[ GM: Lydyn | CO-GM: __ ]
[ Themes: Epic, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance ]
Accepted Characters (10/10)
• Cerylia Yvonna - Lydyn
• Tobias Greten - TheWizardLizard
• Mylisant Feyla - Irisity
• Mari Snowswept - Pyromania99
• Chase Dawnshard - Inertia
• Tylan Hallaw - Mivuli
• Saha Xephos - Midori
• Aiden Cross - Raijinslayer
• Cornelia Aerthur - Spawnling
• Eamon Amantea - urukhai
Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Negotia
Location: Negotia is located in the southern most plains and spans a large portion of the southern coast. The heart of Negotia is Castle Mercator, where the Royal Mercator family has ruled over it's holdings for almost two hundred years. Castle Mercator is situated just a few miles north of the southern-most tip of the coast, where the old capital once stood. The previous capital, also ruled by the Mercator Royal Family, was razed two hundred years ago and has since been built over as part of the new capital city of Mercator. It's many port cities line the coast and also span a modest region of the plains north of the coast.
Society:
- Royal Family According to the Royal Archives the Mercator Royal House is as old as the kingdom itself, although records only date back a thousand years or so. Most common peoples never set eyes on the King himself more than a few times a year but the Queen is well known publicly and is considered the bridge between Nobility and the Common Folk. King Oren Mercator III (age 36) is known by his court and the rest of the nobility to be studious, intelligent, fair-minded, and well versed in the art of negotiation and trade. To the Common Folk, King Oren is considered to be just and fair with taxes despite the complex restrictions on trade in the Kingdom.
Queen Sorena Mercator I (age 30) is often referred to as 'the voice of the King' since she is most commonly the one making speeches and declarations to the public. Although Queens traditionally don't have any responsibilities beyond birthing children and tending to the King's mental health Queen Senora has made it her mission to deepen relations between Nobility and the Common Folk. The rest of the Royal Family consists of Lord-Commander Qwen Mercator (age 32, younger brother to King Oren and Commander of the Royal Army), Prince Garth Mercator (Age 18, Heir to the throne), Princess Senora Mercator II (age 16), Princess Lamia Mercator (age 15, twin), and Princess Doria (age 15, twin) - Noble Houses Of the many Noble Houses the most notable ones are the House of Dakor, the House of Karakum, the House of Lomadia, the House of Littlewood, and the House of Honeydew.
- The House of Dakor: Ingmar Dakor II is the head of this house and minister of finance. Their family is well known as merchants.
- The House of Karakum: Kublai Karakum I is head of this house and minister of foreign affairs. Their family is well known as diplomats.
- The House of Lomadia: Hansen Lomadia IV is head of this house and chief advisor to the King. Their family is well known for their judges and scribes of law.
- The house of Littlewood: Martin Littlewood III is head of this house and Lord-Commander of the Royal navy. Their family is well known for producing some of the best sailors in the Kingdom.
- The house of Honeydew: Simon Honeydew I is head of this house and minister of domestic affairs. Their family is mostly known for producing exceptional smiths and jewlers.
- The Common Folk Commoners are, of course, the largest part of the population and mostly respect the Nobility. Laws in Negotia support the freedom of citizens to work and live how they see fit as well as providing immigrants equal rights so long as they register through proper channels. In fact, Negotia encourages the intermingling of different cultures and customs which has led to it's people becoming diverse and accepting of new ideas. As such most Negotians are considered to be friendly and hospitable to outsiders.
- Internal Society Negotia is considered a hub for trade and therefore comes into contact with many different cultures but the customs of it's native people are held with pride. In Negotian culture it is considered dishonorable to hinder others based on their beliefs and certain laws forbid businesses from discriminating against other cultures. Trade supports the majority of the Kingdoms finace and so it is heavily regulated to resist against greed and exploitation. The Kingdom's reliance on trade has led to Merchants becoming a pseudo-middle class, not quite nobility but more influential than the common craftsman or farmer. Despite this, Merchants do not possess any rights above that of a common citizen. Being on the coast has led to a lot of trade being done via merchantile ships as it is generally safer and more efficient to transport goods, not to mention much less of a logistical hassle.
