Aeterna Main

## Overview

The official calendar begins at the founding of Aeterna, making this the oldest of all the nations. It was the first to unite, and is the wealthiest of all the nations. It united under the banner of King George Holme, after a bloody 3 year war between the North and the South, which were once the kingdoms of Camone and Aeterna, respectively. When the South claimed victory, the Capital city of Camone was razed to the ground, and the rest of the country was pulled into the fold. There are few who recall the history of these events, however, and even fewer who care anymore. The crown began traveling down the bloodline of Holme, from eldest son to eldest son. However, as a tradition, every third generation must pass it to an eldest son of another royal family. This law is enforced by the Grand College, foremost power in Magic in the land of Svet.

Capital City: Magna Urbs

Ruling Title: King

Current Ruler:

Country Age: 1,200 years

National Animal:

Character Styles: European, Medieval, American (names and characteristics)

## Leadership

### Chain of Command

Leadership in Aeterna is a responsibility bestowed upon the royal families of this nation. In order for one of lowly standing to raise in the ranks, they must prove themselves to be loyal, wise, and a useful asset to their betters. However, despite this possibility, it is rare for those of the peasantry to really make a name for themselves.

#### King

The most powerful and influential individual in all of Aeterna is the king. He holds total power over the people of this land, with everything from civil to military matters being under his scrutiny. The King is raised from birth for the job, being educated in all manner of things, from economic practices, to negotiating, to even swordplay.

Different Kings are known to involve themselves in different practices, as far as marriage is concerned. For the most part, each King is known to take only one wife, though there have been the occasional exceptions to this rule, where the King may take two or three women to be his own.

#### Archbishop

Serving as a personal adviser to the King on divine matters, as well as having the duty of appeasing the Gods, is the Archbishop. The Archbishop is the single most knowledgeable person in Aeterna on matters involving the Gods. He is also said to be handpicked by the Gods to be their ambassador to the King, which in itself gives him great power, almost enough to singlehandedly topple the King if necessary.

#### Duke

Reporting directly to the King, are the Dukes, powerful men in charge of large provinces within Aeterna. Each is tasked with managing his land and people, keeping chaos and crime low, and other such tasks. They are often called upon by the King to perform specific tasks, especially in the cases that the King does not wish to perform such tasks on his own.

#### Baron

The lowest rank of royalty are the Barons. These men (and women) rule their own respective settlements, as well as the land surrounding them. They report to the Dukes, and are expected to regularly pay tribute to their superiors.

#### Serf

The lowest rank of nobility (though it is very arguable whether or not they are truly nobility), are the Serfs. These individuals are very minor land owners, generally peasants who managed to raise enough money to buy land from their Baron or Duke. They reports directly to the Barons, and must pay regular tribute.

#### Knight

While not technically royalty themselves, Knights are considered pseudo-royalty, in that their status is bestowed upon them by either a Duke, or the King. They are thus allowed to marry into royal families, and are allowed to attend royal occasions. A Knight's status applies to their family and descendants as well, though it is possible for this status to be removed, such as in the case if a son or grandson shames the family beyond repair. Knights whose families have been raised from Peasants are known as Honorific Knights, and may not rise in status. However, it is possible for their grandchildren to rise in status. Knights who were born into Knighthood are known as Noble Knights.

#### Ascension

In Aeterna, there are strict rules as to how ascension from one rank to another works as well. When a King passes, his son generally takes his place. However, after every third generation, the crown is passed to the family of one of the Dukes. If a Duke takes the heir of a Baron's family as their marital partner, then that family, starting with their children, are elevated to the status of the Duke. Knights may rise to the rank of Baron, if they are given such a rank by a Duke, and their is an opening, such as the case when a Baron passes and his family has risen in rank, or it has been decided that a certain Baron is a problem. A Peasant may achieve the rank of Serf, and thus potentially squeeze their way into the life of nobility. This is a shaky proposition, as it is relatively easy for a Serf to lose everything, whether it be from a Baron or Duke forcefully taking their lands, or from simple hardship. As the Serf gains more land and wealth, they may begin the generations long climb through the ranks. Finally, Peasants, the generally masses, may rise to the rank of Knight, if they are blessed by a Duke, or the King. However, neither the Peasant, nor his family, may rise beyond this rank. At least two generations must pass before this is allowed.

### Founder

The nation of Aeterna was founded by King George Holme. Before being what it is today, it was a smaller kingdom, only possessing half of the land that it does now. It was constantly at odds with its neighbor to the North, Camone. Finally, relations reached an all time low, and all out war broke out. Blood watered the ground on both sides, but the King of Aeterna pushed his enemies back, and burned their capital to the ground. It took many more years, but eventually, the last pockets of resistance in the lands that were once owned by Camone were snuffed out, and Aeterna, as we now know it, was officially founded. A new Royal Calender was started, and the King declared that it would be a new age.

