Intrigue in Court [Fantasy Medieval/Politics/OOC/REBOOTED]

[Zelphos]

Full Name: Gareth Vauquelin
House (Family) Name: Vauquelin
Title (if any): Steward
Social Class: Nobility
Sex: Male
Age: 40
Appearance: Very tall (In present time he would be measured at 6'4), lanky and skinny. Brown eyes, black hair which has begun receding slightly. Hawk-faced, with a trimmed Van-Dyke style beard.
Role in Court: Royal Steward
Backstory: Being the Royal Steward was once a highly sought after position. The man behind the scenes keeping the finances of the realm in check and maybe skimming a little off the top when no one was looking. Well that was then, and the man previously in the position was recently dragged from his home and dismembered in the town square by angry peasants. Which means the position now falls to his second, one Gareth Vauquelin. Eldest son of the minor noble clan of House Vauquelin, Gareth had a knack for such work. Working his way up from humble note-keeper during financial meetings, to the 2nd steward over his 22 years in the court. He was perfectly happy in said position, but fate has forced him into the head of the realms fortunes. A task he hopes doesn't end with him stabbed or worse.

Stewardship: 6(+3)
Intrigue: 4
Martial: 2
Diplomacy: 5
Renown: 3

TRACKING PURPOSES: Indiana

Accepted.

Name of Place: The Hippodrome of Windstard (Corino Circus)
Description: The Hippodrome of Windstard is a large circus and sporting arena designed for chariot racing in the imperial capital of Windstard. The Hippodrome is a gift from Prince Corineus Corino to the citizens of Windstard on the occasion of his betrothal to Princess Talia Vixis in 1029, and its official name is Corino Circus. Construction of the massive building began the year thereafter and has yet to be fully completed though the hippodrome began hosting occasional races in 1046. The Hippodrome is four hundred and fifty meters long and one hundred and thirty meters wide and when the structure is fully completed it will be able to seat a hundred thousand spectators.

The race-track is U-shaped and the Imperial Lodge is located at the eastern end of the track where races finish. The Imperial Lodge can be accessed directly from the Corino family palace known as the Golden House through a passage which only the Corino family and their guests can use. The Hippodrome Boxes, which has four statues of horses in gilded copper, donated by Prince Corineus on the occasion of the birth of Prince Corineus the Younger, on top, stand at the northern end; and the covered part of the tribune for the more well of citizens stand at the southern end. Atop the Imperial Lodge stands a grand gilded copper statue of a charioteer racing a chariot pulled by four horses. The tracks of the hippodrome is lined with statues of horses and famous charioteers, and a great variety of other statues and art works donated by Prince Corineus on various occasions of his career.

When in 1046 the emperor opened the very first chariot race (and supposedly lost a small fortune to his minister Prince Corineus) attendance was free and to this day only those seated under the covered tribune has to pay more than a token fee, the cost of the maintenance of the hippodrome being largely borne by the Corino family, who however take a small bet fare on all bets not privately made.

Four teams compete in the hippodrome according to the rules of the Hwenesian charioteering of Prince Corineus's homeland. The teams are the Greens, Blues, Reds and Whites. At the birth of their second child Prince Corineus gave his wife Princess Talia ownership of the Greens as a gift. After the grand opening of 1046 (when emperor Jakar lost a fortune betting on the Blues), Prince Corineus gave the emperor that team. Since the Corino family has cheered for the Greens while the emperor has cheered for the Blues and both has been known to spend vast sums providing their respective teams with the finest horses and best charioteers the empire can muster.

While there are a number of different types of races the most popular consists of an eight chariot race, in which each team fields two chariots pulled by four horses. These races can be rather crowded and has high rates of injury and death for both charioteers and horses which makes them extremely popular with the common folk. Among some members of the upper classes competitions of two teams of one chariot at a time (sometimes pulled only by two horses) are however considered more enjoyable.

Both Emperor Jakar and Princess Talia are excited fans of the races and has engaged in a not so friendly rivalry with one another with both eager to see their own teams triumph. This goes far beyond simply spending exorbitant amounts of money to provide their respective teams with the best horses, charioteers and trainers. Charioteers from either the Green or Blues are regularly found drugged in shady inns and taverns the day before an important race, stallions mysteriously find their way into stalls containing mares in heat right ahead of races, chariots turn out to be lacking equipment, a trainer ends up being held hostage by a band of thugs only to be unceremoniously released after a race. In these shady games, always a crowd favorite, emperor Jakar III is no match for his daughter's wiles. With sixty three victories to the Greens and fifty one for the Blues the Greens is the dominant team and on the great race days when Princess Talia takes to the Imperial Lodge she is greeted by fifty thousand voices in unison shouting for her team, and sometimes for her personally. Annoyed at his inability to match his daughter's talent for subterfuge emperor Jakar in the last year of his life began to take more drastic and violent actions against the Greens resulting in a few untimely deaths of horses and even men. This however did not manage to unseat the Greens as the crowd favorite and most winning team. The Reds and Whites, lacking such lofty patrons, have notched far fewer wins, and often wins only when the Princess and the Emperor has both managed to sabotage the other's teams. The Reds have twenty one wins and the Whites eighteen.
Part of: Windstard

Name of Place: The Golden House
Description: The Corino family has long maintained a grand residence in the city of Windstard where the Corino princes can reside and entertain guests when they are in the capital. When Prince Corineus Corino married Princess Talia Vixis however he felt that his old family residence might strike his bride as a tad modest and so he began construction of a vast palatial residence to serve as the primary home of him and his wife. Buying up properties adjacent to his residence and either tearing them down or adding them to his mansion. The palace complex design is modeled on that of a military fort being having a square shape. In addition to vast and luxurious living quarters for the Corino family, and accommodations for a small army of slaves, servants and guards, it also houses a temple and a mausoleum for the family. From the palace there is a direct access to the adjacent hippodrome, and in fact from two residential towers in the palace it is possible to observe races without ever stepping foot onto the hippodrome benches. Enclosed within the palace is a large leisure garden. Despite being perhaps the grandest private home in the palace Princess Talia has spent little time in the palace her husband built for her, preferring her apartments in the Blue Palace.
Part of: Windstard

Name of Place: Circus Boucecorin (Corino Bullring)
Description: Circus Boucecorin is the largest and most luxurious bull ring in Windstard. It was built by Prince Corineus Corino, an enthusiastic bullfighting aficionado on the occasion of the birth of his third child by his wife Princess Talia Vixis, as a gift to the city of Windstard. Construction began in 1035 and was completed in 1046 in record time. The building is made of a combination of stone (and concrete) and timber and can hold 12,000 spectators.

