“There is nothing more important to our Kingdom than strength that radiates from the Golden Lion Throne. Weakness is a poison, one to be easily administered through the bite of those Tyrian snakes who would have us bend the knee to rebirth the old Empire. Those mad dog Vos raiders, who would pillage and plunder our Northern towns, murder our men and children, and take our women as slaves. I will not stand for it.”

- Lord Loghain Gwaren, General of the Northern Army, Seach of Black Wall, Brother of the King

When the Tesh'iri (roughly 'East-People' in an old Elven Dialect) tribes first fled from the East and crossed the Godswall Mountains they found themselves predominantly in a vast region of fertile plains and gently rolling hills. Centuries later, it was the Ardanni that mostly remained in the region, and their Kingdom of Arda maintains control over most of this area. Now, the main heartland of this region is known as the 'Thanearch', where the basis of Ardan politics reigns supreme. Arda is a combination of Feudal and Elective Monarchy. To some of the more 'civilized' nations Arda seems completely chaotic due to the fact that ultimate power does not technically reside in the hands of the Monarch, but instead arises from the support and influence of the numerous Freeholds.

Almost entirely landlocked except for the Southern coat, Arda's trade is primarily with it's Western neighbor, Caerdwynn, but also travels further South to Shess. Farming is the most common profession amongst the Freeholds, with the Kingdom being able to export a large amount of grain and other foodstuffs. Mining is a secondary source of work and income, as numerous Iron and Copper deposits are scattered throughout the peaks of the Talon Mountains to the West and North.

Due to Arda's vast open land it was spared much of the direct ravages of the Undead hordes spawned in the wake of the Great Decay. However, the sickness that permeated Nature had a direct impact on many of the farmland, and the Kingdom now struggles to feed it's own people much less maintain stable exports.

The current King, Arstan the IV of House Gwaren, is beloved by his people. However, he has taken deathly ill with a mysterious sickness, and the fact that he has no male heir leaves the Kingdom poised on the brink of political chaos. Furthermore, there is a good deal of tension between the Northern and Southern Nobles due to the former being almost constantly engaged with Vos raiders from further North, feeling they have been neglected by their more 'soft' brethren.

Seach

In the early days of the Kingdom the Seach arose from amongst the Thanes that had grown powerful enough to convince (or threaten) lesser Thanes to swear fealty. Originally the King saw Seachs as a threat to their power and often warred with them. This conflict was predominantly how a King came to power prior to the establishment of Freeholds and the Landsmoot. There was a time in the past where there were many Seachs, but in the aftermath of the Iron Wars the King has since limited their number, and the Great Decay saw further diminishment, to the point that now only the Seach of Black Wall remains.

Erle

At some point in the distant past the Seachs created the Erles and gave the title to those assigned to command important fortresses and strategic positions that the Seach couldn't oversee themselves. Socially, the title of Erle is considered to be more prestigious than that of Thane, but Erles almost never have any Thane sworn to them. A noticeable exception to this is the Erle of Highecliffe, whose brother the Thane of nearby Renoth is sworn to him.

Thane

The Thanearch is where the lowest title of Nobility, Thane, derives from. However, in modern times this title has come to apply to lesser land holding nobility throughout the Kingdom at large. Each Freehold chooses which Thane they are loyal to. Typically this choice is based solely on the Hold's proximity to the Lord's castle, as paying the upkeep for soldiers that will not arrive in time to defend one's lands is ill advised. Note that the term 'Freehold' can apply to a village, town, or in some cases even a city.

The Landsmoot

Unlike many of it's neighbors, ultimate power and authority only nominally rests in the hands of the King. In reality the Landsmoot - that is, the legislative body made up of the landed Nobility and lesser lords - is capable of overriding the King on any matter of law. However, the members of the Landmoot rarely choose to exercise this privilege if the King is particularly well liked or powerful. The Landsmoot is held every three years except when interrupted by war or other devastating event, the most recent being the Great Decay.

