Myrish Royal Court: Uncertain Future <OoC | SignUp | Open>

[Mewsland]

The Kingdom of Myr. A fiery kingdom which had blasted onto the world stage over the 15th Century. An economic powerhouse, Myr became the banking capital of the world, yet still seemed rather insular, keeping out of the way of international affairs and thus being the one nation everyone could do business with. At the same time, Myr's influence over the world began to grow to unprecedented levels.

In 1497, the previous monarch of Myr, High King Morgan VI, had died, and left the throne to his only heir - a daughter, Rhiannyn. All at once, the courts of the city of Myrávia - "heart of Myr" - ignited with a sudden surge of infighting between the nobles, a sort of contest for power in the start of the so-called Rhiannyne Age. Rhiannyn I's famous tempestuous nature is first revealed when she dismisses her court - all this from a short (half an inch short of five feet) monarch of barely 15.

Enter 1539. Rhiannyn I - now 57 - has counter-intuitively become more beautiful as the queen's snow-white hair (which it had been all her life) and mismatched eyes (one blue, one green) were joined by a venerable, wizened face. Lustful and harsh, the fiery Rhiannyn was becoming increasingly unstable and unpredictable, which triggered a new phase in court intrigue in Myrávia. Rhiannyn's 16-year-old daughter Kateira was coming of age, and the games in the court began to play increasingly toward influencing the future Kateira I rather than the tyrannical and random High Queen Rhiannyn. However, as time went on, influencing Rhiannyn would be revealed as key to influencing Kateira - and the future of Myr...

Okay, so I felt like doing a court-intrigue RP. Some simple stuff - the Kingdom of Myr is an alternate UK (including all of Ireland) founded much earlier in history. Rhiannyn I has been High Queen of Myr for 42 years, and the time is approaching when her heir will take the throne, making the Queen's ear even more necessary than before.

Where you come in is to play one of the nobles in the Kingdom of Myr - perhaps a low-ranking noble who had raised him or herself to the court through sheer hard work, or a high religious official from either Myr's pagan or Christian populations, or much anywhere in between. Perhaps you even had the favor of Rhiannyn at one point, but you were now left to play the game like everyone else. I'm not going to throw out an application form, but I do ask that you write a well-detailed biography of your nobles (up to three) in a post in this thread.

[Mewsland]

>>> Accepted Characters <<<

Image: Rhiannyn I as painted in 1497.

RHIANNYN I ADERYN - HIGH QUEEN OF MYR

Mewsland

Rhiannyn I of Myr (fully titled Her Serenity Rhiannyn, the First of Her Name of the Royal House Aderyn, High Queen of all the Realms of Myr by the Grace of the Gods of All Faiths in Union) < 23 August 1482 - > has been the High Queen of the Kingdom of Myr since 19 October 1497. The seventh monarch of the Aderyn dynasty, Rhiannyn is extraordinarily charismatic, often cowing high-ranking nobles into submission despite her tiny stature of 4' 11.5". Despite her small stature, she is considered one of the most educated and attractive rulers of Myr to date. Regardless, after the turn of the 1530s, Rhiannyn became increasingly lustful, harsh, and unpredictable, her quickly-shifting moods often shaking up the makeup of the royal court and the nobility.

In the early part of her reign, Rhiannyn helped bring the economy of Myr into an explosive rise. The already-strong banking clans of Myr began to spread across Europe, and Rhiannyn became lauded as the Golden Queen, especially after she lowered taxes in 1511. The Rhiannyne government was easily able to fund all of its spending throughout the 1510s and early 1520s, even with further tax reductions in 1517 and 1523 (the same year in which her daughter Kateira was born). However, in 1525 (the year in which her second daughter Luthíen was born), the agricultural backdrop of the Myrish economy fell apart with an extraordinarily wet year, and the banking clans launched a sudden revolt in early 1526. Crushed by 1528, the revolt seemed to unhinge Rhiannyn - especially after it threatened her daughter Kateira - beginning the swift pitching of the seas that were the 1520s and 1530s royal courts.

In 1529, Rhiannyn began drifting away from the religious acceptance preached by her father Morgan and toward a new form of her own paganistic faith, and the new faith became codified as a state religion (with Rhiannyn as head) in 1531. As a result, Rhiannyn was excommunicated by Pope Clement VII, and all Catholic subjects were released from any obligation to her - which, though it began to create hints of rebellion, largely passed without incident.

