Isotope

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Cant deny that.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Airplanes mostly.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

It is pretty fast tho.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Vestera, Aeche, Ethica

It had been nine candle marks since sunrise, time enough for the morning fog to have melted away under the early light of day and already started its creeping return as once more the sun sagged low in the sky and Kammeth made ready to rest. In all that time and to the surprise of none his lordship, King Eretes the second of Aeche, had not stirred from his heavy sleep. On most days such was merely accepted as an intractable aspect of his majesty’s eccentric personality, but in light of recent tragedy there could be no patience afforded to the dear king today.

So it came to be that after suffering through nine whole marks of waiting Crown Prince Neset Seval would stomp unceremoniously into the bedchambers of his father and upend a pail of seawater upon him. Stoic but unmistakably agitated Neset coolly questioned the now conscious, sopping, and flustered King, “Lord Father, when did you imagine you would be departing to the capital today?”

Well acquainted with such treatment Eretes issued a simple but irritated grunt in reply and heaved himself out of what would be yet another ruined bed. Sighing heavily the King waved Neset out of the room and went about the arduous process of stripping the drenched night clothes from his body and drying himself before changing into more formal attire. At times like this such an admission was begrudging at best, but Eretes knew his son meant well. He was a king after all, and the word of Emperor Taramyth's death had arrived two nights prior. Were he to dally much longer it'd reflect poorly on the kingdom, and the grief he'd receive from Mera would be unimaginable.

More stepping into the door than opening it Eretes emerged from his bedchamber clad in a rich blue cloak and a pale green doublet. The attire reflected the provincial flags flying on the castle parapets outside and was an expected mark of any formal event jolly or somber. With a slight smile Eretes greeted his son, “Neset, I trust the morning has treated you better than I?”

“It did,” Neset paused for a moment to correct his fathers crooked cloak and nodded before continuing, “though I fear it has long passed into evening my now.”

“Nonsense my son, you know that morning only starts just before sundown, and as I can still see Kammeth's up and about it must be very early indeed!” The king retorted as he fell into a morning stretch that only served to once more set his cloak at an odd angle. Not giving his son the pleasure of fixing it again Eretes started down the hall, only pausing to chuckle when he noted a team of servants rushing to his chambers in his wake. Neset was certainly meticulous, though it wasn't as if the boy had a lack of time to prepare for his stunt.

With a sigh of resignation to his father’s antics Neset followed him, “I struggle to imagine how you survived before you married mother.”

“It was difficult,” Eretes shrugged, “but that aside, I presume you've prepared the boat and guard?”

Neset nodded, “Of course, mother waits with them, as does my cousin Certes. It seems our Duke of Ramoi has business in the capital.”

As the two made their way down a flight of stairs to the castle dock Eretes remarked sarcastically, “So I won't even get a respite from politics during the voyage then? I should have just appointed you my representative; this disruption will put me weeks behind in my work for the Astronomers Conclave.”

Neset grinned for the first time all morning and joked, “Such isn't my place father, not until mother pushes you out the window at least.”

With a huff of mock offence and a grin of his own Eretes pushed open the riverside gate and took his first steps onto the dock that rested below the great castle. Greeting the small party that would be heading to the capital with him Eretes took the time to shake the hand of each one, making his way up from the guards to the higher nobles. While he didn't enjoy having to abandon his studies there was no reason to be impolite about it, and to all but one of the assembled group the king was the very image of courtesy.

That one was, unsurprisingly, Duke Certes. There was no warmth in the greeting Eretes offered his nephew and naught but suspicion in his face when doing it, “Certes, what a surprise to see you here.”

With a short bow Certes returned the mock courtesy, “Your majesty, some business in the capital demands my presence and as I was already in Vestera I figured it would be best to travel with family.

With a snort of contempt Eretes made his way onto the vessel and was shortly followed by the rest of the party. To the assembled there was little point in remarking on the Kings encounter with his nephew, their own encounters had followed much the same pattern. Nobody could prove a thing of course, but ever since the death of Certes father the suspicion had fallen unanimously on the new Duke of Ramoi. To most it was little more than Certes being 'the type' to do such a thing, but to the few who truly knew him it was clear that Certes has been far too enthusiastic over his own father’s death, and far too uneasy beforehand.

Still, nothing had ever come to light and in a mere few years the new Duke had quickly cemented himself as an increasingly important part of Aeche's nascent trade network. There were none who could gather the evidence for a trial, and fewer still would have the stomach to accuse the very man who had made many of them a great deal richer.

