Fantasy The Weight of the Crown

[Elle Joyner]

THE LAND OF ELLEMAR

​

KINGDOM SHEETS

Approval: In the event that you are approved, you will be invited into a group PM, where plotting will begin.


All approved characters are still subject to revision. Failure to revise may result in removal of accepted status.

Denial: Due to the nature of the AUDITION PROCESS, if you are denied a character within this particular RP you will not be considered for further roles.

Revision: In this particular RP, due to the AUDITION PROCESS, I will not be asking for revisions except in APPROVED CSs.

HOW THAT LOOKS

APPROVAL NOTICE: Congratulations! You've been approved. Keep an eye out for a group PM indicating a start date, as well as plot details and starting points.


NOTE: You may still be asked to revise details. Failure to comply will result in removal of approval status.

DENIAL NOTICE: Due to the following reasons, I'm sorry that I am unable to accept this character.

How Many Spots Are There? I will be allowing a total of six/seven kingdoms, with four auxiliary characters. Spots can not be reserved. If you are interested in a kingdom, you will need to fill out the sheet for one of those, then post it within the time frame specified. If you are interested in an auxiliary role, please PM me. When Will the Game Start? In order to ensure the best quality results, I will not be accepting any character sheets until Wednesday July 13th. This is to give you more than enough time to fill out your character sheet to the best of your abilities (and I mean the best!). On July 14th, I will review the sheets and select those players who will fit best into the storyline. This will be a final decision - appeals should not be made. The game should commence within one to two weeks after sheets have been chosen. During this time, plotting will occur in a group PM. What Are You Looking For? Well thought out, fleshed out sheets, which fit well into the world and add something of interest to the storyline. I will also be checking your history on the site, in order to ensure dedication, a willingness to work well with others and regular postings. Be creative and thorough ! What's the Style & Pace for this Roleplay? This is an advanced, detailed roleplay. I am looking for people who are comfortable with multiple paragraphs per post, controlling NPC characters, plotting with other players and who are able to post at least once per week. Other Questions? If you have other questions, drop me a PM.

BEFORE APPLYING:

​

Please be sure to read the rules and regulations. This is NOT optional.


If you have followed these initial steps and are ready to to apply for a character please fill out the following forms. While filling out the sheets, please take your time and use as much description as possible. Be creative! I am only accepting a max of TWELVE players in this particular RP, so I will be extremely choosy with applications. If you are not prepared to write at least THREE PARAGRAPHS per post, once weekly, please do not apply.


To ensure that we have a realistic idea of what your character actually looks like, I ask that your stick to real images or gifs (no personal images/selfie/animation/anime). If you need assistance with finding an image, please PM me. For your kingdom itself, I will accept artwork, but it must be realistic.


If I have not RPed with you before and am not familiar with your activity on the site, I MAY ask for a writing sample.


Again... Don't forget to read the rules before posting your skeleton! When you have posted your skeleton, PLEASE allow me time to review it, then check back to see your APPROVAL/DENIAL/REVISION notice. Please do NOT rush this process. It's important that I have time to properly review everyone's sheet and it's a LOT of reading. Happy creating!!





PLEASE do not alter the character sheet. This coding is designed both for uniformity and to make MY job easier. I know some of you are wonderful at coding, but you will have plenty of opportunity to show off those skills with the formatting of your posts.


The audition process will end 7/13


Before attempting to fill out this sheet, PLEASE turn off Rich Text Editor. Failure to do so will result in disaster and I will not have time to fix your coding. If you don't know HOW to turn off the editor, there is a helpful tutorial here. Note: Turning off the editor MUST BE DONE in the preferences. It's not enough to turn it off in the editor alone. If you have questions, ask first! It's much easier to fix a problem before hand than after the fact...

Spoiler

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-​

Kingdom Sheet​

KINGDOM NAME​

BASICS​

CASTLE NAME |
RULER |
LOCATION |

name
name(s)
location

[img=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/89/bf/bd/89bfbdd58c7e5d693941ca4526dca8b7.gif]​

CREST

Details/Colors/Symbols of Crest

[img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=150×150&w=150&h=150] [img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=150×150&w=150&h=150] [img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=150×150&w=150&h=150]​

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:​

Culture: Quality of life, structure of government, etc.

Religious Structure: Ellemar has a generally monotheistic belief system (think European) - Details the religious worship practice/importance in political dealings.

Geography: What is the area like, geographically - terrain, climate etc.

Pertinent History:

CONFLICT​

Major and Minor conflicts affecting the kingdom - including but not limited to assassinations/Attempts, Arranged Marriages, Sordid Affairs, Political Subterfuge, Warmongering, Sibling Rivalries, Plague/Illness, Poverty/Revolts, Shift in Loyalty, Jealousy

ARMY STATUS​

Is the army large, small, strong, weak, damaged, ruthless? Do they recruit from villagers or is it a knight's code system?

MAJOR PLAYERS​

Major Players: These are essentially the characters you will control - not including if you choose to make a main character. Please fill out a separate sheet for each one - you can have as many as you like, but no fewer than three, please.

[img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=500×225&w=500&h=225]​

NAME:| Word​

ROLE:| Word​

CLASS:| Word​

AGE:| Word​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.
BRIEF HISTORY: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.

[img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=500×225&w=500&h=225]​

NAME:| Word​

ROLE:| Word​

CLASS:| Word​

AGE:| Word​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.
BRIEF HISTORY: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.

[img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=500×225&w=500&h=225]​

NAME:| Word​

ROLE:| Word​

CLASS:| Word​

AGE:| Word​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.
BRIEF HISTORY: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus.

MAIN CHARACTER​

[img=https://placeholdit.imgix.net/~text?txtsize=33&txt=300×450&w=300&h=450]​

HISTORY​

NAME: FULL NAME|| AGE: NUMBER || ROLE: KINGDOM POSITION || SOCIAL CLASS: CLASS IDENT​

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Aenean imperdiet. Etiam ultricies nisi vel augue. Curabitur ullamcorper ultricies nisi. Nam eget dui. Etiam rhoncus. Maecenas tempus, tellus eget condimentum rhoncus, sem quam semper libero, sit amet adipiscing sem neque sed ipsum. Nam quam nunc, blandit vel, luctus pulvinar, hendrerit id, lorem. Maecenas nec odio et ante tincidunt tempus. Donec vitae sapien ut libero venenatis faucibus. Nullam quis ante. Etiam sit amet orci eget eros faucibus tincidunt. Duis leo. Sed fringilla mauris sit amet nibh. Donec sodales sagittis magna. Sed consequat, leo eget bibendum sodales, augue velit cursus nunc. Aenean imperdiet. Etiam ultricies nisi vel augue. Curabitur ullamcorper ultricies nisi. Nam eget dui. Etiam rhoncus. Maecenas tempus, tellus eget condimentum rhoncus, sem quam semper libero, sit amet adipiscing sem neque sed ipsum. Nam quam nunc, blandit vel, luctus pulvinar, hendrerit id, lorem. Maecenas

PERSONALITY​

MAJOR STRENGTH: WORD

MAJOR WEAKNESS: WORD

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem.

Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. pretium. Integer tincidunt. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. pretium. Integer tincidunt

POLITICS​

Political leanings towards their kingdom and others.

FINER DETAILS​

Quirks, Proclivities and Soft Spots

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

[img=http://37.media.tumblr.com/8098ea963ccb93773c43dabc5bb65533/tumblr_n6a72kjDp81smv24ko1_500.gif]​

MOUNT: Horse only please

WEAPON(s): Practical weapons (time-appropriate)

APPEARANCE​

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo.

Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Aam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet.

 

[Elle Joyner]

(WIP)

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

​

Kingdom Sheet

​

Cain'loren

​

BASICS

​

CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Keep Loren


King Ordin and Queen Aimera


North East

CREST

The colors of the kingdom are a bold blue and gold, the central image that of a large and full tree, overlain by the emblem of a deer.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

​

Cain'loren is located South of the Seven Mountains, a sprawling kingdom, fortified by thick walls of white sandstone. The castle, Keep Loren, lies central, surrounded by the outlying village. The village is divided into districts, three, separated by arched gateways, each occupied by a small garrison of guards. The Northern District consists of a wealthier populace, the Eastern and Western Districts the less fortunate, with the most impoverished of citizens contained within a portion of the West known by most as The Hole.


The land outside of the fortification is rife with crops and wildflowers, with a small forest to the east, largely populated by a rare breed of grey-coated deer, a prize for any hunter, though illegal to poach on without permission by the King. A wide canal runs around the outside and through the city's main center. Further north of the kingdom, within the base of the mountains lie the ruins of Keep Cain'parrel - the former sister city of Cain'loren.


Culture: Cain'loren is ruled by the King, and beneath him, his eldest (living) son to whom the throne passes upon the king's death - this being the tradition since the kingdom's first ruler. The city is largely fertile, with a mass of wealth in agricultural trade. Social functions are a common thing among both the royal structure and the common citizens within the city - balls, feasts and festivals occurring year round and for all occasions, though the largest and most extensive is The Hunt - a festival centered around the annual royal hunting expedition.


In consideration for these events, Cain'loren has a wide and impressive array of musical and culinary influence and is often revered for it's unusual cuisine.


Fashion within Cain'loren is standard for the times, with wealth often displayed in finery crafted in the rare deer-hide the kingdom is known for and the possession of jewels - particularly those colored gems uncommonly brought to trade at Cain'loren's markets.


Religious Structure: Cain'loren's church exists within the confines of the castle, but there are smaller factions of worship permitted within the city walls. The Bishop is often sought by the king for advice on political matters, as well as present at all functions, including weddings, consummations and the birth of children.


Geography: Cain'loren has a broad seasonal structure and a rather temperate climate. Because of the city's proximity to the Seven Mountains, winters have been known to be quite harsh, but crops are stored throughout the year to prevent famine. The land is rich and well developed, tended by farmers inside and outside of the city walls. The canal, which runs through the center of the city, has a wide variety of fish, some of which appear to be native to the region and are commonly used in the unique fare.


Pertinent History: For many years, Cain'loren stood as a pinnacle of power throughout Ellemar, due primarily to it's constant and unerring alliance with Cair'parrel. Roughly half a century before the current reign, however, war broke out between Cain'loren and it's sister kingdom Cair'parrel. The reason for the animosity is unknown to this day, but rumor has it a broken deal was the blame for the fall out. Cair'parrel, while possessing the higher ground was much less fortified, with a smaller and poorly trained army, and the city was sacked within days, never recovering.


Those that survived and were willing to swear allegiance to Cain'loren's king were allowed refuge within Cain'loren, but at the expense of their wealth and pride, sentenced to extreme scrutiny and prejudice. Because of their poor treatment, there have been threats of rebellion among those remaining and those loyal to them, but their lack of numbers and strength have thus far deterred anything more than petty words and idle threats.

CONFLICT

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Roughly twenty years ago, it was also rumored that King Ordin fathered his fifth child with a mistress. While the child's parentage was never outrightly questioned, it had been the source of much hostility among the siblings and has caused much strife during public affairs.


While greatly postulated as general gossip, it was once suggested that King Ordin murdered his older brother, Tomlin, in order to secure his position on the throne. Tomlin's death was ruled an accidental drowning in the city's canal, but suspicions arose due to Ordin's father's failing health.

ARMY STATUS

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The Cain'loren army is a force to be reckoned with. Captained by the formidable Calin Farthsworn, every knight undergoes rigorous training before they're selected for duty. The army's combat strategy focuses mainly on envelopment tactics and preemptive frontal assaults.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Ordin Baelston

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ROLE:| King

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CLASS:|Monarch

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AGE:| 62

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Ordin is a stern looking man - his features sometimes thought to have been carved from stone. With dark brown hair, a full beard and expressive blue eyes, he stands impressively, even without the crown. Standing tall and narrow, but strong despite his age he's still quite capable. On his left hand, he is missing the very tip of his pinky finger. Traditionally, Ordin's wardrobe is highly ornamented by furs and rich tapestries of color and when occupying his throne, he wears a stunning crown of blue and white gold. Often, particularly in any instance where meetings with his equals are concerned, Ordin will wear thick leather gloves with padding in his pinky to cover up his injury.

BRIEF HISTORY: Rising to the throne at a young age, following the assassination of his brother, and the death of his father from illness, Ordin learned well before his thirteenth birthday what it meant to rule. He married late, an arrangement with a neighboring kingdom. While gracious, it was also a loveless union, though not for lack of trying on Ordin's part. Despite his best efforts to woo his queen, Ordin was seen all too often in the company of a young village woman, promoting envy in his young bride that eventually turned to a frigid disposition. Regardless, the pair have quite a few children, though the maternity of at least one of his daughters has been frequently questioned, as Ordin has been known to stray, given to grief and arrogance over the coldness of his wife.

NAME:| Aimera Baelston

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ROLE:| Queen Consort

​

CLASS:| Monarch

​

AGE:| 49

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Fair and delicate, Aimera looks precisely the way a queen ought to. Beautiful as the day she married the king, she nevertheless possesses a quality of coldness about her, reflected largely in her pale blue eyes and severity of her elegant, drawn features. Tall and lithe, she would stand a perfect partner to her husband, were it not for her abject disdain for the man written plainly on her face. Aimera wears the part of the queen well, in arraignments of fine linens, colorful and expensive. When in court, she wears a circlet of white gold.

BRIEF HISTORY: The eldest daughter of an ailing king, Aimera faced the difficulty of an arranged marriage to a much older man at the tender age of fourteen. When the man was killed, however, Aimera was certain that she had escaped her fate, but only for another two years. By sixteen, she was married off to King Ordin and found herself in an empty, loveless relationship with a man already fixated on a common woman. Bitterly jealous and determined to rise above her circumstances, Aimera became a fiercely motivated queen, pouring her passions into building a better Cain'loren.

NAME:| Calin Farthsworn

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ROLE:| Captain

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CLASS:| Knight

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AGE:| 51

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Calin possesses the face of a man who has endured too much, for far too long. Once handsome, his visage is now marred by a violent scar, the origin of which is largely unknown. Long hair, dark and thick, hangs past his shoulders, intensely blue eyes the only true indication of his former aesthetic quality. Built to lead an army, Calin stands at impressive height, with a strong, broad physique. Calin is rarely seen in anything but a sturdy black leather, adorned lightly by the grey-hide of Cain'loren's famous game.

BRIEF HISTORY: Rising in rank at a young age, Calin was not only Ordin's most trusted guard, but a dear friend. Unfortunately station and duty drove the pair apart and while Calin's loyalty is unquestioned there is a sense of tension between the two which speaks of a falling out. Calin nevertheless does his job and he does it well, training up the army within Cain'loren with all authority and drive for success. Calin can, at times, be ruthless, bearing scars not only on the outside, but deep within.

NAME:| Crispin Baelston

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ROLE:| Crown Prince

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 26

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: In appearance, Crispin takes after his mother in almost every way, from the delicate features to his pale coloring. Tall and lithe, he stands just over his father's head, adding an air of masculinity where his soft face otherwise deters. Crispin's wardrobe is most often comprised of the color blue, a well known indicator as his status as the crown prince.

BRIEF HISTORY: Born the first child, Crispin's lot in life was determined early. As soon as he was able, he began training, preparing for his place on the throne. He was often seen as a stoic, quiet child and as he grew found something of a passive disposition. He takes his future role extremely seriously and in light of this, is something of a stickler for authority. The polar opposite of his brother, Crispin tends to be neat and orderly, and is often taken to fits of bashful awkwardness, particularly in the presence of the fairer sex.

NAME:| Dansin Baelston

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ROLE:| Prince

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Dark as his brother is fair, Dansin is an oddly severe young man, with a narrow, pinched features culminating in a long, hooked nose. His eyes and mouth bear a flat quality, though made considerably more pleasant by a warm, subtle air of mischief, a constant smile in his dark brown eyes. Long hair hangs to his shoulders, his built as narrow as his face, making him an inch taller than his brother. Dansin's wardrobe has a quality of effortlessness, ornamented only when necessary.

BRIEF HISTORY: Never one to stand in the shadows, Dansin took well enough to his role as the second (and thereby irrelevant) son of the king. With no desire to rule, but nevertheless thoroughly enjoying the perks of his royal status, Dansin's life became a constant thread of decadent indulgence - an evergrowing source of frustration for his father.

NAME:| Raenne Baelston

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 28

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Tall and regal, the eldest of the Baelstron children is a blend of mother and father - with the grace, poise and fairness of the queen and the steel fortitude of the king. Hair to her waist, a honeyed blonde, and eyes a deep blue, she is beauty and strength, but not without a sense of rigidness. Her wardrobe tends towards reds and violets, and always with the grey deer-hide, worn with a sense of pride for her father's kingdom.

BRIEF HISTORY: Born to parents with very little affection for one another, Raenna knew little of love until her sixteenth birthday, when she met a young knight named Devon. In spite of knowing she was fated to marry another, Raenna and Devon devised to elope, but only a few days before their proposed plan was carried out, Devon was sent to the front line of a small skirmish with (ANOTHER KINGDOM), never to return. Raenna, unknowningly pregnant at the time of Devon's death miscarried a son and though she married again, she never recovered from the loss and unable to produce an heir was discarded by her husband.

NAME:| Audra Baelston

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 22

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Fair and bright, Audra is elegant and refined. Though her features are slightly masculine, she is still quite pretty - largely attributed to the pale blue of her eyes and the constellation of freckles across her skin. Her hair, gold in hue runs to the middle of her waist and she normally wears it plaited. Her wardrobe angles towards brighter shades of blues and greens, with elements of gold.

BRIEF HISTORY: Easily the most mildly tempered of her siblings, Audra has a tendency to blend into the background, getting lost in the fray of her family's dramatics. Currently Audra is betrothed to a prince from (ANOTHER KINGDOM).

NAME:| Rosleigh Baelston

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 16

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Rosleigh is as delicate as her mother, considerably pale and shadowed by constant illness. Her eyes, dark blue and narrow, her hair white-blonde, to the center of her back. Small and thin, she's a wisp of a thing, doted on by several ladies her mother insists follow her everywhere she goes. She often wears yellows and golds, or soft pinks and greatly enjoys the luxury of jewels and adornments.

BRIEF HISTORY: A difficult birth, Rosleigh is a frail, fragile creature, kept highly sheltered by her mother. Often ill, she's seen little of the world beyond the palace, but often dreams of it, growing increasingly more anxious for freedom as the years go on.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

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NAME: Abrigel Braeston|| AGE: Twenty|| ROLE: Princess || SOCIAL CLASS: Monarch

​

The spare child. That's what they called her. Often in her life, Abrigel heard this particular moniker from many of her siblings, though the brunt of the animosity towards her came distinctly from the woman she called mother. Queen Amiera's outrage towards her second youngest was not difficult to figure out. The consequence of a father's love, misplaced in the arms of a common woman. Ordin took Abrigel in, but there was little question, at least for the Queen and her children that the red-headed young creature did not belong and it was a fact they have since made quite clear. Beyond the occasional eye of her father, Abrigel was raised primarily by a young nursemaid named Gretchen, a woman with a considerable conscience, and a heart for the young princess, grossly neglected by her family.


Of her siblings, the most unfortunate treatment comes primarily from her brother Dansin and sister Audra - though Raenna and Rosleigh have partaken in the isolating indifference, Crispin being the odd exception - gracing Abrigel with a kindness befitting a future king.


When Abrigel came of age, it was decided by her father (though greatly encouraged by the queen herself) that Abrigel would be suited to (SOMEONE SOMEWHERE), a match less than ideal for the timid, reserved young woman. Desperate to please her family, she made little protest, but as time began to run down, closer to the day of her wedding, Abrigel's anxiety increased exponentially, resulting in fitful dream and a heavy weight on her shoulders.


While King Ordin has been careful to keep the information to himself, sworn to take it with him to his grave, there is more to Abrigel's past than even she's aware of.

PERSONALITY

​

MAJOR STRENGTH: A fortitude and strength of character.

MAJOR WEAKNESS: The desperate need to be accepted.

Despite her unfortunate upbringing, Abrigel does her best to maintain a pleasant and warm disposition. She does what she can to make the most of her circumstances, and holds effectively to the belief that eventually she will be accepted among her siblings, even if she knows the queen will never consider her anything more than a nuisance. Well-loved by the villagers, Abrigel had many friends within the community outside of the palace, though to some degree these friendships do little to fill the hole within in - a need for family, for kinship and love.


Often times, while her heart is in the right place, Abrigel makes decisions impulsively, an attempt to please and to` avoid conflict (however unsuccessful her attempts are).

POLITICS

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Political leanings towards their kingdom and others.

FINER DETAILS

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QUIRKS: When she's anxious, Abrigel twists her hair around her fingers. She enjoys being barefoot, despite the fact that it's known to put her nursemaid into quite a tizzy.


PROCLIVITIES: A life of being told she was less-than has instilled in Abrigel a habit of self-deprecation. She'll accept the odd compliment, but generally she's hesitant to see herself as anything more than a unfortunate mistake and a bane on her family.


SOFT SPOTS: Abrigel has a heart for those less fortunate, particularly the remaining survivors of the Cain'parrel massacre. She's been known to smuggle food and clothes from the castle to aid the refugees in the Western district.

MOUNT: Abrigel's mount is a dapple grey yearling she's named River - a feisty, but fiercely loyal horse, partially blinded in one eye from an accident in the stables.


WEAPON(s): N/A

APPEARANCE

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Abrigel is a blend, in heart and appearance, of fire and steel. Her most intriguing feature is easily her most controversial - a crown of brilliant red hair, which hangs down to her waist, thick coiled curls, a vibrant contrast to the blondes and brunettes of her siblings. The color, she knows, of her mother's hair. Her face is a fine mask of porcelain, pale and clear, with fine, narrow features and wide, bright eyes a deep, radiant blue. Her lips curve upwards in a serene smile, exhibiting the warmth of her character.


Her form is small and lean, her waist marginally more narrow than her bust and hips, long arms and legs meeting delicate hands and feet. Her wardrobe is simple, a considerable dissimilarity from her brothers and sisters, who are often richly robed in luxurious attire. This, as she'll attest to, is a personal choice - preferring not to draw attention to herself, unnecessarily. Her only ornamentation is a necklace, a gold charm - the only thing she has from her birth mother.

 

[LeviathanL]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

Kingdom Sheet
​

Corvago

​

BASICS

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CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

The Nest


Machevolo Ombra


Anywhere with a good trade-route, coastal

CREST

Corvago's colours are muted gray and black, it's crest a simple diamond shape.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

​

Corvago is a small province with the majority of its population living in the large capital city, trade, seafood and turf being the principal means of acquiring wealth. The palace from which the Tyrant rules is located within the city. A large river cuts the city in half, with the lower part being noticeably more run-down and poorly kept. The area around the city is very wet, with numerous canals and dykes necessary to curb the river's annual floodings. This causes the city to have barely any fire problems but at the same time it suffers from a lot of disease within the poor districts. In Corvago wealth is everything, those who have will flaunt it at every opportunity, while those that lack it are trampled upon.


Culture:


Corvago could accurately be described as a cesspool of corruption and nefarious machinations. It has such a long history of political assassinations and coup d’états that none of its past rulers over the last few hundred years have died a natural death. Crime is such an absolute part of daily life that citizens and nobility alike have developed a strange tolerance towards it. Gang leaders are treated as folk heroes on their own turf, political assassinations are both usual and expected in court life, and a particularly skillful heist brings more applause than it does outrage. Many criminal organizations maintain barely-veiled public offices in the marketplaces. Where virtually everything can be bought and sold, from exotic narcotics to indentured servants.


The city has an incredulously wealthy upper class, and as such there are plenty of sponsors for aspiring artists, scribes and inventors. The nobility likes to think of itself as the trendsetter of fashion across the continent.


The royal line has long since been expunged, and the remaining nobility continuously scheme against each other for control over the country, even when each new tyrant has met their untimely demise sooner than the one before him. The latest ruler, Machevolo Ombra, is a notable exception to the usual tyrants mostly by the fact that he's still alive after several years of office. His reign is heavily focused on tolerance, allowing virtually anything that doesn't directly harm him or Corvago.


Religious Structure:


Corvago is not a place that actively cultivates the belief in benevolent deities, but that doesn't mean there are no temples to be found. Various temples both large and small of many different beliefs litter the city. The country has no official state religion, and per Ombra's usual tolerance no manner of worship is explicitly forbidden. Historically the natives adhered to the belief in spirits, but little of that practice remains today.


