Human Kingdom Shields -- Knights and Necromancy (Patreon)

The Human Kingdoms have, over quite a while, separated themselves into five distinct countries - Dal'ihime, Montagne, Pontegaard, Tirna, and Highwall. Each country is unique, but they are all Human. The Alliance of Kingdoms includes the atayans of Sur'atay to the north, represented by the sun above the high walls.

(note - 'kingdom' and 'queendom' are interchangeable, it all depends on who currently rules the country, though some countries' individual laws will lean more one way than the other)

The Kingdom of Dal'ihime - the country of Dal'ihime came to be after the first alliance between humans and atayans drove the Tribes United out of Sur'atay. The atayans, grateful, gifted their southern lands to the humans with the marriage of one of their princesses to the man who would become Dal'ihime's first King. The alliance between Dal'ihime and Sur'ayat has persisted for thousands of years, with the magical city of Dal'ahra, the City of Unity, serving as a symbol of that partnership.

The Kingdom of Montagne - in stark contrast to Dal'ihime, almost in defiance, the Kingdom of Montagne is very closed off and prejudiced against nonhumans and mages. Their lands are harsh and filled with mountains, lending to the people's cold personalities. The first King of Montagne was the brother of the Dal'ihime's first regent (and also rumored to have fought harder for the atayans, if Montagne historians are to be believed), which is likely the source of their mistrust of magic. Despite its aggressive and reclusive nature, Montagne has good soldiers and mining operations that rival the dwarves.

The Queendom of Tirna - known for its vast bogs and jet-black willows, the Queendom of Tirna is a mysterious, brooding sort of country. This is the place of scary children's tales, where kelpies rise from the swamps to swallow their prey whole, and the land itself seems to change before one's very eyes. Despite its forbidding, magical nature, the Queendom of Tirna thrives where no one else will, taking advantage of the wonderful quality of the black willows that seem to grow only here. Tirnans tend more toward superstition, and send prayers to the Wild Gods as well as the Light.

The Queendom of Pontegaard - settled in rich meadows of farmland, Pontegaard is the wealthiest of the five Human Kingdoms, boasting the highest population as well as the sturdiest capital, a huge castle surrounded by ten rings of stone and steel. Pontegaard's capital stands guard over the southern strait that separates them from Highwall, and the two Kingdoms are often in rivalry with one another. Soldiers from Pontegaard are considered the most noble and righteous, and the people of Pontegaard are very devout in the Light.

The Kingdom of Highwall - in contrast to Pontegaard, Highwall, while not rich in population or food, has the single strongest army in the Alliance due to military leaders driving the Tribes United as far south as possible, even after Sur'atay was secured. It is thanks to the Highwallers that the humans can even inhabit the south. The capital of Highwall, one of the biggest ports in the Alliance, was once a military base - and still is, in most eyes. Even the civilians are trained combatants, as the south is shared with the Tribe's remnants, and the jungles are filled with danger.

*This information is purely conceptual and is subject to change