The continent of Eltheria was once unified under the Treaty of the Five Banners—a fragile alliance forged between five powerful cities to keep peace after centuries of bloodshed. But peace is a thin veil… and recently, it has begun to tear.

The Cities:

Marlan (Northwest): A fortified port city known for its elite naval fleet, run by a war-minded council of admirals. Smoke rises from its forges day and night. Outsiders say steel speaks louder than the coin in Marlan.

Krial (East): A city of scholars and magic, its spires shine with arcane energy. Krial’s Mage-Consulate wields power that rivals kings, and rumors speak of dangerous time-bending experiments in their Grand Tower.

Deganva (South): Nestled in the cliffs and jungles, Deganva is ruled by merchant princes and guided by ancient jungle spirits. It is a trade hub for rare herbs, beast parts, and artifacts. Power here is bought and sold.

Cyklan (Center): The old capital of the Five Banners. Its marble palaces are crumbling, and its people are divided. The ruling monarch, King Velmior III, is sickly, and the royal court teems with spies and shifting allegiances.

Ovid (Far West): A once-isolated mountain city, Ovid has opened its gates after centuries. It is home to powerful druids and elementalists. Its sudden political interest has many suspecting that something ancient has awakened beneath the stone.

The scene opens in the cracked tavern of Cyklan’s Lower Quarter. Rain pounds the stone streets outside. You sit around a flickering hearth as a courier stumbles in, soaked and panicked.

Courier (shivering, holding a scroll): “You lot! You’re on the Mercenary Ledger, aye? The pact is broken. The treaty’s fallen! Marlan’s navy fired on Deganva ships last night—fire and flame over the southern sea. Krial’s scryers saw it all, but they won’t act. They never do. And... and Ovid’s druids? They’re marching. The roots are rising."

He throws the sealed scroll into your lap.

Courier (whispers): “If you care for the coin, country—or something bigger—you'll need to choose a side. Or make your own."