Geography:


A large part of the land lies close to sea, giving the country easy access to trade routes. The rest of the nation is mostly swamp, although a lot of it has been drained to create farmland. Various large rivers meet the sea here.


Pertinent History:


Many years ago Corvago was still a kingdom, and surprisingly peaceful one at that. The royal family kept the more ambitious nobles in check, and ensured that the public institutions were free of corruption. However that ended with the assassination of King Cormorant and the ascendance of his daughter Robin to the throne. Whether it was the stress of ruling, the shock of losing her father or a previously unknown mental defect is not clear, but within a few years the queen had gone completely insane. Paranoid about further assassination, the queen refused to leave her quarters under any circumstances, leading to an eventual breakdown of government as nothing kept corruption in check. Her former advisers were sent to the gallows one after the other, each one accused of a more outlandish plot against her majesty. It became so bad that Robin even turned against her own children and extended family, leading to an extensive pruning of the royal family tree. By this time the surviving nobles were more than done with the mad queen, and instead choose to leave her be inside of her chambers while they elected one of their own as steward to the nation, a nation they immediately proceeded to drain dry of wealth. The rule of the Mad Robin ended when her servants stopped coming to her rooms after she starting to execute them for suspected food poisoning, turning the quarters she so desperately refused to leave into the last queen of Corvago's tomb.


After the end of the royal line the nobles made the position of steward official, although in practice the 'elected' noble was little more than a tyrant who had succeeded in dispatching all of his rivals to the throne. Mad Robin had the last laugh though, as each tyrant after her slowly succumbed to the same paranoid dread that had consumed her, only for them to be assassinated and replaced by the next.

CONFLICT

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Assassinations, attempted coup d'états and political subterfuge are almost a daily occurrence in Corvago's upper echelons of society. For years corruption has been allowed to fester in nearly ever branch of government and it is only recently that it is beginning to be addressed by Ombra's rulership. The common folk have no choice but to live with that corruption, as well as a vibrant criminal underground and poor living conditions. Having said that, things have started to get better in recent years, if only slightly, giving many hope that the worst is behind them.


There is a conflict brooding between the ancient nobility and the up-and coming bourgeoisie. As merchants and craftsmen start to acquire more wealth, they start to resent being looked down upon by the old money nobles. The nobles for their part feel that their traditional enterprises are being invaded by upstart commoners, and dislike this loss of monopoly.


Not all of the remaining noble families are content with the status quo, foremost of which is the Pavone family, the oldest and richest noble family in Corvago. The Pavones trace their lineage back to the country's founding, and the family has multiple connections to the extinct royal line. Of all the noble families left the Pavones may hold the strongest claim to the defunct throne of Corvago, a fact they never let anyone forget. Throughout the years various Pavones have taken their turn as Tyrant of Corvago, but none of them survived long enough to reestablish the nation as a kingdom. The latest generation, the twin brother and sister Wren and Swan, are determined to make the next attempt stick, but for that the current Tyrant has to 'retire' first.

ARMY STATUS

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There is a guard force that is tasked with maintaining order all over the country, but Corvago doesn't employ a standing land-based army, preferring instead to employ assassins and mercenaries in times of crisis. However, it's navy is very developed, in direct response to the necessity of defending merchant ships from pirate attacks, although a significant number of the navy's officers used to be pirates themselves.


The guard force of Corvago has for years been just as much of a hive of corruption as the rest of the nation, but recently efforts have been made the restructure it as an actual police force. The newly minted Gray Guard is still in it's infancy, but it is already more competent that its predecessor.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Machevolo Ombra

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ROLE:| Tyrant

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 56

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A tall and skinny man. Ombra is in possession of black hair and an immaculately kept beard. He has cold eyes and rarely shows any emotion on his face. He has never been seen wearing anything but black clothes of a simple yet high quality design.

BRIEF HISTORY: Not much is known about Machevolo Ombra's early life. The sole scion of the Ombra noble family, he disappeared from the public eye after graduating with honours from university. It wasn't until years later that he resurfaced, which followed closely after a series of brutal assassinations amongst the nobility, allowing Ombra to seize power as Tyrant. Some rumors claim he himself worked as an assassin during his absence, while others claim he spend the time in foreign countries establishing connections. Whatever the truth, Ombra has since entrenched himself deeply into the seat of power. It is notable that for a Tyrant he doesn't really do many tyrannical things, if you don't count extensive espionage and regular assassinations, which most Corvagons indeed wouldn't. He usually directs his attention to the little things that keep a country running, instead of any overly ambitious undertaking. An exception being the reformation of the Gray Guard, as well as the steady but barely noticeable deconstruction of the nobility's influence.

NAME:| Victoria Custodum

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ROLE:| Captain

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CLASS:| Gray Guard

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AGE:| 34

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Victoria is tall and muscular, with dark hair and gray eyes. She has a multitude of shallow scars over her body and face, but nothing that seriously impedes her movement.

BRIEF HISTORY: Born to immigrants in the capital city of Corvago, Victoria was the rarest of things: a believer in justice. Even when she was part of the obligatory street gang as a kid she kept pushing herself and her friends to be better people than the other gangs, something that made her popular with the weak but earned her animosity from the bigger, stronger kids, which in turn led to street brawls more often than not. As soon as she was old enough she joined the then-hopelessly corrupt city guard. To say that being an honest female copper in such an organisation was a challenge is an understatement, and Victoria's mental and physical fortitude was tested time and time again by her superiors. This went on for many years, until Victoria's struggles caught the eye of the Tyrant. Ombra saw use in a guard who actually cared about doing her job, and he saw to it she was promoted to captain as well as putting her in charge of restructuring the guard force. A job that will likely take a lifetime to complete.


Victoria can be seen as the bright star in the sludge that is Corvago. Incorruptible and unbreakable, with a strong sense of justice. Naturally this has led to regular attempts on her life, but so far she has survived them all.


She opposes many of her city's more unsavory elements and merchandise, particularly the toleration of indentured servitude, which in Corvago basically amounts to slavery. But the very law she enforces limits what she can do about it.

NAME:| Grigio Barba

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ROLE:| Admiral

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CLASS:| Cormorant Navy

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AGE:| 61

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: An old man with a thick grizzled beard. Based on his notoriety people usually assume him to be taller, and are quite surprised that the real Barbia is well below average height. He walks with a noticeable limp in his right leg, and his left hand is badly burnt and has trouble stretching fully.

BRIEF HISTORY: For many years Grigio Barbia instilled fear in the hearts of sailors as the most ruthless pirate on the seas. His seemingly endless ambition and cunning earned him many victories against the kingdoms' warships and propelled him to be in command of a small fleet of pirate ships.


Over the years the pirate lord's ambition waned, and he grew weary of the outlaw life. He was just about ready to retire when he received a most unusual message. The Tyrant of Corvago offered him a full pardon in exchange for aid in [some war]. Feeling he had nothing to lose, Barbia accepted. The old pirate turned out to be a better naval tactician than any of Corvago's officers, and by the end of the conflict Barbia had become indispensable to the Corvogan navy. Feeling he could could get rid of a ruthless pirate lord and gain a capable officer at the same time, Ombra offered him the position of admiral.

NAME:| Dario Passeri

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ROLE:| Tyrant's Majordomo

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 68

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Dario is an older man with a short, round stature and a prominent mustache. His round and sweaty face seems to consist of permanently engraved laugh lines, furthering his appearance as an exceptional jolly man. Despite, or may be because off his mediocre natural looks Dario has cultivated an impeccable sense of style and charm. Proving that with enough confidence, wit and fashion sense anyone can be a ladies' man.

BRIEF HISTORY: Dario Passeri is the third child of a less powerful noble family. As such he was never really expected to inherit anything and was mostly left to his own devices. Dario used that freedom to drink, party and shop all over the country, at least until his family threatened to cut him off if he kept wasting money. Now forced to actually work to support his lavish lifestyle, Dario started working for the government as a simple clerk. He proved to be very good at it, but the dull procedures bored him out of his mind. At least until he started to use his court-connections to make his job easier. His silver tongue and harmless appearance allowed him to get information that even senior bureaucrats had difficulty finding, and it wasn't long until his information network grew along with his influence. Many years later Passeri is one of the most influential people in Ombra's government in practice if not in name. On paper he just works as the Tyrant's majordomo, high enough to get invited to all the parties but not so much that lesser minds instantly grasp his influence. By now he doesn't really need the money anymore and could retire anytime he wished, he continues because the game of manipulation has become like a fun game to him.

NAME:| Wren Pavone

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ROLE:| Heir

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A handsome young man in peak condition thanks to regular combat training since a young age. Although care was given to never actually scar the young scion during practice.

BRIEF HISTORY: Together with his twin sister Wren is heir to the oldest and richest noble family in Corvago. From the moment of his birth the twins were raised with the idea that the empty throne was their families' birthright, even their names are a reflection of the style the royals named their children. It went so far that neither twin was named the official heir of the noble house, their parents fully expecting one of them to take up the Tyrant title and restore the kingdom. The young man Wren is a spoiled and arrogant brat even by noble standards, which is all the more infuriating to his fellows due to his overwhelming talent in everything he attempts. Be it dueling, equestrianism or dancing.

NAME:| Swan Pavone

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ROLE:| Heiress

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: As beautiful as only someone who spends nearly every waking moment on her appearance can be. Swan knows a woman's looks are everything in Corvago's high society, and as such is always dressed in the latest fashion. All that effort pays off, as she is widely regarded as the most beautiful lady in the land.

BRIEF HISTORY: Together with her twin brother Swan is heiress to the oldest and richest noble family in Corvago. Swan is the epitome of a socialite, using her looks and influence to completely dominate any formal event she attends. She makes it her business to know everyone who is anyone on both the national and international scene, though none of them are as important as Swan herself. There is some friction with her brother over which of the two will be Tyrant and which will be the next head of the house, but so long as the current Tyrant and their father are both still alive the two work together.

NAME:| Kaervek the Merciless

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ROLE:|Mercenary

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 32

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A grizzled veteran with an unkempt appearance and a permanently wild look in his sunken eyes. He bears the scars of countless battles as well as the effects born from years of forced labour.

BRIEF HISTORY: For as long as he could remember young Kaervek wanted to be knight, to defeat evildoers and save princesses. His commoner status made knighthood impossible, but he joined the army at the earliest opportunity. The [kingdom's] army wasn't as glamorous as he hoped, but he liked the discipline of military life and he showed much promise in the infantry.


That all changed when one night, he caught his captain raping a girl. Like a true hero, he tried to save the girl and fought his superior, however reality did not go as a storybook. The captain swiftly beat him, and he was court-martialed. When he tried to explain his reasons, they brought in the girl for testimony. Unbeknownst to Kaervek, the captain had threatened the girl, so it came as a shock to him when the girl pointed at him as the rapist.


Convicted of assault of a superior officer and rape Kaervek was sentenced to slave labour in the mines [or something equally bad] for 10 years. When he came out, the young idealist was no more, what was left was the broken shell of a man, seemingly stripped of all compassion and remorse. Now Kaervek travels the world, making money the only way he knows how, fighting and killing as a sellsword.

NAME:| Valencio Celtello

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ROLE:| Assassin

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CLASS:| ???

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AGE:| 40

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A mysterious hooded man with black hair and black eyes, lending him an intimidating presence. Though he's actually quite handsome when not looming menacingly in the background.

BRIEF HISTORY: An independent assassin, working for whomever pays him. Is considered to be one of the best due to his efficiency and discretion, naturally this also makes him one of the most expensive. Has recently been hired by Telra grasslanders for a much lower fee than he usually asks for.

NAME:| Adrian Linetti

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ROLE:| Polymath

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 26

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Adrian's youthful appearances belittles the depth of inspiration that goes on within his head. His everyday demeanor usually appears sloppy, the artist not bothering with or even unaware of his physical appearance.

BRIEF HISTORY: Every noble family in Corvago worthy of the moniker acts as the patron of at least one artist and/or scholar. Even the proud and ruthless Pavone family provides for the livelihoods of various men and women of talent and skill, if only to show them off. Foremost of these talents is Adrian Linetti, a youth already considered to be a true genius across the country. Linetti's range of interests include painting, poetry, philosophy, naturalism, chemistry and physics. Despite his genius he is incredibly absent-minded, and possesses an innocence unheard of in Corvago.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

NAME: Raven|| AGE: 23|| ROLE: Assassin/spy || SOCIAL CLASS: commoner
​

Born in the slums of Corvago, the nameless orphan girl was a member of one of the nastier street gangs. Her skill and intelligence made her more than a match for the older, bigger kids in the gang, and she soon became the leader. Under her supervision the gang quickly grew in boldness and had even started to challenge the territory of adult criminals.


This changed when she got betrayed by one of her underlings and was caught by the guards during a heist. However, instead of being hanged, she was brought before the Tyrant. He claimed to have heard of this gifted gang leader and that he saw potential in her. Too much of it to waste it on the gallows. So he gave her an offer to discard her old identity and be trained as one of his personal agents. Faced with either death or servitude, the girl choose the latter.

PERSONALITY

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MAJOR STRENGTH: Acting

MAJOR WEAKNESS: Identity Crisis

Usually Raven is a brash and confident troublemaker. Rebellious against authority and stubborn to a fault. This changes when she takes on a role, be it a spoiled noblewoman or a humble servant. Whatever emotion brews below the surface, she will play her assigned part perfectly. This is similar when on assignment, she may complain loudly when receiving a kill order, but during the execution she'll remain calm and composed. Lately this has led to her fearing for her own identity, she wonders if she is losing her true self amongst the multitude of personas she has developed, or even if she ever had a true self at all.

POLITICS

​

In service to the Tyrant of Corvago. Although initially forced into service, she has since come to develop genuine loyalty towards the enigmatic ruler. How strong that loyalty truly is remains to be seen.

FINER DETAILS

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Quirks, Proclivities and Soft Spots:


Despite being a servant to the Tyrant, Raven displays a distinctive anti-authoritarian streak. She doesn't really see nobles as any different from commoners with wealth, possibly stemming from her regularly posing as one or the other. She has a peculiar -some might even say dark- sense of humour, which coupled with a complete indifference to killing might set some people on edge. She has a soft spot for animals, in particular large and vicious-looking beasts, which she fondly gives cute nicknames.

MOUNT: A large and extremely aggressive warhorse, inappropriately named Cuddles


WEAPON(s): Daggers and recurve bow, poison

APPEARANCE

​

Raven has been trained extensively in the art of disguise, and as such her appearance can vary wildly depending on her current job. Without make-up she looks like an average young woman in good shape, but not overly muscular. She's a natural blonde, but she dyes it a different colour nearly every other week. She's also hetero-chromatic, but this is similarly disguised most of the time.

 

[Effervescent]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

Kingdom Sheet
​

Bastillos

​

BASICS

​

CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Luminhold


Queen Imeen


The Mountain Span

CREST

In earthen tones of brown and gold, the crest is that of Fandol’s Arch; the most iconic symbol when entering the capital.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

​

Bastillos is an underground system of villages and cities with both natural and man-made tunnels connecting them. The main city, Lumin, acts as the center where all tunnels connect, and houses their queen within the castle Luminhold. Their caves are rich with natural flora, and some have even managed to bring in wildlife successfully into the underground. Lumin is fortified with Luminhold at the precipice of a tiered bastion. Many of the cavern villages and even Lumin connect to the surface through housing or tunnels. While Bastillos is mostly underground within the Mountain Span, they still hold the surface terrain for their farmland. Those that work the land have their dwellings connect to the surface, though their main housing still presides underground.


Within Lumin presides many homes cut and built upon the cavern's natural spaces. A body of fresh water pools at the base and flows out through a system of underground waterways that eventually connects to the River Tal South of the Mountain Span. Lumin also carries a set of waterfalls to the east of the massive cave.


Culture: Being mostly underground, Bastellosi people find themselves safe and far above in status than the surface dwellers. The entire kingdom is like a hive of underground tunnel systems linking to the main city where Luminhold rests. While many have housing that reaches to the surface, these are mostly farmers and herders as they found their livestock and plants could not flourish as well underground.


However, they do cultivate an ecosystem underground that inadvertently aids as a natural air filtration system. These are considered “gardens” and is a staple item in this underground society. Each establishment, whether it be a home or a business, is required to cultivate their own gardens with approved flora that is known to thrive well in their cavernous soils. Plots vary by the size of the property owned. It is known that Luminhold has the most wondrous garden in all of Bastellos.


Fashion and artistry are important to the society, almost as much as science. Their architecture expands upon the typical practical aesthetics as they built their structures within the cavern walls in open concepts. Insect wings are a common motif seen throughout their culture.


Being underground, they do not have to fully regard the concepts of fading or weather. Due to the nature of their chosen dwelling, they prefer to brighten the atmosphere with vibrant fabrics to offset their jewelry and metalwork. They are a very clean people and have bath houses and indoor plumbing.


Bastellos is a society filled with technological advancements for their era. Plumbing and irrigation are two major advancements allowing for a cleaner environment. Unfortunately where medicine is concerned, they are lacking. Being underground especially has its downsides in regards to health. And while they house some of the most intelligent minds, it is either due to lack of comprehension or resources that places them at the same level as the rest in Ellemar.


There is a hierarchy of caste in place dividing the people between levels of wealth, power, and importance. This places most of the wealthy within the capital with only a handful of Lords, Dukes, and other nobility scattered throughout their intricate system. The middle and upper classes outside of the main cavern preside in either other smaller caverns or within homes that reach the surface to provide fresh air and sunlight. The poor are often left in hovels and holes without proper lighting, or in shacks around villages. The lighter the skin, the more likely they are poor. However, the darker skinned are usually middle class as they are more likely to traverse the surface. Due to this, skin tone doesn't necessarily define social caste so much as fashion and adornments.


Their culture is very work oriented. Everyone has tasks set to them by their lineage, and titles are given based on merit. Any title given has to be petitioned to the queen and approved down to the smallest of positions. This was set hundreds of years ago to offset the rise of assassinations and is still met with mixed feelings.


Common work among Bastellosi citizens include: mining, metal work, agriculture, jewelrycrafting, ranchers, soldier.


Mining covers a substantial portion of middle class work as not only can it be specifically for uncovering precious metals and gemstones both common and rare, but it can be to carve new tunnels to expand the underground kingdom.


Religious Structure: Religion is a common practice among those in Bastillos. Churches are prevalent in many of their cluster cities and defines their moral system and overall outlook. They believe in one god as the creator of all life, and believe in a split afterlife of those who are good and those who are bad.


Geography: Being that the main city is within a giant cavern within the mountains, all other settlements are connected via tunnel systems both natural and man made. There are thousands of entrances and exits both through main tunnels and through farm homes and stair outlets. There are also tunnels specifically designed to either bring in light, fashioned with a system of mirrors, or to bring in air. The air is propelled by fans to which workers are assigned in shifts.


Pertinent History: Slavery has only been abolished for almost 200 years. Bastillos has suffered many civil wars due to poor living conditions which fortunately advanced their way of life considerably for all. Land wars were substantial and frequent as many believed the surface was ripe for the taking. This led to the advancement of their golden army that could now be considered a force to be reckoned with.


Bastillos land was once known as the Kingdom of Nimyr ruled by Mad King Thasos. His reign was notoriously violent, eventually causing a revolt that led to nearly the entire society being wiped from the lands. Many fled. Bastillos was founded by a queen long ago who felt the safest place to protect her people from a fabled tyrant was to build their society back but under the protection of the Bastillos, The Great Mountain. And thus Lumin was settled and thrived in secret for a decade as the queen built back her army from the ashes of former depravity.


The ruins of Nimyr still remain on the surface, but are ancient and overgrown with the dense surrounding wildlife.

CONFLICT

​

The Fallthane Massacre - formerly the second largest city in Bastillos, Fallthane fell under siege by an unknown force. Every citizen was found brutally murdered in their homes, but everything else was untouched. The tunnels leading into Fallthane have been caved in not only to respect the dead, but out of fear, for the reason and cause for the massacre is still unknown to this day.


Heirless – Queen Imeen has no heir for the throne as she has sired no children. While she was married for nearly a decade, any child she birthed was stillborn or miscarried. No one is sure if Imeen can have children, but it is feared. Many believe that without a Queen Bastillos will collapse.


The Assassination of Prince Jorad - formerly married to Queen Imeen, Jorad of [insert volunteered other kingdom here] was assassinated on his way through the Tunnels of Mornam Dun. The assassin is still at large, though believed to be one of their own. There are many speculations as to why someone would want to murder Jorad, but there are those that believe the real target was Imeen.


The Great Revolution - Long ago, the slaves and many of the middle class rose up against their masters and killed nearly all the rich and beheaded the former queen due to injustices. The queen's daughter, Imeen's great grandmother, secretly fronted the revolution in secret, promising the slaves and middle class that if she were queen she would give them a better life. Since then, her children have been taught to uphold the values and enforce it with a strong hand. It is felt that the rich are too few in number or too afraid to fight against what they aren't fond of, even to this day.

ARMY STATUS

​

The Bastillosi army is large and quite strong. They are very regimented and recruit from any caste as a means to show they are as one. Once within the ranks, they take a vow to remove their prejudices, and while there are still struggles with oppression, they are the largest body of Bastillosi that function and work together as a whole. Those within the army are held in high regard, though many of the rich feel it is muddied with the lower caste and fear their poor will weaken their best protectors.


The Bastillosi army is known to wear glistening colors of silver and gold.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Imeen Lorani

​

ROLE:| Queen

​

CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 28

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Imeen is a vision of beauty for her people, though in most public appearances her face is partially concealed. Her eyes are a deep, bright blue, and her skin like porcelain lightly dusted with flecks of a golden hue. Her dark brown hair is often unseen, but when without the confines of fabric it cascades down her back in a mess of waves.

BRIEF HISTORY: Imeen was the first and only daughter of Queen Salvette Lorani, arguably Bastillos's most favored queen since Queen Rosel; the one that spearheaded the revolution that changed Bastillos for the better. Imeen has felt the pressure from her people to live up to the standards her mother and great grandmother presented to the society, and due to this has been living under a grand shadow. Her mother reigned over Bastillos for decades until she died at age 54 leaving 17-year-old Imeen as the rightful heir. Her father serves as a general in the army. She has three brothers, all of which no longer preside within Lumin.


Her marriage was soon after her crowning per her father's advisement. It was not only to unite two kingdoms, but to provide another future queen so that Bastillos could carry on in their current state. The prince's death was met with many rumors, one of which was that Imeen herself hired the assassin to entice a war.

NAME:| Enestt Davroste

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ROLE:| General

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CLASS:| Knight

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AGE:| 56

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Enestt is a weathered man with an aging face lines with stress and concern. His once brown hair is now peppered and graying considerably as it falls to shoulder length in a thinning mess. His frame still carries the build of a fighter, though in his age he no longer carries the muscle tone or finesse as in his prime. It does not help that he has spent most of the past decade in Luminhold, stagnant in comparison to his former duties. He still carries himself stoic, strong, and composed, and to that many are unaware of just how far his aging has come.

BRIEF HISTORY: Enestt is the father of Queen Imeen. He was once the Earl of Astal, a natural cavern city known for having an open sky location prone to flooding and overgrowth. His betrothal to the late Queen Adra Lorani was not anticipated due to the man's residency within the less favorable locations. Adra would visit often, rather smitten with the Earl, and decided to marry him within a year of courtship. The kingdom found it odd, but non the less accepted it as it would continue the tradition of giving Bastillos a pure heir. He was happy to be accepted as their king. He fathered three sons and a daughter with her.


He, however, did not like being placed as King Regent upon Adra's death. Enestt only accepted as it was his wife's wish. As soon as their daughter was ready, he happily gave over the responsibilities. During his reign as King Regent, citizens of Bastillos reluctantly accepted him as it had been since their inception that they had not been under the rule of a man.


Enestt now serves as a general in the Bastillosi army and advises on the Royal Council.

NAME:| Laballa Sola

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ROLE:| Hand of the Queen

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 34

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Laballa is a singular woman of mysticism and grace. While blind, she carries herself just like one with sight, and is often said to be able to look through to one's soul. Her blond, curly hair is kept long, her head often adorned with fine metalwork and headdresses common among nobility.

BRIEF HISTORY: No one knows the origins of Laballa Sola, though few seem to question it openly. No one bears the name of Sola in Bastillos, and no noble has ever seen her before she was named the Hand of the Queen by Imeen. Due to the chilling nature of the woman and her placement beside the queen, most fear her.


