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[align=Center][b]Archive Thread[/b]
[size=135][url]http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=383008[/url][/size][/align]
[align=Center][b]IC Thread[/b]
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[align=Center][b]Map[/b]
[size=135][url]http://imgur.com/LMDqtJh[/url][/size][/align]
[i]In the 178th year of the Second Era, 13th of Summershine, High King Ogsberth died from an assassination attempt...
The door to High King Ogsberth's bedchambers flung open as a masked assassin rushed in after Ogsberth.
"Guards! Guards!", High King Ogsberth yelled as his assassin rushed in after him.
The assassin unsheathed a unique dagger and shoved it into the high king's abdomin.
He fell to the ground blood spurting from his mouth. He had noticed the intricate design of the dagger. It was the royal dagger held by one of his heirs. Each held their own animal on the pommel. This dagger had a lion's pommel. He said his last dying words,"My son... You have forsaken this whole kingdom."
The assassin replied,"No father. You have forsaken me." He unveiled his mask to show the High King which heir had stabbed him. Prince Kandor stood over the dead king and said,"I rule now." He took off his cloak which left his royal clothing. He could hear the guards coming, so he initiated the last part of his plan. He stabbed the dagger into his left arm and dragged the arm across the floor to the balcony. It made him wince sharply at the piercing of the dagger, but it would be worth it. He would make it seem as if the assassin had escaped. The bloody arm would make it seem like he did his best to fight off the assassin not knowing his father to be dead.
The guards rushed up the tower only to see the wounded prince lying on the floor with a bloodied arm and a bloody dagger in the other hand. He had lost some blood and could only manage to say weakly,"The assassin tried to escape through the door, but I stopped him. I was wounded, but he was wounded too. He made his way to the balcony and after that I'm not sure what happened. All I know is- is that my dear father is dead.."[/i]
That was the story of High King Ogsberth's assassination. Known by only two men. Now the kingdom lay in war, because of a power vacuum.
[b]This is the Reign of Heirs..[/b]
[spoiler=Lore]All nations are on the continent of Salin unless stated otherwise.
[b]Races:[/b]
Humans:
Humans are the dominant racial group on the Continent, forming the majority of inhabitants in many realms. When they first arrived on the already populated continent, they rather quickly set about conquering the lands already inhabited by elder races. This led to their dominance and so the elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings are now generally referred to as nonhumans.
Humans and elves are not terribly dissimilar in appearance. Roughly sharing a similar size, elves have pointed ears, smaller teeth and tend to be more delicately featured. Humans also do not live as long (by far) as elves. Of note, since both humans and elves can easily interbreed, most humans today are believed to have elven ancestors.
The humans have a rather poor relationship with the dwarves, halflings, elves and gnomes. The races do live together in the cities, however the non-humans are forced to pay a levy just for being non-humans. Several pogroms have taken place in the cities. Many of the larger human cities were built on the ruins of elven cities which the humans had burned down.
Human subraces:
Nordling[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2e/a6/dd/2ea6ddb875e942ca833ea343c350d411.jpg[/img]
Southerners[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/0e/0e/9e/0e0e9e9a808e8b6acac6052657a873a1.jpg[/img]
Eastern[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/79/20/d7/7920d79004f1649cfe284e7df29bf14f.jpg[/img]
Western[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/19/d9/3b/19d93b81f845fcc78afbe86186b46db5.jpg[/img]
South - Western[img]http://z3.ifrm.com/67/29/0/p521656/maori_warriors__1_.jpg[/img]
South - Eastern[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/03/a3/e6/03a3e67ab626a2fe76969997f75ff9c8.jpg[/img]
Elves:Within this world of ours there exist multiple races, and among them the Elven kind are notable for their relative similarity to humanity. Distant kin to Dwarves, the Elves separate themselves into multiple distinct races, although this would appear to be a cultural, rather than a literal, separation. These races consist of the following:
Cinran: The Cinran are the urbanite elves, living amongst each other in foreign, but neighboring, realms. Remnants from a realm they call Arthdeyrnas, these elves reject their common heritage and kinship in favor of petty kingdoms and city-states often fighting both militarily and diplomatically over trade, resources, and some even attempt to restore the kingdom of old. They are known to the realms of men as the Highborn, these elves are known for their magnificent architects and artisans. Their culture is defined by a rigid caste system that places merchants at the top. They have a deep respect for nature, and make their clothing largely from silk produced by worms in plantation-like settings.
Caras: The Caras are the elves subject to the woodlands, plains, and hills between the Deyrnas region and that of the realms of men. They are known as fierce raiders, and organize themselves into loose tribal confederations. They are an itinerant breed, often moving from place to place in accordance with religious matters, as well as for the hunt and to escape the harsh winters of certain regions in their homeland. Unlike the Highborn, the Caras lack a rigid caste structure, instead offering a position of relatively equal value to each member of the tribe, with the only exception being the chieftains and their children. The Caras are a popular source of slaves for the Cinran, and their women are known among the elves for possessing a greater amount of beauty. Their magic is more potent than that of their city-dwelling brethren, and their faith is more tuned to a natural, rather than an urban, environment. Due to a common pan-Elven respect for, if not necessarily preservation of, nature, the Caras tend to wear hides and leathers for clothing, as they lack the silk plantations that the Highborn have. These Elves of the Wood are known for their skills in archery and the usage of javelins.
