Eppirus was a realm full of wonder, inhabited with strange and beautiful creatures, each belonging to a defined nation. For centuries each nation took pride in their genetic skills, whether that was morphing a limb into complete crystal, or using enhanced senses as a humanoid of the sky. No matter the nation, each thought of their own kind as superior to the rest, resulting in minimal contact between nations. However, this belief system was growing less and less popular among the younger generations, especially for Tavren, a Trytus species, and the prince of the water kingdom of Azuris.     Despite his father’s protests, Tavren fell deeply in love with a commoner from the neighboring nymph kingdom, and chose the beautiful nymph Lilias to be his wife and future queen. Because of his “dishonoring of tradition”, the Trytus elders and officials lost their respect for the newly wed prince.     Two years later the King fell ill and passed away, and as soon as Tavren took the throne, the kingdom divided. Those who saw intermarriage as harmless fled from those who sought an end to the disrespect of tradition, and war broke out within the kingdom, even within the King’s own warriors. As the battle continued, the new King Tavren and Queen Lilias took their two-year-old son to the nearby nymph kingdom of Kyndileaf to ensure his safety, and then returned to fight. But as the war escalated, the Queen lost her life. The King - in his devastation and grief - abandoned his people and fled, but feeling great cowardice, the King was too ashamed to face his son, in fear of the boy resenting him. So, the King hid in the forest, watching his son grow up from a distance, never knowing whose blood he carried.     As for Azuris, the people who stayed selected a new king and the kingdom became stiffly religious. The people’s value for tradition outweighed their desire for happiness, so they lived on in their pursuit of perfection, not sure if an "acceptable" alternative even existed.