⚔︎ : aurevia concept + lore guide !! ( by mono )
visual concept : a city of white, gold and baby blue. lots of intricate details and clouds in the architecture and a bit of a glowy atmosphere. city above the clouds with residents that seem otherworldly with their big white wings. takes inspiration from ancient greece, the floating mountains and the palace of versailles.
portal : the temple of artemis in ephesus. located in modern day turkey. has been kept relatively hidden away from any humans. besides the portal, accessing aurevia requires a bit of hidden (and forbidden) knowledge that is very hard for outsiders to access.
ruling house : house of (name reserved for jude to decide here). (monarch status here) (monarch name here).
heir : (name reserved for jude to decide here).
sigil : a sword and wings on a golden crest (this kinda vibe.)
motto : wings banded together.
the city of aurevia : aurevia is a medium-sized realm that resides on floating mountains in the clouds. every mountain is connected by long bridges, but it is not exactly needed due to its citizens. although aurevia is a realm full of different beings, the main population that resides in aurevia is the native population: vinge. they are a population of rather humanoid creatures, however taller in stature and their most notable physical difference .. their large white wings. however, you can find many other species in aurevia!
locations : the temple of the old gods, the house of orion, the white keep (knight's quarters & training center), an array of shops and restaurants, the castle, the philosophical temple of clouds (closed for maesters/philosphers only), numerous taverns, the whispering woods, the floating waterfalls of aurevia, the sacred watchtowers. heavily inspired by mondstat (layout wise!!)
how to reach aurevia : due to it’s extremely high altitude and almost impossibility of reaching the city without wings, the native population of aurevia created a pulley system that mimics modern day elevators. there is a ground floor of aurevia which functions as a visitor’s centre. in this centre, non-natives will get visas to access the city, as well as other permits and things. then, they may purchase a ticket to board the golden pulleys of aurevia, which can fit 100 individuals at a time, and work from 5am-5pm. after this time, outsiders may not access aurevia without the help of a native.
jobs : bard, maester, philosopher, knight, forest watcher, tower keeper, seamstress, royal courts, travelling merchant, master of whispers, town shouter, interpreter, master of coin, court jester, circus ring leader.
mythology : 'old god' mythology - typically only followed by the common folk, though the royal family does follow and promote the religion.
the old gods : the sacred 5, said to have created the realm of aurevia and any other realm that may exist. this religion has slowly began to fizzle out in the times due to the slow progress of technology, but the majority of the common folk and the royal family still follow it.
nelros : the queen of gods, mother of creation. life started with her, and she created her siblings. takes the form of a golden dove.
sotlir : the god of death, the ruler of the other side. life ends with him. takes the form of a black raven.
lilyan : the god of time, the son of eternity. life goes on with him. takes the form of a white deer.
iesis : the god(dess) of love. life is loved through them. is also the god(dess) of food and harvest, in charge of controlling the elements. takes the form of a swan. has no confirmed gender, and is seen taking both male and female forms.
miona : the goddess of justice. the all seeing eye of life. takes the form of a male lion.
the white keep : the home of the rosen knights, which are the sacred knights of aurevia. incredibly skilled fighters, both agile in the sky and on the ground.
the oath : (almost completely stolen from the night’s watch oath….) clouds gather, and now my life begins. it shall not end until my fated death. i shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. i shall wear no crowns and win no glory. i shall live and die a rosen knight. i am the shimmering sword in the light. i am the angel that rises in the ashes. i am the shield that guards aurevia. i pledge my life and honour to the rosen knight’s, for this day and all days to come.
armour : typically dripped in gold and silver to show off stature, has open slits for their wings and extra armour available for them as well. their headpiece has wings on the sides, mimicking the greek god hermes. their main chest plate has a red rose ethched into it, along with other red rose symbolism engraved throughout their armour, symbolising their status of being rosen knights.
weaponry : all rosen knights are extremely skilled in both ground and aerial combat. all knights typically have two swords at their disposal, a longsword made for intense warfare that hands from their sheath, and a smaller sword for any everyday usage. a longsword is not permitted to be used in any other combat outside from war, and is hand crafted to be held by none other than the knight it belongs to. (a lot like thor's hammer), it is almost impossible to lift a rosen knight's longsword unless magic has been gifted to you. however, besides their swords and rigorous sword training, they are also taught to hold numerous other weapons: the longspear, the bow and arrow, and from the witches, occasional magic to help summon creatures for their aid - but only if absolutely necessary. all knights have the option to choose which other weapons they may like to use, but are trained in all of them until they can perfect it.