Bullfighting takes place in the Rás style of Tauromachy. While this may mean little to the people of Windstard who had little experience with bullfighting before Prince Corineus bequeathed them a circus it is considered an important religious rite among the Rasenna. A number of different bullfights are held but the most important is one in which a mounted lancer fights the bull. As bullfighting, unlike chariot racing, is not (yet) considered a very prestigious sport the Circus Boucecorin is not located in the centre of the imperial capital but in the slums, where it is by far the most grand building. This has had the added advantage of allowing Prince Corineus to arrange bull runs through the back alleys of the city during the opening of the bullfighting season. Attendance at the bullring is free for all citizens and the Corino family charge a small bet fare for the privilege. Though the Circus Boucecorin is much less famous than the Hippodrome of Windstard Prince Corineus is known to attend the bullring at least three times for everyone he attends the Hippodrome even though he lives just next door from the hippodrome and has a private entrance. Princess Talia has never attended a bullfight.
Part of: Windstard

Let me know what you guys think? And btw how do people feel about gladiators?

Very interesting! This is sure to spice things up a bit. Accepted.

I don't believe that gladiators would be a good fit for the time period we're going with, though I imagine that gladiators would still be common practice in the Khuphate and Southern Kingdoms.

Character Application

Full Name: Siwan Elspeth Lehr
House (Family) Name: Lehr
Title (if any): Lady, Heir Apparent to the County of Mêl, in the Kingdom of Ye-ayn.
Social Class: Nobility
Sex: Female
Age: 14
Appearance: Achingly beautiful, of medium height, slender, graceful, auburn haired, fair skinned, lovely of face, hazel eyed.
Role in Court: Lady in Waiting to Imperial Princess Talia Vixis.
Backstory:
Siwan Lehr, the only child of the Count of Mêl and his wife, was born shortly after the birth of Prince Dayfith. Her father, Ruddoch, and the King were good friends. None of the other nobles doubted his love of their country and he often played the diplomat in their dealings with the Crown, as well as the King's diplomat in his dealings with the Empire.

Siwan accompanied her father to the King's court for the quarter-yearly council and those celebrations in which the family was invited to share with the King's family. The two fathers, with ever an eye to the future, saw that their children seemed compatible and there seemed to be no physical or mental shortcomings in them. When the time came and they were ready for it, their match would be announced. Those plans had to, at least temporarily, be set aside when Dayvith was sent to the Emperor's Court.

As the years passed, the young girl blossomed into an incredible beauty. At the age of thirteen, traveling minstrels were inspired to write of her loveliness. Other nobles in the kingdom traveled to Mêl, to verify the stories that had begun to be told about her and to seek marriage matches for their sons. Her father, for her own safety, convinced her to wear a veil when they had to go out in public.

These events did not go unnoticed by King Leull, who believed that the match between Dayfith and Siwan might be necessary to convince the kingdom that when Dayfith became King he would not abandon the traditions of the kingdom and it's people. Expressing his concerns to his friend, The King and the Count came up with a plan that would hopefully reunite Dayvith with Siwan and that somehow nature might take it's course along their designs. Without mentioning their plan, the King wrote a letter to his niece, Imperial Princess Talia, explaining how the girl's incredible beauty was making life difficult for her father and inquired if she might take on the Count's daughter as a lady in waiting. It would allow the girl to continue to grow up without the constant commotion of suitors and their parents clamoring about the castle. It would also be an opportunity to expand the girl's understanding of the world and to learn how best handle the duties of a noble wife.

Siwan learned of the plan, through her father, who made her swear not to divulge it to anyone, telling her that it might endanger both hers and Dayvith's lives. In the meantime, she should feel free to reintroduce herself to Dayvith and see if he had grown into the kind of man that she felt would make a good husband for her.

A reply came from the Imperial Princess, saying that she would welcome Siwan into her home.

Additional Info (optional): Siwan is a sensible girl and has not let her beauty or the flattery of others 'go to her head'. She does not use her beauty to compel favors, other than to take the opportunity to suggest that others find more diplomatic and peaceful means of resolving their differences. (in small part, Siwan's great beauty is based on the tales told about Isabella of Angoulême, who was at an early age already "renowned for her beauty and has sometimes been called the Helen of the Middle Ages by historians."-wikipedia.)

Stewardship: 4 ( 1 (+3))
Intrigue: 2 ( 0 (+2))
Martial: 1
Diplomacy: 6
Renown: 15 (12 (+3))

Accepted.

Would a captain in the city guard have to be a noble or would one that rose from the peasantry be acceptable

The captain of the city guard can be either or. Although I can imagine with the atmosphere that we've created that a peasant acting as captain of the city guard in the capital city would anger some of the nobility class, but that's part of the fun, eh? If the captain is young, like Verdantderm mentioned, there likely had to be some sort of political pull in order to score that position, but then again even a young character can pull it off after distinguishing himself.

[Ameriganastan]

Full Name: Gareth Vauquelin
House (Family) Name: Vauquelin
Title (if any): Steward
Social Class: Nobility
Sex: Male
Age: 40
Appearance: Very tall (In present time he would be measured at 6'4), lanky and skinny. Brown eyes, black hair which has begun receding slightly. Hawk-faced, with a trimmed Van-Dyke style beard.
Role in Court: Royal Steward
Backstory: Being the Royal Steward was once a highly sought after position. The man behind the scenes keeping the finances of the realm in check and maybe skimming a little off the top when no one was looking. Well that was then, and the man previously in the position was recently dragged from his home and dismembered in the town square by angry peasants. Which means the position now falls to his second, one Gareth Vauquelin. Eldest son of the minor noble clan of House Vauquelin, Gareth had a knack for such work. Working his way up from humble note-keeper during financial meetings, to the 2nd steward over his 22 years in the court. He was perfectly happy in said position, but fate has forced him into the head of the realms fortunes. A task he hopes doesn't end with him stabbed or worse.

