《Wanderers Wonders》 "The Exodus" as told by Aglot the Wanderer The Exodus as told by Aglot The Wanderer Listen, lads. It is I, the famous Aglot the Wanderer, and I''ve got a story to tell ya! Long ago, in the age before the Supreme Council in a faraway land, there was once an emperor. Yet, he was not a regular emperor; this particular emperor was undying and ruled his empire for thousands of years. No citizen knew the source of his longevity nor where he came from. In their eyes, he was always the emperor and forever will be. His capital was prosperous, clean, and pristine, with waters glistening under the sun flowing like a roaring waterfall. Its soil was so fruitful that an accidental drop of orchid from a maiden grew in just a day and night. His empire had many kingdoms, scattered around twelve corners of the empire, each named after a month of the year. Each corner had different seasons and incredible wonders of its own. No blood was shed between the kingdoms under his rule, for he was just and supreme. Outland raiders did not dare to set foot on the continent out of fear of the emperor''s wrath. Don''t worry, lads! Like every story, this one also has an end, so spare a coin at the end, will ya! Some say the Emperor was a powerful wizard able to create storms and raise the dead, and some regard him as a god. While it might be true or not, one thing''s for sure: he had a very powerful weapon in his arsenal. What was this weapon? ''Twas his silence, lads. Although the mightiest his empire has ever seen, he was a man of a few words. Never blabbered or spoke empty words and made false promises like those fat cunts in the Supreme Council today. Most consider silence a weakness today, but hear me out, lads! How is silence a weapon, you may ask? ''Twas not the silence itself, lads. ''Twas when it was broken. You see, the emperor was a man of grand schemes and strategies; never underestimating a foe, always listening, analyzing, concluding, calculating. Patience so grand to the point that even the seeker owls of Innerian forest were jealous. He always struck when his foes least expected. His vassals, always trusting their emperor, left with awe at him after his deeds were done. So, when he decided to marry a woman he brought from his travels to the outland, although highly surprised, none questioned his authority, for all they knew, he was all-knowing. His vassals presumed no woman was equal to be wedded to the emperor, since he was undying and had no need for an heir. Alas, you are wondering who was this lady with such grace who left the entire empire flabbergasted? No one knew where she came from except the emperor; some speculated she was taken from outlands but none of his sailors said a word about her origins nor the entire expedition. Almost nothing was special about her, smaller than most women and not so much beautiful than even the ugliest of the emperor''s concubines. Narrow buttocks to give birth, titties that seemed like an aged plank under her robes, ghostly lips that looked like drunken old men, curly black hair that appeared like a used brush, and an accent of an outsider who sounded like gibberish even to illiterate peasants. Thus why she was called Queen of the Wilds among the noble residents. Soon, the so-called average queen gave birth to two healthy twin boys. One resembling the mighty emperor himself; shining silver hair, eyes green like precisely cut emeralds, bright rose-colored lips that stood out like freshly baked bread. While the other was, to the royals'' demise, a near-perfect copy of the Queen of The Wilds except for the same glowing emerald eyes. You can guess which one was people''s favorite, right lads? This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. However, residents'' acts of favoritism didn''t last long. With the coming of age of the boys, the emperor disappeared, taking the boys with him. The Queen, now furious and acting as the Queen Regent in accordance with the rule of the month set by the emperor himself, searched every corner of the capital with the full might of the empire. Her relentless pursuit destabilized the entire economy of the capital for weeks. She did not calm down even after years, despite continued suggestions from nobles advising her not to meddle with the emperor''s actions. While, in the far reaches of the outland. The emperor used his magic to change the color of the boy''s hair from bright silver to pitch black and left him outside one of the tents belonging to the outland savages. He knew that, despite being considered savages, they wouldn''t discriminate against a healthy, crying boy. In disguise, he left the other child at an orphanage in the slums of a very poor city-state called Farwell near the border of the outlands. The emperor was aware that this practice was common in the city, and there were already six more orphans accompanying the little one. From that point onward, no one saw or heard from the emperor ever again. The capital soon fell into disarray due to the queen''s negligence and inexperience in political matters. Some royals argued against the queen''s determined wishes to search for his sons; hence it was taking a great toll on the treasury. Soon, certain royals who supported the queen staged a coup accusing other royals who opposed the search effort as