The Kingdom of Northern Ice was the northernmost Kingdom in the Empire, until it severed from the Concord at Samhain, 2004, when the new High King Meilge ap Eiluned took the throne. It is ruled over by Queen Laurel of House Fiona. Her castle stands in the Dreaming of the far North, surrounded by walls built of the rainbows of distant stars. She is beautiful beyond imagining, and has a voice like Spring in song. Wild, stormy and unpredictable, the Kingdom of Northern Ice is much like its regent. This is the largest of the kingdoms of Concordia and spreads out over all of Canada. Recently, the territory that the humans call "Alaska" was appropriated by the Kingdom of Storms. Queen Laurel's reaction is not yet known. The Dreaming here is a constant turmoil of great storms and continuous snowfall. Much of the Dreaming here is covered in ice year 'round. The sky is usually the same slate blue and grey as the eyes of the Queen. The fae of this kingdom tend to be a hardy, independent and unpredictable breed. This unpredictability is increased by the Queen's imminent wedding to Duke Rococo of the "Shadow Court." The Duchy of Winter's Edge stands at the easternmost tip of the Kingdom of Northern Ice. The Duchess Olwen of House Dougal ruled from solitude on the Island of Princes, rarely meeting with her subjects. Two Counts served her, one for each of two Counties in her demesne, while the kithain of the Free Commots ruled themselves with her blessings. Then came Midsummer of 2004, and the attacks across the Northern Ice by the servants of the Fomorians. Olwen was one of many nobles to die. The County of Drowned Honour is no more, dissolved by Duchess Olwen ap Dougal of Winter's Edge. Free Commots stand here now. Long years since the Black Ships laid these lands waste, these lands have proved the doom of many a noble heart. The Free Commots of Shining Waters stand a bold place for commoners to live without Lords and Ladies within these lands, but the kithain return here slowly, remembering the Black Ships' terror. Comprising the two Canadas, upper and lower, is the Duchy of Dragon's Hope. Duke Thomas of Nor of House Gwydion ruled here from his palace carved from the limestone caverns beneath the buildings of Parliament. Legend tells of a Dragon which lived in the northern forests of this Duchy, many years before the Resurgence, and which laid one dragon's egg, well hidden, before journeying beneath the mountains to sleep until "the fall of the sky." No living fae remembers seeing such a Dream, but from it the Duchy takes its name. The stark clear walls of glass and steel stand astride the gate to the Endless Trod, and in its shadow, the kithain of the County of Winter's Discontent stand strong. Recently rising to prominence by the hosting of the Queen's Own Champion and his oath-friends and court, the County struggles against grim foes yet ever hopes to emerge triumphant. In the south of Dragon's Hope, astride the Lakes, the Court of Baron Daffyd Richmond has been in disarray ever since his rightful seat, Caer Wyrravel and the Barony of Dark Waters in the County of Kraken's Rest, was engulfed by a mysterious chimerical mist that not even a Sluagh could see through nineteen years ago. Amongst the Shadows Lost in Mist, Daffyd's sire Baron Letham Richmond was killed before he ever saw his demense again. Far, far in the cold north, abutting the Third Sea, a frozen waste of ice, lies the Duchy of Spring's Promise. A sun-swept tundra, cold yet beautiful, holds few fae, but is host to Caer Frost, the Queen's own palace, which has walls carved from the Borealis and glittering lights of the Northern Sky. The Duke here is Roland ap Fiona, a hard Seelie who strives against the encroaching Winter of Dreams. An irony, he is swift to point out, is the deep 'summer' Glamour which can be found in the cold North. Banality encroaches little where humanity can be found only in Dreams. The Queen's court is reclusive, holding to Caer Frost and leaving rulership of the Duchy to Duke Roland. Next to the Duchy of Climbing Sky, a great expanse of golden fields and rolling hills marks the Duchy of Moons Crossing. It is said that in the days of the Accordance War, one battle was halted here by a vision seen by all present, of twin moons rising to meet in the sky. Both armies lay down their weapons, and spoke in peace. The Duchess here is Elspeth ap Gwydion, a young ruler who delights in sport and competition. Revels and Pennons are common celebrations in her palace, and she rarely has time to govern personally - such matters are left to her Eiluned chancellor, Baron Silvanus. The