HOW THE EMPIRE SPLIT

The division of the royal Strightus line, as is often the case with the allocation of power, was a complex process that spanned two generations. This division gave rise to the establishment of four geographical realms within Evynlore, each of which contained a number of kingdoms and provinces. Shadden's decision to prioritize his nephews and nieces over his uncles and aunt created a rift between the generations and led to the emergence of what is known as the greater and lesser generations.

Following Shadden's passing, the greater generation was composed of Shadden's father's siblings (Lahtaynia, Gesemeron, Sohkatôa) and Shadden's eldest son, Natheteron, who was close to their age. Although this generation had been skipped over to rule, they still had sway over their children, and so they took it upon themselves to divide Evynlore by the resources found in her lands, so that each of the new royal bloodlines would have fair opportunity to establish their kingdom. Never before had it been decreed that every royal child should have inheritance as a ruler, and so a new kind of hierarchy needed to be established to prevent war. Each eldest child of Lahtaynia, Gesemeron and Sohkatôa would be crowned as High Rulers, to be given a fourth of the land, divided not by size but by the value of prospective resources. The remaining fourth, and the largest portion of the land rich in garsome, would be allotted to Natheteron as the Highest Ruler for they all feared his great sorcery which Mortifer had given him. And so, the greater generation defined four geographical realms around the most precious resources, with the hope to stimulate trade opportunities and peace. These realms became known as the Four Realms of Evynlore. Since Shadden had not allowed the greater generation to name their bloodlines after themselves, (a decree, that even after his death could not be undone) Lahtaynia, Gesemeron, Sohkatôa and Nathereon gave the four realms their names as an act of defiance against Shadden's memory. And so the greater generation was remembered throughout history by the names of the four realms as where the lesser generation is remembered through the names of the twelve bloodlines.

Consequently, the firstborn of the lesser generation became known as the High Royal Bloodlines, for they were given rulership of the four realms. These High Royal Bloodlines are Cornu, Osaur, Wease, and Shadden (Natheteron’s bloodline was not named after his firstborn but after his father). The non-firstborn nephews and nieces, and Natheteron’s two much younger siblings, assumed rulership of smaller kingdoms within the realms and their bloodlines were called the Lesser Royal Bloodlines and consisted of Cygnus, Acin, Allion, Cephal, Hartt, Itimus, Thera, and Tragus, completing a total of twelve kingdoms and twelve bloodlines.