The Kingdom of Aetaria

Basic Information

Aetaria, a beautiful kingdom with vast islands in the sky. Aetaria has amassed quite a large collection of islands, stolen from the lands below. These islands that are nested so high into the sky left what would have been ugly craters behind, instead turned to Great Lakes and other grand landmarks. The craters left over reach hundreds of meters down into the earth below, and are teeming with life. There are 5 main islands in the sky, each gargantuan in size and each hosting a part of a kingdoms essentials. Surrounding the main islands are smaller islands, hosting houses, parks, schools, and other such items. The ground is not forgotten though, as grand communities live below, yet through magic don't even live in shadow.

The floating islands are a thing of beauty, captivating to many. To keep those islands in place, ancient and grand chains were installed, some even before the lands were raised. Each chain link the size of a man, created to be indestructible, they have withstood the test of time. So much so that greenery has grown over many, yet no integrity has been lost. The anchors to the islands each have a small outpost built around them, ensuring nothing can be damaged.

The allure to live in Aetaria can be broken down to a few words. The potential of power and wealth. These islands are for the rich and the powerful. These streets and back alleys are for the aspiring and the working. These lands are for the practice of magic and for the desire of more than what you have. The ideal growth is upward, to the sky and beyond.

Daveltine Island

Daveltine holds the infrastructure needed for a government to function. The High Courts, Grand Treasuries, and all buildings deemed important are placed upon Daveltine. The Island also holds important government officials and their living quarters, those who wouldn’t be upon Frerue Island. About 15 miles wide in its Diameter, it reaches deep within the land supported, about a mile or so. A beautiful island, its streets are lined with green shrubbery. No land upon these islands are dangerous, all thoroughly explored and kept safe.

Lake Daveltine

Lake Daveltine is located directly below the island. With the water breaking down the jagged insides of the crater, it's a beautiful freshwater lake teeming with life. The grand magicians and wielders of the weave thought to turn this into a great lake, supportive of its own life and evolution instead of leaving a jagged, miles wide crater. In thousands of years, the waves have claimed ship and crew, even entire towns. A thing of morbid beauty, Aetarians warn against staying on it for too long. They're just superstitious that the lake is malignant and living, angry at those who take it for granted. Not to worry though, it's just ways to cope with grief.

Valpool Island is the lifeblood of trade and commerce within Aetaria. If you need a place to shop, the island holds it. Magic shops, blacksmiths, farmers stands, grocers huts, whatever you need. Some of the most esteemed shops have a location on this floating wonder. The roads are paved with cobblestone, and the lampposts are made of cast iron, intricate designs carved into them. The island is sorted into different markets, and with so many competitors in the same area, it's a very cutthroat place. The price to even get a shop on one of the lots is steep, so store owners are usually desperate to make a sale. With all of that in mind, to keep the peace, Aetaria has an increased presence of Gendarme on this island to discourage any would be thieves or infighting. The island is about 13 miles wide, and 2 miles deep.

Lake Valpool

Much like Lake Daveltine, this thing of beauty is deserving of the name of 'Great Lake.' A few dozen miles away from Lake Daveltine, it's a primary source of food for the people of Aetaria. These grand bodies of water are shrouded in mystery, with the lake bottom largely unexplored outside of the shipwrecks that are prevalent on the lake floors. There have been people who have made a living exploring them and recovering the lost treasures of these watery graves. Many more have added to the death toll that these lakes have become famous for. Ships are found to be derelict, the crew nowhere to be found. It's a chilling thought, to go out from harbor only to become a ghost.

Frerue Island - The Castle Island

Frerue Island is entirely a castle. With walls set just a few yards away from the end of the land, and every square inch of the land inside those walls being built upon, it's a marvelous sight. Grand courtyards dot the island, the royal garden takes up a square mile by itself, all to add wondrous sights for the inhabitants. The ruler of the kingdom, their closest advisors, and all others deemed important live here, amidst servants, workers, and royal guards. The smallest island, it's only about 5 miles in diameter. The castle itself is grand, using every bit of land it can. With it's height, the rooms and corridors are almost endless. You could spend a week here, and not explore every room. Some may say there's no need for this grandeur, while others would say it's a demonstration of Aetaria's might.

Frerue Conservatory

The ancient ones who lifted the castle into the sky decided to instead make this a conservation of the species that inhabit Aetaria. The lands inside were smoothed out, flora was added, and its own ecosystem was born. Not many people are allowed in the Conservatory, and those that are allowed in enter with the knowledge that the beasts inside are wild, and will act as a wild animal towards them.