traitors to the throne. They usurped all of their lands and wealth to themselves. The queen was still blinded by the leaf of hope to see her sons once again. With promises of new leads and false reports given by the royal circle, she was being kept as a puppet to shape the empire to their greed; forgetting they once were the emperor''s most trusted advisors. Human greed knows no limit, lads! The twelve kingdoms one by one started to revolt against the authority of the capital. Each one declares their king as a rightful ruler to the capital. You know what that means lads, a war after thousands of years of peace! Once inseparable citizens of the same empire, started to slay each other on the battlefield. Weeds sprouted out of season, not because of the loam but due to the countless decomposing bodies on top. Rivers, once flowing like a mirror under the blue sky, turned crimson red. The air smelled rotten, and the green that once enveloped the capital gave its way to gray, with ash and debris clouding everything that the eye could see. On top of the carnage already happening, a new threat emerged from the outlands, the outland horde realizing its weakness, and now under a new young powerful warlord, started razing the lands from outer regions, forcing all citizens to migrate to the capital. Those lucky to be still alive were caged in the walls of the capital, with sickness more common than critters in a rotting pile of corpses. Among the rubble, a certain man appeared. The man started begging. It was not a coin he was after, but the people''s belief. He knew what outland hordes were capable of, and knew sickness would claim everyone even before the horde. So without a hint of exhaustion he begged for people to follow him each day. Day by day his followers grew while the threat came closer. He ordered his followers to build boats, not one but many, enough to fit the entire capital, at least all those who remained alive. When raiders reached the gates, the young warlord found none of the citizens. Even though most of the treasure was still in the city, he still couldn''t shake off the feeling of defeat. So he ordered his men to do the same. Build me a thousand boats, let''s pursue them to the end of the world, so we may take our revenge against those arrogant imperials at the seas. Thousand years of subjugation ends today, let''s slaughter those who raped, razed, and taxed our lands, he yelled! His men complied and built him thousands of ships, soon to be set sail in hopes to end what remains of the empire. And that, lads, sums up the story of the exodus. The beggar king''s ships reached the shores of Innaria after four years of constant sailing; it''s been said only a dozen ships arrived at the Innarian shoreline, many lost to sea, storms, and sickness. Fortunately, the beggar king survived and without losing time, he ordered the settlement of the now-called Innarian Tradehold. The warlord''s ships, on the other hand, were ill-equipped and built hastily, only a handful were able to reach the lands. Exhausted and without resources, the survivors had to settle in the now great city called First Landing in the United principality of Otaria. “The Beast and a Million Inconsequential Corpses” as defended to Otarian High Jury "The accused may speak!" Thus declared the High Justiciar of the Otarian High Jury, as silence veiled the entire courtroom. In the middle rested a man who more resembled a giant, with a height way above the limits of the rostrum he stood upon. Both his giant hands, equal in size to an adult skull, were shackled together. He sat on an iron stool with short thick chains binding his movement to the ground. A railing surrounded the platform he was on, giving the impression that they had used a birdcage to trap a bear. Four Otarian enforcers, each armed with long muskets, guarded each corner. His body was as wide as a gorilla, overlaying the entire stool, making him appear as though he was floating in mid-air. His discomfort was evident from his face, under his hairy and sharp brows, which everyone in the courtroom found unsightly to gaze upon. The convict spoke, breaking the veil of silence. First, I would like to thank you, your honor, and the respectable jury for giving me a chance to defend myself. I understand that most are intrigued by my appearance, judging me by my towering height, monstrous body, and of course, my hideous face. Let me assure you, your honor, and the most respectable jury, I didn''t choose to be born this way. The Justiciar stood tall on the elongated station in front of the convict, while twelve jurors formed a half-moon around the prosecutor, each wearing different traditional clothes representing their respectable houses. The Justiciar himself wore black robes with purple garments around the edges, and he held a golden hammer in his hand, intensifying his powerful image. His robes were gilded with the twelve insignias of noble Otarian Houses, verifying his authority. His long triangular black beret had a silver-lined scale embroidery in front, glinting with each passing ray of sunshine from the skylights covering the building''s great domed roof. The art on the dome was another spectacle to see, with paintings depicting legends from every noble house, drawn with such precision that they looked almost real, fooling