The universe of The Crown & The Flame series is set in a world with different landmasses to Earth.
The map to the right is a near-complete image of the landmasses of this alternate world. The map appears on the loading screen every time the player enters a chapter. However, not all the map is pictured. Most of the time, it will be centered upon the Five Kingdoms, the eastern landmass of the world. A notable exception to this is the first two chapters of Book 3, which is centered upon the continent of Ducitora, the western landmass.
The map displays the Five Kingdoms; Abanthus, Bellmere, Ebrimel, Fydoria, and Stormholt, as well as the Empire of Ducitora, known colloquially among the Five Kingdoms as "the Iron Empire". In addition to these major nations, smaller countries, like the Gilded City of Aurelia, and the Technocrats' Foundry, are also displayed. For a time, the map will also display the nomadic mercenaries in the grasslands east of the Five Kingdoms. From the start of Book 1 until the end of Book 2, the Five Kingdoms is shown as being under the complete control of Abanthus. This is due to various events related to the story of the series.
History
This world also has a unique history, albeit somewhat similar to Earth's. Should you uncover the Ducitoran Empress Azura's origins, you'll find that civilization in this world has existed for over a thousand years at the least. As well as this, it's mentioned by Gabriel Amarne that the Five Kingdoms have been having "border skirmishes" for a hundred years prior to the series, implying that the history of the Five Kingdoms stretches far back.
Over time, the geopolitical landscape of the world changes as the series progresses. For example, the mass murder of four of the five royal families of the region, and its complete takeover by the Kingdom of Abanthus under King Luther Nevrakis, who eventually goes off to fight with Ducitora, which has been waging war on the Five Kingdoms for decades, leaving the various kingdoms of the region under regencies, including putting his daughter Zenobia Nevrakis on the throne of Abanthus, his brother Vassilios Nevrakis on the throne of Bellmere, his son Marco Nevrakis on the throne of Stormholt, and an unknown associate named Florian Tartassis on the throne of Ebrimel.
Eventually, an uprising led by the rightful Queen of Stormholt, Kenna Rys, causes Abanthus' hold over the Five Kingdoms to capitulate, just as King Luther is retreating from Ducitora. Before long, Kenna and Luther agree to work together to end the war with Ducitora, effectively restoring independence to the four other kingdoms under Abanthus' rule. Ducitora did invade the Five Kingdoms, but was driven out following the death of Empress Azura at Kenna's hands. Following this, the decades-long war with Ducitora ended, and Stormholt held hegemony over the Five Kingdoms thereafter.
Nations
- Kingdom of Abanthus
- Gilded City of Aurelia
- Kingdom of Bellmere
- Empire of Ducitora (The Iron Empire)
- Kingdom of Ebrimel
- The Foundry
- Kingdom of Fydoria
- Kingdom of Stormholt
Rulers
Abanthus
- Hector Nevrakis (deceased)
- Luther Nevrakis (deceased)
- Zenobia Nevrakis (regency; official, determinant)
- Kenna Rys (regency)
- Diavolos Nevrakis (determinant)
- The Adder of Lykos and the Order of the Black Asps (determinant)
Aurelia
- Annelyse Adair
- Kenna Rys (determinant)
Bellmere
- Ewan/Daphne Thorn (deceased)
- Vassilios Nevrakis (regency) (deceased)
- Rowan Thorn (determinant)
- Leon Stirling (regency, determinant) (deceased)
- Kenna Rys (regency, determinant)
Ducitora
Ebrimel
- Florian Tartassis (regency; formerly)
- Kailani Keawe (regency/co-regency)
- Noa Keawe (co-regency, determinant)
The Foundry
Fydoria
- Amanth Drammir (deceased)
- Tevan Drammir (determinant)
- Aurynn Amanth
Stormholt
- Marcellus Rys (deceased)
- Adriana Rys (deceased)
- Marco Nevrakis (regency; formerly) (deceased or imprisoned; determinant)
- Kenna Rys
Connections to other stories
The universe where most Choices stories are set in has various connections to the world of The Crown & The Flame.
In The Freshman series, The Crown & The Flame is a television show. Tyler and Abbie are superfans of the show. When Your Character (The Freshman) visits Los Angeles in The Freshman, Book 3, Chapter 13, she visits a television studio where the show is filmed. She has the opportunity to be cast as an extra on the show and meet the actors who play Kenna and Dom. In The Sophomore, Book 1, The Crown & The Flame is in its final season, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the series' conclusion. This television show is also referenced in Endless Summer as Your Character (Endless Summer), Sean and Jake are said to be avid fans.
In The Royal Romance series, the character Olivia Nevrakis is said to be descended from the Nevrakis family. She also bears an identical resemblance to Zenobia Nevrakis. In The Royal Heir, King "Liam" Rys is given the surname Rys, indicating his bloodline stems from Kenna. Many players also say Bastien bears a resemblance to Raydan. The setting of the series, Cordonia, is revealed in The Royal Romance, Book 3 to be the Five Kingdoms, united under one crown.