The Kingdom of Erenia was moderate sized kingdom on the western side of the continent with over 500 years of history. The territory consists of a temperate environment with a coast on its western portion. If one were to compare the size of the kingdom, it be the same size as the Korean peninsula. To the east of the kingdom lay the petty squabbling princedoms of Veracruz, and to the north, lay the Kingdom of Flandia. Flandia acts as buffer state against the Northmen Empire. To the south lay the Great Continental Spine, splitting the northern and southern portions of the continent bar a few passes. Inside the mountain, many Dwarven kingdoms reside.
In the capital of Erenia, Erensburg, a grim shadow starts to grow. The king lay sick on the bed, while the nobles and princes create factions to seize the throne. This became further amplified as the king does not choose a crown prince.
The northeastern portion of the kingdom follows the first prince, Andrew de Erenia, a man of many words and a strong knight of the fourth circle. He was born from the first Queen, daughter of the Hohenheim Duke. Their factions controls much of the north, and is the strongest.
The south follows the second prince, Henry de Erenia, grandson of the Hawthorne Dukedom. He is a man of the shadows, he speaks very little in the open, but runs a massive crime syndicate across the country in the background.
The east follows the third prince, Vale de Ernia. While he does not have a ducal backer, the dozens of counts and margraves in the region follow him. He himself is a fourth circle mage.
The east has no prince and stays as a neutral power against the chaos. Cedric and his county are part of the neutral faction.
"Your highness, the second prince continually provokes us, his people oppose us at every turn, we need to do something about him soon, lest our plans go awry."
Duke Nerat Hawthorne looked troubled.
"Grandfather, even if my brother messes about, what can he do when he is not even a knight with aura or a mage with mana. If anything, we should be focused on my third brother. That son of a maid managed to sway those damn eastern nobles! Every one of them are blasted fools for following him."
Duke Hawthorne looked at his troubled grandson. With the king growing sicker, the kingdom was becoming more and more unstable. He needed his grandson to get on the throne.
"We have to secure the west soon, your brothers will probably try to do that too. We have to get ahead of them."
Prince Andrew picked up the cup of tea in front of him and took a sip.
"Indeed, but to do that we need the western nobles to want to join us while staying away from my brothers."
"Dont worry, your highness, I have a plan."
Similarly in the south of the capital, the second prince also sat with his grandfather, planning their entry into the west.
"Your highness, there are currently five counties in the west, two margraves, a dozen viscounties and barons, and the accursed Wolfhart duke. The viscounties and baronies will be the easiest to sway over as long as we give them some nice benefits. But, besides the Elmwood and Bellrose counts, the other high nobles care very little and stand guarded against us."
The second prince looked at his grandfather with no hint of unease in his eyes.
"If they refuse, we could always use the shadows to rid them..."
The duke shook his head.
"If we do that, they will become further guarded and even band together to go against us. We have to be diplomatic with this as much as possible. Worst case, they can join the other princes, bringing danger to us."
The second prince stood up and walked towards the window looking at the dark city view and the royal castle beyond.
"One way or another, I will make this kingdom mine, even if those bastards oppose me. Grandfather, for now I'll go with what you say, however, if it doesn't work, I'll take it into my own hands to deal with them."
the Duke of Hohenheim looked at his grandson with relief. The current situation around the capital kept getting worse, and running towards the chaos without a plan would be problematic.
"As you wish, your highness."
In the royal castle, the third prince sat alone looking at the papers in front of him.
"It seems the time is nearing for the grand show..."