anyone not paying close attention under dim light. The convict continued to speak, "If I may, I would like to start from the beginning. I can''t imagine how much effort your honor put into becoming a man of his caliber, how many books he read, how many countless hours he spent without proper sleep under a wavering oil lamp. A life I longed for, a life of pursuing limitless knowledge, discovering worlds of wonders within the pages of a book. Reading the words of the most intelligent men and women, those who lived hundreds of years ago, and learning their wisdom as if they spoke them today. Perhaps it was fate that brought us here, to this moment. Me, as a murderer, and you, your honor, as the judge of my sins. But still, I can''t shake the feeling, what would have happened if I was born in a different place, maybe to a loving family with a more human-like body? Would I still be judged by my appearance? Would I have been able to become a man like you, your honor? You and I are the same, your honor. We both did what we had to do to survive. Despite what most people might think here, I am from a noble house." "NONSENSE!" yelled the High Justiciar rigorously, with mutterings of agreement from the jury. "It is true, your honor. I am a member and direct heir to a noble house of Innarian Tradehold." "And what is the name of this house?" asked the High Justiciar with doubt in his eyes. "Even though I was rejected and exiled by my family, I don''t seek to defile my family name that was never there for me, your honor." "Understandable! You may continue with your defense," said the High Justiciar, while trying to hide his fearful visage from the attendees. "I do think myself to be a love and passion child, born to a very rich and beautiful noble Innarian couple. I''ve heard it was an arranged marriage between two powerful houses, but both my parents fell in love at first sight. Their marriage was followed by a grandiose wedding, attended by almost every noble house, rich merchants, and even some members of the Supreme Council itself. In a short time, the fruit of their love and passion had a form, but not in the form they expected. Only two weeks after their marriage, my father announced the good news. Although it had only been two weeks, my mother''s belly was already resembling that of a woman six months into pregnancy. Despite the doctors'' continued suggestions to remove the baby, my mother refused, and for the love of his gorgeous wife, my father had no choice but to comply. At the seventh month, with my mother''s belly thrice its normal size, I tore open her womb, which was no longer enough to contain the monstrosity inside. "Your honor, I started my life as a murderer, beginning with the one who was most important to me. Despite the doctors'' relentless efforts, my mother perished, her blood and innards covering the entire bed. My father never recovered from the tragedy, always blaming the giant monster that is me for taking his wife. To cope with the pain, the once-loving family man became a very strict businessman, valuing his work above all else. He never spoke of the misfortune and forbade all maids from speaking of it again. "In my entire childhood, I was locked inside our manor, with no friends, no one to talk to. Even the maids refused to interact with the monster. Except for a few teachers from time to time, who didn''t fear the monster that resided within. That''s how I learned to read and write, your honor. Soon, books became my most important companions in my little accursed world." "Enough!" yelled the Justiciar furiously, pointing his golden hammer towards the convict after three loud strikes to his desk. "We did not gather here to hear your life story. You are not being judged for your physical qualities in this courtroom. You are being accused of brutally slaughtering thirteen Otarian enforcers during a counterinsurgency mission against Shu-baht rebels in Torgah village." "No, your honor, I am being judged by my physical qualities, like I have been my entire life. I have already given my testimony; every respectable jury member should have already read it by now, including the high honor himself. I have nothing to add to my testimony. According to the Otarian Justice of High Laws, Article Number Fourteen, the court must hear the convict''s plea to the end, with the attendance of no more than twelve and no fewer than seven jury members." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "High honor, if I may add something," said a middle-aged woman wearing blue and black robes with an insignia of a crow on her beret. "As a respected representative of the Kingdom of Shu-Baht, we are strictly against calling those traitorous radical scum Shu-baht rebels. They are not part of us, and our latest reports have shown that most of them are of Janarian origin." "Liar!" yelled a rather young-looking member of the jury, suddenly startling the entire courtroom. His mixed black and light blue robe swung as he abruptly stood. His beret bore the insignia of a glacier wolf, the symbol of the ancient Janar Clan of the Frozen Mountains. "You and your arrogant king should know that we are aware of your insidious plans to make a claim in our lands, you sly bastards," shouted the young man. "How dare you speak of our great king in such a manner, you