| Names | The Disconnected, The Elven Dynasty, The Empire, FerrCO, The Machado family |
|---|---|
| Age | ~1000 years |
| Leadership | Sylvester Machado, formerly |
| Location | Downtown, Kalashport |
| Status | Defunct |
Overview
The Elven Dynasty was a lineage of elves who bore a genetic anomaly causing them to lose thier innate Fey connection. Without magic, they relied on industry to prosper and fled to Kalashport, where they established an empire and the FerrCO corporation. Its history is a major focus of the Faction Campaign.
History
Hundreds of years ago, a subrace of high elves developed a genetic anomaly that disconnected them from Fey magic and other traditionally elven qualities. Wihtout magic, this population had to rely on technology and industry to survive, and they decided to leave their homeland to settle in a place with abundant natural resources for industry.
The Disconnected settled in what is modern-day Downtown Kalashport and formed an iron mining society. During this time, they made several innovations in autonomous constructs and advanced chemistry and metallurgy. With success, the Disconnected recognized their potential and 'rebranded' themselves as the Elven Dynasty, a powerful lineage capable of technological prowess. The Dynasty at the time had peaceful relations with the native peoples of the neighboring Guardian Spring, though dispute over the wetlands' natural resources eventually sparked conflict.
About 250 years before the Faction Campaign, the Dynasty started a war with Guardian Spring, weaponizing the SCHNI constructs and other advanced weapons against the swamp inhabitants. The war waged on for a few years in stalemate, with neither the Dynasty's superior weaponry nor Guardian Spring's magic forces and protective deity gaining advantage over the other. At a critical point in the war, Guardian Spring became aware of the Dynasty developing an advanced mechanical dragon called the Empire Drake capable of killing gods and destroying cities. In reaction, the Elemental Guardian gave its life to create the Maple Tree Network for its people to use to escape the Dynasty. This effectively ended the war, and the Elven Dynasty began their empire.
In the next 150 years or so, the Empire rapidly developed the city and the Canal District to become the steel production capital of the world. In this time, the Empire hid away the Empire Drake underground while it received constant improvements to its weapons and defenses. The Empire engineers coded the machine to emerge above ground after 250 years of improvements to protect the Empire and the royal family. Over time however, the Empire as a political system became outdated, and the royal family realized that their past wartime atrocities could haunt them in the international market. Emperor Alfonso made the decision to conceal all information about the war and replace the Empire with a steel production company called FerrCO in order to associate the Dynasty with commerce rather than conquest. As part of the rebranding effort, the royal family abandoned their ancestral name and took on the human name "Machado" and they renamed the Empire to "Kalashport", only because they thought the association with the magical psychic species would increase tourism.
Starting with Alfonso Machado, the royal family would serve as CEO of FerrCO and have little connection to the old Empire. However a tradition was made to share the secrets of the empire with every royal family member on their 21st birthday, keeping the legacy alive in the select few with the mark of the Disconnected. This continued for decades, until a royal named Manuel Machado received the story on his 21st birthday. Manuel loved Kalashport and looked forward to becoming CEO of FerrCO, so when he learned the true history of his family, it drove him mad. Obsessed with correcting the Dynasty's past mistakes, Manuel murdered his father Sylvester and leaked FerrCO's fraudulent financial performance to tank the company. This sent the city into chaos, and Manuel took advantage of the situation to take on a new identity and form the Curds to assume control of Downtown and find the Empire Drake before it could emerge from its underground chamber.
Known Members
- Alfonso Machado, deceased
- Sylvester Machado, deceased
- Manchego
- Tae-hyun, unknowingly for most of his life; exiled firstborn son of Sylvester Machado
- SCHNI, unknowingly; presumably created by the Dynasty hundreds of years ago
Trivia
- Members of the Elven Dynasty have a recurring birthmark called "The Mark of the Disconnected" somewhere on their body. It is on Tae's forehead and Manchego's shoulder.
- The Disconnected genetic anomaly is incredibly recessive. As over time it became a mark of pride rather than an embarassment, the Dynasty made an effort to conserve its genetic traits. This involved only allowing the Dynasty to marry other high elves, which is why Tae, who had a human mother, was banished. This is also why Tae has almost exclusively human traits, despite technically being a half-elf.