fighting skills : it is a known fact that it is extremely difficult to defeat a rosen knight in any sort of combat, however, it is not impossible. they are extremely skilled fighters in both aerial and ground combat, and typically train from the moment they are able to stand to the moment they are sworn in, and even so, they are still trained throughout their service when there is time to do so. however, they do not believe in senseless violence. it is extremely frowned upon for a rosen knight to use violence unless absolutely necessary, and only one knight has ever been dismissed from service for using excessive force when it was not needed (which was rumoured to be suggested by the philosophers).
origin : many common folk have wondered where the rosen knights even originated from, as their history is not well known by many outside of the knights themselves or the philosophers. however, it is said that nelros created the first rosen knight after a particularly gruelling war. there was ash everywhere due to raging fires, and yet, a single red rose had survived, and it stayed planted on the ground, almost shining. from that single rose, nelros created the knight from its petals. she created his sword from it’s stem and the blade from it’s thorns. from then on, a godly and prestigious knighthood was created to protect aurevia from any harm.
symbolism : the rosen knights are a tight-knit brotherhood rumoured to be created by the sacred rose of aurevia themselves. they are knights that embody beauty in every sense of the word, and although are skilled fighters, value fairness and gentleness above violence. although they are appointed by the gods, the philosophers are the ones that they directly report to. however, the rosen knights seemingly have their own government and way of selecting their commanders and officers. all rosen knights are said to be a beauty that is otherworldly, however, they rarely ever show their face unless they are in the presence of their sworn brothers.
current commander : hugh (41) the strong, of house ravenwood. there are currently 32 rosen knights in aurevia.
familiars : as soon as you are sworn to be a rosen knight, you are visited by the rosen witch. this witch is a woman who is appointed by the philosophers, and gives the knights their familiar (imagine megumi's dogs). a familiar is chosen typically at random, but follows the heart of what the knight is truly capable of. all familiars are different despite them sharing a species sometimes, and each familiar comes with their own unique abilities.
familiar symbolism : the pegasus - a horse typically larger than average horses, with a large wingspan, typically around 8.5 meters (27 feet). every pegasus has a different coat colouring and unique special ability, but represents aerial grace and freedom. is typically rode with knights that choose the bow as their main weapon.
familiar symbolism : the cat - (imagine a bob cat/maine coon type) typically larger than house cats. every cat has a different coat colouring and unique special abilities that typically deal with close combat (ex. stunlocking the enemies). they represent strength and force. they are typically beside knights that choose the sword as their main weapon.
familiar symbolism : the phoenix - a rare, but rather interesting familiar to have. they are larger than most birds of prey, and are all a normal shade of brown, only lighting itself on fire during combat. they represent sacrifice and honour. they are typically with knights that choose the bow as their main weapon.
familiar symbolism : the wolf - extremely larger than normal wolves (cough.. cough… twilight wolves….), and come in a range of coat colours and special abilities. these familiars deal with long ranged ground combat. they represent bravery and duty. they are typically beside the knights that choose the longspear as their main weapon.
familiar symbolism : the banshee - a unique familiar that resembles a woman. are also known as sirens. appears from the elements of nature (ex. comes from tree bark), and uses their voices to lure in their enemies. they represent deception and dishonesty. they are more difficult to claim as a familiar, as they choose who they become tied with. however, they have been known to be with knights that choose the sword as their main weapon.
familiar symbolism : the demon - the most dangerous type of familiar to get, as the knights must go through a trial in the underworld and become possessed by a demon and survive it (imagine seraph of the end - attaining a cursed weapon). there has been very few cases where it has been successful, so not many try for this familiar. however, if successful, the demon takes home in their chosen weapon, and once released during combat, become almost a shadow of their knight and act as a second, more stronger version of them, while also giving the original knight enhanced strength, speed, and agility. however, it is a constant battle to control their demon, and if a wrong move is made, or a weakness is shown, the demon will most likely devour their soul. there is no pattern for the knights they choose besides whoever was brave enough to try.
