, as for the storm estate, it is left vacant and uncleaned. after the fall of the storms, the basement remains partially flooded and all of the bodies remain there with no funeral to provide solace for the dead. you'll find the blood all over the walls and the rotting corpses if you venture inside.
highcourt — the seat of house valaryen. it is located in the south and is a very wealthy and beautiful city split apart by rivers running into the sea. it has many statues and a lot (and i mean a lot) of gold in the architecture.
dion — the seat of house marsei. situated in the southwest, it borders up against a beautiful beach (although said beach is littered with glass, some shards small and others massive. this field of glass was created many years ago during a war waged with the cydonians and their dragon fire). it is very beautiful, though, and their manor in the greener clearing is a spectacle to see.
meirrose — the seat of house raelyn. it is a wooded area but there are several clearings for shops and a large area for tourneys and festivals. the raelyn manor itself is tucked away but is very beautiful. foxes are very plentiful in the woods surrounding.
ravenfall — the seat of house bellevae. up in the north, ravenfall is a city with beautiful architecture often crafted in pale, icy colors but with many prettier colored buildings in between. it's meant to appear like a work of art and indeed, it is, and many paintings have been made of it. the bellevae manor itself was designed to give off a pale, heavenly vibe.
megaris — the seat of house everlin. it is a very beautiful and prosperous place with many shops and lots of gold. the architecture is often white and platinum with tall pillars while vines and flowers grow along white marble walls and pillars. in addition, beautiful, spacious terraces are very common in wealthy houses here. there are many crops and flowers growing all around in megaris.
oldcastle — the seat of house agnaris. it is an island city off the west coast with the ancient ruins of a castle built mostly of white many years ago. the beaches are composed of white sand and crystal clear waters. it is a very beautiful island city with lots of pretty silks, jewelry, and markets.
eleon — the seat of house rayne. it is another small island city, like oldcastle, but it is situated off the east coast. it is a very beautiful city filled with beautiful, exotic wildlife. there are forests and clearings and the rayne manor apppears more akin to a palace adorned with lots of crystal, sapphire, and diamond gems than a manor itself. as for wildlife, reiwolves, house rayne's sigil, are large, commonly white, wolves with beautiful, mildly curved pale brown-ish horns (like the standard color). their eyes are usually silver or pale blue but they are kinda cute even if they are kind of scary and odd.
kairos — the seat of house lynesse. it is a beautiful city situated in the west but it is relatively close to the north. it is a jeweled city and supplies elyria with some of the most beautiful attire and jewelry (commonly crafted with many gems from their jewel-rich terrain). the lynesse manor even has its own rose garden sculpted with roses made of rubies and leaves and stalks made of emeralds. their own manor is adorned with lots of gold and other gems and precious metals.
delios — the seat of house troy. situated in the high north, it is a very cold climate sometimes covered in ice. by the northern ocean laced with glaciers, delios makes up for their cold with plenty of hot springs and beautiful winter wildlife. they usually produce the most beautiful winter coats and cloaks and they commonly wear diamonds, pearls, and crystals as their jewels. the manor of house troy is referred to as the ice palace, a building built like a castle and made of material so pale and sleek that it resembles ice. you could probably cut yourself on it's edges, too.
nemesia — the seat of house talorian. in the southern region, nemesia is a larger island city. surrounded by beaches, it is a hot spot for wealthy travelers. they have plenty of woodland and beautiful wildlife. they produce many gems like several other houses and they are home to the few undying birds (commonly red, white, black, or dark blue majestic birds who are reborn from their ashes once they die). the talorian manor itself is surrounded by a beautiful "porcelain" or "white marble" city. this design is also reflected in the massive talorian manor which is heralded as being the largest manor of the high houses.

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❚ religion.
sedeism. elyrians believe in a polytheistic religion praising many gods but it's mostly only the major gods that get worshipped. due to the nature of sedeism, this religion has different types of worshipping centers. most are known as sedesyns—temples dedicated to one specific god (major only) so some would be known as the sedesyn of love (dedicated to the love god) or the sedesyn of war (dedicated to the war god). sedesyns were most commonly visited by people seeking out the comfort or aid of one god. the likelihood of your prayers being answered is slim to none. keep in mind some gods are good and others are awful. the leaders of the sedesyns are known as sedenna (female) and seidon (male). the second temple is known as the sedei, a place to worship all gods, major and minor. the leaders of a sedei are known as sedeina (female) and sedein (male). p.s. the gods have a lot of juicy stories but this page is already long enough so here's just their names and what they are the god of. if you'd like to read some stories about them, i can make another page if you're interested.

the gods are as follows:
astaria, queen goddess of the land and life.
vaerdon, king god of the skies, weather, and the seasons. killed by tyrsen the usurper.
tyrsen, second king god of the skies, weather, and the seasons. the usurper.
cyrene, princess goddess of the seas, curiosity, and adventure.
liliya, princess goddess of death, treachery, famine, and plague.
laurent, god of love, grace, beauty, discord, and emotion. the seaborn. "twin" of orlaithe.
orlaithe, virgin goddess of duty, respect, and honor. the earthborn. the kingmaker. "twin" of laurent.
romulus, god of war, bravery, weaponry, and military might. the bloodborn.
eve, virgin goddess of youthful beauty, purity, chastity, and innocence. the roseborn.
azlan, virgin god of wisdom, creativity, art, craft, and storytelling. the inkborn.
valyria, virgin goddess of the moon, the night, and the hunt. triplet sister of ancel and elaera.
ancel, virgin god of the stars, fate, and destiny. triplet brother of valyria and elaera.
elaera, goddess of the sun, the day, family, fertility, and mercy. triplet sister of valyria and ancel.
orysen, god of law, justice, order, and political strength. husband of faeryn.
cithryn, goddess of loyalty, victory, retribution, and royal & noble bloodlines. wife of eamon.
eamon, god of power, wealth, and avarice. husband of cithryn.
faeryn, goddess of pain, healing, and medicine. wife of orysen.