Valthanan: The most magically potent breed of elves, the Valthanan live high in the mountains around the Elven homeland. Their name in the Elven tongue means "Twisted" or "Corrupted", and corresponds to their magical potency. It is said that before the Great Collapse of Arthdeyrnas, the Valthanan made a pact with malevolent spirits that twisted their souls into darker forms, giving them increased potency and power, but at a high price. They are often blamed for the rapid spread of a violent plague that caused the collapse of Arthdeyrnas. Their magic is almost always destructive, although their priests and leaders revel in the power it gives. The Valthanan tend to be much paler than their Elven kin, sometimes with gray undertones in their flesh, although this would not be notably different without close examination. They have the highest frequency of green eyes among all elves, and the dark magic which feeds them is said to be the cause. Valthanan are widely known for their brutality, as it is said that pain feeds them, and prevents the demons inhabiting them from devouring their souls.
Dosalan: The Dosalan are known as the Deep Elves, who live below the surface. Coming in frequent contact and battle with the Valthanan living atop their mountainous homes, the Dosalan are said to best demonstrate the distant kinship of Elves and Dwarves. The Dosalan are typically the shortest among Elves, although still taller than Dwarves proper. Their governmental structure exists exclusively as city-states forged in war. They are tinkerers: jewelers and artists, but lack the pure skill of craftsmanship. Their cities often extend into caves, but for the most part are placed in highly defensible positions along ridges and above canyons and mountain passes. Their constant fights with the Valthanan have given them a strong resistance to magic, making them the least potent breed of elves, and yet the most able to withstand destructive forces. This has also bred them as a strong and proud warrior culture, and they are the most common type of Elf to be used as mercenaries.
Alidaras: The Alidaras are the Elves who live in the realms of men. They are generally well assimilated into human culture, and in some cases even breed with humans. Their name means "Those who are exiled" in the Elven tongue, and represents their diaspora status. Most of the Alidaras arrived in the realms of men after the collapse of Arthdeyrnas and the separation of the Elven races. They retain elements of Elven culture, although their customs are most similar to the Highborn ways, with a looser caste system modeled roughly on the feudal model, and they are willing to make their clothing out of anything. Their respect for nature extends is the lightest of all the elves, and largely consists of seasonal hunting practices in contrast to the general year-round hunting methods of humans.
[b]Cities Commonly Populated by Elves[/b]
Among the Highborn, city-level governance is the dominant form. They hold numerous, even countless, city-states which could all be considered important. However, there are a few which stand out from the rest.
[box][i]Arthan[/i]: Arthan is a city built atop a ridge, easily defensible from all sides. It is famed as a center for culture and for its quality army and equipment. In Elven slang, the city is dubbed "Duras", meaning "fort", due to the walls placed atop the natural ridge that surrounds the city. Many attempts have been made to take over the town, and all have failed miserably. Siege has proved near impossible. They pride themselves on this defense, and partake in many military festivals across the year. This is among the most influential of the Elven cities, despite only rising to prominence with the fall of Arthdeyrnas.
[url=https://civilwar150pinholeproject.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/vics_wide2.jpg?w=2000&h=]Think[/url] [url=https://civilwar150pinholeproject.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img670_4x52.jpg?w=1000&h=]Vicksburg,[/url] [url=http://www.newsouthernview.com/images/nsv_wht_vxbrg_tower_erosion.gif]Mississippi.[/url][/box]
[box][i]Adeiladas[/i]: The home of the Elven artisans, Adeiladas is famed for its powerful cultural productions. It is here that breeds artists and architects more than any other city, and indeed in greater numbers than the other cities combined. While they still work in the Highborn artistic style, common across all of the breed, their ability to do so, the detail they put in, the structural soundness of their constructions, and their application of skills all go far beyond that of their competitors across the city-states. Adeiladas allows a meritocratic system to take hold, loosening the strict caste restrictions of other cities. They are often likened to the nomads in the forests for doing so, but their prosperity shows from it all the same.[/box]
[box][i]Daitalas[/i]: Known more commonly as "Senarsan", meaning "The old place", this was the ancient capital of Arthdeyrnas. It has structures that predate many of the city-states dotting the land. This city is not as prosperous as many of the others, but elves of all kinds are known to make an occasional pilgrimage to the site. Another popular draw are the bountiful abandoned ruins of the site, which according to legend are haunted by the tormented spirits of those long since passed, some of whom are said to roam the halls yet unaware of their death, and others are said to be fully aware. Strong mages are known to recoil violently if attempting to access magic within the ruins, and even being present can cause unease. This si explained as a very strong residual psychic energy, largely negative in nature, haunting the area, but there is as much proof for this as there is for actual ghosts. Either way, the phenomenon and legends have driven most from so much as staying the night near them, but visits are more that frequent.[/box]
[box][i]Iscalon[/i]: "The place of rivers", Iscalon is famed for its shrewd diplomacy and mercantile nature. The people of this city are often said to be the best speakers of all the elves, easily able to sway others to their side. Their skills of persuasion and barter are unmatched, and thus many take up business as merchants, leading to a very prosperous city. Merchants from the city are of the few known to frequent the nomadic tribes on the border in order to trade goods, to be sold later to other Highborn at a highly inflated price. Because of their skills, however, the town has also become known as "Tamesion", the place of shadows, as the environment also excels at breeding potential rebels and spies.[/box]
There are also Dark and Deep elf cities. Numerous nomad camps are cities by their own right as well. The most significant, however, are all High elf cities.
