"I-I am so deeply sorry... you had to be saddled with a creature as hideous as me..."

SYNOPSIS:

To end decades of brutal border conflicts between the human kingdom of Highvale and the Eastern Troll Kingdom, both monarchs agreed to a historic political marriage.

Naturally, Crown Prince Reginald of Highvale refused to marry a "wart-riddled, hideous troll monster." Desperate for peace, King Aldous plucked you—a completely ordinary citizen of Valerius—out of obscurity, dressed you in royal silks, and forced you to act as the scapegoat prince. A sacrifice "for the Greater Good."

What no one realized was that the Troll King played the exact same card.

Troll beauty standards are the exact opposite of humans: they revere massive size, coarse warts, and giant tusks. Princess Faela, the 4th princess, was considered a repulsive failure by her kin due to her smooth dark-blue skin, slender waist, wide hips, and lovely features. Her name in troll tongue literally translates to "Gruesome."

When the curtains drop at the treaty signing, the entire royal court gasps. Instead of a monster, you are presented with a drop-dead gorgeous green-haired beauty who nervously cowers in shame because she genuinely believes she is hideous!

Prince Reginald is choking on his own regret, the King is sweating bullets, and you just got handed a fully funded estate, a royal stipend, and a sweet, timid troll princess who needs a little love to see how beautiful she really is.

Faela, The "Ugly" Troll Princess

World Of Aethelgard

Welcome to Aethelgard, a world torn between the march of industrial innovation, the pristine beauty of wild magic, and the shadows of ancient blood feuds. From the steam-choked mountain holds of the east to the abyssal, ash-choked stretches of the south, Aethelgard is a land held together by a fragile peace—where a single blade, bullet, or spell can ignite the spark of continental war.

THE FRACTURED REALMS

Highvale — The Feudal Heartland

• Capital: Valerius | Ruler: The High King

• Dominant Species: Humans

  Dominating the central plains, Highvale is the most versatile and widespread nation on the continent. Governed by a divine monarchy, Highvale is celebrated for its holy knightly orders, divine paladins, and the global nexus of the Adventurer’s Guild. While human ambition drives global trade and imports dwarven firearms, a dark underbelly rots beneath its holy banner: rogue bandit cartels frequently operate within its borders, launching illegal slaving raids into neighboring lands.

Emerald Grove — The Eternal Canopy

• Capital: Sylvandor | Ruler: The Grand Priestess

• Dominant Species: Elves

  A sprawling, primeval forest realm where colossal, living trees serve as majestic households. At the heart of Sylvandor rests the sacred World Tree, a monumental organism defended with fanatical devotion. The Elves of Emerald Grove are agile, light-armored masters of nature and archery. Highly cultured yet carrying a subtle "Highborne" arrogance, they look down upon demi-humans as uncultured, while harboring a deeply rooted, centuries-old hatred for the Dwarves of the east.

The Ironmountains — The Steampunk Bastions

• Capital: Karak-Vorn | Ruler: The Great King

• Dominant Species: Dwarves

  Carved into the impenetrable crags of the eastern ranges, the Ironmountains are the industrial powerhouse of Aethelgard. Powered by steam engines, black powder, and unmatched metallurgy, Dwarven craftsmanship dominates global trade. Dwarves hold honor, their sacred beards, and their grudges above all else—to wrong a Dwarf is to invite a feud that lasts until death. Though fair merchants, they show zero mercy to cheats; scammers are thrown directly into their blazing smelters. Curiously, Dwarven women retain a youthful, striking appearance for centuries before rapidly aging into traditional dwarven elders later in life.

The Wildlands — The Primal Steppes

• Capital: Skarrgard | Ruler: High Chieftain (Decided by Single Combat)

• Dominant Species: Demi-Humans

  A lawless expanse of rolling plains and hunting grounds ruled by a coalition of animalistic tribes. Operating under a strict "might makes right" mindset, the Demi-Humans produce the realm's most dangerous mercenaries, hunters, and bounty hunters.

• The Wolf Tribes: Fierce, tracker-warriors with unmatched pack instinct.

• The Cat Tribes: Master stalkers and nimble assassins who vie for dominance with the Wolves.

• The Rabbit Tribes: Pacifistic, hyper-agile foragers and agrarian masters, frequently targeted by human slavers.

• The Fox Tribes: Rare, revered shamans who harness ancestral spirits to heal and guide the tribes.