### King Barbados II

The ruling King of Aeterna, King Barbados is a thoughful, careful man. He is known to consider things, and is often slow to think, mulling over his words before he lets them be heard. He is also quite an honest man, who keeps his promises. His curiosity concerning Magic, however, borders on an obsession, as he spends great amounts of time and resources ordering and planning expeditions into the Great Desert, in order to search for the ancient ruins known to lay among the sands.

He ascended to the throne after the death of his father, and has, overall, done rather well. He has a wife and child, as well as the loyalty of most of his subjects. Of course, there will always be dissidence, but Barbados does what he can. For those of Aeterna. If it comes down to a choice between an Aeternian and an individual of any other nation, he will always side with the Aeternian. His loyalty to his country is unwavering, and his wrath for those who would threaten it, unstoppable.

### Queen Brianna

The current Queen of Aeterna, and wife of Barbados, Brianna is regaled as a powerful woman, independent, while at the same time remaining fiercely loyal to her husband. She has fathered him two children, though one died of disease at a young age. She is said to have wept for weeks, keeping herself locked away, turning away all visitors. Curiously, it is said that her husband did not go to comfort her, instead throwing himself into his pursuit of magical knowledge with even greater abandon.

The Queen spends most of her time at Magna Urbs, in the royal castle, tending to the needs of the kingdom while her husband is off attending to his personal obsession. Her son, a young lad, who is seen even less often than his mother, is always in attendance with her, and all accounts indicate that it has been years before he has been allowed to leave the castle grounds.

### Archbishop Michaelas

The foremost authority on the ways of the Gods, the Archbishop's responsibility is to keep them appeased, and to hear their decrees. He also serves as one of the King's head advisers, and warns him when events arise that may anger the Gods. Also, the Archbishop asks for favors from the Gods, making offerings, and overall keeping things in order.

As far as authority goes, the Archbishop rivals even the King in terms of power, as he has the very Gods backing him. If the Archbishop were to question the King's right to rule (which has happened in the past), then the King has little defense. He is instantly forced to bend to the Archbishop's whims. In the past, the King has attempted to kill the Archbishop for such insolence, but it ended in failure, and that King was thrown from the highest tower of the royal castle.

The current Archbiship, Michaelas, has lived for over 200 years. The Gods have granted him greater longevity for his faithful service, and his unwavering loyalty to their will. From a young age, Michaelas was groomed and trained for this task. He grew up in one of the Church's orphanages. He never knew his family, but he found a new calling in his service to the Gods. At one time, he was a travelling priest, before he became a Bishop, and, with the passing of the last Archbishop, he was selected to take on the glorious title of Archbishop, Speaker for the Gods.

## Provinces

Aeterna is split into numerous provinces, each of which is ruled over by a Duke. Each province is different in their ways, whether it be cultural, economic, or relations. There are nine in total, including Magna Urbs, the Realm of the King, also known as the Royal Province.

### Northwall - Lord Godfrey Hackett

The Warden of Northwall, Barbarian Crusher, Lord of Executioners. Lord Godfrey Hackett. A rather terrifying man, standing at seven feet tall, and clad in heavy armor, Lord Hackett is the Duke of Northwall, which is often seen as the bastion between Aeterna and the barbaric tribes of Nashazemlya. Hackett, for his part, takes pride in his position, and gladly punishes any who would cross the border from the North without permission. With extreme prejudice. Lord Hackett is, however, not just the Warden of Northwall. He also serves as the head of the King's Execution unit, a highly trained, highly aggressive hunter-killer unit used to hunt down and eliminate the enemies of the King. Often in a highly public manner.

For the most part, Lord Hackett generally delegates matters of state to his advisers, though his policy is one of strictness and strength. He will make sure his people are cared for, but any rebellion will be crushed without remorse.

### Winterlake - Lady Beatrice Eadatos

The Duchess of of the Winterlake province, and one of the Dukes tasked with the protection of Aeterna from the barbarians of the North. While not as greatly regaled as her Northern Contemporary, it is arguable that the threat that Lady Eadatos faces is even greater, as she much content with the Yuglyudi, the horrific witches of Nashazemlya. Given the foes that she faces, Lady Eadatos, as with her predecessor, her father Lord Eadatos, has developed countermeasures to the magic of her enemies, namely the pursuit and study of magic herself. The Spellswords of Winterlake are a formidable force, as each and every individual is trained in at least the basics of the magical arts.