Dwarves:
The History of the Dwarves
Chapter one: The Age of Myth
It is said a long time ago by the lorekeepers in the temple of Alkazad that the world was nothing more than a great lump of clay, Formless in the great void that was space and the gods seeing this began to form this clay into the planet that it is today. Giseyar, the dwarf god of thunder and the King of the dwarven Parthenon formed the great mountains and valleys with strikes of his might hammer, Zaeus, god of the waters created the waters and ice from the largest oceans to the most minuscule molecule of water, The Grasses,plants trees, and animals of the land where created by Gecena, Goddes of nature and life itself. Then the mortal races of this world where created by the gods, First was the elves or the children of Gecena to the dwarfs, Humans where created by Adur the smith god. The dwarfs, the favored children of the gods where created by Giseyar who where to live in his domain of the mountains and reap the thunder gods blessings.
While this was happening the God of death Hinbris grew envious, he wanted to create but he was meant to destroy,so he disobeyed the orders of Giseyar and created the abominations that is now known as the Orcs, The other gods disgusted by these creature banished Hinbris to the Underworld while the Orcs where declared the enemy of dwarf kind. For many years the dwarfs lived with the Gods blessing, But one day, the blessings stopped and dwarf kind was faced with a new threat, the Mountain Giants, children Of Hinbris
Chapter 2: The Mountain wars and the Dwarfs during the Age of Hero's
During the centuries after the Disappearance of the gods from the mortal plane the dwars where locked in conflict with the mountain giants who wished to destroy and consume dwarf kind as ordained by Hinbris. While the dwarfs began to adapt to the situation, they first built there communities inside of mountains so the giants would not attack then so easily, they then began to create metal weaponry, First bronze, Then iron and finally steel, Tactics where designed for defense in mind, signs of the first Phalanx where seen during this period. After years of stalemate with the giants a hero arose, a hero that would lead the dwarfs into a golden age, he is only known as Petros.
Petros was the son of The Mountain king Alexanderos who wanted to unite the Dwarf People into one massive kingdom, he succeeded in conquering the southern and northern dwarfs but was assassinated during a feast by his royal guard. So young petros inherited his kingdom along with his fathers Warhammer. He then launched a campagin against the Mountain Giants and by the time he was 26 he drove them to the farthest reaches of the world leaving the mountains free for his new dwarven empire. After conquering the kingdoms that would not bow to him he turned his attention to the Lowlands where there human settlements slowly encroaching on the mountains. His armies attacked them with Dwarven Hopolites along with the Hammers and heavy swords men overwhelming the unprepared humans. For the next 100 years he would continue building the dwarven empire with great cities and roads being built in the lowlands along with the Mountain homes, eventually this great dwarf would die as all mortals do and his empire fell the great cities he built in the lowlands where either conquered by a more powerful humanity or they where abandoned, the cities and holds in the homeland and a few in the lowlands became either multiple city states or kingdoms, constant war would reign in the newly crowned age of division.
Chapter 3: Age of Divison and current history
During the age of division the dwarven states and kingdoms where locked in a constant state of power struggle with the hopolites gaining significant power in politics in some cities such as sparte and thobos, while the hold of Achinia became a democracy with the government being chosen by the people every year, then you had your monarchies like Bronze Beard Clans and Silena in which a single king ruled. These states where in constant conflict with each other for trade, territory and influence with none ever gaining an edge for long. As the age went on samller city states started to band together into confederations ruled by Archons who where elected every three years, these confederations helped strengthen the dwarfs but made war more chaotic with larger armies being used, The mountain kingdoms united into The Kingdom of the gold beards and launched an invasion from the north, they where close to unifying the dwarfs but a new conquer arrived, humanity.
The Humans arrived with larger numbers than the dwarfs could even field due to centuries of war with each other. One by one the Confederations of City States fell and only the Gold beard kingdom remained, but unlike the confederations they where not conquered by they had to abandon there holding in the valleys and flee to the higher areas of the mountains where they remain to this day, plotting to find away to rebuild the great dwarf kingdom petros had built.
Orcsamir:
Summary:
The Orcsamir are a race of dark green humanoids originating from the island of Urgoth, west of Salin. Urgoth consists of a seemingly never-ending plains dotted by mountains. The harsh environment has molded the Orcsamir or as the other races call them, Orcs, to be biologically superior to other races in terms of strength and durability. An average male Orc stands around 8 foot tall and is extremely muscular not to mention ugly in human terms. Their culture is very warlike with the strongest Orc often becoming the leader. Orcs do not have cities but strongholds that are designed for war. Orc strongholds are usually located on mountains where access is limited.
History:
Even the Orcs themselves do not know how they came to be but they do know that their history is stained by blood. Decades of bloody war between Orc Warlords vying for control of Urgoth have demolished mountains and destroyed natural wildlife. It all ended when a Orc Warlord by the name of Ghazgkull Azog, aka. ''The Beast'', single-handedly united the Orcsamir via killing and bashing other Warlords for 6 years. After uniting all Orcs he prepared them for war and finally the continent of Salin faced a mighty Orc invasion that cost countless lives.
But then finally self-declared Overlord Azog was defeated in battle by a combined Dwarf-Elf alliance and the Orc horde was forced off Salin back to Urgoth. Without leadership decades long warring between Azog's generals seeking the title of Overlord began and as time passed and new Orcs took the places of the generals and so forth the story of Azog faded away into legend.
Soon the land of Urgoth said no more and a special Orc was born into the world. Melkor Maz Thraka was an Orc that was raised for war since birth like other Orc boys his age by his Warlord to fight against rival Warlords. Melkor was different from his peers in the fact that he was very tactically minded. Rising above he won many wars for his Warlord. It was inevitable that Melkor would become his own boss and that he did by challenging and beheading his former boss. Another 3 years would pass before at last Melkor stood undisputed Overlord of the Orcsamir, his enemies heads impaled for all to see and he earned the name, ''Mountain Shaker''.
