TheMoatedGrange

Ye Olde Fantasy NRPs - Where did they go?

This looks cool, so mark me as interested!

A Gilded Throne- The Shadow Looms (Recruiting)

Lalrial Estate, the Heartlands

8th of Gerna | 1200 AU

Aethlar bristled uncomfortably as Allianna was disrespected again, but as Diende vowed to vote for Ralltene she allowed herself a small smirk. She leant into her son for a moment as the old man departed, the beads and pearls that held her greying brown hair in place clinking softly against each other. "You do know that, should it arise that the Merchant-Prince becomes Emperor, your cousin-by-marriage Victoria shall be Empress?" She said simply, her green eyes twinkling for a moment. Aethlar merely frowned and sulked away to join his sisters as Sarapis made her overtures.

The Queen-Dowager turned imperiously to face Sarapis, taking a not-insignificant swig of amber wine as she did so. She acknowledged the peculiarly egotistical way that the Kawachians showed respect with outward grace and appreciation. Inwardly, she thought it thin-skinned of them to be so averse to bowing, but years of experience had proven to her that any sign of respect from someone from the ruling houses of the most southerly isles of the Empire was something to be recognised and cherished when it did so rarely show itself.

"I thank you for your greeting, Madame-Governor," Hiltruda ruminated as Sarapis spoke for a moment. Her mouth drew itself taut for a moment and then relaxed. She took another slow sip of wine. "My defence of the Princess was nothing but protocol. My voting intentions in this election aside, I remain firmly convinced that we must respect the system of this Empire for it to benefit us all," She regarded Sarapis coolly for a moment.

It was at that moment that Prince Jakinius and Sophsi entered, along with their erstwhile spouses. Aethlar, Haldetrude and Eadgifu turned to face them, and Hiltruda too was momentarily distracted from her conversation with Sarapis as a hush descended over the room. Aethlar, who had been busy filling a glass to the very top with wine, narrowed his eyes as the procession made its way across the room. His face reddened as he saw Sophsi's costume, and he rounded on Eadgifu, whispering in low but deadly tones. "What affront is this...?"

Eadgifu paused, running a hand through her silvery hair as she observed Sophsi's own dyed mane. "I am not sure. Whatever it is, it's quite sad,"

"It's like a girl playing dress up with her mother's clothes," Haldetrude observed primly, her nose firmly in the air. She and Eadgifu nonetheless gave the appropriate curtseys - though they were aimed mostly at Jakinius, for he outranked them more than Sophsi. Aethlar turned to his mother, who raised a silent finger to her lips to silence him and shook her head ever so slightly. He sighed, deflated, and turned back to Eadgifu, engaging her in animated conversation.

Hiltruda's lips were firmly pursed for a few more moments as she coldly ran her eyes up and down Jakinius and Sophsi's figures. "Dear," She said at last, turning back to Sophsi. "I feel our royal scions have made something of a misstep,"

"That is not the Prince's 'chatelaine' as you so tactfully put it though, Madame-Governor. It is his cousin, Sophsi," Hiltruda took another long sip of wine. "She is in contention for the title of Empress too.... or should I say was?" Hiltruda's laugh rang out momentarily across the courtyard.

"But yes, I should be well pleased to hear of whatsoever it is with which the House Caernavir can aid you. The Kingdom of Gwethydd," She said pointedly, arching an eyebrow. "Is always happy to help its compatriots and allies within this illustrious Empire. If you wish for the assistance of Master Graeton you shall have to write to him yourself, however. He is, I am afraid, often too indispensable to leave Gwethydd for long. His capacity as Chancellor of the Eldva entitles him to also serve on the King's Council as his Temple-Master," Hiltruda snapped her fingers for a servant to refill her wine glass.

"Tell me, did you ever spend time at the Eldva? I hear so often how enterprising Kawachian students are in their study of the sciences in particular. Truly an underrated academic powerhouse," She said with a soft and accommodating smile. In contrast to Sarapis' chilly demeanour, Hiltruda's was warm and almost kindly. There was something unruly and slightly mischievous about the twinkle in her eye, but the way that she held herself was a projection of her station, filling her corner of the room with her elaborately styled hair and not insignificant size.

***

Castle Austri-Heinder, Autrisia, County of Ygris, Kingdom of Gwethydd

8th of Gerna | 1200 AU

Autrisia was the capital of the County of Ygris, a windswept and relatively small city encircled by a low granite wall and dominated by the towering black spires of Castle Austri-Heinder, one of the only stone buildings in a settlement where most of the population lived in timer framed homes. Its position in the centre of the great Adrathine Plain meant that it was one of the agricultural centres of the entire Kingdom of Gwethydd and its population could swell to over 30,000 during the harvest season as scores of rural farmers flogged their wares in its enormous markets. Today however, it was much less populated, and the streets felt almost empty in comparison to the bustling and boisterous atmosphere of Harksmoor.

Queen Eadrith sat in a window seat in one of the tallest spires of the castle, her hands poised protectively over her swollen stomach. The sixteen year old Queen-Consort of Gwethydd was watching the comings and goings of the Ygrissians far below, who moved slowly and easily through the empty streets about their business. The sky was overcast and there was a chill in the air outside, but the lodging that she had been provided was heated by a myriad of imported woollen blankets and a roaring fire.

The Queen-Consort had been sent into a confinement in Autrisia for the final stages of her pregnancy - the windy plain was said to be good for removing foul humours from the air, and the fact that Eadrith was so heavy with child and so slim and small herself had been a cause for concern for the King. Separated from her husband and from her court for a few months now, Eadrith had found it increasingly hard to stay active.

The Count of Ygris, Magwin di Reckmansworth, had a brutish and bovine appearance, but was beginning to show his sixty-three years as his face began to sag. He was, nonetheless, a jovial if not somewhat distant host, and had accounted for all of the luxuries that a Queen could need in a castle as illustrious as his own. His wife, the Countess who had been born Princess Gerberga as the eldest child of King Lethlin II, was a handsome woman with an enormous bosom and a permanently ruddy complexion - the counterpart of her brother King Aethlar V and her Veletian sister Ariette rather than the once delicate beauty of her deformed sister Alissera. She had welcomed Eadrith most warmly of all, but the Queen had caught a wariness in her eye when she gave Gerberga the thanks and warm sentiments of Queen Hiltruda and Princess Alissera.

