Faction | Kingdom of Solke
Overview
The Kingdom of Solke is the main Human Kingdom on Gaea. Its Capital City, Veristol, is located on the easternmost edge of the Variten Region, and overlaps
into the Kakuten Region. It is a wealthy Port Capital with 98% of their population recorded as human, and is well known as the city least tolerant of Spirits.
There are other Human Governments on Gaea, but they are tiny in comparison to the Kingdom of Solke. Few forces on the face of the planet can compare to
Solke's impressive armies, though they are mostly comprised of Humans that are, obviously, unable to use Elemental Magic. Despite this shortcoming, Human
armies are typically able to suppress Spirits by sheer force of numbers and tactical prowess, with many tacticians undergoing rigorous education and training for
years before entering the battlefield. Humans are not without their own internal conflicts, but for the most part, the Kingdom of Solke reigns supreme.
Despite being largely intolerant of Spirits, the ruling class has seen fit to award military and clerical positions to particularly useful and skilled Spirits who share
the Kingdom's views, though they are never truly accepted as citizens. For some Spirits however, whether they are accepted into the society or not is not
important to them; they simply wish to be of service, or perhaps they have few other options to spend their talents pursuing.
The Kingdom's past history with Spirits is filled with conflict, however they've since enjoyed a tense peace with the Spirit Families for the past twenty years. The
exact details of the peace treaties are rather complicated, but Solke essentially maintains control and leadership over all Human Settlements, regardless of how
much of their populations are composed of or protected by Spirits; something the Spirit Families are attempting to negotiate changes for.
Leadership
Up until thirty years ago, the Kingdom of Solke was ruled singlehandedly by its King, who had an intense hatred for Spirits. Despite this, he would select very few
Spirits to work for him and hunt other Spirits down in exchange for positions in his court or military, and a promise of citizenship in the Kingdom of Solke. He
never kept this promise however, always managing to come up with an array of excuses as to why a particular Spirit had not yet 'earned' their place as a Citizen
of his Kingdom. His pattern of using, mistreating, and hunting Spirits came to an abrupt end when he was assassinated during a night raid on the Capital,
publicised to have been orchestrated by a Splinter Faction comprised entirely of Spirits.
Since then, a Council of the most wealthy and powerful have taken control of the Kingdom, and are in no rush to fulfill their duty to crown a new King; they seem
far more comfortable calling the shots, and so no new King has been named, or even sought.
After the assassination of the last King thirty years ago, all Spirits were violently purged from the Capital, and it has only been within the last ten years that
Spirits have been able to re-enter the Capital in any official capacity. It has only been five years since Spirits were able to obtain any mention of power in the
Kingdom's leadership whatsoever, though there are strict rules in place to keep them from progressing far through the ranks.
It should be said, however, that these are the leadership practices, and the views, of the Kingdom's human leaders -- not necessarily their population. While large
Human populations are typically intolerant of Spirits, they have rarely been directly violent towards them beyond the occasional racist slur, street fight or robbery.
That, and the continuation of the narrative that Spirits are sub-human, criminal, and untrustworthy.
Few Spirits would be upset if the entire Ruling Council of the Kingdom of Solke disappeared one night. Some even wish the entire Kingdom would vanish
altogether.
More to come...
More information on the Kingdom of Solke will become available over time. Check back here after key events involving this Faction unfold in our
Guild-Wide Roleplays.
