Preface: A Story Foretold

21 1 0
                                    

In Aetherea, where the skies whisper secrets and the earth trembles with ancient powers, kindreds will carve their destinies in the expense of blood and honor.

At the zenith of authority soar the Aethereons - the last kin of royalty and the ancient blood of Royal Sky Riders. They are the masters of the heavens as they control the Grand Felidonts - ancient beasts who walked the old Earth and dwell in the greatest sanctuary harboring all the Grand beasts of Aethereons - the High Keep Sanctuary. Their claws, scales, and colossal wings dictate their enigmatic aura and might.

The Aethereons command the winds and rule with unparalleled splendor, their presence a harbinger of both awe, and reverence. In battle, their triumph is certain, as every hundred foes fall at their feet, leaving no scaled beast harmed or slain in their wake.

Beneath them stand the Daerothrions - Weapon Lords and the sons of conquerors. Their prowess is seen unmatched in the art of combat as their weapons are made of an unmatched iron, the 'Daerothrion Steel', which can only be found and harvested in the heart of Coldwrath, honed a cold fire steel of swords and arrows that shaped the course of battles.

While the Daerothrions are known for their lethal weapons, shoulder to shoulder with valor march the Draelaryons. Being the Warriors of Old, they are undeniably worthy of their calling as steadfast Strong Arms of King's Legion - the feared Aethereal army. They are the closest ally of the royal family from the South, embodying chivalry and loyalty in every stride. Clad in armor that gleams with promise of protection as they are the defenders of the Aethereal throne and the Aethereon Blood.

Out on the vast expanse of the unforgiving seas, the Valmorths reign supreme at sea. They are named Voyagers and are the first sons of the first Chieftains of Seas. Their sails billowing with tales of conquest and adventure. With unyielding spirits as the tides, and an unweaved courage in their veins, they navigate treacherous waters and brave the unknown across and beyond the Orange Sea.

On solid ground, the Castercleys hold court as the esteemed Land of Magisters, wise advisers to lord-rulers and kings. With knowledge as their weapon and diplomacy as their shield, they are one of the oldest blood of Aethereal Royal Sages and Courtmen serving first in line, the Aethereons, and the Daerothrions, beneath.

Amidst the whispering leaves of the ancient forests, the Vangonbrookes dwell as the silent Woodsmen, stewards of the wild and a great support for the prosperity of the Aethereal capital they call Armada's Peak. In tune with the rhythms of the earth, they move as shadows among the trees and a humble ally to the royal family.

While other kins shelter in their ancestral chambers, the Vermoths dwell in Deep Royal as Aethereal Royal Sages who swore to guide Aethereons in their ruling. 'Vermothia' is the ancestral land of the Vermothians but it was destroyed since the first winter war and river of blood. Although the tradition of the Daerothrion kin brought destruction to their land, the Vermoths had become martyrs since the first suns, the people of the old Vermothia will never have gone worn out of hoping that one day the Aethereons would forever bring peace to Aetherea. As Vermoths, always longing for their ancestral domain, they call the tower the Aethereons gave them 'Vermothia' as a memory of their lost land. The New Vermothia is a tall tower standing beside the even taller King's Imperial.

Blackhelms, on the other hand, are the Sons of Great Archers of Old. They are the people of Hornbelth, a neighboring kin of the Strong Arms. Since the first suns, the Blackhelms know they have no match against the brawny Draelaryons for they cannot master strength. To protect their land, they have become the greatest archers known in the land of Aetherea.

As the winds of change sweep across Aetherea, the kins thriving beneath King Vaeghor's reign, find themselves embroiled in conflicts that threaten the peace established for countless generations. While other kins may exist past the horizon, there is only one that holds the key to the pressing challenges shaping the fate of Aetherea and all who dwell within and beyond its bounds.

Aetherean: River Of BloodWhere stories live. Discover now