♞ Dynasties ♞ [CLOSED][REBOOTING IC][NATION WAR RP]

by **Utceforp** » Wed May 22, 2019 3:17 pm

Bentus wrote:Ooh, this looks good since the Mongol-expy seems to be nabbed already I might loiter for a bit and see what nations folks come up with. Playing a char in someone's court or what-have-you might be pretty cool.

I was going for more of a Scythian feel, but the Mongols work too.

by **Turmenista** » Wed May 22, 2019 4:05 pm

Rhinocera wrote:Can I reserve the dominant nation on hygard? It might take a few days to write up the app. I plan to app both the nation and ruling house, though I’d gladly accommodate others apping as houses who are members within the kingdom.

I'm also reserving a house on not!Fantasy Australia aka Hygard. If you were interested I could talk about it with you.

by **Autocosm** » Wed May 22, 2019 4:19 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of House: Clan Shinonono (篠之一族)

◆Leader:

◆Family Members:

(Daughters): Mutsu, Hiei (Right) and Kongo (Left), Yahagi (Left) and Houki (Right)
(Sons): Itami Shinonono
(Spouses): Saito Shinonono

◆History: Clan Shinonono have a pedigree of 2,100 years. They are the most powerful clan among the cultures of the southwestern mountains of Hygard, ruling through marriages, nepotism, and a tightly-woven network of spies and informants. Their influence is legendary among the other clans, all of whom have both a love-and-hate relationship with Clan Shinonono; however, the clan itself didn't always start out this powerful and influential long ago.

Several millennia ago, Clan Shinonono originally began as the Sekai Passing, inspired and founded by the native animist and pagan faiths among the southwestern Hygardian mountain cultures. The Sekai Passing had no definite figurehead, since the order was originally a decentralized cult; however, somewhere between 701-662 BC, one family among the faith's followers would arise to power, capitalizing among a series of schisms that tore the faith apart. Among this family's challenges to their rise to power, there were four sides to the schisms: the Renegades ("Destroy it"), the Followers ("Leave it"), the Reformist ("Change it"), and the Zealots ("Empower it").

This family was better known as the 'Shinya Clan' - the precursors of the Shinonono Clan/Family. In order for the Shinya family to win over the entire Sekai Passing and stop the schism, the Shinyas needed to bring all four sides together to a compromise; however, that was nearly impossible to accomplish through diplomacy. Alternatively, the Shinya family decided to sit and wait in the shadows, proceeding to secretly influence and manipulate the affairs and issues of all four sides.

For nearly a thousand years, religious division and holy wars reigned free among the mountains until all four sides eventually settled down and agreed to put the schisms to an end, thanks to a treaty called, Shinka Reformation (新花改革 / 盛開改革 - 253 AD). While peace and order were ensured, all four sides had actually been infiltrated and manipulated by the Shinya Clan in complete secrecy, doing the clan's bidding and work that took centuries into the making. Political, military, and religious figures/leaders/individuals over those years were either assassinated (publicly or secretly, thus vanishing without a trace) or carefully entrusted by the Shinya Clan.

To anyone who knew what was truly happening, the Shinya Clan was the most influential group of people, wielding power and influence that made them untouchable to legal and religious persecution/accusations. Take in mind, however, that the keyword 'powerful' was missing among that statement, because the Shinya Clan was rivaled by the likes of the ancient clans of Ren, Mio, and Sanya. Prior to 300 AD, the Shinya Clan was more of a powerful political family than a clan that controlled and manipulated everything - the Shinya Clan lead and controlled all religious and legal aspects among the southwestern Hygardian mountain cultures.

Somewhere in 318 AD, however, the cracks began to show among the Shinya Clan, but the secrets to their mastery in espionage, faith, and governance were nowhere to be found. The clan was slowly fragmenting due to constant espionage, cutthroat politics, and shadow factionalism. Half of the family were at each other's throats regarding the matter of eliminating the Ren, Mio, and Sanya clans; however, if there was one thing that was clear among the infighting, the Shinyas couldn't come to a conclusion whether or not they should peacefully or imperialistically rule.

