Chapter Text
Once upon a time, long, long ago, there stood two neighboring kingdoms, Palosia and Deawen.
Palosia was a kingdom of art, where painters, dancers, and musicians flourished under scarlet banners. Markets sold goods from every corner of the earth, along with beautiful treasures, master winemakers, and delicious, aromatic dishes.
Deawen, on the other hand, was a land of industry and science. The people prided themselves on using their minds and their hands to achieve wonders. Under their violet flags, architects created magnificent buildings, blacksmiths forged unbreakable steel items, scientists made discoveries, and philosophers and writers enriched the minds of the public.
The two kingdoms happily traded with each other, allowing both to have a variety of goods. But beneath the surface, their relationship was strained, neither kingdom understanding the other’s ways and customs.
King Fernando of Palosia sought to remedy this. A kind-hearted, generous king, Fernando wished to befriend his neighbor and share their cultures with each other to improve both their lands. He invited King Manuel of Deawen to Palosia, hoping to forge an alliance. King Manuel, a man known for his ambition and intelligence, agreed, seeing the economic and political benefits.
But the alliance would never come to be. After a performance from the Palosian royal dancers and a lavish feast, the royals retired to bed for the night. But the following morning, both kings and their respective queens were found dead in their beds. King Manuel and Queen Isla had been poisoned, and King Fernando and Queen Catalina had their throats slit.
Devastation turned to rage as the surviving princes immediately blamed the other for their parents’ deaths. A ruthless sword fight broke out, and both princes were injured. Not wishing to see more of his countrymen die, Deawen’s Grand Sorcerer cast a spell that sent the prince, the bodies of his parents, and everyone else from Deawen back home.
The two princes recovered from their wounds, and were crowned king. But the once tentative friendship between the kingdoms was broken. From that day forward, Palosia and Deawen were bitter enemies, competing against each other and loathing the other with every bit of their being. Every generation was told the story of Palosia’s or Deawen’s supposed betrayal, and every new royal, noble, and citizen was roped into the rivalry. And so it continued for hundreds of years.
And now, 500 years after that fateful day, we find these two kingdoms on the cusp of war…