Entrada
The kingdom of Aresia has long been a rival to the kingdom of Mythos. The two cities have been engaged in dozens of wars over the last several hundred years, which are collectively known as the Aresian campaigns. The reasons for the fighting vary, but one thing is certain: warriors on both sides seek glory in battle. The warrior monks of the eastern shore are amongst the most feared fighters in all of Thylea.
Their children begin training with spears from the day they take their first steps, and every adult is required to serve in the militia. Aresians spend their lives in pursuit of ‘degrees’ in schools of martial philosophy, which have been refined over many centuries of defending their borders. Aresian warriors cultivate an air of rugged austerity out of a sense of pride in their history, but it disguises long hours spent on beauty rituals, poetry readings, and decadent feasting.
The most powerful families in
Aresia are those which take the greatest pains to appear
ascetic—eating unspiced gruel and wearing little to
nothing in public, while lavishing fine foods and luxurious garments on their servants in paradoxical and
conspicuous displays of wealth. The highest caste warriors make a point of leading lifestyles that most closely
resemble those of their hard-pressed ancestors.