Kharathuun stands as the most advanced kingdom, but its greatest strength is also its rigid weakness: an unyielding sense of aristocratic pride. To the Kharathuun nobility, war is a matter of face-to-face honor; they consider it beneath their station to strike from the shadows or utilize underhanded tactics. Under Kalsavara II, this pride has manifested as a terrifying expansionist agenda, yet it remains a predictable one. They rely on the sheer power of their righteous fury and the legendary Lionheart Sword, believing that true power needs no deception to conquer.
The Zharruk Kingdom is a realm defined by a century of bitter defeat and the resulting loss of territory to the encroaching horse-lords of Velthar. Having been pushed back into their ancient, enchanted forests, the Zharruk have abandoned the traditional rules of war, viewing them as a luxury of the victorious. They are perceived as forest savages who will resort to any means—be it guerrilla ambushes, dark druidic magic, or the use of lethal venoms from Hadda’s Poison House—to survive. For the Zharruk, every fight is a struggle for existence where honor is secondary to the sting of the viper.
Narethin is a kingdom governed by the ebb and flow of coin rather than the beat of war drums. As the masters of the Azure Sea’s trade routes, their priority is the preservation of commerce; they believe in making money long before they spend blood. War is viewed as a costly disruption to the lucrative fishing grounds and diamond mines that fuel their prosperity. Consequently, the Narethin people are shrewd negotiators and cautious strategists, often using their vast wealth to hire steel or manipulate diplomatic currents to avoid a direct, expensive conflict.
The Khetai River Kingdom sits precariously in the middle of Vasagarod’s shifting powers, characterized by a perpetual state of anxiety. Dense populations and a reliance on vulnerable riverways leave the people feeling exposed to the whims of their more aggressive neighbors. They believe their continued survival is a miracle granted solely by the blessings of the Goddess Irya. Their only true safety lies in the Sacred Irya Banks, the holy ground where ancient laws of neutrality prevent any army from raising a blade, allowing the Khetai to endure amidst the chaos.
Velthar is a massive military state whose culture is entirely forged around the power of the horse. They are the dominant force on the plains, having repeatedly raided Zharruk territory and seized land with a speed and ferocity that no other kingdom has yet learned to counter. With their elite Sadha horsemen and magically enhanced mounts, Velthar is the only faction viewed as a peer to Kharathuun’s military might. They move with the confidence of predators, knowing that on the open field, their charge is the most terrifying sound in the world.
Azarim is a realm of ice and stone where the environment itself serves as a merciless trainer. The harsh conditions of the Highlands have created a population that is entirely martial; it is the only kingdom where women fight as equals, rising through the ranks of the Feminine Spear Encampment. From a young age, every citizen is trained at the High Pass Centre to survive both the terrain and the enemy. The Azarim do not just live in the mountains; they are the mountains—unyielding, cold, and strategically positioned to overlook the world.
Sanquor is the undisputed master of espionage, wielding soft power with a lethal precision that the prideful Kharathuun cannot fathom. Through the "Gilded Lily" network, Sanquor has turned charm and intimacy into the ultimate weapon. It is whispered that if a noble shares a bed with a stranger, they can almost guarantee that person is an agent from Sanquor. They do not need massive armies when they can control the kings who lead them, using whispered secrets and the specialized Hall of Refined Arts to pull the strings of the entire North.
Gurval is a kingdom of miners and strongmen where every civilian is a potential soldier. Known as a "hard place to invade," its strength lies in a population hardened by subterranean labor and the uncompromising stone of the Highlands. Their sole university is dedicated entirely to mining studies, ensuring that every citizen understands the earth they defend. In times of threat, the miners of the Bustac Mine are known to drop their pickaxes for nailhead bombs and weapons, transforming from laborers into a formidable, fearless militia overnight.