The Dominion of Storia

The Dominion of Storia is one of the three major factions located on the continent of Draivros.

## **History**

#### **Discipulus Storia**

During the era of the Royallian Kingdoms, there existed a knightly order known as the Discipulus Storia. Originating as a noble order deticated to understanding the world and discovering the sciences behind it, the group slowly reformed over time into allowing commoners into its knighthood for their achievments in the sciences, straining the relationship between it and other knightly orders.

#### **Second Demonic Invasion**

However, it was this allowance of commoners into the higher echelon that allowed for the Discipulus Storia to survive the events of the Curse of the Beacon, which split the land apart. In 99 BCE, the Second Demonic Invasion occured mainly within Draivros, further devastating the already devastated continent. Though smaller than the First Demonic Invasion, the weakened Royallian Kingdoms who had not collapsed from the Curse of the Beacon quickly fell from the demonic waves pouring from the reactivated gates.

It would be 2 years before a former Royallian officer by the name of Versatio would rally the survivors who had fled to Eastern Ordo under his banner and began driving back the Demonic forces from the ravaged lands of Draivros. Joined by the remnants of the Discipulus Storia and their Grand Master Daedalus, Versatio would journey with his forces to the gates within the eastern lands of Ordo, sieging and destroying them to deny the ability for the Demonic forces to enter this realm easily.

During the final battle at the South River Gate, Grand Master Daedalus would take a fatal wound, and his successors would vote in Versatio as the new Grand Master of the Discipulus Storia. With his forces motivated from having freed Eastern Ordo, Versatio marched his forces west, reliving the remaining forces of the 7th Prince at what is now modern-day Onradius.

In a year, Western Ordo too was freed just as Eastern Ordo was, with the end of the Second Demonic Invasion occuring with the Battle at the Snowy Gate, located in what is now modern-day Rorus Gate.

#### **Establishment**

With the end of the Second Demonic Invasion by his hands, Versatio was now left with the largest military force in all of Draivros. Seeking peace instead of war, he disbanded his troops, and instead went east with his followers, where lied within the Dark Forest lands rich and undevastated by the recent Invasion, found only recently by members of the Discipulus Storia. It was here, in 96 BCE, that Versatio established the City of Storia, named after the Discipulus Storia.

#### **First Targen-Storian War**

Peace would not be a thing however, as by 95 BCE, the nearby Targen colony of Purtis Orbe was soon discovered. Though originally the Dominion attempted to establish peaceful relations, the colony of Purtis Orbe responded with hostile intent to raid and enslave the citizens of Storia, prompting war once again, this time not against demons, but against their own fellow humans.

Due to City of Storia being located within a forest, the Storians had a natural defense against raiders of Purtis Orbe, and the colony itself was quickly taken with relatively few losses during the First Battle for Purtis Orbe, due to many of the Storian soldiers having been veterans of the Second Demonic Invasion. On the rough ocean waves however, the City of Storia, now called the Dominion of Storia with the conquest of Purtis Orbe, would find heavy losses, as the Targen Navy was well-trained in fighting on sea compared to their Storian counterparts.

In the end, Storia would claim victory in the war, due to a Targen Civil War heavily destabilizing the Targen government, and the creation of the Discipulus-Class Cannon Ship in 91 BCE, which gave the Storians a heavy ranged advantage against their Targen counterparts. The colony of Purtis Orbe, already occupied and being run by the Storian administration, was officially ceded to Storian control. Though this war was instrumental in establishing Storia as a military power in Draivros, it would not be the last war the Dominion of Storia would fight against the City of Targen.

#### **Versatio's Leave**

In 95 BCE, the founder of the Dominion of Storia, Versatio, stepped down from his position as Grand Master of Storia, naming Ombralago Mons, his Deputy Master, as the next Grand Master. Versatio would not retire from worldly matters however, and soon set out on an adventure, accompanied only by his trustworthy mount and his ancestral blade. His last sighting was of him leaving the Dark Forest from a Storian outpost, now modern-day Ombralago; though many scholars suspect him to have wandered off to die in peace, there are several legends and myths from the Dominion of Storia, Federation of Ordo, and Kingdom of Novrus that in Draivros' greatest time of need, Versatio would return and defend it once again.

#### **Fourth Targen-Storian War**

By 7 BCE, repeated Targen raids on Storian territories and merchant fleets would prompt yet another war. However, unlike the three previous wars, the Fourth War was much more decisive.

