Realm of Dreotha

Dreotha was a human kingdom located on the continent of the same name. It was founded in the year 0 A.F. (1286 Y.A.) by a coalition of settlers from the Federation of Nations. Simultaneously, and in coordination with the founders of Dreotha, the neighboring Elvish Empire was also founded by settlers from the Great Ancestral Kingdom.

## History

### The Federation of Nations

Despite its name, the Federation of Nations has, for as long as anyone can remember, been far from united. The individual kingdoms and fiefdoms are constantly in political and economic strife with one another, and at least two of them are nearly almost at war or engaging in border skirmishes. Having had enough of the endless conflict, a coalition of nobles, merchants, and commonfolk from across the Federation joined together to embark on an expedition to found a new united human kingdom elsewhere in the world. In the year 1283 Y.A. (equivalent to -3 A.F.), the coalition had gathered enough resources to depart, and began their journey.

### The Founding of Dreotha

After 3 years of preparation, political evasion, and travel, the coalition landed on the continent of Dreotha. Before departing on the voyage, they received word that a similar expedition of elves was also sailing for this new continent, in the hopes to escape the authoritarian oppression of the Great Ancestral Kingdom. Upon arriving on Dreotha, the human and elvish expeditions signed a pact to divide the available land in half between them.

The Dreothans spread quickly across their half of the continent. The older human kingdoms of Aivuria, Eöstrend and Hyldsorn were already present in the north, so they Dreothans left them their land and spread south. They constructed 4 large cities to begin with: Starwatch, Frekasberg, Narmont, and Hope's Bastion. Each of these cities was built around a set of mysterious ruins that existed before the Dreothans arrived, and of which the earlier denizens of the continent knew nothing. Each set of ruins included a set of 3 portals, which the Dreothans dubbed Fargates. Each Fargate in a particular ruin was connected to one of the other 3 sets of ruins. The locations were chosen in part due to the ability of Fargates to facilitate travel between the four locations.

### The Dragonslayer

When ground was broken to begin construction on the city of Hope's Bastion, the site was attacked by a red dragon that emerged out of the mountains in the southeastern part of the realm. After a hard fought battle, the would-be lord of Hope's Bastion, Lord Asher, led his soldiers to victory against the creature. Once the four cities were complete, a council was held to decide who the first ruler of Dreotha would be. In a unanimous decision, Asher was elected and given his kingly moniker The Dragonslayer. Thus began the tradition of each ruler being given a title. Although the line of monarch's was hereditary, the council still met to formally approve the ascent of each new ruler, and it was at these councils the monarch was given their name.

### The Age of Undeath

Before the year 1841 Y.A. (558 A.F.), the art of necromancy was not known to any living person in the world of Ataraxus, and no record existed of how to perform it. There were whispers of its possibility, but such a thing was unheard of in practice. This change abruptly with the undead invasion of Dreotha in the year 1841 Y.A. Out of the frigid lands around the south pole came legions of undead monsters, with human and elvish necromancers to lead them and grow their numbers. The leader of this onslaught was an otherwise-unidentified individual known only as The Defiler. The Defiler's armies ravaged the southern half of the Realm of Dreotha. For 6 years, the kingdom's people fought back. Looking to their elvish neighbors for help, they received none. The Elvish Empire had broken out in civil war as two twin heirs to the emperor vied for control of the throne. The neighboring kingdoms of Hyldsorn, Eostrend, and Jormoth provided little aid. The former two were, at the time, non-militaristic. And Jormoth was newly founded, and lacked the resources to provide aid. So the people of Dreotha suffered greatly. Finally, in a battle south of the ruins of the destroyed Dreothan capital city, the last king, Edmund the Courageous, led a final concerted campaign to defeat the last of the undead armies. As the tides turned, the necromancers fled, and the undead numbers dwindled. The Defiler disappeared, never to be confronted directly.

### The Shattering

In 1847Y.A., after the conflict was finally over, the southern half of the kingdom was in ruins. Edmund was in his later years, with no heir. He himself had inherited the throne unexpectedly from his distant cousin, King Farin, after the royal family were all killed in the fall of the capital. Due to Edmund's advanced age, he did not rule for long. Thus with him ended the line of kings. And the kingdom of Dreotha shattered. In the north, the realm was succeeded by 3 new ones: Trimoris, Menvegir, and Galifeld. Each had formerly been a province with a high-ranking lord or lady in charge of it. The provinces became realms of their own, and their leaders became monarchs. In the south, the undead invasion ravaged most of the region. With the largest cities destroyed and much of the nobility dead, the former provinces there could not persist and become new realms. Instead, the southern region was succeeded by a collection of independent cities and towns, each with their own governance (or none at all). This became known as the Commonwealth of Towns. It was also sometimes referred to by its inhabitants as the "Free Cities", to communicate their desire to remain outside the control of the northern monarchies.

### The Commonwealth of Towns

Main article: The Commonwealth of Towns

In the south, the undead invasion ravaged most of the region. With the largest cities destroyed and much of the nobility dead, the former provinces there could not persist and become new realms. Instead, the southern region was succeeded by a collection of independent cities and towns. Over time, these cities and towns recovered and appointed their own local leaders, the area became known as the Commonwealth of Towns. It was also sometimes referred to by its inhabitants as the "Free Cities", to communicate their desire to remain outside the control of the northern monarchies. The leaders of the small cities and towns occasionally came together to parlay as the Council of the Commonwealth, but each member was always loathe to defer authority to the council as a whole. As such, the council meets infrequently and only in times of great need.

## Government

Dreotha was a hereditary monarchy, and the first King, Asher the Dragonslayer, was chosen by a council of lords and ladies. He was given his moniker for his victory over the red dragon. It was decided at this council that the crown would inherited by the oldest child of the previous monarch, but that the council would still meet each time to formally approve their ascent. It would be at these councils that each monarch would be given their nickname. Much like Asher the Dragonslayer, each Queen or King received a special title unique to them. Though it never occurred, the council maintained the right to symbolically refuse the new monarch their title by unanimous vote. If this were to ever happen, they would lose inheritance of the crown, and a new monarch would be chosen from the council members.

### List of Monarchs

Each entry shows the monarch's name, their gender, and the years of their reign.

* Asher the Dragonslayer [M] (0-54 A.F.)
* Tobyn the Tall [M] (54-79 A.F.)
* Evelyn the Intrepid [F] (79-131 A.F.)
* Ysabelle the Pious [F] (131-192 A.F.)
* Leomund the Wise [M] (192-236 A.F.)
* William the Stalwart [M] (236-280 A.F.)
* Alinora the Watchful [F] (486-559)
* Farin the Benevolent [M] ( - 560 A.F.)
* Edmund the Courageous M (560-564 A.F.)