blasphemous traitors?" retorted a much older jury member, clenching his fists with a furious tone filled with inner rage. "Order!" yelled the High Justiciar following three thunderous strikes of his golden hammer. "This is no place for infighting between houses. Your puny disputes shall only be resolved in the grand assembly of the great houses of Otaria. Until then, speak no more of this nonsense." "You may continue with your defense, beast," stated the High Justiciar calmly, ignoring the obvious tension in the room. "Thank you, your honor. At the age of fourteen, I was already looking twice my age. Despite doing little to no physical activities, I was as strong as the strongest athlete in all of Innaria. Like every teenager my age, I decided to forge a story of my own, after reading the adventures of so many great women and men. I was confident in my knowledge of the outside world due to my extensive reading. Now, come to think of it, how wrong I was. "So, I started planning, and soon realized there was no easy way out from our manor, at least not for someone of my size. Our manor was large and heavily guarded at all hours of the day. Fortunately, since Innaria was a place of many great buildings, most lacked a proper courtyard, and ours was no exception. Still, the manor was built like a fortress, with the main materials being stone and huge wooden beams for the roof, and the entirety of it was surrounded by a two-man-length thick wall, capable of withstanding a couple of volleys from a small cannon. But the walls were too close to the windows, making them very easy to reach. Every window was grated with reinforced metals, resembling a prison more than an accommodation. Since the main gate had a guard post, I had no chance of walking out there. After some trial and error, I realized I didn''t need any kind of prying tool; I could just bend the grates with my bare hands. Fortunately, very thick and strong-looking vines covered the entire wall my window was facing. The vines went all the way to the top, and I was pretty confident it was the same case on the other side of the wall as well. Then I realized that my room was situated in the back of our manor, since the vines were allowed to grow to this size. Another virtue of my father; he didn''t want anyone to see me, not even for a glimpse out of the window. But on the positive side, this meant I would be walking off to a less crowded street. The only inconvenience was climbing two stories with vines that I wasn''t sure could carry my weight. "I was going to have a hard time staying undetected in the streets, so I needed a story and compatible clothing in case of getting caught. It took me three weeks to persuade one of my teachers to buy me a set of clothes resembling a priest''s robes. I had to lie about role-playing a priest from a story I was working on, and needing to fully immerse myself in the character to produce a more believable story. I paid a total of four crows for one set of robes, which equaled six months of my allowance, which I find quite outrageous today. "The plan was set. I was going to wait until midnight and take a small detour to the corridor connecting to the main hall, take the old cutlass that was hanging on the wallI believed every hero had some sort of weapon of their ownthen go back to the same corridor and take the stairs to the cellar at the end, stock up on water and dry food with a long shelf life, and return to my room to double-check everything I intended to bring. I would then wait for one hour to be sure no one had heard me and uninstall the grates I had broken previously. I would jump to the garden, check my surroundings, and start climbing the wall. "Everything went perfectly, and soon I was on top of the wall. The sight was unlike anything I had seen before. Thousands of torches illuminated the entire city, with the horizon revealing massive walls surrounding the city''s entire circumference. Every glimpse of the scenery revealed another spectacle to witness: giant towers piercing the sky, huge arches shrinking everyone walking on them to the size of ants, and megastructures made from white marble slabs shining with each wave of countless torches. After watching in awe for some time, I realized our manor was situated on the western side of the city, built on a hill overlooking the entire city. I had to stop my urge to explore every wonder of the city and set my destination to the west, hoping to find an entrance. That day, I made a little promise to myself: one day, I will explore every corner of this magnificent city. "While I was distracted by the sight, a sudden noise woke me from my trance. I heard footsteps, coming from not far away, and they were getting closer by the second. I tried to duck out of reflex, but to my dismay, I completely forgot about the vines that were gripping my feet, causing me to tumble and ultimately fall. Luckily, I wasn''t hurt, but unfortunately, not far away from me stood a man. He held a slim woman in his right arm and a bright lantern in his left. Soon, the woman was replaced by a really sharp-looking cutlass. The man started walking towards me, pointing his cutlass, wary of a giant stranger. I was in utter shock, never planning on getting caught so early in my adventure, with drops of tears sliding along my cheeks