Ophania

## Kingdom of Ophania

Ophanian Coat of Arms

**Ophania** is one of the major nations based on a continent of Vistula located to the east of The Hales. With its capital in the town of Kerenweld. It is ruled by King Kieran of Dynasty Korenfell.

## History

### ⚜ The Legend of Three Brothers

Centuries ago, when the lands between the two beautiful rivers **Barambrava** and **Ponta** were covered with impenetrable forests, tribes came here in search of a new place to settle. At the head of them rode three true brothers.

After a long journey, when the sun was about to set, the forest thinned and the wanderers' eyes saw a beautiful land with hills and fileds rich in golden lilies, cut in half by a river reflecting the purple of the evening sky. The unusual sight delighted the brothers, especially one of them, **Keren**, who took it as a sign and decided to settle. Here, on the banks of the Baranbrava river he built the town of Kerenweld named after his name and the golden lilies, which he saw against the reflection of the purple sky, he took as the state emblem.

Here the brothers split up. the youngest of them went west, across the sea and the oldest went east, and there they founded their states.

### ⚜ Birth of the nation

The very first ruler mentioned in the old Ophanian texts is said to be **Temer**, later of Dynasty **De Lottenhove**. Supposed descendant of Keren expanded the town's influence by carrying out trades with the nearby tribes and newly forming states. Especially one, the biggest of them called **Ophan Tribe**.

After years of common trading the two powers finally united together with the marriage of Temer of Kerenweld and Bianca of the Ophan Tribe. This event marked the birth of a new nation, Ophania, named as a tribute after the tribe that used to rule the most of the region. The capitol was set in Kerenweld and the newly formed, first official royal house of Ophania, **House De Lottenhove** became the official ruling dynasty of the nation.

Nowadays this region is known as **Starograd**.

### ⚜ Ophanian Pogroms

#### Origin

There was a time in the history of Ophania when a series of great misfortunes struck the nation. Droughts, plagues, floods, all one after another. No one could find an answer to why it is happening. Finally, the blame was put on magic known from the folklore, and those who practice it. They were accused of plotting with the evil against the crown and marked as the enemy of the state.

Eventually **King Hensel** gave an order and witch hunts started to be organized in the entire nation. Anyone accused of practicing magic was put on a trial which most of the times ended with the execution of the victim.

#### Huntings

The main victims of hunting were women, as they were considered particularly vulnerable to magic, and people who were morally and mentally weak. In the village, the stereotype of a witch was the old women who lived on the outskirts of the villages. Men were rarely suspected of witchcraft compared to women. It also happened that children fell victim to hunting. Like adults, they were sometimes accused and sometimes accusers. They could also be punished with the death penalty.

The pogroms lasted a couple of years until the death of King Hensel, but even after that they didn't stop completely. The trials where people were accused of witchcraft have been still carried out through out the entire nation.

#### Aftermatch

In the span of a few years of intense witch hunts countless amount of men, women and children lost their lifes and many more would lose them in the following years. Despite the fact that the order was lifted and the huntings were no longer organized in the name of the crown, many druids, self proclaimed mages and witches were still persecuted for many more years.

## Major Towns

* Kerenweld Upon Barambrava
* Bielgard
* Verenburg
* Stargard

* Mittenwelden
* Lubin
* Varta

## Present Day

### ⚜ Relationships

* San Rossaria -
* Vitruwia -
* Coehn -
* Raegala -
* Aliskir -