Duchy of Climbing Sky runs along the spine of the world, the great mountains which give the Duchy its name. Once ruled by the ineffectual Duke Monteberry of House Fiona, the Queen has seen the threats to the western borders and responds in kind, dismissing Monteberry in favour of a warrior and general, Duke Aylwyn ap Keldee ap Fiona. The Empire of the Turtle, also called the Empire of Concordia comprises the human geography of North and Central America, and is divided into several Kingdoms, each with their own king or queen. The Empire is ruled over by High King David ap Ard Ri ap Gwydion, bearer of the sword Caliburn, from his seat at Tara Nar. There, a Parliament of Dreams acts as council of advisors to the Young King. The Kingdom of Apples The Grandame, Queen Mab, is a woman of strong passions and convictions, but also of great maturity. She is the oldest of the monarchs of Concordia and her lands are largely solid, pleasant, and stable. The Kithain of this kingdom are also generally a solid and practical folk, 'though this changes considerably near such urban centres as New York. Much of the Dreaming in this kingdom consists of green, rolling hills, rocky coastlines and verdant groves. Of all the kingdoms of Concordia, the Kingdom of Apples is the most like Eire. The Duchy of Tara Nar is the grand seat of High King David ap Ardry ap Gwydion. It is there that the Parliament of Dreams holds its court, and it is there that the great Balefire lies beneath the palace at Tara Nar. The highest of High Courts meets there. The Kingdom of the Rolling Hills The Kingdom of the Rolling Hills was never the most populous place in Concordia. Nobles and courtiers often find that living in the nearby Kingdom of Apples seemed to prove both more comfortable as well as politically more beneficial. Still, a good and honorable Dougal family led by King Maxwell Silverhand ap Dougal, hand-picked by High King David himself, was selected to rule a new, small Kingdom three decades after the Resurgence. The lands for this Kingdom were taken from the wild borders of the Kingdoms of Apples, Grass, and Willows; High King David wanted to create more opportunities for Kithain to hold title and lands, and also to bring the Kings and Queens closer to their subjects. [EC Region USA] The Kingdom of Shimmering Waters The Kingdom of Shimmering Waters has just found its lost Queen and returned her to her throne... Uncertain and frightened of her rediscovered grace, Queen Charis ap Gwydion of the Shimmering Waters watches as the flames of war grow closer to her Kingdom's borders. The Kingdom of Willows Sullen, moody and stifling best describe this kingdom and its cursed ruler, King Meilge of House Eiluned. The air here seldom moves, except when a great storm punctuates the King's mad outbursts. Geographically the Willow Kingdom extends over most of the American Southeast. Much of the Dreaming here consists of rolling, bluegrass hills, rich farmland, placid lakes and dismal swamps. There are other forces at work here of late, however, and beneath the stagnant air a great movement, sometimes imperceptible, is boiling to the surface. The Kingdom of White Sands The air that envelopes this Kingdom has a sultry, sensuous air to it. This strongly resembles the nature of its ruler, Queen Morganna of House Gwydion. Morganna rules one of the most romantic, some would say decadent, courts in Concordia. She is also generally even-tempered and sunny in disposition. She is one of the best loved of Concordia's monarchs and there are few rebellions in this Kingdom, 'though it has a lot of trouble with pirates and nunnehi attacks. [SE Region USA] The Kingdom of Storms has begun its march to occupy the whole of the West Coast of the Empire of Concordia. Once a part of the Kingdom of Pacifica, they now stand to claim the Lion's Share. Recently formed by dissatisfied nobles and commoners who seceded from the Kingdom of Pacifica, the Kingdom of Storms also claimed Alaska - lands formerly held by Queen Laurel's Kingdom of Northern Ice. Laurel has yet to respond - or to acknowledge the secession in any way. The western duchies of Northern Ice anxiously await her reaction, seeing the encroaching Kingdom of Storms advancing upon them from all directions. [NW Region USA] In the south of the Kingdom lies the Duchy of Dragons Rest and Raven's Eye. It contains the lower half of the Kingdom of Storms - Dragon's Rest itself comprises the Counties of Winds, and Rivers Crossing. Rivers crossing contains the Baronies of Firehill, Ruby Spires, and Glass Stones. Raven's Eye contains the Baronies of Ashes and Greenleaves.

