Deep among the arid sands lies Akanthia, surrounded on all sides by rivaling city states and kingdoms, many of which wish to claim the oasis--the gem of the desert--for their own. Though Akanthia has largely shut itself off from the outside world, they will not be able to for much longer. As Akanthia's population booms larger by the year, their desperation grows in lockstep. Shadows of enemies loom larger over the withering city, and tensions within the walls near a breaking point. If the city means to survive, Akanthia possesses only one option: expansion. War, death, political intrigue, all driving forces of a new age for Akanthia, a new beginning, the dawn of an empire.
While within the Lotus heads of house change and adapt to new political tensions, a black market within the underground of Akanthia swells, offering safe havens for those that skirt the letter of the law. Quick decisions made to benefit the whole of the city-state have left many bitter, rich and destitute alike, as people are left disenfranchised with the political leaders.