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❚ fashion.
very much medieval, elyrians have a very traditional kind of style that, honestly, allows for a lot of leeway.
now, clothing strongly depended on your social class. the lower classes wore more modest, simple clothing, minimal jewelry if any, and they mostly just wear cotton, sometimes fur, leather, and other more common materials. when you get up to the higher class, that's where things become relevant and interesting. this is where you see expensive materials like silks and sometimes a surplus of jewelry. a woman's hairpiece probably costs the same as a poor man's home to be honest. in addition, it is common for someone to wear their house's colors during special events in elyria although most times nobility do not wear their house colors when it is not warranted. wearing one's house colors or sigil represents pride and stability in the elyrian eye. anyways, men's fashion isn't very diverse. it's rather simple, really. they wear tunics, coats, cloaks, pants, fighting leathers (when warranted), fighting armor (when warranted), and silk or linen sleepwear. women, on the other hand, wear elaborate, specialized gowns that are always designed just for them unless they are wearing something borrowed from a family member or friend. measurements are always exact—for men too—but you'd never see someone wearing the same fancy gown or suit twice. among the wealthy, you have enough money to wear something different to every event. of course, some things are reworn but it is frowned upon for someone to rewear a ballgown or something like that. nobility do have articles of clothing that they can wear around the house but they still have a surplus of outfits yet to be worn and they commonly get ready every day unless circumstances prevent them from doing so. lastly, jewelry was common among the wealthy. women wear necklaces, rings, earrings (somewhat rare), bracelets, jeweled hairpieces and pins, and sometimes penannular sigil brooches. for men, penannular brooches are common as are other types of brooches that typically depict a family crest. men also wear rings, bracelets, and sometimes necklaces. in addition, royals wear crowns or tiaras whenever they go out, hold some kind of event or hearing, and sometimes whenever they feel like it. in elyria, a dozen or so crowns and tiaras are customized for a royal in their lifetime although more minor royals usually would only have a couple. crowns and tiaras are rarely passed down but sometimes they are reworn by a child or someone close to the late royal.

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❚ conquered kingdoms.

cydonia.
capitol | valmere.
royal family | lancaster.
nationality | cydonian.
the strongest of the conquered kingdoms, many still don't understand how they were conquered. after all, the lancaster line isn't known for their magic but rather for their bond with dragons. in the whole of cydonia, few dragons exist and it's only the royal family that are able to bond with dragons (due to their strong mixed bloodline with the foreign elites of the marean court (belonging to the distant continent of vaecarys). after the fall, their dragons were killed and the remaining dragon eggs were taken and hid away in a vault within elenyi palace. there are three remaining eggs lying dormant (unable to hatch due to the cold temperatures). also, a quick note about dragons is that they're built like wyverns because animal anatomy says four legs and wings are a no-no and also because i hate the word wyvern lol. lastly, their government was very liberal. women had the same liberties as men—since the very beginning, actually—and their culture is bi-normative so generally it was assumed you were bisexual until you came out as otherwise. obviously this set of ideals doesn't line up well with elyrian values. finally, the cydonian kingdom fell second, 11 months after vallarys.

vallarys.
capitol | nova.
royal family | roseia.
nationality | vallarian.
vallarys is the most tame of the countries of nocterys (the continent). they have a good defense and they produce weaponry and fancy attire in bounty, but they are a peaceful nation so it wasn't a surprise that they fell first. it's a shame how a lot of vallarys was destroyed since they had the most beautiful architecture of all. in addition, the vallarians were diplomatic and had strong connections to many countries far and near but their relationship with elyria had been straining under recent times. lastly, their government was not very liberal but they allowed women to fill typically male roles when there were shortages and after queen myria's reign several hundred years ago, they allowed women to join the defensive military branch and they were allowed to be diplomats for liberal countries. homosexuality was technically illegal but most monarchs didn't care so that law was basically null under most of their leaders so no one was ever persecuted. eventually it kind of became an openly accepted thing and not long ago it became legal despite the fact everyone had stopped caring what your sexuality was.

eriden.
capitol | venus.
royal family | aragon.
nationality | eridian.
commonly dubbed the shadow kingdom, eriden was an elusive kingdom filled to the brim with assassins and spies. they had strong magic but of course the elyrian witch hunts greatly affected those numbers. their climate is among the coldest of the nocteran kingdoms. as for their former military, they were skilled but just not skilled enough. of course, you can't really combat someone backed by mysterious powers stronger than your own. lastly, their government was semi-liberal but it was largely similar to elyrian policies aside from the fact that homosexuality was legal among males (oops). as for gender equality, well, it was a little strange. females could be trained as assassins and diplomats but not much else. still, there's a lot more you can do with politics and contract killing than what elyrian women can do. eriden fell several months after the cydonians.

hyperia.
capitol | veres.
royal family | de andreis.
nationality | hyperian.
they aren't dragonriders but they're dubbed the fire kingdom. known for their notably more hot weather and their use of fire in the military, it wasn't a surprise for them to be titled as such. they were one of the southern nocteran kingdoms and they bordered the water. their beaches were always the prettiest and their architecture very much coincided with fire & light themes. in general, hyperia was always seen as being a more aggressive kingdom although they generally just have more brash, abrasive personalities. they're like stereotypical leos if that helps you understand. lastly, their government was a more liberal system. they weren't the most liberal but they believed in gender equality and freedom of sexual and romantic orientation. of course, they had corruption the same as all kingdoms do. they fell last, nearly 3 years after the fall of vallarys.

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TO KILL A KINGDOM, 2020.