It wasn't until 432 AD that one woman stood up and pulled the metaphorical rug from underneath everyone. This woman was none other than Chifuyu Shinonono, the second-in-command of the Shinya matriarchs. Promptly orchestrating the assassination of the Shinya family (except their children) over the course of several decades, Chifuyu would allow the slow decentralization of the Shinya Clan's power and influence, allowing for two new clans to sprout: the Hiragi Clan and the Ichinose Clan.

Among Chifuyu's handiwork, she deliberately upset the balance of power among the southwestern Hygardian mountain cultures by quietly and secretively changing the dominant gender. By the time 700 AD begins, both the Shinonono Clan and other clans were matriarchs (except Clan Ren), forever changing the socio-cultural landscape and embracing a new age of definite peace and order. Starting in 689 AD, approximately several centuries after Chifuyu's death to old age (92 Years Old; 409-501 AD), this new era was called, Chinmokunoto / Jizhisheng (沈黙音/寂靜之聲; lit. "Sound of Silence").

From that year forward and up to the present date (1101 AD), there was peace and order; however, that silence and stability was achieved through very shady and authoritarian means. Since Chifuyu's death, her descendants would continue to impose a very tightly-knitted and secret network of spies, assassins, and informants among everybody. Nothing was a secret to the Shinonono family, with everyone was under the watchful eyes, ears, and hands of that family, whom by this time had taken the Shinya Clan's place.

But it was also during this era - specific between 798 to 812 AD - that more people would be integrated among the Shinonono family's power and influence. Most prominently, three new clans had been integrated: the Sangos, the Jujos, and the Hyakuyas. Unlike the Ichinose and Hiragi clans, whom rejoined voluntarily with the Shinononos, these three new clans were integrated ruthlessly and thoroughly (Sangos joined in 800 AD; Jujos joined in 805 AD; and the Hyakuyas joined in 812 AD), acquiring their family members and interlocking them together into alliances via arranged marriages and political-espionage manipulation.

Eventually, somewhere between 990-991 AD, the Shinonono Clan was losing its control over Clan Mio and Sanya, whom began to split away from the Shinonono's power and influence, allying themselves with Clan Ren once again. This split would prove a very fatal move among the southwestern Hygardian geopolitics, because it would trigger a new age of socio-political tensions by 1000 AD, aggravated even further by Clan Ren's militarization and isolationist policies.

Clan Mio and Sanya would follow in Clan Ren's footsteps with militarization and isolationism, containing their cultures from outside influence and immigration, plus an effort to deter infiltration and espionage. Such foreign policies didn't suit well with the Shinonono Clan and its allies, because such division also began to encourage the Sango and Hyakuya clans to quietly rebel. As usual, all opposition among the Shinonono Clan's power and influence were suppressed and silenced, going through great successful lengths to hide and destroy all evidence of foul play, whom the Shinononos have been doing for centuries with the former Shinyas.

For a time being, the southwestern Hygardian mountain regions would remain in a state of iron-fisted socio-political tensions. Clan Mio, Sanya, and Ren may have their military forces, but nobody is making a move, fearing that they'll be infiltrated and destroyed from the inside out; however, Clan Shinonono and their allies are keeping a close eye on everything, even outside foreign and internal affairs. This subsequently leaves one big question as of now: "Who is going to be the one who pulls the trigger?"

Assets

◆Home: Zong Saito is a fortress tucked away on the southwest mountains and forests of Hyyard. The surrounding terrain makes it woefully impossible for siege equipment to be placed and used against the fortress, thus making Zong Saito a very secure yet secluded location. The only way to reach the fortress is on foot through the rugged forest and mountains. Not to mention, half of the fortress' interior is built inside the mountain itself. This other half of the fortress is hidden, and is built with reinforced iron struts from within to stabilize and secure that part of the fortress in case of an air raid or earthquake.

