Flaim (フレイム, Fureimu) is one of the countries of Lodoss. A desert kingdom, Flaim is marked by historical strife between its two tribes, the Wind tribe and the Fire tribe. In the second novel, The Fire Demon, Parn, Deedlit, and Kashue, who is a descendant of the Wind tribe, quell the conflict between these two tribes.
Overview[]
The country[]
Flaim is the youngest kingdom on Lodoss. It was founded by the Mercenary King, Kashue Arnague I. The kingdom of Flaim encompasses the entirety of the Wind and Fire Desert, that spreads across the northern centre of Lodoss island, meaning that most of its land is a barren desert. At the time of its founding, Flaim only consisted of the cities of Blade and Hilt. However, due to the efforts of King Kashue, the country has grown to become the strongest force on Lodoss. The coat of arms of the kingdom of Flaim is a design of hawk wings.
Social system[]
Flaim is a feudal state centred on the king. The rapidly expanding kingdom brought various ethnic groups to its land. Under the charisma of the current king, Kashue, such ethnic conflicts are minimised, though it is uncertain what would happen if something serious were to occur. For this reason, the inhabitants from the various ethnic groups and regions under the control of the kingdom are able to actively take important positions and are even allowed the chance to succeed the throne. By adjusting the balance in the kingdom frequently, Kashue ensures that internal conflict within the populace doesn’t intensify. The family and origin also have a significant effect on the personal affairs of the inhabitants in the kingdom of Flaim.
History[]
Foundation[]
For more than 500 years ago people have lived in the Wind and Fire Desert in northern Lodoss. The desert at that time was much smaller than it is now. The majority of the region was once fertile grassland, suitable for grazing livestock and harvesting crops. The Wind and Fire tribes were originally one tribe, who inhabited the lush region. However, to counter the invasion of the Ancient Kingdom of Kastuul, the tribe summoned the two king spirits, "King of the Wind" Jinn and "King of Fire" Ifrit. As a result, the spiritual power of water and the earth weakened, and the land rapidly became a desert. The desert tribe was divided, half of the tribe dedicated a tower to Jinn and named it Tower of Dust Storms and called themselves the Wind tribe (風の部族, kaze no buzoku). The other half constructed the Temple of Fire to worship Ifrit, they were called the Fire tribe (炎の部族, honō no buzoku). However, the sorcerers of the ancient kingdom disguised as tribal priests, infiltrated the tribes and placed seals on the two king spirits, preventing the tribes from interacting with their guardian deities. This act of deception initiated a fierce war between the two tribes, who each believed that the other had sabotaged them.
The conflict lasted for hundreds of years, and only concluded with the appearance of King Kashue. Kashue was hired as a mercenary for the tribe of Wind and showed great combat abilities. Furthermore, the tribe of Wind were aided by Kashue’s wealth and knowledge of the continent, greatly improving their lives. Due to this, Kashue gained the confidence from the tribe of Wind, and in the 506th year of the New Royal Calendar, the kingdom of Flaim was founded. Whereas the tribe of Wind were assisted by a migrant named Kashue, Dulles, chieftain of the Fire tribe, also sought external aid, and requested assistance from the Phalaris cult. As a result, the neighbouring kingdom of Valis intervened in Flaim’s conflict. The cult of Phalaris worship the supreme god Pharis’ sworn enemy, the dark god Phalaris. As Pharis is the state religion of the Holy Kingdom of Valis, they were permitted by their own laws to participate in the battle. Thus, Flaim’s army received reinforcements from Valis and seized the Oasis City (オアシスの街, Oashisu no machi) of Haven from the tribe of Fire. Since then, the kingdom of Flaim and the kingdom of Valis have continued to build a strong alliance.
Year 473[]
When the War of the Demon King began, there was no kingdom in the Flaim region. The inhabitants of the region were two tribes of desert people, the Fire tribe and the Wind tribe. The two tribes had been fighting endlessly since the days of the ancient kingdom. It would take nearly forty years after the end of the Demon Wars and not long after the War of Heroes, until they were finally united as one tribe. Even during the Demon Wars, the Wind and Fire tribes remained in the same struggle for dominance in the region. At this time, the cities that would later be annexed by Flaim, Marnie and Loran, had their leaders replaced by demons and attacked each other. They fought fiercely, but it was also a long battle and in the end was just an extension of their struggle. The damage caused by the demons in the Flaim region didn’t seem as drastic compared to other regions, because the demons were used to keep the inhabitants occupied amongst themselves.
