Grandiaga
The kingdom of Grandiaga is small country to the north of Sarthia and one of Sarthia’s trade rivals. Grandiaga is led by King Meothion, a self-proclaimed narcissist and ruler of the greatest nation in all of Terran. He is known for being eccentric and making strange demands, but the economy seems to be doing fine and his subjects seem to tolerate him. If anything, his outgoing nature and obsession with making everything beautiful tend to fuel the tourism industry.
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Politics
Having a singular ruler seated in Brillia, Grandiaga's laws primarily come from Meothion and his council. The laws aren't particularly strict, and neither is their reinforcement. Nevertheless, cities in Grandiaga often keep their own, small militia to defend their citizens should any problems arise, and Meothion himself has his Royal Guards, who are ready to intervene wherever and whenever they are needed.
Grandiaga is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by King Meothion. Meothion typically surrounds himself with a group of advisors who form his inner council. Any new laws that Meothion may want to impose upon the people of Grandiaga must first be approved by the council, thus limiting his power to some degree. In spite of his antics, the people of Grandiaga are somewhat fond of their king and do not complain about his rule too much.
- The Rose Radiance - The most influential faction in Grandiaga besides the king himself, the Rose Radiance is a guild consisting of Grandiaga's finest gardeners. Their services are expensive, but the floral arrangements they create are always marvelous.
- The Garden of the Moon Thread - Grandiaga is full of wealthy individuals looking to fill their coffers with even more gold than what they already have. Should they ally with the Garden, their mansions will make for a perfect hiding spot.
- Cerulean Concord - Grandiaga is their main source of income. The citizens adore enchanted goods, especially decorative furniture, jewellery and clothing. Enchanted bead curtains are the latest trend in Brillia, and if your neighbor's curtains don't wave at you as you pass by, then their house is positively out of style.
Economy
Grandiaga likewise frequently hires mercenaries from other countries, primarily to protect its towns from void reapers and other hostile wildlife.
In Grandiaga, even the citizens working the most mundane jobs are fairly wealthy, and as such, no particular occupation is viewed as 'lesser' or less desirable. The most prestigious job in terms of precision and reputation is that of a gardener, tending the country's many decorative flowerbeds and planters.
Culture
Citizens of Grandiaga typically worship the god of Matter, but they're very open-minded and accept all sorts of religions. Travelers passing through the region are likely to receive blessings from the locals, wishing for their safe journey to their destination.
International Relations
Djama and Inor both have good ties with Grandiaga as well, primarily through trade.
Grandiaga's relations with Drakhan are tense at best. They import minerals from Drakhan, but any and all trade deals are made with extreme care and caution. In light of its attack on Sorcas Islands, the little trade Grandiaga had with Drakhan has grown even more sparse, and tensions between the two countries are on the rise.
On Sorcas Islands, Grandiaga supports the rebels fighting against Drakhan, though very subtly.
Factions
Rose Radiance
Neutral GoodThe Rose Radiance is a faction of Grandiaga's finest gardeners. The members maintain amicable ties among each other, though the faction is fiercely competitive and 'stealing' clients from one another is not an uncommon practice. In spite of the cutthroat environment, the Radiance members are remarkably friendly towards one another, and harbor no spite for transgressions against them from their fellow gardeners. It is said that being a member of the Radiance turns competition into an art form, and only the most patient and forgiving of individuals are suited for the task at hand.
As flowers and flower arrangement are a crucial part of just about any event in Grandiaga, from minor announcements to weddings, funerals, and Meothion's lavish parties, Rose Radiance members are a constant across the nation, and work is never scarce. It is common for Radiance members to own imposing mansions decorated with artfully arranged flora for others to admire. Members of the Radiance commonly wear rose-themed jewelry to show their membership in the faction. Their preferred rose color is yellow.
Joining the Radiance requires skill and patience. Every year, the organization hosts a contest in Brillia to pit the nation's finest gardeners against one another in order to select a few suitable individuals to start their own journey within the faction. It is impossible to become a member of the Radiance outside of this contest.
Rose Radiance rules are simple, and breaking them is punished by a short-term ban on high-profile work activities, a fine, or removal from the faction.
- Members are to always conduct themselves properly and politely. Unnecessary arguments and bickering will not be tolerated.
- Any and all competitive practices are permitted. Sabotage, bribery, anything is allowed as long as all it endangers is the career of your competitor.
- Members are to harbor no ill will towards each other for the aforementioned competitive practices. This is less a formal rule and more a habit among the Radiance members, and any who do not adhere to it are quickly removed from the organization.
- Radiance members' homes are sacred ground. No competitive practices are to take place there.
The Peony Prince ◈
Merellien Elafir is the current leader of the Rose Radiance, and members of the faction commonly use his name rather than his title to refer to him. He is an Inoran magus whose penchant for growing flowering crops led him all the way to Grandiaga. His word is the law in the Radiance, and he carries an aura of authority and elegance wherever he goes.