◆Military Strength:

Clan Shinonono (1,200)
1,000 Spearmen
200 Archers

Clan Hiragi (1,000)
800 Swordsmen
200 Archers

Clan Ichinose (1,100)
1,000 Swordsmen
100 Archers

Clan Sango
N/A (Disarmed after too many rebellions and sensitive opposition)

Clan Hyakuya
N/A (Disarmed after too many rebellions and sensitive opposition)

Clan Jujo (500)
400 Spearmen
100 Archers

Relations

◆Allies: Clan Hiragi, Clan Ichinose, Clan Sango, Clan Hyakuya, and Clan Jujo

◆Rivals: Clan Ren, Clan Mio, and Clan Sanya

by **Da Liang** » Wed May 22, 2019 4:35 pm

[Reserved China Application]

by **Turmenista** » Wed May 22, 2019 6:57 pm

V A N Q U A R I A wrote:Expect apps for creatures, characters and notable places and organizations

Nice

by **Bentus** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:08 pm

V A N Q U A R I A wrote:Expect apps for creatures, characters and notable places and organizations

Sick. Bit of a handwavy question, but what archetypes do we have covered so far? Nomadic raiders, Chinese-esque Empire, any others in the works?

by **The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:17 pm

Tag for interest. Got a lot going on in terms of RPs myself, but this is definitely an interesting concept and I have had a lot of time on my hands lately.

Likely don't have enough time to make my own nation, but I would like to play a minister/courtier in the court of another nation. Let me know if you're interested in having a character played by a different nation (namely me) in your court.

by **Turmenista** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:21 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of House: House Vastorith

◆Leader:

◆Family Members:

◆History: House Graves was like most Houses of Hygard. It exerted a fairly large amount of influence for a house of its size, consolidating its sphere of influence from the secure confines of Talon Rock and subjugating other Houses it fought and won against in the past. Its ruler, the great Reginald Graves, ruled over his house and the peasantry and citizens below with an iron, but fair fist, well respected and loved, but also feared by his people.

However, Reginald's increasingly peaceful attitude towards rival houses like House Townsend to the south, drew ire from his eldest son, Harold Graves, who sought to inherit the throne as soon as he could and take his rightful place as head of the House of Graves. When Reginald suspiciously died of an unknown illness suddenly, Harold stepped in to become the new leader of House Graves, using his general clout and backed by much of House Graves's military to his advantage. He took his mother, Meridia Graves, as his wife, and had several children, including Gideon Graves, his to-be heir; Harrison Graves; James Graves; Pamela Graves, Evelyn Graves, and Paris Graves, each of whom were named Lords and Ladies, respectively. House Townsend was promptly invaded and destroyed by House Graves, with Harold taking the queen of House Townsend as one of his concubines who would later bear a bastard child, Maximilian Townsend, whom he would refer to as "The Bastard" of House Graves.

House Graves would devolve into chaos, involving a power struggle between Lord Harold and his brother Lord Humphrey, and the constant humiliation and psychological torture of Maximilian Townsend, who quickly began to resent his new "family," but was powerless to stop their torment. A few of these scuffles would devolve into full armed combat, but Harold mostly kept things together among his House, much to the others' surprise. Harold later named Gideon and Pamela as the respective heir and heiress of the house, asserting his power as the head of the House through a mixture of undercover political intrigue, eavesdropping, and fear.

One day, reports of a dragon sighting near one of House Graves's southern towns became known to to the rest of the house, who all bickered on how the issue should be tackled. While House Graves filibustered and debated about how they should go about dealing with the rogue dragon, the dragon itself suddenly attacked Talon Rock, backed by a small army of apparently mercenaries, who began to siege the city. The surprise attack totally caught the unprepared city's guard by surprise as the dragon and his mercenaries almost single handedly broke through the defenses and made their way to the castle, barging through the doors and effectively taking the entire royal court hostage. It was at this moment that the dragon introduced himself as Vastorith, the Despoiler, Kingslayer, and many other titles. He was a large and intelligent dragon that could communicate with humans, whom arrived on Hygard roughly 100 years ago after retreating from Ferra for unknown reasons.

Vastorith knew little of where his own kind were, but, being a materialist, came to House Graves knowing their impressive coffers of past plunders, which filled an entire spacious cavern in Mount Talon. The Dragon's god complex forced him to demand the immediate turn over of the House to him, where he would assume direct control of all aspects of the House and its coffers, at the promise of not eating the House. When Lord Harold challenged him, Vastorith and Harold engaged in a duel, resulting in grave injuries and the loss of one of his hands, now replaced by a prosthetic. Not wishing to be incinerated by the dragon like many of his men, Lord Harold immediately conceded after this happened, thus beginning the turnover ceremony, so to speak. House Graves became House Vastorith, the star heraldry changed to reflect the literally draconian changes... and a certain policy introduced to destroy the vast prisoners of war Vastorith had collected.