Stewardship: 6(+3)
Intrigue: 4
Martial: 2
Diplomacy: 5
Renown: 3

TRACKING PURPOSES: Indiana

Accepted.

Sweet. Anything happening where I can jump in?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Would a captain in the city guard have to be a noble or would one that rose from the peasantry be acceptable

My two cents:
In our world, time in service and achievements are certainly ways that lead to professional advancement. Therefore, if your guard captain is younger then he probably had some political pull of his own and is a noble, but if he largely achieved a plum position on his own then he could be a self-made man of middle age.

To add to this: Marius would likely not care much about blood status, so under him it would be far easier to rise on the basis of merit.

[Ameriganastan]

Sweet. Anything happening where I can jump in?

...And I just noticed the IC isn't up yet. Derp on me.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Zelphos, would you be okay with me writing some mythology? It would be nice to have some symbolism and myths all characters now, like our Hercules and Odysseus, or the cross and the ascaepulus.

[Ormata]

I'm interesting. Thinking off a semi-independent power on the Western borders which acquiesced to the Empire in return for continued autonomous operations, as well as the keeping of their own Royalty. To this end, I will be using that 'class' for their King, who will play the part of a diplomat.

[Of the Quendi]

Perhaps from time to time, there would be riots between supporters of each team?

Since the teams are so closely aligned to certain families, it would make sense. The riots may come from displeasure with the Emperor/Nobles more than just the race itself.

Seems likely.

[Nova Tawantinsuyu]

So concerning the scarlet lances would you say 3000 is a reasonable number? The whole group is mounted but of that perhaps 750 are actually full armoured knights and men at arms.

Perhaps another 500 are lighter cavalry with lighter armour, small horses, lances and ranged weapons, a mixture of westerns with crossbows and eastern nomadic mercenaries with composite bows who have been amalgamated into the company.

Another 250 are well armoured knights and men at arms that typically dismount to fight with polearms backed up 500 men with lighter armour who similarly dismount for combat to fight with polearms. Finally we have 1000 longbowmen who have to dismount to shoot.


Its fairly large for an individual mercenary company, although the term company not yet being a unit of a defined size, but its not massive for later medieval armies.

[Lastfell]

I mean, it sounds fair to me. We're talking about a world where there's fairly constant war, particularly now. Would make sense that mercenary companies would find enough work to be that size. A 3,000 person mercenary company would probably be one of the most famous companies in the world though. That's enough to shift a battle, and we are estimating that the Blue Horde have 48,000 warriors, so we need to make sure they keep their "horde" status.

[Zelphos]

Zelphos, would you be okay with me writing some mythology? It would be nice to have some symbolism and myths all characters now, like our Hercules and Odysseus, or the cross and the ascaepulus.

That would be fantastic. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

I'm interesting. Thinking off a semi-independent power on the Western borders which acquiesced to the Empire in return for continued autonomous operations, as well as the keeping of their own Royalty. To this end, I will be using that 'class' for their King, who will play the part of a diplomat.

Sounds interesting. Please feel free!

So concerning the scarlet lances would you say 3000 is a reasonable number? The whole group is mounted but of that perhaps 750 are actually full armoured knights and men at arms.

Perhaps another 500 are lighter cavalry with lighter armour, small horses, lances and ranged weapons, a mixture of westerns with crossbows and eastern nomadic mercenaries with composite bows who have been amalgamated into the company.

Another 250 are well armoured knights and men at arms that typically dismount to fight with polearms backed up 500 men with lighter armour who similarly dismount for combat to fight with polearms. Finally we have 1000 longbowmen who have to dismount to shoot.


Its fairly large for an individual mercenary company, although the term company not yet being a unit of a defined size, but its not massive for later medieval armies.

As of yet, I have yet to place a figure on the amount of troops each nation has, although I suppose we can use the Blue Horde's troop number as a basis for other other nations down the line. 3000 men in a mercenary company is reasonable, and like Lastfell mentioned, it would likely be one of those "most famous companies".

---

What do you all think? Shall we go ahead and proceed with assigning a troop figure to each nation? I believe at some point in the story, due to the amount of military characters we have thus far, they'll be assigned with dealing with the threats in person, hence the need for knowing the troop strength.

[New Aeyariss]

You know, tomorrow I may write a primer about the Empire's military - how it's organied, what kind of weapons are used, etc. etc.

Also, I have based the Blue Horde's mobilizational capabilities off the Crimean Khanate. It's important to note that Blue Horde is exactly that - a horde of steppe nomads economy of which functions distinctively from native vexians, and thus the military organization and quality is far distinct from that of settled populations.

[The Verdantderm Lands]

Zelphos, would you be okay with me writing some mythology? It would be nice to have some symbolism and myths all characters now, like our Hercules and Odysseus, or the cross and the ascaepulus.

That would be fantastic. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

I'm interesting. Thinking off a semi-independent power on the Western borders which acquiesced to the Empire in return for continued autonomous operations, as well as the keeping of their own Royalty. To this end, I will be using that 'class' for their King, who will play the part of a diplomat.

Sounds interesting. Please feel free!

So concerning the scarlet lances would you say 3000 is a reasonable number? The whole group is mounted but of that perhaps 750 are actually full armoured knights and men at arms.

Perhaps another 500 are lighter cavalry with lighter armour, small horses, lances and ranged weapons, a mixture of westerns with crossbows and eastern nomadic mercenaries with composite bows who have been amalgamated into the company.

Another 250 are well armoured knights and men at arms that typically dismount to fight with polearms backed up 500 men with lighter armour who similarly dismount for combat to fight with polearms. Finally we have 1000 longbowmen who have to dismount to shoot.

Its fairly large for an individual mercenary company, although the term company not yet being a unit of a defined size, but its not massive for later medieval armies.