hidden beneath the hood of my priest''s gown. "''Who are you? Identify yourself!'' yelled the man, while the bright lantern lit the sharp blade that kept my eyes locked. ''Return to the carriage!'' the man told the woman, whom I assumed was his wife. "With the light of the endless gushing waves of his lantern, I was able to take a good look at the man. He was probably in his early forties, with a clean face and no signs of facial hair, perfectly combed medium-length hair, and a well-fitted combination of a white shirt and black trousers, with dark leather boots reaching halfway to his knees. "He was no ordinary man, at least not to me. It was my father himself. The man took one good look at me, with clear disdain on his face. He sheathed his cutlass and grabbed one of the pouches bound to his belt. I heard the rattles of the coins when the pouch hit the ground in front of me. "The woman yelled from behind, ''Who is it, darling?'' Without responding to the woman''s question, the man turned his back and walked back into the darkness. "I came to my senses soon after and decided to take the pouch, not because of the currency''s handiness in my journeys, but because it was the only thing that was given to me personally by my father. It wasn''t given out of kindness; I was sure of that. I argue it was his way of atoning for his sins to his late wife, so he could say I did everything I could in the end. What would my mother think if she saw him treating his son like a ghost in his entire life, and now like a beggar? "Wiping my tears every minute of my sprint, I finally reached the western gate. As planned, no one questioned me on the way out. The magical words of ''It is God''s work'' gave me quick passage to the Midcast. End of Part One Lost Beyond Sea: Ser Xandar ros Janaars Doomed Expedition to the Lost Continent as told by Sybela Our story begins in an area called the Middle North of the Otarian Peninsula, with the tale of Ser Xandar ros Janaar, an extraordinary nobleman born to the ruling Janaar family of the Kingdom of Janaria in the United Principality of Otaria. It''s said that he was exceptional in his childhood, excelling in most subjects among his peers. As a teenager, he was better than most of his experienced guards in sword swinging and more knowledgeable about history than his Janarian royal teachers. Sponsored by his own family for his expenses, he achieved top grades in entrance exams for the First Landing University of Wisdom. It is really difficult to reach the University''s archives to confidently talk about his performance in classes, but people who knew him say he excelled, particularly in the areas of seafaring and navigation, explaining his exceptional ability in shipbuilding and woodworking. After his graduation, he returned to his homeland''s capital, Janarka, a great city built on the outskirts of the Glacial Mountains. With an ambitious project in mind, he wished for his family to finance his expedition to the lost continent. The Kingdom of Janaria, however, shared its borders with two other great kingdoms: the Kingdom of Shu-Bath to the far north and the Tribes of Aralakh to the south. Being landlocked, the Kingdom of Janaria never had a culture of seafaring or navigation. Knowing that financing such an expedition was against the rules of the entire realm, the king refused to listen to the reasoning of the royal family''s golden boy. For them, the Kingdom of Janaria already had plenty of riches thanks to their never-ending Kluth farms. Although the lost continent might have held immeasurable amounts of treasure or secrets, going against the realm''s laws meant losing trading rights in Innarian Tradehold and possibly facing persecution by the United Principality of Otaria itself. But such trivial obstacles were never a problem for Ser Xandar; his endless curiosity far surpassed the unbreakable and, in his opinion, unnecessary laws of the realm. The Kingdom of Janaria was a meritocratic monarchy, where the most prominent candidate from the families was the true heir to the throne. The heir was chosen through a series of tests that challenged their knowledge and abilities in subjects such as fighting, economics, politics, and most importantly, leadership. To participate in the tests, one needed to be from the main royal family or one of the branch families. At the end of the tests, the victor''s family became the main one and, according to their results, appointed the other participant to their cabinet. It was a system without losers. For the last four generations, due to their exceptional candidates, the Janaar family held the title to rule the land. The victor remained in power until they either resigned or passed away. Due to the lack of conflict in the impenetrable city of Janarka and the natural defenses of the cold surrounding the entire kingdom, the ruler and their cabinet usually remained in power for many years. Ser Xandar himself had amassed a fortune of his own during his internship at Innaria, yet his entire capital was only enough for one ship and a crew. The ships had to be built from the ground up and were highly specialized, able to withstand the harshest of storms and provision its crew for years. Yet it wasn''t the ship that was most expensive, it was the skilled crew he had to recruit. It wasn''t easy to persuade a man to risk his life far away from home, so payment in advance to take care of their families was a necessity. He was sure one ship wouldn''t be enough to chart the unknown waters, so he had to be prepared for everything. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Thus, the king declared his resignation due to a decline in his health, and preparations for the choosing of the next ruler of the land began. The king was confident that his youngest boy was going to be the victor, which was Ser Xandar himself. His eldest brother was a merchant prodigy, with a fortune already rivaling small kingdoms across the land. His middle brother was a great fighter, respected by the Janaarian army. But Ser Xandar had it all. He had countless connections in Innaria that could make him richer than any man alive, and he had the respect not only of the army but of the citizens of his kingdom as well. What he lacked was time. If he departed next winter, it meant one less winter to worry about during the voyage. At the ceremony, every participant had to make a speech to all families about their vision and plans for the future of the kingdom; this was, for most, considered the first challenge of the tests. When it was time for Ser Xandar''s speech, he declared his withdrawal. After four months of enduring tests, the victor was Ser Xandar''s eldest brother. As conspiracy goes, he struck a deal with his brother. In exchange for financing one of the ships, he forwent his right to rule. With an almost infinite budget, both ships were built in no time in the famous shipyards of the Fairwell family in the northeast corner of Otaria. The flagship, a medium-sized frigate, was named Ferocity, and a smaller sloop designed to support and supply the journey was named Turbulence. Ferocity and Turbulence began their maiden voyage from the docks of Weldon, a city-state belonging to the Fairwell family. It was the last time anyone ever saw Ser Xandar. Six years after the departure, a ship with broken masts was spotted by fishermen on the horizon near the Innarian Lagoon, soon to disappear from sight. Reports of the ship reached Innarian Tradehold authorities, believing it to be a merchant ship recently raided by pirates. A small search and rescue ship was dispatched to the last-seen location. After days of searching, they finally caught up to the ship. When they were close enough to gaze upon the beaten ship, they were able to read the name of the ship in front: The Turbulence. Missing both of its masts with no sails in sight, its reinforced hull somehow protected the ship''s integrity and kept it afloat, but everything on top of the deck was either broken or missing. A sole survivor was found in one of the cabins on the lower deck, along with mutilated corpses and bones believed to be of the crew. For his attire, the survivor was assumed to be the cook. The cook was missing his left arm, precisely cut below the elbow. His entire face was disfigured, enough to terrify any brave man at first glance. In place of his nose were two fleshy holes. His left fingers were half their size. When asked about his name, the man blubbered, his tongue cut from its place as well. When found, he was in the middle of carving the ship''s hull. Upon close inspection, the carvings read: By Mother, for Mother, always Mother. Mother, we the sinners, Mother forgives so we may become one. The entirety of the lower deck repeated this same phrase over and over again. Fearing contamination by an unknown disease, the man and everyone on board were quarantined as soon as they reached the Innarian Docks. The rescue ship was not able to pull the Turbulence, so it was left to be retrieved later. From that point on, The Turbulence was never seen again. The man never told anyone about the fate of the ships or Ser Xandar. When given a pen and paper, he continued writing the same phrase over and over again. He died a few years later from an infection caused by engraving the same phrase onto his body with a rusty sharp metal he had broken from his bed. To this day, no one knows what happened to one of the brilliant men of the Crown and his ships. After the incident, Innarian authorities made the punishment for sailing to the Lost Continent even harsher. Now, anyone who planned to set sail for the cursed continent was considered an enemy of the realm, punishable by death. Innarian Tradehold, The Place Where Your Worth is More Powerful Than Gods, as told by Sybela Innaria, a land situated in the most eastern region of the realm of Crown, was believed to be the first settlement on the continent after the mass migration from the lost continent, until the first contact of the great city, First Landing, in the United Principality of Otaria. Historians argue about which one first reached the status to be called a proper city, but one thing is certain: they are two of the major powers that hold the fate of the realm today. Innaria was situated in the most eastern part of the continent, separated from the mainland, making it a massive island. Surrounded by the mainland itself, it enjoyed natural protection against external threats. The weather was always warm, never experiencing a single drop of snow, although rains were common, serving as the main source of drinking water. The entire island was slightly