But the fear is founded in more than just rumors and superstition. Laballa is known for her clairvoyance, which has had an eerie accuracy. She can see into a person's life and pluck out premonitions and predictions. Sometimes she can even see their fears and memories. It is likely why Imeen chose her as her Hand. They are always seen together for official matters.

NAME:| Allarith Moraus

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ROLE:| Captain

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CLASS:| Knight

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AGE:| 36

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: His chestnut brown hair falls to shoulder length in a bit of a mess adorned with signs of early aging in the form of streaks of grey. His face shows signs of constant concern or worry as the creases of his brow are far more prominent than the budding crows feet at his bright eyes. His lower lip sits at a natural pout despite the corners of his lips being slightly upturned. His nose is the most prominent feature as it sticks out from his profile far more than would be considered aesthetically pleasing to those in Lumin. His is built athletically and stands slightly taller than the average Bastillosi

BRIEF HISTORY: Allarith grew up in the secluded cavern village of Montgrove. There are only three major tunnels leading out from the cavern with the nearest settlement to them being three miles away. Due to this, trade routes never pass through the village, and it often went untouched until they discovered a gold mine. The village population has yet to exceed 60.


Allarith is the fifth child out of eight. His father was a minor and his mother the local healer. Growing up, he and the local children were tasked with replenishing the torches within the tunnels, all of which only went a mile out. It was another reason why many did not travel to Montgrove as there was just too much space where they would be left in darkness with only their own torch to light the way.


When the gold mine was discovered, it forced trade to open to Montgrove. Despite having a mine full of a precious metal, Montgrove was not given any protection against bandits and thrives. They became a prime bounty for miscreants and attracted the eye of a notorious gang known as the Serpent’s Coil.


Allarith is known for single handedly taking down the bandits. While the story may vary, and even carry into legend, it earned him a place as Captain of the Queen’s Guard. He now presides in Luminhold.

NAME:| Riven Lore

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ROLE:| Ward

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 17

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Riven carries the face of a woman yet to mature, and to this she often looks younger than she really is. Her dark hair flows just past her shoulders, and unlike many of her kin, her eyes are a deep brown hue. Full lips are almost constantly downturn. Her figure is fit and tone for a noblewoman.

BRIEF HISTORY: Riven came under the care of Queen Imeen just after the untimely death of her father; the former Captain of the Queen’s Guard. Imeen felt directly responsible for his death, as it was the assassination attempt that killed her late husband. She was close to her father, and thus chose to bring her in rather than to leave her with nothing.


Riven was the only child of Caspen and Liana Lore. Liana died during childbirth with their second child. The two were of the common folk, but worked hard to give Riven a happy life. Despite this, she had a tendency to rebel, often going out for days at a time to explore as she wishes to reject her future. This led to guilt in knowing she took her parents for granted.

NAME:| Ashiver

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ROLE:| Bounty Hunter

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CLASS:| Mercenary

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AGE:| 30

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Long, dark hair frames a pale complexion, her eyes a deep brown seeming to be the color of black. She often wears furs and dark leathers to bulk her silhouette. A jagged scar runs across her neck prominently.

BRIEF HISTORY: Ashiver is one of the few native Bastillosi who chooses to live soley on the surface. By law she is still required to have a stairwell on her lands that leads to the nearest settlement. For her, she is connected to the cavern settlement of Havre just eastward from Lumin. Her home, built by her own hands, rests on a mountain facing out towards Thornwild.


Not much is known of this woman other than her line of work. She is an expert hunter and tracker both on the surface and underground. Many Bastillosi have sought her out specifically due to her skills and success rate. She will take any bounty she deems worth her time and energy, and does so efficiently and to the employer’s parameters. It is rumored she carries with her a network of assets willing to work with her for a cut. But who those individuals are is just as mysterious as the sellsword without a surname.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

NAME: Isaac Dessai|| AGE: 26 || ROLE: Wanted || SOCIAL CLASS: Commoner
​

Wanted for the murder of King Jorad, Isaac has more than one bounty on his head, and all are fairly high in price. The bounty has put quite the strain on his life due to Jorad hailing from [insert volunteered kingdom here]. Too many know his face or his name, but how he became associated with the murder is a mystery to the man, for he has known no ties with folk considered unsavory.


The Dessais come from a long line of lower caste who never could find their break into better times. Isaac grew up in the Lumin lower levels where most of the light came from the light that refracted off of Luminhold. Like most in the lower levels, conditions were rough and often constantly moist causing a number of health issues. But they made the best of what they had, and to him, it was a good life.


Isaac is the eldest of three children and kept close to home when not working as a thatcher with his father. Those in the area know him well, and fondly so. He had been known to lend a helping hand where needed and without wanting reward. When he became the most wanted man in Bastillos, his family and his neighbors could only react in confusion. When could he have done such an act? How could this nice man kill our queen's hope for an heir? Though when questioned, it slowly became clear they did not always have an eye on Isaac Dassai. There were huge chunks of time no one could account for him. Not even his family know where Isaac ran off to. They always say they never questioned it, for he was a good man.


And now he is on the run.

PERSONALITY

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MAJOR STRENGTH: Compassionate

MAJOR WEAKNESS: Driven

Isaac follows the morals his mother instilled in him. He wears his heart on his sleeve, exposed and willing to expose it. To him, what does he have to hide, and why should he? Even in love, he has not been afraid to express it. Though, much to his dismay, he has been met with many rejections. To this, he finds comfort in life lessons. It's important to him to face reality and all that comes with it so he can grow as a person and learn to move on.


If he sees someone in need, he feels compelled to offer aid. He jokingly calls it a curse, as if he was hexed to be driven towards the down trodden wherever it may lead. Poverty is still an issue within Bastillos despite the upper caste feigning ignorance into the matter. His passion towards righting this wrong has been known to slip from his tongue. Why should those that carry and build the foundations of the kingdom go unnoticed? And perhaps it was his radical notions that got him into trouble. This never crossed the minds of his friends and neighbors as he never spoke ill of their queen, only the rich folk living close to Luminhold.

POLITICS

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Isaac is a supporter of his queen, and was an advocate of the merging of Bastillos with [insert volunteer kingdom here] to promote peace instead of war. He never was a fan of war or violence, and he was never a fan of the neutrality or blind eye the rich carried.

FINER DETAILS

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His smile is a bit lopsided, and his left pinky crooked due to a childhood injury that caused the finger to heal incorrectly.

MOUNT: He has no horse to his name.


WEAPON(s): A sword of the Queen's Army that used to belong to his grandfather.

APPEARANCE

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Dark hair and dark eyes offset his pale, angular complexion. His hair parts naturally just off to the side somewhat from a soft widow's peak, the locks falling just past the length of his chin. His nose carries the faintest hook past the bridge. His lips are thin and carry themselves almost always upward, even if faint. He has the build of an active man, thin, yet slightly tone due to the random assortments of odd jobs and work he performed before his self exile.

 

[Kencen]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

Kingdom Sheet
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Caeryth

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BASICS

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CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

The Emerald Fortress


King Canus Taeg


Western Grasslands

CREST

Emerald green and silver. Their symbols are a pickaxe, a helmet, an emerald and a fist.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

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Culture: While Caeryth Kingdom has long since been an absolute monarchy, traditionally one nobleman (typically a Count’s son or brother) and one elected commoner from each county serve on a senate and act as the king’s advisors. Personal freedom is highly valued in Caeryth; slavery is considered barbaric. Petty criminals are sent to work, generally in the abundant silver and gem mines throughout the Kingdom, the length of their term decided based on the severity of the crime. Murderers are either put to death or exiled, by choice of the victim’s family. Due to their heavy belief in freedom, purely political marriages are practically non-existent within Caeryth. Plural marriages are fairly common in Caeryth, especially among the nobility, though by law all parties already within the marriage must agree before a new partner is added.


Caerythans also value honesty and hard work, and nobody works harder than a Caerythan miner. As dangerous as it is, mining is one of the most popular professions in Caeryth, as the pay is excellent, as are the benefits. When a miner dies, his family continues to receive his salary until his children have reached adulthood or his widow has remarried. Soldiers receive the same benefits, though most of the miners are also soldiers.


Royal children are traditionally given names starting with the letter C. Male royals receive shorter names, always only one or two syllables, while female royals are given longer names with a minimum of three syllables. This pattern has become popular among the commoners and is seen as a good luck charm of sorts, so there is a disproportionate number of people with C names in Caeryth. Once popular among the nobility, they now actively avoid these names to set themselves apart from the commoners. Most commoners do not use surnames, but they are occasionally given, sometimes as a reward and sometimes as a simple nickname that gains traction. Formed from the ruins of an ancient empire, Caerythan names come from several different cultures and have blended together over time.


While the peasants will wear whatever they can find, often defaulting to simple brown fabrics and leather, the nobility and especially the royal family tend to wear tunics, some even wearing the archaic toga, one of the few holdovers from the times of the empire before it fell.


Religious Structure: While the church has a presence in Caeryth, it does not have any real power there. It is not uncommon for a priest to be elected as one of the commoner senators, and some noblemen have embraced the teachings of God as well, but they are not treated any differently than the other senators. Religion is accepted as fact and a part of life, but the citizens of Caeryth do not feel beholden to God.


Geography: Sprawling grasslands with the odd forest and hill. Three rivers run throughout the kingdom: the Caeryth River, the River Red, and the River of the Swans. The land is rich in natural resources, particularly silver and precious gems. Emeralds have become iconic of the Kingdom, though they are not really any more prominent than the other precious gems.


Pertinent History: Nearly a millennium in the past, the land that is now Caeryth was a highly aristocratic society under King Korrin, later Emperor Korrin, a brutal dictator. Korrin routinely raided the various tribes and villages throughout the land, plundering and enslaving them. He occasionally set his sights on his neighboring countries, and he managed to take over several small nations in his time, more than doubling the land he controlled in his lifetime. He earned the moniker ‘Korrin the Cruel’ when he had the royal family and the entire nobility of one of these small kingdoms executed. They were all beheaded, down to the last man, woman and child, their bodies thrown into a river, the heads mounted on spikes. That river once took its name from the country the executed men and women had belonged to, but as that name is now lost to history (Korrin strove to eradicate all records of the nations he conquered, to quell any future uprising) it is simply called the River Red. Eventually, Korrin spread his army too thin, and a group of slaves revolted. Simple miners who worked near an emerald vein and lived in a place simply called Emerald Fort, overthrew their masters, taking over the fort in one night. Led by a man called Caeryth, this small rebellion did not make it far. King Korrin crushed the rebels immediately, and had them all publicly executed. This is now considered to be his worst mistake; Caeryth and his companions became martyrs, their deaths igniting a nationwide rebellion. Five years and dozens of bloody battles later, Korrin was executed publicly, in the same location and even by the same executioner as Caeryth. A young man, originally a prince before Korrin conquered his homeland, had become the leader once the various rebel groups finally joined forces, and they made him king. They named the land after Caeryth, the First Revolutionary. Having once lived as a slave himself, the young king strove to instill values of freedom for all among the people. He built up Emerald Fort, the revolution’s birthplace, turning the simple mining town into a sprawling capital city with a massive stone fortress at its center.


The current king, King Canus, has led his people well for nearly forty years, ascending to the throne when he was only fourteen. He strove to uphold the ideals of the revolutionaries, keeping his land free. While the King’s ‘live and let live’ policies, including freely opening the borders, have bolstered the nation’s prosperity as a whole, a criminal element has risen in some of the border towns, often taking advantage of the impoverished immigrants who end up in those places. King Canus has never taken them seriously, but his sons Cid and Corvus have vastly different ideas on how to deal with them. Cid wants to tear apart the criminal organizations, expelling their members from the realm. Corvus, on the other hand, wants to take control of the criminals himself. Corvus believe their usefulness outweighs the need for punishment. This is only one of the brothers’ many quarrels, though it is one of the most pertinent at the moment.

CONFLICT

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Major -The two eldest sons of King Canus, Prince Cid and Prince Corvus, have clashed with each other. Cid is the oldest and by all rights the heir, but Corvus is exceedingly ambitious. Cid a skilled politician and diplomat, and Corvus with close ties to one, the two have gathered support and power for years, the general consensus among the court that a civil war is imminent.


Minor


-Criminal organizations have risen to power in some of the border towns.


-Cid, the heir, has yet to marry.


-Rumors have arisen that there is a royal bastard in Caeryth, but none of them have any guess as to who it is, what age they might be, or even which royal man produced such an heir.

ARMY STATUS

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The Silver Legion, named for the standard issue silver helmets they wear into battle, is a volunteer force. As many of the soldiers are miners during times of peace, the physical strength of this mid-sized fighting force should not be underestimated. The Knights of Caeryth are a small knight order dedicated to preserving the Caerythan way of life. Having sworn their loyalty to Caeryth rather than the royal family, the Knights are not obligated to serve in wars outside of Caeryth. Mainly a defensive force, the Knights will gladly lay down their lives in defense of Caeryth. While the Knights have a branch in every major city in Caeryth, their headquarters lies in the the Emerald Fortress itself. The Knights are currently led by Sir Talver Valenway.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| King Canus Taeg

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ROLE:| King

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 54

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Standing at just over 6’5”, King Canus is built like a mountain. He has not let his age slow him down, his body still in great physical condition. He keeps his straight, dark brown hair cropped short, generally styling the front to stick up a little, though the sides have recently gone gray. His bright green eyes, common throughout all of Caeryth, shine with an unquestioned intelligence. An old, jagged scar mars his otherwise handsome face, running from the left side of his chin to just past the left cheekbone.


King Canus wears the Emerald Crown, the symbol of the King of Caeryth. The crown, forged from pure silver, is encrusted with emeralds all around it. Canus generally wears a dark green toga over a tunic of the same color, emeralds sewn into them.




BRIEF HISTORY: Canus Taeg ascended to the throne when he was only fourteen, almost forty years ago. He was actually the second prince; his brother Callick became King when their father passed away, but King Callick died in battle before he had produced an heir. Canus has stuck to the Caerythan ideal, promoting freedom and equality. He has tried to keep the peace, never starting a war himself, though he has always been the first to send aid to his allies.


King Canus has vastly improved the infrastructure of his Kingdom during his reign; over a dozen new towns have been built, and many of the older towns have been built up into cities. Several of these new towns, located along Caeryth’s borders, were designated as safe havens and have large refugee populations.


Canus has two wives; his first wife, Marina, is a noblewoman and the sister of the Duke of Lorian, the northernmost Duchy of Caeryth. Lorian was once an independent state, but merged with its much larger neighbor after the royal wedding nearly thirty years ago. Marina is the mother of Cid, Corvus and Cassandra. His second wife, a foreigner, is the mother of Curic.


The opening in Thornwild has spurred King Canus to craft a shaky alliance between his two eldest sons, with plans for Corvus to become the King of Thornwild.

NAME:| Prince Corvus Taeg

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ROLE:| Second Prince

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 20

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: At exactly 6’5”, just a fraction of an inch shorter than his father, the Second Prince of Caeryth is in peak physical condition. Corvus takes after his father physically in many ways; the same bright green eyes, the same straight, dark brown hair, usually even styled the same way. While he has a few battle scars on his torso, and one on his left leg, none mar his handsome face.


Corvus often wears a dark green tunic and efficient, comfortable black pants. He vehemently opposes the practice of wearing togas, finding them both uncomfortable and inefficient, and simply will not attend events that require their wear. He nearly always carries his silver warpick at his side, and sometimes wears his silver plate armor during public appearances. He wears a silver circlet with a single emerald set in the center, the official mark of a prince of Caeryth.




BRIEF HISTORY: Prince Corvus has always looked up to his father and been jealous of his older brother. Initially Corvus had given up on ruling, fully throwing himself into study of the art of war. Considered by his teachers to be a strategic genius, Corvus first joined a real battlefield when he was sixteen, as a strategist. By age eighteen he had become a fully-fledged general in his own right, and is now one of the most popular and successful officers in the Silver Legion. He takes an aggressive yet tactical approach to battle, not afraid to power through with raw physical strength and power of will. He knows the Silver Legionnaires are tough as nails, and he can always count on them.


Corvus had begrudgingly accepted that Cid would become the next King, until Nathaniel Crover, the Senate Leader and brother of the Duke of Atherton, filled his head with other ideas. Atherton being the most influential Duchy in the western half of Caeryth, Corvus has gathered support from many of the other cities and towns of the west.


As he spent more and more time at Senator Crover’s estate, Corvus fell in love with Crover’s daughter Nina. Nina was enthralled with the charming prince and they were married on her sixteenth birthday.


Corvus has big ideas about how to make his country a better place, but many of them do not necessarily subscribe to the Caerythan ideology of representation and freedom.

NAME:| Prince Curic Taeg

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ROLE:| Third Prince

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 14

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: While he probably has not finished growing, Curic is the ‘runt’ of the family, at about 5’6”. While not necessarily short by Caerythan standards, Curic’s brothers and father tower over him. While he is not outrageously strong, his muscles are supple and he is in good shape, built more for speed and finesse than raw power. His hair is more of a light brown compared to the rest of his family, though he styles it about the same. His nose is slightly smaller and hooks down a little, though he does share the same bright green eyes of his father and brothers.


Curic wears a light green tunic with an undershirt the color of his mother’s land. He wears tight black pants, often with a rapier at his side. He likes to wear a green cape, matching his tunic, just because it looks cool. He wears hard boots and duelist’s gloves, both also green. He wears his Prince’s Circlet occasionally, but the things slides down sometimes, his head still a bit too small for it.




BRIEF HISTORY: Prince Curic has never had the ambition or willingness to rule that his brothers have. If anything, knowing he doesn’t have to bear that much responsibility is quite relieving. Comfortable in the wide shadows cast by his brothers, Curic has trained as a fencer. Curic has competed and even become the champion duelist of Caeryth, in his age bracket, and he hopes to compete in foreign lands soon.


Curic enjoys the performing arts, often inviting wandering bards and travelling theatre troupes to the Emerald Fortress. He has taken a great liking to Limmel the Bard, granting the young musician patronage and allowing him to live in the Fortress. Limmel is teaching him to play the flute, though he has not made much progress yet. The young prince seeks exotic music and stories, and he has shown interest in becoming a foreign ambassador.

NAME:| Sir Talver Valenway

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ROLE:| Knight-Commander

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CLASS:| Nobility

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AGE:| 22

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Knight-Commander Talver Valenway stands at 6’2” and has trained his body rigorously for his entire life. He keeps his sandy blonde hair very short, and his eyes are a dark green. A smattering of freckles adorn his chiseled face, accenting his tall nose and prominent chin. He is considered by some to be ‘ruggedly handsome’ if not classically so.


Talver Valenway wears a silvery tunic with the Knights of Caeryth’s crest, a silver helmet crossed by a pair of silver warpicks set on an emerald, emblazoned on his chest. Sir Valenway dons his silver full-plate armor when he goes into battle or during official Knights business. The armor is emblazoned with the same crest.




BRIEF HISTORY: Talver Valenway, the only son of a prominent aristocrat within the capital city, grew up leading a rich and easy life. Talver was laidback and lazy, simply coasting through his life, until he met Prince Cid when he was twelve. Cid, only a year older than him, already had big plans for the future of the Kingdom. Talver and Cid initially disliked each other, Cid believing Talver was some spoiled noble boy. Talver found Cid’s disdain abhorrent, and strove to better himself, in some strange way seeking approval from the young prince. He threw himself fully into physical training, ending his easy and lazy lifestyle.


After about a year, they met again, and Cid was very impressed. Talver had become a very refined, serious boy, and his physical prowess had begun to manifest itself. The boys became friends, eventually growing to be best friends. They shared their plans and aspirations, and found that they had many similarities. Talver wanted to preserve and protect the Caerythan way of life, Cid hoping to improve upon it. Talver joined the Knights, vowing to support Cid throughout his reign. He soared through the ranks, becoming the Knight-Commander of Caer, the highest ranking officer in the Order.


As the Knight-Commander, Talver strives to conserve the values and general way of life of Caeryth.

NAME:| Nathaniel Crover

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ROLE:| Senate Leader

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CLASS:| Nobility

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AGE:| 51

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Nathaniel Crover is a short nobleman, at about 5’5”. His once golden blond, wavy hair has shifted to a thin gray- a very refined gray, according to him. Nathaniel is a portly man, and he is not particularly strong or fast. His eyes are hazel, quite common in Atherton Duchy.


Senator Crover tends to wear simple yet stylish clothing, often wearing green togas. He wears the Senate amulet, bearing the emerald fist of the Senate.




BRIEF HISTORY: Nathaniel Crover grew up as the second son of the Duke of Atherton, one of the two largest Duchies in the entire Kingdom. With no chance at taking the Duchy for himself, his brother Neth a very popular and strong figure, Nathaniel grew into his role as a second in command. He has continued this role even after becoming the Senate Leader; he is considered by many to be the right hand of both King Canus and Prince Corvus. He enjoys having a modest amount of power without nearly as much responsibility as the true leaders, but he sometimes wonders what might have been. Seeing Corvus in a similar situation and sharing many of the young prince’s views, Senator Crover has decided to support the Prince’s bid for the throne. Seeing him as a kindred spirit, he is the young prince’s most vocal supporter.


He was elated, if not particularly surprised, when Prince Corvus asked him for his daughter’s hand in marriage, and he agreed immediately. The wedding was a grand event, lords and ladies from all their allied nations in attendance. Nina and Corvus are the light of his world, and he will do anything to give them the throne- be it that of Caeryth or that of Thornwild.

NAME:| Nina Crover-Taeg

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ROLE:| Royal Jeweler, Wife of Prince Corvus

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CLASS:| Nobility, Royal by Marriage

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AGE:| 17

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Standing at 5’4” Nina is slightly shorter than the average Caerythan woman. Her thin eyes are a bright blue and her thick golden hair cascades down her shoulders, often formed into one long braid. Her eyes are hazel with flecks of dark green. She has full, pink lips and a button nose.


Nina, trained as a jeweler, has a great appreciation of Caeryth’s famous gemstones. She wears amulets, earrings, bracelets, sometimes even weaving these precious stones into her hair. While she prefers the emerald, she enjoys sapphires as well, usually having multiple small sapphires highlighting an emerald centerpiece. Nina only wears jewelry of her own design, often setting the stones herself.




BRIEF HISTORY: As the niece of the Duke of Atherton, Nina was raised well. She was only a child when her father was sent to the capital as a senator, replacing her uncle who had become the Duke. In the capital Nina fit in well with the other noble girls, quickly becoming friends with almost everyone. While she and Princess Cassandra have vastly different political views, they are now the best of friends, and were overjoyed at the joining of their families.


At age twelve, Nina took a great interest in jewelry and gemstones, and asked to be trained as a jeweler. Her father readily agreed, glad that his daughter was interested in taking on a trade. The royal jeweler, an old man called Stiver, trained Nina for about four years, teaching the young girl everything he had learned in his long life. A few months after her wedding to Prince Corvus, Stiver passed away peacefully in his sleep, leaving Nina to take on the role of royal jeweler herself. She has hired several more experienced jewelers to aid her and to continue her education.


Nina absolutely adores her husband, and she gets along very well with both Prince Curic and King Canus. She vehemently opposes Prince Cid, seeing him as the only real obstacle in Corvus’s ascension to the throne.

NAME:| Princess Cassandra Taeg

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Royal

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AGE:| 18

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Tall for a Caerythan woman, Princess Cassandra is nearly 5’10”. She keeps her dark brown hair long and straight, styling it on only the most ceremonial occasions, the most recent of which being the wedding of her brother Corvus over a year ago. She shares the same bright green sheen in her eyes that her father and brothers have. Considered by most to be beautiful, the princess is pretty and voluptuous.


Cassandra wears simple green, blue and silver colored dresses most of the time, though she does not mind wearing fancy dresses at formal events. She does like precious stones, often wearing a necklace or a bracelet, but she does not like to go over the top with her jewelery like Nina does.




BRIEF HISTORY: The third child and only daughter of King Canus, Cassandra grew up spoiled and arrogant. She tended to throw her weight around, often lording over the other noble girls as their leader. It wasn’t until she was a young teenager that the other girls, fed up with her arrogance, had finally had enough. They simply stopped going to her events, not even bothering to offer a flimsy excuse. They would not invite her to anything either, and simply ignored her if she ever tried to talk to them. After a few months of this ostracization she went crying to her father, who sent her on to Cid. Cid, only seventeen himself at the time, was apprehensive, but decided to speak to the other girls on Cassandra’s behalf. He managed to convince them to give her another chance, promising that he would help her work on her domineering personality.


