# Region: The Discovery Coast > [!info] Quick Facts > | | | > |---|---| > | **Type** | Coastal Kingdom | > | **Capital** | [[Location - Alric's Keep]] | > | **Government** | Disputed Monarchy | > | **Ruler** | [[NPC - King Alric (Boy King)]] *(contested)* | > | **Continent** | [[Continent - Auken]] | > | **Climate** | Mild, pastoral | > [!map] View on Map > [Open Interactive Map →](https://hawksrepos.github.io/elvensong-map/?location=The%20Discovery%20Coast) > [!danger] Current Crisis > **Succession War Brewing** — A 12-year-old king faces a challenge from his 40-year-old great-uncle. Lords are choosing sides, and civil war looms. **The Discovery Coast** holds a position of immense historical weight as the first migratory state established in [[Continent - Auken]]. A land of pastoral beauty and political intrigue, it now faces its greatest crisis in centuries—a disputed royal succession that threatens to plunge the realm into civil war. ## Overview The Discovery Coast stretches along the eastern shores of Auken, characterized by beautiful rolling hills and lush, expansive forests. Unlike the harsh peaks of northern regions like [[Region - Eldvale]] or the untamed wilderness of the interior, the Coast is a land of stability and pastoral beauty where the rhythms of life have remained largely unchanged for centuries. The geography has fostered a peaceful way of life for the everyday folk, who reside in a patchwork of friendly farmsteads, small villages, and bustling market towns. ## History ### The Founding The Discovery Coast's origins lie in the overseas expansion of the **Kingdom of Marris**, the ancient predecessor to the modern [[Continent - Edaria|Edarian]] nation of **Scavania**. Following a bitter splintering of the Marris royal family, the third son of King Edward—a youth named **Prince Alric**—departed his homeland with a vast contingent of soldiers and colonizers to claim new territory. Their first foothold was the offshore island of [[Location - Eestmor]], which served as a staging ground before they crossed to the mainland to construct the monumental [[Location - Alric's Keep]], a fortress that remains the heart of the realm to this day. ### The Alric Tradition By long-standing tradition, the reigning monarch always bears the name of the founder. The current King Alric traces a direct lineage back to that first adventurous prince, maintaining an unbroken chain of succession spanning centuries. ## Government ### The Succession Crisis The ancient succession has recently been plunged into a deep political crisis. A rival within the bloodline has come forward to declare himself the true King Alric, resulting in a fractured monarchy where two individuals now claim the same throne: - **[[NPC - King Alric (Boy King)]]** - The sitting monarch, a twelve-year-old boy - **[[NPC - King Alric (Great-Uncle)]]** - The challenger, a forty-year-old man of significant influence and ambition While rumors of an impending civil war grow louder within the halls of [[Location - Alric's Keep]], the general population remains largely indifferent to the dynastic struggle. For the farmers and merchants of the Discovery Coast, daily life continues under the sun-dappled hills, with most folk caring little for which Alric wears the crown so long as the peace of the realm is maintained. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the larger towns has become increasingly tense as lords and soldiers are forced to choose sides in a conflict that threatens to end the coast's long era of calm. ## Notable Locations ### Settlements & Fortresses - **[[Location - Alric's Keep]]** - The monumental fortress at the heart of the realm, seat of the monarchy - **[[Location - Eestmor]]** - The offshore island that served as the original staging ground for colonization - **[[Location - Prince's Cove]]** - Secluded cove housing the [[Faction - House of the Crown]] ### Landmarks - **[[Landmark - Pillars of the First King]]** - Jagged stone formations near Prince's Cove, site of the House of the Crown's crooked castle ### Borders - **Frassand** - Southern border region - The southern regions near Frassand and the villages surrounding the capital are particularly troubled by the conflict between the [[Faction - Blue Blades]] and nobility's private security ## Organizations ### [[Faction - Blue Blades]] Flagrant and flamboyant magical thieves who have cultivated a reputation for theatricality. Operating from hidden camps within the local forests, they frequently ambush noble caravans on the road. While they prefer to avoid lethality, their presence has sparked a desperate arms race with the nobility's private security. The Blue Blades remain beloved by the commonfolk, as they often distribute their stolen riches to improve the very towns and villages they call home. They have since expanded operations to other regions, including a small presence in [[City - Silverwall]]. ### [[Faction - Chains of Service]] An iron-fisted security firm that hires ex-convicts and recently freed prisoners to guard noble assets. They serve as the primary opposition to the Blue Blades and are employed by the nobility to protect their caravans and estates. ### [[Faction - House of the Crown]] A sect of strange and devoted sorcerers who dedicate their magical lives to the preservation of the throne. They reside in a crooked castle perched among the [[Landmark - Pillars of the First King]] within [[Location - Prince's Cove]]. Through ancient and secretive rituals, they weave enchantments intended to maintain the mystical power of the Alric bloodline—rites to which no outsider is ever privy. By long-standing tradition, the highest-ranking member of this house occupies a permanent seat on the royal council, providing the King with sage advice and acting as a mystical anchor for the state. ## Culture The people of the Discovery Coast are predominantly descended from the original Marris colonizers, maintaining traditions and customs brought across the sea centuries ago. Life centers around farming, trade, and the rhythms of the pastoral countryside. Unlike the martial culture of [[City - Silverwall]] or the harsh survivalism of [[Region - Eldvale]], the Coast values stability, community, and the simple pleasures of rural life. ## Foreign Relations - **Kingdom of Marris / Scavania** - Ancient homeland on [[Continent - Edaria]]; historical ties through the founding bloodline - **[[City - Silverwall]]** - The [[Faction - Blue Blades]] maintain a small presence there, having originated on the Discovery Coast ## Connections - Part of [[Continent - Auken]] - Historical ties to **Scavania** on [[Continent - Edaria]] (successor state to the Kingdom of Marris) - [[Faction - Blue Blades]] originated here before spreading to [[City - Silverwall]] ## Story Hooks & Mysteries > [!note] Potential Plot Threads > - **The Succession Crisis**: Which Alric is the rightful king? What would a civil war mean for the region and its neighbors? > - **House of the Crown's Secrets**: What are the "ancient and secretive rituals" they perform? What mystical power does the Alric bloodline actually possess? > - **The Blue Blades**: Robin Hood-style thieves beloved by the people—potential allies or complications? > - **Chains of Service**: An organization built on ex-convicts—what stories do these "reformed" criminals carry? > - **The Kingdom of Marris**: What caused the "bitter splintering" of the royal family that led to the colonization? ![[Pasted image 20260131085758.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260131085806.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260131085814.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260131085820.png]]