The Current Political Landscape
An Age of Vultures
The era is defined by a massive power vacuum. The two "Giants," Aeloria and Stoneforge Hold, are losing their grip, and every other faction is moving to carve out a larger piece of the world for themselves. Trust is a dead currency; alliances are temporary and transactional.
The Long Shadow of the Giants: Aeloria & Stoneforge Hold
The two superpowers are no longer partners but weary rivals in decline. Their formal alliance is a relic, replaced by a cold, resentful pragmatism.
Aeloria: The human kingdom is suffering from "imperial overreach." Their borders are too long, their armies too thinly stretched, and their treasury is dwindling. Nobles in the capital of Dawnspire bicker over petty titles while outlying territories fend for themselves. Aeloria's military is still formidable on paper, but its response time is slow, and it is plagued by corruption. They are losing face on the world stage, unable to effectively project the power they once took for granted.
Stoneforge Hold: The Stoneward nation faces a crisis of identity and resources. The oldest mountain veins are running dry, and their once-unmatched technology is being replicated by ambitious rivals. A powerful traditionalist faction believes in sealing the borders and returning to isolation, while a younger, more pragmatic faction argues for aggressive expansion to secure new resources. This internal division paralyzes their government, making them an unreliable and unpredictable international partner.
Immediate Tension: Aeloria and Stoneforge are quietly competing over influence in the newly formed Crowned Shires, each hoping to turn the new human kingdom into a buffer state or a client, further straining their ancient friendship.
The Southern Powder Keg: Elaria, Goldleaf, and the Corsairs
The southern continent is the most volatile region, a microcosm of the world's greed and instability.
The Great Elaria Empire: The empire is a lie. Empress Lyra Valeris is a figurehead, and real power lies with a council of ambitious Dukes and Duchesses—the descendants of the kings who were forced into the union. They plot against each other constantly, using the Empress as a pawn in their schemes. The empire's military is fractured, with regiments loyal to specific nobles rather than the crown. This makes them predictable and easy to exploit. They are a wounded beast, dangerous but bleeding, and every other power is circling.
Goldleaf Principality: Lord Eldridge Goldleaf is the most dangerous man in the south. He plays the great game not with armies, but with coin. He has funded rebellions in Elaria, has key Aelorian politicians on his payroll, and secretly uses the Crimson Corsairs to disrupt his competitors' trade routes. His immediate goal is to destabilize Elaria enough for one of the duchies to break away, forcing the others to turn to him for loans and military support, which he will provide in exchange for their fealty and his official coronation as King.
The Crimson Corsair Kingdom: Captain Varric Crimson and his pirates are thriving in the chaos. With the Aelorian navy in decline, Corsair fleets raid with near impunity along the southern coast. Raven's Cove has become the wealthiest pirate haven in history. Varric is more than a pirate; he's a burgeoning statesman. He forges temporary agreements, provides mercenary fleets to the highest bidder (often Lord Goldleaf), and is slowly building the infrastructure of a legitimate naval power built on stolen wealth.
Immediate Tension: Lord Goldleaf is secretly backing a secessionist movement in the Elarian duchy of Northhold. Meanwhile, Captain Crimson's raids are becoming so bold that the desperate Empress Lyra Valeris may be forced to hire foreign mercenaries to protect her own shores, a move that would shatter the illusion of her empire's strength.
The Heartland Schism: The Newcomers vs. The Necromancer
The central-eastern continent is the frontline of the world's most terrifying new conflict.
The Umbral Dominion: Varyn Nightshade is not a subtle villain. His nation is a blight of dark magic, its borders patrolled by undead monstrosities. He is relentlessly aggressive, seeking magical artifacts and, more importantly, fresh corpses to bolster his army. His immediate target is the lush, life-filled lands of his southern neighbor, the nation of Silvanthar. He views the Crowned Shires as a potential breadbasket and source of bodies for his growing legions.
Silvanthar (Silvershade Dominion): This recently established nation finds itself in the worst possible position: directly in the path of a necromantic conqueror. Chief Thalorin Silvershade and his council are desperately seeking allies. Their own forces are untested, and they know they cannot stand against the Umbral Dominion alone. They are sending envoys to any who will listen: the fading superpowers, the isolationist Arcanum, even the distant Goldleaf Principality, pleading for aid.
The Crowned Shires: This new kingdom is brimming with nationalistic fervor and suspicion. They are wary of the magical conflict to their south, viewing both the Umbral Dominion and the Arcanum Kingdom with distrust. They are focused on securing their borders and resources, which is already leading to skirmishes with Silvanthar over contested forests and rivers. They are a wildcard, potentially a powerful ally against the undead, but their fierce independence makes them difficult to negotiate with.
The Arcanum Kingdom: Archmage Ozart Sunfire is a man forced to abandon a lifetime of principle. His isolationism has failed, and one of his own has become a global threat. He is now engaged in a desperate magical cold war, creating wards and scrying for weaknesses in Varyn's defenses. He lacks the manpower for a conventional invasion, so he relies on sending small, elite teams of agents—or adventurers—on covert missions into the Umbral Dominion.
Immediate Tension: Varyn Nightshade has begun a series of escalating raids across Silvanthar's northern border, testing their defenses. This has forced Silvanthar to offer a massive reward for mercenaries and adventurers willing to defend their lands, drawing fighters and opportunists from across the world into the heartland conflict.
This is the world your player will enter: a fractured, dangerous place where old oaths are broken, new powers are rising, and the choices of a few skilled individuals could tip the balance of an impending global conflict.