note : if you have an idea for a familiar, feel free to tell me or add it and i’ll format it!! :D
the protector of aurevia : hand picked from the gods themselves, this person is a protector of the realm in all sense of the word.
origin : the protectors of the realms of orion are a sacred force as old as the gods. they are the sole protectors of the realm and the first one to be used as sacrifice in order to conserve the realm. they are typically individuals of high standing that have proven themselves to the gods with their deeds done as mortals. once chosen as a protector of the realm, there is infinite knowledge, power, and help at their disposal. for the protector of aurevia, they are ranked above the rosen knights, the royal family, and even the philosophers. they are regarded as gods to the common folk.
current protector : as of today, aurevia is currently unprotected with no named protector due to the unusual and mysterious death of the previous protector of the realm (it is rumoured that the philosophers got rid of them due to being threatened in power). as of now, the gods are trying to come to terms with who should be the new protector of the realm, however, the philosophers are attempting to overrule the gods by nominating their own protector of the realm.
acting protector of the realm : as for now, the commander of the rosen knights, hugh ravenwood, is the acting protector of the realm until the gods can decide on a new one.
the philosophers : the knowledgeable philosophers of aurevia, and the corrupt secret society that pulls the strings of the realm behind the god’s eye.
origin : once again, a system set up by the gods. however, this time, it was the goddess miona, the goddess of justice, who came together and selected a chosen one of each of the 6 realms to ultimately watch over orion as a whole, and make sure that each of the realms stayed safe. she placed them in a golden sept in aurevia, the capital realm, and named them the philosophers. she granted them the ability to see into the future and look into the past, and gave them the ultimate test of fairness. throughout history, numerous philosophers have come and go, changing from holy maesters to highly ranked philosophers, but their previous love of fairness and honesty has long gone. now in the modern times, it is easier to find one of the gods than it is to find a philosopher who isn't corrupt.
current philosophers : the philosopher of elyria, (name reserved for jude here) of house (name reserved for jude here). the philosopher of lyriel, (name reserved for jude here) of house (name reserved for jude here). the philosopher of aurevia, rob of house black. the philosopher of myrithen, (name reserved for kaz here), of house (name reserved for kaz here). the philosopher of altus, (name reserved for rain here), of house (name reserved for rain here). the philosopher of nymbralis, (name reserved for jude here), of house (name reserved for jude here).
their corruption : it all started when a philosopher of aurevia had secretly murdered all of the other philosopher's and replaced them with a tainted 5. due to the philosophers being anonymous at the time, no one had known that they were feeding the other realms complete deception. because of this, the philosophers are no longer a just force feigning for fairness and equality (imagine the betrayal of the academia in sumeru).
the species of aurevia : aurevia was once a closed off realm, only open to their native population and the 5 other philosophers. however, as time progressed, the capital realm has become extremely open and a central hub for all sorts of different species.
vinge : the native population of aurevia, known for their extravagant and rather large (and super fluffy!!) white wings. if a vinge allows you to touch their wings, the tips of your fingertips will tingle in the slightest euphoria, and being gifted a feather off of their wings is known to be a lucky charm. however, if a feather is taken without their consent or knowledge, extreme bad luck is known to befall those who make that mistake. for the majority of vinges, they spend their lives in the sky, as their wings are far too big and drag on the ground when they walk. befriending a vinge means that you'll never have to walk anywhere again (a sign of companionship is to carry their partners while they fly!).
centaur : another large majority in aurevia due to the floating mountains that are actually rather expansive. a majority of the centaurs have a horse form along with their human half of their body, and are matching in size with the pegasus that fly around in the skies. typically, centaurs are in charge of breeding pegasus (and unicorns if they're lucky).
nymphs : a product of the forest in aurevia, these are creatures of the forest, also known as forest watchers of aurevia. they take the forms of nature, and create a humanoid form when they would like to be seen. the nymphs may come from the tree bark, the petals of flowers, a running creek, a thorny bush, or even the dirt. they are known to have a gender non-confirming form, with their anatomy shared between men and women. however, due to being such an isolated population in the forest, not a lot is known about them except for the fact that they protect the forest.
misc : besides the natives of aurevia, there are numerous other types of species in the realm from different realms!