The Kingdom of Valomere is an ancient one, deeply rooted within the annals of history. It is large, and its citizens are proud people with a heritage that harkens back millennia, as it is amongst the oldest of Kingdoms. In its current state, there is a nationwide divide, with each city being separated into districts, for the poor, for the rich, for all classes within society. The Kingdom is one forged in the fires of war and revolution, and is constantly in turmoil. In its current state, non-humans cannot hold positions within the government, due to the upper class' discrimination against them. The population stands at about 6 million, the majority of which is composed of humans. Valomere has long been known for its rich mines, which makes the Kingdom one of the largest producers of weapons and jewelry. Despite a large amount of wealth, the majority of the nation remains in the lower class, due to an inept and greedy king, put into place with false promises of equality and just rule, with more than a few well-placed bribes.

 

The Capital, Leideven, is a relatively large city, with a population of roughly 200,000. It is famed for its glamorous, gothic architecture, which radiates opulance, veiling the unhappiness, rampant poverty, and illicit activities which ravaged the city. It is also known for its large red light district, where brothels and lone prostitutes alike dwell, with plentiful business as certain as the coming dawn.

 

King Dietrich Abrams, 3rd of his name, is the King of Valomere, and has been for the past 40 years, ascending the throne at the age of 30. Age has rendered the King extremely paranoid, only furthering his xenophobic tendencies. His xenophobia stems from his upbringing in a rich family traditionally opposed to what they perceive as degenerate beings. His outright fear of the other races and the spiral of ever greater oppression it created are the result of his mother actually dying when she was robbed by a Drow. Hailing from a powerful family, many jumped at the chance to have a puppet seated on the throne, and Dietrich was soon elected. Under him, the kingdom saw untold oppression and discrimination, with non-humans being killed at random. The powers that made his election possible still tug upon the puppet king's strings with masterful fingers, utlizing his paranoia as a potent weapon. King Dietrich is a pitiful sight to behold, the little hair that remains on his head is as white as the purest snow. He is a small man, standing shorter than most men. He is commonly ravaged by disease, his speech often interrupted by a cough, which racks the old King's frail body. His small stature is supported with rather large and heavy clothes, often of extremely rare and lavish materials.

Twynnedam is a large trade city within Valomere, home to about 250,000. It is situated on the coast, with large docks which are almost always occupied by ships. It contains the largest population of non-humans within Valomere, and is largely considered to be the most racially accepting city within Valomere, one of the precious few havens against discrimination within the Kingdom. Tensions and hatred simmer loudly and clearly within this city, foreshadowing the swift entrance of bloody revolution. Coin and trade flow freely in Twynnedam, as its merchants grow fat upon the plentiful and lucrative trade to be found within the port city. The city is certainly far better off than the Capital, although the poor and sick may still be found on the streets, begging for coin with desperation. Human or not, all are greeted warmly in Twynnedam, so long as they bring with them their coin or their wares. But in what may well be the only ray of light within Valomere, anger and revolt threaten to engulf it, and snuff it out.

Grottingdam is one of the oldest settlements in Valomere, rivaled only by Leideven, and is a large part of Valomere's history. It first originated as a small fishing town upon a lake. It later began expanding, growing rich from the fish found in the lake. Soon, a baron, representing the upper class, and a bishop, with the support of the lower class, came to blows due to a land dispute. The situation quickly became one of national interest as the argument escalated. The King later ruled in the bishop's favor, which was considered a nation-wide victory against oppressive nobles. The town was relegated a city, and proved instrumental in convincing the King at that time, Heinrich Zimmers, that an elective monarchy would prove more effective.