An Idea is Born:
Kingdoms of forbidden magic
Two courts between tense allies, living together to try and improve relations
One king (the host) with 3 sons, 2 daughters, the one who demanded the banishment of magic
Militaristic country, becoming an empire, taking over kingdoms and spreading ever outwards
Other king (visiting) on his 3rd wife, 3 daughters and wife pregnant
A powerful king, able to hold his own against the threatening kingdom, but wants to avoid war so is trying to ally with growing empire. He loves his daughters but wants a son
This is a really rough start of an idea for a thread that I’d put in Other because we have too many fantasy threads and the magic is illegal and therefore not a driving force in the thread, and I can do whatever I want.
This is the World of Lorelia. It is young, but well developed. Tribes and patch sewn trading networks have grown into Kingdoms, rife with society, culture, and politics. At the beginning of the evolution, there came to be 5 kingdoms: (4 to be named, for now Northern Kingdom, Empire, Middle Kingdom, and Southern Kingdom), and Ceras.
The Northern Kingdom is a frigid mistress, dark and often stormy, but home to great and massive forests that cover the land far as the eye can see, even high into their mountains. The finest houses and boats in the world are crafted from wood of the Northern Kingdom, for none is as coveted as theirs. As high as their mountains go, is how deep their mines go as well, deep into the land drawing out stone, iron, and precious materials used throughout the world.
The middle kingdom, though small, used to be the home of the greatest port in all of Lorelia, and as such prospered as one of the richest countries in the world. It became the first target in the Empire’s conquest, destroying them so thoroughly that they ceased to exist, simply becoming a part of Empire. The nobles, fearing the loss of their wealth, swore fealty to the king of Empire and pay hefty taxes to fund his conquests.
The Southern Kingdom is a tropical kingdom, lush and the source of most produce in Lorelia. They are a free people, tied to the land and nature herself, relying on old tribal ways. Despite this, they are still a powerful, shamanistic Kingdom that, when threatened, band together into a formidable army. Ancient magic flows through the Southern Kingdom, aiding their farms and crops, and in their culture, it is said a giant sleeps beneath the ground, breathing life into the their land. Some chiefs and shamans are able to access this magic directly.
The Empire is large, the largest of the kingdoms and growing ever larger. Abundant in farmland, population, and varying climates, Empire is a powerful Kingdom who controlled most of the land in Lorelia even before their dominion began. While their economy is powerful, it is their military that is their strong point. Since the dawn of time their peoples were hardened, tough, proper rule followers. Loyalty ran thick in their blood, and they took pride in serving their land, and being the best. Those in charge seized upon this mind set, setting in place rules that forced every boy into training and then service, and those who wouldn’t or couldn’t, joined the legion of priests in training at the seminaries.
You see, Empire is a strict follower of (insert religion here), the god of which is Lor. The belief system and doctrines in place permeate the Kingdom, where Priests and other holy figures are as revered as nobleman and even the king himself. The main idea of the religion is that magic users have stolen it from Lor (as opposed to being blessed with it), and thus are thieves and heretics. (Will flesh out the religion later)
Empire continued to grow in strength and numbers, and wanted to spread their power until they were the only power in the world, and so their conquests began. It started with the Middle Kingdom, and then, completely blocked off and terrorized by blockades, the Northern Kingdom fell quickly as well. The Southern Kingdom fought for 10 long years before succumbing, but when the Empire set its eyes on Ceras, it hesitated.
Ceras was the twin to Empire, equal in size before the subjugation began. They are fire to its ice, water to its stone; their loyalty is based in love, whereas Empire’s is based in pride. That does not mean they are weaker in any way, for truly they are the Empire’s equal. Though they don’t have the military prowess, they have numbers and technologies far more advanced than that of Empire’s, or any of the kingdoms. Catapults, trebuchets, giant cross bows, even cannons were beginning to appear amidst their armies.
They are also followers of the religion of Lor and, though less strict and open to looser interpretation, also believe magic to be heresy and indicative of criminals, thus, it is illegal in Ceras as well. Now that Empire controls all of Lorelia besides Ceras, magic is illegal worldwide.
The Ceras Isles are technically a part of Ceras (Need names as well), but function independently of the King and crown. The two largest islands function as nonaligned trading centers and are run by a parliament of Merchants, while the third and smallest island is the international prison.
Ceras’ king is intent on avoiding the bloody war that would surely come, so, although a tense peace already exists, he wants to improve it. Firstly by joining their houses through marriage, but also spending time experiencing the other’s culture. The thread would be based on the king, his family, and the noble court of Ceras spending time in Empire, at that king’s castle with him, his family, and the noble court of Empire. We would take characters within those two courts, the children and nobles are up for grab besides the ones I’m taking.
Magic IS forbidden, but where’s the fun in not secretly having magic. My idea is that Ceras’ line is POTENT with magic, but the kings and queen of previous generations have voluntarily had it eradicated from them as a way to cleanse them and make them holy again. The current king believes that his children are the first of the line to not be “cursed” with magic, but their mother (now dead) just got really good at hiding it, and teaching them how to hide it. All three daughters have magic, up to the character development that occurs as to what it is. My idea is that one of the sons of Empire also has magic and is deathly afraid of it and hates himself, and the daughters find awkward friendship in helping him control and hide it, etc.
Taking criticisms, likes, what to change, what to keep, this is a very rough rough rough draft and please, suggest characters, personalities, claim princes and princesses and make guards having secret affairs, or sneaky noblemen and backstabbing ladies! It is all up in te air atm