Year 510[]
The kingdom of Valis, who learned of the invasion of the Marmo Empire, requested the cooperation of the countries of Lodoss to unite and counter the threat. King Kashue was the first to express his intention to participate in the war. Eventually, the Confederations of Moss and the kingdom of Alania participated, and the Allied Forces were formed. However, events that occurred in these regions forced the armies of kingdoms of Alania and the Duchies of Moss to withdraw from the conflict. A major invasion from the savage tribe of Fire on the capital of Blade had occurred in the kingdom of Flaim, forcing King Kashue to split his forces, further weakening the Allied Forces. King Kashue opted to stay and fight against the Marmo instead of returning to his kingdom. Without the judgment of King Kashue, Valis might have been occupied by the Marmo Empire, as well as Kanon. During the final battle in the suburbs of Roid, King Kashue killed Emperor Beld, who had just defeated King Fahn in a duel. After the end of the War of Heroes, King Kashue returned to his homeland and concentrated on the conflict in Flaim with the Fire tribe.
Years 512-515[]
After the end of the War of Heroes, the kingdom of Flaim looked set to gain the most national power on Lodoss. But the end of the civil war between the tribe of Fire and the tribe of Wind created a large number of refugees, and food was in danger of running out rapidly. Kashue defeated the demon dragon Shooting Star of Fire Dragon Mountain and won a fertile land for the refugees to live on called "Dragon Hunting Ground." Afterward, the free city of Raiden was absorbed into the country and, at only twenty years since its founding, Flaim gained the status of the strongest country in Lodoss.
Year 525[]
Flaim had only continued to grow in national power since it absorbed Raiden. The kingdom continued to supply housing to the refugees of Kanon and Alania. Flaim sent its forces to attack Duke Raster’s army in Alania, together with the Zaxon militia, they managed to defeat the army and execute the duke. Flaim was also one of the kingdoms that raided the dark island of Marmo when it was purged of its evil by the United Armies of Lodoss. In the 526th year of the New Royal Calendar, Marmo was absorbed into the kingdom of Flaim as the Duchy of Marmo.
Locations[]
Blade[]
Blade (ブレード, Burēdo), the royal capital of the Flaim kingdom, is near the mouth of the Sand River. Blade was originally the settlement of the Wind tribe, but in time it developed into a city, and eventually the Royal Castle Akroyd was built on the central sandbar. Most of the buildings in the city are made of earthen bricks, painted white to deflect the heat of the sun. Ordinary houses and stores are box shaped, designed for the wind to blow the sand that accumulates on the roofs. King Kashue incorporated the latest technology from his home on the northern continent of Alecrast into the city of Blade, including methods for digging deeper wells and assembling bricks to reinforce buildings. One of the city’s most distinctive features is its arched bridge that leads to the royal castle over the riverbank that flows through the city. A harbour is under construction on the north coast of Flaim. The harbour is of considerable size and aims to be a port that trades with the continent of Alecrast. In Blade, there are temples to the five great gods, but the temple of Myrii is given preferential treatment. The number of followers is rapidly increasing, especially amongst the mercenaries and other brave people of the desert.
Akroyd Castle[]
The royal castle of Akroyd (アーク・ロード, Āku rōdo) is located in the city centre of Flaim’s capital, Blade. The castle was constructed with extremely high walls and utilises the sand river as a natural moat. It is said to be the strongest castle on Lodoss, as it was built with the latest technology from the continent of Alecrast. The inside of the castle is set to a temperature that makes guests feel comfortable even in the arid heat of the desert.
Hilt[]
Hilt (ヒルト, Hiruto) is the second largest city in the kingdom of Flaim and is located three days south on the highway from Blade. Hilt houses a castle located on the upstream bank of the Sand River. A canal detaches from the Sand River and is used to secure drinking water. The city itself is said to have better defence than Flaim’s capital, Blade. This is due to Hilt being at the forefront in the battle against the Fire tribe. Cultivation of drought-resistant crops that have been planted on the banks of the river around Hilt, are widespread and act as a vital food resource for Flaim.