Over the next year, Vastorith instituted a reign of terror on the lands of the former House Graves. Prisoners of war, political prisoners, and dissidents alike were sent to remote villages, many of which had been turned into horrid "cleansing operations" with the support of the plague doctors of House Vastorith. Many of these prisoners were marched into fire pits which were lit by Vastorith, the able-bodied women of these dissident populations immediately enslaved to become concubines for Vastorith, while many of the men would later become penal military units or "chaff" under the command of the Lords of House Vastorith. The most heinous and "dirty" of these operations were when a certain few prisoners were used as guinea pigs for a particularly nasty disease known as yersina pestis, most commonly known as The Plague, an extremely infectious disease that resulted in slow, agonizing deaths. Vastorith would use this disease as a torture tool to extract information from his opponents, while also devising an antidote for himself, his peerage, and his soldiers.

With that horrible residue aside, Vastorith would continue to rule House Vastorith for the coming years, carefully manipulating Maximilian behind the scenes as his own little spy, while also using Lord Harold to represent the House internationally. Only few outside of the lands of House Vastorith know of the dark secret of the dragon that runs the show, but many believe this sense of secrecy will be coming to a close very soon.

Assets

◆Home: Talon Rock is a fortress city essentially built into the cliffs of the eponymous lone mountain itself, which was named so because of the claw-shaped rock structure that tops its highest, dominant peak. Legends say that the formation came to be when two gods fought over control of the mountain in their mortal form, the result of their fight giving the mountain its unique shape. There are several huge, sturdy stone towers reinforced by iron skeletons that serve as the domain to the king in the castle, stretching high into the sky, but their bleached appearance gives the city an ominous skeletal and spiky appearance. The city that surrounds the castle is protected by massive walls and is very vertical due to the hilly area, with huge highrises and villas stretching off into the sky and stairwells on nearly every street. Ballistas and other forms of defense are situated sporadically around the entire fortress in case of siege.

◆Map Claim: Here

◆Military Strength: The armies of House Vastorith consist of several small armies that are fielded by the Patron of the House, the lords under his command, and Vastorith himself. There are also penal military units that each army has access to as frontline "chaff" soldiers.

Command Structure:
1 Dragon (Vastorith); Commander
Lord Harold Graves
Lord Humphrey Graves
General Marcion Vonnegut
Total: 4 people

Housecarls/Knight Retinue:
Vastorith's Knights, 100 knights
Lord Harold Graves's Knights, 100 knights
Lord Humphrey Graves's Retinue, 100 housecarls
Lord Gideon Graves's Retinue, 100 housecarls
Lord Harrison Graves's Retinue, 100 housecarls
Lady Paris Graves's Retinue, 100 housecarls
Total: 200 knights, 400 housecarls for a total of 600 men

Standing Army:
Composition: Footsoldiers, spearmen, archers, crossbowmen, naval crewmen etc.
"Vastorith's Own" army, 2000 men
Lord Harold Graves's Army, 2000 men
Lord Humphrey Graves's Army, 2000 men
Lord Gideon Graves's Army, 2000 men
Lord Harrison Graves's Army, 2000 men
Lady Paris Graves's Army, 2000 men
Castle Talon Defense Army, 1000 men
Maximilian Townsend's Army, 500 men
Total: 13,500 men, 16,500 men when levied

Relations

◆Allies: Will be filled out as the RP progresses

◆Rivals: Will be filled out as the RP progresses

by **The Imperial Warglorian Empire** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:24 pm

tag

Is the dark green on the map thick forest? And what is the lightest green?

