Kingdom of Ballaver
Background
Once known as the The Kingdom of Enchantment there were many marvels in the Kingdom of Ballaver. The jewel of the magical nation was the capital of Gislea a rather large mystical marvel, a place where learning magic was as simple as walking into one of the large wizard colleges or walking into a small grove of plants that may have been taking some lessons from a local Arborist.Mage shops were on every corner and apothecaries almost every third door. The nation was a magic users dream home, welcoming any and all whom wished to learn or hone there skills. It was a simple matter to use your magic to lead a quiet, comfortable life - or to focus on the pursuit of impressive acts previously undreamed of.
Under the rule of King Franicis and Queen Marigold, magic in the kingdom was cultivated and traded. Strangely, the borders to the kingdom were slowly closed, both the mundane ones leading to the rest of Aurea and those to other planes, traffic restricted and limited. Protests were filed, of course, as many people's livelihoods relied on trade, but the crown promised the issues would be resolved.
Then a small accident of some sort occurred and both the Queen and King of Bellavar died in a tragic use of accidental magic. At least, so the official story claimed. Whispered rumours said it was more. Why else would the borders be completely shut down, to the point where vessels trying to leave were sunk? They left behind a child queen named Isabela. Her reagent Alister Sarrum was given leave to rule in her stead until she came of age. Was it at his advice or her will that laws against magic were suddenly being passed?
A week into the law being passed, people began to be rounded up. Clerics, druids, wizards...magical crafters of all kinds. Leaders in there field and the community were taken in as the new laws went into effect. Many of these noble professions started being publicly executed. The executions became so common that those with even a touch of magic went into hiding, and those who could not hide sought a way out. Seeking passage out always lead to the same fate.
Among the first to be executed was a noble House Credol, one of the warrior houses of Ballaver. Rumours ran amok of the house, once staunch loyalists and the right hand of the throne, had begun to plot rebellion against the crown, an the first execution a warning to get back inline. It...did not work.
House Credol, a blood as ancient as the royal lineage and intertwined with it, led the rebellion against the Queen and her White Cloak allies after their family was threatened. Despite the vast amount of magical power the rebels had, the loyalist forces had new, devastating anti-magic weapons that proved utterly unexpected and completely devastated. The bodies were left on the field of battle, and years later, it is still stained red.
Still, the Resistance survived in one form or another, struggling to survive as the White Cloaks consolodated there hold.
The Azoan Resistance were, with aid of adventurers from Aurelian, eventually able to push the White Cloaks back, capturing Queen Isabela and evetually installing there own king, Ein, on the throne.
However, Ein vanished one day, and the queen was eventually re-installed on her throne. Her time with the Resistance does not seem to have softened her stance against magic, and she regularly attends the execution of captured mages.
Government
Ballaver is a total monarchy, with the king or queen theoretically having total control over the nation. However, as the current queen, Isabela is young and only recently been able to take control back from the Resistance's king, the reality is other organizations exert a lot of influence. The White Cloaks, especially, have a strong hand in the government, as the worship of the Black Pharoah has become the state religion, and there forces form a significant part of the kingdom's defences.
Places of Interest
Gislea - The capital city, this city is large, impressive and totally in the grip of the White Cloak organization.
Thule - Technically not part of the kingdom, Thule is a mostly independent city-state located on an island on a lake, famed for it's slave markets.
The Witch's Hut - For much of the civil war, it was not an uncommon sight to see this strange, chicken-legged contraption stalking around Azoa. Rumour has it that the hut has been badly damaged and rest somewhere, waiting for repairs.
The Druid's Grove - The heart of the druidic presence on Azoa, and one of the few places remaining where spellcasters can gather in relative safety. It is hidden from the rest of Azoa behind powerful magics. The uniform is optional.