- External Society Generally Negotia is seen as a peaceful trading Kingdom with many goods ranging from medicinal herbs which only grow in warmer climates, to fish,many hand crafted clothings, and armour. The Kingdom of Negotia strives for good relations with all it's neighbors, regarding diplomacy and merchantilism as highly valuable skills. It's Navy is one of the largest, if not the largest in the known world, although mostly consisting of merchant ships and escorts. Many people migrate from other Kingdoms in order to work and live here mostly because of the flexibility of it's laws and equal representation of citizens among the common people.
Unique Notes:
The Guild of Commerce is an orginization for the protection and regulation of privately owned trade companies. No merchant operates without formal written consent from the Guild of Commerce. The Guild is technically a branch of the Ministry of Finance, although in practice is as much an activist group as it is a trade authority and works closely with the Ministry to keep their regulations as fair as possible.
Although the Guild of Commerce is widely respected for it's fairness there are still those who refuse to abide by the law of the land. Smuggling is a serious offense as well as piracy and conducting unsanctioned trade between businesses. The death penalty is rarely issued for anything other than treason but smugglers and pirates are easily given sentences of five years or more.
Other: I'm sure I'll add things here later. :P
Name: Ybella
Location: The Ybella desert - An island south of the main land
Society:
-Commoners
Commoners are left to the woes and trials of capitalism. The poor will get poorer and the rich will get richer. Many commoners must take up multiple jobs or participate in criminal activity to feed themselves and their children. Prostitution is not a rare thing among them, but thieves are even more common
-Nobles
Nobles are treated fairly and well. They have enough money to both feed themselves and be comfortable, but they can easily be found in the crowds of commoners at the local markets and in brothels
-Royal Family
The royal family of Adriett has not left the palace walls since they took over 150 years ago by force. They do not deal with petty commoner affairs; they only deal with major city and foreign affairs issues
-Outsiders
Outsiders are not treated well unless they are some form of nobility. Both the people and the government are very wary of immigrants because they have been so isolated for so long. Many people who visit often do not understand the customs of the land, so they react harshly to it, causing the people to hate all outsiders.
Unique Notes:
-Gangs
Because the monarchs never deal with intercity criminal affairs against common folk, there are many leaders running organized crime within the kingdom walls. They smuggle in banned goods and send small children to steal and pick pocket in exchange for food and a place to sleep, Some even dabble in prostitution and assassinations of nobles
-Army
Ybella has a small but powerful army, and they secretly rent out some special soldiers to other kingdoms. They will strike only when threatened, so most of the time, they are within the walls, guarding Munital, the monarch's palace
Other:
-The Royal Family of Adriett's Timeline
The royal family of Adriett was first a noble family, but after aligning with a few highly organized gangs and assassins, they threw the current government and set up their own, instating themselves as the reigning monarchs. Ever since then, they have been controlling Ybella.
Land of Zlore
Location:
Zlore is situated in the northern foothills, it stretches throughout the region. This Nation is quite young only spanning hundreds years of age, as compared to the other nations of old, but has been fairly bustling. The land has been targeted by many greedy Nobles who sought to rule it for themselves, but the Land has stood firm and stoic. The main hub is naturally, the trading centre which is the located at the heart of Zlore. Houses, Blacksmiths, Shops and the like are situated near the center for easier trade.
Society:
Royal Family
The land itself was founded the family of Fallenrun, they have pioneered the exploration of the Northern foothills and after a time, had finally been able to settle and build a Kingdom. The Royal Family of Fallenrun has the say in the finality of decisions- what they say goes, though the Family has been called by many inhabitants as fair and impartial. The King, Patrix Fallenrun IV is well known throughout the land for his wisdom. His nature, though, is not one you would expect from a king, cracking quips and jests whenever he deems it necessary, though he is serious when the situation calls for it.
House of Nobles
To be promoted to Noble status, the house has to have provided to the Land of Zlore and it's kingdom, only the Royal Family has the right to promote commoners to the rank of Nobles.
There are only three Houses that have been recognized and uplifted to the rank of Nobility by the Family of Fallenrun, these Noble houses have all pushed Zlore's growth and has provided for it's Kingdom.
- ~ House of Ley'gard
The Ley'gard family has provided military and soldiers to aide the Family of Fallenrun during its past tribulations that was mainly produced by war during the early beginning.
