Fantasy A Crown Unbefit (Lore)

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THE EMPTY THRONE
Introduction​

A Crown Unbefit takes place primarily in the fragmenting kingdom of Thedosia, a low fantasy world of bleakness, suffering, corruption and very few rays of hope that penetrate the veil of malevolence. The continent of Iuvros which Thedosia lies within has many real world and fictional influences. Most notable of these influences are the Hundred Years' War, the War of the Roses, George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones.

The purpose of this thread is to expand upon the most important points that set Thedosia aside from its progenitors. For those considering to apply to A Crown Unbefit should review this thread through its entirety. It will provide the most basic information required to participate in the complex political situation in Thedosia. As the roleplay progresses, allegiances will change, borders will shift and new dangers will arise. This thread will be a living document for the shifting lore of Thedosia.

Lore questions not included in this thread should be posed in OOC, which, if important enough, will be clarified or added to this thread when answered.

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THE EIGHT HOUSES OF THEDOSIA
Provincial Breakdown

The Wreath of Thedosia is composed of eight blooming flowers, each corresponding to a noble province within the kingdom. Though the eight houses have not always lived in perfect harmony throughout their history, their common heritage as a Thedosian hegemony has always been the key to the kingdom's success.

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Capital of Du-Catal

Banner: Two-headed serpent wound through the Wreath of Thedosia
Colors: Red and gold
Population: ~82,000
Soldier Levy: ~3,700
Wealth: Very high

Du-Catal had been the capital of Thedosia for two hundred years. Though the province is no bread basket and the mines yield little by way of minerals and ore, the forest of Huntsman’s Gard have been a favored hunting ground for many generations of nobility. The deep forest is also home to beasts of inhuman nature. The mighty walls of the king's castle at Yhark Disan are the province’s most impressive feature, never have they been breached by any sieging army.

Duchy of Grenspire

Banner: Hawk perched atop a kite shield
Colors: Green and black
Population: ~50,000
Soldier Levy: ~4,100
Wealth: Moderate

The Duchy of Grenspire is the second most fortified province in all of Thedosia, being at the edge of the kingdom’s frontier and also bordering the deepest parts of the Huntman’s Gard. Keeps dot its flat landscape and the duke’s soldiers are among the best in the kingdom. Those brave enough to seek adventure will find their last refuge in this duchy. Grenspire is the first shield of Thedosia.

Duchy of Mivencross

Banner: Two rearing stags
Colors: Yellow and green
Population: ~27,000
Soldier Levy: ~1,400
Wealth: High

The Duchy of Mivencross’ lumberworks are the finest in the whole kingdom. Whether they be barricades, furniture or oxcarts, it is likely the lumber originates from Mivencross. The surrounding wood yielded plenty of game until the foresters scared them south with their saws and lumber camps. The families of Mivencross have always been home to the most exuberant manors, carved from the tallest yews in the land.

Duchy of Syvel

Banner: Two-headed dragon
Colors: Red, blue and silver
Population: ~19,000
Soldier Levy: ~900
Wealth: Low

The Duchy of Syvel is a newly established territory, given as a gift from King Atwald I to the most valuable general of his army. Though the duchy has seen many generations already, it is still a mere infant compared to its elder houses. After it was discovered that the region’s many hills are home to many veins of untapped iron and copper, a road was driven straight to the capital of Du-Catal.

Duchy of Gesir

Banner: Nightshade and a full helm
Colors: White, green and red
Population: ~29,000
Soldier Levy: ~1,800
Wealth: Very high

The Duchy of Gesir’s mines are the most productive in all of Thedosia. Where an old mine is run empty, two new veins are discovered to replace the old, deeper into the treacherous mountains. Those who risk the journey in, return with untold riches of silver and gold. Though the land of Gesir is rocky and infertile, the wealthiest of nobles oft find their residence here in manors carved into the rock itself.

Duchy of Tyvenna

Banner: Silhoutte of a black horse
Colors: Black, white and orange
Population: ~25,000
Soldier Levy: ~1,000
Wealth: Moderate

The Duchy of Tyvenna, though among the smallest, is one of the most important provinces of Thedosia. It is the gateway to the west, sitting at the end of Ganfeld’s Bridge. Merchants from the kingdom of Dusilia frequent Tyvenna for trade, bringing ivory, jewels and steel. As of recent, the tide of merchants flows no longer, replaced by scouts and soldiers. Though the duchy has its own levy of troops, it is ill prepared to bear the full weight of Dusilian steel on its own.