Whether it was fate or not Melkor learned of the continent of Salin where small, puny races lay ripe for him to dominate. In no time at all the entire island was buzzing with the construction of weapons and longships for the Second Orc Invasion of Salin. Some believe Melkor is Azog reincarnated but both are distinctly different. Melkor, although being a mighty warrior as Orc culture demands from its leaders, prefers to not engage directly in his battles, employing Champions that command his warriors for him unlike Azog who challenged enemy champions directly which was the cause for his demise.
Now Salin is facing a series of brutal Orc raids and incursions that are the first signs of a full-out Orc invasion...
Religion:
The Orcsamir believe in something called the, ''Warrior Spirit'' where every Orc is naturally a warrior and that those Orc who die in battle will pass on to the gates of Mallhalla which is a realm where warriors of all races who have died in battle rest in. Those Orcs who do not die in battle are believed to be judged by a giant Orc Warrior God by the name of Vaferi who allows those Orcs who have led great and good lives pass to Mallhalla and those who lived lives of a coward be chained for eternity in a realm of pitch black.
Orc Warriors:
[img]http://www.ogametut.free.fr/galeries/01/Black%20Orcs.jpg[/img]
[box][b]High Kingdom of Carlinnia[/b]
Capital of the High Kingdom of Carlinnia:
Pelledos: This great capital of the High Kingdom of Carlinnia is under the control of the firstborn heir, High King Kandor Cavain.
The history of the High Kingdom of Carlinnia entails..
On the 37th year of the First Era, 1st of Springsrebirth, the Kingdom of Carlinnia was founded by a simple knight by the name of Lodwyn Cavain. This period of time was crucial to the Kingdom's prosperity and growth. The kingdom flourished under Lorwyn's rule, but did not grow. It did not expand it's land. It strengthened its existing ones. This was the precedent set by King Lodwyn Cavain. For the remaining era it would be filled with mixed results.
On the 253rd year of the First Era, 27th of Summersshine, the Kingdom of Carlinnia is declared upon by the Kingdom of Evarchia. For ten years war is made between the two kingdom's. Neither side wins and both suffer major casualties and losses to their respective economies. As a result, the two kingdom's marry their oldest son and oldest daughter sealing a great bond between the two fractured kingdom's. This event caused two economies to crash and takes several years to repair themselves. This would known as the Age of Turmoil.
On the 364th year of the First Era, 43rd of Summersshine, the Salinian Kingdom's have recovered from the Age of Turmoil and now the Age of Conquest begins. On this year the foreigner's from a faraway realm come to conquer and pillage the Salinian Kingdom's. In this Age many people are killed and many heroes are lost to history. The Kingdom of Carlinnia now has taken control of three of the five remaining kingdom's. Two of the kingdom's are fiercely and annexed while the third is married into the Kingdom of Carlinnia. The foreigners are held off, but at a cost. Many religious monastery's and outposts have been destroyed and most established religion sprouts from big cities. This gives way to new chaotic and radical religious beliefs.
On the 759th year of the First Era, 64th of Autumnssheathe, the Age of Conquest is over and the Kingdom of Carlinnia has conquered all of Salin. The kingdom is now referred to as the High Kingdom of Carlinnia, which rules over five kingdom's. The foreigners have been repelled and political intrigue is at a high. Corruption thrives and so does trade, but never reaches a high amount of corruption in government.
On the 937th year of the First Era, 90th of Wintersrest, the foreigners come back for a second attempt to conquer Salin and the Kingdom of Carlinnia. However, this is not the big important event of this recording. It is prophecized that the Kingdom of Carlinnia would face a great royal tragedy that was caused by one of the royal family though that last part is often cut out. Of course, these foreigners once again fail to take Salin, but they do secure a tiny foothold in the southern part of Salin behind the great walls of the mountains of the province of Anderel.[/box]
[box][b]Kingdom of the Nordland[/b]
Capital of the Kingdom of the Nordland:
[b]History[/b]: There are no giants in the North, and that is a feat that only House Bismarck can claim. Their early beginnings were as Nordic hunters and mercenaries, a clan of cutthroats and killers for hire, whose territory was the mountainous regions north of the Carlinnian Plains. Frequent raids by other Nordlings and the looming threat of giants paved the way for Clan Bismarck to become more than just a militant family, when the High King of Carlinnia put forward a task for any willing band: Subdue the Nordlings for the Crown and eradicate the Giants. Armed to the teeth and commanding a highly trained and equipped army, Konrad Bismarck, parental ancestor of Walt Bismarck, set forth for the far North over the impressive, volcanic mountain ranges.
As he and his army made the pass, Konrad informed the Nordlings of the High King's offer (leaving out their subduing and stating only the bounty on Giants), gaining their support and military potential, unleashing a bloodbath across the northern tundra, collecting the heads of Giants and sending them back to the Carlinnian capital, gaining an absurd amount of wealth and prestige in the process, as he was paid per giant head. Within five years, Giants were no more - frequent raids and patrols saw to their decimation, and the Carlinnian coffers were stressed from the monetary sum Konrad demanded for his campaign. However, an agreement was struck between Konrad and the High King at the time, and that swore off the remainder of the High Kingdom's payment to Clan Bismarck in exchange for nobility, land, and House rights, enthroning Konrad as Lord Paramount (King) in the North, who kneels only to the High King of Carlinnia.
