Magic and Politics

While the neighboring kingdoms are only loosely explored within the game, two major powers influence some of the game’s events. The Kingdom of Heren borders the academy, more specifically, the city of Ormaar, which is closely allied with Trinity Academy. To the south of the academy lies the Empire of Ravia, which seeks to gain more magical influence. The Empire and Heren have a loose peace agreement despite often getting into skirmishes over the border.

Heren has one major traderoute that leads directly through the forest to the neighboring city of Ormaar. Small but politically powerful, Ormaar’s local politicians work closely with the academy as their entire economy is reliant on being the staple trading route for exports and imports from the Academy. Players will get to explore the city of Ormaar, a few neighboring villages, and a special magical animal breeder’s home near the base of the mountains.
Ormaar is the central hub for members of the Academy to socialize outside of the estate’s grounds. Pubs, theatres, gambling halls, and brothels thrive in the Gleo [gl-eh-o] District, while a few blocks over, the Tole [t-oh-lay] District is home to craftsmen, the Trade Authority, and political offices of the Chieftain who leads the city. Many citizens of Ormaar work within the academy in some kind of capacity as domestic staff and travel back and forth. Due to its location near the Academy and having the solid support of the kingdom’s capital, Ormaar is quite a peaceful city and has not suffered at the hands of Ravia in border skirmishes. Security is tight along the path from the town to the Academy, and even tighter on the trade route, which means battalions of patrolling soldiers from Heren’s capital city are often rolling in.
Larger in size and population, Ravia has long wanted to dissolve the close relationship between Heren and the Academy. Ravia and Heren push the limits of their peace agreement regularly, Heren desiring more land and Ravia desiring to absorb the kingdom for a stronger, united continent. As the major power of the world, Ravia’s monarchy also desires to have control of magic law and practice. The Academy has resisted this influence and has gone out of its way to sabotage any foothold Ravia has made in creating their magic order by recruiting major magical political actors to their ranks. Players will get to spend some time playing on the border of Ravia and Heren, and while political tensions will be mentioned, it will not be a major location of the gameplay.