Holding the ear of Rhiannyn I became key to even surviving or getting anywhere in the Rhiannyne court. Those who could not get in touch with Rhiannyn were essentially doomed sooner or later, especially if her mood shifted. Those who could make some sense of Rhiannyn's moods could easily persuade her into getting rid of their enemies or boosting their friends, perhaps even toward a marriage with Rhiannyn's children. Those who failed, however, would find themselves facing the full wrath of the Golden Terror...

Image: Kateira's official portrait of 1538.

KATEIRA ADERYN - HIGH PRINCESS OF MYR

Mewsland

Kateira of Myr (formally styled Her Most Tranquil Highness Kateira, High Princess of Myr and Heir to the Throne of Myrávia) < 18 May 1523 - > lived mostly in the shadow of her mother, Rhiannyn the Golden Queen, for her early life. Born in 1523 at the Palace of Myrávia, Kateira was kept close with her mother, who took the unusual step (for a noble of the time) of raising her daughter herself. Until the decline of the Myrish economy and the beginning of the rebellion, Rhiannyn proved a very good and stable tutor for her new heir.

1527 proved to be a year to unhinge Rhiannyn, when the banking clans' revolt threatened Myrávia and the Palace - and Kateira. She was rapidly evacuated from the city to Port Mirage, where her sister was growing up, while Rhiannyn stayed behind to marshal her troops to defend the city. Kateira returned home with her sister in 1529 to a changed Rhiannyn and a changed court. As she grew, Kateira rapidly became the focus of courtiers, being known for her beauty. In 1536, Rhiannyn finally began to allow suitors to reach her daughter - and the suitors would have to tread very carefully with the queen to maintain their access.

Kateira's nonchalant but forceful personality was unique compared to her mother. She would not easily pick an argument, but when she did, she was a veritable force of nature. Despite her mother's instability, she is still very close to Rhiannyn, and things that shouldn't escape Rhiannyn's notice regarding Kateira don't.

Image: Luthíen at her thirteenth birthday party in 1538.

LUTHÍEN ADERYN - PRINCESS OF MYR

Nuridia

Luthíen Aderyn (fully styled Her Most Tranquil Highness Luthíen, Princess of Myr) < 27 February 1525 - >, better known to her friends and family as Lu or Lutí, is the second in line to the throne and second daughter of the famed Golden Queen herself, Rhiannyn I Aderyn. Due to her appearance, Luthíen was called both endearingly and condescendingly the daughter of an Elven king, since her looks differed quite a bit from the typical features of House Aderyn but despite the whispers, Rhiannyn's supporters would always say that it was a blessed sign that a child of the Golden Queen was born with hair the color of a golden coin.

Born on a snowy February morning in 1525, Luthíen despite not being heir was still trained to rule in case the need should arise, being taught subjects like governance, law, history, diplomacy, some weaponry and other things of that ilk. The Princess' early childhood saw the early decline of the once hailed reign of her mother. From the failure of the harvests that caused the decline of the Myrish economy, to the rebellion that threatened her sister's life and drove their mother to insanity, to their mother's excommunication by the Pope, however she was told stories of the glory days of how it used to be by supporters and her favorite and closest sister Kateira, who despite having a childhood that overlapped with Luthien's own was fed on stories about how the Golden Queen's reign glittered like the sun.

But any creature with eyes can see that that brilliant sun is being darkened and shadowed by the shifting tides of this turbulent sea of a court, who all seek some of that sunlight for themselves. The courtiers are like vultures, flying down to see whatever they could pick up, many drawn to the most tantalizing prize of all, marriage to a royal daughter. Kateira is the one most preferred as the heir of course but hopes of a royal connection have not spared Luthíen from her own onslaught. Some prideful men were put off by her willowy height of 5 feet, 10 inches but for the sake of royal reward many are willing to look past that especially since many now flock to Kateira's future banner, as the sister of the future Queen, Luthíen is seen as a good person to get to know. Luthíen, far from ambitious for the throne herself, seeing it as too dangerous and not wanting to fight with her sister as her own ambition, to save the ship of Myr and House Aderyn from sinking in this storm.

Image: Kyran Flanagan in 1538.