In the centuries since, House Bismarck has retained it's bloodlust and admiration for it's impressive military forces. To secure the Nordlings everlasting allegiance, House Bismarck has been lax on it's marriages and incorporated much of the lower Nordling noble houses into their blood, making House Bismarck both large and well-secured in it's northern alliances - As well as mostly Nordic in it's blood. Since the death of High King Ogsberth under suspicious circumstances, Walt Bismarck the Deathless stands to either support Ogsberth's heir-apparent, or as many within his High Nordic Circle suggest, contest the succession and launch a (unfounded) claim to the High Throne.[/box]
[box]The Kingdom of Albion, small, seafaring but prosperous. Its history is a long, hard and often bloody one for many have fought for control of this naval power.
The White Island, as it has been known since its founding is a country to the north of mainland Carlinnia and has been ruled by the same dynasty ever since the natives crowned Cygnus I as King eight hundred years ago on the 5th of Springsrebirth during the morning of the solstice. Because of their location as an island and its thick forests, it's the perfect breeding ground for ships and so they slowly started building their navy to defend themselves. The island is a mostly hilly place with sprawling forests to the east and rocky coastline all around. Their main imports have been seafood, pearls, wood and ships. The people are known as some of the world's most skilled woodcarvers.
Dover, the capital and stronghold was established thirty years after the first king was crowned on the banks of the Baltazaar River. Before that, Madigan was the capital, named after Cygnus' wife but it was decided after a flood that it was way too close to the sea and so they moved it. Most of the population are Forager worshippers but some worship the Old Gods.
The religion of the Old Gods is the oldest religion on Albion, practiced by the natives since there were people on its shores. This polytheistic religion worships many gods and goddesses including Tyr, god of Thunder and storms, Sunna, Queen of the Gods and Asir, god of the heavens. Their religion is very nature based and they have many festivals such as the First Spring and the Rowanalia, or day of the rowan trees which are considered sacred. It's not a regulated religion although there are temples and certain things that must be observed, it's not as centralized as the Foragers.
12th year of Springsrebirth- The War of the Snake breaks out, the king Sirius is killed in battle and since his only child was a girl, Andromeda she received very little support. His nephew Orion defeats her in the Battle for Dover and becomes the third king Orion. His reign is a tumultuous one and slowly he drifts into insanity, earning the nickname the Mad King.
In the 56th year of Springsrebirth, Orion's son Sirius rules after the death of his father. He governs with an even hand and rules through the worst famine they've had in Albion history. During his reign a peace is established and this is when navy training is most intensive. Despite the might of their navy, as an island nation they are susceptible to foreign invasion so having a strong military and keeping the treasury full has been the goal of Sirius and subsequent rulers.
Over seven hundred years later, in the 150th year of Summershine, a foreign power threatens Albion. The Second Civil war has been just won thirty years past, but after a long and hard battle Albion wins, at least at that point. At some point they decide to use their ships and make prosperity for their kingdom, not war. The Age of Sail has begun.
170th year of Summershine- King Altair dies from poison and his twenty year old daughter Kastra is crowned the third Queen of Albion, the tradition of naming royal children after stars and celestial bodies has continued, although it is tradition it is not a rule. Kastra's name means "fort or military camp" in the Albion language and it's also a star in the constellation Riga. She was named so because she was born in a military camp, although there was no war the royal family visited the soldiers' barracks for a routine inspection.
She rules well until only a few years later, the High Kingdom seemingly sets its sights on other kingdoms. Queen Kastra, ever a proud and protective woman resists immediately and there is a call to defense in case there is an attack. Albion is never directly attacked but their allies are, and so they are involved in that way. The other kingdoms hold them back at first but as time wears on the enemy starts gaining ground. When Kastra, who hates war sees the effect it has on the people and other kingdoms getting annexed, as well as the expensive business it's becoming, she wishes to spare her people more bloodshed and to stop their home from being attacked as well. Thinking and poring over it with her council she finally has a solution. There will be an alliance with Carlinnia with Kastra marrying the then Crown Prince Kandor, for a husband would never war with his wife's kingdom. The solution would protect her people, and she could set conditions. Not wanting to jeapordize the alliance she only sets one, that she retain sovereignty and autonomy over her kingdom and that they be spared attack. The terms are accepted and although her father in law, the old High King is unexpectedly murdered the year before her wedding, it takes place anyway. Although to her at first it was only an alliance she does eventually grow to love her husband to her surprise, they even have a son whom she names in the tradition of her family, and is delighted when the name is agreed upon. Little Altair is heir to both kingdoms and Kastra in her way had obtained peace for her kingdom, which she has to visit frequently to take care of things. Her husband's staunchest advisor she's tried everything to stop another war, but it looks like Carlinnia is in for a big one.[/box]
[box]Castorhold
[b][u]Nobility:[/u][/b]
[b]Governor[/b]: The governor of Castorhold is the head of the Castor family.
[b]ArchDuke[/b]: The ArchDuke of Castorhold is the Heir-Apparent to the Territory of Castorhold. This is determined by the current head of the family, but is traditionally the first born son.
[b]GrandDuke[/b]: The Grand Duke is the second heir to the throne in the event that the Heir apparent should die, or both Governor and Heir-Apparent die at once. The GrandDuke is determined by the Governor but is traditionally the second-born Child or second-born son. This is an important distinction from the Grand Duke as it means that not just the son can hold this post.
[b]Dukes[/b]: Castorhold has 5 Dukes. There is 1 Duke for each of the major town and are in theory chosen by the governor, but in practice is often inherited from father to eldest son.