Taking his mind off such unpleasant thoughts Eretes elected to sit above deck and watch as the boat lurched from the dock and started its way to sea. With every moment the city and its castle became clearer, the two great banks dotted with homes glowing silently as night approached and the river that divided them shimmering with the last of Kammeth's golden light. On the largest bridge spanning the great water way sat the castle of Vestera, a construct as awe inspiring as the gleaming water below it.

Turning away from the splendor, Eretes looked toward the darkening waters ahead.

Lalrial, Imperial Heartlands, Ethica

With a groan the ship came to a stop on the dock and the crew set about lashing it under the bright sun. To the surprise of most aboard Eretes was awake at the hour, though he could hardly be called lively. Without his work to do the king had spent most of his time in the attempt to sleep during the nights, but a lifetime of habit would not be vanquished in a handful of days. Groggily stepping out onto the dock Eretes meekly waved farewell to Certes company and waited for his party to arrange transportation to the Imperial Palace.

In his life Eretes had seen the Imperial city a number of times and while he couldn't deny its majesty, he had always felt a tad uneasy in the expansive city. This feeling unfortunately made the fatigued king utterly incapable of sleep for the entirety of the carriage ride to the palace, where upon arriving he looked the very image of a raised corpse.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Ill have a post out tomorrow abouts.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Seval

House Name:
Seval

Head of House:
Eretes II Seval

House Speciality:
Generations spent tracking the great whales of the western ocean have endowed the Seval family with an unparalleled skill in navigation on the open seas as well as an intimate knowledge of the denizens below the waves. So acclaimed has this skill become that it is said no ship run by a Seval has been lead off course in a hundred years.

House Ancestral Artifact:
A simple and functional suit of plate the sole artifact of house Seval is known as the Armour of the Drowned. While not used in generations the suit is said to permit breath to its wearer even at the deepest reaches of the sea, though unsurprisingly few have volunteered to verify this.

Important Members:
(53) King of Aeche, Eretes II Seval: The current ruler of Aeche, Eretes is considered gregarious by most and has long been a man known to engage in all the necessary social activities with eager readiness, but to entirely disregard those not specifically requiring his presence. In truth Eretes does little he is not required to, and while he engages in the affairs of court and state it has been silently noted by many an observer that often the king will simply choose the viewpoint of another and support it unwavering rather than forward any original ideas. This has lead many to dub Eretes the quintessential sycophant, a man who only speaks so that others might enjoy what he says.

Of course to those closer to the king such a label would be disingenuous. The truth being that while Eretes may not seem to be personally opinionated during his many public appearances, this is merely because he has no opinions concerning the governance of the the kingdom and the empire. Obsessed with the stars Eretes has long held a certain disdain for politics, and even against the will of his late father spent most of his youth in the study of mathematics and theology. It is in these pursuits that Eretes spends the majority of his waking hours, leaving all but the most basic of court work to his wife.

Indeed, much of what can be called the official policy of economic expansion in the Kingdom during the reign of Eretes can be traced directly to Mera Seval. Whether this is a result of an explicit arrangement or merely the kings eccentricities is anyone's guess, but few could deny it. Beyond such matters though the relationship between the king and his wife can be called nothing less than enigmatic, given the two are rarely ever seen together.

(48) Queen of Aeche, Mera Seval: The current queen of Aeche is a soft spoken and shy woman known to avoid most public appearances unless strictly necessary. As a result little is publicly know about her, though it is known that she and the king often share private discussions, leading many to wonder how many decisions in the kingdom can be traced to her rather than the king.

(26) Prince of Aeche, Neset Seval: The heir apparent of Aeche, Neset seems to most the polar opposite of his father. A man of few words with an apparent disregard for courtesy or politesse Neset is blunt and sceptical of anyone incapable of cutting to the point. Still, regardless of their apparent distance few can say there is enmity between Neset and his father, rather the two seem to share the same conviction and desire to create a more prosperous Aeche, though perhaps in different ways.

(18) Princess Helena Seval: The middle sibling of Eretes children and renown for her beauty Helena takes after her father in her sociable nature, but contrastingly holds strong (and often cynical) opinions with what many call an absurd stubbornness. This disposition while respected by most has often put her at odds with the religious authorities, nevertheless of her close family Helena is the most involved in happenings outside of the royal court. On any give day she can often be seen in the market with her personal guard or making public appearances at the courts of lesser nobles.

(16) Prince Cevest Seval: The second son of Eretes II, Cevest is the youngest of the kings children and compared to his siblings seems the very image of moderation. Not terribly headstrong but still opinionated, and friendly but hardly charismatic. In contrast to his siblings however Cevest is easily the most adventurous. Having trained with his cousin and brother Cevest is a capable navigator and sailor even at his age, and of all his family none have participated in more hunts on the open ocean. On his recent sixteenth birthday Cevest was granted a small vessel and crew by his father and now spends his time between court and touring Ethica.