Duchy of Cape Rumort

Banner: Two crossed war axes
Colors: Blue, green and black
Population: ~43,000
Soldier Levy: ~3,000
Wealth: High

The Duchy of Cape Rumort rests at the mouth of the Twine River, where the silt provides good land to farm and the cold river water stirs up the sea floor for plentiful fishing. Its distance from the capital and the lack of a clear trail to other provinces means that Cape Rumort has its own large levy of soldiers to protect from sea-bandits and invaders. A large garrison is stationed on the other end of the river at Fort Sunsteel.

The Freeport of Kegel

Banner: A curved sword and a crow
Colors: Black and purple
Population: ~45,000
Soldier Levy: ~1,900
Wealth: Moderate

Once a proper Thedosian duchy, Kegel has since claimed independence a decade ago in 1201 when the king refused to lower the suffocating taxes in the region.The civil war that ensued proved decisive in favor of Kegel as the Thedosian crown failed to subdue the rebels. Today, the province enjoys lesser taxes from the crown, but still faces decline in its fishing and trade economy. Despite lower taxes and its namesake, Kegel is still largely subordinate to Thedosian authority as it still relies on Du-Catal for protection.

 

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WHEN THEDOSIA FALLS, SO FALLS THE WORLD
The Royal Family, Culture, Religion and Technology​

ATWALD SUCCESSION​

The Atwald dynasty is at the most critically sensitive juncture it has ever faced. The current king is aged and bewitched by a cursed artifact. His queen is the only one he will see or listen to and rarely leaves his side. His eldest son, Farrin, fell in battle in a skirmish against the Gromsvanir advance parties in the late Spring months. His youngest son and current heir, Lukas, of just fourteen years old has been ill since the Winter and has lost his sight with no signs of improvement. As for his daughters, his eldest, Lilith, had been married away to Dusilian nobility years ago, a claim Dusilia will surely press. The king's youngest daughter, Gwen, at ten years old and has been in hiding per order of the king's regency since the start of Summer.

CULTURE​

Thedosian culture is largely reflective the Western European middle ages of the real world. Feudalism is at rise, and the population is split into the Three Estates: the nobility, the church and the commoners. Over ninety percent of the population falls into the last estate, forming the massive body that the first two estates lead. It is near impossible for the common man to move above his social position and wealth is simply at the whim of birth for most.

There are rare exceptions, however. Tales of adventurers and folk heroes spring up from every village and hamlet in the realm, telling of brave nobodies that embark on fantastical travels that defy the monotony of the impoverished peasant. The unfortunate reality is that many of these tales are just that, a tavern bard's muse and a farmer's fleeting hope for social escape.

Women are more highly regarded than their real-life counterparts to an extent. Independence is less taboo for women of higher social strata, as unwed countesses and duchesses may keep their titles even when married. Though some still view women as inferior rulers and warriors to men, it does not stop them from becoming landed nobles and knights of Thedosia. The only position commonly seen as unworthy for a woman to succeed is that of king.

Thedosia is built upon the skeletons of a long gone empire that spanned all of Iuvros and beyond. They are referred as the "Ancients" and are only survived in architecture, language and doomsaying proverbs. The Ancients are seen as an example for Thedosians to follow in wisdom, but a reminder of mortality. Thedosians often see themselves as spiritual descendants of Thedosians and regard other nations and lifestyles inferior because of this. For all purposes, the Ancients reflect real world Rome.

RELIGION​

The continent of Iuvros is largely dominated by the Lord's Faith, a close reflection to medieval Catholicism. Tenets of the Lord's Faith idolize martyrs, endurance and unfaltering faith.The major difference is the view of the one true faith. Those who follow the Lord's Faith have a loose definition of polytheism. For example, the barbarian horde of the Gromsvanir pray to a pantheon of gods similar to the Norse pantheon and are considered heathens to Thedosians, but Thedosians acknowledge the coexistence of Gromsvanir gods along with their own God. Thedosians just view their God as mightier than the Gromsvanir gods.

Closely related is magic, sorcery, witchcraft and curses. Those who follow the Lord's Faith shun magic and view it as a direct insult to God's image of man. Though magic is extremely rare in the realm, it is often used as a scapegoat for the church to explain famine, untimely deaths and other misfortune. Most of the time, magic is not the cause of this malevolence, and in some instances it can be truly beneficial to mankind. This does not stop the church from employing inquisitors that devote their life to the study of magic in order to destroy it through the power of Faith.

