The Kingdom of Astrovius

The **Kingdom of Astrovius** is a dragonborn nation based on a large island called Astrogar located northwest of the main continent of Teriam.

The Kingdom is ruled by a King and Queen, alongside eighteen nobles of varying rank and position. Currently the King is William Daraxios and the Queen is Lyra Daraxios.

This city is made up solely of Dragonborns, a fierce and proud people. They are led by a Kaiser and Queen, with a Noble class and the peasantry. The current line of Kings, the Daraxios also take the title Drake King, as following the beginning of the Giant/Astrogar war, the king at the time \_\_, befriended a Fire Drake and established a partnership. The Dragonborns are something akin to the English Kingdom. They are posh and proper in nature. The territories of the dragonborns are established into fiefs, with a baron controlling each of the fiefs, and in times of war, would levy troops from their surrounding lands to form one army.

This nation is part of the Northern Triumvirate.

## **History**

### **Settling of Astrogar - 500 years ago**

Founded 500 years ago, the Kingdom of Astrovius is a relatively old civilisation, large but not so large as to to be difficult to manage.

For what has been gathered by dragonborn tomes and parchments, the dragonborns arrived on Astrogar 500 years ago. The parchments do not state where they originated from, only that they were running from some great calamity. Either way, a new kingdom was founded in the middle of the island against the curves of the imposing Dale Mountain. This kingdom was named Astrovius and the dragonborns crowned their leader, Aethel Daraxios as King of Astrogar.

### **Throughout the Years**

For the past 500 years, Astrovius had stood as a powerful nation. It's inhabitants had a quick and numerous reproductive rate and as such the population grew very quickly in only 100 years. There were perhaps 3000 dragonborns when Astrogar first arrived on Astrogar. Currently the population is estimated to be at least 300 000 thousand. The past 350 years for Astrogar has been relatively peaceful. It was only in its 382th year that it experienced war for the first time.

### **The Storm War - 182 AFT - 192 AFT**

In the thirty years after the establishment of the Alfrell-Caelum League, there was a time of relative peace. The Caelish and the Alfrellians had established a strong friendship. In the year 181 AFT, the Caelish discovered the Astrovians on the large island of Astrogar directly east of Caelum. After three months of diplomacy, a trading agreement and a non-aggression pact was enacted between the League and the Astrovians. A year later, the Astrovians were assaulted in the north by unknown assailants of great power. They were described by survivors of the assault as massive beings, with insurmountable might. These assailants were identified as abnormally large storm giants. The average storm giant stood at 26 ft in height but these assailants were all well above 30 ft tall. In response to the attacks in the north, the Dragonborns sent a thousand soldiers to apprehend the hostiles. In what would be known as the Fire Plains massacre, the thousand dragonborns sent were slaughtered by a coordinated lightning strike, in which hundreds of sparks of lightning struck the hapless dragonborns with no mercy. The crisp bodies of the fallen were found by a patrol. Days later, an envoy was sent to the capital city of Astrovius, demanding the surrender and submission of the Kingdom of Astrogar. The Astrovians refused and subsequently war was declared.

In the first year of war, the Astrovians raised an army of ten thousand strong and faced a group of giants raiding the north-western territories of Astrogar. in the ensuing battle of Witan Caester, the Astrovians were narrowly defeated, taking 6000 causalities in the battle but they managed to kill 3 of the 14 giants, alongside 3000 ratmen. The 4000 survivors retreated to Wessex and helped to defend the city, managing to fend off a massive force of 11 giants and 10 000 ratmen. The first two battles of the Storm War laid down the status quo of what the war would be like. The Astrovians could not hope to beat the Giants in open combat but behind their walls, the Astrovians could hope to outlast their foes.

In the next 8 years of war, the Astrovians would suffer massive causalities fighting the giants. Most sieges would end in failure for the giants while most battles in open combat would end in sorrow for the dragonborns. In the fifth year, the Astrovians were nearly beaten when the Giants besieged Astrovius with a massive force of 20 giants and over 30 000 ratmen. The Astrovians would have lost, had they not received reinforcements from the Fire Drakes of the Fire Plains. The Fire Drakes nursed a fierce hatred for all giant kind and so they aided the Astrovians in the hopes that together, the giants would be overwhelmed by dragonborn numbers and draconic ferocity. Yet the arrival of the Fire Drakes was not enough to turn the tides of war and so for the next four years, there would be a stalemate. Neither side could beat the other. The war would only end if the Alfrell-Caelum League intervened. The only thing stopping League intervention was the pride of the dragonborns. In the end, with Astrogar besieged again by a force of 23 giants and 100 000 ratmen, the Astrovians finally swallowed their pride and called for aid. The Alfrell-Caelum, despite their own bitterness towards the dragonborns and caution towards the giants, raised an army of 30 000 soldiers to aid the Dragonborns. With these reinforcements, the Dragonborns were able to expel and slaughter the giants, erasing them from the face of Astrogar.

