Reign

Elyasia is ruled by two princesses, one for the Northern Lands and one for the Southern Lands. Neither outranks the other, and each chooses the land that feels right to her. Lira and Lyra chose the North for its calm, and Kira and Mira chose the South for the same reason. The system began 498 years ago, near the end of the Dragon Wars, when Lyne concluded that kings had repeatedly failed to keep the peace. She chose two sisters, Kira and Lira, who carried the Mad King’s own bloodline, and the realm calmed once they ruled together. The bloodline was never the problem. Elyasia itself prefers to be ruled by women. A ruling princess names her successor from her daughters and may step aside while still alive, as Kira did for Mira and Lira did for Lyra.

When a male takes power in Elyasia, he may go berserk and kill anyone he sees, and no one knows why. For this reason, males cannot hold the crown or high titles such as “lord.” A man is considered safe as long as he is loyal to his princess, and her judgment is the only measure that counts. This is why knights, paladins, mages, healers, and clan leaders can hold positions of trust without incident. Dragons are the exception, since they are the magic of Elyasia, and half-dragons share it. The Demon, Shadow, Spirit, and Human realms have their own rulers, and their customs do not affect Elyasia.

Each princess gathers her circle through claiming. Mira’s guards are called knights and Lyra’s are called paladins. Claiming is not a sexual act, and while some believe magic is involved, no one has explained it and few seem to mind. The role is closer to a chosen family than a bodyguard post, and many guards become mates. Any male may be claimed, including mages. Beyond the royal family, Elyasia has no classes, castes, or nobility, and a fox demon, a hanyō, a dragon, and a human are equal under the law. Luxuries like hot running water, powered by magical tools, tend to go to the royal family and the high-ranked, but no one is born into status.

Map
Map without the broders: Will update as the story updates.

Society

Elyasia is a dual matriarchy: women hold both thrones, first Kira and Lira and now Lyra and Mira (see Reign). Each princess gathers a circle of companions through claiming, and any male can be claimed, whatever his race or role. Mages, healers, demons, dragons, and half-breeds have all become knights or paladins. There is no set number. Kira and Lira each had three guards, while Lyra's circle has grown to eleven, and each generation is expected to look different. They are friends, family, and often mates, and they are the people closest to the crown.

Magic is overseen by the High Mages, who work for the realm more than for any member of the royal family. Rain holds water, Sin holds fire, and June holds earth, and the seat for wind is still empty. Lyne, the realm's founding mage, holds all the elements and leads the High Mages. She also governs the Middle Lands, where she supports both princesses from her tower. All other magic users, from court mages to village healers, work under the High Mages.

The dragons are the most powerful beings in Elyasia, since they are the realm's magic. Most live in humanoid form, a habit left over from the wars. Dragons are free to fly now that peace has come, but they are slow to let the past go, so a dragon in the sky is a rare and memorable sight. The common folk are a mix of species. Demons, humans, hanyō, shifters, and kitsune share the same towns and markets, and no species is ranked above another. Small fights happen, but war is not allowed. Elyasia is also a haven for exiles. Because it lies where the other realms meet, it draws people who have left something behind. Sinta left his twin's shadow, Heei left a hostile father, and Mathias and Inuyasha came out of curiosity and stayed. Newcomers are welcomed, and few people ask where they came from.

Currency

Elyasia trades in coins. Goods and favors can be bartered, but their worth is always measured against the coins, so the coin values set the price of everything else. The coins were created by the people of Elyasia, not by the crown, and neither princess has ever had a say in how they work. The same coins are used in the North and the South.

The most common coin is the Mystic Coin, a small, rust-colored coin stamped with a magical symbol. On its own it is worth very little. Fifty Mystic Coins make one Lunar Silver, a silver coin that is slightly larger than a Mystic Coin and marked with a moon. One hundred Lunar Silvers make one Royal Gold, a gold coin stamped with a crown. A Royal Gold is about twice the size and weight of a Lunar Silver, which makes it the coin of large purchases rather than everyday trade. The crown on the Royal Gold is a tribute to the princesses, since Elyasia's peace is credited to them.

