The Western Kingdoms

The Western Kingdoms is the western region of Easton. It is named after the great human kingdoms that once inhabited the lands, although none of them exists anymore. The region is filled with city-states and small villages. Even though the kingdoms have long since fallen, most of the sub-regions still use the names from the old age.

While the city-states are independent, they have a centralized government in the form of a confederacy that handles matters of trade with the other continents and ensures that the relations between the cities remain positive. Recently, Eikrot resigned from the Confederacy.

Ravenholme
Ravenholme is the de facto capital of The Western Kingdoms. The city-state houses the seat of the Confederacy.

Being a central hub for trade has enabled Ravenholme to grow to become one of the biggest and most influential cities of Easton. Many of the Great Houses of The Western Kingdoms relocated to the city some time after its booming growth.

The city is ruled by a board with members from all the great houses, which appoints a chairman to represent the city in foreign matters and in the Confederacy.

Solas
The magical city of Solas is one of the central hubs for magic in the world and the place where the Mages Guild was created. A haven for scholars and magic wielders, the city is filled with denizens from all over the world.

Originally the first human city to be settled on Easton proper, and the capital of Marin.

Solas is home to the University of the Arcane.

The Mages Guild recently banned its users from practicing necromancy, even to study, which has infuriated many members around the world. This decision came out from seemingly nowhere, and that has called questions to the motives of the current Archmage and his council.

The city is ruled over by The Council of Six.

Arheim
Arheim is a city that developed around the castle of the same name founded by Soran Highblade, the first king of Arania. It functioned as a staging point in the war for liberation from the kingdom of Marin in the old age. For years it was the capital of Arania, but at some point became its own city-state after the fall of the kingdoms.

Castle Arheim is said to be impenetrable.

The city is ruled by an Exarch, who is sometimes called Lord/Lady of the Castle.

Lidan
Lidan is a city of culture and commerce. Known as producers of the famous Lostat Wine and Ashenglass, the people of the city have a long history of revelry, theater and artistry.

It became the capital of Lostat after they broke off from Arania in the old age.

The city's foreign affairs are ruled by the leader of the Vaponicelli Wine Company, which is known as the Head Sommelier.

Eikrot
Eikrot is a city built between two cliff-sides within the Emerald Forest, at the end of the Gulf of Soran.

It recently resigned from the Confederacy for unknown reasons.

The city does not have a functioning ruler, instead opting for an anarchy-syndicalist society.

Port Hope
The coastal city of Port Hope is a thriving metropolis of trade and fishing.

The city gots it name from sailors from Pangea, whom gave it the name as it was a reprieve from the ardous sea after long journeys by sea.

It is ruled by an elected Governor.

It is famous for its folk culture; joyous songs, dances and fantastical tales from the old age.

A giant statue of Soran Highblade, the first king of Arania stands watch over the port of the city.

Lyngard
Lyngard is a port-city on the Stormsong Island. It is often where ships from the continent embark to the perilous seas.

In the old age it was the capital of the Kingdom of Stormsong.

It is ruled by an Lord Admiral, who also controls the Lyngardian Navy

Fallen Kingdoms
Not much is actually known about the old kingdoms. The only historical source of their existence is the book "The Saga of the Great Kingdoms", a heavily romanticized account of the old age. The accuracy of the book is widely disputed, but it is the only written narrative available for scholars. There are ruins of old castles and cities, but they do not uncover much more detail than the saga. As far as accessible sources go, most conclusions are simply conjecture.

For what can be gathered, the saga is the only way to tell the tale of the old kingdoms.

Why they disappeared is unknown, but one can infer that human society moved away from monarchies and towards democracies. Which then turned the larger cities in to more powerful entities in politics.

Arania
Arania was the largest of the old kingdoms. It is said that the massive kingdom reached from The Shredding Sea in the south to all the way to the outskirts of Zeldar in the northeast. The Aranian Highlands near The Silver Mountains was the most populated region, giving the Aranians the nickname of Mountainfolk.

Their army was famous for their White Riders. Spectacular knights riding the Nightsabers of The Emerald Forest into battle. The King ruled from the impenetrable castle of Arheim.

After the vassals Lostat and Allifard broke off from the kingdom, Arania's influence on Easton dimished over time. Not before long, the kingdom ceased to exist. The reason why is not entirely known, but it is speculated that fighting between different factions in the kingdom led to its downfall.

Karderth
Karderth was the richest and most influential kingdom of the old age. Amassing wealth from mining the silver of The Silver Mountains. The kingdom was the smallest of the region, really only containing Castle Karderth and the surrounding lands.

It relied on Arania's armies for protection, so they had an alliance that provided benefits for both kingdoms. Arania would get a percentage of the silver Karderth mined, and in return they would provide the protection of their armies. Under this alliance, the two kingdoms blossomed.

The fall of the kingdom is the subject of a popular horror story in The Western Kingdoms.

Stormsong
Stormsong was the name of the maritime kingdom of Stormsong Island. The kingdom was not led by a monarch, instead a Lord Admiral ruled over the nation's affairs. Known for having the greatest navy of Easton, they were a coveted ally in wars, or a prized trade partner in peacetime. The island is frequently ravaged by storms and howling winds, which give it its name.

The capital Lyngard is speculated to be one of the first human settlements on Easton. The port of Lyngard functions as a departure or arrival point for longer travels to the other continents.

There are accounts of the nation's presence in the other nation's wars, as a famous song from the Allifard region chronicles the Stormsong navy raiding the Stormcoast and the Gulf of Soran.

Lostat
Lostat was originally part of Arania, but disputes of the true heir of the kingdom led the region to split off from Arania. Allifard followed soon after, but the two nations quickly got reconquered by the Aranian army. They got to keep their independence, but they would serve as Arania's vassals, providing them with food and luxury items, such as the famous Lostat wine.

Lostat made Lidan its capital, and they grew rich from trading wine and fine glass.

Historically, Lostat was in many wars with Allifard, usually over questions of what land belonged to who.

Allifard
Allifard was originally a part of Arania, but when Lostat split from the great kingdom, they followed suit. They were unhappy with the high taxes imposed on them and wanted to rule themselves.

The Allifard were known as the horse-people, for they had many farms and great amount of horses. Often referred to as the bread basket of Easton. Allifard provided food to most of The Western Kingdoms in the old age, by fishing the Gulf of Soran or farming their fertile plains.

Port Hope became the seat of power in Allifard, as it was the only large city in the sub-region.

Marin
The Kingdom of Marin was the first human kingdom that settled on Easton. Emigrants from Pangea sailed eastward and discovered a new continent, new as far as the human race were concerned, and started to colonize it. When they first made landfall the western region was inhabited by Gnolls and Orcs, but the vastly superior human technology made conquering the landmass easy. This event is known as The Gnoll Wars.

After mistreating the southern parts of the kingdom for years, the simple mountain man, Soran Highblade, rose against Marin and founded the Kingdom of Arania. He conquered almost everything, and regions unsettled by humans, from the first kingdom, gaining so much purchase that Marin was contained to the northwestern part of the Western Kingdoms.

After the Marin-Arania war, the kingdom became known for its exceptional mages.