Hiden

Hiden is a small kingdom deep in the mountains of southern Edthea, home of the oldest of the five races. Its people have pointed ears and are masters of refinement and metalworking.

Magic swords

Hiden is the only nation able to forge weapons from magic ore (mana hydrite). Ore is refined into magic steel and mixed with iron; ordinary magic swords range from one part magic steel in ten to six parts in ten, and the redder the blade, the purer it is. The method is known only to the royal family, and only senior royal smiths handle magic swords. The masterpieces forged by the king himself over three days and nights are the ultimate treasures given to heroes. Counterfeits are common.

Government and the Royal Furnace

The kingdom is ruled by a king who must carry the royal bloodline most strongly, because only such a person can operate the Royal Furnace, the world’s oldest tool for magic. Each heir receives a true name at a naming ceremony that binds them to the furnace. The late king banned magic within the country and stopped forging hero swords for fifteen years, then abruptly chose thirteen heroes and sent them against Clevatess. The truth is that the kings were ruled by the Book of Toa hidden in the furnace.

History in the story

In retaliation for the heroes’ attack, Clevatess destroyed the capital and killed the king. Boelate then invaded under Drel, breaking the border fort Higate and a second fort before being stopped at the capital. After the war Queen Dowager T’ala lifted the ban on magic, appointed “Klen” as royal magic instructor and began rebuilding the castle, a task expected to take years. Luna’s education is to begin at three and his coronation to take place at nine.