Aria
The Kingdom of Aria is an old and weary land—a patchwork of noble houses, feuding lordships, and hollow ceremony draped in the fading luster of tradition. Though technically a hereditary monarchy, power in Aria has long since trickled downward into the hands of merchant guilds, regional magnates, and land-hungry barons. The king still wears the crown, but it’s mostly to keep his head warm while others rule in his name.
The country is held together not by unity, but inertia. Centuries of civil wars, succession crises, and mercenary bailouts have made governance a careful dance of delegation and delay. Nobles speak of loyalty to the throne; what they mean is loyalty to the idea of a throne being someone else’s problem.
The country is held together not by unity, but inertia. Centuries of civil wars, succession crises, and mercenary bailouts have made governance a careful dance of delegation and delay. Nobles speak of loyalty to the throne; what they mean is loyalty to the idea of a throne being someone else’s problem.
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