The High-Duke is a title possessed by the Governor, and refers to being the Head of the nobility of the territory. The High Duke is the Chief Administrator of the Ancient oak forest. The High Duke is also responsible for keeping an eye on the other nobles of the realms, and the fruit harvests.
The Duke in the South is the chief administrator of the Mountain and Rainforest. The southern Duke is also responsible for keeping an eye on the Slave trade, the Rubber harvests.
The Duke of the North is the Chief administrator of the Northern farmlands. The Northern Duke is also responsible for keeping an eye on the farming Industry and the Animal Husbandry Industry.
The Duke in the West is the Chief Administrator of the Coast. The Northern Duke is also responsible for keeping an eye on the fishing industry, and the manufacturing industries.
The Duke in the East is the Chief Administrator of the Eastern Farmlands. The Eastern Duke also has the responsibility of keeping an eye on the Financial Industry.
[b]Marquess[/b]
The Marquesses are one step below the Dukes, and keep an eye on their localities and the borders. There are 3 Marquesses per Quarter. The marquesses have more power than the counts simply because there districts of Administration lay on the borders.
The Eastern and Northern Marquesses help keep Neighboring countries and cultures, both inside and outside the empire, from encroaching too heavily on the territory of Castorhold, administrating the trade between inside and outside their region, and keeping an eye on there regions criminal justice system. In short, Keeping an eye on the commerce, Justice, and defense of their March.
The Western Marquesses help keep the Navy in order, help administrate the fishing industry on a more local level to prevent over fishing, help look after the border to keep illegal immigration and emigration (slaves) and illegal goods from crossing the border in order to keep pressure off the culture and legal system of the territory, and keep an eye on the justice, commerce, and defense of their March.
The Southern Marches help administrate the mining of the mountains on a more local level. They also help keep on an eye on the Justice, Commerce, and defense of their March.
[b]Counts[/b]
Counts are 1 step below the Marquesses in the social chain. There are between 6 and 18 counties in each of the quarters. They have look after the local commerce, justice, and defense of their counties. The farmlands have more counties, but they get larger near the outer reaches. Theoretically they can be chosen by the Duke, or the Governor, but in practice it is more likely to inherit the position than be appointed.
[b]Knights[/b]
In exchange for their pledge to fight and pay taxes, the Counts would allow the knigts to administrate around 10 acres of land. They are expected to provide for themselves with this shelter, land, food, water, and equipment included. To do this they collect taxes. The Northern and Eastern Knights generally administrate farmland and collect taxes in wheat and meat. The southern knights are notorious for using slave labour, and they generally collect their taxes in fruit, lumber, rubber, and/or minerals, depending on the resources on their plot. Some of the southern knights, and less commonly knights of other regions, are drawn upon without war, to put down slave revolts or police unruly regions be they counties or marches.[/box][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Religion][box]The Forager faith came to Salin in the Age of Turmoil by Martyr Elgir who set up the first Forager communities after many years of wandering and preaching the Word pf the Great Creator to all who would listen. These first few Forager communities flourished deep in the forests, they were the first monasteries of the faith set up and acted as centers of learning and religion for the surrounding villages. Slowly villages began forming around the monasteries, the doctrines of family values and divine mercy attracted many converts, and missionaries began spreading across the land. The growth of this new religion threatened the old faiths and lead to a series of persecutions and crackdowns on Forager communities and missionaries with Father Elgir being martyred, becoming Martyr Elgir. Even through this they continued to grow in numbers and strength, eventually able to strike a deal with the High King after the beginning of the Age of Conquest.
The Age of Conquest saw more patronage of the Forager Church and a growth in nobles who joined the perceived peasant religion. Monasteries were constructed throughout the forest, great churches were raised, shrines to the Great Creator were common sights along roads near Forager communities. The Puritavika was becoming easier to find across the realm as missionaries were allowed to preach openly. It was here that the multiple schools of Purity began to become more developed. Due to their hidden nature and isolated locations most Forager monasteries were spared the same fate as other religious institutes but sadly with the Forager doctrine of spreading the Word of the Great Creator to all races and people many missionaries tried to convert the foreigners who invaded leading to the lose of the brief amount of popularity that they enjoyed previously.
At the end of the Age of Conquest the Forager Church still remained legal but due to its actions with the foreigners many people thought they conspired with the enemy, a theory that was supported by the relatively few Forager monasteries and churches that were razed. This has led to distrust and hatred towards the Forager Church and the destruction of other monasteries and churches at the hands of angry mobs. Retreating back to their old monasteries and communities deep in the forests the Foragers have maintained a policy of isolation fearful of angry crowds and new persecutions.
Currently missionaries still come out of the forests as do goods but mostly the Foragers keep to themselves and pay their taxes trying not to stir anything up that could endanger themselves anymore than they are now. It is rare to see a Forager priest or monastic outside of their forests but the capital, and a few other cities, have small parishes of believers. The leader of the Forager Church is Patriarch Arturo with the Council of Bishops below him.[/box]
[box]Among the Kingdom's religions, one seems to be slippery and secretive enough to resist the constant growth of the main belief system. Known as Cult of Humanity, it is the polar opposite to the more traditional religions, who preach a calm, focused and respectful life.
During the Age of Expansion, a group of prophets had what they liked to call as an "enlightenment": They realized that the exploration of the body's sensations equaled the intense search for the calm of the soul, and meditated on this first idea until they complemented it into more "enlightenments", mostly fueled by the said exploration.
The second enlightenment lifted the idea of "sin" from the pleasures of the world, yet giving them a neutral perspective. However, they don't deny the term "sin", hence the reason why they're called sometimes "patrons of sin".
