The History of The Desert Throne

The Desert Throne has being in the Leonin family since 1051.

It is important to note that all the Feline people of the Arid Frontier are of the same basic race. Some however have distinctive features which, over many centuries, have become associated with power and leadership.

Prior to the development of the Royal Court the desert region was largely made up of nomadic groups of people travelling from oasis to oasis and trading, primarily at the coast. The land is arid and inhospitable and people eked out a living selling items made from wood, found growing near the oasis refuges.

Daxir Greatshadow was one such merchant. One day while travelling across the vast interior, largely lost, he happened across a vast oasis. This is now the site known as The Ethereal Basin. Relieved to have found water he settled and camped there to craft from the copious trees growing there. He found, entirely by accident some shining stones in green and red beneath the sand at the edge of the water.

Over the next few weeks he dug and found that beneath the sand lay a rich seam of precious gems and metals.

He seized the opportunity and began crafting beautiful jewel encrusted items and fine jewelry. He thus made a fortune, rare in those lands. He built a fixed settlement at the basin and began to charge others to mine the riches there. He gave permission for use and enforced discipline within the compound. He demanded a share of any profit made from trading the riches mined there and rapidly accrued a great wealth.

In 1051 he declared himself the ruler of this basin and the settlement became the Royal Court.

He handed over control to his son, Iptuz Swiftroar in 1054 and he ruled until 1071. This time was peaceful and of relative plenty in the desert. The traders of the sands became thankful for being allowed access to the riches and thankful that the Leonines were so gracious in allowing permits and trade.

Iptuz's daughter Sare was a famed beauty and very popular with the merchants. She travelled to the coast and her beauty helped create demand for the beautiful jewelry she always wore. There was great excitement when she became Queen in 1071. this was followed rapidly by a time of great mourning following her death in childbirth.

Brithis took the throne from his mother and was King at the time the Mage Wars broke out in 1077. Brithis was not particularly interested in trade and seized the opportunity to head for the borderlands to defend against the Swarm. He died at the hands of a Stayr with a huge battleaxe and with his death he entered desert lore as a martyr and a hero. Paintings of his battle can be found in the throne room of the palace.

Toptur took over the throne in 1096, when Brithis fell. Toptur was a highly skilled trader and crafter but lacked both the military and political skill of the time. It was then that The Shimbleshanks clerics moved in to assist. They aided the King with strategic planning and masterminded the funding of all sides in the war. Toptur sold this idea spectacularly well and the desert became richer than ever during the war. The wizards and the clerics defended the desert and the palace during the remainder of the war and cemented their position in the royal court.

Queen Zoila took over from Toptur in 1158 and was generally lazy. Neither a stateswoman nor a crafter. She was happy to leave the running of Court and Kingdom affairs to the then trusted advisors of clerics and wizards. Under their influence she decreed magic to be illegal and punishable by death. She reinforced that the wealth of the desert came from craft and trade and not the arcane.

In 1193 her daughter Silnere took the throne. She was in power during the most recent war and helped ensure the desert signed the resulting peace treaty. Her rule was more challenging for the cleric and wizard advisors as she was determined and highly competent. She was determined to lead by example and her independence was problematic for those used to having greater influence. She died somewhat suddenly. The clerics theorised an outside threat and brought in many for questioning.

King Gior Spiritclaw has been on the throne since his mother's death in 1243. He is a weak leader and easily influenced. He is swayed by tales of power and expansion. The stories of his ancestors going from nothing to royalty fill his head. He feels that he must make his mark for his family and the time has come for the next big change in the desert lands.