Worldbuilding; The Twin Empires

For a thousand years, the Twin Empires of Cael and Raz'za waged war.  The desert nation of Raz'za was rich in gold and jewels, while the plains and forests of Cael were bursting with untapped natural resources.  Each nation coveted what the other possessed.

The two fought with steel and with sorcery.  A dozen bloody wars and countless smaller campaigns were conducted.  That came to an end with the Great Sickness of 443 CE.  The massive plague left huge numbers of dead, including both emperors and much of their families.  With no clear successors, both empires ceased fighting to consider the situation.

A council of aristocrats and guildmasters was formed in Cael.  Their stated purpose was to select the next emperor.  This was the most important decision any of them would ever make, but it could not be rushed.  They argued, debated and negotiated for months, then for years.  In the meantime, the Council had effectively taken the place of the emperor.  By the time the name was officially changed from the Empire of Cael to the Union of Cael, no one opposed or even took much notice of the change.

Meanwhile, Raz'za was conquered by the gods themselves.  Religious groups condemned the decadent empire, claiming that the Sickness was a direct result of the emperor's impiety.  In the wake of such a huge disaster, the people rushed to accept their message.  Theocracy took hold, and the nation grew inward, becoming less interested in expanding into other nations' territory, and more focused on defending their own borders and purity.

Cael

Knowledge is Power

Since the end of hostilities with Raz'za, Cael has developed an obsession with learning and innovation.  The ultimate expression of this is the University.  A center of learning renowned throughout the known world, it has attracted both scholars and hopeful learners from every field of study.  This is a place where people can hope for a better life.

Raz'za

The Land of the Gods

A people cried out for salvation, and they were heard.  While aristocrats and merchants were taking over Cael, priests worked tirelessly to save Raz'za from a similar fate.  Doctrine and tradition are the true rulers here.  While travelers and traders from other lands are tolerated here, this is merely out of necessity.  Outsiders are not well liked, and Raz'zan law is famously harsh toward those who breach their strict etiquette.

The Blue Frontier

A Thousand Lands

The ocean known as the Blue Shield is called such because it was thought to be untraversable, the edge of the world.  This changed in 580 CE, when a military flotilla, blown hundreds of leagues off course by rough seas and massive storms, beached upon an island that shouldn't have existed.  Since that time, charts have been updated, sailing techniques have been refined, and more and more islands and peoples have been discovered.  Expeditions to this area, now known as the Blue Frontier, are famously expensive, and so only the richest merchant guilds have been able to make to journey to exploit these as-yet unspoiled lands.