Eadrith turned her head away from the window and into the room. Three of her ladies were accompanying her there, including Lady Alysandra di Reckmansworth, the Count's only daughter. Her brother Valdemar served on the council in the capital, but Alysandra had been a pariah and an exile from the royal court ever since her defilement and pregnancies at the hands of King Aethlar V. She was beautiful, with long silvery hair and sad green eyes with a more refined beauty than her licentious daughter Lady Eadgifu and none of the sturdiness of her parents. She was playing the lute beautifully, plucking the strings to a melodic tune as another of the ladies sang for the Queen.

Eadrith smiled warmly and raised a hand for silence. "My ladies," She said, brushing a strand of her auburn hair across her front. "How do you think the king fares in the capital?"

Lady Adela di Cantaviri, perchance one of Queen Hiltruda's nieces, spoke up first. "I should love to visit the imperial court in Lalrial one day,"

"And you will," Said Eadrith with a smile. "All of you. When the children are born I shall travel there with Aethlar surely to pay homage to the new Emperor,"

"...Or Empress," Alysandra said. Her voice was melodic but slightly gravelly. Her eyes lolled slightly when she looked at Eadrith, and her hand grasped for the glass of red wine on the table next to her seat. "It could always be an Empress,"

"You are right, dear cousin Alysandra," Eadrith smiled to herself. It always brought her great pleasure that women were not confined in the entire empire as much as they were in Gwethydd. "There is always that chance. I do hope it is so,"

"Could you not write a letter to the king and tell him to make it so?" Teased Adela, jumping up and taking an orange from a nearby fruit bowl. She was stout like her aunt the dowager, but as daft as a brush and nowhere near as cunning as the rest of her family. Eadrith supposed.

"Perhaps. I shall tell hi--" Eadrith was cut off by a sharp and sudden pain that ricocheted through her entire body. There was a gurgling tension inside of her body, and suddenly the cushion on the window seat was soaking wet. The Queen's eyes widened.

"Majesty?" Alysandra noticed first, rising from her seat and quickening her step towards Eadrith. The Queen looked up, her eyes glazing over for a moment.

"I think it's time," Came the reply, barely audible in the now silent room.

The orange thudded into the carpet as Adela went skittering out into the corridor and flying down the stairs to find the physician from the Eldva that the Queen's party had brought with her.

Alysandra stroked Eadrith's hair as the pain returned. "The king..." The Queen muttered as stars began to fill her vision, and then everything went black as the whispers in the room turned to panicked shouts.

A Gilded Throne- The Shadow Looms (Recruiting)

Gardens of the Caernan Castle, Harksmoor City, County of Harksmoor, Kingdom of Gwethydd

8th of Gerna | 1200 AU

King Aethlar VI of the Gwethyns ambled and loped listlessly around the expansive gardens that surrounded his palace. They were laid out on both sides of the low-lying but sprawling royal residence in the bustling capital - on the west, they led into the granite cloisters of the Eldva University, joining seamlessly with the academic institution by way of a regimented and carefully planned style. To the east were the great, naturalistic green expanses that were used as tourney grounds in happier times, which themselves rolled into a vast citrus orchard. The sweet, tangy smell reached Aethlar's nose even on the other side of the garden and he inhaled deeply. He longed for better times, for jousting and merriment and galloping out across the vast fields that surrounded the mesa on which Harksmoor was perched.

Alas, it was not to be. The King had been grounded in his palace by the news of the death of Emperor Taramyth at sea. Aethlar had not known the Emperor in any personal capacity; he remembered seeing him at the Imperial Court in Lalrial a few times; the young Aethlar smiled as he recalled that the Emperor had been the only person in those enormous, echoing courtly chambers who seemed as unwilling to be there as Aethlar himself. But apart from that, the Emperor had been an absentee. There were rumours everywhere about who had really ran the imperial centre in his stead.

"Are you reminiscing about the tournament season?" Aethlar was interrupted from his thoughts by the sudden interjection of his mother. For a woman of considerable bulk, the Queen-Dowager had always had the uncanny capacity to sneak up on her eldest son. The King turned on his heel to face her. She was wearing a mourning gown of deep purple, studded with jet gemstones and complete with a large red pin in her intricately styled auburn hair. "Or are you mourning for the death of our good Emperor?"

"I hardly knew him," Aethlar said shortly, folding his muscular arms across his chest. Hiltruda nodded thoughtfully. Her green eyes regarded her son with compassion, if not with a great deal of respect.

"None of us knew the Emperor very well. He was completely uninterested in politics," The Queen-Dowager gave a small smile, sinking into the nearest bench with a heavy sigh. "It is what made him such a good Emperor,"

"What of the new election?" The Gwethyn King asked, joining his mother in her repose. "Will I have to travel to Lalrial?"

Hiltruda nodded. "Of course. I shall accompany you. While you are busy with the business of electing an Emperor, I wish to see to it that your sister's marriage prospects do not wither away locked up in this stony prison," She continued, waving a hand idly.

"By sister," Aethlar said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I suppose you to mean Haldetrude?" He knew all about his mother's disdain for his siblings Eadgifu and Gaewin - the bastard sons of Aethlar V by his niece Alysandra di Reckmansworth, daughter of his own sister Gerberga.

"Bring the bastard girl too," Hiltruda said flippantly. 'Perhaps we can marry her off to someone so inconsequential in such a dark and cold part of the north that she will rot away and not be heard from ever again' was the unspoken implication. Lord Gaewin was already in the capital. Aethlar watched as a large brown bird loped lazily overhead in the sun. "Who shall be our next Emperor?"

"Terminus," Aethlar said determinedly. His mother scoffed, but he persisted nonetheless. "He has been a vanguard against evil in the south for many years. The common people know of him as a hero - and he is a warrior. There is no better man to lead this empire,"

"What of Jakinius?" Hiltruda crooned. "Guardian of the north?"

Aethlar paused. "He is the guardian of the north. We are not northerners. But, from what I have heard, he will make just as good an Emperor as his brother,"

"Will he?" Came the reply from somewhere in the citrus trees behind the pair. They reeled around. Amongst the oranges and lemons leant a figure, clad all in black. Amidst the gloom of the orange grove she looked almost like a spider, due in part to her curved and misshapen spine and her rasping way of talking. "What makes you think that, gentle nephew?"

