Every person has a gift that is either Terra or Anima. Terra gifts deal with nature, most commonly the manipulation of the elements; Anima gifts have to do with the human body, mind, or soul, such as powers involving thoughts or feelings. There tends to be a sort of divide between Terrans and Animians due to the differences in his powers. While it is not entirely known how exactly Fate has so many powers, it is believed that Sovereigns are blessed by the gods, and that is why his magic is more abundant and powerful than that of nobles or commoners. He is, however, the first Sovereign with immortality. In theory, the government is a monarchy where the throne is passed from the current Sovereign to the next through a challenge of sorts (typically referred to as the Exchange of Powers/the Exchange). Since Fate has ruled for so long that no one would dare challenge him at this point; his immortality and abundance of power has made him considered to almost be a god. Moira, naturally, has Houses of Nobility—long bloodlines of power and prestige, all either purely Terra or purely Anima (for now, at least). There are twelve noble Houses, and then there’s the lesser nobles. The twelve Houses of Nobility are: Parastin (Anima), Kairos (Terra), Iskrenne (Anima), Sumerki (Terra), Voix (Anima), Sila (Terra), Reveuse (Anima), Zuiveren (Terra), Orison (Anima), Boussole (Terra), Kadan (Anima), Toska (Terra). Each of the twelve Houses works for the Sovereign, and the head of each House serves on the Council. However, there are also the lesser nobles. The lesser nobles do not belong to a House, and their bloodlines are much shorter and less pure than that of the Houses. In fact, many of the lesser nobles are commoners who did a great service to the Sovereign and got promoted. However, their function is similar to the higher nobles in many ways—inheritance is hereditary (passed down from current head to the heir of choice), wealth is in abundance, they work for the Sovereign (in different manners, of course), and they carry the titles Lord/Lady. However, higher nobles are more powerful in their magic and position. Moira is a pleasant country. It has soft meadows and airy forests; there are small towns nestled in mountain valleys and settled in the soft sands of the coasts, and large, bustling cities built of stone and wood along riverbanks and trading ports. The technology is greatly medieval, though electric lighting has been invented. There are thirteen provinces that line up with the twelve Houses of Nobility—each House governs a province, and each province is named after the House that governs it. The thirteenth province, however, is the Royal Province, governed by the Sovereign alone, which is where the Sovereign spends most of their time and where the palace is located. The Royal Province is the main setting—specifically, the palace. The Royal Province is, unsurprisingly, the wealthiest province. It has the finest cities, the best food, and the most advanced medical care.
The palace sits in the middle of the Royal Province, carved of the finest stone. Inside are the most comfortable furnishings and the prettiest decorations. It has many rooms and many people. The Dining Hall: A large, comfortable room furnished for dozens of people to eat and talk together. Dinners are mandatory, but breakfasts and lunches aren’t. Servants eat in a separate room after the Sovereign and the nobles eat. The Sovereign doesn’t always participate in meals, despite the nobles’ required attendance. Sometimes, the Dining Hall is used as a hanging-out area. The Sleeping Chambers: The exact details of the room are customized by the person living there, but the noble bedrooms have bathrooms attached, and the rooms themselves contain soft canopy beds, large walk-in closets with all the clothing they could dream of, a large mirror, and a desk with intricately carved legs. The rooms for foreigners are much the same, if a little nicer to show off the wealth of Moira. The servant rooms, however, are plain and small. Many of the servants share rooms, with two bunk beds and one shared dresser. Those that don’t share have a plain, modest bed and a dresser. The Courtyard: Sidewalks run through the neatly trimmed lawns of the courtyard, with a fountain in the middle. Trees surround the edge of the courtyard, and flowers grow abundantly. There are several benches for sitting and talking. The Gardens: The gardens are composed of an abundance of planting boxes. There are vegetables, fruits, trees, flowers, spices, and exotic plants. It smells like no other place in Moira (except maybe the kitchens), and pollinators are constantly flying around in the warmth of spring and summer. In the winter, the more fragile plants are moved to the greenhouses. The Library: The library is vast, with thousands and thousands of books covering every subject one could possibly think of. There are ladders to reach the books up in high places. There are tables for writing and reading, as well as more comfortable reading chairs. The Ballroom: Almost as big as the library, the ballroom is unlike any other room in the palace. It shines with the gold, purple, and red of the decorations. There’s a stage for musicians and a table full of food. There are some round tables in a section for eating, though most just glide around with their glasses and plates. The ballroom is generally empty, except for when the Sovereign decides to host a ball for whatever reason. The Throne Room: A medium-sized room, with lavish carpets and a singular throne. The throne is large and gold, with soft, midnight-blue velvet. This is where the Sovereign spends most of his time, and no one else is allowed to enter without his permission. The Infirmary: The infirmary is all medicine cabinets and sickbeds, but it’s almost always empty. The walls are painted a cheerful yellow, and the floor is sage-green tiles. The Roof: The roof is exactly what it sounds like—the roof of the palace. There’s a set of stairs that leads up here, to a little flat spot on the roof. It’s excellent for star-gazing and bird-watching, and it’s a nice little private space. The Sitting Rooms: The sitting room contains coffee tables and comfortable chairs and loveseats. There are wide windows that let in a lot of light, and a few mirrors. There’s also a bathroom attached. This is where visiting nobles and foreigners spend a lot of their time. The Kitchens: The kitchens are always bustling with workers. There are several large pantries and iceboxes, and cupboards filled with all sorts of pots, pans, and other kitchen utensils. There are several sinks with running water for cleaning the dishes and furnaces/stoves for cooking food. Anyone other than servants rarely enters the kitchens. The Stables: The stables are made of wood and house some of the finest horses in Moira. Most people in the palace are authorized to take the horses out for a ride. The Woods: The woods are lush and filled with beautiful deciduous trees. There are a few walking trails, one of which leads to the river, but mostly the woods are entered via horseback for hunts or recreation. The River: There’s a trail in the woods that leads to the river, but generally it goes untouched until summer. On the warmer days, palace-people may go down to the river to swim recreationally.
