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INTRODUCTION BY EMPEROR VARRO

The Sun kingdom shines its golden light upon you.

Saffiro, the seat of the Saffiran Empire, claims the glory of none other than the Sun itself—the center of our universe. The Sun burns brighter than any other star, just as Saffiro outshines all other lands. My kingdom’s history is as golden as its present era of domination over the others, as nature has always intended.

The Kingdom of Saffiro first rose to financial and political prominence through the quarries of the Tempus Mountains. The gold extracted from the mountains’ depths was proof of the Sun’s favor over this land, and the Saffirans showed their gratitude by erecting a gilded temple where all could worship him. Lesser gods were also acknowledged, the next most well-known being Vesta, goddess of the hearth. Saffirans once believed they must keep a fire burning in the hearth of her temple at all times, or the kingdom would fall.

King Septimus, then not yet the first Emperor of Terramundi, blamed the useless Vestal Virgins after the neglected fire was extinguished the same night his father died, dismantling the practice thereafter. Scholars later interpreted the omen as foretelling not the end of Septimus’ father’s life, nor, obviously, the end of Saffiro, but the coming war with Satria in which a Saffiran victory founded the Empire.

Likely to the annoyance of the agnostic Septimus, commoners attributed Saffiro’s triumph and rightful dominion over the other kingdoms to the Sun’s favor rather than wholly to Septimus’ strategic prowess, and Vesta was abandoned altogether. After all, who would worship the measly hearth flame over the Sun’s dazzling, deathly brilliance?

My ambitious subjects burn with the Sun’s blazing fury, my Knights of Saffiro asserting their superiority throughout the Empire and ensuring its long, glorious reign. The Palace of Saffiro befits the splendour of my land, glittering with the gold that built it. Saffiro’s strength only grows over time, our influence becoming ever more powerful, as surely as the Sun will rise tomorrow.

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INTRODUCTION BY QUEEN SILVIA

The moon casts its gentle glow upon you.

I have been blessed with stewardship of this small but strong kingdom, descended from a long line of women who have inherited the role before me. As the only matriarchal society in the whole of Terramundi, Lunarians stand proud of our culture, which reveres women despite historical derision from the continent’s more patriarchal kingdoms. Rather than ruling our people with the brutal fist of patriarchy, Lunaria governs with a loving mother’s touch.

Lunaria has a law that says any hungry citizen without means to fend for themselves may knock on our palace doors and receive food without any questions asked—a system that has succeeded in providing for our most vulnerable. The only notable abuses of this policy have been by the Knights of Saffiro, as they creep increasingly across kingdom boundaries.

It is known that moonlight encourages magic, and strange things have been reported in the Forest of Numa, which borders our land. Before magic was banned in Terramundi following Satria’s destruction at the hand of Saffiro, the High Priestesses of Lunaria’s court held rituals in the forest in service of the Old Religion. Magic has a mind of its own, and many believe traces of it can still be found in the rustling leaves and swaying wildflowers of the forest.

It is said the Moon smiled upon the contented animals of Lunaria’s landscape and gave part of herself to it, her joyous tears crystallizing into stone along springs rumored to have healing properties. From these sparkling white rocks, minerals were extracted to reinforce the building materials used throughout Lunaria, creating its signature pearlescent glitter. Traditionally, our structures are rounded in an act of loving devotion to the Moon, in the hope that She will continue to watch over Lunaria and its inhabitants. Imbued in all Lunarians is an innate sense of responsibility for our land and all the beings upon it.

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INTRODUCTION BY KING CATO

The kingdom of Mercury sends silver-tongued salutations.

Merucia’s association with the planetary god Mercury is in large part due to the existence of a university here earlier than in any other kingdom in Terramundi. Indeed, Merucia is still renowned for its scholarship and academic excellence, our prestigious universities attracting curious students from across the continent.

Merucia is also affiliated with the messenger god on account of our native pigeon population and our renowned training methods, which produce the fastest and most accurate messenger pigeons in Terramundi. There are, as with any statistic, a few minor exceptions, and historians have dedicated themselves to documenting cases of our pigeons delivering messages to the wrong people, if delivering them at all, throughout the ages.