The structure of the church is also reflective of the Catholic clergy. Just as the political head of each province is a duke or duchess, each province has a religious head as a bishop oversee a diocese. A bishop is nominated and then elected by the local clergy of a duchy, and depending on the duke or duchesses' involvement with the clergy, they may be consulted as well. The head of the church in all of Thedosia is the Exalted Cardinal. The Exalted Cardinal is nominated and elected similar to a bishop, but clergy from all over Thedosia are summoned to make the decision. Because of the strong, centralized nature of the church in Thedosia, clergy can and often play a key part in Thedosian politics.

At times when the Faith itself is at risk, such as from heretics or heathens, the Exalted Cardinals can call for a holy war. In extreme cases where the future of the church could be at risk, the Exalted Cardinals may elect a pontiff as a spiritual savior to guide the faith back to its rightful path. There have been only three pontiffs in the last two hundred years of man. When the Exalted Cardinals decide the Faith is no longer at risk, they revoke the titles and privileges of pontiff.

TECHNOLOGY​

The technological level of Thedosia, as well as the rest of Iuvros, rests at the comparable cusp of the High Middle Ages of real world Western Europe. The heavy cavalry charge is the trump card of every major professional army in the realm. Knights and their steeds are heavily armored to deflect the sharpest of arrows, bolts and javelins. Even the foot soldiers of a duke's levy are fitted with metal armor and shields, sometimes funded by the duke himself if he is generous enough. This level of involvement to each individual soldier on the battlefield drastically decreases the sizes of armies, but vastly improves their effectiveness.

The prevalence of archery and warfare is also on the rise. The large scale production of crossbows and arbalests allows a lord to equip his garrison with powerful missile weapons that require very little training to successfully defend a stretch of wall or hail bolts upon a formation of tightly packed infantry. That being said, there is a constant arms races between more resilient armor and more effective projectiles.

As for architecture, more elaborate stoneworks are common in castles and more permanent fortifications. A sense of greater style is considered when constructing buildings in general, instead of just for practical purposes. With better roads and trade routes, materials for structures no longer need to be constructed with whatever material is at hand. Quarry stone and finer lumber can be shipped many miles away to contribute to a new lord's castle if the coin is right.

Medicine is still fairly basic in the world. Often plagues are associated with foul (and invisible) gases in the air known as pestilence or miasma as the understanding of microorganisms has not developed. Medication is helpful half of the time and completely useless or even harmful in the worst cases. Rudimentary antiseptics are seen on the same level of professional medical practice as quicksilver injections. The most professional doctors or physicians are usually the ones that are able to quickly identify which myriad of herbs and treatments actually help the afflicted rather than expedite death.

 

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THE CRADLE OF IUVROS
External Influences​

THE KINGDOM OF DUSILIA​

The Kingdom of Dusilia to the west has always been regarded as the troublesome younger brother of Thedosia. Often do their kings and dukes let religious fervor get to their heads and go on crusades across the Barrier Sea to fight heathens in order to gain the favor of God. When Dusilians are not busy fighting and dying thousands of miles away from their home in Iuvros, they are posturing for war against Thedosia. The two kingdoms have been at war on and off for the last century officially, and unofficially for longer even.

Though Dusilia is half of Thedosia's size in landmass and significantly less populous, their willingness to raise soldiers for God put them toe to toe with Thedosia in any power struggle. What Dusilia lacks in manpower, it makes up for in wealth. Despite their weaknesses, the wealth of both kingdoms is rather even. The political relationship between Thedosia and Dusilia is reflective of France and England during the Hundred Years' War.

THE GROMSVANIR HORDE​

The Gromsvanir are a hearty people that live in the frigid north of Iuvros. Though their territory spans double that of Thedosia, the land is much more unforgiving and more difficult to survive in. Despite their vicinity to both Dusilia and Thedosia, trade and peaceful interaction between the Gromsvanir and other more civilized kingdoms is close to none. They vehemently reject the Lord's Faith and follow a pantheon of their own gods that promote war and pillaging in the name of the individual warrior's glory. The Gromsvanir horde descend from the mountains to the north to pillage Thedosian lands every few years and are as unpredictable and destructive as a terrible storm.

Gromsvanir live in a tribal society with several chiefs and warlords, but unilaterally submit to the Grom in time of war. The Grom is the strongest of all the Gromsvanir and is the closest thing to a king in their society. Civil wars are sometimes fought for the title of Grom, though the title commonly is awarded through a duel to the death when the position becomes contested. The current Grom is a man by the name of Ichkven Garrode, the chief of the largest Gromsvanir clan.