Cid had a long talk with his sister, to help her understand just why they had cut her off, and the changes she had to make to herself to prevent it from happening again. In the wake of the incident she has become kind to those around her, though her domineering personality still comes out a little bit. Nina Crover has become her closest friend, the two sharing all of their secrets.


Cassandra finds Prince Corvus’s radical ideas to be too extreme, but she does believe the Kingdom needs big changes heading into the future. Having always gotten along better with Cid anyway, she is one of his greatest supporters.

NAME:| Atton

​

ROLE:| Messenger, Spy

​

CLASS:| Commoner

​

AGE:| 22

​

A short and generally unassuming man, Atton is lithe and lean. He often puts his dark brown hair in a ponytail fully displaying his gaunt face. His droopy eyes are a bright green and his two front teeth are both chipped.


Atton wears typical brown peasant clothes most of the time, to blend in among the servants and townsfolk. When delivering official messages, Atton wears a more refined dark green vest on top of a long-sleeved white shirt, with dark green pants. He owns all manner of disguises, so he can blend in with almost any situation.




BRIEF HISTORY: Born of rather unsure circumstances to an unmarried cook in the Emerald Fortress, Atton displayed a fierce intellect and a sharp wit at a young age. Growing up among the servants and peasants, Atton has a good understanding of what really keeps a Kingdom running. While the King and his nobles may be the head, the peasants are the backbone. Atton has ingratiated himself with the rest of the castle servants and many local peasants, and many of them see him as a leader.


A kitchen boy for most of his life, Atton was trained as a messenger after a nobleman saw his skill in riding- he had asked the stable master to teach him to ride, and he practiced whenever he could. King Canus eventually decided to train the boy as a spy, a role he grew into quite easily. Cid hired him to spy on Corvus and Corvus hired him to spy on Cid. He gives each brother mostly false or irrelevant information with bits of accurate information thrown in sometimes. He is like a double agent, but he’s really only working for himself. He plans to choose a side, eventually, once he knows which brother has the better chance of actually winning their conflict. Atton cares little for politics - in fact, he cares only for himself. He is playing both sides in the brothers’ quarrel, each brother convinced he is working for them and only them.

NAME:| Limmel

​

ROLE:| Court Bard

​

CLASS:| Commoner

​

AGE:| 24

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Limmel is a short, wiry man, standing at about 5’4”. A mess of light brown, wavy hair falls just past his ears. His brown eyes are almond shaped, the bridge of his wide nose starting between them. While it is common to keep yourself clean shaven in Caeryth, Limmel maintains a short beard. The only time the jovial man ever stops smiling is when he is sleeping.


Limmel wears travelling clothes, even though he has stayed in the Emerald Fortress for a few months. He wears a silver colored tunic under a set of light leather armor, often wearing a dark green mantle above it. He usually keeps his lute strung up on his back whenever he is not playing it.




BRIEF HISTORY: A commoner from a rural village in the south of Caeryth, Limmel knew from a young age that he was never fit for a sedentary farmer’s life. The very idea of staying in his village his whole life, marrying some farmer’s daughter, and planting and picking crops year after year made him feel nauseous. He wanted to explore! Experience the world! One day, at age twenty two, Limmel simply had had enough. He grabbed his lute and his flute, and wandered off.


After a year or so of wandering Limmel found himself in Caer, the capital city. He had heard rumors of Prince Curic’s fine tastes in music, so he auditioned to perform for the young prince. Curic found Limmel’s music to be wondrous and his swagger to be interesting, and invited the whimsical man to stay in the Emerald Fortress. Figuring he could save up a bit of money before he continued on his journey, Limmel agreed. He now plays for guests and at feasts, or just because Curic asks him to, and has done so for about a year. He gets along very well with the young prince, and has decided to stay with him for the foreseeable future.

NAME:| Duke Neth Crover

​

ROLE:| Duke of Atherton, Commander-in-Chief of the Silver Legion

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 56

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Contrary to his brother’s small stature, Duke Neth is a tall man, nearly six feet tall. When his hair began to go gray, he decided to just get rid of it all; he now keeps himself totally bald and clean shaven. A fierce warrior in his younger days, his hazel eyes still hold the same intensity of his youth. He is in good shape for a man his age, though his body lacks the definition it once had.


The Duke, a General of the Silver Legion, still wears full plate armor and the silver helmet of the Legion at official functions. He wears a silver tunic at other times, usually with loose-fitting black or green pants.




BRIEF HISTORY: Duke Neth of Atherton was an officer of the Silver Legion while his father was still the Duke, becoming a General by age twenty-five. A decorated war hero, Neth is one of the most popular figures in Caeryth, his exploits practically legendary in his home Duchy of Atherton. Now the Commander-in-Chief of the Silver Legion, Duke Neth is the highest ranking officer in the entire army.


Neth has a great respect for Prince Corvus, and between Corvus and himself, they have the support of nearly the entire Silver Legion. Like his brother, Neth fully supports Corvus in his bid for the throne, ready and willing to fight for it should the need arise.

NAME:| Queen Marina Lorianis-Taeg

​

ROLE:| Queen of Caeryth, Former Princess of Lorian

​

CLASS:| Royal

​

AGE:| 45

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Still a refined woman, Queen Marina styles her thick black hair, a feature very common to those from Lorian or with Lorian ancestry, in a new way almost every week, following the fashion trends of Caeryth and its neighbors religiously. Her eyes are a darker green than her husband’s. While her age has crept into her face a bit, that she was once a very beautiful woman is still blatantly obvious. Her dainty nose turns up just a bit at the tip.


Queen Marina wears flamboyant and fancy clothes practically at all times. Even her pajamas are sewn from the finest silk available in Caeryth. Her daughter Cassandra and her daughter-in-law Nina have helped her amass a fantastic jewelry collection, and she wears no less than four different pieces at all times.




BRIEF HISTORY: Born as the princess of Lorian, a petty-kingdom just to the north of the sprawling Kingdom of Caeryth, Marina is used to a life of luxury. Relations between Lorian and Caeryth were amiable, and there was always talk of the Kingdoms merging. Lorian’s crops failed one year, and their economy tanked. When King Canus came to Lorian personally to offer aid Marina, eighteen at the time, fell in love with the strong, handsome King. About a year later they were wed, and the two Kingdoms became one, Lorian becoming a Duchy of Caeryth.


Her brother Markus was the King at the time, later the Duke, and he was grateful to King Canus. It was a mostly seamless integration, with very few dissenters. With food brought in from Caeryth their economy quickly got back on its feet, and Lorian is now one of the most profitable Duchies of Caeryth.


Queen Marina had three children with her new husband but, try as they might, they could not have a fourth. Eventually they decided to look for another wife, who is now the mother of Curic.


Marina is more interested in protecting the lives of her citizens and improving Caeryth’s economic prowess than anything else. Like her husband, she hates seeing her sons fighting each other and is trying to broker peace between them.

NAME:| Duke Marick Lorianis

​

ROLE:| Duke of Lorian, Royal Treasurer, Owner of Lorian Trading Company

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 22

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Standing at 5’9”, Marick is a very thin man. He slicks back his long, thick black hair and his eyes are a dark green. He has a wide forehead and a prominent jawline, both very common among Lorian males.


Marick wears a blue toga, a holdover from when Lorian was independent, along with a silver crown fitted with small sapphires. Whenever he is on the road he dresses for comfort and function, usually wearing leather armor.




BRIEF HISTORY: Marick Lorianis became the Duke at age 18, when his father passed away. Marick feels overwhelmed if he stays in any one place for too long, frequently travelling. He enjoys life on the open road, sleeping under the stars. As he is the Queen’s nephew, he often travels back and forth between Lorian and Caer.


When he was sixteen Marick started a merchant company, and has continued to run it since, making a massive profit. Considered a financial genius by some, the young Duke quickly became the Royal Treasurer, in charge of brokering Caeryth’s trade agreements both internal and external.


Duke Marick hopes to continue to improve Lorian and Caeryth as a whole, and he feels his cousin Cid has the right idea.

​

NAME:| Nero Crover

​

ROLE:| Heir of Atherton, Vice-General of the Silver Legion

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 27

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Nero is built very similar to his father, Neth Crover, standing just under six feet and built like a mountain just as Neth was in his youth. Not yet willing to totally shave his blonde hair, he keeps it cropped short. Nero has wide, hazel-colored eyes, as most who hail from Atherton do.


Like his father, Nero wears a silver tunic bearing the Silver Legion crest. He does wear full plate armor in battle, along with the silver helmet.




BRIEF HISTORY: Nero idolizes his father, the stories of the war hero’s youth filling him with pride. Naturally he always wanted to be just like his father, and took to martial training like a fish to water. He doesn’t necessarily have the most tactical mind, often preferring to simply crush his enemies with brute force. He is willing to listen to the real tacticians though, so he has done well throughout his military career.


Nero is a strong, loyal soldier and ready to join Corvus at a moment’s notice. He gets along well with Corvus, and has never even attempted to mask his disdain for Cid. He currently serves under his father alongside Randall Avers, whom he actively dislikes.

​

NAME:| Nadia Crover

​

ROLE:| Lieutenant of the Silver Legion, Tactician

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 24

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Standing at 5’7, Nadia keeps her golden blonde hair long, often in one long braid, a common style in Atherton. While she hates to admit it, she does enjoy wearing regal gowns and fancy dresses, though she does not share her cousin Nina’s interest in jewelry. She has hazel eyes, slightly wider than the average just like her brother’s. Nadia wears a silver tunic like her father and brother, emblazoned with the Silver Legion crest.

BRIEF HISTORY: Nadia was always very close to her older brother, Nero. While he was physically strong, Nadia quickly developed a silver tongue and a sharp mind. Initially serving as something of an advisor to Nero, Nadia eventually joined Atherton’s famous military academy, becoming the first female graduate in over a century and an officer of the Silver Legion. She is now Nero’s tactician and considered by many, including Nero himself, to be the key to his success.

​

NAME:| Nico Crover

​

ROLE:| Diplomat

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 18

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: While Nico is tall like his father and brother, he is more lean than muscular and is not particularly strong. He loves his blonde hair, often styling it straight behind his ears. His wide hazel eyes are identical to those of his siblings. While his brother has a hardened, tough face, Nico is classically handsome and considered a heartthrob among the young ladies of the court.


Nico is very interested in high fashion, constantly on the alert for new styles from all around Ellemar. Due to this he actually gets along surprisingly well with Queen Marina and his cousin Nina, and he has recently moved to the capital to seek a bride.




BRIEF HISTORY: While Nico oozes confidence in conversation and negotiations, he cringes at the sight of blood. This was made apparent early in life, so he never tried to become a soldier like his siblings did. Still hoping to contribute in some way, he has studied a great deal and learned the ways of diplomacy. He presents himself as a charming young nobleman and fits in very well at the courts. Contrary to the rest of his family, he is much more neutral and hopes to end the conflict between the Princes without bloodshed. When the throne of Thornwild suddenly opened up, Nico was the first to suggest the brothers’ alliance, though he allowed King Canus to take credit for the idea.

​

NAME:| Randall Avers

​

ROLE:| Vice-General

​

CLASS:| Nobility

​

AGE:| 43

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Standing at 5’10”, Randall is quite tall, even for a Caerythan. As a nobleman of Atherton, his hair is a golden blonde. He keeps it cropped short and meticulously dyes the gray hairs that have crept in, to keep his youthful appearance. His face is marred by an old scar, but otherwise his body is undamaged. He wears his dress uniform to most social events, only donning the plate armor of the Silver Legion on the most serious of occasions.

BRIEF HISTORY: As the first son of the Avers family, a prominent noble family in Atherton, Randall has always felt that he could have whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. As most noble boys do, Randall went to Atherton’s military academy and became an officer in the Silver Legion. While he actually turned out to be a fairly decent commander, his laziness and selfishness have made his rise through the ranks a very slow one indeed.


When he was just a captain, he was caught forcing himself on a commoner girl by Kaervek, a young soldier himself at the time. Before he could even offer to buy the man’s silence Kaervek attacked, and Randall still bears the long scar across his face. Randall managed to beat the man down, and ultimately had him court-martialed. Through a combination of bribery and threat he managed to get the commoner girl to take his side and condemn Kaervek as the rapist and an insubordinate soldier. He has not thought about this occurrence in years, and he never felt particularly bad about it. Now a Vice-General of the Silver Legion, Randall serves directly under Duke Neth Crover, the Commander-in-Chief of the Legion. Randall has great ambitions, and hopes to somehow seize the throne of Thornwild for himself.

MAIN CHARACTER

​

HISTORY

NAME: Prince Cid Taeg|| AGE: 23 || ROLE: First Prince || SOCIAL CLASS: Royalty
​

Prince Cid Taeg, heir to the throne of Caeryth, has been tutored in several subjects since a very young age. While initially he resented the daily lessons, he quickly grew to enjoy learning. He can now speak several languages with near-fluency and is proficient in the use of several different weapons, being especially gifted in the art of the spear.


Cid aims to make Caeryth more prominent in the international community, as his father has only focused on improving Caeryth’s infrastructure. Hoping to do so primarily through diplomacy, Cid has been preparing to make a great debut, and strengthen Caeryth’s ties to the other nations. His plans have been thrown for a loop, of course, by the impending opening in Thornwild. At the urging of their father Cid has formed a fragile alliance with his brother Corvus, the two agreeing to try to set up Corvus as the next king of Thornwild.

PERSONALITY

​

MAJOR STRENGTH: Cid is charismatic and has a strong political acumen.

MAJOR WEAKNESS: Stubborn

Cid hopes to uphold his interpretation of the Caerythan way, valuing freedom and equality above all else. While he highly prefers diplomacy over violence when dealing with foreign powers, he is willing to fight to eradicate injustices within his own lands. He is a strong warrior, but lacks the prowess of a true military commander, so he often fights at the side of his friend Sir Talver or, in extreme circumstances, his brother Corvus. Cid also highly values law and order, striving to lead by example. This is also why he fights in battles personally; Cid feels he could not ask his people to die for their country if he is not willing to fight for it himself. Cid can be quite stubborn, often unwilling to compromise. An example would be his continued use of the warpick in battle, when he is actually more skilled with the spear.

POLITICS

​

Cid hopes to make Caeryth a stronger nation, and strengthen ties with their allies and neighbors. He wants to fortify their border cities and eradicate the criminal elements that fester them. His plans center more around diplomacy than the brute force preferred by his brother.

FINER DETAILS

​

-Cid is honest to a fault, always doing his best to keep his word.


-While he always has his country’s interests on his mind, Cid simply loves the thrill of a high-stakes negotiation, revelling in diplomatic events and politics.


-Cid has exceptionally high standards when it comes to his taste in women, and has found all of the noble girls of Caeryth to be annoying and spoiled, at best.


-He generally gets along better with commoners and soldiers than nobles, who he usually finds to be haughty and self-important.

MOUNT: Cid rides a brown stallion named Arrow.


WEAPON(s): Warpick, Spear

APPEARANCE

​

Prince Cid Taeg keeps his dark brown hair trimmed very short, proudly displaying his wide, Lorian forehead that matches his prominent jaw line. Like the rest of his family, his eyes are a bright green, and a gleam of intelligence shines through them at all times. He shaves off his facial hair almost every day, only allowing it to grow out if he is in the field for an extended period of time. With a similar face to that of his maternal grandfather, Cid more closely resembles the classic image of a Lorian nobleman than a Caerythan, but his hair and eyes are still lighter than a typical Lorian’s.


Cid wears an emerald-colored toga at official events, but it is well known throughout the Emerald Fortress that he finds the things uncomfortable and annoying, one of the few things he and his brother Corvus have ever actually agreed on. He has sworn that his first order of business when he takes the throne would be to abolish them.

 

[Bone2pick]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

Kingdom Sheet
​

Mármor

​

BASICS

​

CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Prata Lago Palace


Marquez Deodato


Southwestern Shore

​

Details/Colors/Symbols of Crest

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

​

Four lakes surround the Prato Lago Palace; they shine like mirrors under the moonlight. In the rear (Eastern) yard an elaborate hedge maze spreads seemingly forever. And the southern yard carries the sweet wind that blows across the Cherry Orchard. All the while mounted Picarón teams ceaselessly patrol the area with sniffing water hounds.


Inside the palace one could marvel at its Bracaran architecture, watch a play in its gothic theater, or dance the night away in its lavish ballroom. But the walls of the palace hold secrets. Hidden rooms and passages are tucked everywhere. And the Picaróns watch your every step.


Note: The Prata Lago was built to be a beacon of beauty and mystery, not to withstand a proper castle siege.


Culture: Much has changed in the day to day lives for the folk of Mármor over the last nineteen years; thankfully nearly all of the changes have been an improvement. During this period the mercantile class exploded from sixteen percent of the population to just under forty percent. The economic growth was largely a result of policy shifts that Marquez Deodato implemented after he replaced his father.


The spirits of the people, unsurprisingly, lifted in step with the economy. Today's Mármorns are generally agreeable, optimistic, plucky, and family oriented.


Outsiders soon discover that the pleasantries and affection that Mármorns default to for each other doesn't extend to them. This is the result of a strong cultural preference to marry (as well as form any long-term relationships) within their own nationality and ethnicity. In some ways the tribalism has protected Mármor, but it's arguable that it has kept the nation in a relative stasis.


• Government = Promotes social and economic freedom. The current Marquez champions the political philosophy that the purpose of his authority is to secure the Mármorns from threats, promote the international interests of the country, and to arbitrate major conflicts between its citizens.


Religious Structure: When the Church sided against Mármor's independence, the people lost their willingness to support its traditional organization. Wealthy clergymen fled back to their mother country while lavish cathedrals of worship were converted to private, secular, universities. But the spirituality of Mármorns wasn't crushed, it just required transformation.


And so came the friars. Humble servants of the faith from working stock rather than the upper classes—friars currently teach children reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as religious scripture. Their cheap services are a blessing to both the poor and the frugal. Even wealthy merchants and nobles employ friars for funerals, weddings, and counseling. In Mármor, faith and moral guidance is now accessible to those who need it most.


Geography: Sprawling rocky shores break the cool western sea, while further inland rolling hills are capped with temperate forests. A small slice of land compared to the other nations, but it's Mediterranean-esque climate is very enviable.


Note: This nation was largely inspired by Portugal. The two countries should be considered similar in regards to climate & geography.


Pertinent History: It was founded to be a foothold on the continent of Ellemar. The Emperor of the distant nation Bracara, like all the ones before him, was addicted to expanding his borders. And so through great treasury spending and an enormous migration of people, the colony of Mármor was born.


Initially the colonists were content. They discovered unclaimed resources and enjoyed the distance between the capital and themselves. But after a few decades and two changes under the crown, a new Emperor clamped down on the relatively free colonists. This was unacceptable to Severina Belmonte, Countess of Mármor and acting governor of the territory.


Knowing full well that it would result in civil war, Severina refused to comply with the tyrannical demands of the Emperor. Bracara had all of the tactical advantages: a larger army, a legitimate navy, and more resources to burn through, but the Countess had the fiery will of the people behind her.


Tragically Severina was slain in battle before ever witnessing her nation win its independence. But her sixteen year old son, Ricardo Belmonte, continued to fight for his homeland and to honor his late mother. As improbable as a sling's stone felling a giant, Mármor repelled Bracara. After a hard won victory, Ricardo, Count of Mármor—along with the encouragement of most of the nobles—took the royal title of Marquez.


Note: To date there have been three Marquezes of Mármor, they are as follows:


• Marquez Ricardo (ruled for 34yrs), Marquez Almir (29yrs), Marquez Deodato (current)

CONFLICT

​

Major Conflict: The biggest regret Marquez Deodato still carries is not having the grit to turn Elias away when he had the chance. Seven years ago the University Master at Bruxa Pena vouched for the Marquez to accept a political exile from Bracara. Deodato, out of respect for the esteemed University Master, agreed to grant an audience to the exile.


The exile's name was Elias Machado. In his own words, he was forced out of his homeland by a vindictive and intolerant Emperor. Elias even compared his consequence to Mármor's righteous war for independence. All of the right words spilled off the exile's lips, but Deodato was a shrewd judge of character. He suspected Elias was hiding another side of himself. There was even a moment during the audience when Deodato thought Bracara might have been wise to expel the charlatan.


But while his inner alarm bells rang, they were merely intuition. There was no one at the audience speaking against Elias; on the contrary, an accomplished citizen spoke in his favor. Against his better judgement Marquez Deodato permitted Elias to settle in Mármor—so long as he swore to put his revolutionary days behind him.


Elias laid low for over a year. During that time he learned the lay of land, the important political figures, and the vulnerabilities of Marquez Deodato. Then he started to play his hand. He befriended the students at Bruxa Pena University. He preached about his persecution by the Emperor of Bracara, he boasted about his exile—for he was a champion of the people—and he romanticized the idea of revolution...


Now Marquez Deodato has a snake in the garden. And as tempting as it is to cut it down, doing so may only invite more. But rest assured, the Marquez will address the problem sooner rather than later.


Minor Conflict: One of the Marquez's Knights, Sir Crasto, has been rumored to be undertaking a ferocious witch-hunt inside his township. If the rumors are true, then Deadoto will be forced to strip Crasto of his title. That might require a delicate approach, considering a Knight of Mármor has never lost his title for dishonorable conduct. Sir Crasto has many friends, several of whom are other Knights. Who will they side with if Marquez Deodato decides to move against one of their own?

ARMY STATUS

​

The military of Mármor is best viewed as divided into three distinct components. The largest wing, the Royal Brigada, is composed of fourteen Knights (one for every township) who each command their own reserve militias. The militia companies typically enlist anywhere between 75-200 men. One senior Knight, Sir Octavio Castel, trains and maintains 200+ light cavalry. Sir Octavio also holds the rank of Comandante, making him second in command only to the Marquez himself.


The second military wing, the Picaróns, are the nation's most unique fighting force. They are the personal security detail for Marquez Deodato as well as the exclusive guard of the Prata Lago Palace. In modern American terms: think of them as a swashbuckling Secret Service. They stalk the Palace grounds cloaked in drab leather and soft boots. On their hips, rather than the standard issue broadswords of the Royal Brigada, the Picaróns sheath rapiers. And in their breast pockets they hide daggers. Quick and quiet blades for quick and quiet killers.


Note: The Picaróns were originally founded as a clandestine mercenary guild but were persuaded into permanent service of Mármor by Marquez Deodato.


The third military wing, the Costa Corps, are the naval force of Mármor. Considering the extensive coastline that they are responsible for, the Corps is shockingly small, with only half a dozen vessels in their service. The Marquez has been fortunate that the waters near his country have been peaceful for decades; the low threat level has allowed him to keep a tight naval budget. What the Corps lack in manpower they makeup for in pride and efficiency. The seafaring soldiers are steeped in ceremony and patriotism, and are generally revered by the citizenry.


• Military Weaknesses = Tiny Navy, mostly reserve Army


• Military Strengths = Expertly trained Palace/Body Guards

MAJOR PLAYERS

​

NAME:| Vincente Mancellos

​

ROLE:| Majordomo

​

CLASS:| Patrician

​

AGE:| 47

​

[/row]




BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Shoulder length hair, well groomed mustache & beard, silver sash slung over a black silk shirt or gold slash slung over a navy shirt.





BRIEF HISTORY: He was the first hire of Marquez Deodato. The two have been friends since they met as wide-eyed youths during a late night party at the Prata Lago Palace. There is no man or woman, outside of his own daughter, that the Marquez trusts more.

NAME:| Heidor Baretto



​

ROLE:| Capitano of the Picaróns

​

CLASS:| Soldier



​

AGE:| 34

​

[/row]


BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Short matted hair, wiry mustache, strong and compact build like a bull terrier, protected by layers of acorn red leather armor.





BRIEF HISTORY: He is the third Capitno to command the Picaróns. The first retired as a legend and the second was slain during a duel with a former Picarón. This left the infamous mercenary guild without a leader; so Heidor acted as necessary and battled his way (literally) into his position. He will only hold his rank for as long as he's strong enough to defend it.

NAME:| Neves Del Lima

​

ROLE:| Godmother

​

CLASS:| Patrician

​

AGE:| 31

​

[/row]


BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Chocolate wavy hair with a tendency to roll over her left shoulder, high cheeks, and a full round nose over plump lips. She carries herself with a quiet pride.





BRIEF HISTORY: Eldest daughter of the most successful sheep farmer and wool producer in the country, Neves grew up wanting little. As a teen she befriended a radiant young woman, Maristela, who went on to become the Marqueza after marrying Deodato. After Maristela's unexpected death she did her best to serve as a mother figure for Lady Fabia. She visits the palace often.

