Introduction
Short version
The Free Cities of Forwire and Aurimont Duchies are former imperial territories that gained their independence and are now wary about other nations. The Idran Tribes have been a major thorn in the empire's side, and are attacking them from the north due to their weakness.
Ikune
Ikune is a region within the larger world, with most of the action taking place there. The northern parts of Ikune are more temperate, turning tropical around the middle and with heavy jungle to the south, while the archipelago has their own tropical climates thanks to volcanic activity in that region. The region consists of three major powers, with smaller nations being related to some, though not all are supportive in that relation:
- The Ni'rral Empire, who is in a decline after a major plague outbreak known as the Veiled Scourge. They have lost much of their former territory, including the Aurimont Duchies and the Free Cities of Forwire, who both consist of many smaller territories that banded together to gain their freedom from the empire. Still, the country marches on as they struggle to keep their remaining power, and not become the pickings of the Idran Tribes.
- The Aurimont Duchies are a group of duchies set in the Rrhazmroran Mountains. Though they share a culture with the empire, the two don't see eye to eye. Now the duchies have been left to their own devices, with the individual dukes and duchesses controlling their realm while dealing with their own internal squabbles and ignoring much of the outer world where it isn't the import of exotic goods.
- The Free Cities of Forwire, or simply Forwire, is a group of cities that tore themselves away to become individual city-states. Their stability is far less than that of the Duchies, but they are all united under the Forwire banner to protect themselves against the empire and others with imperial ambitions. The time since their independence has created a divide however, even though they got rid of nobility, they keep a high divide between the richer upper class and the poor lower classes, with education being a great focus in the city-states.
- The Theocracy of Drissau is another major power. Being once ruled by dragons, they eventually gained their freedom through a rebellion that ignited once the six Iashien figures began to fight back after inventing early firearms. The manufacturing of such remains a closely guarded secret of the Drissau military, while the Iashien have since risen to become their gods.
- The Dulinri Isles are a group of islands belonging to the Kalaniar. They thrive on their volcanic archipelago and their seafaring expertise as well as their gregarious demanor and trade have made them famous around the ports of Ikune. Officially, they have become a vassal to Drissau after the nation came to their aid when the Empire attempted to annex them, but unofficially the archipelago has been left to handle themselves with the agreement that they would continue to trade with the theocracy.
- The third power is the Idran Tribes. They are a group of loosely united tribes, assembled by their current leader, and are a thorn in the empire's side as they come from the north. Spurred by both their own ambition and the empire's weakness, much of the raiding forces also consist of former imperial slaves who joined the tribes, making it hard for the empire to keep them at bay.