This post is intended to explain the current division of power within the Kingdom of Ertia.
The political landscape in the Kingdom of Ertia has been precarious since just before the passing of King Arjen IV. Before the discovery that King Arjen IV and his wife did indeed have an heir, it was thought that upon his passing, King Arjen's nephew Christopher would be next in line to the crown. Indeed, when King Arjen did eventually die, Christopher took the crown for himself and sat in Florae as King Christopher of Ertia. When it was discovered that King Arjen had a direct heir, Christopher refused to give up the crown.
Most Ertians in the northern part of the Kingdom recognized Aven Arjen (Arjen V) as the rightful King of Ertia. His hometown of Amora holds an incredible amount of power in Ertia's northern border. It sits at at the mouth of the strait connecting the Khabranthian and Imperial Oceans. Thus it sees a great deal of Imperial vessels pass through weekly. With the weight of Amora behind him, Aven Arjen was able to take the city of Roseaire from Christopher's forces and declare it his capital.
Most Ertians in the south, encouraged by Christopher's interest in improving Ertia's southern infrastructure, sided with his claim to the Ertian throne. Christopher and his forces currently control Florae and all of southern Ertia. Their hold on Roseaire was lost soon after Aven Arjen claimed himself to be the legitimate King in Ertia. However, given Florae's status as the traditional capital of Ertia, Christopher's grip on his portion of the Kingdom is strong.
The current "peace" within the Kingdom of Ertia is very precarious. There have been no major battles since the Battle for Roseaire, but the conflict within Ostlaed may spark more unrest within the Kingdom. It is rumored that Christopher may be in contact with the Ealdorman Mark Accynnafon. The Ealdorman's radical Ostlaed-centric policies echo what Christopher would like to do with South Ertia. Cut it off from international politics and focus on inward development. This is in stark contrast to Aven Arjen's outward focus. Since his claim to the crown, North Ertia has developed embassies in Wysteria and DorEryn. It has also been granted an international travel port in Roseaire.
Both Wysteria and DorEryn have declared Aven Arjen to be the rightful King of Ertia. The rest of the Empire has yet to weigh in on who they consider the legitimate King.