NAME:| Sir Octavio Castel

​

ROLE:| Knight of Mármor

​

CLASS:| Noble

​

AGE:| 38

​

[/row]


BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Balding hair, jutting sideburns, muscled like a blacksmith, and a chain mail shirt with a medallion of the crest of Mármor laying over his heart.





BRIEF HISTORY: He was only twenty when he earned his Knighthood, the youngest man to ever receive the honor. It might as well have been written in the stars. Octavio was always driven as if on a crusade. Anyone who opposed him, whether in business, horsemanship, or combat, was wrestled into submission. Thankfully Octavio has always been tempered by his traditional code of honor, or he might have grown into quite a formidable foe for the Marquez.

NAME:| Sir Angelo Bastos

​

ROLE:| Knight of Mármor

​

CLASS:| Noble

​

AGE:| 24

​

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Ruddy brown skin, large copper eyes, closely cropped hair, ornate steel breastplate, single offhand gauntlet, custom broadsword. Rides a pale warhorse.





BRIEF HISTORY: With less than two years of Knighthood under his belt Sir Angelo has hit the ground running. And it's a good thing he has, because his territory faces a unique set of hardships. His township—Vale Rio—is located just south of the Mármorn / Telra border. It's essentially the gateway between the two nations.


Where his predecessor was passive against the cruel northern raiders, Sir Angelo is active. He patrols deep, with 20-40 militia men at a time, looking for "barbarians" to cross blades with. And the young Knight keeps Vale Rio on a sundown curfew: Doors are barred, watchmen are posted, and fires burn throughout the night.


Note: The township of Vale Rio has mostly stone cottages topped with thatch roofs. The roads are slightly muddy (because of its northern location) and smattered with cobblestone. There are several large potato farms there (much of the country's potatoes come from the region), as well as creeks full of trout, apple orchards, and short fat barns that (because of pillagers) are almost always chained shut.

NAME:| Brás D'Cruz



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ROLE:| Ambassador to Cain'Loren

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CLASS:| Fidalgo

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AGE:| 35

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Notably more fair complexioned than most of his ethnicity, sharp features, black feathered hair, jutting sideburns, cleanly shaven, with bright fast eyes.





BRIEF HISTORY: The older brother of the late Marqueza Maristela was a late bloomer. His wit, beautiful features, and passion for life were as much a distraction as they were a blessing. During his prolonged youth he viewed genuine responsibility as a disease he hoped not to catch. It wasn't until the tragic death of his sister when he was forced to enter the world of men.


Not long after her passing Marquez Deodato asked Brás to be his ambassador in the northern kingdom of Cain'Loren. Whether or not the mere presence of his late wife's brother was too painful to keep close, or whether the Marquez believed that Brás needed to leave the comforts he'd grown up around in order to mature, Brás would never know. But out of respect for his monarch he accepted the position.


Today Fidalgo Brás D'Cruz overseas most of the trade going north and south out of the Mármorn guilds, and he's accumulating a small fortune all the while. He's learned much about the people of Cain'Loren over the last six years too. One day he hopes to reunite with his brother-in-law, but until then he's content to thrive in his new home away from home

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY


NAME: Deodato Belmonte || AGE: 43 || ROLE: Marquez || SOCIAL CLASS: Monarch
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• Changing of the Guard


After decades of spreading corruption under the rule of Marquez Almir, Deodato's father, the standing army of Mármor was beyond saving. So the first order of national interest when young Deodato inherited the throne—an action that still stands as his most dangerous play as a monarch—was to dismantle all of the country's official soldiers. He released them slowly, like sand through an hourglass, in order to not spark a military coup. While at the same time he lured in a local mercenary guild (the Picaróns) to serve as the Prata Lago Palace Guard.


The political tension during those first few years balanced on the edge of a knife. Wolves—the former generals of his father—plotted outside the Palace each night. But the Picaróns never exposed their Marquez to his would be assassins. They were a nest of prowling panthers that no one dared stir.


• A Country Healed


He rolled back the crippling policies of his father. The people of Mármor had been needlessly drowned in taxes to pay for an oversized and undisciplined military. Marquez Deodato righted the ship. Where he could he reduced the burden of government on his people, and where he couldn't he offered support and charity. The Mármorns began to thrive again, much like they had decades earlier.


• Death of his Bride


Marqueza Maristela Belmonte was struck and killed by lightning on a February afternoon seven years ago. The Marqueza and her maid of honor, Neves, were rowing near the Palace when a storm blew in. The ladies paddled in as quickly as they could, but the pair was struck while pulling their boat ashore. Neves survived, Marqueza Maristela did not. Deodato grieved as one does when they lose their soulmate.


She is survived by her (now) fourteen year old daughter, Lady Fabia.

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MOUNT: Quest, the Marquez's favored gelding.


WEAPON(s): In his early years as Marquez he carried the blade he inherited: a broadsword used by his grandfather, Marquez Ricardo, during the war for independence. Deodato later swapped the sword for an infamous rapier wielded by the founder of the Picaróns, Capitano Raúl Seabra. It was given to Marquez Deodato by Raúl when he retired from service.

APPEARANCE

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A smartly built middle-aged male with cadet-like shoulders, long hands, and disarming eyes. There is an air of bachelor's swagger behind the practiced nobility of his movements.


Height: 5'11


Weight: 174 lbs


Regalia: As a matter of precedent, no lord or lady of Mármor has ever worn a crown. Ricardo, the country's first Marquez, believed any manner of headware would conjure bitter memories of the Bracaran Empire. So in place of a haughty crown, the newest monarch inherits a Royal ring—the golden signet of Mármor.


Along with the signet, the acting Marquez (or Maqueza)—along with their immediate family—often wear black silk capes that proudly display the crest Mármor. They conveniently tie at waist for windy conditions. The capes are tailored specifically for the royal family.

 

[Lakita]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

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Kingdom Sheet

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Telra

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BASICS

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CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Seastone Keep


King Bayard II


West

CREST

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

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The kingdom of Telra lies in the Westerm coasts of the continent, where the roaring tides meet the rocky shores of the beach. Although the capital city, Seastone Keep, is placed high among the cliffs overlooking the ocean, the rest of the populace prefer to live in other, more comfortable locations. The majority of the towns that play vassal to the King are situated along the coast - this, along with their many ports emphasize the importance of the sea to their lives. Many villages are made up of various shacks and huts on stilts over the water, but richer areas inland can afford to build wooden houses (and upkeep them). At any given time in the day, Telra has ships both docking in and leaving the shores.


Deeper East Telra has towns that rely less on fishing and trade and instead choose to farm and raise livestock. Due to the ocean's salty water tainting the soil, crops are hard to grow and there are few villagers who choose to ignore this risk. Instead, many farmers opt to raise cows, goats, sheep, and pigs who seem to do decently. Though the number of farmers who live in-land are nothing to scoff at, the majority of Telra's wealth comes from the ocean. The borders of Telra are made up of the sea and the forests that have not yet been cleared out for farmland.


Culture:


Telra is a bustling collection of ports glued together with hardship and trade. The steady influx of merchants in and out has ensured that the kingdom has a quite diverse populace and with it, a plethora of unique experiences to be shared. However, despite this outer appearance of diversity and acceptance Telra has a few unspoken rules that most of the populace adheres to. The most prominent one being: keeping affairs in the family. As newcomers to the area often find out, the citizens of Telra are generally cold beneath their polite greetings. Strangers to the area are not bound by hardships like they are, and these hardships are the bonds that create friendships and alliances.


The King, Bayard II, prefers to rule distantly over his people and often-times misses his scheduled visits to his villages sworn to his name. He prefers to let his Lords control most of the affairs of the land, which can cause different areas of Telra to vary wildly in terms of the law. It is for this reason that most villages stick to themselves instead of branching out to their peers. Once every two months however, King Bayard calls upon his vassals to fill him in on how the country is faring.


Seafood is a staple in much of Telra, with food like dried fish and squid being found in houses everywhere. Although in-land Telra's diet differs slightly in that they are able to eat more red meat, the villages among the coast share the same meals (more or less). Telra also has a few delicacies that would make less adventurous outsiders turn up their nose - fermented clam drinks and aged whale meat take time to get acquired to. Even some natives of Telra choose to turn up their noses at the more exotic dishes.


Telra's economy centers around the ocean and some of its more controversial practices are also the ones that gain the most profit (such as clubbing seals). The killing of whales has increased as the value of whale-oil for lights and fires has gone up astronomically. Seal-fur used to be reserved for the Nobles of Telra to wear but nowadays is also a valuable exporting commodity. Salt is also collected as a valuable spice to be sold. Pearls from the sea are shipped out to other kingdoms in the form of accessories. In the port villages, there are many tourist traps on sale such as seashells and smooth, white ocean rocks that generate a decent amount of coin. Seafood is usually sent out dried and only fresh to the neighboring kingdoms.


Music is not often seen as a valid profession in most of Telra and entertainment consists of lobster fights, sailing races, wrestling, and fishing competitions. Nobles of Telra sometimes go on hunts in what little forest is left and hold feasts in their keeps. Everyone's mother knows a sea shanty or two, brought down from the days of their conquering ancestors. Story-telling is also a large part of Telra's culture, and most of their history is told, passed down, and remembered orally. Many a time a tavern closes with a communal story-telling session, which can be be anything from comedic myths to gallant tales of the sea-farers of old.


The differences between genders are less overtly stated than in other nations and yet there still are some societal rules that men and women are expected to follow. For example, strength is a quality that is celebrated in Telra in both genders, although in different ways. Men are wanted to be strong enough to drag boats out to the tides whereas women are expected to be strong enough to rear a healthy amount of children. A strong arm on a woman is as respected as a man's, and yet it is still a rare sight to see a woman warrior. Clothes are of no great concern in Telra but many women carry hide umbrellas to protect their hair from the constant rainfall.


Although women are given enough leeway to drink and laugh in the taverns with the most boisterous of men, they are frowned upon to join them in boats and raids. Men are expected to take care of trade, defending the village, and farming while women take on the roles of taking care of children and repairing the homes. Cooking and hunting is shared between the sexes, though many men often see it fit to jump in to help reel in big fish (whether they need help or not).


Life in Telra can be too harsh for romance and yet the most popular stories are the ones of love. Marriage is simple in Telra and many couples get married within a few weeks of seeing each other. The ceremony consists of "purifying" each other in the ocean tides and eating a special meal of preserved shark (for strength), turtle eggs (for long life), and roasted starfish (for happiness). Divorce is not nearly as complicated, with the couples simply splitting apart and leaving (in theory). Other more antique ways include wrestling for the right to leave but in modern times, these ceremonies are only active in the most reclusive settlements.


Telra is steeped in history and with it come the many myths and legends of their ancestors. Supernatural belief is common in the kingdom, and many people carry charms to protect themselves against malevolent spirits. Tales of selkies, sprites, and elves are widely accepted to be true even though no concrete evidence of these creatures has ever been found.


In recent years, Telra has been relatively peaceful towards their neighbors and have kept to themselves. The people tend to shun outsiders until they earn their trust and can be quite xenophobic (with different villages often being made up of one ethnicity). The poor do not have many things to complain about, as food is abundant in the sea and their neighbors often shelter each other in times of need. Problems related to poverty increase the further East the kingdom goes. However, there is a high disparity between the villages of Telra and the noble class.


Noble lords often seek to emulate their ancestors, and their sons aim to become knights and their daughters ladies of the court. Due to their high-brow nature, many Lords choose to build their own stone fortresses and hold feasts for other outsiders to attend. Still, there are a few who choose to live in the villages that they own and these are the ones that are most loved. Ironically, the poorest Lords and Ladies are in a way, the ones with the most power in the land - the power of the people.


Religious Structure:


The ocean is a cruel and volatile mistress, and sailors are often reminded of that whenever the tides threaten to drown their homes. Due to the frequent storms that wrack the shores, sailors make sure to pray before their voyages. Most swear this practice works and the ones who don't never come back to refute their claims. There are churches made of white stone in the capital city and other castles belonging to Lords but the villagers do not adhere to the faith through Holy Books or fancy buildings. Instead, the village elders often lead the people in religious prayers in their town squares. Also, the faith is not as prominent in the common folk as it is in merchants and nobles as they have, in their own words, "gotten through with sweat and blood and men".


As Telra was originally a conqueror's kingdom, there are those who still believe in the Old Ways. They are generally left alone to their own devices even though the ban on their religion was only recently lifted. These peoples often do not pray, choosing to instead believe that through living in a righteous way alone grants them the good-will of their Gods and Goddesses. Of course, there are also those who do not believe in spiritual beings at all - but they are quite rare in Telra. The ocean's wrath can convince even the most skeptical of men to utter a prayer.


Geography:


Telra ranges from rocky beaches to castles on cliffs overlooking the sea to grassy hills surrounded by forests. The one thing in common is the amount of rain that falls over the land which makes the ground very soggy and the air very humid. Winters are never very cold and summers are never very hot, leaving Telra to have basically one climate year-round. Seastone Keep is built to be intimidating and as a result, lies far above the other villages to look up to. The beaches of Telra are more pebbles and rocks than sandy beaches and sea-grass covers nearly all of the shores. Constant storms wrack the settlements of Telra and villagers have learned to abandon their villages when the tides rise too high. Despite the vast amounts of water that border the kingdom, there are only a few rivers to drink from. It is then both a blessing and a curse for the constant rainfall which grants them both life as it does problems.


Pertinent History:


Telra is what is left of the Western Invaders who attacked the continent of Ellemar hundreds of years ago. Tales speak of the gallant warriors who used their longboats to raid villages up and down the shores of Ellemar. Their conquest was eventually ended by the continent's inhabitants but not before they had claimed the Westerlands for themselves through a peace treaty. One of the oldest kingdoms, it has not changed very much through the times. The villages keep getting remade in their original fashions and even now, Seastone Keep stands tall (albeit a bit weathered) as a monument to the past. It is no wonder then, with this rich history, that many Nobles of Telra seek to become conquerors themselves and finish what their ancestors started.


Just as Telra houses the descendants of the invaders, the kingdom also contains the descendants of the defeated. It seems that their ancestors' will still lives in the people of Telra, as discrimination is rampant in the region. These other people, called Grasslanders (though they prefer to call each other Saomi), have often suffered injustice at their neighbor's hands. Conflict between these two groups are common and many a time Telra has sought to chase out the Grasslanders once and for all. As of late however, there remains a shaky peace in the land as King Bayard II has agreed to let the Grasslanders reclaim some of their ancestral land. An interesting thing to note is that even with all this conflict, Telra has unconsciously taken much of the Grasslanders' culture into their own (whether it be by cuisine, dress, or words).


Although the Nobles families of Telra can claim direct lineage from the Western Invaders, many people now have mixed bloodlines. Between the mass copulation between both the Greenlanders and the merchants that have always passed through Telra, no-one is as pure as their ancestors which they love to emulate. The Kings of Seastone Keep have traditionally been strict dictators but throughout the years, they have been appointing Lords and Ladies to manage their affairs of state. More villages have cropped up along the shores than they can keep track of, as outsiders become more and more attracted to the "easy-life" of the sea.

CONFLICT

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King Bayard II's recent decision to recognize the Grasslanders has sparked a furious debate among his trusted circle of both advisors and Lords. It is speculated that his moody state since his Queen's untimely death has influenced and befuddled his thinking and there is talk of him being unfit to rule.


Likewise, the villagers who are closest to the Grasslanders have also voiced their complains. Memories of raids between the two groups are still fresh in their minds and one phrase resounds across the kingdom: "He's allowing murderers to live next to our children!"


On the other hand, continued aggression against the Grasslanders has warranted their demands of help towards the King.


"We were promised protection."


"We were promised our homes."


"We were promised our land."


Their cries for help have largely gone unheard, with the small regiment of troops King Bayard II has sent for protection renegading on their oaths and disbanding. Infighting also occurs in their community, with those that refuse to work with their long-remembered enemies for peace threatening to leave the "toe-lickers".


The boats are returning with less fish by the week and sailors are having to venture out further out West to encounter more shoals. Whether or not this problem is temporary is yet to be seen but it does not help to assuage Telra's complaints. The rain has not let up for days now, almost as if the Gods above are weeping with the King. Amidst this gloomy weather, the mood of the people has become sour.


With the kingdom of Thornwild in turmoil, many Lords of Telra have had their fiery spirits reborn. They look to pressure the King to emulate his ancestors and to take what is theirs. Though nothing has come out of their council, Bayard III seems to be lending them a sympathetic ear.


Despite pressuring the King to address his people's worries, Bayard II has remained silent and locked away in Seastone Keep. The waves crash against the cliffs as if to remind him of his duties but the life has gone out of his eyes. Rumours of King Bayard II's sickly frame have reached even the distant farmlands of Telra and an uprising seems to become more possible by the day. It is up to his children to keep the kingdom together but with them being new to the murky waters of politics, anything seems possible.

ARMY STATUS

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Telra has regiments of professionally trained soldiers from the Noble Houses but the bulk of their armies come from privateers, mercenaries, and peasants. Due to their wealth by trade, Telra is able to employ many men in times of need. Many of their troops are accustomed to sailing and the ocean is the battlefield where Telra exceeds in. The kingdom is known for avoiding direct combat and instead choosing to attack the foundations of the house rather than the house itself, so to speak. Guerrilla raids and ambushes are familiar tactics to Telra and despite the antiquity of these methods, they seem to get the job done.


Cavalry is available but it seems like a mock rip-off of the more in-land Kingdoms, who the nobility of Telra often seem to emulate. Their horses are mostly bought from other kingdoms and Telra has not had many chances to use them in full-fledged battle. One of their greater weapons is the fact that their almost un-tillable land, constant storms and heavy rain (which all belie their ability to make money) make it a kingdom unappealing to conquer. Telra is a kingdom who has enough soldiers to deter probing attacks from other kingdoms but is now a shadow of their conquering background.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Ettin Bayard (more commonly referred to as Bayard II)

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ROLE:| King

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 57

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: King Bayard II is a man who has seen less better days than good. Though he possesses a wardrobe filled with kingly clothes imported from (another kingdom), he has been wearing traditional black robes meant for mourning for the past year. They are rough and ill-made, not unlike a burlap sack dress. Beneath his hunched pose, Bayard II stands at around 5'10" tall with a slight beer gut which hides his muscular core. He has let his beard grow out haphazardly and the black wiry mass of tangles hides his strong jaw. Bayard II wears few accessories save for the counter-part of the wedding band that his late wife was buried with. His silver crown sits dusty with disuse as does his sword.

BRIEF HISTORY: With lineage boasting all the way back to the times of the Western Invaders, Bayard II is one of many Kings who has earned Seastone Keep through birthright alone. Having had no other claims to the throne during his reign, Bayard II has ruled over a relatively peaceful kingdom. With only a few rebellions and raids to crush, Bayard II has kept his body strong not through wars but rather with sailing. It is on one of his voyages that he met his late (and foreign as she was lowborn, as his father often added) wife, Aleidis.


It was the first time that he had to fight for what was his. After demolishing the village watch, Bayard II now had a Queen who was as beautiful as she was controversial. Kings of the past had married lowborn girls before, but their reigns were always rocky to match. Still, Bayard II had made up his mind and did his best to quell any comments regarding his wife. Twelve years after she had bore him his fifth child she died during a feast, leaving Bayard II a broken shell of himself. Against her families wishes he had her buried at sea - after all, she was his wife.

NAME:| Erik Bayard (in line to be Bayard III)

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ROLE:| Crown Prince

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 22

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Erik Bayard has been given a strong name to fit his destined path - but he seems to have a hard time matching what is expected of him. Tall and lanky, Erik wouldn't be able to grow a full beard even if given months - his weak chin is ironically a large target for many of his critics. The only thing that he seems to have inherited from his father is his stern gaze and his height. He stands at around 6'1" which only seems to accentuate his skinny frame rather than help his masculinity. Erik wears a specially tailored leather jerkin, tight pants, and boots designed for gripping onto slippery decks at sea. He carries around a sword as he is royalty and spends his days preparing for his eventual ascension to the throne.

BRIEF HISTORY: As the first-born son born to Bayard II, Erik has been groomed to take over as Bayard III since the day he was born. He has been largely distant to his siblings, as his presence was often required at meetings and councils that his other sisters and brother were not privy to. Erik often oversaw the fights his father would take but was never allowed to actually join in the action as his father was concerned that the skinny boy would be fatally wounded. Instead, Erik's teenage years consisted of sparring with his trainers, learning trade and geography, learning to sail - all things that he learned, but was never allowed to actually perform. Now with his father a recluse, Erik has been representing him in the council meetings. Filled with the ambitious legends of his ancestors, Erik plans to take Thornwild to begin his conquest of Ellemar.

NAME:| Brima Bayard

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ROLE:| Eldest Princess

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Brima Bayard has always been described as being the spitting image of her mother. An elegant lady, she stands at around 5'10" and her long golden hair is well kept. Her wardrobe is massive, with her siblings often joking that it alone accounts for fifty percent of the kingdom's economy. She wears different dresses for every occasion and they come imported from (insert kingdom) to (insert kingdom). The only things she wears that are locally produced are pearl accessories and seal-fur shawls. As the eldest child of Bayard II, Brima is often seen hosting her father's feasts, tournaments, and more. She is slim and fair-skinned unlike many natives of Telra, which betray her mother's influence on her. Likewise, she is a picky eater and prefers the cuisine of other, more in-land kingdoms which she insists on having shipped to her.

BRIEF HISTORY: Brima Bayard was the first child born to Bayard II. Despite this, she has never been close to her father. Perhaps her striking resemblance to her mother had something to do with it and perhaps not - all the same she spent most of her childhood clutching onto her mother's legs. As she spent the most time with her, Brima is the only child who knows of her mother's darkest secrets. Although she was sought after by different Lords of the realm and the next, Brima was never forced to marry any of them. That is, not until her mother died and with it, her protection. Now she has been promised to (someone else of a different kingdom) as part of a bargain - orchestrated by none other than her own brother, Bayard III.

NAME:| Edvard Bayard

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ROLE:| Prince

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 19

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A strong young man with looks mature for his age, Edvard Bayard is the unspoken pride of the king. Unlike his elder brother, Edvard is built like a warrior - and he has the skills to match them. The only thing betraying his mixed-blood is his golden-blond hair. Standing at 6'0", Edvard wields both swords, spears, and bows equally well. He wears steel-plate armour imported from (kingdom name) and in times of peace, regular Telra attire (which consists of loose tunics, leather pants, and sea-faring boots). Although he is a prince like his brother, Edvard doesn't like to dabble in politics. Instead, he shirks his duties and is often found fishing with his younger sisters.

BRIEF HISTORY: Edvard Bayard was born as twins with his sister Lifa Bayard nineteen years ago. He was a large baby from the start with the voice to match. As he grew up in the castle, Edvard was also trained to be a warrior like his elder brother. The only difference is that he actually seemed to excel in it, unlike the latter. As he took well to wielding boarding axes and spears, Edvard was soon taken with his father on missions to quell raids and deter invaders. He was rarely wounded, save for the time when a boar-spear cut his leg. The subsequent infection threatened to take his life but with the help of the strong sea air (or so his father said) he recovered. Edvard was issued foreign armour after that. As Edvard still has the gift of youth, he has the ability to choose nearly any noble-woman of Telra. However, he has his eyes set upon a bastard cousin of his, Mary - the forbidden fruit. Perhaps his elder brother has sensed his desires (or is aware of the threat Edvard unknowingly has towards his claim), for he has arranged Edvard to be coupled with Princess Joscelin of Silvern in a way to get him out of the kingdom.

NAME:| Katla Bayard

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 13

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The youngest of the five siblings, Katla Bayard has had maturity forced upon her beyond her years. She is the quietest of them all, and she stands at only 4'8" tall. Perhaps she has yet to hit her growth spurt but the fact of the matter remains that she remains out of sight to others. Katla's hair colour seems to be a mix of both her parents and different light angles can make it seem anywhere from golden blonde to dark black. She also has a wardrobe rivaling that of her eldest sister's, but she finds politics a bore and tries to skip out on most festivities. Katla can often be found mucking about in the tide-pools, looking for interesting animals to draw.