During the Landsmoot important decisions that affect the nation at large are discussed, new or old laws are scrutinized and passed or removed. It is considered proper that the King is seen to mingle and curry favor with his Nobles, and a King that chooses not to for whatever reason is considered uncouth and tyrannical.

For the last few centuries the Landsmoot has been the basis of political power withing the Kingdom of Arda. It was considered to be both a unifying and disruptive event, as while it ended a period of both fierce infighting as well as bloody conflict with neighbors, it was also the start of the Ardanni moving away from their tribal roots and customs. This latter fact doesn't sit well with some of the older families to this day, whereas the more modern Nobility see it only as a positive gain to their wealth and influence.

The Caelish have known only a brief period of freedom and unity over the centuries. Since the murder of the first High King by Sardesian assassins, our people have known nothing but being conquered and ruled by those who are not of our blood or spirit. Now, after decades of misery, the Clans look to me to guide us along the same path my grandfather set us on so long ago. I will not lead you astray, and together we shall carve out a homeland that is entirely our own.

- Ciarán aen Caden, ‘the Wolf’, High King of Caerdwynn

To the West of the Kingdom of Arda lies the Kingdom of Caerdwynn. Within it's borders is the second largest of Western Krayan's forests, the Cirhan, and within the boughs of this woodland the ancient ways of the Caelish hold strong. While the Caelish and Ardans share a common ancestry from the ancient tribes that first migrated to the West from the Eastlands, and while the Caelish did modernize much of their Kingdom over the centuries in the same way that the Ardans did, their deep spiritual connection to nature and the divinity of that primal world lingers heavily within their blood. As such, the creation of fancy gardens and other displays of flowers are extremely common within the Kingdom, with it being seen as a sign of ill luck for a household to have no flowers.

The current High King is Ciarán aen Caden, known predominantly amongst his Tyrian enemies as the Wolf of the Talon Highlands. A ruthlessly efficient warrior against those who mean to harm his people, Ciarán carries the burden of the rebellion started ten years earlier by his father, and the war against the Tyrian Empire is one of careful ambushes and guerilla tactics.

Caerdwynn is populated by a hardened forest people who in ancient times were governed by the Druids. Large groups of extended family units make up the Clans, and in the past the Clans often warred with each other for dominance, each Clan Leader often claiming the status of 'King'. For long time the Caelish avoided any sort of Noble Class, and even to this day use of titles such as 'Lord' or 'Lady' are extremely rare, only used by some of the more ambitious heads of Clans that seek influence with foreign powers. Eventually, however, the Druids deemed it necessary in times of great need to establish a single ruler that could unite the Clans against a common enemy. Thus, the title of High King was born.

Out of all the Human Kingdoms the Caelish are the only ones that can claim some measure of respect from the Sylvaran to the North due to their reverence of Nature. This respect goes both ways, though ultimately gives the Caelish no true privilege with Sylvaran, and they are as equally barred from the Sylvaran Woodland as any other Human.

“Blood and bone!”

- Vos Warcry

The Kingdom of Norvald is a Kingdom in name only. In practice it is a war torn, chaotic land due to the rampant internal struggle that permeates every facet of society. Broadly, the Vos people are divided into two hard political factions that carve up the lands amongst them. Firstly, the 'Imperial' faction, headed by King Bjorn Kolsrud himself, whose sole power and authority stems from his loyalty to the Tyrian Empire. Secondly, the 'Independence' faction, whose members fight for a Nation not beholden to foreign masters. In practice these two distinct divisions are themselves made up of numerous smaller groups and sub-factions, all of which maintaining their own - often shifting - loyalties, and all of which seem locked in an eternal cycle of infighting to the view of an outsider.

The Vos people did not always reside in the brisk tundra and frosty mount mountainscape that is the lands North of the Icefury River. In ages past they made their homes in what would eventually become known as the Thanehold, their place there only being disrupted by the arrival of the Ardan, Caelish, and Khurzin peoples after the great migration from the Eastern Lands. Unfortunately for each culture the circumstances of first contact were a recipe for disaster.