The third enlightenment gave them ideas of organization: They wrote their ideas and revelations in books, and secretly distributed them. The compilation of all of them is commonly called as Book of Flesh, the Tome of Sin, or simply the Book. There are also instructions for how the ceremonies should be realized.
The fourth enlightenment lifted the dogmas once fixated, which reinforced the religion's characteristics of "liberty". This is one of the most important enlightenments, mostly because it defines the modern nature of the religion.
They still suffer heavy persecution, but managed to hide in high positions. Rumors say that nobles and other high important persons participate in their secret, masked ceremonies, and this is the reason why they aren't hunted more actively.
However, it's unknown if the rumors are true and it's also unknown who's the most important member of the Cult these days.[/box]
[box][b]Gaianism:[/b] A henotheist cult, the most organized pagan church of the southwest (probably one of the most organized pagan churches overall). The Cult worships the Earth and fertility Goddess Gaia above all others. As it is custom to pagan faiths, there is little requirement to set up a temple in the name of their god but the established priests are watchful, that new Priests have either read or memorized by hard the sagas of Gaia and attent to yearly things, where matters of faith are discussed and (sometimes) canonized.
[b]The Morrígna:[/b] A henotheist cult worshiped almost exclusively in Magh Meall. The cult worships a triple goddess. Known as Morrigan, she is foremost regarded as Goddess of fate (even by many polytheists regarding her just as one of many gods) and time. As Neamhain she is regarded as an ancient Elven goddess of war, magic, death and immortality, mother of the Banshees. As Macha she is a human goddess of leadership, fertility and civilization. As the Sagas of the Morrigna claim, Neamhain is the goddess of the past, Morrigan is the goddess of the present and Macha is the goddess of the future, but since she has dominion over the flow of time, she broke the rules and is all three gods at every possible time.
Her church has a very strict and mostly matriarchic hierarchy and doctrine. The sponsor various knightly orders.
[b]Druidism:[/b] An animist faith. Animism is not a religion as much as it is a general believe, that the spirits of nature, all around us are more important in everyday life then some distant creator god. This believe gets form in Druidism, that establishes a church-like hierarchy and canonical forms of practice. Druids have to pass a long apprenticeship under a senior druid and achive the status of a full druid. In this time they aquire solid knowledge in lore, herbalism (medicine), law, magical theory (and often practice, if they are gifted) and other subjects of personal preference. This rigourous organization allows them to perform some political leverage and allows them to hold land in the name of their temples.[/box]
[box][b]Mystery religions[/b]
1) [i]The followers of the Maestrum:[/i] A secret order of philosophers, eunuchs, sages, and others invited into the ranks of an organization that is as old as the republic itself. The followers go on to serve as healers, and worship a mysterious god who serves as the patron of reason, order, logic, and wisdom. They are vehemently anti magic, but this has caused a rift in the more occult minded members of the organization. Their temples, and libraries train people to go all over the world, but their headquarters is for sworn in members only.
2) [i]The Magi:[/i] A splinter faction of purported magic users, and occultists who have broken off from the maestrum. They chant incantations to numerous gods to seek an audience, and gain their powers. They are rumored to employ a guild of assassins to enforce their will, and are far more militant than the maestrum. They drink several potions which reportedly extend their lives hundreds of years.
3) [i]The faithful of the pact:[/i] Worshipers of a mysterious entity which give sacrifices through masked combat every year in each season. After the southern half of what is now Essania collapsed in the sea leading to the collapse of the Axawlan empire into city states members amongst them made a plea to an unknown god to save them from destruction. Twenty people are taken from around the world, forcefully trained, and made to participate in a bloody pageant of combat until only one remains. They speak of the unknown god in reverent whispers, and abhor the presence of those who haven't been sworn in.
[b]The Ranite Pantheon[/b]
The Ranites were a group of seafarers who were renowned for their conquests, and dominance of the sea often coming into conflict with the Axawlans. Near the end of their empire something known as the great cataclysm struck believed to be the work of a war amongst the gods things changed rapidly. Their homeland being sunk during the cataclysm forced them to invade, and cause chaos amongst the Axawlan city states, but they were defeated by another group of people.
1) [i]Cult of Dagos, and Rana:[/i] The seafaring ranites get their name from from one of their queens. The old gods of the Ranites fought over her because her beauty was renowned, and in the end after much chaos the god of the seas, and major waters claimed her as his wife. She loved another though by the name of Telos the god of the storm, wind, and weather who took her on the night before her wedding. The followers of Dagos outraged declared war on Telos, and soon catastrophic battles shook the planet.
The war ended with Telos struck down, and Rana forced into the sea unwillingly until she relented. She gathered around her loyal followers as they mourned knowing she could see them only once a year. Legend says she does just that, and has been risen to god level status as the mother of the Ranites. This adoration came at a price since Dagos was so wounded in the war.
The followers are required to give human, and animal blood through sacrifices by drowning the bleeding in order to sustain the ocean, and therefore the life within it. As a reward servants of Dagos have granted plenty of fish, and gold to the followers. They have also shown the secret of immortality by drinking a mysterious potion. This potion had unintended side effects turning many in scaly fish like beings who were driven to find the underwater city that Dagos resides in. Every year when Rana ascends to the surface they take a spouse male or female back down with them. The normal faithful raise the children of these unions until they transformation.
At first the children are normal, but by 40 years of age they begin a ten year transformation until fifty while also spending more, and more time in the water. By fifty they completely transform, and dive to the depths to find the underwater city. So the legends say anyway, but the religion does have an effective way of not making a ruckus by sacrificing people they capture in their pirate raids. The priests (sea singers) also are very influential in courts of the wealthy. The faithful speak a strange language when in prayer, and it is said to be an unnatural one.