BRIEF HISTORY: Katla Bayard was born during a ferocious winter-storm. As a "storm-child", she was prophesied to bring bad luck to her family at an early age. However, despite these ominous predictions, Katla was loved by her siblings and parents to the point of suffocation. She grew up living both the socialite life of her mother and the relative freedom of her brothers. As the youngest child, she was often permitted to get away with things that her siblings could not, such as climbing the thatched roofs of nearby villages. She made friends with the common folk hired as castle staff and was the first child to convince her father, the King, to splash around in the tides again. After her mother's death, however, Katla has become moody and despondent. As the storm-child of Seastone Keep, she tries to keep away from her eldest brother's politics which threaten to rip apart her family - the one thing she holds dearest to her heart.

NAME:| Svetlana Dalgaard

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ROLE:| Handmaiden

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 46

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: With fair skin and golden hair, Svetlana Dalgaard is often thought of to be foreign to the region. This is not the case however, as she hails from a lineage that traces as deep as the Bayard's. She is a stern looking woman standing at around 5'9" tall. As the hand-maiden to the former Queen, Svetlana's dress has been influenced by her foreign tastes. She wears imported clothes that vary from brilliant scarlet to deep midnight blue. Velvet, fur, silk - no substance is a stranger to Svetlana's closet. Nowadays however, she wears black to honour the Queen's passing at Bayard II's bequest. With no Queen to serve, Svetlana has been delegated to a pseudo-nanny role, balancing between looking after the children and taking orders from the King.

BRIEF HISTORY: Svetlana Dalgaard was brought up as a lady of a prodigious line which dated back to the times of the Western Invaders. She grew up as a typical lady of the court with expectations that she would be married to a nobleman and bear his children. It was a dreary life and she often envied the freedom her subjects had. Svetlana would have gladly traded her jewels and furs for the hard life of a fisherman. To her surprise, Svetlana was promised to the King, Bayard II. It was a match that she would not have dreamed of - and one that she nervously anticipated. Though she had hated the idea of an arranged marriage, the sting was lessened considering her betrothed would be the King.


It was to her (and her father's) outrage when Bayard II returned to Telra with his hands wrapped around a young woman's waist. "True love," he had called it. He hadn't even apologized. Though Svetlana managed to calm her father down enough to quell his threats of war, she was further peeved to learn that she was to become the handmaiden of the Queen. The Queen which she had been promised to be. That was years ago when her fire was red-hot. Mellowed with age, Svetlana grew to be friends with her ruler (though the wound never healed). When the Queen died, Svetlana was assigned to be one of Bayard II's personal assistants and has remained in her role ever since.

NAME:| Andor Eklund

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ROLE:| Advisor

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 68

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A stout old man with valleys of deep creases in his face, Andor Eklund hails from a minor house of Telra. He walks with a limp -he was a soldier in the past- and his stern expression coupled with a frown is enough to turn away most inquisitive guests. He stands at around 5'9" tall, but his slanted pose takes off a few inches from his overall height. Andor is nearly bald save for the small patches of greying hair which hang around his ears but his looks have never bothered him. A practical man, Andor wears the clothes of a monk - comfortable brown robes and wooden sandals are his everyday attire. Andor carries no weapons with him but he has his old family sword stashed away in his chambers.

BRIEF HISTORY: As a young man, Andor Eklund was as idealistic as he was brave. He led a party of raiders who still believed in the old ways and his ancestor's blood flowed through him as he attacked foreign villages down the coast-line. For his actions, Andor was "rewarded" with a chopped-off right hand and a place as the King's advisor. Age and politics slowly siphoned away at Andor's dreams until he became the sullen man he is today. Andor lived through two kings, Bayard I and Bayard II. He hopes to live to see Bayard III on the throne as the young man's ambitions awakened coals that he didn't know he had deep within him. Andor spends much of his time talking with the eldest prince now, neglecting his duties to Bayard II.

NAME:| Eadric the Black (also referred to as "One-Eye")

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ROLE:| Marshal

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 49

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Eadric is a grizzled man who is better seen in the dark. His most renown feature is a mound of scar tissue which he calls his left eye. He keeps it cleaned by dabbing the area with saltwater but any hope of vision returning to it is long gone. Eadric is a commoner with no rights to a surname, but he has been christened "the Black" due to his black iron armour he wears during war.


Eadric stands at around 5'11" tall and his frame is built with lean muscle. His greying hair is kept tied up neatly in a bun and his facial hair is kept short. Suffering many wounds during his campaigns, Eadric has a number of scars hidden underneath his leather clothes. He is the brother to the late Queen and as such is a foreigner to the region. Despite this fact, Bayard II has rewarded him for his exploits during battle to be the Marshal of the realm, responsible for the military actions of Telra.


BRIEF HISTORY: Eadric grew up in a remote village of Glaen along with his sister, Aleidis. The two lived a hard-working life with their parents farming the land. It was a life that he wished to escape from desperately. Eadric desired adventure and he would have much preferred to wield a spear rather than a pitchfork. His wishes would come true in a twisted fashion when Bayard II of Telra plundered his village. Eadric fought just well enough to capture the King's interest and while his sister was taken to be his bride, Eadric was coerced into joining the military of Telra (the King did not wish to upset his new wife by killing her brother). While he kept an eye on his sister he soon learned that there was nothing that he could do to undermine Bayard II. Instead, he learned how to guard himself against both words and steel. He learned how to sail ships and bunker down during a thunder-storm. He learned how to throw away his naivety and lead men to burn down villages. Most importantly of all, Eadric learned to live again.


Eadric did not marry the mother of his child but when the time came to take care of his child, he took her under his wing to protect her from Telra. He struggled to juggle between taking care of Mary, his daughter, and taking care of his men who were garrisoned beneath him. In time, Eadric discovered that he cared for Telra and whereas the King would never earn his forgiveness, the people of the realm would. Telra was his new home now. Despite that fact, when his sister, the Queen, died Eadric was tempted to leave the realm and return to (other kingdom). He stayed for only one reason - to watch over the children of his sister.

NAME:| Mary (the Bastard)

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ROLE:| Bastard Cousin

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 26

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Mary stands at around 5'9" tall and has a lean and toned body. As a bastard, Mary has had more than her fair share of insults hurled her way. As a result, some of her hairs have started to grey already from stress. She wears the black leather garments of her father and carries around a steel sword - a gift which took months of saving up. As a commoner, Mary does not have the same air of nobility as her cousins even though she spends a lot of her time in Seastone Keep. Ironically, Mary's appearance blends in more with the locals than that of her golden-haired cousins. Mary often carries with her a downcast expression which she insists is "just her face". She likes to poke around in the tidal pools with her youngest cousin, Katla, but unlike her she is aware of the political discourse Telra is undergoing.





BRIEF HISTORY: Mary doesn't know who her mother is or what she's doing. She learned from an early age to never question her father about her birth. Besides that, she's learned from him how to fight, lead, and live. Due to her strong arm, Mary has earned the respect of some men despite her being a bastard - a foreign bastard at that. She was forbidden to enter Seastone Keep to meet her cousins until the age of ten and has since spent some time socializing with them. Her teenage life was spent accompanying her father during battle and as such Mary has a personality that is hard to faze. Not much can overcome the images or smell of burning men and women. In recent years, Mary has spent more time in Seastone Keep as she has become more and more accepted by her cousins as one of the family. Although news of the Queen's death have not disturbed her as much as her extended family, Mary has enough tact to know when to comfort and when to leave matters alone. As a bastard, she has little to no use to the eldest prince which is just fine by her.

NAME:| Alden Blacksea

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ROLE:| Lord

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 61

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Alden Blacksea is an aged man but his hair has only recently started to gray. He stands at around 5'9" tall and despite his age, Alden walks with a proud gait. Being a close friend of the king, Alden has acquiesced to his request of wearing black. As it is far past the mourning period, his black garments draw ire from other more irritated Lords who believe that Alden is a fool for indulging the King's sorrow. He is a lucky man who has suffered nary a scratch in his long life even though he has fought in many skirmishes. Alden carries around his sword at all times but in recent years, he has been finding it harder to resist swapping out the blade for a cane.





BRIEF HISTORY: The Blackseas have been a part of Telra's history for ages and like the Bayards, they are able to claim direct heritage from the Western Invaders. Per tradition, Alden served the rulers of Seastone Keep faithfully but he never held true love for any of his kings. Bayard II was a rash leader who held his interests above the kingdom's. Despite this fact, however, Alden grew to love Bayard II like a brother. Bayard II was a fool, yes, but he was a charismatic fool.


In recent years, Alden's reputation as a noble warrior has degraded into an old fool. His push for assaulting the shores of Cain'loren decimated both his regiment and his image and the shame of the peace treaty hangs over his head. Alden's staunch and unwavering support of Bayard II has also blacked his name for the more ambitious Lords of Telra. For although Alden Blacksea may not approve of Bayard II's policies, the Blackseas have never been branded as traitors - especially not to friends. He has both a wife and two sons in his keep.

NAME:| Osbeorn Bromly

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ROLE:| Lord

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 28

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Osbeorn Bromly is a man more foreign than Telrain. Standing at 6'2" tall, Lord Bromly walks with a gait that suggests he is more used to riding horses than boarding ships. From his imported armour to his love for cavalry, Osbeorn remains as one of the more irregular Lords of Telra. Filled with an arrogance that only power without history can grant, Osbeorn has the temper to match his self-importance. He keeps company with more outsiders than his own men, and he yearns for the day when he can use his un-tested cavalry.





BRIEF HISTORY: For his father's unyielding bravery and service, the Bromly's were granted the lands and titles of the traitorous Lord that they helped to defeat. Amidst the traditional houses of Telra, House Bromly soon established themselves as a clan of ambitious and crafty men. Without the history of their ancestors to ground them, the Bromly's arrogantly stepped beyond their boundaries and took it upon themselves to further their kingdom. For his treasonous behavior, Osbeorn Bromly's father was executed and the younger Bromly found himself the new Lord of his house.


Since then, Osbeorn has been re-building his house's strength. He has remained relatively quiet but has made vast purchases of horses to emulate the cavalry of other kingdoms. Perhaps this rejection of Telrain culture is another sign of a Bromly rebellion. Or perhaps it is a sign that the old ways are dead - new days are coming, and the old must adapt or be left behind.

NAME:| Oskar Sea-son

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ROLE:| Lord

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 43

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Oskar Sea-son is a sullen and worried-looking man. He slouches frequently and stands at around 5'10" tall. His keep is located in the rainier areas of Telra, and his clothes are often seen soaked to the bone. For this careless behavior, Oskar often has a cold and more times than not his speech is interrupted by great bouts of coughing. As Oskar does not care enough to cover his hair from the rain, he has a bald spot on his crown. He is a shrewd individual and while he denies being a coward, he will wait until events favour him to act. Unlike other Lords, Oskar wields an axe instead of a sword.





BRIEF HISTORY: Traditionally, the Sea-sons have always kept the company of the Bayards. Oskar was no stranger to history and kept up his loyalty to Bayard II for many years. Alongside their friendship, Oskar often fought to keep the Grasslanders out of his lands like his father and fore-fathers had done for centuries. The recent decision to allow the Grasslanders to reclaim land that Oskar viewed as rightfully his severed his trust in Bayard II, and he has been un-sympathetic to the reclusive King's grief. After a few probing attacks on the Grasslanders returned no discipline from the King, Oskar has fully gone on the war-path and ignored his ruler's orders. For his land is his ancestor's land, and Oskar would be damned before he brought shame to his family name.

NAME:| Robert Dalgaard

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ROLE:| Lord

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 81

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Although Robert Dalgaard has had age whittle away at his frail body, his fiery spirit remains strong and his eyes have never shone brighter. Robert stands at around 5'9" tall and proudly declines the usage of a cane. Dressed in fine clothes of a traditional make, Robert fondly remembers the days of Bayard I and resents the mockery his son has made of Telra. Robert's hair has finished graying years ago and now has started the transition to white. His facial hair is well-kept and clean. He carries around his old sword but this is more to keep his reputation as a warrior than to wield, as it is doubtful his frail arms could swing the blade for more than a minute.





BRIEF HISTORY: Robert Dalgaard was a gallant warrior in his days and a close friend of Bayard I. The duo crushed many battles and negotiated dozens more - Robert often regards these days as his best. As old age confined him to his keep, Robert was relegated to the role of ruling his land instead of fighting to defend it. Though he hated the politics of the realm, he was comforted by the fact that he had his friend, the King, to soften the blows of any mistakes he made. Before Bayard I died, the two friends made arrangements to join their houses in marriage through their children - Svetlana and Bayard II.


To Robert's anger, Bayard II soon renegaded on his oath after his father's death. Though he was pacified somewhat by his daughter, the insult to his family was not forgotten. Now with Bayard II in a sorrow-induced stupor, the realm is danger of a political disaster. Robert Dalgaard has no love for his late friend's son but still hesitates to call for war as he once did in the past - as he grows ever closer to death, he wonders if it is worth it to fight. The old man is not without his own fair share of problems however - as his grip and authority over his villages loosens with age, they have begun to harass the nearby kingdom of Mármor once again.

NAME:| Bero of Whitestone

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ROLE:| Lord

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CLASS:| Minor Nobility

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AGE:| 34

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Bero is a silent man with a heavy-set body. It is a wonder that he can swim as well as he does, as it seems like his bear-like body will only weigh him down. Standing at around 6'1" tall, Bero has only just begun to lose the gifts of youth. His long hair is often kept tied back at official councils but otherwise, Bero prefers to let it hang from his face. He wears chain-mail over his leather garments and wields a steel sword for status. In actual battle, Bero seems to prefer the spear and bow over other weapons. His back is slightly lopsided from wielding the war-bow from an early age.





BRIEF HISTORY: Like Lord Bromly, Bero of Whitestone has only recently been granted the power of nobility. However, all comparisons between the two end there. Bero was born in a lowly village of Telra and spent his years growing up as a fisherman. In times of need, he would double as a village watchman. As he grew older, the steadily increasing assaults launched by the Grasslanders made him switch over to the the village watch completely. Under Bero's leadership, they crushed the men of the Grasslander chieftain, Juho. For his role in keeping the savages under control, Bero was granted a small keep called Whitestone.


In the years to come, Bero would understand the gift for what it really was - constant battle against Juho of Saltrock who viewed Whitestone as his ancestral home. As no other Lords felt inclined to defend the keep, Bero had been reluctantly upgraded to the position of Lord. As it stands, Bero is one of the most isolated Lords of Telra and is often absent at many festivities. Though news of Bayard II's ill mind has reached him, he has more on his mind than the King's health - his people and the Grasslanders who have recently been given leave to join them.

NAME:| Tua

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ROLE:| Kitchen Staff

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Tua shows the great irony of the discrimination in Telra - if not for her name and language, none would suspect her to be anything but a Telrain. As it stands, Tua is well-known in Seastone Keep for being the outsider Grasslander. A mark on her forehead brands her origins to ensure she can never truly blend in but Tua does not let her hair hang down to hide it. Her hands are rough and covered in burns from a nasty incident in the kitchens. She has a small frame and stands at around 5'7" tall. Her usual garments include a rough brown dress and worn hide shoes.





BRIEF HISTORY: Tua was born in Kona Juho's clan and was taken by the Telrains during a vicious raid on their settlements. As she was but a baby then, the conquering heroes did not want her innocent blood on their hands. Instead, they took her in to be a kitchen-maid. She lived her life alongside the other commoners in the castle and scrubbed pots and pans as soon as she was old enough. When she was thirteen, a pair of unruly boys carved the mark she now carries on her forehead. It was the first time she felt she was truly different. Sure, she had heard the whispers of the other girls. She had seen how they had looked at her differently, and experienced how some Lords would give her purposely impossible tasks. But never anything physical - until then.


Branded as a Grasslander, Tua's teenage years grew increasingly more difficult. When she was sixteen, Tua attempted to escape from her captors but was rebuffed by the first band of Grasslanders she met. They had explained to her, in less than pleasant terms, that a Grasslander who allowed herself to be kept as a pet of the Telrains was no Grasslander at all. Rejected by both communities, Tua realized that if she were to survive, she could only trust herself. She wandered for a while, certain that her absence would send trackers after her. When she finally gathered up the courage to return to Seastone Keep, it was as if she had never left at all.


Nobody had realized she had gone and she was back in the business of cooking and cleaning for the Telrains in no time. While Tua had no intention of staying for long, she resolved to herself to stay in the relative safety of the keep until she found a purpose to leave. Currently with the despondent King shirking his duties, many staff members of the keep are also slacking off on their jobs. Tua is no exception, and she spends her days searching for a reason to live.

NAME:| Porsi

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ROLE:| Merchant

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 37

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A stout and portly man, Porsi stands at 5'8" tall and is easily forgotten in a crowd. His slightly curly hair is flattened and slick with oil. Porsi hides this tangled mess under his leather cap. He is a rather weedy looking man who has features resembling a rat. It is to everyone's surprise that Porsi is a honest merchant rather than a thieving pirate. Porsi wears comfortable and worn-out clothes made from leather and hides.





BRIEF HISTORY: Porsi was destined to be a merchant from the day he was born. His father, an excellent merchant in his own right, taught him the ropes before leaving him to hang dry. Porsi learned quickly from his mistakes, as every missed shipment resulted in him having to pay the debts himself. During his travels, Porsi met a young lad named Emeric and having had no luck in his own ventures, decided to let him aboard his ship with his cargo on one condition - Porsi would take a portion of whatever Emeric would make.


Whether it was luck or skill was debatable but the result was the same - Emeric seemed to have a natural knack for making money. With tensions flaring up in the kingdom over Bayard II's actions, Porsi wishes to leave Telra for better prospects with his new partner. Though he may be a honest merchant, coin is what motivates him and Emeric is an investment which Porsi is reluctant to lose.

NAME:| Emeric

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ROLE:| Merchant

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 21

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Emeric is young and lean, standing at around 5'11" without his boots. He has dark curly hair that is kept at a medium length. He lets his facial hair grow out as it takes him months just to get a patchy mustache. Although he has the well kept body of a traveler, he is still too soft to be considered a warrior. He wears basic clothes made of leather and carries around a basic kit important for his business - a set of scales, tiny hammers, a magnifying glass, and small measuring spoons. For weapons, Emeric has not bought a sword despite having enough coin to do so. Instead, he prefers to use words in place of a blade - yet he is not naive enough to go without a small knife strapped to his belt.





BRIEF HISTORY: Despite his Grasslander roots, Emeric has never known his community aside from rare conversations with his parents. His parents were honest merchants who struggled to catch their big break through their cargo-ship. Emeric first cut his teeth in the trading business when his father gave him a cargo of salt to sell. Using information he had overheard from the night before, Emeric was able to get a above market price for his father's goods. In recent years, Emeric has been wanting to support his people in the conflicts to come.


He has heard of how Bayard II's men disobeyed orders to protect the Grasslanders and seeks to make a difference. Although Emeric's parents discouraged their son from siding with men he did not know or understand, Emeric left to find his own way in the world. Now traveling with a man named Porsi, Emeric seeks to do whatever he can to support the Grasslander's cause.

NAME:| Hegon

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ROLE:| Kona

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 30

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Hegon is a towering warrior standing at 6'4" tall with the attitude to match. His brusque and un-wavering attitude is well known among the Saomi (better known as the Grasslanders by the Telrain) and as ruler, Hegon can be quite strict. Using mud and ground up plant matter to create his war-paint, Hegon lives every day dressed up for battle. He lugs around a large and crude battle-axe and wears a leather jerkin with a woolen plaid kilt. His hair is kept short to avoid lice from nestling. Hegon has a few scars on his body but none hinder his ability to kill those who oppose him. Despite his appearance, Hegon is not a simple-minded brute and he knows when the time is right to relent and when it's right to strike.





BRIEF HISTORY: Hegon is a Kona of the Saomi. In Telrain terms, he is the chieftain or ruler of a large clan. He was born during an unusual period of dry weather in Telra, which prophesied his divine right to rule as a Kona. Unlike other Kona, who won their position through a trial of violence, Hegon rose to power with the influence of a village shaman. Not that anyone would have the gall to say anything different - by the age of eighteen, Hegon was already a fully fledged raider.


In recent years, Hegon took a foreign slave from the outsider kingdom of Cain'loren. However, this act of aggression was soon followed by one of peace - Hegon was one of the first to accept Telra's terms of peace. Although Telra's end of the bargain has not been honoured, Hegon holds on to hope that Telra and the Saomi can break bread with one another without violence. Although his decision can be seen as something uncharacteristic from the brutal Kona, it is not for the transparent purpose of mending bonds but rather a bid for time to recover from his losses. Hegon does not have much support from other clans and he does not have the men to fight with both Telrains and enemy Saomi at the same time.

NAME:| Sari

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ROLE:| Slave

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 25

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Due to her imprisonment, Sari looks to be close to tears at all given times. Her hair has taken to falling out and Sari's eyes are often tinged with red. She has a delicate frame and stands at around 5'7" tall. Her old clothes have been replaced with a roughly sewn burlap-sack-like dress with stretched hide shoes to complete her outfit. She is a dam ready to burst at any given moment but is too stricken by fear to actually attempt running away from her captors.





BRIEF HISTORY: Sari was born in the slums of the remains of Cair'parrel, Cain'loren's former sister-kingdom. It was a hard enough life as a commoner without having the added judgement of others from Cain'loren. Though some of her friends gave their lives in rebellions against the kingdom, Sari was smart (or cynical) enough to know that while idealistic, no one would be able to usurp King Ordin. Instead, Sari saved up money whenever she could with her remaining friends to hitch a ride on a caravan to live a new life free of prejudice.


Sari had set out for Mármor after hearing of its great beauty. She never made it to her destination as her group was set upon by Kona Hegon's raiding party as they traveled through Telra. Some of her oldest friends had died in the attack - Sari considered them the lucky ones. Now, Sari tries to become accustomed to her new life as a slave. Deep inside, however, she holds hope that one day someone will free her.

NAME:| Kiowa of the Wolves

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ROLE:| Kona

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Unlike Hegon, Kiowa's war-paint comes from the extract of flowers granting her much more vivid and permanent markings on her face. She has dyed part of her hair white, to signify her perceived wisdom beyond her years. Kiowa has the battle hardened body of a fighter, and she stands at around 5'11" tall. Her weapon of choice is the spear which she uses a stabbing weapon moreso than a throwing one. As Kona, Kiowa is certain of her choices and expects her men to follow her directions to the death. There is no leeway with Kiowa - it is her way or the spear.





BRIEF HISTORY: Though Kiowa was born to humans just like her peers, her bloodthirsty attitude has sparked rumours of Kiowa being birthed by wolves. She has done nothing to quell these rumours - fear, after all, can be just as effective as a sharp stone blade. In years long past gone, Kiowa challenged her Kona for control of the tribe as she did not wish to be a brood-wife. Battered and bloody, she emerged victorious and now had an entire tribe under her control. Knowing that the men of her clan had an affinity for battle, Kiowa began to lead her men on raids against enemy clans and Telrains.


Though Kiowa at first went on the war-path to distract her peoples, she grew to truly enjoy the thrill of the battle in time. In recent years, having witnessed the many atrocities that Telra has committed against her people has made her reject their peace treaties.


Their homes are being raided and their forests are being uprooted for farms - so Kiowa burns them. Their men are being butchered despite the false promises of a dying King - so Kiowa kills them. Any Saomi that bends to their conquerors are traitors in Kiowa's eyes - and traitors must be pruned before they spread. Though she is challenged at times by men for the position of Kona, Kiowa always makes sure she comes out on top - with the little help of a numbing poison rubbed on her spear.

NAME:| Eira

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ROLE:| Slave

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 36

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Eira is a woman whose eyes have seen a great deal of things. A scar on the bridge of her nose shows that she is no stranger to violence. Eira wears her curly hair in a loose fashion and is dressed in the garment of slave-folk. However, due to her status as a Saomi, Eira is permitted to carry one accessory with her. She takes full advantage of this tradition and wears a whale bone pendant around her neck for luck. She stands at around 5'8" tall and has a hardy physique accustomed to work. Her calloused hands are rough yet small.





BRIEF HISTORY: Eira was born in a village belonging to Kona Juho. She spent her years growing up in a rather ordinary fashion. Fishing and weaving baskets were part of her everyday jobs, and although it got repetitive at times, Eira believed that hard work would grant her a happy life. Not a year after she turned thirty-four did Kiowa of the Wolves raid her village, making short work of the village watch. She was claimed as Kona Kiowa's rightful goods and has spent her time living as a slave since.


