Zaccaria: Kingdom Rising

The Kingdom of Zaccaria searches for its next champions to help restore this once-great Kingdom to its former glory. Fortunately, the arrival of a new group of students offers the Realm exactly what it hopes to find. The King grants these newly arrived students citizenship and appoints them to the Nobility ranks of one of Zaccaria’s eight ancient Royal Houses: Excalibur, Flamingo, Caesars, Fitzgeralds, Stardust, Bellagio, Strat, and Sahara. Within these Houses, the Nobles would be tasked with learning the history of Zaccaria’s past and working towards its new future. As the road becomes clearer, new obstacles block the path and even threaten to change the trajectory of the kingdom’s future.

A hooded figure approached the new leaders and announced that Zaccaria’s return was imminent, so long as the students were up to the task of accepting the roles of leadership that Zaccaria requested. The Nobles then aligned themselves to one of the seven ancient pillars of Zaccaria, deciding in what role they would like to work for their House, hoping to claim the King’s good favor and eventually earn the title of House Elite. The roles in homage to the ancient pillars are: Builders, Clerics, Knights, Merchants, Rangers, Scholars, and Spies.

The newly crowned House leaders soon learn about the great kingdom that once was: a Realm dominated by peace, prosperity, magic, and wealth. But something broke the Kingdom. Something stole the peace that had settled in Zaccaria. In the wake of the destruction was a mismanaged realm, disjointed and disconnected from one another. The citizens of Zaccaria no longer shared commonalities with their neighbors, even keeping to themselves in their own villages. None paid much attention to a King who had seemingly lost his influence on the throne. Soon, citizens no longer saw themselves as loyal to one of Zaccaria’s ancient Houses but rather as independent towns and villages just trying to survive.

The arrival of new Nobles leading six of Zaccaria’s eight ancient Houses may have gone largely unnoticed by the people of the Realm, but something, or perhaps someone, took note. Across the realm, the calm that was present would soon vanish into chaos. 

The Royal Council heard rumors of strange occurrences stirring in the far corner of the kingdom. Despite their scrutiny of these rumors, the Royal Council, hoping the Houses’ journeys across the Realm would inspire citizens to reclaim their heritage and unity, asked the Nobles to investigate the happenings in a small town. Located on the western edge of the Kingdom, between the Gollerian Mountain Range and the Zaccarian Sea, the Nobles arrived in a village called Lareth Hollow. Known for its local farms, stone bridges, and beautiful orchards, Lareth Hollow showed signs of increasing disturbance. The ground was restless; vibrations rattling enough to cause the trees to lose their fruits and to fracture the ground throughout the small village. From beneath the surface, a faint glow emerged, particularly visible at night. The Houses reported their findings to the Council.

A second instance of strange behavior was reported, this time from all corners of the kingdom: animals with abnormal behavior. Birds fell from the skies mid flight; deer and wolves stood still, facing eastwards; it was as if the wilds grew silent and stopped all semblance of movement at the same time. As the Houses, again tasked with investigating the reports, traveled to various regions, large grey-black smoke began to cover the sun, emerging from the southeastern sky.

Back in the capital, the Houses gained access to secret files within the Zaccarian datanet and were connected with the General Conservator of Zaccaria. His words, revealed the influence of a dark force in the Kingdom: the riftenergy, powered by magical minerals deep within the earth and ground of Zaccaria: Kyberite. The influence of their magic could creep beyond the surface and influence the Realm. First with the animals, but if harnessed by evil forces, then Zaccaria’s days could be numbered. It was, afterall, a Kyberite rift surge that destroyed Zaccaria previously.

In the southeastern city of Bouldera, a massive fire had broken out in the fields just outside the town, the cause of the smoke which had blanketed the kingdom. As citizens fled the flames and smoke, the Nobles arrived to find the most bizarre of instances. While the fields burned with bright orange flames, they produced no heat, no charring, and, in fact, did not destroy any of the crops or greenery. Everything was aflame, but nothing burned.

As some Houses evacuated Bouldera to the capital, two Houses chose to investigate the flames further. One member of each House chose to brave the flames, passing through the wall of fire unfazed and unharmed. Behind the embers, an open rift in the ground glowing more brightly than the cracked earth in Lareth Hollow.  Descending into the surface, it was as if a chamber beneath the earth called out an invitation. Slowly, these Nobles of House Strat and House Caesars entered the chamber. Once inside, they discovered a room glowing with crystals, full of energy that pulsed with the movement of the flames above and even with the same pattern of the earthly trembling in Lareth Hollow. Intrigued by their curious energy, each Noble plucked three of these glowing crystals from the walls, harvesting them for study.

Back in the capital city, Brackennie, the Royal Council quickly realizes that these crystals are not just glowing gems but rare minerals known as Kyberite, a source of immense energy and power. The same energy and power that destroyed the Kingdom before in an event known as the Great Rift. This riftenergy threatened the stability and survival of the Realm itself. If left unchecked and uncontrolled, the kingdom would surely succumb to the power of the Rift; this time for certain good. As word of the immense power was learned by the Houses, the influence of the riftenergy grew stronger and stronger. The ground across the kingdom trembled even more often and more forcefully.