elevated, making it resistant to floods. Traveling between the mainland and the island was difficult until the construction of three bridges began after the formation of Tradehold. Each direction had a giant bridge connecting to the island, except for the east, which faced the open seas. Being an island, its trees were small, sturdy, and fast-growing, aiding citizens greatly in building their homes. After the declaration of Tradehold, three walls separated the country into three different casts, each wall smaller than the one before. Each wall represented a caste, with the outer being the lower caste and cheaper, and the innermost being expensive and luxurious. However, even citizens in the lowest caste were not hungry. There was not a single hungry citizen in the Innarian Tradehold. Innaria wasn''t always a tradehold; it started as a feudal village soon to become a kingdom. After the disappearance of the beggar king, its first king was known as Arkon the Settler. No one is quite sure how he came to power, but research suggests he was the first to domesticate the abundant wild roots on the island for consumption. Even though Innaria was filled with diverse fauna, no one knew what was safe to consume at that time. Taking advantage of his food source, he may have convinced the scattered villages to unite. Surviving ancient texts reveal he was a benevolent leader who governed his people justly. After his death, Viran the Cruel took over, usurping the throne from his eldest brother, Donavin the Tolerant. Viran discriminated against people who weren''t originally from their kingdom, dividing the kingdom into two. Those who were deemed outsiders settled on the mainland across the river to a city now called Refugee Point, which acts as one of the city''s gates in modern Innaria. Virans rule was short-lived. Legend has it he fell down stairs while chasing one of his concubines while drunk. Historians cannot be sure due to possible translation errors, but his son, Rovan, who was crowned after his father''s demise, also died falling down city walls while chasing a prostitute while drunk. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Six more rulers came after, each worse than the previous. Their names were not worth mentioning. Faced with the instability of consecutive unsuccessful leaders, despite women facing discrimination around that time, Frena the Bold initiated the revolution of equality. She argued that the people, and only the people, should have the right to choose their leader through elections. She became the land''s first elected president, changing the entire opinion about the capabilities of women. Under her rule, the Innarian Republic prospered. Most powerful civil guilds were formed during her reign, including The Trading Union and Wanderers Guild. The freedom of capital that the system provided gave birth to powerful private mercenary armies, such as Silver Rock and Children of the Emperor, which still operate today, securing the fate of modern Innaria. Frena granted tax leases and freedom of operation to merchants all around the Crown, including Otaria, which had first contact with them only thirty years prior. Each prominent guild representing a community had an opinion in the grand assembly of the Madame President. With its new powerful form of government, Innaria prospered. However, Frena the Bold was aware that people far away still suffered. Her ambitions surpassed the borders of Innaria, so she organized a grand gathering in central Innaria, inviting every leader alive at the time. The organization was a spectacle not forgotten, even by today''s standards. With unlimited riches, she spared no expense for the event. A total of 38 leaders participated, including all 12 kingdoms of Otaria. At the event, to every leader and citizen''s surprise, she declared the sale of the whole Innaria. Every minor and major kingdom had an equal share of the land, free to trade with each other for a certain amount of land for the right price. No country could hold more than 25% of the land, and no country''s national army would be situated in Innaria. Security would be in the hands of the private armies already serving in Innaria, paid by shareholders accordingly. Every right of government would be in the hands of the equally elected president and members of his or her supreme council. Not everyone was content about the decision, and a few embers of rebellion heated up in the world''s economic capital, soon to be extinguished by the unmatched power of Silver Rock and Children of the Emperor. With everyone participating in the game, the newly formed Innarian Tradehold prospered even more, along with all of its shareholders. A large wall was built surrounding the entire island of Innaria, which no shareholders opposed its construction, fearing potential future sieges. Another wall was erected between the already standing inner wall and the newly built large wall, further fortifying the land''s sovereignty. Thus, Innarian Tradehold became an impenetrable fortress. It became a place where everything was on sale and could be considered a share in a company. Even the home one grew up in could be bought and moved in half a day. It was a place where one could be rich in a day and lose it all in a second. Thus, the old Innaria became the Innarian Tradehold.