Regions
The Lysian Empire
The Lysian Empire stretches across a large part of the known continent, from the western coast toward the great desert in the east. Its capital, Solskeld, lies far east within the Empire, close to the desert border.
The Lysian Empire is ruled by an imperial family whose claim to the throne rests on direct descent from Lysies herself. This lineage is believed to be physically marked by the family's distinctive golden-blond hair.
Only children of the reigning Emperor and Empress who inherit this golden hair are considered eligible to inherit the throne. Because of this, succession does not always pass directly from parent to child. If no suitable heir is born, a close relative, such as a cousin from another branch of the imperial family, may instead be recognized as the next ruler.
Gender plays little role in imperial succession. The legitimacy of descent from Lysies is considered more important than whether an heir is male or female, and both Emperors and Empresses may rule in their own right.
The Western Desert Union
East of the Lysian Empire lies an enormous desert that continues far beyond the area shown on most Lysian maps. The kingdoms nearest the Empire have joined together in the Western Desert Union.
The Union is not a single kingdom. Its member states retain their own rulers and considerable independence, but share laws and cooperate politically as a larger regional power.
The Kalarie Islands
The Kalarie Islands are an independent matriarchal kingdom off the western coast of Auropia. Political inheritance and authority traditionally follow the female line, placing women at the centre of the Kalarie monarchy and much of its political structure.
Geography has shaped Kalarie as much as tradition has. Unlike the largely land-based infrastructure of the Lysian Empire, travel and trade between the islands depend heavily on ships and maritime routes.
Travel on land can be considerably more difficult. Many of the islands are steep and rugged, making ordinary carts impractical in large areas. Instead, the Kalarie make use of enormous branded aura beasts, commonly large lizards and crocodilian creatures, as mounts and beasts of transport.
The Southern Kingdoms
South of the Empire lie several independent territories, including the Kingdom of Våd and Sydkøst. Their cultures and political systems remain separate from imperial rule, but are greatly impacted by it as they primarily rely on trade with the Lysian Empire.
Cities
Solskeld - Solskeld
Solskeld is the capital of the Lysian Empire and the seat of the imperial family. Because of its eastern location near the desert, the city has a noticeably warmer climate than the northern parts of the Empire.
Ravnsund Manor lies only around 30 kilometres west of the capital, making it relatively close on the scale of the Empire.
The City of Lysies
Far to the north, deep within a vast mountain range, lies the City of Lysies. Although technically situated within the borders of the Empire, it functions largely as an independent holy city-state.
The city is governed by a council of holy elders. Many of them devote their lives to studying ancient scripture, collecting knowledge from travellers, and preserving records in the city's immense underground library.
Lysies is also an important diplomatic centre. Every six years, representatives from across the continent gather there for the Games, alongside political negotiations, trade agreements and other major diplomatic meetings.
This gathering originally started as a religious festival, based around the legend of Lysies. But also because the City is situated atop a vast aura spring which fules much of the empires aura-stone export.
Politics
The Lysian Empire
The imperial family sits at the centre of a large and influential nobility. Noble houses compete for political favour, advantageous marriages, trade agreements and influence over the future of the Empire, while the throne must balance these internal interests with relations beyond its borders.
The Kalarie Islands
Kalarie culture places a strong emphasis on fairness, including in diplomacy, negotiation and trade. However, what constitutes a fair agreement is understood through Kalarie customs and values, which do not always align with those of the mainland nations. As a result, Kalarie diplomats may consider an arrangement perfectly equitable even when their Lysian counterparts see it differently.
Culture
The Legend of Lysies
The Legend of Lysies tells of the First People who came to Auropia,
the continent on which the Lysian Empire and the surrounding nations now stand.
According to tradition, they arrived from a distant land remembered only as the Old World, somewhere far
beyond the Great Western Sea.
No successful voyage back has ever been recorded, and over the centuries most knowledge of the Old World
has been lost,
leaving it somewhere between history and legend.
When the First People arrived in Auropia, they struggled to survive in an unfamiliar and barren land.
During an unusually long winter that claimed most of their elders, a young woman became their leader.
Desperate to save what remained of her people, she ventured alone into the White Peaks,
the great mountain range that today surrounds the City of Lysies, and disappeared into the storm.
Twelve nights later, she returned transformed.
Her hair shone like dawn, and a trail of golden light followed in her wake, melting the snow and
bringing the first signs of spring.
She had discovered aura, the life-force that flows through the world,
and taught the First People how to sense and wield it for warmth, survival and cultivation.
From then on, she became known as Lysies, Bringer of Light.
Her return is still commemorated on the darkest night of winter,
when people walk together carrying candles and pass the flame from one person to the next,
recreating the trail of light that Lysies carried down from the mountains.
Significance of 12 (10)
The number twelve holds particular importance in Lysian culture, appearing throughout religion,
tradition and everyday life.
In the legend, Lysies returns to her people on the twelfth night, and the number has since become
associated with completion, renewal and divine order.
This significance even appears in the way Lysians count.
Their number system is based on twelve rather than ten.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B
Instead of counting each finger individually, the thumb is used to count the three sections of each of the four fingers, allowing a person to count to twelve on one hand and twenty-four across both.