The Protectorate

The Protectorate is a faction devoted to preserving balance within the Scape and resisting the tyranny of the Dominion. Once a coalition of thriving cities and civilizations, the Protectorate has been forced to retreat and consolidate in the face of Dominion conquest. Despite centuries of war and loss, they remain steadfast in their belief that the Scape belongs to all who dwell within it.

Leadership

• Senate Rule: The Protectorate is governed by a Senate, where representatives of its remaining Shield Cities convene.
• Knights and Templars: The Senate’s laws and decrees are enforced by the Protectorate Knights and the elite Templars, who serve as both defenders and exemplars of Protectorate ideals.

Ideology and Nature

The Protectorate is built on the principles of Balance, Unity, and Stewardship.

• Keepers of Balance: They see themselves as guardians of the Scape, maintaining harmony between its peoples, its magic, and its technology.
• For All: Their philosophy insists that the Scape is for everyone, not just the powerful.
• Faith in Prophecy: Protectorate Temples teach of the Traveler, an outsider from Earth who will one day bring liberation from Dominion rule.

Military and Power

• Knights and Templars: Trained defenders who embody the Protectorate’s values and safeguard its people.
• Scape Magic & Rune Technology: A unique blend of mystical arts and rune-forged devices, used to defend against Dominion machines and restore damaged lands.
• Shield Cities: The remnants of the Protectorate’s once-great coalition, fortified bastions against Dominion aggression.

Legacy of Survival

• Once Twelve, Now Three: The Protectorate began with 12 Shield Cities, but centuries of Dominion assault have reduced them to only 3 strongholds.
• Defenders of Civilization: They have preserved fragments of knowledge, culture, and stability that might otherwise have been lost to the Dominion’s conquest.
• Symbol of Resistance: Though weakened, the Protectorate remains the rallying point for those who oppose Dominion rule.

Cultural Identity

• The Senate’s Voice: Laws and decisions are debated openly, contrasting the authoritarianism of the Dominion.
• Temples and Prophecy: Spiritual leaders sustain hope by teaching that the Traveler’s arrival is inevitable.
• Faith in Unity: Protectorate citizens see themselves not as subjects of an empire, but as part of a shared community dedicated to balance.

The Protectorate endures as the last line of defense against Dominion domination. Weakened but unbroken, they place their hope in the Traveler and in the balance they vow to protect.