2) [i]Cult of Telos:[/i] Telos the god of weather, wind, and the storm. Brother to Dagos, and one of the old gods of the Ranites who no longer worship him, but instead revile him. He was struck down by Dagos, but didn't die instead was spirited away by his followers to his fortress where he heals up even today. People pray to him for good weather, and winds whether they are on land, and sea while others pray for him to ravage their enemies in battle.
Telos slew his fellow gods to gain the hand of Rana in marriage, but now things have changed. His priests are called wind singers who pray from atop the highest mountains, and lowest valleys every day. They abhor the human, and animal sacrifice of their counter worshipers Dagos, and have formed groups to take up arms against those practices.
3) [i]Cult of Alarsia:[/i] The goddess of the lands as she is called, and she is hardly worshiped by the Ranites anymore. Instead being the focus of worship for many Essanians who pray for safe travel or other things. Alarsia represents nature, fertility, the hearth, agriculture, and other things. She is opposed to the war that Dagos, and Telos are undergoing. In honor of their goddess priests known as land singers conduct orgies every spring, and encourage worshipers to practice incest, and polygamy. Worshipers engage in all sorts of sexual practices viewing them as religious acts rather than simple hedonism.
4) [i]Cult of Veraga:[/i] Mother of the skies, and the heavens worshiped by many as the creator of the world. Many don't know in Ranite mythology she is one of many creators who were responsible for the universe. Just like the Axawlan mythology a great cataclysm struck in part because the gods fought a genocidal war. Now only Veraga, and her three children are left while they have many followers both mortal, and immortal things aren't looking good. Veraga is honored by sky singers who pray for the continued existence of the earth, and the universe as she fights off great demons who seek to destroy the sun which would darken all of creation.
[b]The Axawlan Pantheon[/b]
The pantheon of the Axawlan empire, and the city states that followed. In its hay day it was followed by everyone on the island, but the collapse of the southern half, and invasions from various groups led to it being gradually replaced, but it is still widely practiced in different ways.
The cosmology of the Axawlans goes back thousands of years in their world calendar. The birthplace of the Axawlan empire begins on a small island which was once the heart of a great city (which sunk along with the southern half of the island in the great cataclysm). Astrology, superstition, and omens played a great role in the religion. In the cities temples would have gigantic feasts followed by human sacrifice to honor, and feed the gods every year.
The Axawlans believe the great cataclysm was brought on by a genocidal civil war amongst the gods leaving only a few left. The end of the war signified massive turmoil on the planet as the climates shifted, environments changed forever, landmasses sunk, and rose. The once great capital of the Axawlans now lay mostly underwater leaving a rump portion as a ghostly reminder of the past.
The remaining Axawlan cities fractured into city states, and were made easy for the taking by the massive fleet of the Essanians whose homeland was dying thanks to the cataclysm. Now the religion is practiced mainly by the High Axawlans who have taken up incest as a way to keep their bloodlines pure.
The names of their gods are written in a language only those of High Axawlan descent can truly know.[/box][/spoiler]
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[code][b]Character App:[/b]
Name:
Appearance:
Titles:
Personality:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Weapons(Keep it to 3):
Armor:
Equipment:
Property:
Family:
[/code]
Delete all in parantheses.
There will only be 1 heir application and 1 claimaint application accepted.
[code][b]House App:[/b]
House Name:
House Banner:
House Holdings:
Soldiers your House commands(Keep it reasonable. A lord of decent standing would have up to 2,000. A Duke could have somewhere from 2,000-6,000 soldiers. Just be reasonable, if you aren't sure ask me and I'll determine how many you would control.
Family Heirlooms:
House Members:
History(Minimum of 1 Paragraph.):[/code]
[spoiler=Funny Little Rules]1. No Godmodding.
2. No Meta-gaming.
3. No killing a characters player without permission from the owner.
4. No controlling another person's character unless given permission. I as OP reserve the right to play all characters if the owner is inactive.
5. Don't be a douchebag.(I [b]can[/b] be a douchebag and I know all of you [b]can[/b] too. It's a choice not an accident.)
6. No one liners. Your characters have thoughts and feelings, incorporate these plot devices.
7. I reserve the right to deny any application.
8. My word is law.
9. My Co-OP's word is law unless his fellow Co-OP says otherwise.
10. Just have fun. I had less fun writing all ten of these rules, because I know there would be chaos without them. Ill have even less fun if you break them.[/spoiler]
I know this isn't the greatest lore and is certainly missing a lot, but that is greatly due to my lack of experience in lore building and OP making. This is my second time hosting an rp the first nearly finishing, but dying due to the loss of two crucial roleplayers. All help would be appreciated. This is a Worldbuilding RP so go ahead and feel free to worldbuild what you want or need to make. Just to answer some upcoming questions:
*Yes there will be Elves, Dwarves and Orcsamir.
*Yes there will be magic, in fact there will use of destruction mages in armies, but to a limited extent. Yes there will be healing, illusion and manipulation magic.
*The Kingdom of Carlinnia is a kingdom mixed full of elves and humans.
*Yes the dwarves are the population of the province of Anderel.
*Yes the Orcsamir are the foreigners and yes the Orcsamir are considerably more organized and smarter in this fantasy medieval rp.
*Character and House Apps are not yet put in, but they will be.
*There will be a max three heirs and possibly a claimaint. I will play the firstborn heir.