Aethlar regarded his aunt Princess Alissera tentatively. His wife Queen Eadrith often admitted that the pock-marked spinster scared her; Aethlar was wroth to admit that he was no better.

"Is a warrior a good king?" Alissera continued from amongst the trees. She loped her way forward on unsteady footing, eventually settling on the other end of the long bench. "Was Taramyth a good emperor?"

"Well... he was an excellent sailor and-" Aethlar began, but his mother waved her hand to cut him off.

"Your aunt is not asking about his skills at sea. Was he a good Emperor? Did he attend to the business of his council and his court? Of the treasury? Did he mediate in petty land disputes between his vassals, or arrange marriages for his daughters and sisters? Did he correspond with the Church of the Sacred Flame?" Hiltruda said carefully. "Would you tear away the Princes Terminus and Jakinius from their invaluable posts in the north and south to do so?"

"Their work is not the work of an Emperor," Alissera said, shaking her head sadly. Her facial features were unnoticeable beneath the heavy black veil that concealed every inch of her skin.

"Who, then?" Aethlar said with exasperation.

"Allianna," Hiltruda said deftly, offering a sly smile. Aethlar's lips pursed. Allianna had always been a presence at Lalrial - she had been a magnificent creature, in Aethlar's mind, a delicate rose at the centre of a web of intrigue and boredom. Aethlar still remembered the day he had clambered onto his father's lap at age five and declared boldly that he would marry Allianna and take her as his own Queen. He still remembered the slap that had sent him skittering to the floor too.

"Why her?" He managed at last. "She is a woman,"

Alissera tutted from beneath her veil. "As was our first Empress,"

"That was different," Aethlar said defiantly. "The first Empress had the hand of Kammeth the Father to guide her,"

"Be that as it may," Hiltruda conceded. "A woman like her is more likely to be drawn to the inspiring and masculine charms of a Warrior-King like yourself. She may make you her champion," She paused, running a finger along her chin. "Perhaps more,"

Aethlar blushed crimson.

"Consider it. You ride for the capital at first light," Alissera said, running a gloved hand down Aethlar's arm affectionately. He barely suppressed a shudder. "With Princess Haldetrude, Lady Eadgifu, your mother and the Temple-Master Eldarhar,"

The King could barely lift his eyes from the grass. "Very well," He sighed, rubbing his eyes in defeat.

***

Valarien Estate, Lalrial, the Heartlands

13th of Gerna | 1200 AU

The Caernavir had arrived into Lalrial a few days later with all the pomp, majesty and circumstance that the occasion of an imperial election warranted. The king had ridden at the head of the procession, which had cut through the imperial capital's marble streets like a green dart. Aethlar had been a tall paragon atop his enormous white stallion horse, crowned with the emerald-studded silver band that denoted his place as a monarch. Beside him had ridden his verdant knights, and behind them two enormous carriages had trundled ominously through the crowds of eager peasantfolk, the first of which carried Queen Hiltruda and Princess Haldetrude and the second of which housed Lady Eadgifu and the Temple-Master Eldarhar di Graeton, who was arriving to serve in his capacity as a Master of the Astronomers' Conclave by way of his Chancellorship of the Eldva University.

After settling into the sprawling, leafy mansion compound which they owned for visits to the capital, they had embarked to the party hosted by Princess Allianna. It had been during the philippic delivered by the wizened Kawachian that they had entered, the messenger struggling to make his announcement of 'His Majesty King Aethlar VI of the Gwethyns', 'Her Majesty Queen Hiltruda, Queen Dowager of the Gwethyns' and all the rest heard in an attempt to silence Diende.

Aethlar entered first, with his mother projecting her enormous personality across the room soon afterward. He was clad in a fashionable, swishing green cloak and was still wearing his travelling crown. Behind them came Princess Haldetrude, attended by her bastard half-sister, whose swaggering, voluptuous silvery-blonde beauty easily outshone Haldetrude's willowy and mousy-haired meek maidenhead.

As they entered, Eadgifu lent into Haldetrude, pointing to Diende's back and giggling, she whispered. "I did not realise that the Kawachians were so fond of their history," Haldetrude blushed, but a smile reached her stern countenance for a moment.

Upon hearing the impertinence directed to Allianna, Aethlar puffed himself up with indignant and chivalric masculine rage. "How dare you speak to a member of the Impe--" He began, but Hiltruda waved a pudgy hand, silencing him instantly.

"I am going to assume that your indiscretions are the result of the softening of the mind so often equated with age," She piped up not impolitely to Diende. "And I see you have, valiantly, shown in your own special way how much your nation values its trade relationship with the Green Kingdom," She gestured to the man's wooden teeth. "We continue to appreciate your custom and place in this empire, naturally, but not your continual and I must say wearisome professions of hatred for a system from which you gain so much,"

"I find it quite interesting that despite all your professions of hatred towards the Ethican Empire, you have forged your way valiantly here in an attempt to suck what sweet-milk you can from its over-bloated teat," She turned her attention to Allianna. "Princess," She said with a smile. Haldetrude and Eadgifu curtsied while Aethlar and Hiltruda merely bowed their heads. "Pay this man little mind - the mosquitoes and humidity of the southerly reaches have no doubt softened his mind to the point of madness," She said, offering Allianna a reassuring smirk.

A Gilded Throne- The Shadow Looms (Recruiting)

Dynasty

The House of Caernavir

"From life comes light,"

Head of House: King Aethlar VI 'The Green', also known as The Green King.

House Specialty: The Caernavir have always fancied themselves as paragons of the middle path. Traditionally seen as caretakers of sensibility, they have used their position as one of the breadbaskets of the kingdom and a major exporter of both grain and fruit to leverage themselves into a position where their intervention and carefully constructed diplomatic web has averted dangerously volatile situations on a kingdom-wide but also on an imperial level.

