The Kingdom of Aephuca

The Kingdom of Aephuca is feudal monarchy that sits nestled on the East coast of the Merian Sea. Aephuca and its known for its mountainous lands and hardy people. Although the Endless Kingdoms Trizia holds sizable power over Aephuca, the kingdom is a regional power able to exert influence on the Merlieu Peninsula and the Northern Steppe.

History
Before being conquered by the Merian Empire, the lands that would encompass Aephuca were filled with disparate Austein clans. Though these people featured powerful warriors from strong, martial traditions, the Merians were able to use superior logistics and supply lines to outlast the clans.

Aephuca was incorporated into the Merian Empire as the Austein March, tasked with fighting off the hordes of the Luǵeto Aasimar. For hundreds of years the clans of Aephuca served in this capacity, always fearful of the ruin that the Merian Empire once brought to their lands.

Once the Merian Empire was defeated at the Battle of Summer, the Austein March was one of the first to declare secession. With help from the province that would become Trizia, the Merian Civil War grew to become the most difficult that the empire had ever encountered.

At the height of the war, the Merian General Adonia used a vitiate egg on rebel troops in the Austein Mountains. The horrendous attack provoked the rest of the Merian lands and the empire was brought down.

Since rebellion, Aephuca has been an independent kingdom, proud of being one of the first places to join resistance against the Merian Empire. This has led to Aephuca nobility being very wary of any forms of imperialism. Their kingdoms, while oppressive of its own peasants, is rather content with isolation. The expanding Trizia has been tolerated with, but only due to its strength.