As of yet, I have yet to place a figure on the amount of troops each nation has, although I suppose we can use the Blue Horde's troop number as a basis for other other nations down the line. 3000 men in a mercenary company is reasonable, and like Lastfell mentioned, it would likely be one of those "most famous companies".

---

What do you all think? Shall we go ahead and proceed with assigning a troop figure to each nation? I believe at some point in the story, due to the amount of military characters we have thus far, they'll be assigned with dealing with the threats in person, hence the need for knowing the troop strength.

The Roman army was divided into legions of about 5,000 men.

Contubernium: consisted of 8 men.

Centuria: (century) was made up of 10 contubernium with a total of 80 men commanded by a centurion.

Cohorts: (cohort) included 6 centurie, a total of 480 men.

Legio: (Legion) consisted of 10 cohorts, about 5,000 men.

Eques Legionis: Each legio had a cavarly unit of 120 attached to them.

The soldiers in the Contuberium each carried a portion of an eight-man tent, along with their other gear.


A modern army, say the U.S. Army, has it's personnel grouped as follows:

Squad. A small military unit consisting of ten to eleven soldiers, normally led by a staff sergeant.
Platoon. A platoon is four squads: generally three rifle squads and one weapons squad, normally armed with machine guns and anti-tank weapons. Lieutenants lead most platoons, and the second-in-command is generally a sergeant first class.
Company. Company-sized units, 130 to 150 soldiers, are normally commanded by captains. They consist of four platoons, usually of the same type, a headquarters unit, and some logistical capabilities. Companies are the basic elements of all battalions. In the artillery corps, a company would be called a battery. Cavalry units refer to this unit level as a troop.
Battalion. A battalion, usually about 400-strong, is comprised of three rifle companies, a combat support company, and a headquarters company. Battalions often blend companies with different fighting specialties to take on tasks no existing unit is properly configured to tackle. Battalions normally fight enemy forces they can see and engage. This is defined as an area extending from less than 100 yards in forests, urban areas, and other close terrain out to about two to three miles from the battalion’s direct and indirect weapons-fire.
Regiment. Formerly a major organizational unit, the regiment was eliminated from the force structure of the U.S. Army in 1957 (the Armored Cavalry Regiment is one of several exceptions). The U.S. Marine Corps, however, does still operate regimental units, comprised of five battalions—about 2,000-strong. The British Army and many modeled on it continue to use regiments, which are the largest of its organizational designations. A British regiment generally comprises several battalions (and, roughly, is akin to an American brigade).
Brigade. Traditionally, the brigade provides mobility, counter-mobility and survivability, topographic engineering, and general engineering support to the largest unit—the corps—and augments the corps’ various divisions. Brigades can range from 3,000 to 5,000 troops, generally three-plus battalions, led by a colonel. Beginning in the late 1990s, the U.S. Army began formulating plans to shift the organizational foundation of its ground forces from large heavy armored and infantry divisions to “Brigade Combat Teams,” which are easier to airlift and regarded as more adaptable to the many forms of combat the modern military is likely to face. This transformation is taking place in stages. While the U.S. military searches for a permanent replacement for the seventy-ton M1A3 Abrams main battle tank, these Brigade Combat Teams are centered around the Stryker vehicle, a medium-weight armored vehicle with wheels rather than tracks. Ultimately, the Army envisions all its units “slimming down” both in size and in terms of portability to Brigade Combat Team levels. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments recently released an extensive study (PDF) of the Army’s transformation efforts.
Division. Divisions perform major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements. One division is made up of at least three maneuver brigades with between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers, depending on the national army involved. American divisions are normally commanded by major generals and tend to be on the lighter side of the headcount. Divisions can have specialties such as light infantry, armored or mechanized infantry, airborne, and air assault. In other countries, division sizes vary widely. The British division, commanded by a major-general, generally is comprised of three brigades with a mix of infantry, armor, or armored cavalry. Russian (formerly Soviet) force structure generally favored much larger formations—12,000 plus, and in China’s military, up to 25,000. Wikipedia offers a good overview of foreign structures.
Corps. The corps is the largest tactical unit in the U.S. Army. The corps is responsible for translating strategic objectives into tactical orders. It synchronizes tactical operations, including maneuvering, the firing of organic artillery, naval firing, supporting tactical air operations, and actions of their combat support, bringing together these operations on the battlefield. Each corps has between two and five divisions, and specialized brigades depending on the mission.

---

The military of Ye-ayn is quite small in comparison to larger provinces in the Empire. The passes that lead to the plateau are quite defensible by smaller forces, so there is little need for a huge army. Therefore, the Kingdom maintains two rotating legions, one of which remains within the Kingdom while the other serves the Empire.

A Ye-ayn Legion looks something like:
3,500 Archers/Light Soldiers
500 Field Engineers.
500 Heavily Armored Footmen.
300 Horse Archers.
120 Heavy Cavalry.

[Zelphos]

Full Name: Ishraq Fatyan Gaya
House (Family) Name: Fadriqa
Title (if any): Hân, Lord, Lord Steward, Katil (disrespectful title)
Social Class: Nobility
Sex: Male
Age: 31
Appearance: Ishraq in battle attire. When he is not in battle attire, he wears traditional Vexian garments, which he's adopted in order to fit in in the Empire's royal court.
Role in Court: Royal Steward
Backstory:
Ishraq Fatyan Gaya was born in 1018 IY to Hân Nameer Fatyan Gaya of House Fadriqa and a noblewoman who died during childbirth. His father, Hân Nameer Gaya, ruled over the Sheikdom of Eastmoor, which was at the time independent and one of the collective Southern Kingdoms. The Sheikdom of Eastmoor was founded by the Legendary Hero Sôrda, who fought a battle that proved to be a turning point against the Great King Norman Vixis. Eastmoor was a member of the Dabosaintvieti Council, which consisted of each of the sovereign nations of the Southern Kingdoms. It's primary function was to deter foreign invasion, primarily the Empire, after the Great King Norman Vixis' ten year invasion of the kingdoms which nearly ended in defeat for the kingdoms. The Dabosaintvieti Council has changed over time, evolving from a simple military agreement between the kingdoms into a conference for diplomatic and economic matters. Each member on the Dabosaintvieti pledge three members to discuss various matters on their behalf, with one of the nations elected to preside. However, the Dabosaintvieti has very little power over the sovereign nations themselves, and relies on the cooperation of the nation in question in order to 'enforce' the council's decisions.