Many a crisis has had the soothing input of a member of this family. Arbiters of peace, the main motivation of the Caernavir is to avert war at all costs. The reason for this is simple; in times of war, the breadbaskets of the empire become increasingly valuable targets. After all, if one side can cut off the supply of bread from the other, then the war is essentially finished. The ransacking, looting and rape involved in this sort of behaviour is something that the inhabitants of this pastoral kingdom feel is best avoided at all costs. Some see this as cowardice, the Caernavir see it as sensibility.

House Ancestral Artifact:

The Lute of the Verdant Wanderer

This instrument has been recorded as an artefact belonging to the Caernavir since time immemorial. A simple device at first sight, on closer inspection one will notice that the lute is still warm to the touch, and the wood which it is made from feels slightly moist and is unvarnished, with small veins of moss running through its somewhat soft body. All of this adds to the impression that the instrument is a living and breathing entity.

All members of the Caernavir family are taught to play the lute expertly, as this particular instrument, coupled with a particular set of notes only known to select members of the royal household, is rumoured to be capable of reversing the effects of a devastating drought, flood or other crop-ruining happenstance and allowing fresh shoots of grain to come from otherwise malnourished ground. As somewhat banal as this might seem compared to a flaming sword or a bracelet that summons a dragon, the lute has been absolutely instrumental three times in reversing the fortunes of the kingdom in times of uncertain weather.

---

Important Members:

King Aethlar VI 'The Green' (aged 23) - Nicknamed the 'The Green King' by an affectionate people for his interest in riding out in the pastures that surround his Royal Palace, Aethlar is everything one could hope for in a young king. He is handsome, charismatic, tall, athletic, and fundamentally uninterested in the necessities of his role. The people adore him, but there are concerned whispers amongst the nobility of the kingdom as to who really holds the reigns of power while the King cavorts around and organises sumptuous jousts and games for him and his other young friends. He has dazzling green eyes and sandy hair.

Queen Eadrith of Red Roost (aged 16) - Quite why the King personally chose the exceptionally plain daughter of the Lord of Red Roost, the most northerly city of the kingdom, is a mystery to most of those 'in the know' in the kingdom. Placid, pious, timid and generally assumed to be uninteresting, Eadrith is pregnant with the first child of her husband. Is she quite as much of a wallflower as she seems?

Queen Hiltruda, the Queen-Mother (aged 48) - Hiltruda is assumed by many to be the real power behind the throne. Her husband Aethlar V was famously profligate and uninterested in the affairs of trade and diplomacy, but unlike his eldest son he was fundamentally less easy to control. It is rumoured that his mysterious death in a riding accident was organised at least in part by Hiltruda, whose son is more than happy to let his doting mother take on some of the most mundane aspects of government. Hiltruda is much more physically imposing than her meek daughter-in-law, and though age has begun to round and sag her figure, her icy gaze and raven black hair continue to inspire intimidation in all but the most foolhardy noble. She holds an enormously influential position at court.

Prince Lethlin di Caernavir (aged 20) - The second son Aethlar V and Hiltruda, Prince Lethlin is decidedly more governmental than his brother, and is somehow even further under her influence. Joked about as her 'chief henchman', Lethlin is highly educated and dangerously diplomatic, often acting as the chief trade envoy of his family when his brother is otherwise indisposed or when foreign dignitaries have trouble treating with a woman. He is swarthier and shorter than his elder brother, with a willowy figure and a slow, loping manner of speech.

Princess Alissera di Caernavir (aged 55) - The eldest sister of the deceased Aethlar V, Alissera was set for a profitable marriage with her father's most influential vassal the Count of Ygris, but she was struck down at age seventeen with the Red Pox. The epidemic also killed her father, King Lethlin II, and several other notables in Harksmoor. This left her with a curved spine and a pock-marked face, to the point where she was considered unmarriageable and left to reside at her brother's court. Never seen in public without a heavy black veil and attended by her sombre ladies-in-waiting, Alissera has gained something of a reputation amongst the poorest citizens of the nation as a mysterious and fearsome figure. Privately, she is perhaps the most educated member of the family, reading extensively on an enormous variety of subjects and writing a large amount of philosophical and religious works.

Princess Haldetrude di Caernavir (aged 18) - The third and youngest legitimate child of Aethlar V, Haldetrude is known to be closest to her sister-in-law Queen Eadrith. She is tall, with an elegant disposition, and is an accomplished musician and dancer. Considered the most eligible virgin in the kingdom, suggestions for her marriage are mooted constantly. Like Eadrith, she is not considered exceptionally political by the wider nobility.

Lord Gaewin di Faz-Caernavir 'the Blackheart' (aged 23) - Technically the eldest son of King Aethlar V, Gaewin is a bastard born between the King and Alysandra di Recksmanworth, an attendant to Queen Hiltruda. He is nicknamed 'the Blackheart' somewhat incongruously by his enemies, mainly because of his unsociable disposition. He is employed as the captain of the Royal Guard, and was ennobled in a rare act of amiability by his half-brother after his father's demise. He is known to be close to his aunt Alissera but estranged from the Queen-Mother and his other half-brother Prince Lethlin. He is also notable for the disproportionate amount of time he spends with his male valets and attendants, and his apparently unwillingness to seek a wife.

Lady Eadgifu di Faz-Caernavir (aged 20) - Sister to Lord Gaewin, second bastard child of King Aethlar V. Eadgifu is devastatingly beautiful, with a long mane of silvery-blonde hair and the characteristic green eyes of the Caernavir. She is largely kept in the company of her brother, though it is rumoured that she spends an unacceptable amount of time in the company of various prominent noblemen in Harksmoor.

Princess Gerberga, Countess of Ygris (aged 49) - Second sister of King Aethlar V, married the Count of Ygris in the place of her sister. Gerberga is not as closely involved in the political intrigues of her female family members due to her residence Autrisia, but there are rumours in grassy Ygris that she exercises a suspicious amount of control over the merchant families who have the right to export grains and cereals to other parts of Ethica. She is a plump woman with a kindly face, and famously opulent in her manner and dress.