The Inflorescent Bards
The elite of the faction; often its most ruthless members, ready to sacrifice anything and everything for the ability to reach the highest-ranking contracts. In spite of their air of authority, the Bards are more of an informal subgroup within the Radiance and a member of the faction may be accepted among them simply due to being liked by one of the existing Bards. Favoritism is not a negative thing in the Radiance - members bear no ill will towards one another.
'The Greenery'
An amusing term used universally by members of the faction as well as outsiders to refer to all gardeners in the Radiance collectively. Rose Radiance members typically form smaller subgroups beyond this nickname:
- Roses of White, who commonly prepare arrangements for funerals and similar services
- Roses of Red, who maintain Grandiaga's public spaces and parks
- Roses of Purple, who provide floral arrangements for social events and parties
- Roses of Pink, who provide floral decorations for weddings, proposals, anything related to romance
- Roses of Blue, who usually create floral arrangements for serious occasions such as school graduation ceremonies, opening ceremonies, etc.
Notable Characters
MeothionKing Meothion rules the Kingdom of Grandiaga. He is the wisest and most handsome ruler in all of Terran and as such has the undying loyalty and love of every single one of his subjects. Just look at them; don't they just look so thrilled to simply be in his presence? His butler will pull you aside and tell you apologetically that he's not that bad. Quite full of himself and a bit eccentric, but a decent ruler nonetheless. |
AratumalMeothion's husband. When he was young, his affinity for nature and magic capable of influencing it led to him working as the Royal Gardener in Brillia, where a certain young king caught his attention. The love story that followed puts even the sappiest of Terran's romance novel authors to shame. Meothion has had a private garden constructed for him, where Aratumal works in the peace and quiet he has always wanted. In spite of possessing powerful magic, Aratumal prefers honing his physical strength, and is capable of effortlessly lifting even the heaviest of planters and tools. |
BartholomewKing Meothion rules the Bartholomew is a wealthy Niravar living in Grandiaga. He is very reckless with his money and buys things on a whim - just recently, he bought an excessively luxurious ship he lovingly named 'The Little Lightning'. He claims to be a 'professional cartographer', but many have heard him say it while holding a map upside down, so the truthfulness of that claim is questionable at best. He is the cousin of Darteri, but out of the two of them, Bartholomew believes himself to be the real expert when it comes to mapmaking. |
Void Reaper Presence
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GeographyTo say Grandiaga's landscape is a reflection of its citizens would be a vast understatement. Grandiaga's geography has been shaped to the core by the wealthy Niravar and humanoids that inhabit it: castles, chateaus, gardens, parks, and walkways dot the landscape, and it is only in the countryside that the well-manicured flora turns into deep, sprawling forests. Even there, Grandiaga upholds its reputation as a 'kingdom of flowers' - wild blooms can be found practically every step of the way throughout the nation. The flora grows particularly tall and vibrant around the railways that criss-cross Grandiaga. And, if you are fortunate, you may just be in the right place at the right time to see a Steamheart Strider run past.
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BrilliaSituated on the shore of Lake Melirial, Brillia is the capital of Grandiaga and home to King Meothion and his palace. The palace itself is a sprawling complex full of tacky gold decor and heavily-scented flowers. In the courtyard is Brillia’s Aether Pool - a sizable Pool that has been surrounded with a low stone wall, some benches, and even more flowers. It would be beautiful if not for all the bees that are attracted to the flowers. |
OrialeOriale is a peaceful, sizable town close to the border of Sarthia. Much of the trade with Sarthia happens here. The town's layout is circular, and the streets are filled with the gentle smell of cooking food. Locals tend to leave their windows wide open, allowing passers-by to glance inside their kitchens and dining rooms. |
SeyorSeyor is Grandiaga’s port town. Traders from Sarthia, Drakhan, and Djama regularly drop anchor here and its taverns are always warm and rowdy. The constant political strife between these four nations means that bar brawls are frequent and tavern owners are often brawnier than the local law enforcement. |
TybernoaRevealed rather dramatically as it plummeted from the sky, Tybernoa is a relic of the Niravaran culture from before the Cataclysm. The Ancient Niravar - Quall - watches over the immense tree at the heart of the island, ensuring the magic that gives the library its flight never falters. Tybernoa follows a slow path around all regions of Terran so that the collected knowledge is accessible to as many Nir as possible - assuming they can find a way up. |
Armere A small port town on the north coast of Grandiaga, Armere often sees traders from Drakhan on their way to Seyor. It was here that the expedition to study and map the Galterel Archipelago was launched, with Darteri and his cousin Bartholomew at the head. The inside of the town hall still has the scorch marks from Void - the Smoldering Barbed Thrush that set the expedition in motion. |