Alice lay flat on her stomach on her bed, feet kicking lazily in the air. It was raining heavily today, so she was stuck indoors. She’d been poring over the old geography tome ever since she’d woken up that morning. The book had fascinated her, its detailed depictions of distant lands sparking her imagination. She pictured herself traveling through each of the realms it described so vividly.

At the moment, she was particularly focused on the history of the kingdom in which the cursed forest was located—the kingdom of her family.

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🐉 Empire of Draknar

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🐲 Capital

Eleryndrak, also called the City of the Oath.

 The name means “The Dragon’s Oath” in Draconic language, in memory of the founding union between an ancient dragon and a human woman.

 Centuries ago, the ancient dragon, Draknar, fell deeply in love with a woman of pure heart. She belonged to a kingdom where any union between races was forbidden—an abomination condemned by both kings and gods.

 Rejected by mortals and threatened by divine law, the dragon refused submission. Instead, he turned to other outcasts: the vampires enslaved by the Divine Kingdom of Diosens, and the oppressed humans.

 Together, they rebelled, overthrew divine rule in the northern lands, and laid the foundation of a new empire. On the unclaimed western lands of the continent of Elisyum, the dragon traced a circle of eternal flames. With a single beat of his wings, he raised the first stones of a refuge city: Eleryndrak.

 There, beneath the heavens, he took the Oath: to love his human freely, to offer sanctuary to all outcast races, and to found a lineage uniting fire and flesh, magic and humanity. From that union was born the imperial bloodline, keepers of the original pact.

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👑 Leadership and Political Structure

The kingdom is ruled by the Emperor, who bears the sacred title of Eternal Flame of Draknar.

 The Empire is a hereditary, semi-theocratic system led by a dynasty of draconic blood.

 The Emperor is advised by the High Council, made up of Grand Dukes from the realm’s noble houses, and supported by provincial governors. All law is rooted in the Codex of the Oath, a sacred text handed down since the founding of Eleryndrak.

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📜 Founding and Territorial Distribution

 At the beginning, the founding dragon divided the land among his most loyal allies, thus forming the Empire’s four great ducal houses:

• South: House Vanberg, a vampiric lineage and protectors of the realm against the Divine Kingdom of Diosens.
  

• East: House Gaasti, a human house specializing in magical research and diplomacy with the city-state of Avalon.
  

• West: House Vistam, another vampiric line, tasked with guarding the borders against the monstrous hordes of the Wildlands.
  

• North: House Dankar, a human house focused on trade with the dwarves of the Brassac Brotherhood and the human republic of Lirana.
  
  

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🔥 Imperial Identity and Symbols

 Emblem: A winged dragon coiled around a flaming heart.

 Motto: “Through fire, unity. Through blood, peace.”

 People’s Name: Draknarians — proud, disciplined, and loyal, with strong magical and military traditions.

 Nobility: The noble bloodlines still carry the dragon’s ancient blessing — elemental affinities with fire and wind, and enhanced magical capabilities.

 Flag: White for humans, red for vampires, with the imperial crest for the founding couple.

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🗺️ Geography and Capital

 The Empire stretches across the western part of the continent of Elisyum, a land of volcanic soil, fertile and saturated with magic. The capital, Eleryndrak, was built atop an ancient sacred crater whose fire still smolders deep underground.

 The Sacred Crater, located beneath the Imperial Palace, is a source of raw energy that powers a magical shield protecting the city—active since the kingdom’s founding.

 The western mountains are rich in mithril, a light and resilient metal, second only to orichalcum, the legendary so-called “metal of the gods.” Because of its rarity and properties, mithril is prized by the nobility for forging weapons.

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🛡️ Military and Orders

 The army is known as the Blazing Legions—disciplined troops, dragon-riders, fire and wind mages, and vampire warriors.

 Three elite orders serve directly under the Empire:

• The Blade of the Oath — a vampiric order sworn to protect the Emperor.

• The Flame of Ænvelar — a human order of mages tied to the imperial academy.
  

• The Scale of Glory — elite knights who ride young dragons into battle.
  
  

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🔮 Magic and Artifacts

 Draconic magic, reserved for those of imperial blood, is centered on fire and wind, life force, and draconic transformation. It is passed down through bloodlines, though some may gain access via ancient pacts or sacred relics.

 Two legendary artifacts dominate imperial mythology:

• The Heart of Eleryndrak: A living flame-crystal housed in a sanctuary, it powers the magical shield protecting the capital.
  

• The Blade of the First Breath: A sword forged in the flame of the founding dragon, it is the symbol of imperial authority.
  

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⚔️ Foreign Relations

 The Empire is in constant tension with the Kingdom of Diosens — the divine realm from which the human founder originated. Diosens remains xenophobic and hostile to Draknar.

The Empire has economic alliances with Drasac, Linaria, and Avalon. It also promotes student exchanges with Avalon and has a magic research alliance with the city.

Relations with other nations are unstable, though currently peaceful.

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🧩 Landmarks and Iconic Sites

• The Tomb of the Oath: Mausoleum of the two founders; sacred pilgrimage site for the Emperor.
  

• The Ashen Spires: Tall black towers that serve as beacons, temples, and magical fortresses.
  

• The Sacred Crater: Living magical source beneath the capital.
  

• Ænvelar Draconic Academy: Imperial school for noble youth, before their admission to Avalon’s Grand Academy.

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Alice ran her finger over the section about the noble houses’ territories.

“Vanberg… that was my parents’ house. My house…”

She wondered what her life might have looked like there.