Auphera, where the study of magic became a religion and echoes of the past haunt the living.
Gavin Klout, historian
The Kingdom of Auphera occupies the southwestern reaches of the Continent of Chalcephera. It is the largest and most politically prominent kingdom on the continent. It is a nation of warm coastlines, ancient history, and a deeply complicated relationship with magic that has shaped everything from its government to its state religion.
Size
The Kingdom of Auphera stretches 1,076 miles north to south and 1,716 miles east to west, covering 1,846,416 square miles of the Continent of Chalcephera.
Climate
Auphera enjoys a warm temperate climate across most of its territory. The southernmost regions along the Sea of Miden and the Shield Coast have a more subtropical character. Snow is very rare throughout the kingdom. The highlands and the Miden Shelf run more arid.
Government
The Kingdom of Auphera is an absolute monarchy. The King holds all power. A House of Lords convenes to advise the king, but he is under no obligation to follow their counsel.
The current king is King Cadimus Mercleis X, who has reigned for 30 years. His father, Cadimus IX, ruled for only a year before dying under unknown circumstances, after which his brother was quickly sworn in as Cadimus X. Their father, Cadimus VIII, ruled for 180 years.
The kingdom is divided into three grand parishes, each ruled by a Grand Duke. Each parish is further divided into dukedoms led by individual dukes, who answer to their Grand Duke and provide a portion of their supplies and shillings upward through the hierarchy to the King. Dukes appoint judges within their dukedoms. Each town provides its own civilian security, and all men must serve five years in the dukedom guard - typically the first five years of adulthood - in exchange for the right of citizenship.
Culture and Language
Auphera is a kingdom of many races, each with their own languages and cultures. However, there is a defining culture and language that established Auphera as one body, one nation.
Culture
The prominent culture of Auphera is a mindset of experimentation and discovery, a value system built around both the family and the community, and a love for celebrations and festivals. The people of Auphera are a community first, individual second type of society. They will, for the most part, willingly sacrifice for the greater good of their community. Individual wealth and fame - these are the provinces of the noblity and not ideals which the common Aupheran care about. They will give all that they possess to help someone in their city, town, or village. However, the same cannot be said of strangers. Except perhaps in the larger cities, strangers to their community are viewed with distrust and suspicion. They do not know them, therefore they do not trust them.
Languages
The languages of Auphera are as varied as the races. Chalcedonian, also know as "the common tongue", is the principal language as well as the language of the state. That means, all government documentation must be written in Chalcedonian. As a language, it originally developed out of The Chalcedon plains - the once cradle of society - long, long ago. It is a descriptive language that continues to evolve even onto this day.
Aside from chalcedonian, the next common languages one might here in Auphera are elven, dwarven, and xodian.
Regions
The kingdom is divided into three grand parishes, each encompassing several dukedoms.
The Western Parish
The Western Parish lies between the Miden Mountains and the Crystal River. Its ruler is Grand Duke Aereal Ramieriz. The parish contains three dukedoms:
- Domora Dukedom: The northernmost dukedom of the western parish, covering the Dormora High Plains from the Crystal River and all of the Miden Highlands within the kingdom. Its principal city is Dormir, ruled by Duke Gaus Stonefist. Other settlements include Fort Stone, Demora, and Cliff's Rest.
- Cera Dukedom: Bordered by the Sea of Miden to the south and the Bael River to the west, with the West Road marking its southern border to the Crystal River. Its principal city is Bael, ruled by Duke Ian Bael. Other settlements include Micha and Crystal Falls.
- Solara Dukedom: Lying between the Bael River and Crystal River, with the Gulf of Guillotine to the west and the West Road as its northern border. Its principal city is Auport, ruled by Duke Gavin Strous. Other settlements include Mono and Laketown.
The Central Parish
The Central Parish is home to the capital of the kingdom, Phercia, as well as the College of Arcana and the Auphera Colosseum. The King holds direct control over the parish. It lies between the Crystal River to the west and the Secra River to the east, with the East Road marking the northern border east of the Celestia River, and the Dormir Shield Wall forming the border to the west of it. The parish contains three regions:
- Phera Dukedom: Covers the Dormora High Plains from the Crystal River to the Celestia River. Its principal city is Hydros, ruled by Duke Dorga Blackfoot. Phera Gate is its only other village, though it sits closer to the Western Parish.
- Capital Region: The King's Land - lying between the Crystal River and Celestia River, south of the West Road. Not part of any dukedom. Small villages within include Aylma, Floren, and Fisherman's Pier.
- Myros Dukedom: Lying between the Celestia River and Secra River, south of the East Road. Perhaps the most populous dukedom in the kingdom, with most of its population along the Shield Coast. Its principal city is Pyrinus, ruled by Duke Aron Narcel. Other settlements include Flora Market and Point Maya.
The Eastern Parish
The Eastern Parish lies east of the Secra River, with the Andron Ocean forming its eastern border and the Auster Lands its northern border. Its ruler is Grand Duke Kelvin Pharington, who is reported to have descended into madness following the death of his wife. The parish contains four dukedoms:
- Shield Dukedom: A small dukedom east of the Secra River and south of the East Road. Its principal city is Point Clear, ruled by Duke Varcus Armondi. Other settlements include Port Clear and Adora.
- Chalcedon Dukedom: Encompasses the entirety of The Chalcedon, south of Drakenwood Forest and east of the Auster Highlands. Its principal city is Cape Semaphore, ruled by Duke Vael McPherson. Other settlements include Tylma's Rest, River's Crossing, Secra, and Lyman's Wharf.
- Clera Dukedom: Covers the Dormora High Plains east of the Celestia River and the Auster Highlands. Its principal city is Clera, ruled by Duke Nathaniel Hagen. Rocktown is its only other settlement.
- Auster Dukedom: Covers the lands east of the Auster Highlands and north of The Chalcedon. Its principal city is Angel's Bay, ruled by Duke Glengael Aramos. Other settlements include Auster Watch, Atrocity, Grey Havens, and Soldier's Rest.
Religion
The state religion of Auphera is the Church of Mana, which holds that magic is a living and sentient force worthy of reverence. It grew out of the scholarly community at the College of Arcana, where certain researchers became convinced that what they studied was not merely a tool but a divine presence.
Other beliefs are permitted throughout the kingdom, and various temples can be found in most major cities. However, the worship of Zodo - and any faith determined to be similarly aligned - has been declared illegal by royal decree. Penalties can include imprisonment or execution upon conviction, though enforcement varies considerably by dukedom. It is widely rumored that certain dukes quietly tolerate the practice within their territories.