KYRAN FLANAGAN

Camelone

Kyran Flanagan <c. 1518 - > is not a man of nobility but is a man of great learning and intellect that has earned quite the amount of respect in Ireland. From an early age Kyran had trouble walking and soon he was beset by excruciating pain throughout his legs if he puts some pressure on them so he has his legs wrapped tightly in cloth and two pieces of wood on the sides of both of his legs to keep from having spasms and random spats of pain. He walked with two crutches that made sure his feet wouldn't touch the ground so his upper body is very strong. As the son of a blacksmith Kyran learned the basics of metallurgy and metal working from an early age but at the age of 14 his family set him away to train in a monastery as the shop was on hard times and Kyran was sadly a drain of resources, the idea was Kyran's.

At the monastery Kyran learned how to read and write along with many other sciences as the monks knew he couldn't do much because of his legs. Consequently Kyran had a long time to think and study and became fascinated with engineering, gunpowder and guns, clockwork, and theology. His writing became more and more refined throughout the years and soon became a well known theologian and clockmaker throughout Ireland and gained the attention of the Irish nobility, some of who he was able to convince to convert to Catholicism. Kyran is an important member of the Irish Christian community. While not being a monk or a member of the clergy he adheres to the discipline and beliefs of the monks with fanaticism, he would much rather become a martyr than denounce the truth of the Church.

By the age of 19 he embarked to the capital of Myr in hopes of getting royal patronage for his technological ideas and hopefully convert some members of the higher nobility to accept the truth of the Church. With a special wagon Kyran carried all his books, blueprints, designs, tools, and prototypes to the capital. On his way to the capital he traveled through Scotland and Wales preaching and displaying his inventions, he has become a very important figure in the Christian community lately though many of the pagan lords and people despise him and more than once he was almost killed by a mob or barred from entering a town. He now awaits an audience with the queen so that he may hopefully gain her patronage and trust, and hopefully not get executed or tossed out.

[Mewsland]

Megabump after getting back from Independence Day camping trip.

[Mewsland]

Bump please?

[Nuridia]

Tag.

[Mewsland]

Yay tag.

Bump!

[Nuridia]

Luthíen Aderyn, known as Luthíen the Tall

Luthíen Aderyn, also known by her full title of Her Most Tranquil Highness, Princess Luthíen of Myr but better known to her friends and family as Lu or Lutí, is the second candidate to the throne and second daughter of the famed Golden Queen herself, Rhiannyn I Aderyn. Due to her appearance, Luthíen was called both endearingly and condescendingly the daughter of an Elven king, since her looks differed quite a bit from the typical features of House Aderyn but despite the whispers, Rhiannyn's supporters would always say that it was a blessed sign that a child of the Golden Queen was born with hair the color of a golden coin.

Born on a snowy February morning in 1525, Luthíen despite not being heir was still trained to rule in case the need should arise, being taught subjects like governance, law, history, diplomacy, some weaponry and other things of that ilk. The Princess' early childhood saw the early decline of the once hailed reign of her mother. From the failure of the harvests that caused the decline of the Myrish economy, to the rebellion that threatened her sister's life and drove their mother to insanity, to their mother's excommunication by the Pope, however she was told stories of the glory days of how it used to be by supporters and her favorite and closest sister Kateira, who despite having a childhood that overlapped with Luthien's own was fed on stories about how the Golden Queen's reign glittered like the sun.

But any creature with eyes can see that that brilliant sun is being darkened and shadowed by the shifting tides of this turbulent sea of a court, who all seek some of that sunlight for themselves. The courtiers are like vultures, flying down to see whatever they could pick up, many drawn to the most tantalizing prize of all, marriage to a royal daughter. Kateira is the one most preferred as the heir of course but hopes of a royal connection have not spared Luthíen from her own onslaught. Some prideful men were put off by her willowy height of 5 feet, 10 inches but for the sake of royal reward many are willing to look past that especially since many now flock to Kateira's future banner, as the sister of the future Queen, Luthíen is seen as a good person to get to know. Luthíen, far from ambitious for the throne herself, seeing it as too dangerous and not wanting to fight with her sister as her own ambition, to save the ship of Myr and House Aderyn from sinking in this storm.

[Mewsland]

Accepted happily. Welcome aboard

[Nuridia]

Thanks!