The people of Winterlake province benefit greatly from their Lord's interest in magic, as it has permeated many aspects of their lives. It is said that if one wishes to find the best of magical trinkets, that Winterlake is the place to go.

### Redwood - Sir Rickard Wolfe

Redwood province, a region of expansive forests and superior lumber, is also home to the Ranger Lord, Sir Rickard Wolfe. A veteran of combat in enemy territory, Rickard has single-handedly reinvented the Long Patrol, the Rangers of Aeterna. Under his command, they have been reorganized into an efficient fighting force, even surpassing the glory of their golden days back during the War of Brothers, 1,200 years ago. The duty of the Rangers is infiltration, sabotage, assassination, and extensive excursions into enemy territory for lengthy periods of time, without support from Aeterna.

The people of Redwood are expert woodsmen (and women), who are adept at navigating the forest, as well as cutting it down. With the main export of Redwood being their mighty trees, every individual is taught to swing an axe from a young age.

### Seafare - Sir Leone Capri

Seafare province, one of the two provinces of Aeterna known for their great ships and mastery of the sea. Where they differ, however, is in that Seafare, unlike Galapos, specializes in trade. The ships of Seafare can be seen all over the world, docked in the ports of Ikhaya, Nashazemlya, and Shima. As such, the province is quite wealthy, something reflected in its population. Anyone can find work, whether it be simply moving goods onto or off of ships, or accompanying said cargo to faraway places.

The Duke of Seafare is Leone Capri, a Legacy Lord. Seafare has been in the hands of the Capri family for seven generations, with each potential Duke being groomed for their future position from a young age. The young men and women of this royal family are taught the rules of etiquette, dueling, trade, politics, and all other manner of skills which will serve them greatly in the future. Due to this background, Sir Capri is a prideful man, more than happy to declare his superiority and show off his exploits. Despite this narcissistic attitude, however, he is not a cruel man, and once one bows to his 'superiority', he is more than happy to listen to, and often fulfill, requests. If one can endure his boasting, then they may be able to can much from the occasion.

### North Midlands - Lord Alekin Trice

The North Midlands, the Northern of the two provinces which stand on the border between North and South Aeterna. This province is the land of Lord Alekin Trice, the Lion General. Serving as one of the King's leading Generals, Lord Trice is a veteran of many conflicts, and he has the scars to show for it. He has made excursions into both Nashazemlya and Ikhaya in the King's name. His knowledge of combat tactics is unrivaled in Aeterna. One thing to note, is that Lord Trice actually has a feud with the Duke of the South Midlands, Sir Octavias Cordia. The two disagree on the proper tactics for war, and have gone to blows in the combat headquarters more than once.

The people of the North Midlands live rather average lives. They deal primarily in the bounties of the mountains; gold, silver, and iron. In addition to this, the people in this region have access to the vast sea itself, allowing them to transport goods great distances, circumventing the mountains that separate them from the South. Lord Trice has, in the past, taken it upon himself to learn of the lives of his people, and has ventured into the mines himself. A Duke stooping so low to understand the hardships of his people reaches the hearts of the people well, and they respect him greatly for it.

### South Midlands - Sir Octavias Cordia

On the border that separates Aeterna in half, on the Southern side, is the South Midlands province, ruled over by Sir Octavias Cordia. One of the King's leading generals, Sir Cordia is a man of great power. He has led several campaigns into the Great Desert for his King, in search of ancient ruins which they hope will hold new Words of Power, and thus new power for the kingdom. Sir Octavias has a feud with the Duke of the North Midlands, Lord Alekin Trice. The two men differ in their beliefs on war strategy, so strongly so, that they have come to blows in the past.

The people of the South Midlands are miners, digging into the mountains to tap into the great wealth that lays within the rock; gold, silver, and iron. In addition to this, the people of the South Midlands have access to the great Inland Lake, to the West, the Royal Lake, to the South, and the vast sea itself. With many avenues of trade, these people can trade their goods in whichever direction they so choose.

### Khinestead - Lady Karla von Blanc

The people of Khinestead have always been unique, as opposed to other peoples of Aeterna. The accent

with which they speak, something that has refused to fade, despite their involvement with the rest of the empire, can immediately identify them. In addition, the people of this region have rather odd customs, and a strange connection to blood. It is regarded by them to have its own power, its own scent. Some of Khinestead's past rulers, such as the famous Lord Vladimir von Dracul, were known to actually partake in the blood of fallen foes, as they claimed that it allowed them to take the strength of their enemies as their own. Lady Blanc, does, fortunately, not seem to have such odd behavior... openly. There are rumors of what happens behind closed doors, some being rather devious in nature, while others suggest downright cannibalism.