Elyasia's coins change into the money of whichever realm they are carried into. This happens on its own, and no one seems to know how or to care. Everyone in Elyasia is paid for their work except the princesses, who are wealthy by design. How their wealth is supplied is not discussed. Some assume the realm provides it, and others suspect that people quietly add to the royal treasury.

Coin	Appearance	Value
Mystic Coin	Small, rust-colored, magical symbol	Base unit
Lunar Silver	Silver, slightly larger, moon symbol	50 Mystic Coins
Royal Gold	Gold, about twice the size and weight of a Lunar Silver, crown symbol	100 Lunar Silvers (5,000 Mystic Coins)

Laws

Elyasia has two layers of law. Two laws govern the realm itself, and four more apply in both the Northern and Southern Lands, which share the same code. The High Mages wrote the laws of the realm together, and the princesses wrote the laws of the lands.

Laws of the Realm

• Only females may rule Elyasia. A male who takes power goes mad. Dragons are the exception. (See Reign.)
• Only two females of the royal blood may rule at one time. How they share the work is left to them. The royal line must always have two daughters able to take the thrones, and if one princess has fewer than two, the other’s daughters may fill both seats.

Hidden third law

A hidden law concerns thieves. Its details are still being worked out, and most people, including Sinta when he arrived, do not know it exists.

Laws of the Northern and Southern Lands

• Only the princess on the throne may claim a male as a guardian. There is no limit to how many guardians she may have. A former ruler, such as Kira or Lira, remains royal but may not claim new guardians.
• Guardians may take mates, as long as they remain loyal to their princess.
• No killing is allowed in the lands. Training and scuffles are permitted. The law exists to keep deaths rare, not to stop every fight.
• Sanctuary for the claimed. — Once claimed by a princess, you're under her protection — an attack on a guard is arguably an attack on the crown itself. However guards are mostly POWERFULL males, so who is stupid to try attacking them?
• The Bone Woods must never be entered. No one knows what lies within.

Religion

Elyasia has no religion. No gods are worshipped, no scriptures are read, and no prayers are offered to any higher power. Nevertheless, shrines and temples stand quietly maintained throughout the realm, and their purpose is never formally explained, even to those who care for them. Most of Elyasia accepts them as it does the changing seasons: something that has always existed and will continue to do so. Many of the smaller shrines serve as places for healing. They are maintained by priests and priestesses, who are compensated for their work like everyone else, and who tend to the grounds without leading any worship.

In the expanding city of Alysia, located in the eastern Middle Lands near Lyne’s tower and forest, two temples stand out among the rest. Each marks a threshold between worlds, housing the only two stable portals in Elyasia that can be accessed daily. All other portals are unstable and open at random, making them unreliable for travel.

The the Shrine of Humility is a modest, weathered building with plain wooden beams. Beneath its floorboards lies the portal to the Human Realm. Anyone may pass through it freely, with no bloodline, title, or permission required. A handful of silent ninja watch the grounds day and night, more often unseen than seen, ensuring that whatever crosses does so without disturbing the peace on either side. The ninja live in a town south of the city and belong to the realm itself. They report to their clan elders, who, in turn, report to Lyne.

The the Shrine of Tenacity is darker and more imposing. The stonework is adorned with ancient warding symbols, polished smooth by centuries of contact, and the portal to the Demon Realm is located here. It turns no one away, but demons are not always easily trusted, which is why two guardians stand watch at all times. One is a nine-tailed fox demon whose calm demeanor conceals centuries of vigilance. The other is a two-tailed panther demon who is quick to detect any yokai with malicious intent. Together, few malevolent spirits have managed to slip through unnoticed.

Hidden

It's just an idea for now, but there may be a hidden goddess who is pulling the strings; however, this remains unknown for the time being.