His father ruled from Jawahra, the Jewel of the South. Though it doesn't match the greatness of the legendary city of Shab'eesh, Jawahra has earned a rich reputation. The city of Jawahra sits alongside the Birikimci River, or Saver River, running through an arid valley, giving life to the inhabitants of the land and life to the vegetation grown alongside the banks of the river. The valley is rich in gemstone deposits, which the Fadriqa dynasty has taken advantage of for generations to ensure the prosperity of their sheikdom. Using this wealth, they constructed large fortified walls around the city, made of white stone which rebounds the sun's light, giving it the name Jawahra, or Gemstone. Eastmoor has long been a target by member nations of the Southern Kingdoms due to the rich deposits of gemstones found within the land, though Eastmoor has maintained it's neutrality by utilizing their wealth through bribes and other sinister means to ensure peace.

Eastmoor's independence, however, soon appear only in the history books. Chelubey Khan, a ferocious warrior who was supposed to be in the east, invaded the Southern Kingdoms, pillaging and putting the land to the sword with brutality that at the time was unheard of. Although Eastmoor initially remained untouched, soon the fiery rage of the Khan reached Eastmoor, engulfing the land in the flames of battle. Eastmoor, which was a nation that had long maintained it's neutrality for generations, preferring to accumulate wealth, proved no match militarily when facing the Khan and his Horde. The soldiers of Eastmoor were equipped with the finest weaponry to offer in the Southern Kingdoms, though they lacked the training to wield it. They might as well have ran to the enemy with pitchforks. The soldiers were easily routed, hiding behind the walls of Jawahra as they razed the countryside. Hân Nameer, without the aid of the kingdoms who saw the acts of Chelubey Khan as an act of holy fury against the detestable Fadriqa dynasty, swore fealty to the then-Emperor Jakar Vixis. This greatly angered the inhabitants of Eastmoor, to the point of murderous intent, especially when the raids of the Iblis Khan, or the Demon Khan as the inhabitants of the Southern Kingdoms called him, continued for a time. The streets of Jawahra were filled with unrest, and the city guard struggled to keep the peace. Soon enough, Chelubey Khan was recalled to the Empire, leaving the Hân to rebuild and restructure the sheikdom under the Emperor's directive. It was at around this time that Hân Nameer became bedridden from stress and old age. His son, Ishraq, was very displeased at his father's decision to swear fealty to the incapable Emperor.

Ishraq was the third of eight sons, born from a secondary wife. He was raised by the tutors at court in the ways of stewardship, following the Fadriqa tradition of business. He instantly took to the profession he was expected to fulfill. By his twenty-third year of birth, he was successfully handling the finances of the sheikdom, often utilizing new methods and ideas in order to increase the efficiency of Eastmoor and the trading business, earning him the favor from the many merchant families in Eastmoor.

He, however, was not content with simply managing the funds of the sheikdom. With his father bedridden from old age, his older brother would inherit the sheikdom along with all it's bountiful wealth— and Ishraq would not have it. After extensive planning, on the night of the new moon, which was regarded as sacred by their culture, he gave the go ahead on a series of assassinations on his relatives, particularly his brothers. The assassinations were successful, leaving only him as heir to the sheikdom. The assassins then turned on each other, believing that the other would expose their plot, which was untrue. Ishraq was viewed with great suspicion now that he remained sole heir to the sheikdom, though action was never taken against him. The merchant families of Eastmoor took to calling him Katil, or Killer.

His father, Nameer Fatyan Gaya, could not handle the loss of his sons. He passed from the world, being laid in a tomb in the Vaults of Efsane, or the Vaults of Legend. And thus, the Sheikdom of Eastmoor fell upon the shoulders of Ishraq Fatyan Gaya, the new Hân. Ishraq was deemed Hân at the Festival of Parlak. At the festival, the Hân is to go without food or water for ten days whilst attending the festival full of feasting, men and women pairing off for future marriage, and rich symbolic dancing representing the blessings of Jawahra, as well as the traditional brawls before the soon-to-be-appointed Hân, the victor earning the right to serve the Hân personally in whatever position the Hân deems fit. After the ten days, the Hân is to trek to the Vault of Efsanes naked and without food and water for the 60 kilometer trek through the arid valley. Only the strongest Hâns endure the trek, and are subsuquently declared Hân at the Vault of Efsanes by the vassals of Eastmoor. The flesh of the new Hân is then tatooed behind the right ear with three dots, signifying his authority.

After his being declared Hân, Ishraq set out in rebuilding all that dealt a heavy blow by Chelubey Khan, which was no simple task. He first began with improving the walls of Jawahra, reasoning that an assault from the Southern Kingdoms was now a very real possibility now that Eastmoor's influence over the Southern Kingdoms had waned. He issued the order for multiple internal construction projects, as well as the construction of additional mines in the Glistening Valley, which was their primary location for extracting ore. He improved the roads, connecting them to the Empire. He also sent for military-minded individuals to his court in order to improve the militaristic capabilities of Eastmoor.

The Hâns efforts were halted when a revolt emerged in the heart of Jawahra, demanding succession from the Empire and the head of the last Fadriqa Hân. They seized the arsenal located in the city, and slaughtered the Eastmoor soldiers. At Ishraq's order, the city was set ablaze, forcing the rebels to flee. Ishraq fled through tunnels located underneath the palace. From there, he made way to Windstard, where he came into contact with Robert Regnia, Captain of the Scarlet Lances, who was known as being one of the more reliable mercenaries for hire. With a bag of gold on hand, he hired the Scarlet Lances to put down the rebellion in Eastmoor and retake the city of Jawahra, which had been badly damaged. He resided in Windstard in the meantime, visiting the Great Library to tour it's vast collection, and dwelling in the court located within the Blue Palace.