Perhaps the most notorious case was that of Dulfor the Dubious, who during the Saffiran Conquest delivered the whereabouts of several Merucian camps—intended for a Merucian mercenary band—directly to a Saffiran military leader. Scholars debate whether this was a grievous but innocent error on Dulfor’s part or whether he went rogue due to harbored Saffiran loyalties, as several pigeons in his paternal line had served the Saffiran household.

Known for our prioritization of intellect and measured judgment, Merucians are historically reticent to be pulled by the tides of political storms, not least because wars are costly and universities expensive to operate. It is often said with a smirk that the majority of Merucian mercenaries are poor scholars desperate for spare denarii to put toward books. I would argue that the cliché of our mercenaries’ fickle nature is misunderstood, as our poor students are simply dedicated to returning to their classes on time, prioritizing such over trivial interkingdom squabbles.

No Merucian household is complete without a dedicated shelf for the family’s most prized books, a remnant of the Old Religion that exists in disguise—what was once an altar to Mercury is now a symbol of the Merucian spirit. Tall, slender towers rise high above the vista of our kingdom, reaching toward the blue sky as Merucians endlessly pursue knowledge to new, soaring heights.

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INTRODUCTION BY PRINCE AMAURY

The kingdom of Venus tenderly embraces you in its opulent arms.

It is customary in Vecontii to greet close acquaintances with two kisses, which aptly summarizes the character of the kingdom and its denizens. Partially built on a lagoon, Vecontii is interconnected by hundreds of bridges over its canals, creating a picturesque landscape almost designed for romantic moments. I suspect the canals, if they could speak, would tell a far more intriguing account of the Vecontiian people, as it is rumored that at any given time of day there is at least one couple sharing varying degrees of intimacy in a boat.

Vecontii’s association with Venus, the planetary god of love and attraction, arose from its famed charms, including its pink-hued plaster buildings made from clay deposits found beneath the lagoon. Indeed, the pastel colors and elegant aesthetic of Vecontii have been cited throughout the ages as evidence of Venus’ favor, along with historical and scandalous ties between the rulers of Vecontii and Mavortis, the Kingdom of Mars. Personally, I disagree with the notion of the feminine Vecontii’s identity being defined by its relationship to a masculine kingdom—least of all Mavortis—as do most Vecontiians.

Our people take great satisfaction in our kingdom’s beauty, and Vecontii spends more than any other kingdom in Terramundi to preserve our buildings using the most skilled craftsmen and artisans. Despite protestations from our jealous neighbors that our kingdom is full of vain, superficial people, Vecontiians know a secret that others do not. This I must whisper into the dusty archives of history, and you must promise it will stay between us as closely as the ink on this paper: beauty and romance are what make life a worthy endeavor. Our kingdom holds both in spades, which is why we are considered the happiest in all the Empire.

However, you must not mistake our happiness and romantic sensibilities for passiveness or weakness. Our flourishing trade ports make us the wealthiest kingdom in Terramundi, even wealthier than Saffiro, and the Vecontiian armada, led by me, is a force to be reckoned with. Our fleets—and, dare I include myself by extension—remind the rest of Terramundi that looks and strength are a dangerous combination.

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INTRODUCTION BY PRINCESS MARZIA

You are bonded by birth and blood to the kingdom of Mars.

Blood is the mortar of Mavortis. Founded by twins Rollo the Reckless and Rhea the Red, who claimed Mars as their father, they conquered a string of warring clans and united the kingdom. They named it Mavortis in his honor, solidifying their place in legend. Rollo ultimately killed his sister for sole proprietorship of the throne. Heretics of the Old Religion believe this placed a curse on Rollo’s line and that one day Rhea’s spirit would reincarnate to reclaim her right of inheritance. My male ancestors have forbidden women to inherit in an effort to prevent this. Futile, in my opinion. When has mere law ever stopped the fulfillment of fate or the will of a Mavortian?

Iron ore deposits found in the Veil River form a natural association with Mars, and Mavortis is known for our skilled blacksmiths and their intricate ironwork, along with the superior quality of steel in our weaponry. The signature red hue of our kingdom’s buildings is due to the large amount of terracotta imported into our land—thanks to one of my ancestor’s unfortunate dalliances with a Vecontiian ruler. Another inherited trait from Mars: a penchant for intercourse.

