Chapter 2: The Seven Warring Nations
For over a thousand years, Varis Primus had been consumed by war. Once a world of unity and prosperity, it had fractured into seven powerful nations, each vying for dominance over the dying planet. These nations, ruled by kings, warlords, and ancient houses, were locked in an unending conflict that shaped the lives of all who lived within them.
1. Dravengarde – The Empire of Iron and Fire
Ruler: Emperor Valcairn the Black Sun
Capital City: Gor'Khazad
Symbol: A black dragon wreathed in flames
Strengths: Largest standing army, war machines, and ruthless tactics
Weaknesses: Corruption, internal power struggles
The mightiest and most brutal of the seven nations, Dravengarde was built on conquest. Their legions marched with fire and steel, enslaving weaker nations and crushing all opposition. Their warlords were relentless, and their cities were fortresses of iron and stone. The Dravenguard Knights, warriors clad in obsidian armor, were feared across the land.
2. Vayrannis – The Kingdom of the Celestial Blades
Ruler: King Eridan Starborn
Capital City: Elessarion
Symbol: A silver phoenix rising from starlight
Strengths: Supreme swordsmanship, celestial magic, advanced strategy
Weaknesses: Arrogance, low numbers
Vayrannis was a nation of warriors and scholars, descendants of an ancient order of swordmasters. Their Celestial Blades, warriors trained in the lost arts of light-infused combat, were said to be able to cut through steel with a single stroke. They despised the brutality of Dravengarde and sought to restore balance to the world, though their pride often led them to underestimate their enemies.
3. Xeran Thalor – The Dominion of Shadows
Ruler: The Nameless Sovereign
Capital City: Tenebris Keep
Symbol: A black serpent coiled around a crimson moon
Strengths: Assassins, forbidden sorcery, espionage
Weaknesses: Distrust, internal betrayal
Xeran Thalor was a land of whispers and daggers in the dark. Ruled by an unseen master, this nation thrived on subterfuge and blood magic. The Umbral Blades, its legendary assassins, were feared across the land. Those who opposed Xeran Thalor often found themselves dead before a battle even began.
4. Khal'Zir – The Eternal Sand Empire
Ruler: Sultan Azarim the Undying
Capital City: Zir'Ankor
Symbol: A golden sun over shifting sands
Strengths: Vast wealth, desert warfare, summoning magic
Weaknesses: Harsh environment, reliance on trade
Deep within the endless dunes of Khal'Zir, an empire of golden spires and hidden oases thrived. Their warriors, the Dune Sentinels, could survive for months in the desert without food or water, striking their enemies like ghosts. Their magic allowed them to summon sandstorms and desert spirits to fight by their side.
5. Norskar – The Frostborn Clans
Ruler: High Jarl Skjorn the Stormbreaker
Capital City: Varhaldrim
Symbol: A silver wolf howling at the moon
Strengths: Ferocity in battle, ice magic, beast companions
Weaknesses: Division among clans, lack of resources
The warriors of Norskar were born in ice and storm, raised in a land of eternal winter. Their Frostborn Berserkers fought with reckless abandon, wielding weapons forged from enchanted ice. Though they lacked the numbers of other nations, their unbreakable spirit made them nearly unstoppable in battle.
6. Zerathia – The Dominion of Beasts
Ruler: Warlord Gorvak the Beast-King
Capital City: Gor'Mokar
Symbol: A crimson claw slashing through a storm
Strengths: War beasts, primal strength, savage warriors
Weaknesses: Lack of discipline, primitive technology
A land of dense jungles and towering mountains, Zerathia was home to the strongest warriors and the deadliest beasts. The warlords of Zerathia tamed monstrous creatures for battle, their Beast Riders charging into war atop dire wolves, wyverns, and colossal lizards. Their strength was unmatched, but their lack of discipline often led to infighting.
7. Valtheris – The Last Free Cities (Where Varthun is located)
Ruler: Council of the Free Cities
Capital City: None (Ruled by city-states)
Symbol: A silver falcon soaring against a storm
Strengths: Resilience, guerilla warfare, skilled craftsmen
Weaknesses: Disunity, no central military
Unlike the other six nations, Valtheris was not ruled by a single king or emperor. It was a collection of independent city-states, each governed by its own council. They fought to remain free, resisting the overwhelming might of their neighbors. Though they lacked the sheer numbers or military power of the great empires, they excelled in strategy and resilience.
Varthun, Kael Atris' birthplace, was one of the strongest of these city-states. A fortress built atop an ancient ruin, it had withstood countless sieges. But as war consumed the world, even Varthun could not hold out forever.
The Looming War
As Kael Atris rose from the ashes of Varthun, the balance of power among the Seven Warring Nations was on the verge of collapse. The wars between them had raged for centuries, but something far greater loomed on the horizon.
A force beyond mortals had taken notice of this broken world.
And with the blessing of Castellion Arisium, Kael Atris would either bring salvation... or destruction.