(25) Duke Certes Seval: Son of the recently deceased Duke Rente Seval and the nephew of King Eretes II, Certes is nothing but ambitious. In the short three years since inheriting his fathers position Certes has led an effort to turn previously minor the port city of Ramoni into one of the largest centres of trade in the province, a venture that has managed to eliminate one of the largest smugglers guilds in Aeche and even attract merchants from across the sea. This sudden and seemingly inexplicable success has led many to question whether Certes exploits have been entirely legal, some even suggesting he orchestrated his fathers death.

(22) Kelae Seval: Daughter of Rente Seval and niece of King Eretes II Kelae was once known as an affectionate and loving individual with perhaps a worrying disregard for the lines of class. The days of her leading spontaneous efforts of charity in the slums with little or no guard however ended abruptly upon the death of her father. Exactly what she has occupied herself doing is unknown, but she has not been seen leaving the palace in years.

Nation/Realms Name:
Aeche

Flag:

Provincial Flag

House Motto:
We Endure

Region/color on map:
Lime Green

Race name:
Aecheian

Racial appearance:
Aecheian's tend to have a fair complexion and often stand between 5'6 and 5'8 regardless of gender. Black hair is almost ubiquitous, with a lighter brown being indicative of the southern regions. Eye colour is less homogenous, though green and blue tend to be the norms.

Racial traits:
The people of Aeche are known not for their affinity for the sea, though they do have one, but for their seemingly supernatural ability to increase the yield of their crops and render land fertile. Generations of innovation both magical and traditional precipitated by what was once constant scarcity have permitted the people of Aeche not only self sufficiency, but abundance.

Capital:
Vestera, the capital of Aeche is located at the base of Feste bay and on the Festen river that flows into it. The capital is built around the three great bridges spanning the river and the royal palace in turn is built upon the central and largest of this bridges. Renown for its colourful and bustling seaside markets Vestera is the most populous city in Aeche and the home of the provinces many glass blowers.

Capital Population: 16,300

Other Major Settlements:
(8,300) Caspen: The capital of the duchy of Caspe the city of Caspen is the surrounded by farms and often considered the breadbasket of the province. The city itself is said to be the oldest in Aeche, dating back to the era of unification when it was the capital of the local petty kings territory.

(3,900) Argosie: The capital of the duchy of Argoe the city of Argosie isn't particularly notable save for the fact it stands as the centre of the ever important whale hunts and houses most of the provinces hunting fleets.

(6,100) Eserote: The capital of the duchy of Esren the city of Eserote hugs the edge of the only mountain range in Aeche. Eserote is often called the ringing city, and fittingly as what little metal is produced in Aeche can all be traced here, to a city where the pounding of iron can be heard well into the night.

(3,600) Ramoni: The capital of the newly formed duchy of Ramoi the city of Ramoni was nothing but a minor port as little as three years ago. However under the guidance of Certes Seval the city has blossomed into the largest trade hub in the province.

(2,300) Velre, Castle of the Mist: Often called the greatest fortress in the west Velre was built on the lesser island of Verche with the duty of repelling any would be conquerors from the black continent. Grand in scale and built overlooking the precipitous cliffs of the island many have claimed that a direct siege of Velre would be all but impossible. Over time the castle has also become the central point of the islands settlement, and a city of its namesake has sprung up in its shadow

Internal Map:

(The smaller island is known as Verche, while the greater is Aeche proper.)

Population:
~102,100

Culture:
For generations the rulers of Aeche have been reluctant involving themselves in the affairs of the mainland, and this has bred a grand misconception among the people of Ethica that Aecheians are cold and insular. In truth the island province while not particularly outgoing prizes hospitality above all else, and many a traveller without a place to stay have found the locals more than willing to share a bed.

This courtesy is not merited only to strangers however; it is an inherent part of Aecheian culture. The common people of the province are more than inclined to share what they have if their neighbours need it, though they are not so gullible as to be tricked by dishonest scarcity. With such tight knit communities the people of Aeche have also become known for their lack of inhibition amongst each other during their yearly harvest celebration, events which many say predict the next generation with disturbing accuracy. Friendly, accommodating, and unconcerned with the needless boundaries between strangers Aecheians are perhaps the exact opposite off what many expect.

There are however, some parts of the culture that do fit the stereotype, namely the island people’s reliance upon the whale hunts and their love of the sea. Should one ever find themselves in Argosie upon the return of a successful hunt they would be witness to a spectacle of religious devotion wherein the local priest would preside over the vast beast give thanks to Kayo, and this is not without reason. Beyond the local crops there exist precious few sources of meat on the island, and while local fisherman provide for the coastal communities only the meat of such vast beasts as the whales of the western ocean lasts for it to be distributed throughout the island. This simple truth has been curiously unifying for the people of Aeche, and many say that the whale hunts are the back bone of the people’s culture.

