Kingdom of Daralene

The Kingdom of Daralene is the nation that makes up the entirety of the continent of Ephios. Existing as Laitheran's only pure isolationist country, Daralene is a very stagnate and traditionalist place. While their technology does advance naturally, its cultural norms and beliefs stay the same. Plus the society of Daralene is modeled off of self-sufficiency and order. Besides its isolationism, Daralene is known for its unique government. The government of Daralene is commonly referred to as a Dual Absolute Monarchy, a government system in which both the queen and king rule with absolute authority and control. The two rule their own autonomous regions, which are known as Royal Commonwealths. The two Royal Commonwealths are Muncona and Tousson, with Muncona housing the capital of Arvik.

## Geographical Information

In terms of geography, the Kingdom of Daralene controls most of Ephios, which is made up of forests and snowy plains. The climate of Daralene is primarily cold, with the land being dominated by snow nearly all year. Because of this cold climate, farming is very difficult in Daralene. In spite of that, the Kingdom of Daralene strives to be self-sufficient and abundant, but this doesn't often happen. Another prominent landform in Daralene is a tundra, which makes up most of Daralene's southern territories. So, three distinct geographical regions make up Daralene and its territories. The most distinguished plain in Daralene is referred to as the Plains of Beginning, the area where the Tonir appeared on Ephios. The Plains of Beginning have a long and strenuous history and makes up the entirety of Muncona, the capital province of Daralene. To the west of Muncona is Tousson, and the Ordained Forest makes up most of that region. The Ordained Forest, which is the area where Daralene's belief in Ascenionism first sprouted, is a mystical place. Full of magical institutions and training grounds, the Ordained Forest is an amazing place for those seeking enlightenment in the arcane arts. Daralene's tundra region, which isn't on the mainland, is called the Bexthon Flatlands. The Bexthon Flatlands is practically a military compound, and this area is ruled by both the king and queen. It's not considered a Royal Commonwealth and acts more of a direct territory.

## Political Geography

Due to the fact that Daralene is only located on the continent of Ephios, it is technically an island nation. It borders no other nation and is on it's lonesome. However, Daralene borders the Knufenn Ocean and the Sea of Ork, and to the south of it is a vast number of tundras and glaciers.

Muncona is the province ruled directly by the King and is considered the capital province of the Kingdom. The capital city of the Kingdom of Daralene is Arvik, a city in the province of Muncona. Arvik is a prominent historical site in Daralene and contains numerous notable landmarks. At the center of the city is the statue of King Var and Queen Erika, the first monarchs of the dual monarchy. While not necessarily a landmark or historical site, the Universal Magic College, the magical college that teaches every Domain (Besides Pestilence), and is the place where the Esoteric Council, a governing body within the Kingdom, meets and discusses business. Other notable cities in Muncona include Crens, Arcsal, and Srico. The city of Crens is based on agriculture and fishing, while Arcsal and Srico are filled with artisans, merchants, and architects.

The province of Tousson is ruled by the Queen and acts as the secondary province capital for the Kingdom of Daralene. It is full of towns dedicated to agriculture, but also contains a high density of magical colleges since most magical soldiers are recruited from Tousson. The capital city for this province is Nammel, a city centered around trade and bartering. Landmarks within Nammel are the Merchant's Guild and the Tonira Shrine. The Merchant's Guild is an organization of traders, artisans, and merchants, a worker's union of sorts. The Tonira Shrine is the country's biggest shrine and is frequently visited by hundreds of zealous worshippers of the Ascensionism Faith. The Tonira Shrine is where the Tonir believe Tonira, one of their Gods', ascended to godhood after mastering all of the Domains. Because of this, the Tonira Shrine is located directly on a magical rift known as the Tonira Rift.

## Societal Information

Like most of the Tonir's society, the community of Daralene is that of peace and orderliness. Whether it be in individual households or the schooling system, Tonirs are encouraged to keep the peace and work toward improving public order. Because of this, punishments for crimes and actions that break the peace are solemn and sometimes end in an execution or life in prison. Things like racism and xenophobia aren't necessarily prevalent in Daralene, but the Tonir of Daralene are apprehensive when confronted by a member of another species, unless if it's known that they were raised in the Tonir society.

Men in Daralene are expected to become high-paying jobs like artisans, architects, or some form of merchant when they aren't raising a family. However, other men are also expected to become ordinary soldiers within the army, as a disproportionate amount of women become mages within the Commission of Defense. When women don't become mages (And they're more likely to become a mage due to the fact that Tonir women have a higher affinity to magic), they usually raise their families or take care of their homes when their husband isn't around. Nonetheless, a lot of Tonirs become mages because of their religion, Ascensionism. Ascensionism makes magic an integral part in Daralene's culture. Everyone is expected to become a mage since their religion says that if you master every Domain (Which is an impossible feat as it is), they will ascend to godhood like Tonira. This expection extends to children, more so than adults. Children are to focus on academia and magic, but physical sports and the like are also points of interest in Daralene's society.