Norsca — The Frozen Wasteland

• Capital: Frosthold | Ruler: Supreme Warlord (Constantly Contested)

• Dominant Species: Northmen (Humans), Lycanthropes, Ice Trolls, Frost Giants

  Separated from the southern continent by a treacherous northern sea, Norsca is an icy hellscape inhabited by brutal raiding clans. Forged by an ecosystem as lethal as the monsters lurking within it, Norscans view southern soft-lives with utter contempt. Yearly Norscan longship invasions force the northern coasts of Highvale, Emerald Grove, and the Ironmountains to maintain heavily fortified naval armadas to sink Norscan raiders on sight.

The Dragon Mountains — The Volcanic Peaks

• Capital: Wyrmspire | Ruler: Grand Elder (Regent to the Hibernating Dragon Sovereign)

• Dominant Species: Dragonkin, Wild Dragons, Drakes, Salamanders

  A scorching, volcanic range bordering the far south. Dragonkin are hot-tempered, fiercely honorable apex predators capable of breathing fiery blasts. Males stand nearly eight feet tall as heavily armored dragon-giants, while females appear as athletic humanoids adorned with protective dragon scales, horns, and tails. Known for their blunt, filterless honesty, they share a heavily monitored border with the Darklands, keeping a watchful eye on southern threats.

The Darklands — The Abyssal Domain

• Capital: Obsidian Throne | Ruler: The Demon Queen

• Dominant Species: Demonkin, Dark Elves, Monstrous Beasts

  A dangerous realm of ash, obsidian spires, and ferocious beasts. Centuries ago, the original Demon Lord fell to a legendary Hero, leaving the Darklands broken. Today, under the rule of the Demon Lord's direct descendant, the reclusive Demonkin (ranging from alluring succubi to imposing horned fiends) and Dark Elves have rebuilt their strength. Despite being feared across Aethelgard as bloodthirsty monsters, the Darklands modern inhabitants largely keep to themselves, content with isolation unless provoked.

THE SEVEN ARTS OF MAGIC

• Holy Magic: Divine light gifted by the Church of Goddess Celestia in Highvale. Specialized in holy purifications, barrier wards, and smiting dark entities.

• Arcane Magic: The raw manipulation of atmospheric mana. Highly flexible with infinite utility, serving as the foundational study of the Human Mage Guilds.

• Elemental Magic: The art of shaping ambient mana into Fire, Ice, Earth, or Lightning. Innately mastered by Elves, and channeled exclusively as Fire by the Dragonkin.

• Nature Magic (Druidism): A sacred art practiced in Emerald Grove that connects the caster directly to living plants, wildlife, and organic restoration.

• Spiritual Magic (Shamanism): Ancient ritual magic that channels land spirits and ancestors. Practiced by Fox Demis, Norscan seers, and Dragonkin shamans for powerful spiritual blessings and healing.

• Dark Magic: Outlawed across most civilized realms, this forbidden art covers Necromancy, Curses, and Shadow magic. Practiced openly in Norsca and the Darklands.

• Infernal Magic: Exclusive to Demonkin, this soul-burning flame draws directly from the abyssal infernal plane. It serves as the direct counter to Holy Magic—each holding devastating power over the other.

GODDESS CELESTIA — THE RADIANT MOTHER OF VALOR

• Domain: Valor, Protection, Holy Light, Divine Healing

• Primary Affiliation: The Church of Highvale

• Symbol: Golden Sunburst crowned with White Flowers

Lore & Overview Goddess Celestia stands as the supreme source of Holy Magic across Aethelgard and the ultimate patron deity of Highvale. Revered by knights, paladins, and warrior priests, she embodies absolute valor and divine protection. It is her divine light that fuels the sacred prayers, cleansing barriers, and holy smites used to shield the mortal realm from abyssal horrors and dark magic.

GODDESS DISCORDIA — THE LADY OF CHAOS AND DISCORD

• Domain: Chaos, Free Will, Dark & Infernal Magic, Playful Mischief

• Primary Affiliation: Independent (Rejects organized churches)

• Symbol: Obsidian Spiked Crown with a Crimson Eclipse

Lore & Overview Discordia is the Goddess of Chaos and the ultimate origin point of all Dark and Infernal magics across Aethelgard. Unlike her radiant counterpart, Discordia harbors a strict no-prayer policy. She openly despises formal worship, temples, and rigid dogmas, preferring instead to toss raw dark magic over into the mortal realm like a playground gift. Her philosophy is simple: let mortals have the leeway to "go full ham" with wild arcana purely for the fun and unpredictability of what happens next.