Shining Kingdoms
The empire of Taldor was historically the heart of the Shining Kingdoms. In the early Age of Enthronement, Taldor sent several Armies of Exploration to expand the nation’s borders and colonize the surrounding lands. Today, Taldor is but a shadow of its former glory, but after a recent bout of internal strife, a progressive new empress has claimed the crown, and Taldor may be on the path to recover its old glory for the first time in centuries.
To the west, the democratic nation of Andoran stands as a rising star on the international stage. Ever since the province seceded from the nation of Cheliax, Andoran’s military has helped to stem the flow of slavery, and its heroes have stood tall against all manner of peril to the common folk. But the future doesn’t look entirely bright for Andoran, for with Cheliax’s recent upsets, rumors flow that House Thrune may seek to reclaim control of its wayward thrall. Given the looming threat of the Whispering Tyrant, an all-out war between these two powerful nations could be disastrous.
Northeast of Andoran sprawls the dwarven city-states of the Five Kings Mountains. No strangers to war, both against enemies and among themselves, the dwarves of the Five Kings remain allies of Andoran but have their own troubles that command most of their attention. To the west of the dwarven realm, the rich and powerful nation of Druma controls nearly half of the lake’s southern shoreline and uses its position to bolster its coffers and further the teachings of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, a philosophy that teaches that wealth can be achieved through adherence to strict and abstemious practices.
Northeast of Druma lie the forested elven lands of Kyonin, one of Avistan’s oldest nations. This land belonged to the elves long before Earthfall, but for thousands of years after that devastation, they left their realm abandoned. In that time, a powerful demon named Treerazer seized control of the forest’s southern reaches, corrupting the terrain into a swampy, desolate mire called Tanglebriar. Although the elves have returned, they’ve been unable to force Treerazer from their southern border.
Still farther east is the nation of Galt. Wracked for decades by a self-perpetuating series of rebellions and revolutions, this land has been torn apart from within over and over. Its people are tired and desperate as they continue to live what lives they can in the shadow of the final blades — powerful magical guillotines that claim the souls of those they decapitate. If any of the regions of the Shining Kingdoms is poised for significant change in the near future, it is surely revolution-wracked Galt.
To the west, the democratic nation of Andoran stands as a rising star on the international stage. Ever since the province seceded from the nation of Cheliax, Andoran’s military has helped to stem the flow of slavery, and its heroes have stood tall against all manner of peril to the common folk. But the future doesn’t look entirely bright for Andoran, for with Cheliax’s recent upsets, rumors flow that House Thrune may seek to reclaim control of its wayward thrall. Given the looming threat of the Whispering Tyrant, an all-out war between these two powerful nations could be disastrous.
Northeast of Andoran sprawls the dwarven city-states of the Five Kings Mountains. No strangers to war, both against enemies and among themselves, the dwarves of the Five Kings remain allies of Andoran but have their own troubles that command most of their attention. To the west of the dwarven realm, the rich and powerful nation of Druma controls nearly half of the lake’s southern shoreline and uses its position to bolster its coffers and further the teachings of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, a philosophy that teaches that wealth can be achieved through adherence to strict and abstemious practices.
Northeast of Druma lie the forested elven lands of Kyonin, one of Avistan’s oldest nations. This land belonged to the elves long before Earthfall, but for thousands of years after that devastation, they left their realm abandoned. In that time, a powerful demon named Treerazer seized control of the forest’s southern reaches, corrupting the terrain into a swampy, desolate mire called Tanglebriar. Although the elves have returned, they’ve been unable to force Treerazer from their southern border.
Still farther east is the nation of Galt. Wracked for decades by a self-perpetuating series of rebellions and revolutions, this land has been torn apart from within over and over. Its people are tired and desperate as they continue to live what lives they can in the shadow of the final blades — powerful magical guillotines that claim the souls of those they decapitate. If any of the regions of the Shining Kingdoms is poised for significant change in the near future, it is surely revolution-wracked Galt.