The head is Ned Ley'gard, it is in-charge of the military defense of the country. Known for producing the finest archers throughout it's region. They provided the bulk of the archer militia during the unwritten era. The house has around only for 1/3rd of the Kingdom's age.
~ House of Wintermaw
The Wintermaw family has been a close second to the Ley'gard family, coming into fruition only a few years after the Ley'gard family was uplifted to the ranks of Nobility, having a friendly rivalry and standing long time friends of the Ley'gard family. During the unwritten era of war, they kept the country running and afloat through smart practices and trade with other countries. The head is Geome Wintermaw. of of the most known trader in the land. Known for the shrewd and astute traders.
~ House of Dawnshard
Not many people know how the Dawnshard family became nobility, as this house is as old as Zlore itself. The head of the family is Saursong Hammercrusher, and is one of the most fiercest warrior, despite his age. The Dawnshard family provided the bulk of militia during the unwritten era and had the most battle hardened soldiers, hearsay talk about how the war would have been lost had it not been for the Family of Dawnshard. They typically don't like fraternizing, especially with the Ley'gard, as they believe a bow is a cowards weapon.
Common Folk
As with most, if not all, kingdoms are made up of the Common Folk. The Family of Fallenrun belives in fairness and equality, though strongly urges people to be independant as they don't help people who don't help themselves. The Common folk generally look up to the Noble Houses and the Royal Family as their treatment has been fair, though there are quite a few who dislike them as much. The country itself is Capitalistic, but the Fallenrun family do try to help the people who deserved to be helped.
Adventurers
The Royal Family welcomes Adventurers to Zlore with warmth, though they are intolerable if said adventurers cause a problem and a ruckus in their lands. There are a set of rules made by the family of Fallenrun designed for Adventurers. These rules include fair treatment of Adventurers. Many people dislike Adventurers for their unpredictable and explosive nature, but has been changing recently as even the ones who despise Adventurers see them as 'necessary evil'.
Unique Notes:
Zlore houses a Guild of 'Rangers', hearsay talk about how it was founded by Ley'gard and knowledge of it are only told to select few. Rumors also talk about how the Guild is mingled with the military force, that it is inchrage of catching and putting down dangerous criminals that have happened their way into Zlore. Many people try to deny the guild authenticity but a few are beginning to suspect something in the country.
Other:
Relationships with other Kingdoms.
Kingdom of Negotia: [Wip]
The Kingdom of Alpian
Location: Alpian is located in the northern segment of the Western Woods, in a small, heavily forested area. It consists of several dozen woodland villages scattered around an area of roughly 5,000 square miles (for reference, it's a little smaller than Connecticut). The territory is divided into four segments, and where the segments meet is the City of Alpian, a mighty white-walled place and the only real center of commerce in the city. The broad River Merrid runs through the southern portion of the kingdom.
Society:
Alpian is ruled by the Dowling family, as it had been for generations. Traditionally, the rulers of the realm are generous, kind souls who make up in compassion what they tend to lack in wisdom and savvy. The King and Queen view all the people of their small realm as their children, and exercise what wealth and power they have in making the lives of their citizens comfortable and safe. As a result, they are beloved by nearly the entirely population of the realm, who often take any criticism of their Royal Family by outsiders with barely-restrained hostility.
At the moment, the Kingdom is ruled by Gideon and Abigail Dowling, young newlyweds who look to be continuing the grand tradition of their outsiders in their blind pursuit of good for their people.
The Kingdom is divided into four segments, and each is granted to a Noble House to govern. Long ago, these families were chosen from among he peoples of the realm for their virtue, and their adherence to the morals of their king has not waned since then. They are:
House Strathon: The house of grim woodsmen, who watches over the northern portion of the kingdom.
House Treia: The house of peaceful farmers and deep thinkers, who watches over the western portion of the kingdom.
House Fletran: The house of friendly traders, who watches over the eastern portion of the kingdom.
House Merrid: The house of fishermen and sailors, who watches over the southern portion of the kingdom.
The people of the kingdom love their leaders and their country well. On the whole they live peaceful village lives, rarely straying too far from the place of their birth and taking up the trades of their ancestors. They bear a great respect for the woods and for each other, and so Gaia and Wyrim are the deities most often honored within Alpian's borders.