Whatever the case may be, Lady Blanc's usefulness to the kingdom cannot be denied, as she is the leader of the Night's Watch, a highly trained unit adept at working in the dark of night, and who work to hunt down and slay the monsters of the Darkness. They are not a military unit, and Lady Blanc refuses to allow her Night Watchers to be used in war against other humans, regardless of what harshness she may receive from the King.

### Galapos - Lady Rebekah Yujin

Lady Rebekah Yujin, the honorary Samurai. The Duchess of the Galapos province is a well traveled individual, one who has connections in the island nation of Shima. When she was young, her father, Lord Warren Goh, took her on one of his expeditions to Shima, to a peace conference and discussion of ownership of the sea. He was great friends with the leader of the Hata clan, Seiji Hata, and through this relationship, he was given the name of Yujin. However, on the latest trip, he was assassinated by Ninja employed by an unknown clan. Rebekah returned to Galapos, where her mother ruled for a time. Rebekah, however, changed her family name from Goh to Yujin, in honor of her father, and his friendship with the Hata clan.

The people of Galapos boast a powerful navy, and Lady Yujin stands as the mighty admiral of the King's fleet. With mighty vessels, there is only one nation who could hope to match Aeterna, that being Shima. Lady Yujin cares greatly for her people, and strives to bring the cultures of Shima and Aeterna together.

### Bourgs - Lord Mortimer Kinkiller

One could say that Bourgs is a place of peace and prosperity, and they would be right. But that peace is built on the bones of the tribal peoples who once called the region home. That is estimated to have happened over 1,350 years ago, in time beyond written records. It was not, however, the Kingdom of Aeterna that slew them, as one would assume. It was their own kin. A massive civil war of the tribes in the area soaked the ground with blood. There were countless losses on both sides, until only one tribe remained. The other tribes of Ikhaya were reviled by these acts, and named their tribe Kinkiller for its acts of genocide. Through various events unknown, this tribe ascended from its meager start, and became a royal family of Aeterna.

The last descendant of this genocidal lineage, is Lord Mortimer Kinkiller, the Butcher of the Tribes. After the Kinkiller tribe was accepted into Aeterna's fold, they became the King's attack dogs, specialists in suppressing and eliminating the tribals they once called kin. Lord Kinkiller has no personal hate for the tribals of Ikhaya, he simply follows orders, when the need arises. He is famed among the peoples of Ikhaya, much in the way that a Demon is. Very few raiding parties return from entering his territory, and none have returned unscathed.

## Naming System

There are a couple of different naming systems in Aeterna, mostly due to the kingdom's domination of other, smaller factions in the past. For the most part, however, the naming system remains mostly the same, most likely due to Aeternian culture permeating the old cultures of these peoples. The naming system is quite straightforward, with a child being given their own name at birth, and then a family name follows.

The first exception to this, is in the case that a noble warrior or hero gains great fame for great feats. In this case, they may receive a new last name from the King, such as Beastkiller if the individual is a great slayer of beasts.

Another, not so much an exception, but an alteration to the naming system, takes place in Khinestead. In this province, long cut off from the rest of the Kingdom, one's name can be an indicator of their rank, with an indicator of that rank being a part of their name; Von - high ranking noble, Van - low ranking noble. The insert is put between the first and last name, and is generally only referred to during formal occasions, as well as when an individual of lower rank refers to the person.

## Capital

### Magna Urbs

Population - 1.3 Million

Climate - Sunny, Overcast

The shiny jewel of Aeterna, the mighty city of Magna Urbs is the seat of power, and always was for the Southern country, and remained so after the annex of the Northern kingdom.

The city is famed for its fortifications, and it is theorized that, should an enemy army somehow cut their way all the way to the capital, they would simply smash themselves against its mighty walls and ramparts. The city has no less than two dozen permanent trebuchet emplacements, with an additional two dozen remaining in storage until times of crisis. There are stores enough to last the entire population for a year, so long as proper rationing is observed.

Magna Urbs is home to the Grand College, the foremost teaching institute for all things pertaining to Magic. To be accepted to the prestigious college is in itself a praiseworthy achievement. The college actually accounts for 5% of the city's population, with an estimated 65,000 mages of varying experience levels inhabiting it. This is an astounding number, and explains why Aeterna stands as the foremost power in Magecraft.

## Wildlife

The wildlife of Aeterna can be characterized as being being beautiful, elegant, and just as dangerous as that of other nations. The people of Aeterna have a great need of the creatures that they share the land with, shaping their history, beliefs, and way of life to be much different than that of any other. For more information read Here