The Return: Lands of the Dominion

The following is a list of locations within the Alicorn Dominion, including kingdoms, cities and other territories. Note that this is by no means a complete list of every place in the Dominion, and you may invent one of your own if you so choose.

ABYSSINIA
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A land in the south-western regions of the Dominion, characterized by desert, badlands and vast plains. Abyssinia was the name formerly used only for the homeland of the catlike Felids, but the term has since expanded to include the kingdom of Saddle Arabia as well as the Palomino Desert of old Equestria. Populated mostly by the aforementioned races, as well as Saurians, buffalo and Diamond Dogs. Unlike most of the Dominion, worship of the Sun and Moon is not as common here.

ANDRAXIS
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This land borders Abyssinia to its north, Ibergal to its west and Animus to its east, being a large region with a variety of terrain. Much of Andraxis is taken up by the Everfree Wilds, which consist of a largely untamed mass of swamp and jungle, left to grow unchecked over the centuries. Like Abyssinia, Sun and Moon worship is not as common here, and Andraxis as a whole is largely uninhabited, save for the native deer of the Everfree and a sizable diaspora of zebras and Saurians, among others. However, in the far west of Andraxis is a largely self-sufficient city called Hive, where the remaining population of Changelings came to live after the Canterlot Incident. Over time, Changelings have reintegrated into society and come to be part of the Dominion. However, while Hive is not a hostile place and indeed is a major trading port for the Dominion, many travelers do not stay for long in this place, as the unique properties of Changelings can make outsiders uneasy.

ANIMUS
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The mountainside city once known as Canterlot has now become the capital of the Alicorn Dominion, now over twice as large as it was before the Twins' ascension and having become a city-state of sorts, having assimilated much of the surrounding lands including the now-famous town of Ponyville. A thriving and bountiful industrial metropolis, Animus is well known for being a melting pot of different cultures, inhabited not only by ponies but by all races from across the world. Its Royal Palace is of huge importance in the Dominion, being not only the home of the Alicorn Empress, but also the holiest site in the worship of the Sun and Moon, and of no small significance among the followers of the Alicorn Empress and her Five Saints.

ARIS
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The traditional coastal mountain city of the hippogriffs, at the far southern point of the Dominion. Aris is a far cry from its former glory, dealing mostly in the fishing trade as well as in naval engineering. Aris has had a long historic alliance with New Griffonstone across the Brightly Shining Sea to its north-east, sending aid to their feline cousins after the destruction of old Griffonstone. As such, hippogriffs and griffons alike are prevalent in both cities, and trade between the two is quite common. The lands to the north of Aris, as well as Griffonstone and the island chain in the gulf between the two, form a land known as Cypria.

CAPRICON
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A nation lying north of Animus, in the shadow of the Archback Mountains. Capricon is a tiny, fiercely isolated region who refuse to submit and merge with the Dominion. Populated entirely by a large clan of goats, Capricon is entirely self-sufficient and its inhabitants have little to no contact with the outside world. As such, little is known of these goats' customs, save that they are an indomitable group with warlike customs. On occasion, they have been known to raid the surrounding hamlets and villages of the Dominion, but Capricon are not deemed enough of a threat to take action against due to their small size.

LEVIN
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Formerly Cloudsdale, the famous city in the clouds has become synonymous with technological progress in the Dominion. Its weathermaking duties were largely phased out after the Ascension, in favor of the development of new ways of facilitating transport. This has led to the rise of airships as a common mode of transport, as well as the building of great railways to interlink the Known World. Because of these advances, Levin is home to a variety of races, although most of them winged; those with no ability to fly find themselves ill at ease in the wandering city.

LITHARGE
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Perhaps one of the most mysterious places in the Known World, the necropolis Litharge is a rumor-shadowed city of black stone, situated in the Cold Waste of the far north. It is one of the few remaining places that have not sworn fealty to the Dominion, being an independent region that engages in trade with the Dominion on occasion. Litharge is notoriously difficult to travel to, although outsiders are welcome within its walls; however, this macabre city has an ill reputation for hosting dark magic. Necromancers, shadow-binders and warlocks all practice their eldritch arts openly in Litharge, and nothing is forbidden in it, however depraved or terrible. Litharge is also known for practicing a variety of strange burial rituals, with the preservation and treatment of bodies being an important cultural practice in the Necropolis.

GRIFFONSTONE
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Prior to the founding of the Dominion, Griffonstone was wracked by a civil war that escalated beyond control and ended with the magical burning of much of the city. It took the native griffons many decades to rebuild their home, the resulting city being built on the ruins of the old. Nowadays, Griffonstone is a small but prosperous city, its main exports being jewelry, ironwork and fish. The remains of Old Griffonstone are strictly off limits to wandering treasure hunters, although this has not stopped many from venturing into the ruins in search of fortune, with varying results. Griffonstone is mostly home to the native griffons, as well as their cousins the hippogriffs and some zebras who have immigrated to the surrounding lands from the Forest Unending to the east. The lands surrounding it, as well as the region around the city of Aris and the stretch of islands between, form a land known as Cypria.

VITRA
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This northern city-state in the Cold Waste was once known as the Crystal Empire, and was the first major faction to join Equestria during the latter's transition into becoming the Dominion, due to the two's long history of alliance. Now one of the most powerful lands in the Dominion, the Crystal Heart at its core heightens the magical abilities of those who have lived there for a prolonged time, making Vitra an important gathering place for scholars and sorcerers. The population are mostly the native crystal ponies, as well as the mountain-dwelling Yaks. Vitra is also governed by one of the very few alicorns in existence.