There, he came to know of the true condition of the Empire, whose facade presented itself as a formidable foe, a force to be reckoned with. The Empire was weak, as were the nobles who schemed among the sea of courtiers, each plotting to achieve their own ambition regardless of the imminent danger plaguing her borders.

Intrigued, he intertwined with the court, mingling with the nobility. While most sneered at the sight of him, there were those who were curious about his intellect and his ability and put aside prejudice. With the few who were charmed by Ishraq, he established reliable connections within the royal court.

When the Scarlet Lances put down the rebellion, he returned to his court in Jawahra, residing in tents as the skilled masons he hired in the capital went to work. As Jawahra neared completion, he received word from his contacts within the court informing him of the Emperor's death, and the subsequent crowning of Brandon Vixis, a talented general placed in charge of the Eastern Front. Unfazed, he immediately requested to be recommended to the newly crowned Emperor to serve as Royal Steward on his council. Soon after, a letter bearing the royal sigil was delivered to him, requesting his presence at the royal court to serve as the second Royal Steward, which is necessary due to the size of the realm.

Ishraq arrived at a revelation sometime after leaving the court in Windstard, which gave him the incentive to serve in Brandon's court. With him able to spot the many weaknesses of the Empire, along with the discord among the nobility, how much planning will it take to tear down the mighty dragon?

Stewardship: 6 (3)
Intrigue: 7 (2)
Martial: 0
Diplomacy: 7
Renown: (4)


Name of Place: Jawahra
Description: The city of Jawahra sits alongside the Birikimci River, or Saver River, running through an arid valley bordering the blazing Great Desert, giving life to the inhabitants of the land and life to the vegetation grown alongside the banks of the river. The valley is rich in gemstone deposits, which the Fadriqa dynasty has taken advantage of for generations to ensure the prosperity of their sheikdom. Using this wealth, they constructed large fortified walls around the city, made of white stone which rebounds the sun's light, giving it the name Jawahra, or Gemstone.

Within the city is the Fadriqa Palace, the birthplace of the Legendary Hero Sôrd who fought against the Great King Norman Vixis at the Battle of the Elephant's Trunk, which proved to be a turning point in the war. He proved to be an excellent commander and duelist, becoming a legend among men, said to be able to take on entire armies with ease. After the war, after seeing plight of the people recovering from the costly war, pledged to construct a haven of peace. He decided to begin to begin construction of this so-called haven of peace at his birth place. He went on to form the Sheikdom of Eastmoor, founding it at a point along a river where Jawahra now sits. Sôrd eventually died, being laid at the newly constructed Vault of Efsanes, or the Vault of Legends, which remains to this day.

Along Jawahra's regional borders lies the Glistening Valley, a valley that extracts the rarest of gemstones. Although the Glistening Valley had once been controlled privately by the merchant families, under the Hân Ishraq, control of the Glistening Valley has been placed under his direct control. The valley is littered with mines digging into the earth, with Slave Masters overseeing the operation. Slaves are permitted to work for wage and dwell in villages designated for them, though they are forbidden from leaving the Glistening Valley unless permitted by direct order from the Slave Masters, who have been placed under the jurisdiction of the Coordinators who report to the Hân directly. The perimeter of the Glistening Valley is heavily patrolled by Eastmoor soldiers as per order of the Hân to deter thieves and raiding parties.

Part of: The Empire, Sheikdom of Eastmoor.

[Ormata]

I think I'm going to have this autonomous kingdom utilize gunpowder...a lot. Force multipliers for weaponry that presents both a clear psychological impact as well as negating a good deal of armor is a good thing.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I think I'm going to have this autonomous kingdom utilize gunpowder...a lot. Force multipliers for weaponry that presents both a clear psychological impact as well as negating a good deal of armor is a good thing.

I don’t think that fits with the time period. Gunpowder weapons are currently very crude, just a few cannon that are likely to go off in your face when you use them. There are no handhelds yet, or barely.

Besides that, I don’t really get the reasoning. You say that it’s good, but since you are making it up yourself, that’s not hard or interesting. There is no use in making your place or character better. It should rather be made interesting.

[Ormata]

I think I'm going to have this autonomous kingdom utilize gunpowder...a lot. Force multipliers for weaponry that presents both a clear psychological impact as well as negating a good deal of armor is a good thing.

I don’t think that fits with the time period. Gunpowder weapons are currently very crude, just a few cannon that are likely to go off in your face when you use them. There are no handhelds yet, or barely.

Besides that, I don’t really get the reasoning. You say that it’s good, but since you are making it up yourself, that’s not hard or interesting. There is no use in making your place or character better. It should rather be made interesting.

I think you greatly misunderstood me. I meant a 'good thing' in the realm of, from the mind of a military commander who would like a force multiplier in order to perform defensive actions in this period. This said, thanks for pointing out that there is no use in making my place or character better.

EDIT: I will observe the following. The game is set in the Late Medieval (1250 to 1500 AD) and Early Renaissance (1400 to 1600 AD) eras. The matchlock was used by Janissaries in the 1400s, well within the scope this game takes place in. In the 1500s, Tercios appeared in Spain with pikemen, swordsmen and arquebusiers or musketeers.

As a result of this, unless stated otherwise, I will employ matchlock weaponry. And I will employ it interestingly.

[Of the Quendi]

What do you all think? Shall we go ahead and proceed with assigning a troop figure to each nation? I believe at some point in the story, due to the amount of military characters we have thus far, they'll be assigned with dealing with the threats in person, hence the need for knowing the troop strength.

We do have a lot of military characters (a bit too many if you ask me) but as this is a court intrigue RP and not a military one I don't think there is a need for going into great details about the character of the imperial military.

EDIT:

You know, tomorrow I may write a primer about the Empire's military - how it's organied, what kind of weapons are used, etc. etc.

But just to be a total hypocrite if detailed organization of the military is to be undertaken as the person RP'ing the Marshal I would like to have some say on it.

[Ormata]

What do you all think? Shall we go ahead and proceed with assigning a troop figure to each nation? I believe at some point in the story, due to the amount of military characters we have thus far, they'll be assigned with dealing with the threats in person, hence the need for knowing the troop strength.