Instra Island - The High Class

Instra Island has many names, all to describe one thing. The Island of Wealth, the Island of Greed, the Island of the Powerful, the Island of Magic, they all refer to the high class of Aetaria. All those that are powerful, magically inclined or otherwise, the island houses them. The largest island by far, its size is gargantuan. 21 miles in diameter, mansions upon mansions are nested on the island. Parties thrown every night, there is a large class disparity between those on the island and those below the island. You won't find any beggars or homeless here, the streets are kept clean from those filth.

Lake Instra

Lake Instra is the third of the Great Lakes, and is the largest of the three.

Mantreed Island - The Island of The Military

This island hosts the metaphorical head of the Aetarian military. The air around the island is almost charged with electricity, the whole island has tense feel to it. To paint an image of Mantreed, stone walls with iron fences raise high into the sky, buildings reaching into the sky beyond the protective barriers. It is a concrete maze atop this floating fortress of barracks, bunkers, and buildings of varying importance. One of the landmark spots on this island is the Mantreed Academy of Iron and Dominion, the most prestigious military academy in all of Arcaloth. It's produced many a great leaders in the hundreds of years

Mantreed Repository

Mantreed Repository

The Chainguard

The Chainguard, the Protectors of Aetaria, the Angels Fist, they go by many names, yet what they are is known to all. A small group of legendary warriors, there are only 21 soldiers who get to bear the Mantle of Chains. Each one of these troopers are chosen for their undying loyalty to Aetaria, ridiculous feats of bravery and valor, and their battlefield prowess. Each time a new Chainguard is chosen, there are dozens of potential candidates. They are then rigorously put through tests and trials until only one candidate is left. The others either die or wash out, yet it's a high honor to even be considered. After being selected as the next chainguard, the use of the Arcane enhances their physicality. They are what is essentially genetically modified super soldiers, made to be 7 feet tall, and their bodies are given a boost to fill out their frames with pure muscle.

COME BACK TO CHAINGUARD LATER

Ophirous Island was once a crown jewel of Aetaria, a beautiful island full of magical innovation where the grandest mages of the kingdom studied the weave and explored the boundaries of arcane knowledge. Grand towers, exquisite laboratories, comfortable studies, and all places you would come to expect a wizard to live in were nested upon this island. An island worthy of being called Great, it was about 12 miles wide and 4 miles deep, all needed to keep the magical experiments contained. It was a grandiose sign of potential for all who gazed upon it. Ophirous Island, the Island of the Arcane.

It's unknown how it happened, but about 160 years ago tragedy struck. The leading and most widely accepted theory was that an ambitious experiment pushed the weave too far, and it was unrecoverable from. Witnesses said that one grand explosion rocked the island, and smaller explosions covered the rest of it. Of course, eyewitnesses can exaggerate certain descriptors, but the explosions turned the night sky orange. The island crashed to the earth below, the impact site becoming its own mountain. All the minor islands surrounding Ophirous were either destroyed alongside the Major Island, or fell into orbit around the remaining islands.

The ruins of Ophirous turned into a mountain of stone, structures, and bodies left behind. Given the name of Mount Ophiroun, the mountain is strictly forbidden to the public. It is considered extremely dangerous to all, and almost no one is allowed entry. Unstable magic is said to linger, and the dangers of structures on the verge of collapse is apparent. Thrill seekers who wish to enter in illegal ways are never heard from again, the island is barred entry from every possible route. Of course, it's not feasible to stop all forms of wildlife from entering, and with those pockets of dangerous magic left over, who knows what other dangers have mutated from these animals entering? Passerby have claimed to hear low roars from deep within the mountain, far enough away that to hear whatever is making those noises has to be big. Impossibly so.

The Citadel of the Fallen

The Citadel of the Fallen lies miles from Mount Ophiroun, taking the place of where Ophirous was raised from the earth. It is a memorial for those who have given their lives in the name of Aetaria. A somber place dedicated to the memory of the soldiers, law enforcement, and magical practitioners who have served Aetaria throughout the ages. The crater edge has been smoothed out, with names covering it from the top to the floor. Level after level of names, it gives a sense to how many have come before. Rows and rows of stone slabs sit in the crater, commemorating deeds both legendary and unsung.

Visitors to the Citadel are struck by the solemnity of the site. The grounds are meticulously maintained, with paths winding along the crater’s rim and gentle terraces allowing reflection on the sacrifices recorded in stone. It is a place of quiet reverence, where ceremonies are held on the anniversaries of great battles and where citizens come to honor the courage and dedication of those who have protected Aetaria.

The Citadel of the Fallen remains a permanent reminder of the kingdoms sacrifices and those who died for their nationalism. Its presence is a symbol of national pride, resilience, and the enduring legacy of service to the kingdom.