The Vos, though not without their own understanding of honor, are a naturally violent and warlike people. They thrive on battle and feats of strength as a way to prove themselves. The people of the Eastlands were fleeing desolation, and thus when contact was made between these two groups it lead to instant conflict. The Vos were unwilling to share their lands with the newcomers without taking them as slaves and the Ardans, Caelish, and Khurzin were unwilling abandon this rich and fertile new home after losing their own. The conflict raged for a decade before the Ardans drove the Vos to the far North, warning them to never again set foot South of the Icefury River.

Today, the Kingdom is little more than a puppet state ruled over by a despotic monarch whose loyalty leans far more in favor of Tyrian gold than the wellbeing of his own people. Raiding is a common practice for many Vos men, where they will often spend months at a time in the Southern lands seeking plunder. The Kingdom is rife with internal conflict, stoked by Tyrian Empire meddling as much as it is by the natives.

“The Tyrian Imperial Ideal did not end with the ravages of the Great Decay. Indeed, most would argue that despite appearances to the contrary, the dream of a unified Empire was rekindled in the hearts and minds of the Tyrian people. Of course, the resolve of such a belief was often fiercely tested when faced with the reality of the shocking changes the Empire underwent in the years immediately following that great tragedy.”

- Patorum Primarch Dinius Atrius

Once the second largest Empire to control the lands of Western Krayan, the Tyrian Empire now exists as a shadow of it's former self. Even before the Great Decay the Empire was buckling under the weight of civil, military, and religious strife, and it's status as the target of the grievances as the one who would come to be known as Azrael nearly ensured it's complete destruction.

A mere twenty years before the Great Decay, the Empire was fractured. Caerdwynn was in open rebellion, lead by the grandfather of the current High King. The Southern borders were nearly constantly harassed by the Khurzin Tribes who had never quite been fully conquered, and the Kingdom of Arda observed the chaos with clear intent for their own independence. When Azrael's profane ritual was finally completed and chaos erupted due to the sudden ravages of undead and corrupt monstrosities, the Empire fell.

Even the Empire's greatest enemies would not wish the ravages of that plague upon it's people, though it is true that the incident ultimately bought them the freedom they had fought for. However, nearly a century later and the Empire lives on, even if greatly diminished. Perhaps it is a testament to the old resilience of the Tyrian people who were the first to rise up against the ancient Sardesian oppressors and their Mage Overlords, before succumbing to their own greed and desire to rule.

Great change occurred during this time. With the death of the last Emperor and much of his armies, the slave and common classes rose in rebellion against what remained of the majority of the wealthy mercantile and Noble classes. This seemingly Noble rebellion was soon plagued by the same troubles as the old Empire, however, as the rebels quickly grew comfortable with the estates and wealth they had now claimed for themselves. Ostensibly in support of the rebellion, the Sun Church remained as the dominant religion even in the face of a disappearance of Divine magic, and their own inner workings of priestly councils formed the basis of the new government.

Thus, the Tyrian Senate, the Patorum was born. Taken from the Tyrian word 'Pator' (patron, the male head of a family), in theory it is law that any man of a Patori family may have a seat in the Patorum. In practice, however, these seats are often only filled with the wealthiest or most influential heads of families. The Patorum itself is overseen by five Primarchs, and while their role is meant to be more of guidance and resolution it is not lost on much of the population that the five most powerful Patori families have held the Primarch seats for the last decade.

With a modicum of stability returned, the Tyrian Empire seeks to reclaim it's former glory. While the majority of it's legions are engaged with the Sylvaran to the East, answering the bloodfeud that began even before the Great Decay, the Seventh Legion has been tasked with all 'diplomatic' relations involving the Empire's second most hostile neighbor, the Kingdom of Caerdwynn.