We do have a lot of military characters (a bit too many if you ask me) but as this is a court intrigue RP and not a military one I don't think there is a need for going into great details about the character of the imperial military.

EDIT:

You know, tomorrow I may write a primer about the Empire's military - how it's organied, what kind of weapons are used, etc. etc.

But just to be a total hypocrite if detailed organization of the military is to be undertaken as the person RP'ing the Marshal I would like to have some say on it.

"Character locations are not limited to the court alone, and note that you are able to travel away from the royal court so long as in-character circumstances permit it."

I mean...furthering your own political career / standing in court via seeking/starting a war with a foreign power (I blame Mount&Blade for making me think of this immediately) is one avenue people might take and other characters might seek to not have such an event occur / protect the Empire so...it could be a military-ish RP.

[Union Princes]

Sorry if I sound dumb, but do magic exist? I thought of doing a wizard vassal order to the Empire

[Guuj Xaat Kil]

Oh neat, its back.
Can I play as younger brother that is initially "I will protect you big bro and I don't want the crown" then evolves into "Fuck you big bro I want your crown."?

[New Aeyariss]

EDIT: I will observe the following. The game is set in the Late Medieval (1250 to 1500 AD) and Early Renaissance (1400 to 1600 AD) eras. The matchlock was used by Janissaries in the 1400s, well within the scope this game takes place in. In the 1500s, Tercios appeared in Spain with pikemen, swordsmen and arquebusiers or musketeers.

As a result of this, unless stated otherwise, I will employ matchlock weaponry. And I will employ it interestingly.

Earlier in the thread we have agreed on early 1400s tech, so that means Grunwald, Agrincourt or Hussite wars so... my apologies but no.

But just to be a total hypocrite if detailed organization of the military is to be undertaken as the person RP'ing the Marshal I would like to have some say on it.

That's not a problem with me. I will merely describe formations, weapons, tactics, etc. etc. - and you may decide the rest.

[Piscina]

Character Application

Full name: Voluisse Illudere
House (Family) Name: Illudere
Title (if any): None
Social class: Scholar
Sex: Male
Age: 27
Appearance: He is quite thin, with an impressive moustache and a short, well trimmed beard, blue eyes, dark, well groomed hair, and pale skin. He often has a knowing smirk on his face, and spends a significant amount of time on his appearance.
Role in court: Voluisse is the de facto court jester, as he often uses his scholarly education to make cutting puns and remarks. He also tutors the children of wealthy nobles and civil servants.
Backstory: Voluisse was born in a Manor House in Windstard. He comes from a wealthy merchant family that organises transport for others’ goods, for a price. He is the youngest of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister. His brothers help their parents run the company, and his sister is a priestess in the temple of Restingueret The Everflowing One, goddess of rivers, rain, and water in general, and co-goddess of agriculture along with Cibus The Nourisher. His parents decided that he should be a scholar, and paid for him to be tutored by a scholar of The Great Library. He learned about history, religion, nature, politics, and all of the other things that scholars are taught in. However, his interest was always in the way that words could cut at someones very soul, and he excelled socially, despite being slightly snide and unpleasant. Once he graduated, he became a tutor in the court of Emperor Jakar, and taught the sons and daughters of several nobles and civil servants. Now that Brandon has entered the court scene, Voluisse’s aim is to rise in status, and if possible become quite wealthy while doing so.
Additional Info (optional): Nothing really to add.
Edit: Voluisse is slightly paranoid, so he has arranged to have a bolt installed on the inside of the door to his suite that he closes when he is sleeping or does not want to be disturbed. After all, all locks are pickable with enough skill and time. Inside his suite under a loose floorboard (Voluisse is well aware that this is a cliche) he has an ‘Emergency bag’. This bag contains among other things: False identity papers, 1500 Denarii in coin, a few changes of clothes, a razor so that he can remove some of his facial hair to make him less recognisable, and a dagger. He keeps this bag in case he ever needs to leave the court and change his identity for some reason. After all, one can never be too careful.

Stewardship: 4
Voluisse knows how to save money, and he is usually looking to get more of it. He can handle his personal finances fairly well, but would not know where to start if you asked him to run a business or keep.
Intrigue: 8+2 (10 total)
Voluisse can navigate his way through court intrigue successfully most of the time, and often can be seen in the background of some power struggle, offering some form of unobtrusive aid to one party (or sometimes more than one) in return for a contribution to his ‘Retirement fund’, or a favour sometime in the future.
Martial: 0
Voluisse is terrible at everything to do with combat. He has never received weapons training, is physically unfit, and despite knowing how to manipulate and befriend people cannot lead men into battle effectively.
Diplomacy: 6+3 (9 total)
Voluisse is skilled socially, despite being somewhat unlikable. He can see the flow of a conversation, and make people like him slightly without them realising. This often helps him in his day to day life.
Renown: 2+1 (3 total)
Voluisse is not very well known, as his main contribution to the court is tutoring the sons of wealthy nobility and civil servants. This actually helps him slightly, as while people in the court do know who he is (Remember that he has been there for several years), they sometimes forget to consider him as a suspect in whatever intrigue is going on at the moment.

Edit:

Tracking Purposes: Indiana

[Zelphos]

Sorry if I sound dumb, but do magic exist? I thought of doing a wizard vassal order to the Empire

Magic does not exist in this roleplay, though the people in the world believe that it may exist.

Oh neat, its back.
Can I play as younger brother that is initially "I will protect you big bro and I don't want the crown" then evolves into "Fuck you big bro I want your crown."?

How can I say no to such a genuine soul? Be my guest.

I don’t think that fits with the time period. Gunpowder weapons are currently very crude, just a few cannon that are likely to go off in your face when you use them. There are no handhelds yet, or barely.

Besides that, I don’t really get the reasoning. You say that it’s good, but since you are making it up yourself, that’s not hard or interesting. There is no use in making your place or character better. It should rather be made interesting.

I think you greatly misunderstood me. I meant a 'good thing' in the realm of, from the mind of a military commander who would like a force multiplier in order to perform defensive actions in this period. This said, thanks for pointing out that there is no use in making my place or character better.