The Kingdom of Pacifica is a land of warm seas along the Ocean of Peace. Her King dead and another on his throne, Pacifia seeks justice and honour while under assault from within. The Kingdom of Pacifica is a vibrant, energetic land finding its way toward a dynamic maturity. Pacifica once stretched over the entire West Coast of Concordia south of the Kingdom of Northern Ice, however the northern half of the Kingdom recently seceded, forming the new Kingdom of Storms. [Pacifica] [SW Region USA] The Kingdom of Grass Like its ruler, Queen Mary Elizabeth of House Dougal, the Kingdom of Grass is sensible, solid and deliberative. The Dreaming here is in many ways like the geography of the American Midwest: large open spaces and weather patterns which vary from sunny days to harsh winters and sudden chimerical twisters. The Kingdom of the Burning Sun Harsh and unforgiving one minute, serene and full of ancient beauty the next, the Kingdom of the Burning Sun is a perfect match for its ruler, sad-eyed Queen Morwynne Azurte Wind-in-the-Morning Greyhawk. In the Dreaming, the Kingdom of the Burning Sun shares much of the Desert of Flame with the Kingdom of Pacifica and the Kingdom of the Feathered Snake. Also here may be found the Desert of Perpetual Night, a barren and cold place filled with hostile chimerae of every description. Chief Greyhawk is alone among the Concordian monarchs in his good relations with the nunnehi. His contacts with them are all in the form of private reunes, however. They are attended only by his most trusted advisors. [SC Region USA] The Kingdom of the Feathered Snake This Kingdom is often mentioned with something of a shudder of changelings from the rest of the Empire. While nominally ruled by the Troll warlord, Duke Topaz, it is a zone of constant battle with the oldest and most powerful nunnehi in Concordia. The lands here are wild and untamed by the influence of Duke Topaz; many feel that control of this region will soon be lost forever to the war against the nunnehi nations. The terrain and the weather of this kingdom vary greatly: from desert to steamy jungle to high mountains and rich farmlands. The duchy officially covers all of Mexico, but in reality controls only a thin section of territory along the nation's northern and western borders. Hibernia faces a threat that predates known history. The ancient Dark Enemy, the Fomorians, have returned and this time the Tuatha De Danann are not here to defeat them. The Hibernian Fae must face this foe by themselves and may perish in the act. Over two years ago the Great Burning occurred when the Red Star was seen to shine balefully in the Dreaming’ sky. It suffused all it touched with the colour of old blood and a brief madness was loosed across the land. Even now the Courts have not fully recovered from this strange and ominous onslaught. To further complicate matters the principally Unseelie Kingdom of Connaught may side with the Fomorian enemy. With Ulster nearly lost and the loyalty of Maeve’s court in the balance it seems that the one slim hope of unity may be snatched from the Fae of Hibernia and the land will descend into an Eternal Winter. The future looks grim indeed. The Kingdom of Munster In the Kingdom of Munster, King Ferdia Og Butler ap Gwydion, only recently released from a magical imprisonment in his capital, Cashel, has been slain. The Earl of Kerry, reputedly the last Unseelie King before the Shattering, is missing, presumed a defector to the Enemy. The new King, Ferdia’s nephew, Damien O’Meara ap Gwydion faces trials far beyond his imagining. . The Kingdom of Connaught Across the Kingdom of Connaught the major members of the Eiluned royal family vanished or died under mysterious circumstances, leaving Maeve Coll ap Eiluned as the senior surviving member of her line and Queen of that Kingdom. Some of her new appointments are more than Unseelie, the Balor Earl of Galway being an example. So far none dispute her rule though a few find her rapid rise to power suspicious. The Kingdom of Leinster In the Kingdom of Leinster the forces of the Earldoms of Iregan, Mide, Ossory, Ferns and Granard have been at war with the Trollish Jarldom of Pale since the Sidhe returned in 1969. The Jarldom had refused to submit to the returning nobles, claiming that they had guarded their fief well enough in the Sidhe’s absence and needed no “Lord” to tell them what to do. So ensued over thirty years of warfare. Until now. At the investiture of Anthony Butler ap Gwydion as Earl of Ormond, held in Ormond and therefore neutral ground, Jarl Citric