Princess Ariette Gracieux née di Caernavir (aged 40) - Aethlar V's youngest sister and Lethlin II's youngest surviving child, Ariette is the wife of Reynold Gracieux and the mother of Xavier and Tsirine Gracieux. Known in Violette simply as 'Lady Ariette', the aging Princess is tall, with somewhat broad shoulders and long brown hair, much more reminiscent of her deceased brother than her sisters. Strong-willed and hardy, she has taken to Veletian culture even more than her ascetic husband. She is not particularly fond of her nation of birth, both because of its relative backwardness in contrast to her current station and also because she had always been fonder of her brother than either of her sisters, and the rumours surrounding his death caused her to limit contact with Hiltruda and Alissera especially. She is good-humoured and straightforward in a sensible way, with a formidable constitution that spared her from catching the Red Pox that claimed her father's life and her sister's beauty.

Nation

Nation/Realms Name: Gwethydd

Race name: Gwethyn - humans.

Racial appearance: The Gwethyn are generally fair-skinned but tan easily under the sun. The peasants are small and stocky, with a disposition towards muscle due to their agricultural lifestyle. The most common eye colour by far is green, with some 75% of the population possessing green eyes. Next most common is brown, which is largely concentrated in the slightly warmer southerly regions of the kingdom. The nobles are generally quite tall, with heights for a man averaging out at around 5'10, and are renowned for their physical hardiness too - Gwethyn noble culture dictating that they must participate as much as possible in competitive jousts and testosterone fuelled bouts of physical strength. The fashion is for men to remain clean shaven and to wear their hair at a middling length, while women nearly always keep their hair long.

Racial traits: The Gwethyn are known for their general good-nature around Ethica, and are renowned for how well-fed their peasant folk seem to be and how upbeat most people encountered while passing through the kingdom are. Gwethyn are also known for their hospitality and generally high level of diplomatic skill, though some postulate that this may be a sign of either cowardice or duplicity. The nobility of the kingdom are renowned for their jousting skills, as well as their penchant for great romantic gestures - most nobles are accomplished dancers, singers and poets, leading to Gwethyn men being regarded as somewhat effeminate by those of the northern nations.

Capital: Harksmoor is the administrative and cultural capital of the Kingdom of Gwethyn, and is the major seat of royal power for the Caernavir dynasty. Strategically located near the centre of the kingdom, all major roads were purposefully designed by King Raethlar III 'The Bricklayer' to lead back to this city. Therefore it is a bustling metropolis by Gwethyn standards, with grain arriving and being sent out to various stations around the Empire constantly. It is also the centre of Gwethyn arts and scholarship, which are not insignificant, and contains Eldva University, which is the major training post for the Gwethyn priesthood and scholarly elite alike. Harksmoor is famed for its fine marble architecture; the best in the kingdom, designed primarily to entertain ambassadors, and its wide open green spaces and plazas, which incorporate orchards of citrus trees from which local people are free to take lemons and oranges as they see fit.

Capital Population: 41,000

Other Major Settlements: Red Roost (population: 19,000) - The Count of Red Roost is often held to be a powerful vassal in the kingdom, not due to the wealth of his lands (which are mainly forest and so not arable) but due to the situation of his capital in the far north of Gwethydd. Red Roost is located in the depths of the Heldamar Forest, which has led to a common joke in Harksmoor being that it actually doesn't exist. Nonetheless, as the most northerly city, Red Roost is generally the first stopping point for travellers from the more northerly parts of the Empire and has, in this vein, picked up a minor reputation for licentiousness and bawdy-houses.

Autrisia (population: 17,000) - The Count of Ygris holds an unremarkable capital in the far west of the nation. Consisting generally of wooden residences with Castle Austri-Heinder dominating the skyline with its tall black parapets, this town serves as the administrative and trading capital of perhaps the most fertile crescent of land in the entire kingdom, and so its population can balloon to over 30,000 after the harvest when the local peasants and small-holders gather to flog their wares to be sent back to Harksmoor or beyond.

Farlook Post (population: 24,000) - The second most populous town in Gwethydd is also its main port, situated in the east of the nation. It is something of a misnomer; it was established just over a century ago by King Aethlar IV and was originally a small post - a cursory expedition by the generally inward looking and insular Gwethyn, but quickly expanded as various foreigners gathered to trade luxury goods and spices into the kingdom. It is currently governed in tenure by a group of influential merchants called The Convocation, who keep a close check on international merchant behaviour and act as a sort of unofficial bank in all parts of the kingdom.

Population: 1,500,000 (of which c. 130,000 are urbanised).

Culture: The Kingdom has a reputation for excellence in scholarship and arts, most generally associated with Harksmoor and its university. Poetry and music as well as the composition of treatises on religion and philosophy are commonly produced in Gwethydd and distributed throughout the Empire.

Generally regarded as a somewhat patriarchal society, inheritance laws mean that the existence of Queen-Regnants and Ladies who rule suo jure is relatively rare; though the kingdom has a reputation for its wily women and dull-headed men. The deaths of several of its kings in questionable circumstances have led to long and prosperous regencies under a succession of Queens-Regent.

Fashion wise, the poor of Gwethyn favour sturdy leather or cloth to be worn in the fields and used for tilling, and generally reside in small cottages collected in hamlets or villages. Most farmers are directly tithed to a landowner who himself will probably answer, along with six or seven others, to a minor noble or 'Swaysman' who owns the land at the grace of a local Baron, who may himself do so either in his own right or under the vassalage of a Count, the highest level of nobility.

The wealthy members of Gwethyn society are unafraid to show off in terms of fashion, with elaborate hairstyles amongst the women being particularly popular. Unmarried women wear their hair down and brushed straight so that it collects around their waist, and usually only decorate it with thin golden bands or other less extravagant items. Married women are distinguished by wearing their hair up in tall and elaborate hairstyles, often fastened with diamond broach pins and signets of the house that they are married into. Apart from that, Gwethyn fashion is generally conservative, with the bearing of cleavage being generally seen as vulgar.

Type of Government: The King is advised by a Conclave of Elders, which consists of five councillors selected at his own will. Traditionally these would have comprised of the most senior members of the Gwethyn aristocracy, but over the years successive monarchs have moved this into a more appointment based system.

Aside from that, the King operates a relatively loose amount of control over his vassals. Centralisation is low and usually only necessitated by the unparalleled infrastructure provided from Harksmoor, and so the vassals rebel sparingly.

