The Empire of Mephius

The Empire of Mephius is a very old kingdom with strict social rules. It is located in the center of the continent with most of its territory being made up of the Domick Flats. It shares a border with Taúlia to the west, Garbera to the south, and Ende to the east. The land is filled with many canons, which become a natural defense during war. These intricate valleys hold many small forts which are able to protect the cities and villages around it.

The imperial dynasty that rules Mephius dates back to seven generations before the current emperor, Guhl Mephius. The government is based in the capitol city of Solon with each city or village having a district official, which is ruled by a noble who governance over a large region. These high ranking nobles were members of the council, a ruling body that at one time had strong influence over the country.

Directly under the Emperor, the military is lead by the Twelve Generals. Many if not all of them carry the title of Winged Dragon Officer and are equivalent to the rank of Knight in Garbera.

Laws and Policies

 * Slavery / Gladiators - The class system in Mephius is very strict and slavery is not only legal but common. Most are either born into it or have been convicted of a crime. Slaves are a primary source of manual labor in Mephius, as well as entertainment in the form of gladiatorial fights.
 * Imperial Guards - the personal guard appointed by the Emperor to serve him directly
 * Right to the First Night - an antiquated policy stating that the males from the Imperial family could take from the groom the right to spend the first night with the bride.
 * Women - Maphius is rather old fashion and traditional when it comes to females and their positions in society. Though it is unclear how strict the actually laws are, societal norms dictate they they can not fly Airships, ride Dragons or horses, and their legs must be covered.
 * Imperial Marriage - Members of the royal family are always married at Seirin Valley. They first hold a large banquet in the palace hall, then the next day they hold the ceremony at the alter atop the valley. During the ceremony a dragons bones and burned to ash and poored down into the valley followed by gladiatorial fights as a form of human sacrifice. The day after that there would be a grand reception in Solon.
 * Coming of Age Ceremony - During the founding festival, it was traditional for 12 - 13 years old sons of nobles and distinguished families to mark their rise into adulthood by riding young dragons during the festival. Not all families choose to continue the tradition as it is very dangerous.

Ten Year War with Garbera
For the last ten years Mephius has been in a long standing and bloody war with Garbera. During this war, the current Emperor, Gulh Mephius, strengthened the imperial household’s influence in order to prevent confusion in the chain of command. The council, which consisted of the major aristocrats, lost half of their authority, and now almost existed in name only.

After about six years of war, the Emperor pledged before a divination at the Dragon Gods Temple that: ‘Until the neck of the Garberan king is presented before me, I will never sheathe my sword.’

It wasn't until the rumors that Ende might form an alliance with Garbera that prompted Guhl Mephius to suggest a peace treaty to end the war. As part of the treaty, the Crown Prince, Gil Mephius, was to marry the Princess of Garbera, Vileena Owell.

Ryucown's Rebellion
Unwilling to except peace with Mephius, the Garberan general Ryucown acted on his own and sent soldiers to interrupt and "rescue" Vileena from the wedding ceremony at Seirin Valley as well as attempt to assassinate the prince. Though that failed in the end, he occupied Zaim Fortress, near the border of Ende and Garbera. Announcing himself to be the true representative of the Garbera, and that the royal family fully supports him.

Guhl Mephius decided to strike back at Ryucown for acting against the Imperial family and acquired permission from Garbera to move troops across their borders. In a shock to all, Guhl put Gil in charge of the campaign. Even though the Ryuciwn was a problem, the true issue that worried Garbera and Mephius was whether Ende would move to back him up.

Known Locations:
 * Tidan Arena
 * Central Region
 * Solon
 * Ba Roux Amphitheatre
 * Domick Flats
 * Birac
 * Southern Border
 * Apta
 * Drought Valley
 * Western Border
 * Tsaga Mines
 * Eastern Border
 * Seirin Valley
 * Idoro