The two Harvesting Houses tried to employ the power of their crystals for protection, but in their vanity they caused expansive destruction. Soon thereafter, the ground trembled violently across the kingdom, from one corner to another, touching the lowest valley and the highest mountain peak at Charlesmontagne. Unable to contain the Rift, the ground began to break and crack, opening a glowing and pulsing energy that tore miles across the kingdom, connecting in a line from Lareth Hollow to Bouldera through the core of the Zaccarian capital, leading directly to the château royal. Each House faced immense threat from the great quake. Homes, Farms, and Towns across the Kingdom were destroyed by the shaking. In fact, the entire town of Lareth Hollow had seemingly vanished beneath the ground with nothing left but smoking, glowing, earthly embers of soil. 

Within the walls of the castle, the King, notably and visually weak, appearing almost faint and ghost-like, called the Nobles of the Houses to an urgent meeting. There, he revealed his truth: both he and the crown upon his head could no longer protect nor contain the energy of the Rift. The King was not merely the Realm’s leader but its protector who had contained the Rift energy. The unleashed energy of the Kyberite stones in the hands of untrained House members was too much for the King to contain. As he finished his speech, he rapidly dismissed the Nobles. As quickly as the castle’s doors closed behind them, the King, too, was gone.

The following morning, the Royal Council confirmed the passing of King Jaekob, Monarch of Zaccaria of House Bellagio. They summoned one of Zaccaria’s oldest leading members; perhaps the most enigmatic figure within the Realm. Known only to the Royals and Nobles as “The Gamemaker,” he is the Keeper of the Cup and the master of ceremonies to replace a fallen monarch. The Council called upon him to engage the legendary and historic Quest for the Goeller Cup - the ancient Zaccarian ritual for naming a new monarch and appointing a House Supreme. 

Impervious to the impacts of the Realm’s riftenergy, the Gamemaker provided the Royal Council with the Zaccarian Council Register. This magical book had recorded every happening of every noble leader, each Houses’ movements and actions. Within its pages, the ledger which rejected outside influence to magic, contained the final rankings of the most worthy Houses. As the rules of the Quest were revealed to the Council and as legend states, it is not the most worthy House who reigns supreme, but that which shows the most versatile stability, for the House Supreme must be the master of all other Houses. A Quest of Six would mean a tournament of the ages. The Gamemaker set forth the rules for the Quest: House Sahara and House Strat would face the most worthy House from the remaining four. House Bellagio would have to first defeat House Caesars while House Stardust would face House Fitzgeralds. Six Houses would enter, but only one would reign supreme. For only one House could provide the Realm with its new leader.

Thus began the Quest for the Goeller Cup — the ancient trial through which the fate of Zaccaria would be decided.

Recorded in the Zaccarian Council Register as guarded by the Gamemaker

Released to Nobility by order of the Royal Council

in the Year of the New Rift Disturbance.

Following the Death of the King, the Royal Council called on the legendary Gamemaker to return to Brackennie to launch the Quest for the Goeller Cup, a series of trials and gauntlets to name one of the Houses of Zaccaria as House Supreme and to crown a new champion. The Gamemaker arrived at the château royal and announced the rules of the Quest as well as the final rankins of each House as held in a secret and powerful ledger, impervious to the magical negative influences of the rift.

The quest would consist of three gauntlets, each scored in five trials over the course of five days, where two Houses would battle for the right to advance to the next gauntlet. Houses advance by winning at least three trials. Eliminated Houses would continue to compete in consolation rounds to fight for their honor and legacy. The Gamemaker announced the final rankings, with the top two houses advancing automatically through the first gauntlet.

In 2026, House Sahara was the top-ranked house and, along with second-ranked House Strat, advanced to the second gauntlet of the final four houses. Ranked third was House Bellagio who would challenge last-ranked House Caesars in the first gauntlet. The final matchup featured fourth and fifth-ranked House Stardust and House Fitzgeralds, respectively.

In the opening gauntlet, the battle between House Fitzgerald and House Stardust was held in the village of Bouldera, with House Fitzgeralds claiming victory in three of the five trails, eliminating House Stardust and advancing to face House Sahara in the second gauntlet.

House Bellagio and House Caesars battled in Durange where Bellagio took the opening-round by winning three of the five trials. They advanced to face House Strat.

In the second gauntlet, House Bellagio and House Strat met for battle with House Bellagio claiming a four-to-one series victory. House Sahara defeated House Fitzgeralds, 3-2, in a record-setting performance.

In consolation and fighting for their honor, Houses Stardust and Caesars battled over 10-days to claim 5th, while House Strat and House Fitzgeralds competed for 3rd. 

The final gauntlet matched House Sahara against House Bellagio. House Bellagio opened the gauntlet with a lead in four of the trials. At the end of the next three days, House Sahara would lead all five trials. House Bellagio battled back on the fifth and final day of competition. The gauntlet closed with the results unannounced and all houses directed to return to the capital city for the proclamation of results.

At the château royal, the Gamemaker convened the Houses and the Royal Council to announce the final results of the Quest and to name the new House Supreme of Zaccaria. House Stardust defeated House Caesars to claim 5th place. House Strat won 3rd place over House Fitzgeralds. From each House, the highest earner was honored by receiving a place on the new Royal Council. In a close battle, House Sahara was named Supreme, having defeated House Bellagio in a 3-2 final series. From House Sahara, the Nobles were asked to vote for one of their own who would be crowned Monarch of Zaccaria.