Chapter Text
History
The land of Ceres was once a single kingdom. But many, many generations ago, the four princes got into an argument over which season was the best: spring, summer, fall, or winter. Their father decided that he would settle the debate by allowing them each to form their own kingdom, based on the season they prefer. However, he would remain the overarching authority. The four agreed and, after drawing the boundaries of their kingdoms, went off to rule on their own. And though their father thought they would grow tired, the kingdoms remain to this day.
The Central Kingdom - I have the high ground!
The aptly-named Central kingdom is in the center of the four seasonal kingdoms. While they still have a relatively small village surrounding them, much of the land was divided between the four original seasonal princes. Thus, the remaining land is used to house soldiers and travelers who don't quite rank high enough to stay in the castle itself.
As the original kingdom, Central has the final say on most debates between the seasonal kingdoms, and is the overruling authority of law. However, they tend to be more hands-off and act as an impartial observer.
The Spring Kingdom - Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and love is in the air!
The Spring kingdom is the most progressive in terms of romance. Many same sex couples and polycules will visit Spring for anniversaries, or even to get married in the first place. Spring is the only kingdom to explicitly allow same-sex marriage in their legal documents.
The climate is also perfect for gardening! Growing flowers and other plants is a favored hobby of many Spring residents.
The Summer Kingdom - Sun's out, buns out. All sizes welcome!
With everything from the calm quiet of the beach to the busy fun of the carnival, the Summer kingdom is the home for all warm-weather activities. The warm weather encourages residents to show off their bodies, in whatever form they may come in.
The Fall Kingdom - Science-first, people fifth
With autumn being the season of the harvest, it's only fitting for the Fall kingdom to be the five kingdoms' main source of food. Fall is scientifically focused, which unfortunately leads to them being less progressive than the other three kingdoms. They prioritize data over feelings, knowledge over opinion. They are traditional in how they behave and how they run their kingdom.
The Winter Kingdom - Where hibernation is used to disguise mental health assistance
The Winter kingdom is the only matriarchy out of the five kingdoms. Approximately 300 years ago, their queen, a single mother with five daughters, decided "screw it, we don't need to man," a precedent which holds to this day.
Winter prioritizes the mental health of their citizens. They have a one-hour break scheduled sometime during the day, usually for things such as unwinding with a book or even taking a nap. Because Winter has such a focus on mental health, they have the highest concentration of therapists.