Aelfricson of Pale swore fealty to Thomas Fitzgerald ap Fiona, King of Leinster, in exchange for recognition of his right to rule the Pale and the Generalship of the Armies of Leinster. A strange deviation one would think but both recognised the need for unity in the face of the Fomorian enemy. How long this arrangement continues is a matter for politics and debate for the Sidhe aspirant to the “Earldom of Pale”, Robert Fitzsimon ap Eiluned still lives though his current whereabouts are unknown. For the moment the Brotherhood of Wotan make a splendid addition to the combined forces of Leinster. Sadly Jarl Citric was foully murdered recently. Many suspect the more traditionalist Sidhe of Leinster.... The Kingdom of Ulster In the Kingdom of Ulster darkness prevails. Tirconnell has fallen, the dark army moves ever onward, south and east over the land like a blight. Little news reaches us from the Courts of the north though it is believed that two of the other four Earldoms still hold out against the Fomorian War Dream. King Andrew Lowry ap Gwydion is believed slain by the Enemy in an attempt to rescue a group of commoners. And it is known that Earl Donal Mor O’Donnell ap Dougal, former ruler of Tirconnell, has joined the enemy and may somehow have been responsible for their return to the Waking world. The present claimant to the Earldom of Tirconnell is Sir Liam O’Donnell ap Dougal, currently enjoying the hospitality of the King of Leinster’s court. The Islands of Wandering Dream comprise the mortal lands of Australia and New Zealands. Dreaming is powerful there, and many kithain seek this strange glamour in hopes of the return of Spring. For such a vast land, however, the population is relatively spare. Major duchies are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, and these cities are the centers of fae activity. Though these lands had their share of troubles between sidhe and commoner in the Resurgence, most old grudges have been settled. The Fiefs of Bright Paradise The Fiefs of Bright Paradise consist of all the Caribbean islands (Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico and many islands not recorded on human maps). The Bright Fiefs live up to their name in many ways fae. While much of the human populace here lives in abject poverty, the fae live lives of high adventure and stormy romance. The laws of Concordia hold little sway here, and this is reflected in the Dreaming, which is wild and unpredictable. The Dreaming here is divided amongst many powerful leaders. Such leaders include several powerful nunnehi chiefs, an Unseelie count who steals dreams from the unwary, and an eshu pirate queen. Isle of the Mighty hold the mortal lands of England {Albion}, Scotland {Caledonia}, and Wales {Cymru}. Kingdom of Dalarna Isle of Snowflakes Kingdom of Jutland These are peaceful and prosperous lands. Comprising the mortal realms of Iceland {Snowflakes}, Sweden and Norway {Dalarna}, and Denmark {Jutland}, the hold the northern edge of Europa. Here, nobles and commoners live and work in great harmony, the latter far outnumbering the former. Not surprisingly, trolls are the most common kith, but thanks to the nations' agricultural, mineral, and sylvan riches, many nockers and boggans also enjoy the fruits of the far north. Kithain of the Seelie Court refer to themselves as the lios alfar, faeries of light, while their Unseelie cousins use the name svart alfar, faeries of darkness. Most kithain of this region, noble and commoner alike, are staunch monarchists. On the other hand, commoners are treated as equals and not servants; some have titles and rule alongside the sidhe as landed huscarls, trusted bondsfae. No wonder things work out so well. Kingdom of Neustria The proportion of nobles to commoners in France, or the Kingdom of Neustria as it is known to Kithain, is about four to one. This hotbed of extreme promonarchists is probably the worst place a footloose common fae could find himself. Most nobles here think any commoner without an Oath of Fealty is a dangerous anarchist, and some staunchly traditional commoners would agree. Neustria includes the Duchies of Bayeaux in the north, Burgundy in the south and Sapphire Seas along the Mediterranean coast. Southwest France is the Aquitaine, the independant demesne of High Lord Rathesmere of House Fiona. Commoners in dire straits may be able to find a refuge in his court if their reason is good.

Other changeling links not yet added in are temporarily only found here at Dark Hollow's links page, amongst other rare and hidden locations..