Culture

Elyasia's culture blends Chinese and Japanese influences with fantasy elements. The Japanese side shows in kimono, shrines, honorifics, and wooden homes, and the Chinese side in some clothing styles and in old tales like the Four Gods. Great castles rise in pale stone, and homes and clinics are often built of wood. Tea is a daily comfort, and gardens are a favorite place to drink it, with rose tea especially loved. Baths are valued, and the royal family and high-ranked have hot running water, supplied by magical tools. Reading is treasured, so every castle has a library, and the city of Alysia is known for its novels.

Manners are gentle and affectionate. People greet each other with a bow or a respectful tilt of the head, and titles such as "Lady" and "Lord" are used with care. Friends often use honorifics like "-kun" and "-chan," and pet names are common, even toward people of high rank. Touch is a natural part of friendship. Brushing or braiding someone's hair is a sign of trust, and many yokai let only those closest to them touch their ears and tails. Some keep those features hidden in public, but that is a personal choice, and no one thinks it strange.

The calendar follows the moon, and dates are often given in relation to the new moon. The months have their own names, such as Mars, Yula, and Wicked, which the princesses introduced to help people move on from the war. Wicked is the month when the Spirit Realm, the realm of the dead, feels closest. It feels a lot like Halloween without the candy unless it's on the 31th: people are watchful, a little spooky, and fond of ghost stories. In winter, many dragons sleep for months while the realm grows quiet and snow-covered, though some stay awake. People mark the season gently, leaving drinks and flowers near dragon caves. New Year's Eve is a time for gifts and vows.

Time-flow in Elyasia

Time in Elyasia runs slower than in the Human Realm. One day in Elyasia equals seven days on Earth, but the people who live there feel no difference, and no one can sense the change. It only shows when someone crosses between realms. The Human Realm portal is especially unpredictable. It can drop a traveler into a very different era, and the amount of time that has passed is never certain. The Demon Realm runs alongside Elyasia far more evenly.

Elyasia’s days are long. A full day holds 160 hours, split into 80 hours of daylight and 80 hours of night. The balance shifts with the seasons. In summer the days stretch to 82 hours and the nights shrink to 78, and in winter the days shorten to 76 hours and the nights grow to 84. The four seasons are nearly the same length (spring is 87 days and the others are 91), and the weather within them is as unpredictable as it is on Earth.

Elyasia’s year has 360 days, five fewer than Earth’s, divided into 12 months. The months are not equal in length. The shortest, Fin (February), has 26 days, and the others have 30 or 31. Every month has its own Elyasian name, listed on the Calendar page.

Elyasia	Roughly equals on Earth
1 hour	about 63 minutes
1 day [160hrs]	7 days
1 year [360]	about 6.9 years

Calendar

Elyasia’s year has 360 days, divided into 12 months, and every month has its own Elyasian name. Day length shifts with the seasons (see Time-flow). The sun and moon are magical and only loosely follow Earth’s patterns, so each month keeps its own lunar habits.

Month	Earth month	Days	Notes
Jan	January	30
Fin	February	26	The moon appears only as a full moon, for two long nights.
Mars	March	30	Two new moons, one at the start of the month and one at the end. Nights return to normal length.
Rain	April	31	The new moon always falls in the middle of the month.
Mayfall	May	30	Days begin to grow two hours longer.
Yuna	June	30
Yula	Yula	30
Gust	August	31	Days return to normal length. A windy month.
Aug	September	30
Wicked	October	31	The weather turns cold and nights grow four hours longer. The Spirit Realm feels closest (see Culture).
Xen	November	30
Winter	December	31	Heavy snowfall.

Seasons

Season	Months	Days
Spring	Mars, Rain, Mayfall	91
Summer	Yuna, Yula, Gust	91
Fall	Aug, Wicked, Xen	91
Ice [the cold season]	Winter, Jan, Fin	87

Holidays

Many of Elyasia's holidays resemble human ones but have a local twist. Most are marked with festivals at the shrines.

