The Realm of Avalon

Welcome to Avalon

The nation of Avalon, cut off from the rest of the world by the perilous Dragoon Heights to the east, and the edges of the Fae Wilds to the north. The Aura of the world has deeply affected these lands, along with every being living upon them. Entire islands float above the ground, held in place by some unseen force, while the lands below are rich in Crystal deposits and nigh-endlessly fertile - a fact that the humans living there are beginning to take for granted.

A pervading sense of apathy is taking hold of the people of Avalon, encouraged by the current monarchy, and broken only by the sudden technological advancements being made through the discovery of Crystal-powered Technologies. Airships dot the sky, allowing safe travel from the mainland to the floating islands, and the beginning stages of food preservation is taking shape.

A prevailing wind of change is coming to Avalon - whether the people are ready for it, or not.

History

Avalon was first taken from its nomadic roots to a full nation some 600 years prior, when a High Fae King was crowned after bringing a form of magic previously unknown to the Human inhabitants out from the Fae Wilds and into the rest of the Realm. In a short period of time, the Fae's Chessboard society was prevalent within the young nation, and all were at peace. At least, until something happened that led to a coup against the First King, resulting in their Pieces being massacred and the King's death.

The Fae believed this to be a direct attack against one of their rarest sects, but there was so little proof, and their people were outnumbered within the Realm that their King had created. The remaining High Fae retreated into the Wilds, while the others were left with the choice of either doing the same or seeing their King's wishes of a peaceful nation of coexistence to fruition. For those who stayed behind, concessions had to be made, especially among the Shadow Fae, whose practices were frowned upon even by their own people now that their King was gone.

After the First King's death, a small portion of the populace returned to their nomadic roots, for all that they swore allegiance to the young nation still. None understood their reasoning for doing so, but it allowed for an easier flow of trade and information through the nation, and so the monarchy allowed it.

Were you there at the Crown Prince's failed coronation? I still can't believe the King hadn't tested him for a Piece Alignment sooner! Now there's going to be a whole contest about who takes up the Crown, since the King is far too old to have another child.

— A Noble in the court of King Ceallach Mac Ealair

A sweeping reveal has hit the capital of Camelot, and is seeing to the current Monarchy's end: the Crown Prince, Cadogan Mac Ealair, has been found to have to Piece Alignment during his attempted coronation. His Father, the current King Ceallach, had never had him tested previously on account of Prince Cadogan's high skill and compatability with Aura manipulation and the presence of a Heart Crystal attuned to him specifically, believing that to be proof enough that the Crown Prince was in possession of a Piece Alignment.

Due to the timing and public nature of Prince Cadogan's rejection from the Wildwood Throne, the leaders of every major city of Avalon have banded together and made a strong push to have a competition be opened up, where confirmed King Pieces from each of their cities would be given equal opportunity to try for the Throne. They had to make the concession to allow for the Nomads to send their own representative in order to gain the full support of the populace, but none among the nobility truly believe that the Nomads will actually find and send someone fit to take over the throne.

Important Locations

Chrysalis

A central hub for the Nomads of Avalon, the floating island is where all Nomads come to at one point or another in their lives. Some permanent buildings exist, for those Nomads who have made Chrysalis their home base, however tents and pop-up markets are a common sight as Nomads come and go. Under the Great Tree, all stand as equals here, and the Contest of Representation shall take place at the base of the roots.

Camelot

The capital of Avalon, this is a city built at the base of the Wildwood Throne and the crystalline palace built around it.

Wildwood Throne

More than just the seat of power for the monarchy, the Wildwood Throne is the largest source of Aura in all of Avalon. The current King must have a Heart Crystal in order to handle the amount of Aura that passively permeates the area around the Throne.

Peoples

The inhabitants of the nation are split between two general groups: Humans and Fae. However, that does not mean things are that clean-cut in reality, with sub-types in each group, and even hybrids existing between the two.

• Humans make up the bulk of the population of Avalon, found in nearly every town and city of the Realm.
• Druids are Humans who have lived along the edges of the Fey Wilds for generations, to the point where plant-like protrusions on their bodies have appeared in the most recent generations. They worship the spirits of nature over any gods, and have formed Circles based on the inclinations of magical aptitudes they have.
• Fae are found closer to their original realm, the Fae Wilds, with most of their numbers still living deep within those untamed lands.
• Shadow Fae are predominately nocturnal beings whose traditions are frowned upon by most Fae that live within Avalon.
• High Fae are the rarest branch of Fae-kind, even within the Fae Wilds themselves. None have been seen in Avalon in almost 600 years, to the point where the Humans believe them to be a myth.
• Human-Fae Hybrids are a rarity, if only because relations between the Humans and Fae are not so peaceful as to allow such a child to exist in either community. Often found on the fringes of society, spurned by both sides of their heritage due to not being able to fit in with either, the Hybrids often make their homes among the Druids or the Nomads just to find somewhere to belong.
• Homunculi are a recent people to have entered Avalonian society, mostly due to the fact that they are not natural beings. Created through an Aura-heavy ritual, most Homunculi exist as servants to those who can afford the creation of one, with their entire lives and abilities dictated for them.

And more coming soon...