Influence and relations:

The Heartlands - Tilrinics and Gwethyn are very similar culturally, both cultures are known for producing good orators and love the arts. The Imperial Family has traditionally kept good ties with a breadbasket of the Empire. There has even been a marriage alliance or two over the years. The Caernavir capitulated without a fight in the beginning of the Empire, only the second peoples to do so. To this day they make up a good number of the Imperial regiments since the common folk of both provinces get along so well.

Kawachia - The Kawachians are frequent students at the Eldva University, and grain is exchanged with the Kawachians in exchange for pearls, but the Gwethyns are suspicious of the disloyal nature of their far southern contemporaries. Furthermore, an incident at a tourney around fifteen years ago where Mottay 'Hammerhand' Vagot killed King Aethlar V's cousin Garold di Caernavir at a tournament, leading to the Brigadier-General losing his hand and the confiscation of House Cragmore's ancestral mace (which Mottay had just won in a bet) have caused a small amount of tension between the two otherwise tolerant nations.

Military -
Standing army - none.
Full levies raised - 35,000 men.
Normal levies raised - 15,000 men.

Unit demographics: The Gwethyn army is largely based on mobility, and is largely comprised of skirmishers and archers. The nation is also famous for its slingers and spear-throwers, who have been known to hit a target at a hundred paces. Cavalry is also well accounted for, but is generally comprised of light cavalry that is used to harry and chase down fleeing foes or heavier, less mobile enemies. There is a noted lack of both heavy cavalry (i.e. knights, which are absent apart from the small privileged class who can afford heavy armour) and heavy infantry. It is also slow to muster, and takes valuable men away from agricultural work.

Landscape: The landscape of Gwethydd is temperate and generally quite flat. There are some forests to the north and some hills to the west, but apart from that the main crescent of its land is well sourced with a criss-cross of minor rivers and protection from the western hills so as to provide perfect conditions for the growing of most major grains and fruits.

Economy: Well off to a point, but enormously disproportionate. Some 90% of the Gwethyn population are serf peasants who live in tithe to the land.

Religion: There are rumours of a host of folk deities being venerated in the northern forests, and efforts (which some would call desperation) are made in the theological and philosophical capital in Harksmoor to bring these into line with more traditional imperial theology. There are also strange whisperings that members of the royal family, particularly the Queen-Mother and her sister-in-law, have made dangerous investigations into the mysteries surrounding Azueral.

History: Gwethydd was one of the first kingdoms to capitulate into the Empire, almost without a fight. It swore its allegiance under the reign of King Aethlar I 'The Prudent', who oversaw that it took its rightful place as one of the chief suppliers of the most basic commodity that any nation requires in order to increase its power. Before that, Gwethydd had been a loosely backward conglomeration of unaffiliated nobles, with only the area immediately surrounding Harksmoor being ruled as any sort of 'kingdom'. It was partly bluff to convince the first Empress that Aethlar held control over as much land as he claimed to, and it was only as a vassal that he was able to claim the vast majority of the province.

The Kingdom holds the distinction of being one of the only vassals to never have rebelled against the Empire and so has a reputation, depending on who you ask, of loyalty or of complete cowardice and spinelessness. Famous for mediating in disputes, the kings of Gwethydd have been an almost constant presence in correspondence with those who ruled Ethica, some of whom regarded the kingdom as a nuisance and others who saw its worth and kept it close.

Recently, King Aethlar V was killed in a riding accident and his profligate son Aethlar VI succeeded him. Rumours abound about whether the Queen-Mother or any other members of the royal family were involved, and the Kingdom must resolve its own shaky hold on power as well as offering its effervescent council to the Empire at large.

Strengths: Diplomacy, a major breadbasket, peace within the kingdom.

Weaknesses: Weak army, dangerous infighting within the royal family.

Export: Fruits, wines, grain, timber, learning.

Import: Silks, cotton, jewels, stone, iron.

A Gilded Throne- The Shadow Looms (Recruiting)

Hype!

I'll be submitting my CS soon, after I go over it with @TheMoatedGrange.

@VoiD

I look forward to it!

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

People are free to look into playing a vassal in Gwethydd. Just have a read over my sheet.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

<Snipped quote by Aristo>

Well... I wasn't part of that voting, but my opinion is that the weakest ruler is the one most easily manipulated by the Arch Electors, though who that would be, is beyond me... but I agree, I want Jakinius to have the throne!

@Firemaker

...That's probably Jakinius.

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Well maybe you could PM discussion it. Potentially Marra could be willing to shift around a bit?

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

There is another spot, I think?

A Gilded Throne - A Shadow Looms (Closed)

Lalrial, the Heartlands

An arrow whizzed into its tree target. Immediately following the thud of the point sinking deep into the wood a yelping “yes” sounded.

A sudden glare shot from Allianna and dug into the smiling Gowa, the latter on her way to retrieve her arrow. The green leaves of the garden trees rustled overhead as the two casually maintained their independent businesses. While Gowa was dirt stained and hopping from archery target to archery target with no heed for the gentle orange petals of the yard flowers, Allianna sat in the golden sun beams, formally on a white painted bench between two twisting beech trees, a pad of paper in her lap.

Aside from the activities of Gowa, not many sounds originated in the cool shades of the imperial park, and the soft tittering of chipmunks and burrowing rodents were only blotted by the very distant grinding of wagons from the city that hung almost unseen past a thick stone wall. The birds even seemed to respect Allianna’s wishes for peace, as they fluttered nigh silently, their efforts drowned once more by another victorious cry from Gowa.

Allianna dropped her graphite piece onto her pad and groaned, “Gowa, seriously?”

The wide smiled athlete turned to her distraught cousin, “it was you who asked me to accompany you on everything save using the chamber! You can live with it.”

“I can live with it? Is that some kind of sick- sick- pun?” Allianna pinched the bridge of her nose, “just keep it down.”

Gowa made a face before shrugging and striding off to procure her loosed arrow.

The peace was once again disturbed, not this time by archery practice, but by a messenger in the characteristically verdant green livery of House Caernavir. He bowed low to Allianna in the typically pompous Gwethyn fashion. “My lady, Princess Haldetrude di Caernavir requests an urgent audience,” He said after straightening up at some length.

Allianna practically threw her pad and pencil down on her lap, a strained smile contradicting her aggressive response, “let her in!”

A distant laugh sounded from the direction of Gowa, straining Allianna’s smile all the more.