Type of Government:
The law of succession is Aeche is that of Absolute Primogeniture, though this isn’t a constant among the lower nobility. Below the king all the various Dukes are granted the right to choose their own laws concerning inheritance, and some have deviated from the norm considerably.

Influence and relations:
(Any alliances or military pacts with another family? Perhaps born of marriage ties? Work with other players if you seek one ahead of the RP if you so desire.)

Military:
The kingdom of Aeche holds a large standing fleet, though usually these ships are at port and manned by skeleton crews of skilled sailors. In truth these sailors are the only standing forces in the kingdom of any real note and Aeche is well known for its lack of armoured knights, leading many to joke they always drown trying to get there.

The bulk of the Aecheian military is light infantry and in the case of Aeche these troops are usually equipped with light amour combined with buoyant but sturdy iron reinforced wooden coffin shields to make up for their deficiency in a sustained melee. These troops are armed with either a long spear and a short sword, or a short bow. Overall the men of Aeche have mastered war at sea and boarding actions but come up short against heavily armoured forces.

Landscape:
Both greater Aeche and lesser Verche are dominated by rolling grassy hills, though only greater Aeche peaks in a small set of mountains. The islands rise suddenly out of the ocean in most cases, but there are a number of locations where both islands level off to smooth beaches rather than precipitous drops.

Wildlife:
(Optional)

Economy:
Historically Aeche was a poorer province, but over time its people pulled themselves out of poverty and into a more moderate and comfortable position. In the last few decades the economy has improved markedly, though some are uncertain if such a disruption to peaceful life is worth its benefits.

Religion:
(As stated before Kammeth is the primary god of the Empire and will by default be what the majority of the people worship or follow *excluding special circumstances*. Worship of deities outside of the Sky pantheon is greatly discouraged IC. You can however, create a deity of your own making from within that Patheon, or if you feel ballsy, add in any minor cults that exist. Perhaps even your family secretly worships other gods not sectioned by the Empire? Be mindful that heresy is frowned upon by the Church and you might have the Inquisition breathing down your neck if they catch a whiff of heresy on you, but if you want to make a storyline in that direction go right ahead!) (Tip, don’t piss of whoever is the Arch Dawnbringer!!!)

History:
(At least the past couple generations, include conflicts, major upheavals, wars, etc. You can overlook this part and fill it in as the Roleplay progresses in order to work with other players for maximum cohesion.)

Strengths:
-The fleet of Aeche is a capable and sturdy one manned by well trained sailors, when it comes to war they will rarely back down from an engagement unless victory is utterly impossible.
-Surprisingly enough Aeche can export foods as the innovations used to increased the fertility of the land have become so efficient near any plant can grow plentiful on the island.

Weaknesses:
-Positioned as it is Aeche takes the brunt of most disasters from the west, ether they be storms, raiders, or enemies from across the sea.
-The lack of woodlands on the island makes it forever beholden to mainland imports of lumber, a weakness that would mean disaster should the province be blockaded.

Export:
-Whale Oil.
-Smoked, Salted, and Pickled Fish.
-Seagoing Vessels.
-Glass.

Import:
-Lumber.
-Refined Metals.
-Beasts of Burden.
-Spices.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

I'll be doing the map, so in an effort to rectify mistakes I'm going to ask everyone PM me a claim roughly made in paint on this map:

i.imgur.com/Y9M0oV9.jpg

So things can be more easily resolved.

Crusader Kings, A game of Thrones (Gilded Throne Reborn)

A simplified blank map:



A simplified blank map with basic topography:


(Yes the random mountain on a river is an error, its been fixed)

I'll be using this to provide a more intuitive political map in the future, and the overlay maps we've seen until now can be made more easily by overlaying this simplified version when i add claims to it.

Thoughts/Suggestions?

Crusader Kings, A game of Thrones (Gilded Throne Reborn)

Hm

The west is so lonely.

Crusader Kings, A game of Thrones (Gilded Throne Reborn)

On @Pepperm1nts suggestion my idea:

Island of Aeche

A fortress rising from the sea Aeche has long been the principal fortification of the west coast, a stronghold ready to repel would be invaders from distant lands and withstand any siege. The island itself maintains a fleet of its own and while not so famous as those of Kawachi the shipwrights of Aeche are known for their rugged designs. This durable nature is not however a result of any militant intention, but rather the necessity of strong vessels for use in whale hunts. The largest export of Aeche whale oil has long been vital to the local economy and in recent years the trade has attracted numerous western merchant guilds many of whom now base themselves on the strategically located island.