In 1889, the mineral known as ethereum was discovered by Dr. Heinrich Baasch. Ten years later it became Europa's most valued resource as it began to outvalue oil, coal, and natural gas. While not the cause of the tension between the nations of Europe, Africa, and the Americas, it would eventually become a deciding factor in an era of crimson skies and salted earth.

Nearly three decades later, the largest deposit of ethereum was discovered by Bohemian excavation teams. Three months later, the German sovereignty under the German Dominion declared Escova an unwilling vassal, choosing to enforce the will of a three-century-old casus belli attesting the move as a justified and legal move. The Queen-Regent of Escova, Ziata Doležalová, declared this to be an act of arrogance and greed as her head chancellor attempts to arbitrate the conflict before it degenerates into full-scale war. But could war really come to Escova after centuries of peace and prosperity? The answer is a disheartening one, though the people may believe it only when it is too late. But this isn't the story of Escova, this is the story of L’Espoir -- a preparatory academy in the Frisian hills. That said, there is trouble brewing on the horizon whether the students realize it or not...

Set in an alternate variation of Earth, the world of Discipline is none too different than the events of our literal past. In this incarnation of Discipline, we will follow the students of a preparatory academy for Europa's finest and most affluent youths. The relative year for reference would be around 1900-1920, so a meld of Victorian Era and Industrial Era in terms of technology, culture, and fashion. Tensions between several countries are brewing as the Xargon grows as an industrial and military giant in central Europa, though the affluent and noble children of these nations have other things on their mind.

The Academie de L’Espoir, elsewise known as Prince Francois’ University for Young Girls, is one of two major preparatory academies located in the Western European nation of Saone. Despite being in a relatively small nation it is regarded as one of the finest centers of learning for young women in the entire world. Established by the youngest son of the then King of Saone, Francois Baudelaire, in 1627, L’Espoir began as a simple institution to distract Prince Francois following the realization that he was never going to be his father's successor. His commitment to L’Espoir was only reinforced by his wife, Sylvia, who saw it as an opportunity to leave a legacy of their own without the daunting responsibility of a monarch hanging over their shoulders. By the end of Francois and Sylvia’s lifetime they would see the building blocks of the academy slowly be put into motion.

In the present day, L’Espoir prides itself on its past and present achievements. Recently (in 1912), the school has been opened up to the common folk, should they be able to afford the costs or give sufficient cause for the administration to host their children. This has caused minor controversy as L’Espoir has often prided itself on only allowing the finest and best youths to apply to their institution, though the Headmaster of the Academy assures that any concerns have been taken into consideration. Still, L’Espoir cannot protect such students against the affluent influence in the student body as long as no physical harm comes to their person. Some general things to note about the school’s current incarnation and administrative focus is the following:

• The university offers secondary education to women ages twelve to twenty-two. That is ten years available to the student body.

• Prince Francois’ University for Young Girls accepts applicants from all over the world, though notably their student demographics are primarily of European or Anatolian descent. The majority of graduating students are shown to be from Vannetais, Xargon, Saone, Brittania, and Tolosa.

• Outside of general education and courtesy courses the university offers students the ability to master a talent of their choosing. Student communes often create cliques to focus study. Some talents of note that are available include art, dueling, music theory, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, literature & grammar, and moral philosophy.

• The Headmaster is elected directly by the Count of Coccinelle, and the staff of the school tend to be made up of the finest minds in the world. Guards are typically former Saoneian military, though in the past the parents of affluent students have also coerced the academy into accepting their personal retinues to serve amongst the school’s vanguard.

• The university’s gates is fifteen minutes from the Coccinelle train station and thirty minutes from the local village, Coccinelle-et-Premier.

The Kingdom of Saône: The native country of the Norman, Flemish, and Dutch people -- and more specifically, Prince Francois' Academy for Young Girls.

The United Kingdoms of Briton, Eire, and Pictland:

The Kingdom of Escova:

The Kingdom of Istria:

The Roman Republic:

The Visigothic Kingdom of Tolosa:

The Kingdom of Vannetais: The unified forces of the French, Bretons, and Burgandians; a country that survived three recent violet rebellions orchestrated in 1806, 1834, and 1898 by manipulative forces underneath the high nobility. Historic rivalries with neighboring Germans, Goths, Britons, and Romans.

The German Dominion of Xargon: One of the most powerful countries in Central Europa, characterized by a rich martial culture and national identity. Formerly known as Germania, eight-six years ago a rebranding occured under Alexander Reginhard Dietrich.

The Kingdom of Volkovia:

TBD