Haldetrude entered at that moment, fluttering through the gardens with all the virginal innocence that someone in her position could muster. Her long green gown swept idly across the flowers as she did so. She approached Allianna directly. “Your highness,” She proclaimed, dipping into a curtsey that was almost as strained as Allianna’s smile. “I hope you can forgive my intrusion. I would not infringe upon the time you spend in your gardens if the matter was not of the utmost importance,” She said, twisting one white-gloved hand over the other nervously. Her young face was lined with doubt and concern, and one of the silver bands holding her long auburn hair in place had slipped down a tad in her hurry to get to the gardens.

Allianna’s face softened slightly, but her eyes bore into Haldetrude curiously, “you are not intruding, surely, Princess. What urgent news do you carry?”

“It is my brother the King,” Haldetrude said with a hint of desperation. “I fear he is set to make the wrong choice in the upcoming election. It is not the choice that the Kingdom has mandated to him,” She said wryly, tapping the sigil of her mother’s house that she wore around her neck idly with her index finger. “We arrived into the city at the back of your own brother, and I fear that he is blinded by his love for chivalry and battle. Forgive me, but I fear that if your brother Jakinius becomes Emperor then this realm could see more bloodshed than it has seen for centuries,”

She paused tentatively. “Aethlar is a man with a man’s appetites. I know that I can convince him to take the truer course when he casts his vote, but I need your help,” She finished, her green eyes scanning the grass and flowers thoughtfully.

“It is well known that Jakinius aims north, as many miles as he can strew dead sons of Ethica, I agree,” Allianna nodded, “what do you want from me?

“Aethlar is not a complex man. To win his vote, you need send him a few letters… perhaps pay him a few compliments in person. Make him feel important and tantalise him with the prospect of a military role in your Empire. If you do so, he will be your own,” Haldetrude said, a small smile spreading across her face. “I am sorry that I have to ask such a base thing of you,”

“A letter?” Allianna’s face seemed to show her sudden thought, “if the parade I keep hearing about is true, why not do one better and just meet with him personally.”

“If you could spare the time,” Haldetrude nodded encouragingly. “That would work most well. If you can shower him with a few kindly words and assurances, I am sure that the attention of any female of your stature will be sure to ignite some newfound loyalty. You need only press the right buttons. Of course, you may be inundated with unwanted deliveries of romantic poems for a moon’s turn or so…”

A smile seemed to creep on Allianna’s face, “poetry aside, I think that you should accompany me on this escapade of politics. I feel that standing beside his own house member will assist in his choice.”

“Very well,” Haldetrude bowed her head in acquiescence. “I shall act as liaision in this matter, as needed,” She paused momentarily, adjusting the fallen silver band in her hair. “Aethlar is well known in the city as a supporter of Prince Jakinius. He made sure of that with his self-assured shouting at the gates this morning. Once we are assured of his loyalty to your cause, however, we can be sure that any misfortune that befalls him or any member of my house was the doing of only one faction in this three-way struggle, I believe,” Her eyes rose to meet Allianna’s. “Jakinius will remain none the wiser,”

A silver brow arched over an equally silver eye. Allianna spoke carefully, “do you expect ill of Aethlar?”

Haldetrude bit her bottom lip. “I love my brother dearly, but this is a game with players and with pieces. Aethlar is no player. I do not expect anything of this process, but my mother taught me that nor should I discount anything,” She said after a moment’s pensive reflection. Hiltruda’s presence seemed to hang heavily in the air for a moment, like a particularly gouty spectre.

“Well, let us hope he is safely tucked away from the more malicious players after he decides to place his loyalties with myself and my administration,” Allianna’s words trailed slowly, as if contemplating the sudden thickness of the air.

“This is not his world. I will not insult you by suggesting that you are not aware of the state of governance in Gwethydd. The soon he returns to his idle pageantry the better,” Haldetrude ran a hand through her hair as she watched a bird lope lazily overhead. “Our kingdom steers the middle path. I hope that, in your triumph, you will remember that we have always been the foremost friends of the Empire,” She trod carefully, not elaborating any more than was necessary.

“Oh trust me,” Allianna smiled warmly, letting her fingers fold in her lap, “I tend to remember everything.”

“As do we,” Haldetrude said with her own small smile. “From Light comes Life,” She bowed her head reverently at the motto of her own house for a moment. “I would not want to see the light of this Empire snuffed out by greed or by foolhardiness,”

Allianna stood up and gave a curt nod of her own chin, “we rise, princess, and we rise with our friends.”

“The Queen-Mother of Gwethydd sends her regards,” Haldetrude said, tapping the silvery sigil of her mother’s house of birth once again. “This Empire was birthed by a woman. The Caernavir will not stand by and watch it be torn asunder by the ambitions of man,”

“You have my thanks in that,” Allianna nodded, “very much so.”

***

Boom.

The doors to the Great Chamber of the Green Manse, the Caernaviri residence in Lalrial, swung upon with a crash. Through them stepped Lady Eadgifu di Faz-Caernavir, the bastard daughter of the deceased Aethlar V. There were what sounded to be two immense intakes of breath and a hurried scampering, and the silver-haired woman took a few strides into the room only to see a brief flurry of colour and the door at the other end slam shut. Her brother, Lord Gaewin, looked up at her blinkedly, his black robes in a state of temporary disarray. Eadgifu stepped gingerly over the discarded footman's robes that lay between her and her brother and approached.

"Now now, brother," She said teasingly, swishing over to the desk in the centre of the room. "There will be time for imperial pleasures later. You have a meeting with a Tallurian delegate..." She paused, running a hand through her silvery hair. "I would tell you not to be tempted by her beauty, but I'd just be wasting my breath," She laughed chidingly, poured herself a glass of the sickly but bitter grapefruit wine and sauntered out through the same door which had just slammed moments ago, only stopping to pick up the dropped clothing and calling out playfully into the next room. "You left something behind, Aedlan!"

Gaewin ran a hand through his dark hair. The blush about his features paled as he realised that he had just been caught in situ moments before meeting a Queen. A Tallurian, nonetheless. He had studied their magic as much as the literature in the Eldva had allowed, but there was something mystical and slightly ethereal about them that struck him as particularly intimidating. Clambering back onto his seat, the willowy Prime Magistrate poured himself a glass of the wine, downing it in one gulp, then straightened the parchments on his desk.