Fighting is in the blood of my people. Mavortis was forged through battles hard-won and maintained through a reputation for highly trained warriors. Our Salian Order, once a priesthood before the Old Religion vanished, is now an elite army led by my twin, Prince Marcellus. The bloodthirsty gene of my line, however, did not skip me: the underground fighting pits in the Iron District swarm with my devoted subjects, who take pride in their princess’ prowess.

Other kingdoms would have you believe we are nothing more than brutes, and although my land is not for the faint of heart, my people hold admirable qualities not earned by outsiders looking in. Fierce loyalty, courage, and independence are inherent in every Mavortian. While those dull Merucians pretend their schools are the only ones worth citing, it must be acknowledged that Mavortis holds the best medical university in all of Terramundi. This is out of necessity, as we have an excessive need for skilled healers and surgeons owing to the amount of regularly scheduled bloodshed. May you never be on the receiving end of our wrath.

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INTRODUCTION BY KING LARS

The kingdom of Jupiter bestows its blessing upon you.

Anxurian sailors often say nothing stirs their spirits like the scent of lilac mingling with the salty breeze when they return ashore to their homeland. Jupiter’s influence over the kingdom of Anxur is evident in everything from the purple of our native trees to the expansiveness of the island and the generosity of our people. Even those on the mainland acknowledge the Anxurian knack for storytelling, usually riddled with exaggeration, another collective trait bestowed by our namesake deity.

Detached from the mainland, Anxur is the only kingdom Saffiro never conquered, although they tried, which I suspect they conveniently left out of their narrative. This is a point of pride for all Anxurians, who will never bend the knee to tyranny. While our successful trade relations with Vecontii bring in luxury goods and items many Anxurians have grown accustomed to, Anxur remains wholly independent from the Empire. Our merchant class enjoys a level of wealth and comfort nearly unheard of on the mainland, as it has not been squeezed out by the greed of the Empire.

One of Anxur’s most prized exports is our violet wine, its floral aroma a delicacy in many courts. Indeed, wine holds massive cultural importance in Anxur, and a festival is held every November celebrating our finest product and its gratifying effects. Since most celebrations result in the issuing of formal apologies from high-ranking citizens, there are ongoing discussions about ending government sanction of the event. However, as most people’s memories of these week-long celebrations are hazy at best, the movement has not yet been successful.

Gratitude is at the core of every Anxurian’s outlook, and with a kingdom graced with such abundance, it is not difficult to see why. The planetary god of fortune helped protect us against Saffiro’s advances, and while the Old Religion has faded, Anxurians have not forgotten. Nor, it seems, has Jupiter—for as luck would have it, Anxur remains unvanquished.

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INTRODUCTION BY COMMANDER VEL OF THE KNIGHTS OF SAFFIRO

Saturn’s rings enclose you in its suffocating hold.

Satria, the Kingless Kingdom, has remained so ever since Saffiro acquired it in the year 1338. As commander of the Knights of Saffiro, I preside over the barren landscape that stretches from the Tempus Mountains to the meadows bordering Merucia.

The only products of worth in this region are the gemstones and marble extracted from the Tempus Mountains—and the Satrians themselves, who are occasionally allowed to work in Saffiro when the need for labor beneath the status of Saffirans arises. My role in this wicked land is primarily to ensure order and Satrian compliance with Saffiran rule, as well as to oversee proper allocation of precious resources.

During my time here, I have learned that Satrians associated Saturn with the kingdom because of the hard work it takes to extract the treasures of the mountains, along with the abundance of creatures like crows and goats once said to be under Saturn’s influence. The only planetary association I can vouch for is the amount of bullcrap the Satrians spew.

Once ruled by the Corvi family, their reign fell at the hands of Emperor Septimus, along with the worship of the Old Religion, whose blasphemous use of magic was banished following the kingdom’s demise. Satria was once the most devout to the Old Ways out of all the kingdoms, and it has taken generations to squash out any whiff of treasonous behavior here in the name of religion.

Long may Saffiro rule over this landscape and save the Satrians from their own backward ways.