The Treaty of Thirgos

## The Nine Nations

On Avandris 6, 1364, the Treaty of Amstein was signed by nations who had taken part in what is referred to as both the Great Rebellion and the Great War. The treaty officially ended the war and recognized the participants of the war. The nations officially recognized by the treaty are: The Kingdom of Rysland, The Malorian Empire, The Confederacy of Karkoth, The Kingdom of Wildcrest, The Free Cities (Udirma, Feleno, and Thirgos), The Lhazaar Principalities, The Kingdom of Eserion, The Kingdom of the Hulvern Mountains, and The Kingdom of the Stormcrest Mountains as their own sovereign nations. The Kingdom of Almorin did not partake in the signing of the treaty as the Undying Court wished to stay out of the affairs of the other races.

The treaty established the city of Amstein as a neutral, multinational capital with peacekeeping forces of all nine of the signers of the treaty present. The city has embassies of all nine nations and is a common meeting ground for representatives.

The signing of the treaty was almost derailed when the majority of nations attempted to ban the use of necromantic magic across all of Acios. The Malorian Empire threatened to pull out of the meeting unless this part of the treaty was struck from the record. They argued that it was a part of their religion and a necessary means of maintaining their military strength. The other nations, wary of more war, reluctantly agreed to the Malorian terms.

## A Fragile Peace

The treaty has ended the war, but the nine nations continue to conspire against one another. Acios has left the hot war and entered a cold war that could erupt into a full blown world war with one event. The Malorian Empire wishes to reclaim its former glory and looks to the Free Cities as a means to fund their war machine. Once that mission is completed, they would love to reconquer all of their lands and utterly annihilate the Ryslanders who betrayed them. The Ryslanders are penned in by enemies who would love to destroy them. They are careful not to do anything to offend either nation, but they continue to deploy more and more troops on their borders as a defensive measure. If someone crosses the line in the border regions, it could lead to all out war. The Confederacy of Karkoth wishes revenge on the Malorians. In their way stands the Ryslanders who forsook them to the Malorians, the Karkothians would love to destroy their empire as well. In the east, the Wildcrest Kingdom would also love to finish what they started and destroy the Malorian Empire. However, they must also watch their backs due to the Eserion Kingdom. While the Eserion Elves peacefully withdrew their troops from the Kingdom of Wildcrest at the conclusion of the war, there are many within the Wildcrest government who do not trust the Elves. They also view Carissa and her Elven heritage as a potential threat to their mainly human kingdom. The Eserion Elves know that they are feared after their battlefield prowess and are welcome to showing any nation that attacks them what happens to those who threaten the Elves. The Free Cities and Lhazaar Principalities are in competition for trade routes, and the Lhazaar Principalities, while not condoning piracy, certainly do not punish it. This has led to increased tensions between the Free Cities and Lhazaar Principalities which may one day lead to war. Ten years after the Great War, the people of Acios live on a knife edge. Will those in Acios be able to maintain this fragile peace, or will the continent once again erupt into another horrific war?