It'd be great if we had a key for the map

by **Turmenista** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:44 pm

Turmenista wrote:Snip

I apologize in advance for the edge, lol. I tried to go with the GoT aesthetic of fucking your family over (literally so for Harold Graves LMAO), but I've never watched an episode in my life.

by **Salsacookia** » Wed May 22, 2019 9:03 pm

Reserving the Northern Ferran mountains for my Dark Magic, Neanderthalish Savages (I’ll be just above Utceforp)

by **Adunu** » Wed May 22, 2019 9:05 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of Realm:Kingdom of Halralda

◆Rulers:

◆History, Culture and Religion: Culturally, the Kingdom of Halralda is a blend of two distinct people groups; those who had inhabited the Halraldan mountains - the Nordlige - and those of the eastern plains - the Klarstrogoth. These two cultures were brought together hundreds of years ago in the War of Ascension, when the then Nordligean king, Ásketill Þórgísl, was able to defend his claim to the throne of Wentenia; a kingdom formed by the Klarstrogoths. Ásketill then founded the Kingdom of Halralda - clearly named after the mountains from which the Nordligeans reigned from, an evident sign of Nordligean dominance over the Klarstrogoths.

From then on, the Klarstrogoths were slowly assimilated into Nordligean culture. The religion, language, practices and beliefs of the Nordligeans were taught to the Klarstrogoths - steadily creating an ethnically and culturally uniform Halraldan population. Of course, some Klarstrogothic culture exists within the modern day Halralda. A few festivals and holidays, such as Vinterdag - a celebration of the first day of Tiendemåned, the eleventh month of the Halraldan lunar calendar, and the start of the winter, - exist within Halrada.

Lysemåne, the moon, is very important in Halraldan religion, serving as a guide from the Gods in the winter months, when the sun is largely absent during the day. In Halraldan mythology, it is believed that Lysemåne was brought to orbit around Aarde by Halbyrdr, the god of time, to serve as a way for Man to keep track of time when the sun was absent. Other than this, Halraldan religion is comparable to - or relatively the same as - Norse or Old Germanic religion, with the culture being a blend of both Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon cultures.

As of 1101, the Kingdom of Halralda is home to burgeoning trade economy, with manufactured goods such as leather, ales and fabrics being transported to other Kingdoms and Duchies along the Velea Ocean in exchange for more raw materials or simple bullion. Halralda keeps good relations with neighboring kingdoms. However, the powerful kingdom is ready to defend its claims whenever forced. Currently, there is a growing Wentia independence movement out of Southumblandet, a Duchy carved out of the former Wentian Kingdom by the Nordligeans hundreds of years ago.

Assets

◆Resources: Cattle, horses, goats, salt, gold, iron

◆Strongholds: Castle Gedde

◆Towns:

◆Population: 912,000

Military

◆Military Commanders:

◆Military Strength: 136,000 when militia is levied at 15% of the population.

◆Special Troop: Konungr Húskarlar, the king’s bodyguards.

Diplomatic Relations

◆Allies:

◆Rivals:

Other Information

◆Location:

Essential Details

◆Name of House: House Guðfriðr

◆Leader: Urul Hallþórr Guðfriðr, sixth of his line.

◆Family Members:

◆History: The Guðfriðr dynasty started as the holders of Duchy of Gedet, only recently having ascended to the throne of Halralda in 1043, claiming the throne through royal marriage. Their claim to the throne was quickly met with backlash by the kings uncle, Ásbjörn Somarliðr, who also held a solid claim to the throne. Halralda quickly devolved into a civil war between those who backed the Guðfriðrs claim to the throne, and those who backed Somarliðr’s claim. Of course, House Guðfriðr won the war, after winning a decisive victory with their allies at the Battle of Svartur Hill, despite only having 8,000 men against Somarliðr’s 23,000. Their victory was achieved by using Svartur Hill’s natural defenses, entrenched positions, and Somarliðr’s overconfidence in order to deal heavy losses to his army, killing Somarliðr and 4,000 of his soldiers in the battle.

Assets

◆Home: Castle Gedde

◆Military Strength: Personal retinue of 500 Konungr Húskarlar, plus personal levy of 15,000 from holdings.

Relations

◆Allies:

◆Rivals:

by **Lazarian** » Wed May 22, 2019 11:09 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of Realm: The Yek'sik Empire

◆Rulers:
The Yek'sik are ruled by a council of three Lords:
Tenoch Ketboge, Great Khan of the North.
Addis Guiellen, Merchant King of the South.
Khadagan Daldurkhan, High Priest of Asigna.