The kingdom is far from a powerhouse: owing to its isolationist tendencies and habit of spending funds on the public good, trade is limited and military strength is lacking. On the whole, the people of the kingdom are content to live simple lives, though this does leave them woefully unprepared in times of crisis.
The student of history may wonder why the kingdom of Alpian has endured so long, given that they appear to have neither the skill, funds, or stomach to defend themselves from invasion. The likely reason is twofold - first, they have barely anything worth having, given as they consist of a few dozen small forest villages and one large city in the center of the territory, with little in the way of natural bounty. The second reason is a superstition - it is a belief held by many that the woods around Alpian are enchanted, and the spirits of the forest love the land dearly. This is almost certainly untrue, but it's likely that a few prospective conquerors have been turned off from the meager land by the threat of an attack by fairies and goblins.
Unique Notes: The Kingdom of Alpian is notable in one respect - the king's court of knights known as the Alpian Brotherhood. This select band of warriors is said to consist of only the finest warriors in the land (admittedly, not a contested position), and are devout in their service of chivalry, justice, and the people of their nation. Legend holds that it is the Brotherhood's task to watch the rulers of the land closely, and remove them if they show signs of corruption - such intervention, however, had not been necessary for some time now. Rather uniquely, Alpian holds no requirement for noble birth in order to gain a knighthood: any man may be knighted, if he proves his skills and virtues worthy.
Novilis Hegemony
Location: Situated in the east between a mountain range and the sea, the topography of Novilis is dominated by rolling foot hills and a huge, dense forests, broken up only by the occasional town. It is a beautiful country, but its climate can be a bit hectic, getting a perfect temperate climate from spring to fall, but a cold, dark, and bitter winter when fall ends.
Society:
-Commoners: Commoners are treated fairly well all things considered. They are free to move about the country at their own will and leisure, but generally stay near or around where they are born. This is because they lease the land from the noble, who controls the land, and this lease is generally passed down through the generations. But there are a caste of wanderers that roam the great forest, often talking with the druids and charting the secret places of the forest.
-Nobles/Knights: The Noble class of Novilis shares it's standing with the Knight caste, the only true diffrence being where Nobles are generally in charge of large cities or tracks of land, the Knights main holdings are limited to that of one of the huge stone fortresses that dot the landscape and the town under its sphere of influence.
-The Hegemon's Line: Stemming from Lisha The Unifier, the first Hegemon. The Line of Lisha has ruled the three lands of the Hegemony for hundreds of years, and is well respected by their citizens. The Current Hegemon is Hegemon Visarius the Bold. They rule from the central palace in Ajencour, the capitol city of the Hegemony and its strongest fortress.
-Adventurers: Adventures are warmly welcomed and are often treated will within the common folk, being given room and board in exchange for stories of far off lands. There is even rumors of some nobles sneaking into taverns if a particularly well versed Adventurer weaving stories. Outsiders of different connotations (merchants, bards, and their like) are often also well received, especially on the local market day.
Unique Notes:
-The Knight's Trials: To be declared fit to be a knight, any aspirant of the Hegemony must first complete the three trials.
The trial of Adversity
A Knight must know how to fight to protect the land and her peoples. In this trial the aspirants are split up into groups numbering no more than 5, and are pit against various monsters, and even possible human opponents. The fights are almost always to the death, wther of the opponents or of the aspirants. The trial of the Mind's Blade
The mind is a deadly weapon that can never be taken from you. In this trial the aspirant is tested on magic ability, both in combat scenarios and in utility scenarios. These tests are rapid fire and sudden, changing from one to another in an instant in an ever increasing complex web of tasks. The trial of the Void
The last trial is preformed in a pair with no help but from you fellow aspirant. Both are put into a windowless dark cell, and are left in the darkness. This is no ordenary cell however as the very stone has been infused with a weave magic that tricks the mind, plays on base fears and unpleasant memories. It is up to the two to support themselves through this, no matter what the cell shows them, to test both their wills and compassion to the suffering of another. If they pass this test the aspirants are led to the catacombs of the Knights, where before there newly carved tombs they are welcomed into the Knighthood.The Druids: The great forest the Hegemony is old, very old, and seems to have a will all of its own. If you clear a patch of trees, it will soon be swallowed once more by the forest, seemingly faster than your normal forest. But liveing in the deep woods, or on the outskirts of town are the Druids, individuals who have dedicated their life to the forest and its relationship with humans. They are in essence weave mages and alchemists who have formed a relationship with the living world. It is they who "convince" the forest to allow the construction of roads and settlements, as well as turning it on attackers.