[Mewsland]

Megabump

[Camelone]

(Is 6' tall)
Kyran Flanagan, a 20 year old, is not a man of nobility but is a man of great learning and intellect that has earned quite the amount of respect in Ireland. From an early age Kyran had trouble walking and soon he was beset by excruciating pain throughout his legs if he puts some pressure on them so he has his legs wrapped tightly in cloth and two pieces of wood on the sides of both of his legs to keep from having spasms and random spats of pain. He walked with two crutches that made sure his feet wouldn't touch the ground so his upper body is very strong. As the son of a blacksmith Kyran learned the basics of metallurgy and metal working from an early age but at the age of 14 his family set him away to train in a monastery as the shop was on hard times and Kyran was sadly a drain of resources, the idea was Kyran's.

At the monastery Kyran learned how to read and write along with many other sciences as the monks knew he couldn't do much because of his legs. Consequently Kyran had a long time to think and study and became fascinated with engineering, gunpowder and guns, clockwork, and theology. His writing became more and more refined throughout the years and soon became a well known theologian and clockmaker throughout Ireland and gained the attention of the Irish nobility, some of who he was able to convince to convert to Catholicism. Kyran is an important member of the Irish Christian community. While not being a monk or a member of the clergy he adheres to the discipline and beliefs of the monks with fanaticism, he would much rather become a martyr than denounce the truth of the Church.

By the age of 19 he embarked to the capital of Myr in hopes of getting royal patronage for his technological ideas and hopefully convert some members of the higher nobility to accept the truth of the Church. With a special wagon Kyran carried all his books, blueprints, designs, tools, and prototypes to the capital. On his way to the capital he traveled through Scotland and Wales preaching and displaying his inventions, he has become a very important figure in the Christian community lately though many of the pagan lords and people despise him and more than once he was almost killed by a mob or barred from entering a town. He now awaits an audience with the queen so that he may hopefully gain her patronage and trust, and hopefully not get executed or tossed out.

[Mewsland]

Acceptified!

[Camelone]

Sweet, so how many people need to apply before the IC is put up?

[Mewsland]

Perhaps one or two more.

[Camelone]

Okay I look forward to it.

[San Monteriano]

Lysandro the Magnificent
Apothecary to the Royal Household, Royal Physician, Master Astronomer
Guildmaster of the Royal Alchemist's Guild

---

Born into a wealthy banking family in Jueno < 1 January 1505 ->, as the fourth son of Grand Duke Cossomo the Great, the de facto ruler of said city-state. Unlike his elder brothers, he had neither martial excellence nor the natural strength that oft preceded it. Instead, he was blessed with a towering intellect - that oft-times went unnoticed - and somewhat effeminate beauty. Around the time of his birth, it had also been rumoured that the boy had been born an albino, without true proof of lineage or parentage. This, therefore, made him somewhat of a ugly duckling of his family, shunned by many. He took solace in his young life through books, study and, on occasion, dalliances with servants.

As he grew older, maturing further into a man, he became the most outstanding of his brothers - with flowing white-silver locks, captivating looks and dashing eyes, a dark blue-green in colour, a remarkable trait considering his suspected albinism. His father, ailing from gout and other ailments, doted on his growing son, increasingly spending more time with Lysandro over his brothers. Over time they grew suspicious, ceasing their games of intrigue against one another to focus on a new threat - their younger brother.

Though insatiably ambitious, Lysandro had no desire for his father's mantle. Rather, he drew a sense of power from his growing genius. His growing array of expertise, skills and general knowledge stirred his brothers into action. They plotted and schemed for months to rid themselves of their overachieving brother, and, when the time came, they struck. It was on the night after their father, Cossomo the First, Grand Duke of Jueno, was declared dead. The three brothers elder made sure to end their brothers life, each taking a blade to their brother before throwing him off the city's Grand Bridge into the depths below. Believing their work done, the kinslayers returned to their infighting, ripping apart both their kin and kingdom.

But their plan did not succeed, for Lysandro emerged hours later, alive, miles down the River June, dying from the otherwise mortal wounds he sustained. With his knowledge of local medicines, he saw off certain death and bound himself in surrogate bandages until he reached an apothecary. Over the months, he healed, and moved on, resenting his brothers for their blood treachery, but knowing that returning to his home would mean certain death. Alas, he ventured forth, exploring lands unfamiliar to him. His insatiable thirst for knowledge later proved useful in curing a high lord native to Myr. Though mistrustful of foreigners, the Myrish widely welcomed Lysandro, often seen as an exotic mystic from foreign lands. He began to perform parlour tricks in the alleys and streets of Myrávia for the deprived and poor, and provided his services for those with good coin, concocting cures for common maladies or unveiling the astral beauties of the night skies, to the amusement and entertainment of the powerful and wealthy.