Jan 1 New Year's Day	The first day of the year. People visit a shrine to make a wish for the year ahead.
Fin 1 Spring begins	The snow starts to melt, and the first signs of green appear.
Fin 14 Heart Day	Much like Valentine's Day. The men do something sweet for their lovers and mates.
Mars Spring Festival	The town of Nyla holds a spring festival for Lady Lira. No one is sure why.
Rain 16 Bunny Day	Similar to Easter. Eggs are given out, supplied by the crow clans.
Mayfall 1 Summer begins	Days grow two hours longer and the heat arrives.
Mayfall 14 Mother's Day	People thank their mothers or do something kind for them.
Yuna 18 Father's Day	The same, for fathers.
Yula 20 Dragon Peace Day	Marks the end of the Dragon War. Festivals across Elyasia thank the dragons for the peace.
Gust 1 Autumn begins	Elyasia cools down, and the Spirit Realm and Shadow Realm portals start acting odd.
Wicked 30 Hollow Eve	The day before Hollow Day, spent getting ready.
Wicked 31 Hollow Day	Similar to Halloween. Children dress up and are given candy, and each town, city, and village holds a horror-themed festival at its shrine. Spirits rarely appear in Elyasia, but they may on this night. Kamui, guardian of the Shadow Realm portal, hates it, since the portal opens for a short time.
Xen 1 Ice begins	It grows colder, and snow starts to fall in the Northern Lands first.
Xen 23 and 24 Giving Eve and Giving Day	Similar to Thanksgiving. Two days for giving thanks to loved ones and family, with small festivals at the shrines.
Winter 24 and 25 Xmas Eve and Xmas Day	Similar to Christmas. Gifts are set under small trees in people's homes and given out on the 25th. On the evening of Xmas Day, small festivals at the shrines work like holiday parties.
Winter 31 New Year's Eve	The last day of the year. Festivals across Elyasia run deep into the night.

Magic

Magic permeates every corner of Elyasia. Ancient texts say it began with the dragons, whose arrival opened the flow of magic into the realm, though no one knows why. Dragons still hold the largest pool of mana of any being in Elyasia.

Nearly everyone has some magic, but a magic user is something more. The term covers mages, witches, warlocks, dragons, and the High Mages, who are also called Sages. All of them carry far larger reserves of mana than ordinary people, and most are trained to use it. (Magic may also be spelled “magick.”)

Mana occurs naturally in pools, springs, and solid crystals. In this raw form it is very potent, and most magic users must refine it before they can use it. Dragons can use raw mana as it is. Dragons do most of the refining, but any magic user can do it.

Ice crystals are a kind of mana crystal. They form from the tears or blood of ice demons, and dragons can make them too, since they form from a dragon’s mana. The common kind is a small light-blue crystal from tears. Black and red crystals are much rarer, and no one knows how to make them.

Elyasia has no schools of magic. Spells are common knowledge, passed from teacher to student, and each race also has its own techniques, such as a kitsune’s plant seeds or a dragon’s flame.

Here is a list of Magic and Spells that are used in Elyasia.
Note: All spells are based on Final Fantasy games.

Black Magic Fire > Fira > Firaga > Firaja Blizzard > Blizzara > Blizzaga > Blizzaja Thunder > Thundara > Thundaga > Thundaja Water > Watera > Waterga > Waterja Stone > Stonera > Stonega > Stoneja Sleep Poison > Bio > Biora >Bioga Confuse Tornado Blind > Blinga Fireball Dark > Darkra Gravity Break Comet > Meteor Drain > Drainga Quake Flare Ultima

White Magic Cure > Cura > Curaga > Curaja > Curada Vox Poisona Blindna Stona Protect > Protectga Shell > Shellga Silence > Silencega Slow > Slowga Haste > Hastega Regen Dia > Diara > Diaga De'Dia > De'Diaja Esuna Dispel Faith Berserk Renewing Cure Reflect Grace Holy > Holyja Ultra Cure

Rare Magic that only a select few can use.
Time manipulation [Only time demons can do this, there are only 2 known Time Demon/Yokai]
resurrection/revival - [Unknown. It has never been used.]
Necromancy - [Unknown. It has never been used.]
Death - [Unknown. It has never been used.]