The arrival of the Tallurians, Queen Varminia of Tellaria and her youngest sibling was not dramatic. The two women were accompanied by a number of guards in the white and crimson regalia of Tellaria as they arrived at the Green Manse. After which they proceeded into the manor house.

The Tallurian Queen looked somewhat drained, her face, normally youthful was showing her age more plainly than it often did and for a change she actually looked middle aged. Varminia had ruled for nearly 20 years, and her weary gaze reflected the strain that such management caused and the toll it took upon people. Still she moved with confidence and purpose regardless of how tired she looked. As she often did Varminia was clad in white and green, softer colors that augmented her red hair and eyes.

Her younger companion, Valoria on the other hand was possessed of great youth and beauty with that spark that only the truly young posses, no matter how well preserved on looked. She was dressed in crimson, perhaps causing something of an overdose of the dark red color, in fine and rather tight robes that reflected her place as a practitioner of at least one form of the magic arts.

Gaewin rose as the doors swung open to admit the two royals and bowed lowly to both as they entered, firstly to Queen Varminia, to whom he addressed as "Your Majesty," and secondly to the Princess, who was addressed as "Your Royal Highness,". The grandiose gestures common to the Gwethyn reverence for etiquette aside, he introduced himself. "My name is Gaewin di Faz-Caernavir. I represent His Majesty King Aethlar VI as his Prime-Magistrate in Lalrial. I thank you for agreeing to come here to treat with me today, Your Majesty, and I regret His Majesty's absence. He is much concerned with the upcoming imperial election, having arrived into the city only today,"

An attendant hurried forward, pouring out three more glasses of ambery grapefruit wine. "Please do sit," Gaewin motioned, only taking his own seat after the two ladies took their own.

"Of course I understand King Aethlar's reasons for not being present." Varminia spoke evenly as she took her seat, crimson eyes glancing over Gaewin as she took his measure. "It is unfortunate however that a matter of importance sees only the presence of one head of titular head of household." Still Varminia did not seem offended by the lack of the King's presence and she smiled, a weary smile but one that had clearly once been full of life.

Valoria for her part curtsied to the prime magistrate and smiled winningly before she took her seat. "It is a pleasure to meet you Gaewin." There was some trace of amusement in the young woman's voice as she noted the lack of effect she was having on the man.

"Truth be told, your Majesty, King Aethlar is not predisposed towards the intricacies of marriage contracts. I am sure you shall encounter him in one charming form or another during your time in the city at any rate," He paused, drumming his fingers on the desk for a moment thoughtfully. "Do you know much of Prince Lethlin?" Gaewin said after a moment, looking between Valoria and Varminia.

"That he is well bred and educated, and that he will make a good match for my sister here." Varminia said after a brief pause. Marra had been supposed to arrange for a match for Valoria years ago and had failed to do it. Varminia could see a use in ties to Gwethydd and to house Caernavir and it would resolve an old problem at the same time. She looked over at the young woman beside her as if prompting Valoria to speak as well.

"I can't wait to meet him." The younger Tallurian said quickly as she brushed stray red hairs out of her face and smiled. "And I look forward to seeing your university. It has quite the reputation."

"Prince Lethlin is well-learned indeed, and a keen administrator. Above all, he is kind, and handsome. He has all of his teeth too!" Gaewin laughed for a moment at his own joke. He nodded enthusiastically at Valoria's comments about the university.

"The Eldva is an integral part of Harksmoor. You will be living in the Royal Apartments in Caernan Castle which means it is only a short walk to be amongst its sprawling cloisters," He smiled wistfully, remembering his own roots in the institution. "I know that scholars there have been very excited about the possibility of this betrothal. Tallurian magic has always been a popular field of study and debate. Perhaps you could lecture enough to enlighten some of our students?" He suggested amicably, taking a sip of the amber wine. Discussion of the academic institution certainly seemed to have perked up his mood.

"Perhaps." Valoria said still smiling. "But I'm not fit to teach anyone. I am still learning myself." There seemed to be some genuine modesty as she spoke. "Maybe in the future though, once my own studies are finished."

"Now, onto the circumstances of the match," Gaewin said slightly tersely, turning a little more to the Queen. "This process can be somewhat impersonal. There will be discussions that will need to be had between lesser administrators; transportation of goods, dowries, the such, but I am wondering on a slightly more personal level what motivated your nation to seek this match. The Kingdom of Gwethydd is, of course, wholly grateful for the opportunity to regild its arms with such beautiful stock," He, flashing Valoria a winning smile.

Varminia did not hesistate as she replied fluidly. If there had been any attempt to make her hesitate or to reveal something with a probing question it had failed. "We have long had strong ties to many of our neighbors. And while we do not share a border there is much to be gained from joining our common cultural elements together." It was likely clear to what the reigning female queen was refering to as she spoke. "And Valoria would be miserable if we did not send her somewhere where she could continue her studies."

"Well there is no chance of such a disruption in Gwethydd. I am sure that Prince Lethlin will continue to spend a good amount of time here in Lalrial, too. There is little chance of one becoming disenfranchised from the educational establishments, as it were," Gaewin nodded slowly. "Does all of this sound amicable to you, Princess Valoria?"

"It sounds wonderful." Valoria said after a moment, seemingly quite pleased with the arrangement as it was being worked out.

"I am glad that we could come to some sort of accord so soon. You may travel to Harksmoor at your own leisure, and spend some time living with my sister Princess Haldetrude and Queen Eadrith in order to acclimatise yourself to the Gwethyn court and get to know Prince Lethlin before you marry him," He continued primly, straightening up his parchments and smiling. "You will also have the opportunity to meet your future mother-in-law Queen Hiltruda," He said slightly more ominously, the corners of his mouth turning down momentarily.

"I had hoped to accompany your delegation when it returned after the election. This is to be a historic event and I would like to witness it." Valoria smiled winningly again. "I am eager to meet my betrothed and the rest of your family. Should they all be so charming as you I am sure I will fit right in."

Gaewin smiled at Valoria's diplomacy. "I have an excellent feeling you shall fit in perfectly,"