Aranath

In the southern realms of Aranath, freedom is a fading memory. About twenty years ago, the mighty Cythrian Empire swept through, bringing once-proud kingdoms to their knees. Now, the lands of Modren, Lilicea, Sidonia, Düren, Venea, and Kaelderen struggle under the empire’s iron grip, each country scarred in its own way, each people bearing a different mark of imperial rule.   In Modren, mistrust runs as deep as its wounds; years of misfortune and occupation have turned its people inward, wary of any outsider. Lilicea, a land of art and wine, clings to its refined traditions, a stubborn ember of beauty under the shadow of the empire. Sidonia keeps its knightly code alive, its elite soldiers biding their time, silent but ever watchful.   Düren remains fertile and steady, safe—for now—while its people whisper of rebellion in hushed voices. On the island of Venea, an aging population watches its youth flee for distant lands, feeling their home’s spirit fading with every departure. And Kaelderen—the last to fall—simmers with defiance even as its own royal family has been replaced by Cythrian nobility.   To the east lie the Kargathian Wetlands sprawl, treacherous and dark, sheltering secrets and horrors even the empire dare not touch. And beyond the unclaimed wilds of Bariatok lie, a land where orcish clans and nomads remain proudly free.    In Aranath, peace is fragile and freedom is a dream, smothered but never extinguished. In every city, every hidden glade, a spark waits—just out of reach, yet aching to ignite. For those under the empire’s shadow, the question is not if they will rise, but when.