With the war finished, the Dragonborns thanked the Dwarves and Caelish and swore everlasting friendship to the two factions. The Northern Triumvirate was formed as a result and for over 100 years, the bond between the three factions has held strong, with each faction coming to the other's aid should it be needed.

## **Constitutional System**

This nation is an absolute monarchy, a kingdom that spans the entire island of Astrogar. There are two classes in this state, the noble class and the peasantry. The kingdom consists of 18 fiefs that make up the territories of Astrovius and are ruled by a noble. Most nobles take the title of Baron but there are four unique titles gifted to the four most powerful noble families in Astrogar. There is the Duke of Wessex, the Marquess of Fairmount, Earl of Eaetex, and Viscount of Redhill. These four nobles are the most powerful nobles in the country and thus command much respect and wealth. Each noble is positioned in one direction, with Wessex in the west, Fairmount in the north, Eaetex in the east and Redhill in the South.

## **People**

The people of Astrovius are dragonborns. These dragonborns come in many different colours which generally determine the types of personality the person may be. A red dragonborn may prefer physical activities and may be more muscular and athletic than their other brethren. A blue dragonborn may be more lithe while a golden one may be more charismatic and average in stature. Of course, while the colour doesn't necessarily outright determine the person’s personality, it helps to give a layout overall and also generally determines the person’s appearance beyond skin colour. For example, red dragonborns are naturally larger which gives credence to the notion that red dragonborns prefer physicality rather than the pursuit of the mind. These dragonborns typically hit puberty at age 3 and are fully matured by age 10. They can live up to 80-100 years and shed their skin at least twice during their life. This process takes generally up to 3 days, after which they feel revitalised. It happens at age 7, in the middle of puberty and again during their fourties. The reproductive rate of the dragonborns are quite high, perhaps the highest amongst the sapient species of the world. A female dragonborn lays a clutch of eggs (minimum of 3 and up to the maximum of 10). Each egg takes 6 months to incubate. As a result of this, the Dragonborn population is at least 500 000.

## **Territories of Astrogar**

There are 20 territories that make up the Kingdom of Astrovius. There are five main areas that make up the north, south, west and east. In the centre is the capital city, known as Astrovius. Each main territory is directly north, south, west and east of the main city. The 15 other territories are fiefs ruled by lesser nobles.

### **Wessex and the Aemon Clan**

* Ruled by a Duke/Duchess. Currently is ruled by the Duke Wulfarn Aemon. Like the other seventeen ruling noble families, the Aemon clan has ruled Wessex for the entire 1000 years of existence of the Kingdom of Astrogar.
* Wessex is the largest fief in the western territories and second largest in general. It stands as the settlement which guards the great bridge between Astrogar and Caelum. Currently can summon 5000 soldiers (about 1500 men at arms, 500 longbowmen and 3000 heavy cavalry) and 2000 auxiliary archers levied from the peasantry.

### **Fairmount and the Arditoras Clan**

* Ruled by a Marquess/Marquis. Currently is ruled by the Marquis Valvyre Arditoras.
* Is the largest fief in the entire Astrovian kingdom and is located at Lyon Pass. Is the bastion between Hargard’s Fall (mountain range) and the smaller mountain pass known as Lyon’s Arm.
* Can currently raise at least 6000 soldiers with only 100 cavalry (mountainous region limits horses).

### **Redhill and the Vilfold Clan**

* Ruled by a Viscount/Viscountess. Currently is ruled by the Viscount Varkul Vilfold. Is the 4th largest fief in the Astrovian kingdom.
* The name is derived from the location Redhill was founded on. Redhill is built on a high hill with deep red and highly fertile soil.
* Can currently raise 2000 men at arms, 1000 longbowmen and 500 heavy cavalry.

### **Eaetex and the Elton Clan**

* Ruled by an Earl. Currently ruled by Earl Aedra Elton. Is the 3rd largest fief in the Astrovian kingdom. Is located in the east territories and is the largest fief in the East.
* Is located in the pine forests of the east. The trees can reach up to 100 ft in height.
* Can currently raise 5000 elite longbowmen and brings to the field, 100 giant eagle riders. The giant eagles made their residence in the massive trees and cliffs that surround Eaetex.