The Kingdom of Aldrein is the human realm in Embers of the Uncrowned and the political backdrop for the entire campaign. Established on the continent of Rinea, the kingdom was already a settled, organized power when the elves arrived from across the sea, and the elven invasion is fundamentally a war for control of Aldrein's land.
Political Structure
Aldrein is a monarchy of grand lords, each ruling a domain under the throne. The kingdom is divided into a pro-monarchy faction and rival factions whose loyalties shift with the politics of the moment.
At the center of the pro-monarchy faction stood House Harborwell, a collateral branch of the royal family. The Harborwells held the throne's trust through generations of bloodline magic and accumulated wealth and honor, and other neighboring grand lords aligned with or against the throne through the Harborwell line.
Geography
Aldrein's territory spans the continent of Rinea. Named regions confirmed so far include:
Region | Detail |
|---|---|
Valdorion Peninsula | Site of Goldenhaven, the Harborwell seat. A wealthy coastal stretch on the kingdom's edge. |
Amber Coast | Former domain of House Ambertail, abandoned thirty years ago after a beast onslaught drove the family inland. |
Towerstead (Red Anchor Harbor) | Coastal town where the Velseize elves under Bella made landfall, and where Lord Valdemar was killed. |
The Elven Threat
Before the events of the game, the elves crossed the sea from a continent ruined by their own catastrophic magical war. They had expected Rinea to be empty wilderness; finding the Kingdom of Aldrein already established on the land, they treated the humans as resistance to be eliminated rather than as a power to be negotiated with. After a feigned three-year peace treaty failed to unify the elven factions, the Velseize elves under Bella broke ranks and launched the first attack.
With the fall of Goldenhaven, the pro-monarchy line was decapitated and the kingdom's resistance shattered. The relentless march of the elves now sweeps across the rest of the kingdom, with no central authority left to coordinate a defense.
Story Role
The player's campaign is framed as the rebuilding of one corner of the kingdom: the restoration of House Harborwell on the Valdorion Peninsula. As the player's settlement grows and Domain Bosses fall, regions are liberated from the elven occupation, and word of the House's resurgence spreads to the rest of the kingdom.
Related
Rinea - the continent on which Aldrein sits
House Harborwell - the pillar of the pro-monarchy faction
The Elven Invasion - the war that broke the kingdom
Goldenhaven - the fallen Harborwell capital
Velseize Elves - the elven faction that struck first