The Perils of Ronault

Amongst the many continents of the saltslick laden seas of the known world, many civilizations and empires flourished upon its lands in a golden age, enjoying the steady advancement of technology and magic that came with it. However, the Kozholian Empire benefitted most, making their homes near and under the mountains of the land; their mines rich in Bhulerian Crystals, cities filled with arcane niceties both trivial and convenient, and people staunchly devout to their perceived creator, the headstrong, benevolent, and proud dwarves of Kozhol expanded and made strides in the advancement of their society. Fleeting nations in their shadow also shared in their bounties, creating treaties of trade to fuel their own growth should they have something worthwhile to give.   However, an unsteady feeling has permeated the air recently. A plague born of magic has begun to spread throughout the land, and soon it was aptly called the Scourge due to its cruel capabilities of causing suffering and interfering with the Ronaultian people's arcane way of life. Prayers were answered increasingly less, magic users were shunned and scorned, the artificial leylines were closed off, and uncertainty set in for the future of the Empire that was teetering on the edge of ruin. The Scourge held the known world in a grip of fear.   The chokehold the Scourge held was not infallible, however. In its wake, an organization simply called the Consulate stepped in and halted the proliferation of the Scourge with mysterious methods only known to them. Indebted to this strange newcomer, the Empire and other nations had no choice but to acquiesce to their demands and grant them footholds within their wider societies, else they might suffer the Scourge's wrath. Within a few years, that foothold turned into a smothering grip, creating a stable, if not uneasy, lifestyle under the Consulate's overbearing... protection.