Shores of Swords

Dragons are more prominent on this world than most. Said to be the children of the First Gods, they are held in considerable esteem. Driven to exert their power wherever they settle, the many species of dragons have shaped the course of history on Cerul, though in different ways. Because direct conflict between them is costly and potentially quite destructive, dragons generally prefer to wield power by proxy, guiding younger races in grand schemes.

The principal conflict of the setting is centered on such a case of dragons and their proxy wars; the polar North continent is ruled by an empire headed by malevolent umbral dragons, who stoke their minion's ferocity and send them overseas to conquer and fill their hoards. The southern continents are beginning to notice an increase in Northerner aggression in recent times, and they steel themselves for yet more; for the clashes thus far are only a shadow of the North's true power, or so rumors say.

The titular Shores of Swords are the eastern coasts of Gladia, the tropical continent typically called the West. Gladia was ruled by a great kingdom up until about a century ago, when this kingdom fell to tragic divine circumstance. In the aftermath, the minor powers that ruled the islands of the eastern sea began to pick up the pieces, hoping to gain some of the old kingdom's power and territory for themselves. The name refers primarily to the great mountains of eastern Gladia, where the old kings assembled their grand palaces, but also refers to the many battles fought between the mainland and the islands.