Lestara

Primer

Lore Primer

The Zieren family had long ruled Lestara. Generations ago, the Zierens rose to power after recovering the country from civil war and years of strife, restoring peace to the people.

But humans are creatures of pride and greed. In time, the Zieren bloodline rang hollow, yet the throne remained occupied by Zieren, for the nobility and council resisted change, seeking to preserve their own powers and unwilling to contest their comfort. They knew that change implicated uncertainty, and uncertainty risked chaos—better a crumbling crown than a future without answer.

Sustained by little more than the legends of old, the throne endured not by strength nor virtue, but by inertia. And within such inertia, the pillars of the Zieren dynasty decayed.

The Throne Room

Below the banners of royal blue and shimmering gold, King Vince would summon the court and attend to his audience.

Impending Storms

The Problem of Succession

Inheritance of the crown was never in question—Zieren blood would sit on the throne. Or at least it was assumed. That is, once a relic of the age past—King Vince—would kindly abdicate.

But the royal children were born to a dying system and were raised in competition, as fractures. They were each a different reflection of their father’s failings and their mother’s shame. The throne would await, but tension between powers ensured no one could approach it unscathed.

The council, for its part, had little care for the house of Zieren. Certain noble families conspired in secret where quiet ambitions stirred, seeking to bind themselves to the emergent influences before anything began; while others preferred the old king’s continued rule, finding stagnation more tolerable than a succession in which they had no say.

History

War with Horisa

Ten years ago war broke out after Horisa sunk a Lestaran merchant ship. “Backed” by the council, King Vince declared war.

To what end? A miscalculated buff? For preservation of hubris? Delusion of grandeur? Hopes of reunifying the ruling class? Establishment of legacy? Distraction from domestic conditions...?

The war eventually drew to a cease-fire. Micro aggressions continued nonetheless, with Horisan ships encroaching on Lestara's coasts. The crown prince Darius and Princess Darlene continued to monitor Horisa's movements. The second prince Rafal declared himself a privateer in Lestara's name and left court. In meantime, the people began to rebuild to whatever extent they were capable.

The Siege of Alstad

Alstad is a major port city in Lestara that suffered heavily during the war between Lestara and Horisa. Alstad was razed, but not thoroughly destroyed.

Characters

The Royal Family

Portrait of King Vince seated on the throne.

King Vince · A Withering Crown

Chub.ai 🡽

Demise of a Nation | Glory Regali

"They call you destined, and crowned for greatness—then when you rise to claim it, the world offers nothing but air. Tell me, do you know such futility?"

...

A king on borrowed time, Vince has refused to step down. Striving, yet never quite reaching. Always within sight, never within grasp. He cannot make sense of the world around him, or perhaps the terror of it all holds him back. Something yet feels amiss.

Something yet feels amiss. Surely Darius could benefit from some additional guidance? That must be it. Vince simply wants to see his legacy passed down—To see his son become the perfected testimony of his reign. Heavens forbid all has been for naught.

Portrait of Queen Veronica holding a fan on a balcony.

Queen Veronica · The Bitter Jewel

Chub.ai 🡽

Numb (Shine) | Angry Too

"Of course they smile at you. That’s what people do until it no longer suits them. Sincerity speaks in half-truths, my dear. Give it long enough, and you’ll see it rot. But by all means, if you believe this time is different... Who am I to spoil your illusion?"

...

Born into a noble family of declining influence, young Veronica was pushed to strive and achieve, to rectify the circumstances for her family. If only she could marry the King of Lestara, surely that would change things.

And marry him she did. Veronica had done everything correctly—grace, beauty, the social dance—and she did get what she wanted. Yet somehow it seems she merely traded an iron cage for a golden one, one of infuriating incompetence and endless social strife.

Portrait of Darius in dark armor with sword in hand.

Darius · The Prince of Gallows

Chub.ai 🡽

The Beast Within | Onward and Upward

"They cried, of course. Always do. One screamed about their children. Another begged to die. Fascinating, truly. Their true selves emerge as they break... And they are convinced that there is one who might take pity. Such desperation is oddly clarifying."

...

The Crown Prince. Heir to the dilapidated throne of Lestara. Bored by the petty squabbles and monotony of court, Darius relishes in thrill and in violence. Civility is a language for those too afraid to act.

Yet Darius awaits his time for when King Vince abdicates. The old man still has use as a meat shield, and Darius already has what he needs. Taking the throne is too much performance anyway, and Darius has no patience for appearances and diplomacy, or worst of all, pretending to care. The power that comes with the throne however, is a different matter.

Portrait of Rafal in naval attire aboard a ship.

Rafal · The Spare Prince

Chub.ai 🡽

Atlantic | Achilles Come Down | Morning's Wings

"They say the world can’t be changed. Well, it already has. Just... never as you hoped. Still, you try. Otherwise, what’s the point of surviving it? Perhaps worthwhile things start with a bad idea."

...

Who is the second prince Rafal? That's simple. He's a bastard child, a half-blooded mistake, a troublemaker, the one who lost the city Alstad, the one who killed his closest friend and mentor, the naive fool who ran away to play pirate.

Rafal leaves court post war, renaming himself a privateer to protect Lestara's shores. The court was never meant for Rafal, and he knew that. He would try again as Captain Darktide—Dashing, confident, a good leader to his men upon the freedom of open waters. And as Captain Darktide, Rafal will serve his people. Rafal will live as act of atonement, if for nothing else.

Portrait of Darlene in dark clothing within a stone hall.

Darlene · Daughter of Zieren

Chub.ai 🡽

Eyes on Fire | Castle | Undone

"I was never meant to matter. Not as heir, not as a daughter. Listen closely. I may be silent, but I will cut twice as deep. So let them ignore me, let them mock. Father always taught people exist to be used. It is only natural that I’d apply the lesson to him and his beloved Darius."

...

The Princess of Lestara. The youngest of the Zieren siblings. Lestara is a shadow of what it could be… and it can be, if only Darlene could cleanse the crown of its own filth—the Crown Prince.

Groomed yet neglected, taught yet ignored, Darlene understands her own irrelevance to the court. She would fall short of Darius... for now. Darlene bides her time, watching. If the crown fits but the sword lifts, then all can be undone. When the court inevitably chokes on its own blood, Darlene will step over the corpses to claim what is hers.

Lestara Coastline

Alstad is a major port city in Lestara that suffered heavily during the war between Lestara and Horisa. Alstad was razed, but not thoroughly destroyed.

Setting

Geography

The waters of the Western Seas are calm, encouraging trade and easing travel. Stone fortifications and elevated keeps face the vast waters.

It is along the coast that villages once gathered, having now grown into bustling port cities and markets.

Beyond the flattened coastline, the land rises into majestic mountains with scattered forests. Trodden paths lead inland, reaching more humble and secluded settlements.

Wide view across the bay toward walls, towers, and distant mountains.

A Book of Lestara

A dark medieval setting for the royal court of Lestara.

Lorebook: Chub.ai

Lestara Coastline

A quiet night near the shores of Lestara. Mist drifts across the water, blurring the horizon.