Leon

The historic city of **Leon** is located on the northern coast of the island of Ithica and is the capital city of the Kingdom of Leon, a dominion of the Rosarian Kingdom. The city has existed for over 2,800 years and has a well established code of law.

It is a busy mercantile centre, as opposed to the majority of the coastal cities on Ithica.

The insignia of Leon and the King is two crossed swords.

## History

### Great Crises of Leon

In 1189 DR, three centuries ago during the First Great Crisis of Leon, also known as the Great Dragon Crisis, the city was attacked by dragons. A simple farm boy broke into the King’s personal armoury, stealing the armour and sword of the royal guard, an executable offence. The farm boy donned the armour and rushed to battle, fighting alongside the King himself though, the King did not know that the man beside him was merely a boy. At the height of the final battle, the boy, Gunthred the Mighty, was able to slay Ezmagul the Black, a fierce dragon, allowing the King to engage multiple dragons, slaying them all.

After the battle, when the farm boys origins were revealed, many of the royal guard were disgruntled, for they had spent years in order to fight beside the King and this boy had simply taken their place. It was also put forward that the boy could not claim that he was an extension of the royal family as at the time the King had no idea who he was. The King countered and sent out a decree stating *“Any man who achieves such a monumental feat as to change the course of history shall be pardoned for all his crimes. Let it be known that the Kingdom of Leon is built upon the backs of great men, and even our lowest, the humble farm boy, is mightier than the warriors of other nations. Let all who slink in the darkness strive to one day walk in the light. If you prove yourself worthy, you too could one day walk besides the king and be called a brother.”*

After the great Dragon Crisis, the Royalty settled down into a period of relaxation, this ultimately lead some of the heirs to the crown to become complacent and decadent. Prince Alexander Tai Pow Ting Liu VIII was one of these such heirs and would regularly go to the bar district. Regularly he would return to the palace with his sword bloody after taking the lives of some stranger over a perceived insult. After this went on for weeks the police eventually brought charges against the Prince but, he was found not guilty due to royal immunity. The Honourable Judge Ben Dover stated that *“The blood of the dragon runs through him, I can no sooner convict him of a crime than I could convict the Emperor King himself.”*

After his son's release, the Monarch, wisely seeing the unrest that his son was causing, brought him to the palace and executed him himself for his crimes stating *“Only I may judge my kin. My courts did well to remember this, and I reward them with my faithful service to the people.”*

During the Second Great Crisis of Leon there was a bloody power struggle between competing heirs. The King of Leon traditionally has many children and customs have been developed to attempt to reduce the likelihood of power struggles between warring factions upon a King's passing. An heir should not seem ambitious, and the successor is not announced until after the King's death, with the King writing the successor's name in a box in secret, only to be opened after his passing.

### Recent history

In 1489 DR/300 ADC all was not well in Leon, and it soon became apparent that the King, and as a result the Kingdom itself, had fallen under undue influence of a group of people headed by Grantham Epplestein. After failing to glean much information from former ministers of the Kingdom it was the fearsome soldier Constantin Baldor that shed most light on the situation to the party of Brocc Ningel Stumbleduck Brightblade, Baern Balderk, and Mocic Ashplantt.

Epplestein and his people had arrived two years ago and ever since seemed to occupy all of the positions of power, and the King himself, formerly a proud warrior, was now a shell of himself and seemed only to operate with Epplestein’s instruction.

After a lengthy drinking session Baldor advised the party of some of Epplestein’s top men, including Weinstein, his right-hand man, Sachs, and Goldman, who was in control of tithes given to the unseen shadow dragons, from which Epplestein claims to keep the Kingdom safe. These tithes are collected once per month, and takes to the shadow dragons via Epplestein's boat.

The party drunkenly found their way to Goldman’s home and began spying on the house to work out how viable an attempt on his life could be. Baern managed to find a way inside the house undetected, however he did not let Brocc and Mocic know, so when he did not return after five minutes they became concerned he had been discovered. In the ensuing chaos Goldman’s three guards were drawn outside with Goldman himself, and on impulse, with Brocc’s assistance in distracting and blinding the guards, Mocic executed Goldman. His wife Martha was killed when she bit down on the rat in her mouth which was actually a wildshaped Baern, causing him to involuntarily change back into his dwarf form and splitting her head open.

The following day, after wildshaping in a crowded bay during an argument with Mocic, Baern was identified as a person of interest by the police. The party decided the best course of action would be to put their faith in the reputation of the police chief Cato and Baern handed himself in for questioning. He was cleared at trial.

## Culture

The Kingdom of Leon has its own dating convention, with everything being dated in relation to how many years it occured before or after the Great Dragon Crisis. The year 1489 DR is the Leonish year 300 ADC.

## Places of interest

### Forbidden Castle

The home of the King, the Forbidden Castle is protected by the Royal Guard - membership of which is only allowed to those whose family have at least four generations of service to the royal family. Weapons are not allowed in the Castle. The castle is adorned with dragon imagery.

## Notable people

### Li Shi Min

The second son of the King, and the eldest living son.

### Zanthe

Zanthe is a daughter of the eighth concubine of the King, and is his 82nd daughter.

Zanthe of Leon was held captive at Skullfucker Bay for a number of months until the breakout orchestrated by Brocc, Baern, and Mocic.

### Constantin Baldor

Leader of the King's Guard, formidable soldier.

### Cato

Chief of police. Famously honourable and capable.

## People of Yashua

### Grantham Epplestein

Epplestein is the Prime Minister of Leon that appears to wield considerable influence over the King since his arrival two years ago.

He owns a small boat, which has a five-pointed star as an emblem - the insignia of the People of Yashua, which is used to transport the tithes to the shadow dragons.

### David Goldman

David Goldman was responsible for collection of "tithes" - child sacrifices - to be made to the unseen shadow dragons. He would pass the tithes on to Sachs to be delivered to the shadow dragons.

Husband of Martha Goldman. David Goldman was killed by Mocic, Martha was killed by Baern.

### Sachs

Sachs is the leader of the religious order of Yashua. Responsible for delivering the tithes to the shadow dragons.