The Kingdom of Aerthos, was a sprawling domain of verdant valleys, winding rivers, and ancient forests that whispered tales of bygone eras to those old enough to listen. It was a kingdom steeped in tradition, its foundations laid upon generations of noble lineage and the unwavering decrees of its monarchs.
The capital city, Valerius, was the gleaming heart of the nations power, its towering spires piercing the clouds, a testament to the kingdom's enduring prosperity and subtle iron grip, a place where the King's will was law.
The governance of Aerthos strikingly mirrored the feudal systems of medieval Europe, a comparison that Elias found both historically fascinating and personally frustrating.
At the absolute apex of the political structure sat the King, currently King Bethoric Zeppelin the Seventh. His authority was derived from both divine right, believed to be blessed by ancient powers, and the unwavering loyalties of his most powerful vassals.
Beneath the King were the Great Houses, a collection of ancient noble families, each granted vast tracts of land and considerable autonomy in exchange for their unwavering fealty and crucial military support. These powerful Dukes, Counts, Lords, and Ladies ruled their domains with near-absolute power, maintaining their own retinues of knights, collecting taxes, and administering justice according to the King's laws, albeit often with their own local interpretations and biases that sometimes led to simmering tensions and even outright rebellion among lesser lords.
Elias's father, Lord Alaric Auro Dukker of House Dukker, was not merely a high-ranking noble; he was one of the highest, sitting on the King's Privy Council, his wisdom sought on matters of war, diplomacy, and the delicate balance of power within the kingdom.
His ancestral seat, Blackwood Keep, was a formidable fortress nestled amidst the rolling hills of the central province, a strategic stronghold that commanded the passage of the Great River Solace, making his family indispensable to the Crown.
Lord Alaric's influence was vast, his decisions shaping the lives of thousands of Aerthosian subjects. Elias, the unwilling heir, recognized the immense weight of this legacy, a burden that now felt eternal.
The thought made him roll his eyes.
The class system in Aerthos was rigid, divided largely by birth. At the top were the Nobles, wielding political and economic power, often with inherent Flow abilities.
Below them were the Gentry, landowners without noble titles, sometimes Flow users but generally less powerful. The vast majority were Commoners, ranging from skilled artisans in the cities to the numerous serfs who worked the land. Flow users could emerge from any class, making the system somewhat permeable at an individual level, but power, even for a commoner Flow user, was almost always gained by attaching oneself to a noble house or arcane order.
Regardless of their origin, individuals of any race, even if there were half bloods with other races could be found anywhere. The lands of Aerthos, like the rest of world, were not exclusive to humans alone but to all races with Earthborn heritage. One might find cunning Fiend or half Akuma merchants in the markets ,stoic Nephilim or half Aether warriors guarding a the route to the palace , or even a reclusive Yaksha,that is half Akuma and half Aether scholar in a remote Aerthosian library.
This diversity was a quiet hum beneath the kingdom's rigid social structure, and while, naturally there was unrest and discomfort with the existence of halfblood living among the Earthborn,it was a constant reminder of the wider world.