Introduction
A thousand years ago the continent of Azukhar was dominated by a kingdom whose name has long since been forgotten, along with the reason for their mysterious collapse. What does remain behind is the scattered remnants of their culture, their architecture and, most importantly, the relics of a lost age. When the Old Kingdom fell it left behind many artifacts of remarkable power, most of them disguised as mere trinkets and baubles which were easily passed over by treasure hunters and scavengers picking through their ruins decades, or centuries, later. The secret to uncovering these relics lies not in you recognizing something in them, but in them recognizing something in you. A relic's power will only activate when it senses the presence of someone capable of wielding it, what makes a person capable is hard for anyone to say as there has been no research regarding the relics.
When one of these artifacts is activated a bond is created between the item and the Chosen, who is sometimes called the Evoker. The Chosen will gain a distinct mystical power, one that reflects their personality and is tailored to their abilities. However, if they are separated from the relic they will lose their abilities, and if the separation continues for too long they will begin to waste away until eventually they are either reunited with their relic or they perish. You have been chosen. Your relic might have caught your eye in the local market, or been an heirloom that has been passed down the family until it activated for you. Whoever you are, and however you came across your relics, you have likely kept your powers a secret. Relics may arouse curiosity among scholars, or tempt kings with their strange powers, but the abilities they grant are steeped in fear and superstition by the common folk and over the generations the church has created a special inquisition charged with tracking these 'pagan' relics down and destroying them.
While many realms have capitulated to the demands of the inquisition, the Kingdom of Othea is one of a coalition of nations which have denied the expanding powers of the Church. We find ourselves in the ancient capital of Othea, the lakeside city of Amaryth, in time for the coronation of a new King. Some of us are hoping to escape persecution, some are simply traveling, and a few actually live within the city and have for a long time. The question becomes will this new King be swayed by the ever prying agents of the Church, or will he stand by his father's position and deny their influence as well.
Meanwhile in the distant east, beyond the wall of mountains which shields Othea from the world, the Kalesian Empire has mobilized their forces for war. With their elite corps of trained evokers, they have burrowed beneath the impassable mountains and managed to sneak the spearhead of their army into the very heart of Othea undetected. Now, as the coronation of Aral Otharion the Fifth is underway, they have launched their assault on the capital itself; the outer city quickly fell under their control and docks have been siezed, however, the Inner City still holds against their seemingly insurmountable force. Although, for how long is anyone's guess.