EDIT: I will observe the following. The game is set in the Late Medieval (1250 to 1500 AD) and Early Renaissance (1400 to 1600 AD) eras. The matchlock was used by Janissaries in the 1400s, well within the scope this game takes place in. In the 1500s, Tercios appeared in Spain with pikemen, swordsmen and arquebusiers or musketeers.

As a result of this, unless stated otherwise, I will employ matchlock weaponry. And I will employ it interestingly.

Please keep the use of gunpowder in weaponry to a minimum. It's an error on my part for not updating the time the roleplay is based on, as we agreed in the OOC to keep it at an early 1400s tech. If anything, there would barely be any handheld firearms or cannons that can actually be utilized in this world as of current.

[b]Character Application[b]

Full name: Voluisse Illudere
House (Family) Name: Illudere
Title (if any): None
Social class: Scholar
Sex: Male
Age: 27
Appearance: He is quite thin, with an impressive moustache and a short, well trimmed beard, blue eyes, dark, well groomed hair, and pale skin. He often has a knowing smirk on his face, and spends a significant amount of time on his appearance.
Role in court: Voluisse is the de facto court jester, as he often uses his scholarly education to make cutting puns and remarks. He also tutors the children of wealthy nobles and civil servants.
Backstory: Voluisse was born in a Manor House in Windstard. He comes from a wealthy merchant family that organises transport for others’ goods, for a price. He is the youngest of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister. His brothers help their parents run the company, and his sister is a priestess in the temple of Restingueret The Everflowing One, goddess of rivers, rain, and water in general, and co-goddess of agriculture along with Cibus The Nourisher. His parents decided that he should be a scholar, and paid for him to be tutored by a scholar of The Great Library. He learned about history, religion, nature, politics, and all of the other things that scholars are taught in. However, his interest was always in the way that words could cut at someone’s very soul, and he excelled socially, despite being slightly snide and unpleasant. Once he graduated, he became a tutor in the court of Emperor Jakar, and taught the sons and daughters of several nobles and civil servants. Now that Brandon has entered the court scene, Voluisse’s aim is to rise in status, and if possible become quite wealthy while doing so.
Additional Info (optional): Nothing really to add.

Stewardship: 4
Voluisse knows how to save money, and he is usually looking to get more of it. He can handle his personal finances fairly well, but would not know where to start if you asked him to run a business or keep.
Intrigue: 8+2 (10 total)
Voluisse can navigate his way through court intrigue successfully most of the time, and often can be seen in the background of some power struggle, offering some form of unobtrusive aid to one party (or sometimes more than one) in return for a contribution to his ‘Retirement fund’, or a favour sometime in the future.
Martial: 0
Voluisse is terrible at everything to do with combat. He has never received weapons training, is physically unfit, and despite knowing how to manipulate and befriend people cannot lead men into battle effectively.
Diplomacy: 6+3 (9 total)
Voluisse is skilled socially, despite being somewhat unlikable. He can see the flow of a conversation, and make people like him slightly without them realising. This often helps him in his day to day life.
Renown: 2+1 (3 total)
Voluisse is not very well known, as his main contribution to the court is tutoring the sons of wealthy nobility and civil servants. This actually helps him slightly, as while people in the court do know who he is (Remember that he has been there for several years), they sometimes forget to consider him as a suspect in whatever intrigue is going on at the moment.

This'll make for interesting character interaction. Accepted.

[Union Princes]

Hmm, I suppose I could do a bank guild or be a Grand Marshal of a knightly order

[Piscina]

[b]Character Application[b]

Full name: Voluisse Illudere
House (Family) Name: Illudere
Title (if any): None
Social class: Scholar
Sex: Male
Age: 27
Appearance: He is quite thin, with an impressive moustache and a short, well trimmed beard, blue eyes, dark, well groomed hair, and pale skin. He often has a knowing smirk on his face, and spends a significant amount of time on his appearance.
Role in court: Voluisse is the de facto court jester, as he often uses his scholarly education to make cutting puns and remarks. He also tutors the children of wealthy nobles and civil servants.
Backstory: Voluisse was born in a Manor House in Windstard. He comes from a wealthy merchant family that organises transport for others’ goods, for a price. He is the youngest of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister. His brothers help their parents run the company, and his sister is a priestess in the temple of Restingueret The Everflowing One, goddess of rivers, rain, and water in general, and co-goddess of agriculture along with Cibus The Nourisher. His parents decided that he should be a scholar, and paid for him to be tutored by a scholar of The Great Library. He learned about history, religion, nature, politics, and all of the other things that scholars are taught in. However, his interest was always in the way that words could cut at someone’s very soul, and he excelled socially, despite being slightly snide and unpleasant. Once he graduated, he became a tutor in the court of Emperor Jakar, and taught the sons and daughters of several nobles and civil servants. Now that Brandon has entered the court scene, Voluisse’s aim is to rise in status, and if possible become quite wealthy while doing so.
Additional Info (optional): Nothing really to add.

Stewardship: 4
Voluisse knows how to save money, and he is usually looking to get more of it. He can handle his personal finances fairly well, but would not know where to start if you asked him to run a business or keep.
Intrigue: 8+2 (10 total)
Voluisse can navigate his way through court intrigue successfully most of the time, and often can be seen in the background of some power struggle, offering some form of unobtrusive aid to one party (or sometimes more than one) in return for a contribution to his ‘Retirement fund’, or a favour sometime in the future.
Martial: 0
Voluisse is terrible at everything to do with combat. He has never received weapons training, is physically unfit, and despite knowing how to manipulate and befriend people cannot lead men into battle effectively.
Diplomacy: 6+3 (9 total)
Voluisse is skilled socially, despite being somewhat unlikable. He can see the flow of a conversation, and make people like him slightly without them realising. This often helps him in his day to day life.
Renown: 2+1 (3 total)
Voluisse is not very well known, as his main contribution to the court is tutoring the sons of wealthy nobility and civil servants. This actually helps him slightly, as while people in the court do know who he is (Remember that he has been there for several years), they sometimes forget to consider him as a suspect in whatever intrigue is going on at the moment.

This'll make for interesting character interaction. Accepted.

Thanks! This is actually my first role play ever on NS!