However, Eira is a Saomi. She has seen many women enslaved by the Konas. She knows what it takes to survive. While they march on the war-path, Eira thinks of ways to escape her captors and go home. Unlike some of her kin, Eira takes Telra's offer of peace seriously. She has seen enough of her people killed and would like unification before she too, dies in a battle she did not choose to begin. She also wishes to return to the family she was forced to leave behind.

NAME:| Juho of Saltrock

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ROLE:| Kona

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 45

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A burly bear of a man, it is only fitting that Juho owns a helmet fashioned in the bone of some large animal. Although Juho claims it to be a bear, Telra hasn't had bears in its forests in a long time. Despite the humid and rainy weather, Juho is dressed in furs from his boots to his neck. His hair is worn in dreads, which hang down to his lower back. Juho stands at around 6'1" tall and he wields a weapon fitting for such a man - a pilfered longsword from some dead Telrain noble. His left eye is sealed shut with an injury but Juho still maintains a decent aim with his bow. He is a cheerful man who changes his disposition towards others fairly easily.





BRIEF HISTORY: Juho's tribe has always waged war with the Telrains of Whitestone - for they believe the keep to be theirs, and call it Saltrock instead. Juho wrestled the position of Kona away from his aging father and resumed his place in the battle for the keep. Though Juho has held Saltrock in the past, the new Lord in charge of the garrison has put a halt to their assaults. Faced with a grudging respect for the warrior who stands in his way, Juho has seen another face of Telra and as such, is reconsidering the peace treaty sent to him by Bayard II.


Though Juho wishes for Saltrock to be his again, he wonders if being granted the keep through peace would count or satisfy his long-fought crusade. Though Juho's father held slaves in the past, he does not feel the need to enslave others to do his bidding. As a Kona, Juho believes in having followers based on loyalty and a unified purpose, not fear.

NAME:| Ailu

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ROLE:| Kona

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 31

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Ailu's clothes represent the fact that they are the tribe closest to the sea. Wearing a necklace of polished mussel shells and dried sea-grass, Ailu is the Kona of her relatively peaceful clan. Her hair is often damp from the ocean spray and she stands only at 5'6" tall. Despite her height, Ailu commands great respect through her authoritative way of leading. She is not scared of her people but chooses to work things out diplomatically at first. She has a toned body not from fighting but from hauling in great nets of fish out in the sea. She wields a short spear as her weapon but prefers to let her raiders fight for her.





BRIEF HISTORY: Ailu's tribe follows a line of succession and she is one of the many Konas who have been women. Though she has led attacks against Telrain fishermen in the past, Ailu has learned to co-operate and avoid their ancestor's conquerors as best as she can. Conflict over fishing territories have caused her to renegade on her peaceful ways but Ailu has not led a crusade against the Telrains like her fellow Konas.


She has been the most approachable Saomi by the Telrains, but their easy access does not mean peace is coming soon. For Ailu can only speak for her peoples and other Kona, like Kiowa, hold her in great contempt for "licking the feet" of their enemies. Recently, she has called for a Konig, a meeting for the different tribe leaders to reconcile their problems.

NAME:| Mohkku

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ROLE:| Kona

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 27

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Mohkku's war-paint is made from mixing squid ink with different mashed berries and despite the unique smell of the paste, he makes sure to apply it every other day to keep the markings fresh. Mohkku stands at around 5'10" tall and is dressed in furs and a kilt. He wields a stone-headed axe for battle, but he is a practiced user of the bow. He walks slightly duck-footed and he can be as obstinate as a child.





BRIEF HISTORY: Like Kiowa, Mohkku won his position of Kona through a trail of violence. Unlike her fight to the death, Mohkku's was a trial of pain. By purposely stepping on a venomous fish, Mohkku became Kona after he refused to take antidotes to prove his strength. For his ancestor's defeat, Mohkku carried out raid after raid on Telrain villages and caravans. He even went so far as to attacking foreign traders (though he didn't know at the time).


Mohkku has heard of the peace treaty that Bayard II has offered the Saomi and he is staunchly against accepting. The Telrains cannot be trusted in the same fashion a mouse cannot trust a hawk, lest he be eaten at the hawk's leisure. Despite not accepting the treaty, Mohkku has been further incensed by the Telrain's oath-breaking attacks and has spurred his raiders to march on the war-path once again.

NAME:| Yda

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ROLE:| Slave

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 32

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Yda carries a tired expression with her at most times. Her hair is wild and frayed and her wrists are red and rubbed raw with rope-burn. She wears the slave garments of the Grasslanders, which makes her body itch all over. Without a proper brush to maintain her long hair, Yda often has great tangles in her locks. Her frail frame stands at around 5'9" tall. She has knobbly knees and visible veins in her arms. Yda has a quite lanky figure but despite her exhausted appearance, she keeps hope alive through her shining eyes.





BRIEF HISTORY: Living on the outskirts of Telra had its benefits. For one, Yda could afford to raise livestock that her sea-faring peers could not. Her family maintained their small farm with care even though they earned little coin from their exports. However, without the protection of a closely knit community, Yda's farm was raided and burned by Kiowa of the Wolves. The Telrain woman was marched along as her prisoner for a year before being traded to her current captor, Mohkku.


For Yda, all stereotypes of the Grasslanders were firmly confirmed as fact. They were bloodthirsty savages who raided the weak in lieu of the prospects of fighting the Telrain Lords. She got through each day on the strength of her bitterness, in determined spite that her captors would not see her break. When Bayard II's peace treaty came through it was a shot to Yda's heart. Not only had she been captured by the Grasslanders but her king was now officially pardoning them. Currently unable to find a way to escape, Yda stews in captivity.

NAME:| Henry

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ROLE:| Slave

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 22

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Henry is a downcast and quiet fellow who follows orders to the T. With his constant slouching, he stands at around 5'8" tall. Like his fellow slaves, Henry's new outfit consists of a rough linen shirt and pants. His hands are kept tied loosely with thin yet strong rope, allowing him enough movement to carry items but properly wielding weapons is out of the question. His body is purpled with bruises and his hands have many scars on them - not from the rough treatment from the Grasslanders people but from his rough upbringing in Cain'loren.





BRIEF HISTORY: Henry was born in the slums of Cain'loren and as such, experienced the additional hardships of being branded a refugee of the realm. From an early age, Henry learned to keep his head down and blend in with the crowd to avoid being singled out and cut down. From his experiences, the flowers that grew most vigorously were plucked soon thereafter. Henry would have been content to live out the rest of his days as a shoe-maker's assistant but was roped in with his friends when he inadvertently helped them to escape the city. The group of friends did not make it far and their journey came to an abrupt end in the fringes of Telra when they were set upon by the Grasslanders.


Though the savages did not often take in men as slaves (finding them harder to control), Henry's skills as a shoe-maker appealed to them and Henry has been with his captors ever since. As a former refugee of Cain'loren, Henry has no real idea of the going-ons in Telra besides the few snippets of conversation he can understand from his captors. Using the same philosophy from his past life, Henry believes that if he keeps his head down he will be able to make it out safely. Eventually.

NAME:| Ikka

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ROLE:| Slave

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CLASS:| Saomi

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AGE:| 24

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Though Ikka is a Saomi just like her captors, she holds no love for her captor's tribe. She has a sullen look on her face at most times, except when the slaves are left relatively alone to perform their tasks. This is when she is allowed to be most like her true self - upbeat and hopeful, she often tries to get the other slaves to join her in escaping their captors. She stands at around 5'9" tall and lets her shoulder-length hair hang free. Ikka wears the same plain outfit as other slaves - a roughly-made, brown dress with hide shoes (though with Henry's expertise, they are made to fit better than usual). Her privilege as a fellow Saomi to hold onto one trinket of hers has been revoked due to her numerous transgressions of the rules.





BRIEF HISTORY: Ikka was born to the clan of Kona Ailu and spent her childhood contributing to her family by weaving fish-nets and digging for clams along the beach. For the Saomi, slavery was a long practiced tradition. Even her generally peaceful tribe had kept their enemies as slaves at times. Ikka had even spoken with and fed these unfortunates before. She just never imagined that she would be the one to be captured one day.


Ikka was taken captive by Kona Mohkku on her way to negotiating with another clan and has remained a slave ever since. She has made many escape attempts and her punishments have worsened steadily for every time she's been caught. Her thoughts on Bayard II's peace treaty are benevolent, and she believes that it is now time to surrender the axe and embrace their enemies - for she has experienced for herself the atrocities that the Saomi inflict on each other.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

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NAME: Lifa Bayard|| AGE: 19 || ROLE: Princess || SOCIAL CLASS: Royalty

​

Lifa Bayard was born the second daughter to Bayard II. Although she got along fine with her other siblings, Lifa maintained her closest relationship with her twin brother, Edvard Bayard. In her family, Lifa was the only one to inherit her father's black hair. Lifa had an unremarkable childhood and much of it consisted of learning how to do things like read and sew with her tutors. It was a boring life and Lifa knew she wasn't fit to be a socialite like her mother and elder sister was. Despite that, she was too scared and loyal to her family to protest until she hit her teenage years. After befriending a merchant's son, Lifa began to learn more of the world outside the castle courtyards. Sure, she knew of (other kingdoms) and of the different islands that spotted the Eastern coasts. She knew of gallant knights and infamous outlaws but Lifa found that reading about these things and actually seeing them were two completely different things.


As the merchant's son supplied her with stories of his travels, Lifa grew infatuated with him (though whether it was the boy himself or the allure of freedom he carried was debatable). The tidal-pools and closer villages Lifa were allowed to visit had now lost their child-like charm and she desired adventure. The next time the merchant's son came to visit her Lifa decided to go along with him on his trading route. She only made it to the borders of Telra before her father, Bayard II, came riding after her himself.


Lifa was banned from talking to the merchant's son (though he himself remained un-punished) and was confined to Seastone Keep once again. But Lifa had tasted freedom now and it was sweeter than the ocean air. Through time, begging, and anger tantrums, she was allowed to leave with her brother, Edvard, on small hunting trips every now and then. Lifa even managed to get her brother to commission her a fancy sword in secret (though it was soon found out by her parents). Still, Lifa wished for the tales of adventure in her books and chipped away at her father's resolve for complete freedom.


Her personal crusade ended in bitter-sweetness - through her mother's death, Lifa was no longer confined in Seastone Keep as the King was too grieved to care what she did. Left largely to her own devices, Lifa grew restless with the freedom she had fought so hard to earn. She was a dog who had caught her own tail and now had nothing to chase. Without anything to stop her, a wild tour through the neighboring kingdoms had lost its appeal. To solve growing tensions with their neighboring kingdom, she was soon promised to Prince Cid Taeg of Caeryth but she felt nothing but apathy. She cares not for politics (though her elder sister still forced her to attend festivities with a smile) and her sword remains untouched like her father's.

PERSONALITY

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MAJOR STRENGTH: A strong will and the perseverance to work towards what she desires.

MAJOR WEAKNESS: Naivety and the stubbornness to refuse to see things from other peoples' points of view.

Lifa Bayard takes after her father more than she does her mother. Even little details like the colour of her hair are inherited from Bayard II so it is no wonder that her personality greatly mirrors her father's. Lifa is a headstrong young woman who takes what she wants. Through her sheltered upbringing, she has become a bit spoiled and does not truly understand the world outside Seastone Keep - shown by her many rash decisions made in the heat of the moment. In this way, Lifa can be described as a brat. Even against higher authority (like the King and late Queen), Lifa will wheedle her way into getting what she wants, whether it is a horse, a sword, or a new riding-cloak. However, beneath her selfish desires lies her love for her family and friends.


Although she may not know if she is hurting them currently, Lifa will always attempt to make things up with gifts and apologies (which further show her naivety in thinking everything can be bought). She holds her siblings close to her heart, especially her twin, and was one of the first in her family to accept her bastard cousin as one of them. Though Lifa lives a privileged life, she does not discriminate against commoners knowingly. She likes to both wade through the tidal pools (though recently that has lost its child-like charm) and sit at feasts (though only if her favourite foods are present). Though not as enamored with the past as her eldest brother, Lifa does have more ambition beyond her kingdom of Telra.

POLITICS

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Being the middle princess, Lifa is required to hold some knowledge of the kingdom's current state. Although she doesn't fully realize it, Telra is one of her most beloved possessions and whatever political decisions she is allowed to make, she makes for the good of the country. Lifa doesn't hold much of an opinion on outsider kingdoms as she only knows them for the goods they export.

FINER DETAILS

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Despite living in Telra, Lifa is prone to collecting seashells and the smooth ocean rocks which are often sold as tourist bait. On numerous occasions she has also tried to keep crabs and fish in tanks in her room but unfortunately, none last longer than a month. Lifa puts herself out as loving animals but in reality, she does not know how to care for them properly and even relegates her horse-keeping as her twin brother's responsibility. Lifa has a soft spot for adventurers and often visits the taverns near the port to hear their stories. She always leaves them a hefty tip in return.

MOUNT: Saoirse (SEA - URSH - SHA)


A filly of three years, Saoirse was bred and bought in the kingdom of (insert kingdom) as a gift for Lifa. She doesn't take well to harnesses so Lifa rides her bareback. Her dappled grey coat is kept shiny and clipped short by Lifa's twin brother, Edvard.


WEAPON(s):

Lifa's sword is a fanciful weapon that was gifted to her by Edvard. The deep mahogany colour that makes up the leather scabbard and wooden handle is a feature that Lifa especially likes. Though she was taught how to maintain the steel blade's edge, Lifa has rarely used it to actually hit anything.

APPEARANCE

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Lifa Bayard is a young woman who stands at around 5'7" tall. She has a slender and soft build despite her deep interests in adventuring. She is usually seen wearing dresses of a foreign make like the rest of her sisters, but chooses to forgo the deer-hide cloaks for a more traditional seal-fur one. Her most prominent feature is her dark black hair - in her family of blondes, Lifa stands out like a sore thumb.


However, her locks are commonly seen disheveled and only at festivities does Lifa have a properly brushed hair-do. Although she is paler than the commoners of Telra, Lifa's constant ventures from the castle have left her darker than her siblings. She carries herself with an energetic air and can be slightly childish in her movements. Lifa often has a look of impatience on her face and the only time she looks stern and proud like her parents is when she is engrossed in another exciting story.

 

[RZA]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

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Kingdom Sheet

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THE SILVERN KINGDOM

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BASICS

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CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Silvernest


King Avenius


Northwestern Foothills

CREST

The Silvern crest depicts a merlin with wings outstretched, clutching a fire lily in it's talons. The crest is always made of silver, except for the royal family whose crests are made of white gold. The kingdom's colors are silver/grey and pale blue.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

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The Silvern Kingdom lies east of the westernmost of the Seven Mountains. Its small towns and villages spraw up and down intertwined rivers and mountainous valleys. It is not a large kingdom, but it is a comfortable one. Townsfolk find work in the many silver mines, villagers farm and sustain the kingdom as best they can while others sail up and down the rivers, selling and trading goods. Silvernest is perched and built into Mount Tasiar. The castle looks down upon Looking Glass Lake, which was once a simple mountain tarn. Over the years, between long-lasting rainy seasons and excavation it has tripled in size. Due to its numerous waterfalls, Silvernest enjoys certain technological advances like plumbing and aqueducts.


Culture: The Silvern Kingdom is ruled by the current King and advised by the Prui`Druen, who acts similarly to the Hand of the King. Whenever a King dies, the throne will pass to the next living heir, which is almost always a male. The exceptions of course, is a king with only heiresses, or if the heir is too young to rightfully rule. In which case, the Queen Regent and the Prui`Druen will simultaneously rule until the heir comes of age or until the heiress is married.


The Silvosi are hardworking people, and have wide and varied professions. Mining and metallurgy, hunting and fishing, and trading (of silver) are the most common.


Their diet mostly consists of river fish and mountain game. What crops can be grown in the mountainous region of Silvern are, but are rarely relied upon by the masses. The Silvosi denizens are often found selling and trading their renowned spirits.


Once a year, Silvernest opens it’s gates and allows passage into the heart of the kingdom. It’s a holy day, one where people fast until the light fades and then feast and dance until dawn. The following morning denizens will flock to the nearest Sept where the Prui`Druen will lead a prayer blessing the coming year.


Weddings are performed by the Prui`Druen (lowborn weddings are usually conducted by a Druen) wherein a braided tassel of blue and grey is wrapped around and clasped in the hands of the betrothed. The two intended whisper seven Oaths to each other and then the Prui`Druen prays over their joined hands and announces them Bonded by Oath (married).


Religious Structure: Unlike most of Ellemar, the Silvosi are not monotheistic. To most they seem like pagans - worshipping multifarious gods and believing in strange things, yet this Silvosi tradition dates back to ancient times and has served them well. They believe in the spirit of the world, in the flora and fauna, and everything inbetween. They pray to their gods in seven Silver Septs throughout the kingdom. The largest and grandest of them all lies in the heart of Silvernest.


The Prui`Druen, essentially a High Priest or Priestess, acts as the Head of the religion and as such, is in charge of the kingdom’s religious duties. Every Prui`Druen has a Rue`Druen of the opposite sex, and acts as their advisor, assistant, and second in command. If a Prui`Druen were to die unexpectedly, the Rue`Druen will lead for the Prui`s obligatory year-long mourning period, and then step down when the next Prui`Druen and Rue`Druen are selected.


Former Rue`Druen’s make up most of the seven Convent members, who not only choose each Prui`Druen and Rue`Druen - but act as a secondary council for the current king as well. Each member is in charge of one of the seven Septs, and reports to the Prui`Druen in person every four months.


Druen’s are clergy members that specialize in one of the six sacred arts: poetry, art, music, war, academia, and dance. There was once a seventh - magic - but the Druen’s lost their magic in ancient times and now only spread stories and myths of what they lost and have forgotten. Druen’s usually live within the Silver Septs, but some small monasteries have been built across the countryside where Druen’s go to live, train and fulfill their Oaths. Druen’s as a whole stand as mediators between the mundane and divine aspects of life. They’re holy people through sacrifice and training, and are regarded highly throughout the Silvern kingdom.


Geography: Mostly moist and cool year round; Silvern has brief springs, succinct wet summer's, lackluster autumns, and lingering frosty winters. The kingdom itself sprawls across the foothills and highlands of the western Seven Mountains. The Silvernest Castle is built on Mount Tasiar, overlooking a large lake.


Pertinent History: Prince Lucien, former heir, and brother to King Avenius died tragically in one of the kingdom’s more prolific silver mines. The shaft that collapsed on him and several miners were caved in after the bodies were retrieved and properly laid to rest out of respect. Avenius’ father lived long enough to see his youngest son become the man he always wanted him to be.


Slavery has been abolished since the kingdom’s infancy. The first “ruler” of Silvern was nothing more than a usurper from northern lands. In his two-decade rule, he tried to dismantle the kingdom’s reliance on the Druen’s and executed those who refused to swear fealty, even women and children. The death of the Prui`Druen led to his demise as the people - both rich and poor - rose against him. He and his family were slaughtered and the denizens declared themselves freemen of Silvern Kingdom. Rebellions have been common throughout Silvern’s long-standing history, and the people have no qualms rising against a tyrant on the throne.

CONFLICT

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Due to flooding, what little crops the kingdom is able to grow have been reduced, and even the game animals seem to be disappearing. Though the kingdom is still mainly self reliant, it’s relying on trade more than ever before to help feed it’s people.


Denizens wonder why King Avenius has yet to marry off Princess Lucianna to (A KINGDOM), despite the brewing political tension. Rumors fly and the kingdom is divided on whether or not their beloved princess even should.


According to rumors, the current Rue`Druen is spreading falsehoods across the Seven Septs and the commoners, apparently trying to spearhead a rebellion - in which the Druenite’s would take control of the Silvern Kingdom. All men would be freemen and there would be no royalty. There have been whispers of assassination attempts, but nothing substantial has reached or tried the Kingsguard.


Raiders from the north have been attacking and pillaging the outlying villages and town for centuries; but over the past two years they’ve been more violent than ever. King Avenius has sent a small squadron of men to protect his people and put an end to the raids.

ARMY STATUS

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The Silvosi army is average in size but makes up for that fact in austere training. Enlistment is voluntary as it is life long. The only exception to this rule is delinquent or wrongdoers whose crimes don’t spell death. The army is opportunistic and open to noblemen and freemen alike. The Silvosi army has it’s own set of Oaths, that must be taken at one of the seven Silver Septs across the kingdom before a denizen may be considered a part of the military.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Avenius Gringoire

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ROLE:| King

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 59

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: King Avenius looks like a trustworthy man with his expressive blue-grey eyes, framed by laugh lines and bushy brows. Avenius’ hair lost it’s auburn color early in life and now even his beard is salt and pepper. Standing just under six feet, physically, Avenius is nothing more than your average man. His body has softened with age but he still emanates a regal aura.

BRIEF HISTORY: Born second after his older brother, Avenius grew up shrinking his princely duties as he never thought he would rule. He prefered ale, hunting trips, women, and combat training over academic and political learnings. That all changed when his older brother, the crown prince, died suddenly and tragically while visiting a prolific silver mine. The kingdom and the royal family mourned, and Avenius - devastated at the loss of his older brother - shouldered the weight of his responsibilities like a true king.

NAME:| Clariscia Gringoire

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ROLE:| Queen

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 45

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Though her beauty has gradually faded with age, Clariscia still carries herself with grace and elegance befitting a queen. Her hair is dark, slightly peppered with grey, and falls in waves halfway down her back. Her high cheekbones rarely betray her laugh lines and aging wrinkles. When she smiles she has small dimples in each cheek. She is almost as tall as her husband, just shy a few inches.





BRIEF HISTORY: Clariscia was born as a noble lady of Silvern and was betrothed to Prince Avenius before birth. He was not the heir being second born, and for that Claris was thankful. She had no wish to be Queen, only a romanticised dream of life, love, and children. Life had it’s own plans however, and she ended up Queen of Silvern as her betrothed became King. Though they weren’t in love at the time of their marriage, Clariscia has come to truly love her husband. It took a long time, not until their second child for her to realize.

NAME:| Rannulf Gringoire

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ROLE:| Crown Prince

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 28

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Tall, dark, and handsome, Rannulf is the perfect blend of his mother and father. He received his mother’s sharp, striking features, and his father’s blue eyes. Rannulf’s however, are more grey than blue and are sharply contrasted by his dark auburn brown hair. Speaking of which, is traditionally long and almost the length of his sisters. He prefers to wear leathers over luxurious clothing, but does so without complaint during official or ceremonial duties.

BRIEF HISTORY: Being the crown prince and his father’s son, Rannulf has regarded his responsibilities dutifully despite being quite the ladies man. Since his conception, his been betrothed to (A PRINCESS) of (A KINGDOM). Training started early in life and continues till this day. He enjoys all manners of his training and has rarely complained. His mind is like a sponge and he enjoys the pursuit of knowledge. He has a close relationship with his younger siblings, even Joscelin, and it was he who convinced Beyla (and will convince Luce) to become Druen.

NAME:| Beyla Gringoire

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 12

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Freckled and blue-eyed, Beyla is annoyingly intelligent and she tends to hold herself as such. Despite this, she has a mischievous grin that reveals two small dimples in each cheek - the only child of Clariscia to inherit them. She has her mother’s dark brown hair and to the dismay of her handmaidens, loves to get it dirty.

BRIEF HISTORY: For as long as she can remember, Beyla has wanted to become the next Prui`Druen. Everything in her life seems to have brought her to this revelation, and in a few months time - after her next name day - she will take her Oaths to become Druen. It seems she talked her sister into becoming Druen as well, even though neither have officially taken their Oaths. As the youngest Gringoire there is some obvious favoritism, especially from her mother and Luce.

NAME:| Joscelin Gringoire

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Monarch

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AGE:| 15

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Joscelin’s dark blonde hair is ever so noticeable, and something that she’s always wanted to change. Unlike her half-siblings strikingly sharp faces, Joscelin’s facial features are rounded and soft, much like her temperament. Instead of pale blue-grey her eyes are deep blue-green and framed with lashes of gold. Despite being three years older, Josce and Beyla are the same height save a few inches. The gods have bestowed her with curves unbefitting a young woman, and Joscelin looks much older than her true age.

BRIEF HISTORY: Despite being born outside of her father’s marriage with Queen Clariscia, Joscelin was raised with love. Her mother, a noble lady within the kingdom, died giving birth to her, and the King hesitantly took her in. Surprisingly, the Queen took pity on the child, and tried to raise her as if she were her own. Though she was bitter, she was bitter towards her husband, not the child. Unbeknownst to her, the Queen had suffered through a miscarriage just months prior and felt somewhat joyful at the news of a child she could raise. King Avenius is speaking with (A KINGDOM) to betroth Joscelin to prince (A NAME).