Cue the entrance of the Myrish High Queen, whom he had sought the audience of for many months. The renowned 'Golden Queen' had commanded his presence at the latest royal court to explain the wonders of the night sky. He did so gladly, revealing the intimate details of the constellations of stars, though he held his tongue for the more controversial of his beliefs - that the galaxy did not move around the world, but that the world was subject to the galaxy, namely the Sun.

By 1539, he had been granted royal commission as the Apothecary to the Royal Household, the Royal Physician and the Master Astronomer of the Queen's own observatory. With the new-found status of his station, he had his brother, Guilio, assassinated in his sleep and secretly arranged the instalment of his cousin, Gaetano, as the ruler of Jeuno. From his chambers in the capital of Myr, he would orchestrate a web of informants and spies across the Continent, meanwhile feeding his thirst for knowledge and power through it, becoming one of the most renowned, controversial and revered polymaths in the Known World.

OOC: This is a tentative application, I just wanted to note down what I had in mind!

[Mewsland]

Oooooooooooooooooh.

I love it. Accepted wholeheartedly. Let me know when you decide to un-tentative it so I can add it to the list.

[San Monteriano]

Oooooooooooooooooh.

I love it. Accepted wholeheartedly. Let me know when you decide to un-tentative it so I can add it to the list.

Ah, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the acceptance. I've had the thoughts in my head for a while now, I just needed the opportunity to collate them. I think I'll join fully, I should be able to devote myself to at least one RP during the summer, plus it sounds like a very interesting concept to get involved with - a lot of thought has been put behind this story, that much is clear.

[Mewsland]

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. Would it surprise you if I said this whole idea hit me within about 15 minutes?

[San Monteriano]

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. Would it surprise you if I said this whole idea hit me within about 15 minutes?

It definitely would - I usually have to dwell on stories for a bit, it makes me somewhat indecisive when it comes to making my own RPs. I like RPs which place emphasis on character-driven experiences, and this seems like a solid place (and time) when a bit of courtly intriguing is needed I can always create another character if needed, someone from the nobility, maybe. It's up to you, I'm sure Lysandro alone will have plenty of opportunity - hopefully - to get involved in the courtly arts.

[Mewsland]

Feel free to create up to three characters.

[Sovreignry]

Alistair Patton Earl of White Haven

Alistair Patton wasn't around for the last round of court intrigue that surrounded the High Queen, that honor had been left to his father, the then Earl White Haven who was unceremoniously (in his opinion which he shared with anyone that would listen for more than 10 seconds) kicked out with the rest of the court in 1497. He vowed that he would return one day but eventually passed away due to illness, never having returned to court. His eldest son Alistair, now Earl White Haven, took over the County and proceeded to make it one of the most prosperous during the banking boom. However, even White Haven was affected by the farm collapse of 1525, though Earl White Haven declared in support of Queen Rhiannyn when the Banking clans revolted and was instrumental in keeping at least some of their army busy trying to maneuver around him. After the rebellion was crushed at the Battle of Marston Moor, where the Earl's Army found itself in a position to prevent the escape of the Bankers' commanders as they were rushing to the Royalist army's aid.

For his part in the war Earl White Haven was invited back to court, fulfilling his father's promise that Earl White Haven would return, it just happened to be a different Earl White Haven than the one that was kicked out. During the incident involving Pope Clement, Alistair, a devout Catholic, nevertheless stayed loyal to the queen as he wasn't a man to put religion over political pragmatism. As he enters the coming months Alistair will be trying to ingratiate himself even more with the Queen, while attempting to weed out those that would see her off the throne in favor of a more Catholic, and more...malleable, monarch.

[Mewsland]

Accepted. IC coming later today (I think).

[San Monteriano]

What's this universe's name for Scotland? Just toying with application ideas at the minute.

EDIT: And that of France, too, if it exists in this universe.

[Mewsland]

France is still France.

Scotland is as in Scottish (Alba).