Breniel

## The Kingdom of Breniel

> ***"United In Strife, Together In Peace."***
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> *-Breniel's Flag*
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The **Kingdom of Breniel** is a nation located in the Astorien continent, near Avaloria and Heartland. It's an enormous country with a population of 10809809.

Breniel is a parliamentary monarchy, with the king subjected to a council of elders.

## Geography

Breniel is located in the Continent of Astorien, with Avaloria to the North, the Gorn Desert to the East, Tanatos to the South, Heartland to the Northwest. The country is bathed by the Bottomless Ocean by the West and the Soulsea by the Southeast.

### Crizolk Basin

The region around Crizolk Pond. It's a very fertile region and is mostly inhabited by the Halfling, especially the Town of Merrypond. Port Talor, Breniel's largest portuary city, is at the coast of Crizolk's Basin.

### Royal Valley

The cities around the King's Mountain, including Valarda, the capital. Here is located Blackwood Castle, home to the king of Breniel, the royal family and the Council of Seven. Due to the proximity to Valarda, the region is especially rich.

### Trostani Forest

A vast forest region, with exotic flora and fauna. The Elves and the Fey inhabit here, both in the cities of Palas Trostani and Tauralet, but is also home to many wild animals and monsters. The Elder Woods, Southwest of Trostani, also belong to the region.

### Yun Island

A separated realm from Breniel, has a strongly Yunai-influenced culture. Situated at the Yun Lagoon, in the island lies the city of New Yunai, where the largest monastery of the Lin-Jiang religion is located: the Temple of the White Tiger.

### The Restless Mountains

Biggest mountains in the realm, it's overflowing with rare minerals. This of course have attracted Dwarves, who built the city of Doraen to extract the Mythril. Dragons used to inhabit the mountains, especially the Faraway Mountain near the Frozen Forest and Frostpine.

### Chel Basin

A large swampy region around the Chel River. Chelstad, a portuary town, is the greatest point of trade with the neighboring kingdom of Avaloria. In Riverkeep lies the Karun Bridge, the only passageway through the Chel River.

### Sator Plains

The savannah to the East, is home to Therians and Gnolls. It has a subtropical climate due to the proximity with the Gorn Desert. Sator Arepo, only town in miles, is a large trading post for those who come from the desert or the Chel Basin.

### Alduin Hills

The region between the influx of the Talor River and the Frozen Forest,this region has mostly small villages. Alduinia, however, is a large city famous for its Arcane Academy, where famous Wizards like Zifaris and even Deminor graduated.

### Arlan Pastures

A small rural region near the capitol. Albeit peaceful, were the site of one of the greatest battles in the Brenielian history: the Battle of Arlan, between the Tanatos Empire and a coalition between Avaloria and Breniel.

## Cities

* VALARDA

The kingdom's capital, near the Snake's Tongue Mountains.

* MERRYPOND

The town of the Halflings, at Crizolk Pond's border.

* SATOR AREPO

The Wither City, between the Sator Plains and the Arepo Desert.

* ALDUINIA

A large city, very famous for its Arcane Academy.

* TAURALET

The home of the Faerie, ruled by a Dryad.

* PORT TALOR

The greatest portuary city in Breniel, it's infested with pirates.

* NEW YUNAI

Colonized by the Yunai people, and home to the Great Monastery of Yun.

* DORAEN

The underground city of the Dwarves, has a giant Mithril mine.

* EXCELSOR

Very religious, it's home to the Temple of All Gods.

* PALAS TROSTANI

The biggest Elven city, it lies in the Trostani Forest region.

* ELDARIA

Home to the Wood Elves, it's built in harmony with nature

* RIVERKEEP

A small town, has the only bridge through the Chel River in miles.

* CHELSTAD

The second greatest portuary city, set in a cypress shore.

* FROSTPINE

A minetown inhabited mostly by Dwarves and Humans. It's very cold.

## History

### Age of Dawn

The first inhabitants of Breniel were the Fey, including the then Queen of the Fey Serena. They settled in the woods, but mainly in the Trostani Forest, where they founded the city of Tauralet. Years after, a group of Elven refugees from the Lithsari-Istari Wars would arrive at the Trostani Forest and build the Elven City of Palas Trostani. A company of Frördian Dwarves, exploring the Restless Mountains in search of Mythril Ore, built a mine near the Shadowy Mountain base and there they established the Underground City of Doraen.

### Age of Light and Dark

Humans would only appear years later, building small villages across the Alduin Hills. In the year 126 AP, the city of Valarda was built, and there Brendan Valaran I was crowned king of the newly founded Kingdom of Breniel. As the kingdom becomes more and more vast, Brendan starts to trade with the Elves of Palas Trostani and the Dwarves of Doraen, later annexating their territories through a peace treaty.

After Brendan dies, his son, Ulric Valaran I takes over, and the kingdom faces an invasion by Avalorian troops commanded by King Argon Avallum. It's the start of the Avaloria-Breniel War, that lasts for a hundred years.