Though their lands are poor, their vicious will and endurance bring wealth and labor into their lands so they can continue to do what they do best: fight. The Gromsvanir are influenced by real world Norse invaders prior to their conversion to Christianity.

THE EDGE OF MAN​

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At the edge of every frontier, beyond the peak of every mountain and the swell beyond every shore lies the plight of man. Where man dare not tread, beasts prowl and prey on those who wander too far from familiarity. They take any and every shape, from skittering tribes of rat-folk, to great wolves that stalk on two legs and the many tentacles and barbs that lurk beneath the surface, beasts have one thing in common: to remind man that this world is not theirs to keep.

Every so often, left unchecked, beasts expand their hunting grounds into human territory. They strike from the shadows and are not picky with their prey. Beasts leave the most devout of God questioning why their most holy of Lords would allow such unsightly things to exist.

The most common form of beasts in Thedosia are werewolves, goblins, ents, rat-folk and harpies. Though the forest of the Huntman's Gard still are home to some of these beasts, their numbers dwindle. However, to the north east, the beasts of the Sword Wood are left unchecked and remain dangerous even at the edge of the dead forest.

It should be remembered that the Edge of Man is really not a definite noun. It is the beasts and unsightly that stalk the Sword Wood, it is wherever these beasts are found and it is also a state of being (which man becomes disillusioned and turn into beasts themselves [-canthropy]). The proper usage of it is whatever context it makes the most amount of sense in.

THE LAND OF PLENTY​

While Thedosia, Dusilia and the Gromsvanir are the most prevalent powers of Iuvros, they are not alone. Tribal villages of pagans, minor independent hamlets and even smaller kingdoms dot the landscape. The expansive and varied lands of Iuvros offer more than enough space for nations to expand their borders into the untamed wild lands.

The Kingdom of Ageden
With about the same landmass as Dusilia in size but a fraction of the population, the Kingdom of Ageden rests atop the mountains at the Spine of the World. The air is thin, the crops are limited but the sheer cliffs serve as better protection than any wall. When the men of Ageden are called to war beyond they impenetrable stoneworks, their heavy cavalry is renowned as the best in all of Iuvros.

The Kingdom of Ganley
Ganley sits as the unfortunate last buffer between Thedosia and the Gromsvanir. In the distant past, Ganley's majesty could rival that of modern Dusilia. However, the savage Gromsvanir pillaged nearly all of that glory in the last century. Almost half of Gromsvanir slaves are from Ganley, and the capital of the kingdom has changed four times in the last 20 years due to the barbarian onslaught. Many predict without intervention that Ganley will be no more in the next decade.

The Holy City of Caracal
Caracal is both the spiritual and and physical heart of Iuvros. The plentiful gardens and flowing streams are a grand sight to behold and is believed to be where the Lord first strode onto the world from heaven above. It is the capital of the Lord's Faith and the city is a site for pilgrimage for all of the Faith. In times of gathering -- in distress or celebration -- the members of the high clergy gather at Caracal to pray and seek guidance from the Lord. Because of its importance, many across the land shed their bonds to mortal kingdoms and pledge defense to the Lord's holy capital, making Caracal's theoretical army the largest in all of Iuvros. However, the holy garrison will not wage a war of aggression and only defend against the unholy.

The City-state of Hilanvor
Hands down the largest port city-state in all of Iuvros, the city was actually two separate cities before the bridge was constructed to connect the two. The city is lead by a council of the wealthiest merchants in Hilanvor who are the forefront of the port's many successes. The bridge is the most prominent feature of the city, as well as the massive chain that runs underneath it that can be pulled taut to block sea entry into the bay.]

 

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A CURSE FOR HE, A CURSE FOR SHE
The Macabre Waltz​

THE GRAND PESTILENCE​

LEPER SOCIETY​

THE UNSIGHTLY​

 

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A THOUSAND UTTERANCES
Orders and Alliances​

THE HOLY IVORY FLOCK​

Founded on the tenets of valor, glory and authority, the Holy Ivory Flock saw its humble beginnings in a monastery outside of Du-Catal. When their order grew and the call for crusade against reverberated through the Lord's Faith, the order gained heavy noble membership and support. Quickly, the order began to offer services in training new generations of nobility to the finest degree of Thedosian perfection. It now serves as one of the top donors to the church, as well as pledged protectors of the realm.

Type: Monastic, educational, militaristic, philanthropic
Membership:
Allies: Coin
Enemies: