The Silver Pact

Unlike the centralized rule of the Empire, the Silver Pact is a confederation of independent leaders, each commanding their own armies, cities, or tribes. They are bound not by a single ruler, but by necessity.

1. The Coalition Council (Loose Political Leadership)

• A council of warlords, tribal chieftains, and city-state leaders who vote on major decisions.
• There is no singular ruler, though certain figures command great influence.
• Meetings are rare and chaotic, as factions often disagree on how the war should be fought.

2. The Crescent Blades (Elite Warriors of the Coalition)

• The most disciplined and respected military force within the Coalition.
• Fiercely loyal to Lunarel and the war against the Empire, they often clash with more pragmatic Coalition leaders.

3. The Circle of Shadows (Spies, Assassins, and Secret Keepers)

• The unseen hand of the Coalition, using espionage, sabotage, and subterfuge to weaken the Empire.
• Their agents operate deep within Imperial territory, turning enemies against each other.
• Some Coalition members distrust the Circle, believing they keep their own hidden agendas.

4. The Lunar Tribes (Nomadic Forces & Spiritual Warriors)

• The original defenders of the faith, living in the lands the Empire seeks to conquer.
• Many tribes fight for revenge, having lost their homelands to Imperial crusades.
• Though deeply tied to the Lunar Covenant, some reject the Coalition’s politics, preferring to fight their own war.

5. The Free Cities (Merchants, Scholars, and Rebel Nobles)

• Independent city-states that resist Imperial rule, funding the war through trade, knowledge, and diplomacy.
• Some seek peace rather than war, hoping to negotiate an end to the conflict.
• Others harbor defectors, forbidden scholars, and mages fleeing the Empire’s persecution.

Unlike the Holy Solarian Empire, which thrives on order, conquest, and expansion, the Lunar Covenant is a land of untamed beauty, ancient mysteries, and shifting borders. Its geography reflects its people’s connection to nature, the cycles of the moon, and their resistance to Imperial rule.

The Covenant does not have a single central capital like the Empire—its power is decentralized, with each tribe, city-state, and enclave controlling their own lands. However, all territories are united by their devotion to Lunarel, the Eternal Moon and their shared struggle against the Empire’s crusade.

The Moonshadow Forest (The Heart of the Covenant)

• Terrain: Vast ancient woodlands, overgrown ruins, and hidden groves.
• Climate: Cool and misty, with long winters and gentle summers.
• Major Cities: Nyxis, The Twilight Glade, Starfall Hollow
• Ruled by: The Twilight Accord and the Circle of Shadows

The Moonshadow Forest is the spiritual and cultural heart of the Covenant, a vast and ancient woodland where the trees stretch toward the heavens, their silver leaves reflecting the moonlight. It is here that the first followers of Lunarel settled, guided by the soft whispers of the night.

Though the Solarian Empire has tried many times to invade and burn the forest, it remains largely unconquered—protected by natural barriers, hidden paths, and powerful Lunar magic.

Landmarks

• Nyxis, The Moonlit City – The largest city in the Covenant, built within the forest canopy, with bridges of woven silver branches and homes carved into massive trees. It serves as a political and cultural center, where the Twilight Accord convenes.
• The Twilight Glade – A sacred clearing where the moon is said to shine brighter than anywhere else in the world. It is the site of Lunarel’s first revelation and a place of pilgrimage.
• Starfall Hollow – An ancient ruin where a celestial stone fell from the sky, rumored to hold fragments of lost knowledge.

The Moonshadow Forest is the safest region for the Covenant, a sanctuary where Lunar forces retreat when Imperial forces advance.

The Silver Steppe (The Nomadic Heartland)

• Terrain: Rolling grasslands, river valleys, and scattered hills.
• Climate: Mild with warm summers and cool winters.
• Major Cities: None—dominated by nomadic tribes.
• Ruled by: The Lunar Tribes

The Silver Steppe is a vast, open land where the sky stretches endlessly, and the grass sways like waves in the wind. It is home to the Lunar Tribes, who move with the seasons and the cycles of the moon, following the migrations of beasts, celestial patterns, and hidden omens.

Though it lacks permanent cities, stone circles, standing monoliths, and ancient waystones mark sacred sites, guiding the tribes as they travel between hidden sanctuaries.

Landmarks

• The Whispering Stones – A circle of standing stones etched with runes older than recorded history. The Lunar Tribes claim that the spirits of past chieftains whisper in the wind.
• The Ghost Plains – A haunting battlefield where the spirits of fallen warriors still ride beneath the moon.
• The Great Lunar Oasis – A hidden sanctuary where a pool of pure silver water is said to reflect one’s true soul.

The Silver Steppe is fiercely defended by the Lunar Tribes, who use hit-and-run tactics to harass Imperial forces, refusing to be cornered.

The Veilspire Peaks (The Sacred Mountains of the Moon)

• Terrain: Jagged mountains, deep valleys, and ancient monasteries.
• Climate: Cold, with heavy snowfall in winter and mist-covered peaks.
• Major Cities: The Midnight Bastion, Skyreach Monastery, The Shattered Pinnacle
• Ruled by: The Circle of Shadows and the Duskborn Priests

The Veilspire Peaks are considered the holiest region of the Covenant, a land where the boundary between the mortal world and the divine is thin. It is here that the first Lunar prophets walked, speaking with the spirits of the moon.

Many of the Covenant’s greatest oracles, seers, and mystics train in hidden monasteries carved into the cliffs, learning to read the will of the cosmos.

Landmarks

• The Midnight Bastion – A fortress-temple hidden among the clouds, where the Duskborn Priests guard ancient Lunar relics.
• Skyreach Monastery – The highest settlement in the world, perched on a peak where it is said one can hear the whispers of the stars.
• The Shattered Pinnacle – The ruins of a once-great city, destroyed in the First War against the Empire. It now serves as a reminder of the Covenant’s resilience.

The Veilspire Peaks are difficult to reach, making them a stronghold for the Lunar Covenant’s most sacred leaders.

The Nightveil Marshes (The Shadowed Borderlands)

• Terrain: Swamps, misty lakes, and thick jungle-like forests.
• Climate: Humid, with frequent rain and mist-covered nights.
• Major Cities: None—dominated by hidden villages and Lunar enclaves.
• Ruled by: The Crescent Blades and the Whispering Dagger (Covenant spies).

The Nightveil Marshes form a natural border between the Covenant and the Holy Solarian Empire. The land is treacherous, shifting, and constantly reshaping itself, making it impossible for Imperial armies to march through.

It is in these dark, mist-covered lands that the Crescent Blades make their homes, waging a shadow war against the Empire, striking from the fog before vanishing without a trace.

Landmarks

• The Black Moon Lagoon – A dark, bottomless lake where it is said the dead can speak to the living.
• The Hidden Veil – A network of underground tunnels used by the Crescent Blades to transport spies, supplies, and refugees.
• The Sunken Ruins – The remains of an ancient city, swallowed by the swamp, where whispers of forgotten gods can be heard in the mist.

The Nightveil Marshes are one of the most dangerous places in the world, a graveyard for Imperial soldiers who venture too far.

The Eclipse Shores (The Forbidden Coastline)

• Terrain: Jagged cliffs, black sand beaches, and misty islands.
• Climate: Cold and stormy, with frequent fog.
• Major Cities: None—only ruins and hidden sanctuaries.
• Ruled by: The Exiled and Lunar Mystics

The Eclipse Shores are a mysterious and rarely visited region, a place of ancient ruins, strange tides, and whispers of lost gods. Many believe something ancient slumbers beneath the waves, and those who stay too long hear voices on the wind, calling them into the sea.

Landmarks

• The Drowned Temple – A ruined structure half-submerged in the ocean, where Lunar priests once worshipped gods older than Lunarel.
• The Mist-Clad Isles – A chain of fog-covered islands, home to exiled scholars and rogue Crescent Blades.
• The Moonlit Maw – A massive whirlpool that devours ships, believed to be a portal to the unknown.

The Eclipse Shores remain mostly unexplored, as even the Covenant fears what lies hidden in the deep.