### Age of Heroes

The war between Avaloria and Breniel rages, culminating in the Battle of Chel Basin, near the Brenielian city of Chelstad, in which Breniel wins, but at the cost of 13578 lives lost. The war would continue until a new threat arrived: The Tanatos Empire.

The Imperial forces planned to take over Breniel, with Avaloria as the next target. Knowing that they'd have no chance separated but could survive by uniting their troops, King Theodoric Valaran I of Breniel and King Palladus Avallum II of Avaloria sign a peace treaty, ending the century long conflict. With their united forces, the Tanatean troops are pushed away from the North in the Battle of Arlan. The King of Avaloria allows his son and squire, Raphalor Avallum I, to remain in Breniel to complete his Paladin training as a wandering knight.

After years of relative peace, a new threat appears: Deminor, the Lord of Shadows. A powerful Archmage versed in the Dark Arts, she gathers an army of monsters and undead to attack Breniel. As the Brenielian troops pale before Deminor's army, a group of three heroes formed by Raphalor, a Wizard named Zifaris and an Elven Ranger named Aleesia Aracyne, search the world for the legendary Runes of Power and use them in the last stand against Deminor, banishing her to the Infernal Plane of Baator. Raphalor would later return to Avaloria to stop Daemon the Usurper and become the new King.

The first sight of the Luxia Comet in ten thousand years marks the second half of this era. Fifty years after her banishment, the evil wizard Deminor returns, being released by cultists during the wedding of Princess Demeter Valaran. Deminor was permanently destroyed by Illyaas Ilwar the Forgotten Knight, the Dwarven warrior Glarin Shieldbearer, Dureth the Arcane Thief and a group of other heroes at the Battle of Valarda, after they find the legendary Griffin Sword and the Orb of Valaran.

Years later, as things finally go back to normal, a group of Dragons, united under the rule of Serelath The Insane, attacks Breniel. Serelath uses his magic to make the Dragons even stronger in his pursuit for power. Venia The White, a Dragon who did not wanted to follow Serelath's megalomaniacal ideals, calls for the help of a new group of heroes. They form a team in order to retrieve the same Runes that banished Deminor in order to stop the attack of the evil Dragons. They attack Serelath's Lair at the Faraway Mountain with an army lead by then Commander of Breniel's Army Glarin, near the village of Frostpine, in the battle that would be forever known as the Storm of a Thousand Swords, killing the insane Dragon King and restoring peace once more.

 Religion

### The Pantheon

The most prominent religion in Breniel. It follows The Twelve, a group of twelve deities led by the Thunder God Thobris. Pantheonian Clerics and Paladins are usually dedicated to following one of the Gods, albeit loving (and fearing) the others accordingly. The top leader of the religion is the Grand Sage.

### The Faith of Erion

Just like there are Pantheonians in Avaloria, there are Erionians in Breniel. Most of the followers are Avalorian immigrants, although its popularity amongst Brenielians has grown significantly with the tales of the wandering knights Raphalor Avallum I and Hadris Von Beladon.

### Zantruism

Very common among Elves, Fey and Therians. The followers of Zantruism believe that the planet is an entity known as Zantru Zawx, the Mother Earth, and that everything in nature is sacred, from the tallest oak to the smallest grain of sand.

### Lin-Jian

Thanks to Yun Island's oriental influences, particularly the city of New Yunai, Lin-Jianians aren't as uncommon in Breniel as they are in Avaloria. The region holds the Temple of the White Tiger, the greatest Lin-Jianian monastery outside of Lanthai.

## Races

### Humans

The dominant race, Humans have been in Breniel since the Age of Dawn, arriving here around Year 126 of Palladus. They can currently be found almost everywhere in the kingdom, from wise scholars to fearsome barbarians.

### Elves

Breniel's Elven population descend from refugees from the Lithsari-Istari War who settled in Trostani Forest and region. Other variations (High Elves, Wood Elves and even Drow) are quite common. They're famous around the nation for their fine arts.

### Dwarves

Dwarves descend from the Frördian Dwarves that came to the Restless Mountains during the Age of Dawn. Just like their brothers in Frörd, they have perfected the art of blacksmithing and are experts on minerals and jewelry. They're also great warriors.

### Halflings

Halflings appeared in Breniel shortly after Humans did. They inhabit almost all of the cities but have a home for their own at the Crizolk Basin especially at Merrypond. They live peaceful lives in the countryside as farmers.

### Gnomes

Gnomes aren't as widespread here as they are in Heartland, but they're not hard to find. They usually live in forest areas, and share the Trostani Forest with the Elves and Fey. Gnomes are versed in the mystical arts, and their wizards, alchemists, sorcerers and scholars are well regarded.

### Orcs

Like in most of Astorien, Orcs are unfortunately seen with contempt, although there are some open-minded people that may treat them like equals. They don't have a place of their own, although the Sator Plains have many nomadic tribes of Barbarian Orcs.

### Kappas, Oni and Nekolings

The races of Yunai are mostly present in the Yun Island region, but can be found anywhere in Breniel.