NAME:| Melissent Ghaliane

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ROLE:| Prui`Druen

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CLASS:| Clergy

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AGE:| 40

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Melissent is tall, elegant, and fierce; exactly as a Prui`Druen should be. Though her hair greyed early in life, mainly due to the stresses of her station, Melissent is beautiful. Silver-grey eyes match her stormy grey hair and stand stark against her rose-peach skin color. Hidden beneath her dull grey robes is a body still in it’s prime.

BRIEF HISTORY: Melissent is the daughter of the previous Prui`Druen and knew as a child that that was her Calling in life as well. She took her Oaths young in life, barely thirteen - which is the legal age to take vows - and has lived the Druen way of life since. Her mother died when Lis was twenty seven, and the Rue`Druen took over until the next Prui`Druen was selected. Traditionally there’s a mourning period of one year and then the Convent and the people choose the next leader. Melissent became the youngest female Prui`Druen at the age of twenty-eight and has led successfully these past twelve years.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

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NAME: Lucianna "Luce" Gringoire || AGE: Nineteen || ROLE: Princess || SOCIAL CLASS: Monarchy

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Lucianna is the second born child of King Avenius and Queen Clariscia and the firstborn daughter. She’s known, since shortly after birth, that there’s always a way to get what you want. Luce walks a fine line between use and misuse of this knowledge. Thankfully, she’s the apple of her father’s eye and she’s rarely had to tread the wrong side of the line.


With that being said, Luce is not uncompassionate or unempathetic and it shows in her frequent visits to towns and villages outside the heart of the kingdom. She was a little younger then Beyla is now when she first ventured outside Silvernest’s protective walls. Luce still remembers the hungry faces and the sadden looks she received. Perhaps that’s why the Druen way of life appeals to her so much - she’d actually be able to help people without feeling ashamed by sneaking out with Cloudrunner to bring provisions to impoverished families.


When her half sister Joscelin arrived, she was barely old enough to remember the stir it caused within the castle. All she does remember, is a lot of yelling between her mother and father, and a baby that made a lot of noise. Being the inquisitive child she was, it didn’t take her long to figure out that the blonde haired baby was like - and unlike - her. When she was old enough to be told the truth (which was shortly after Beyla’s second or third name day) she was disappointed in her father but gained a new sense of respect for her mother who found the courage to take in a child she didn’t sire.


Luce has always been interested in becoming a Druen and it’s the only reason her father has yet to finalize her betrothal to (A NAME) from (A KINGDOM). Under Silvern laws, if she takes Druen Oaths, she doesn’t have to marry. Her time however, is almost up - and if she doesn’t make up her mind soon, she’ll be forced to marry (A NAME) whether she wants to be Druen or not.

PERSONALITY

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MAJOR STRENGTH: PERSUASIVE

MAJOR WEAKNESS: INDECISIVE

Luce is a product of her upbringing and someone who likes to get her way, even if said way is detrimental. She rather learn through experience - and ask for forgiveness rather than permission - then hear the word “no.” She’s quite stubborn that way.


Luce is compassionate but a little tactless at times - her honesty is as brutal as her loyalty is strong. Not nearly as eloquent as her mother or as earnest as her father, Lucianna tries to balance both sides of herself with as much poise and finesse she can manage.


Luce has a hard time making decisions - between wanting to evaluate every possible outcome and waiting for perfection - it’s no wonder Luce can never make up her mind. It’s common for her to go back and forth between decisions and those closest to her know better than to rely on her first answer for anything.

POLITICS

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Though Luce has been briefly instructed and introduced to political matters, she prefers other academic pursuits. Besides memorizing the crests and trade goods of the other kingdoms, Lucianna isn’t much for politics or the dealings of other kingdoms.

FINER DETAILS

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QUIRKS: When Luce is nervous, she has a habit of biting her nails despite being told for the upteenth time how unladylike it is. Lucianna has a growing collection of crystals and precious gems and has a habit of smiling nervously while conversation is paused or faltering.


PROCLIVITIES: She has a tendency to ride Cloudrunner whenever she’s angry or just in a bad mood. Feeling the wind in her face clears her mind and relieves tension. The life of a Druen appeals to her, but she has yet to make up her mind and take her Oaths.


SOFT SPOTS: Luce has an absolute soft spot for her little sister Beyla, and is fiercely protective of her. She also has a soft spot for children, and whenever her father allows her out of the castle, she brings provisions to impoverished families. Unbeknownst to everyone but her older brother, who doesn’t approve whatsoever, Lucianna has a soft spot for one of the royal guards.

MOUNT: Cloudrunner; a smoky black mare with a flaxen silver mane and tail. They've been together for a little over four years, and Cloudrunner dislikes anyone but Luce and Beyla riding her.


WEAPON(s): The only weapon Luce has any training with is the bow. Three years ago, on her name day she received a beautiful bow made out of yew wood, and she absolutely treasures it.

APPEARANCE

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Lucianna is strikingly beautiful, possessing her mother’s high cheekbones and her father’s pale blue-grey eyes. Like her younger sister Beyla, Princess Luce has a face full of freckled constellations and like her brother Rannulf, her dark brown hair is tinted auburn. It’s longer than what’s depicted in the picture above, and falls in loose waves to the bottom of her back.


She stands just above average height and is tenderly built, much to her dismay. After years of begging, Luce was finally able to convince her mother and father to let her train in the art of archery, and it took a long while until she was strong enough and possessed enough finesse to master it. Her physique is maintained mostly through her equestrianism and love of riding.


Luce has full lips, almond eyes framed with thick dark lashes, and a creamy-peach skin color. She prefers to wear her kingdom’s colors, as it flatters her quite nicely, and doesn’t have a problem indulging in the finer aspects of life, especially when it comes to clothing.

 

[Dusky]

-THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN-

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Kingdom Sheet

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GLAEN

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BASICS

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CASTLE NAME |


RULER |


LOCATION |

Iveragh


aka Champion's Island


Queen Alana of Glaen


Northwestern Forest

CREST

The colors and crest of the kingdom are the same as that of the royal family: red and gold, and two griffins intertwined in battle.

WRITTEN APPEARANCE:

​

In the foothills to the west and slightly south of the westernmost mountain there is a lake surrounded on all sides by dense forest. This is where the kingdom of Glaen makes its home. Though the forest is expansive, the kingdom is less so; their people fear the depths of the forest and do not stray too far from the lake that serves as a focal point. The thickest woods, they say, hold the strangest things.


Travel is not quick among all the trees, but a day in a two man canoe will carry you across the lake unless the wind is against you - but then, the trees usually break any wind. Among other things, Glaen is unnervingly still.


Culture: Glaen is not wealthy or abundantly fertile, but there is always enough to go around. In some towns clearings are made so more crops can be grown; however, the forest is both respected and feared almost as a separate entity, so many citizens of Glaen view this as an unnecessary offense, unlike taking wood to build or keep themselves warm. For the most part, agriculturalists have discovered and maintained groves of nut trees and fruit trees and tapped others for syrup and tar. For this reason, sweet flavors dominate the cuisine of Glaen, supplemented by the little they farm and the small game and mushrooms that are plentiful amid the trees.


Because water connects all of the towns and cities to each other, visitation and communication among each other are frequent. However, because trees impede easy and quick movement on land, travel outside the kingdom and travel to the kingdom are minimal. They conduct what trade is necessary for them to get by, but otherwise they are very isolated. However, they welcome new things, finding it very exciting when new inventions and curiosities make their way into their hands.


They are simple people, and pay little attention to trends. Their clothing is largely functional because frills and extra fabric invariably get caught and torn on branches, and one of the baseline professions is a forester, chopping lumber for houses and firewood. Women are not expected to wear dresses unless they are attending an event of some sort; the norm is deerskin leggings, sturdy boots, and short tunics over a long-sleeved undershirt. The most fashion forward of the residents will embroider their clothing with designs and small pictures, and laces are a common feature on all clothing. In the harsh winters this attire is supplemented with thick woolen sweaters. The standard is different for nobility and royalty, who are expected to be dressed formally more regularly, though it is still acceptable for them to dress down when training.


Glaen's most unique sport is known as "tree-racing," wherein participants climb and leap from tree to tree until they reach an arbitrated finish line. Fishing and swimming are also common leisure activities, as the lake is not large enough for fishing to be industrialized. However, their most popular, beloved, and attended sport - to the point of being an enormous cultural focus - is dueling. Never to the death, they aren't barbarians... But violence is an art and prowess is to be revered. Nobles are expected to be proficient duelists.


Glaen is home to four noble families, one of which being the royal family, House Glaen. The Houses are spaced almost evenly around the lake, and each looks after their quarter though Glaen rules them all. Inheritance passes from eldest to eldest, regardless of gender.


While men are considered to generally be stronger than women, women are considered to generally be more intelligent. However, these stereotypes have little bearing on the options available to each gender, as the people are a proud people, and believe that hard work will make anyone excel in their field and if someone has worked hard for something then they have earned it.


Common professions are foresting, fishing, carpentry, hunting & trapping, construction, and various types of rudimentary botany.


Aside from the study of the naturally occurring flora in their area, the kingdom is scientifically lacking and only picks up on what other kingdoms have discovered and shared.


Religious Structure: Glaen very proudly follows the large, monotheistic religion of the land, believing that their god protects them from the gloom of the forest and gives them strength. There is a small church in most every town, and the largest cities have wondrous citadels. However, their fear and reverence of the forest as a thinking entity borders on cult or religious behavior, and some small groups do worship old spirits they believe make their home in the largest trees. This is strictly forbidden.


Geography: The dense forest West and slightly South of the Seven Mountains is of a temperate variety. It is perilous to walk through it inattentively; the woods are cut through with ravines and deep rivers, the roots of the countless trees arcing out of the sides of the drops. The forest is thinnest closer to the mountain, but also more dangerous, rife with steep drops and waterfalls. To the west, the trees cluster more closely together, and the land flattens some. The trees go on for many miles, but the people do not venture too far west for fear of strange things flitting between tree trunks.


The lake is neither very large and deep nor very small and shallow. Its shores are comprised largely of small stones, though the southernmost shores are comprised of sand and sometimes dirt. In these southern areas, leeches are often a problem and swimming is less popular.


Iveragh is built on a small island not far from the western shore. It is connected to a city along the lake by a long stone bridge. The city was made in a clearing of trees and is one of the brightest and least touched by the forest. Other towns and cities vary; some are also made in clearings, and others work around the trees. A few make use of the trees and build upwards, vertical cities bustling with development, with many a bridge from tree to tree overhead.


Pertinent History: It has been several generations since a man last sat on the throne. Queen Roisin bore Queen Meredith bore Queen Roisin (second of her name) bore Queen Alana, who wears the crown now. Queen Meredith, however, had several children before her heir, some male, but all were stillborn.


The influence of Glaen once spread much further through the forests, but several hundred years ago droves of people began flocking to the east, gibbering about unnatural beings that blighted their crops, brought bad luck, and often did them bodily harm. This fervent account was not believed at first, but gradually the superstition developed and as the relocation of villagers died down, paths leading to towns in the deep woods were blocked off and none have since ventured out to see for themselves what has become of them. Most likely they would find rundown ruins, cities abandoned to be overgrown by nature and picked through by bandits who used fear to their advantage in one malicious kingdom-wide prank.


Or perhaps they would find that the hobs and faeries had moved in.

CONFLICT

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Queen Alana's position is contested, moreso than even she knows. Depending on who you ask, it is unclear whether the late queen wanted her eldest child (Alana, a scrawny young woman who is well-suited to diplomacy but cannot wrap her head around strategy or stomach the thought of battle) or her first-born son (one who rejected his gender role and has trained and studied to be a talented duelist and brilliant tactician) to assume rule following her death. Though the Royal Prince (who can totally be played by someone else) loves his sister dearly, he is bitter and feels he deserves what has been handed to her simply for her order of birth. It does not help that she is once again another Queen, causing many to wonder if foul play is at hand. It is even speculated that male first-borns are being murdered to keep women on the throne. Alana's disposition and skillset are not in line with Glaen's image of strength, and given her soft-hearted nature, many a man both within the country and outside of it may think the time is ripe for him to wed her and control her. With all of that, there are many whispers behind hands of unseating her and installing someone more suited.


Alana recently traveled to (insert country here) and has come back distracted, giggly, and full of sighs. Love is in the air, but with who is anyone's guess. As it happens, it is unlikely anyone would approve of her object of affections, as they are a commoner / a woman / married / an outlaw / to be determined.


Many of the higher ranks of Glaen's citizenship have been restless lately, whispering of times when Glaen was a great, fearless land. However, they are torn between the desire to reclaim that glory and their ingrained preconceptions of the harsh nature of the world around them. Their superstitious reluctance to delve further into the forest limits space, and as population density grows so does crime. It is not yet a noticeable issue, but it soon may be.

ARMY STATUS

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The army is not much of one; if for some reason Glaen decided to wage war it would almost certainly lose. They may, however, be able to fend off invading attacks; the young men and women in Glaen's small force are trained to use the environment and the enemy to their own advantage, and this includes shooting arrows from treetops, setting traps, nimbly evading attacks, and slipping past a fighter's defense. Mixed with a heavy emphasis on planning and clever approaches, Glaen's army is efficient and skilled, which may compensate for lack of manpower.


The Queen's Warriors (King's Warriors, when a man is on the throne) are a group of elite duelists, many of whom have also studied war extensively, making them effective commanders. Though Glaen has not fought in a conflict in a very long time, the Warriors are always keeping abreast of recent ones and discussing among themselves, as philosophers are wont to do, new questions and new answers in the field of war. Warriors do not waste themselves on a battlefield and would not likely last long on one, as they are accustomed to a single opponent who holds a strong code of honor, similar to themselves - not the indiscriminate killing soldiers face. Instead, Warriors swear in their initiation vows that in times of war they will serve as leaders and organizers, their sharp minds guiding others' sharp blades. Warriors are predominantly but not exclusively female; this may be because they are nominated and inaugurated by the ruling regent, and there has not been a King in some time.


Occasionally, political disputes are settled by duels. The Warriors may be called upon at any time to champion the regent in such a duel, though it is considered a sign of weakness to not fight your own battle. The Warriors also act as a royal guard, ensuring the regent is safe from any who mean them harm. Their numbers rest somewhere in the twenties.


Many cities have established a rudimentary police force, but towns and villages do without.

MAJOR PLAYERS

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NAME:| Alana of House Glaen

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ROLE:| Queen

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 18

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: By all standards, Alana is very beautiful, something she must have received from her father for her mother was very severe and plain. She carries herself with confidence, but not in the same way that a warrior might, and this brings her trouble. She indulges very frequently in her appearance and does not often change into informal attire.

BRIEF HISTORY: Alana is a sociable girl and has been just about since birth. She loves people: talking to them, reading them, influencing them. She was the first of the late Queen Roisin's children and therefore knew she would rule one day, but had not realized it would be so soon. As a child she was often thrown into the rink. Someone would force a wooden sword into her hand and tell her to fight. She found the entire thing horrifying, and no matter how hard she tried to escape or to win, every week saw her on the ground, nursing bruised fingers. Then they sat her in front of the books, told her to learn. She read and read and read, but the words swam about on the page and by the end of the book she felt that she had retained very little of it. Instructors would drill her on ancient battles and as she stumbled over her incorrect answers she would be met with sneers. None seemed to see her talents. She and her mother were not exceptionally close but she seems to have taken her death quite hard.

NAME:| Morag the Treetop Singer

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ROLE:| Heretic

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CLASS:| Commoner

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AGE:| 25

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Morag is a dour-looking woman under all that red hair, and she's short and lithe, which is ideal for what she does. In all the times that she has been seen as the Treetop Singer, she has her hood up and ancient patterns on her face, symbols of spirits that Glaen abandoned long ago. Her demeanor is cold, but her eyes, though pale, hold fire.

BRIEF HISTORY: Morag is the daughter of an arborist who keeps a hazelnut grove, and she works among the trees leading a mostly uneventful life by day. By night, she and her family slip away to convene with strange people and worship the spirits of forest. Morag hides her identity and climbs to the top of trees to loudly sing pagan songs that praise the forest in her beautiful voice so all can hear, earning her the nickname The Treetop Singer. Among those who follow the old faith she is revered as an avatar of the Spirit of Song, sent to live among them. Even she believes it's true.

NAME:| Callum the Wheel of House Ready

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ROLE:| Queen's Warrior

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 30

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Callum is lean and strong, and shockingly flexible. He has close-set features that can make him seem cross, but outside the arena he is as gentle as they come. At 6 feet tall, even, he is towering among his medieval companions, but he does not seem to let this impede his movements. Callum bears several scars from his losses. He maintains a beard which is, for him, rather a point of pride.

BRIEF HISTORY: Born a noble, Callum learned to fight at a young age but always seemed dissatisfied with something, frequently using weapons in ways they were not intended much to the chagrin of his instructors. However, a trip outside of Glaen made him very curious about alternative weapons and during his trip he found a long polearm fixed with a thin, slightly curved blade at the end. After giving it a spin, literally, he purchased the item and the services of an expert who would train him. After much practice he mastered the weapon and takes it into duels with him, spinning it near constantly and earning himself the nickname of "the Wheel." He is considered the highest of the Queen's Warriors currently.

NAME:| Margaret of House Glaen

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ROLE:| Princess

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CLASS:| Royalty

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AGE:| 15

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Margaret, "Meg" to her friends, is a paragon of innocence. She's very pretty, though mama used to say she could stand to bulk up a little. It's true that she's very slim, but not for lack of training. She is with the royal tutors daily and enjoys the competition and exercise, and she has become quite good with her pariser, though she is not confident that she could fight competitively.

BRIEF HISTORY: Having known no other life that the idyllic, Meg is optimistic and cheerful, but also naive. Being the baby of the family, she was always mama's little girl, and she has grown up rather spoiled. She has taken her mother's death gravely, as the two were very close However, there have been talks of betrothing her to a man from Cain'loren, and this has brought some excitement back into her cheeks.

NAME:| Hester of House Cathasach

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ROLE:| Drill Sergeant

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CLASS:| Noble

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AGE:| 32

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION: There's no other way to describe her: she's a hardass. Hester is responsible for training new recruits and she is a demanding tutor, very difficult to please. Her tall, broad stance completes the picture, sunstreaked brown hair cut short and practical.

BRIEF HISTORY: While technically Hester is a noble, it's in the sense that she is the daughter of a cousin's youngest, someone so far removed there was almost no fuss made over him marrying a commoner. Her family is enough to make others give her respect, but she is not wealthy and does not live in a castle like a proper Lady. She too married a commoner and she has one child, a son who is nearly grown up.

MAIN CHARACTER

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HISTORY

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NAME: MAEVE THE LEAF || AGE: 22 || ROLE: QUEEN'S FAITHFUL || SOCIAL CLASS: COMMONER

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When there are so few noble houses, recognizing one over the other is placing disproportionate importance on them, even moreso than in a larger kingdom. This might be why the regent's Faithful, who serves as their right-hand person and fills an intimate advising role, has traditionally always been selected from the common folk. This is not to say, of course, that any rabble can be nominated. Maeve is proof of that.


Maeve was born to a tax collector who worked for one of the noble families. Her father's job involved taking money, even from those who didn't have much, and thus she was widely disliked. But her father was well-off, and she never remembered him for being an unkind or greedy person. No, what she remembered was him taking her to the duels, playing dress-up with her when nobody was looking, and teaching her to tree-race. She loved the exhilaration of tree-racing, but found it monotonous after some time.


As stated, she and her father were widely disliked. One day when she was ten, some other kids began insulting her, and she flew at them in a rage. She was soundly beat, and when she shamefacedly returned home, her father took one look at her and said, "I suppose it's time to teach you to fight."


And teach her he did, going beyond the basics and truly refining her skill. One day, she asked how he knew so much and he admitted that he had once been a duelist, and the limp in his leg was from an injury that ended his career. It was then that Maeve decided she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and do what he couldn't finish.


She was fierce. But she was smart, too. She took advantage of her smaller size and extra mobility and trained and trained and trained, winning as many duels as she could get herself involved in until she was at last noticed by the family employing her father and they offered to patronize her. With professional trainers and tutors now at her disposal, she rose far above even her father's heights, eventually being inducted into the Queen's Warriors, something that felt to her like crossing a finish line. Never one to stay idle, she simply set a new goal - to be number one. That has yet to happen, but she did manage to forge a close relationship with the late Queen and her children. When the previous Queen's Faithful stepped down to enjoy his old age, Queen Roisin appointed Maeve. It was not long after that that sickness took the Queen and Alana rose to the throne.


Maeve currently serves as Alana's Faithful, and she finds herself to be thriving in the new environment. Maeve has never married and at this point is quite old and doubts she ever will.

PERSONALITY

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MAJOR STRENGTH: Driven

MAJOR WEAKNESS: Conflicting Desires

Maeve is an ambitious person, one who cannot settle for allowing any part of her to be weak. She is always seeking new ways to excel, and if she finds herself out of her element she takes it as a challenge, not a roadblock.


Maeve is a proud person, and a loss can make her moody for days. She does hold to the belief that hard work makes a person worthy rather than their circumstances, but hard work is so ingrained in her that she has a hard time imagining she could ever be unworthy of anything. Her pride extends into other areas, such as and especially the art of war and fighting and the culture of prowess and victory within Glaen. At times her pride borders on arrogance.


Maeve is an honorable person, the code of the duel having been drilled into her head from a young age. Within the arena she is just and straight-forward, and outside the arena she is kind, fair, honest, and helpful to those in need. She would like to believe she is a good woman.


Maeve is an intelligent person, enjoying the mental exercise of quick thinking and solving problems.


Maeve is not the most socially adept person. She can read body language just fine, and discern people's motives well enough, but she doesn't excel at it - yet. She is especially inept at dealing with awkward or uncomfortable situations, lacking tact and finesse. She cannot very well defuse, nor does she know how to respond to things like the Queen's silly streak. She often views herself as the only sane person around.

POLITICS

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Maeve has not yet been included in the many whisperings against the Queen, possibly because she is fiercely loyal to Alana. She is also, however, quite patriotic, and even she has had thoughts - rapidly quelled - that Alana is not what a Glaennish ruler ought to be. She is very much on the fence, as her deeply ingrained sense of loyalty and honor demands she stand by the Queen unconditionally while her deeply ingrained sense of pride and value of strength make her uncomfortable with the way the monarchy is heading. What she thinks of politics may very well depend on who gets to her first; she has the potential to be the most steadfast of retainers or the most resolute of traitors. She is definitely Shakespeare's Brutus only more badass looking and female.

FINER DETAILS

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Quirks: Maeve is an expert stone skipper and enjoys heading to the shores to teach children her secrets.


Proclivities: Maeve cleans. If she is stressed, if she is angry, if she is upset or deep in thought, she will clean, whether it's her armor, her weapon, or her living space.


Soft Spots: She tends to take a liking to underdogs, and cannot help but cheer for the ones who struggle in the beginning.

MOUNT: Maeve is rather neutral towards horses and doesn't put hers to use very often, but the Queen insists she must have one. Maeve usually only rides her Arabian, named Valor, when she needs to journey to other kingdoms. Palace attendants see to her the rest of the time.


no slide no slide


WEAPON(s): Maeve is a master of the short sword, which gives her lightness and mobility but also slashing and stabbing potential. Of course, in a duel it's never the intent to injure, except to draw first blood. Her sword was a gift from Queen Roisin, a wonderful weapon whose handle is carved from black walnut. She is also known to change things up by using a dagger, which is somewhat shorter and more curved.

APPEARANCE

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Maeve's white-blonde hair suggests that she has foreign blood, and it's certainly possible. Her father never talked about her mother much. She shines in any room she enters with her pale coloring and her confident stance.


She stands tall, figuratively, but literally speaking she is rather short, scant inches above five feet. Her body is athletic: well-built but lean, with no undue bulkage. It is certainly the body of a woman, though a distinct lack of birthing has kept her hips sadly narrow.


She has scars from the middle of her duelling career, when she was not so weak as to be facing small fry yet not so strong as to be facing honorable professionals. During this time she developed a nemesis who had no qualms doling out injury, earned and necessary or not. The gashes across her brow, cheek, and forehead remain dark red. While she rather likes them most of the time, on occasion she catches her reflection and laments having taken for granted her years of beauty when she might have made a family.