Other: Life in the Hegemony is simple, and it's people like it that way. As such they tend to leave the other kingdoms alone and focus inwards on their own serenity. This dose not mean they are not alert to the goings on of the other lands, it just means they are much less likely to interfere in their affairs, unless they feel the need to.
The simple serene life also hides the fact that the Hegemony's history is soaked with blood. The most promonant example being the Unification war, which was fought between the three nations that would become the Hegemony. Scars from this conflict are still felt today, in the form a huge clearings where nothing grows and all liveing thing fear to tread. The locals call these old, dead battlefields "Wraith-fields"
Groups & Organizations
Name: Stalwarts of Analil
Location: Mountains
Society: A monastery turned military fort and maximum security prison, the Stalwarts of Analil embody the goddess' sense of justice and penance. While originally, the church had been a simple abbey that had burned down under mysterious circumstances, it has since been converted into a formidable defensive town. Known as the Fortchurch Prison, The Stalwarts emphasize a strategy of flawless defense. A siege would be difficult and long on this position, with deep tunnels and catacombs holding massive storages of food, water, medical supplies, and weapons. Within these tunnels as well lie the jail cells of criminals who scorned Analil's forgiveness and offer of repentance. When a criminal stands for crimes too heinous to disallow punishment, or the limits of the kingdoms' laws prevent their capture, the Stalwarts are called in to bring them to justice. These souls are taken to the Fortchurch, where they stand trial before the Justiciars of Analil. Those who claim repentance are given the chance, confined to the fort for years until their oath is proven genuine, after which they are drafted into the Stalwarts and trained as warriors. Those who are found lacking, untrue, or retaining their villainy are executed or confined eternally below the earth. Life as a Stalwart is more favorable than death to many though, and some criminals, rather than rot in a cell, will volunteer to serve the Fortchurch.
Unique Notes: The Stalwarts of Analil hold no loyalty to any particular kingdom, but offer their services as jailers and judges to all freely. They are known for being an impartial third party. The current head of the Stalwarts is Matron Fiona De'Gaspard, a rather young, but intelligent woman who believes anyone can be redeemed.
Other: The Stalwart warriors are known for heavy shield tactics that use tight phalanxes of warriors. Their style focuses on a crushing advance that deflects attacks while pushing the enemy back, making them incredibly effective in the tight valleys and narrow roads of the mountains.
Location: Mountains
Society: A monastery turned military fort and maximum security prison, the Stalwarts of Analil embody the goddess' sense of justice and penance. While originally, the church had been a simple abbey that had burned down under mysterious circumstances, it has since been converted into a formidable defensive town. Known as the Fortchurch Prison, The Stalwarts emphasize a strategy of flawless defense. A siege would be difficult and long on this position, with deep tunnels and catacombs holding massive storages of food, water, medical supplies, and weapons. Within these tunnels as well lie the jail cells of criminals who scorned Analil's forgiveness and offer of repentance. When a criminal stands for crimes too heinous to disallow punishment, or the limits of the kingdoms' laws prevent their capture, the Stalwarts are called in to bring them to justice. These souls are taken to the Fortchurch, where they stand trial before the Justiciars of Analil. Those who claim repentance are given the chance, confined to the fort for years until their oath is proven genuine, after which they are drafted into the Stalwarts and trained as warriors. Those who are found lacking, untrue, or retaining their villainy are executed or confined eternally below the earth. Life as a Stalwart is more favorable than death to many though, and some criminals, rather than rot in a cell, will volunteer to serve the Fortchurch.
Unique Notes: The Stalwarts of Analil hold no loyalty to any particular kingdom, but offer their services as jailers and judges to all freely. They are known for being an impartial third party. The current head of the Stalwarts is Matron Fiona De'Gaspard, a rather young, but intelligent woman who believes anyone can be redeemed.
Other: The Stalwart warriors are known for heavy shield tactics that use tight phalanxes of warriors. Their style focuses on a crushing advance that deflects attacks while pushing the enemy back, making them incredibly effective in the tight valleys and narrow roads of the mountains.