During the course of the war, a massive Targen invasion fleet was being constructed under the orders of the Targen ruler, King Wulfsguard Dane-Thatchbeard, in an attempt to conquer all of Draivros and place it under Targen rule. Glenn Rutilius, Grand Master of Storia since 34 BCE, had sought to maintain the status quo in the Dominion of Storia, but upon learning of the Targen invasion fleet, Glenn Rutilius had sent out diplomats to all the nations of Draivros to assist them in combating against Targen. Those who did assist the Dominion of Storia sent their naval fleets to join the Storia Fleet, under the command of Marshal Captain Magne Kracken.

By 2 BCE, the Targen fleet had set out under the command of Wulfsguard Dane-Thatchbeard, and the Storian-Aligned fleet would set out to meet it. The resulting 3-day battle between these two great fleets would be known as the Battle of Davy Jone's Locker, and see many casualties on both sides, including most of the Dane-Thatchbeard family. As such, by the third day, the Storian-aligned fleet had claimed a decisive victory against the Targen navy, and routed their forces back to the City of Targen.

During the course of the battle, the Langobar Mafia, one of the Three Families of Targen, had launched a Storian-supported coup, which sought to overthrow the rule of the Thatchbeards. The victory of the Storian-aligned fleet at Davy Jone's Locker and its arrival at the City of Targen would eliminate any possible attempts by Crown Prince Eric Dane-Thatchbeard to retain control of Targen Hall, and the coup would fall through successfully. Eric Dane-Thatchbeard would sign the Targen Hall Accords, passing the Targen Crown to Langobar control, with Rozan Venez-Langobar becoming the first king of the Langobar dynasty.

#### **Current Era**

Following the end of the war, Glenn Rutilius would pass away from health complications, with the role of Grand Master being passed down to his young granddaughter and heir, Canon Rutilius, much to the ire and suspicion of the Adviser Officers. Despite this, the Dominion of Storia had remained at a stable peace for the last few year up to the present day.

## **Government**

The government of the Dominion is based off the command structure of Discipulus Storia, in which there are clear roles in the leadership. The Grand Master passes down their title to those them deem worthy, while the Officers are chosen by voting among the populace. Of this group, four Adviser Officers are chosen by both their fellow Officers and the Grand Master to serve as his advisers and to help assist in the rule of the Dominion. The Grand Master and his four Adviser Officers are often referred to as the Dominion Council.

The role of these four Adviser Officers are:

* The Treasurer, who once oversaw the Order's funds and now oversees the economy of the Dominion. The current Treasurer is Nami Tsu, grand-daughter of Abethine Tsu.
* The Marshal Captain, who once led the military branch of the Order, known as the Eques Scholarie, and now leads Storia's military. The current Marshal Captain is Magne Kracken, a military officer who became well-known during the course of the Fourth Targen-Storian War.
* The Head Scholar, who currently watches over and researches Royallian knowledge as well as other fields. The current Head Scholar is Professor Victor Win.
* The Deputy Master, who is the second in command of the government and is the only one directly chosen by the Officers. The current Deputy Master is Lord Ward the Miner.

However, in the recent decade, the passing down of the role of Grand Master appears to have been turned into a hereditary one, with Canon Rutilius being chosen by her grandfather, Glenn Rutilius, who himself was chosen by his father. This has led to some unrest among the officers, who fear the Dominion becoming a monarchy in all but name.

## **Leaders**

Storia has been led by several Grand Masters throughout the years; starting with Versatio, who reformed the Discipulus Storia into their current government.

* Versatio (98 BCE to 95 BCE)
* Ombralago Mons (95 BCE to 76 BCE)
* Abethine Tsu (76 BCE to 45 BCE)
* Gerald Rutilius (45 BCE to 34 BCE)
* Glenn Rutilius (34 BCE to 2 BCE)
* Canon Rutilius (2 BCE to current)

## **Military**

The Dominion of Storia's military is the smallest among the three major factions of Draivros, but also one of the most elite due to the influence of the Discipulus Storia. Most of the military force is composed of volunteers, with many serving as Scholars casting great wards and spells, and many more serving as Dragoons, elite soldiers armed with Storian firearms or greatbows.

## **Important Settlements**

* Storia - A major city located in middle of the Dark Forest. The central seat of Storian power.
* Purtis Orbe - A dominion port where most of the Storian fleet is created. A former Targen Colony turned Storian port.
* Libri - A small farming and trading town. Contains a significant portion of demi-orcs.
* Valistin - A large military town. Created to watch over the Eternal Watch and guard the port of Purtis Orbe.

## **Geography**

   The Dominion of Storia is the smallest faction land-wise; however, their land is also the most prosperous and their capital is the largest and most powerful, due to having been hidden beyond the Apex Mountains and the Dark Forest. These natural formations protect Storia from both the Beacon and external threats.