Kingdom of Zeal

Lore & Background

Zeal was an isolated utopia where magic and machinery coexisted in perfect balance. The people lived on islands that floated above the sea, protected by barriers that kept them safe from the dangers of the surface world below. Their society was built around the worship of time and fate, believing they could manipulate destiny to ensure eternal peace for their civilization. The kingdom's stability relied heavily on Queen Zeal, whose immense magical power kept Lavos dormant beneath the earth. However, prolonged exposure to the entity slowly infected her, causing a fatal illness that spread through her bloodline. As her health declined, the protective barriers began to fail, allowing the parasitic threat to awaken and destabilize the very foundation of their floating world. In a final desperate bid to save humanity from Lavos, Queen Zeal attempted to seal the entity away using the Gate of Time. The ritual required immense sacrifice and ultimately failed when Schala was taken by the beast. The failure triggered a chain reaction that caused the islands to lose buoyancy, plunging the entire kingdom into the ocean where it remained buried for sixty-five million years.

In Their Own Story

The sun hung low over the floating archipelago, casting long shadows across the pristine marble plazas. A gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming mana flowers as citizens strolled beneath cascading waterfalls that defied gravity. High above in the central spire, Queen Zeal gazed toward the horizon where a dark stain marred the perfect sky. She knew the seal was weakening, and the paradise she built would soon become a tomb for her legacy.

Reader's Guide

The Kingdom of Zeal stands as a testament to the pinnacle of ancient civilization, existing during the Prehistoric Era before the arrival of Lavos. Isolated on floating islands suspended above the world's oceans, its people mastered both arcane magic and advanced technology long before modern humanity emerged. Their primary goal was survival and prosperity, shielded from the dangers below by their elevated position. Leadership rested with Queen Zeal, a powerful sorceress who maintained peace through her immense magical prowess. Key figures included Princess Schala, the royal heir, and Grand Vizier Gaspar, who oversaw scientific endeavors like the creation of artificial life forms. The kingdom sought to control time itself to prevent catastrophe, believing they could manipulate fate for the greater good of their people. However, their hubris led to ruin when Queen Zeal contracted a mysterious illness from Lavos, the parasitic entity sleeping beneath the earth. In a desperate attempt to seal the threat away using the Gate of Time, her ritual failed catastrophically. The kingdom sank into the ocean, becoming ruins visited by heroes millennia later, serving as a grim reminder of what happens when civilization challenges cosmic forces beyond their understanding.

Did You Know?

• The kingdom existed on floating islands before sinking into the ocean due to Lavos's awakening.
• Princess Schala's song is required to open the Gate of Time during the sealing ritual.
• Magus was born Janus, a prince who fled after his mother's illness worsened.
• Ruins can be explored in both the Prehistoric Era and the Future timeline.