Haven[]
Haven (ヘヴン, Hevun) is a city located on an oasis, deep in the Wind and Fire Desert. The settlement has changed its lord many times over the years, due to the ongoing conflict between the Fire and Wind tribes that inhabit the barren desert region. Haven is currently under the rule of Flaim.
Wind and Fire Desert[]
The Wind and Fire Desert (風と炎の砂漠, sabaku-fū to honō no sabaku) is a desert area in the central northern part of Lodoss. The region was originally a lush land. However, due to the tribal pacts of the two opposing king spirits of fire and wind in the area, the power of the earth and water greatly decreased in the region and became a desert. The conflict between the Wind and Fire tribes has continued for so long due to the competition for survival in the hostile land. In order for the inhabitants to live, the tribes stole food and water from each other. Passing through the Wind and Fire Desert is extremely hazardous. During the daytime, the heat rises to unbearable temperature, and on the contrary, during the nights, the temperature drops past freezing. Travellers are deprived of their physical strength, and if a water source is unavailable and the road is obscured in sand, it is often a lethal combination. Many dangerous creatures make their home in the desert, sandworms, double-headed snakes, rock lizards, and numerous other evil monsters.
Fire Dragon Mountain[]
Fire Dragon Mountain (火竜山, hi ryū yama) Located in the westernmost part of the kingdom of Flaim, there is an active volcano near the eastern end of the brown Lalauza Mountain range, named Fire Dragon Mountain. A river of magma flows west from its crater and merges with the Hot River in the east. Near the crater, the demon dragon Shooting Star, one of the five chromatic dragons, constantly exhales sulphurous fumes. Because of this, few organisms inhabit the foot of the mountain, in fear of Shooting Star. Even birdlife cannot be seen when crossing the mountainside. However, there are many demon beasts such as wyverns and chimeras. The demon dragon, Shooting Star, nest during his dormant period. However, when he awakens, the dragon ventures out in search of prey in the neighbouring territory, to the west of the city of Blade. A fertile grassland that extends north of the rugged mountains of Moss, which is called fire dragon hunting ground. Despite the richness of the grassland, people can’t build settlements to live in the area. Every time that people have tried to, Shooting Star annihilates them.
Tower of Dust Storms[]
Tower of Dust Storms (砂塵の塔, sajin no tō) is a temple built by the Wind tribe to worship Jinn, the king spirit of the wind. When Jinn was sealed by the sorcerers of the ancient kingdom the tower became inaccessible. King Kashue physically destroyed the seal in the tower and Jinn was released from his seal and recognised Kashue as a leader of the tribe. However, Jinn was still bound to his covenant with Azzard. He would have to wait for Deedlit to free him.
Temple of Fire[]
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The Temple of Fire. Illustration from the Record of Lodoss War: The Demons of Wind and Fire audio drama.
The Temple of Fire (炎の神殿, Honō no shinden) is a pyramid-shaped temple erected by the Fire tribe to worship Ifrit as a deity. Ifrit, along with the temple were sealed by Azzard. However, the seals were broken by a shaman of the Fire tribe, who was a blood descendant of Azzard.
Sand River[]
Sand River (砂の河, Suna no kawa) is a river flowing from the mountains in the centre of Lodoss to the northern sea. It was once one of the largest rivers on Lodoss, but due to the two king spirits who were summoned, the spiritual power of the land was knocked out of balance. In the dry season, the river almost completely dries up.
Codeine River[]
Codeine River (コディン川, Kodin kawa) is a river at the southern end of the Wind and Fire Desert. After flowing out of the Southern Mountains, the river runs through a short area of arable land. However, this soon disappears into the arid desert.
People[]
Notable individuals who are from or who have sworn allegiance to Flaim include:
Notes[]
The name Flaim has been written consistently as Flaim in English publications, but has been written in different ways in the Japanese releases, where English romanizations were used. "Flaim" is most commonly used, but the 2014 edition of the The Grey Witch manga uses "Flame", while the Chronicles of the Heroic Knight manga uses "Fureim" on page XX.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Castle Arklord (Flaim).jpg (1.5 MB)")