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The Duchys : Arc * Dry * Eye and Shore * High Island * Masked * Moon * Oak * Snake * South * Stones
Athory is made up of 10 Duchys, each ruled by a Duke or Duchess.
These are as follows :
Please see Map of Athory.
Many centuries ago, Athory was the centre of an Empire which, some say, included Lathany, Cezairisan and a number of other lands. A line of Emperors and Empresses ruled through a net of Barons who were responsible for the day-to-day running of the lands. There are stories about this Empire, many of which contradict each other.
The Empire eventually ended and Athory became a Kingdom. Some stories say that the King was a child of the last Empress who changed the title as the Empire became just Athory; other suggest that the King was the man who killed the last Empress. The Kingdom lasted through seven generations under the control of one family.
When the Empire dissolved, the Baronys did also. However, there were many local problems caused by the former Barons and the Kings all had great difficulty in controlling them. One fact that history agrees on is that, when the Kingdom was dissolved and the Duchys were formed, many of them were the former Baronys in control of ancestors of the former Barons. However, they were now known as Duchys rather than Baronys to emphasise that they were self-sufficient and under no central control.
The history of the Duchys is bloody and there has rarely been much peace between their rulers. It is widely believed that the last Duke of the Dry Duchy, Jeavon, was assassinated under the joint orders of Dukes and Duchesses who shared boarders with his land. His replacement, Duchess Louise, was moved into position as being an acceptable, weak, replacement and the Dry Duchy is currently losing land to its neighbours.
All over Athory are constant border squabbles, involving soldiers and Empathy mages. Within the courts, things are little better as many rulers are not above using poison to remove problems within their own lands.
The Dry Duchy is in the midst of a war. Only the capital, Chir Shrine, is still in the hands of the Duchess Louise whilst an alliance between the Duchies of Oak and the South hold the northern city of Loritath and the Rogue Stones hold the Eastern city of Orbassa Spires in the name of a King (who they claim is a descendant from the ancient royal line).
Additionally two Duchies have seen recent rulership changes. The Masked Duchy passed from Duchess Catrina to Duke Lawrence to Duke Yarrow in the space of twenty-four hours, whilst Duke Regis replaced his father Duke Artallory in the Duchy of the Moon after the latter was assasinated by Rogue Stones.
Of a more universal concern, Lirrisorn are sinking the continent. They have started with the islands (The Eye, Fire Tower and one of the Snake Isles are all underwater), but it is believed that they will not rest until every inch of land is beneath the waves.
See Life in Athory .
