Persia

**The Kingdom of Fire**

**Capital City**: Persepolis

**National Bird**: Nightingale

**National Animal**: Persian Leopard

**National Flower**: Poppy

**National Fruit**: Pomegranate

**National Colours**: Red, Gold, and White

Named after an ancient human civilization that once thrived in the same location, Persia is governed by a monarchy. Its rulers are chosen by the Immortals: soldiers selected by the first king of Persia to be a check and balance the crown.

## A Brief Overview

Animalkind has used modern technology combined with blueprints that survived the Age of Humans to recreate the innovative architecture adorned with mosaics in this kingdom. The land is diverse, with mountains and forests in the north, and dry deserts in the south. There are still a great number of Nomadic tribes; therefore Persia has some of the greatest constructions of roads and passages in the east.

With Zoroastrianism as this kingdom's main religion and an eternally burning pit of fire as its spring, Persia is the world's highest and most successful producer of enchanted fires. These are often exported in the form of powder or bottled samples blessed by priests or with further enchantments by skilled fire-benders. Natural hot springs stemming from Persia's everlasting fire, though popular as health spas, do not have beyond average medicinal properties.

## Founding Legend

In ancient times, the lands were broken and divided among corrupt rulers. Cyrus the Great, a lion, sought to unite the land under one rule. Legend says he and his lioness wife Firuzeh prayed for seven days and seven nights for blessing and guidance from the god Ahura Mazda and the deities of his kingdom, promising that theirs would be a nation to help uphold the light in the eternal battle of light and darkness. The deity Atar heard her and bequeath upon her a medallion of his own making. Firuzeh in turn gave this to her husband. He and his commander Rostam the Tiger used it to turn the tide of battle, for it strengthened the morale and determination of their armies. With instruction from Firuzeh, they also learned how to use it to heal wounds. Finally, they learned that death could not be altered by its magic.

Once the kingdom was united, Cyrus, Firuzeh, and Rostam sat in conference about the fate the medallion. All of them agreed that it should not be in the hands of the ruler, for both Rostam and Cyrus attested to the feeling of invincibility and the threat of corruption to power. Firuzeh insisted it not be tossed or locked away, for it was given to the nation of Persia and therefore belonged to the people of Persia.

Rostam, who tired of battle, offered the idea that he and his family, all of whom were well-trained soldiers, could carry the medallion to all the main cities of their new country. Each city would host the medallion for two weeks. This event would unite the cities, allow the people to see the medallion, and serve as further evidence that Cyrus was chosen by the gods to rule Persia.

Cyrus agreed to the idea. He also proposed a new law: The medallion should never again be used in battle, and no king should ever be allowed to hold it in his possession. This would discourage future kings from becoming tyrants.

Firuzeh conducted a search of any Zoroastrian priests who would be willing to be part of the pilgrimage and in charge of handling the medallion itself. In this way, not even the family of soldiers would hold the power and be tempted to corruption.

This was the course the three agreed to. Rostam would make the pilgrimage around the country once a year, every spring returning to the capital and his friends. Because Persia was still a new nation, there were still many attacks in the following decades, including attempts to seize the medallion. The Rostami clan became more ferocious and the next to become the leader was Banu, Rostam's only daughter. She was a kind but powerful leader, with twice the ferocity of her father. However, it was during her reign that the first of the medallion's negative effects became apparent. Banu became the subject of multiple phases of madness. These finally escalated beyond control when, after a particularly tragic raid of their camp, Banu found her children dead. She ran from the camp, slaughtering not with sword or knife, but with claws and teeth. She not only killed the attackers, but the entirety of several villages in her path. Her husband tracked her down and murdered her, but the damage was done.

Records from the Zoroastrian priests showed that Banu's eye color, the the irises and the whites of her eyes, had turned completely red. This strange phenomenon had been seen during previous family members' fits of madness, and it was now clearly linked to the medallion. The priests immediately took the medallion to the nearest temple and demanded a conference to determine what must be done. Once separated from the medallion, the royal clan had fewer outbursts. This proved that the medallion was the cause of the ferocious mindlessness. The priests created a box, sealed with enchantments and embedded with amulets to withhold the power of the medallion and keep it from affecting the family that constantly lived around it.

Unfortunately, reparations were made too late, and the Rostami family saw an increase of uncontrollable rage and violence in their numbers. The priests sought another solution, that of the mind. They helped the Rostami family undergo a period of meditation in which the royal clan explored the inner depths of their souls, encountering and engaging both the light and darkness. This training helped them reach the part of their soul where the madness was held and make it their own. It unexpectedly turned out to be a useful tactic, as the Rostamis could now wield the madness in a focused state. Their bodies heal faster during this phase, and their muscles can be used full advantage while keeping their senses and their mind. The royal family named this power Azar, after the deity Atar. Rostami family members now traditionally experience the training to wield their Azar in adolescence, meditating in a temple from a week to two months.

## The Royal Medallion

The royal medallion is a heirloom with magical properties that has been passed down through generations of the ruling family, the Rostami clan.

The Immortals, protectors of the royal clan, are not actually immortal. The title comes from a legend dating back to the Age of Humans. In battle however, the medallion helps the protectors heal faster, boosts their adrenaline, and strengthens their ferocity. Enemies therefore thought they were immortal.

The effects of the medallion are as follows:

* Over time, the Rostami clan started noticing longer lifespans and better health overall to those who lived in constant proximity to the medallion.
* Wearing the medallion gives a heightened sense of awareness in battle and longer endurance before reaching exhaustion.
* The medallion also causes violent outbursts of madness. After one leader started a massacre, the royal clan decided to start taking precautions to prevent further incidents. Since the madness begins around adolescence, youths are taken to a temple and undergo a vision ritual to train in mentally grasping and controlling the madness or vanquishing it entirely.
* Much later, the Rostami lineage began to notice the colors in their fur changing. As the generations continued to expand from Cyrus and Firuzeh, the clan's colors became more vibrant.