The Encyclopedia of Sanctum

Aestagia (realm)

"Over the mountains did I come to a sea of flowering color, full of new life. Though we were sheltered from the warm hope of the southern wind, it was proven here that nothing could hinder the light."
- Eristar

The Kingdom of Aestagia is a realm in Sanctum's Westlands, settled in the Second Age but formally founded in 301 of the Fourth Age. Nestled in an isolated corner of Sanctum, Aestagia surprisingly became the center and seat of the great Asterian Empire and had influence over all of Sanctum into the Fifth Age. Much of Sanctum's technology can be traced back to the plains of the Aithos, and it quickly became one of the strongest realms in the history of Sanctum. But who was surprised, after all, Aestagia was the second and final kingdom that was ruled by a deity.

Wildflowers in the Garden Hills

History

Second Age

The region known as "Aithos" was first settled in the Second Age by Drasgarnians, who migrated over the Rym Aithos during the final years of the Dragon Wars. The land east of the mountains was colder, drier, and less fertile, but at least here were no dragons. These folk established small settlements and villages and generally followed a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, becoming one with the land. Many of them were migratory farmers and travelled with animal herds across the land as the seasons changed. This region remained an unorganized fief of Drasgarnia, its inhabitants a quiet folk who kept to themselves and showed little loyalty to their king. But they delivered a portion of their harvests to the capital and that was all that mattered. Culturally estranged, over time they developed their own identity, calling themselves the "Aithos," and naming things after flowers, refusing their Drasgarnian roots. Aithos meant "folk of the flowers" or "flower folk."

The Aithos, the folk of the flowers

The Aithos had no leader and were a scattering of nomadic tribes whose lands often changed with the winds. They were described as an innocent and hard working folk. But anyone who dwelt on the Lorem Aithos all worshipped the Scantusesith, the colorless dragon who lived in the southern peaks. The Scantusesith, known as Scantus, was the only Dresith friendly to humankind, and it defended the Aithos from harm. Scantus often waylaid Drasgarnian troops that marched over the mountains and who were there only to impose further governance and take helpless peasants for labor. Aithos was fully taken over by Drasgarnia in S.A. 374, but the Aithos along with Scantus united and revolted, and the Drasgarnian troops slowly departed the region over the course of the next century. They still refused to acknowledge Aithos's independence, eventually deeming the land unimportant and devoid of resources as an excuse. Drasgarnia finally left the Aithos alone around the Third Age and heard nothing more from them.