◆Culture: The Yek'sik peoples are an odd blend; a mixture between the wealthy spice cities of the South and the more rural tribal clans north of them. In terms of ethnicity, the Yek'sik are divided. The Northern Yek'sik have features people from Earth would call "Central American". Their appearance is along the lines of this or this. They are moderately brown-skinned, tanned by the hot sun of the prairies, with jet-black hair and brown eyes. In comparison, the Southern Yek'sik could be described as "mestizo" - a result of the crossbreeding between the Northern Yek'sik people and the fairer-skinned citizens of Arcanus. Their appearance is along the lines of this or this.

The Northern Clans are a coalition of the various peoples which inhabited the prairies, steppes, and fields of the North. There are no cities which are the size of the southern coastal cities in the North, and the Clans are loosely governed compared to their compatriots in the South. They often live in smaller towns (from a thousand to ten thousand) on the banks of the rivers which extend into Ferra. Their cities are composed of adobe buildings, similar to those of the Pueblo from Earth. The Northern Clans are split between nomadic groups, which travel with livestock, and those that live in cities. The river-city clans maintain sprawling acres of pastures and ranches, along with conducting trade with the Southern Cities.

The Southern Cities are, in stark contrast to the North, eight large port cities (or "khars"). These cities each contain from 10,000 to 80,000 people, with every one of them located on the coast. The sole exception is the capital of Mzenes, which is located on an island in the bay of Ketloc. Each of these bustling cities is a port town, centers of learning and trade. The Southern Cities are located in a convenient intersection in between the continents of Oros, Aea, and Ferra, and some say that "the whole world's trade flows through Yek'sik". In contrast to the North, the Southern cities are not farmers, ranchers, or herders; rather, they're merchants, sailors, pilots, and shopkeepers. The Southern cities promote trade through the government sponsorship of merchants and low tariffs and taxes. The cities are large, covered with roofs of red clay and surrounded by walls and ballista towers. The vast majority of the Yek'sik government lies within these cities.

The two portions of the Yek'sik empire have a symbiotic relationship. The North provides the South with a standing military, as well as food supplies and timber to form ships with. The South, in exchange, provides goods from around the world to the North, which include fine metal for weapons and healthy warhorses.

The Northern Clans are represented by the Khan of the most powerful clan, Tenoch Ketboge. To consider the North as a single political entity is foolish; at best, it serves as a loose coalition. Arguably, there are hundreds of Clans in the land beyond the seas. Needless to say, not all of these clans get along. Warfare between the clans for gold, resources, and political dominance is not uncommon. However, the South tends to overlook any regional conflicts in the North, as long as the clans report when the Great Levy is called. The Khan of the North is a life appointment.

The South, on the other hand, has a more stable government. The Southern Cities actually are a Republic - an odd form of government, which is derided in the North and most other nations. However, due to their past, the Southern Cities are quite reluctant to have dynastic kings. The system works as follows: Each merchant that can prove significant wealth or contribution in taxes to the city receives the ability to vote. There are approximately 500 eligible voters in each city. Every ten years, these makeshift nobles choose to elect a governor, who is responsible for the management/protection of the city. Once the Council of Eight (the eight governors) are assembled, they vote to choose a single Merchant King, who represents the South.

The final branch of the government is the High Priest of the Yesignan Church. This is simply the head of the largest Yesignan church, which is the enormous Temple of Huitzilo, located in Mzenes. However, this final member of the trio is the one which ensures that the South is never overrun by the more warlike desires and natures of the North. The Yesignan Church very deliberately avoids selecting Northern shamans for any head priest position, which leaves the real power in the seat of the Southern Merchant King. However, the High Priest can be considered a "swing vote" at times - he does not always agree with the Merchant King, and at times, will side with the Great Khan.

◆Religion: In the North, tribal beliefs are more common - the native clans praise the dual gods of the Sun and Moon. Some have speculated that these are an alternate interpretation of their northern neighbors' (the Nerakan) religion, as both cultures are neighbors. The Sun God is named Huitzilo and the Moon God Yadira. In ancient myth, Huitzilo and Yadira are the two lovers who created the world upon marriage, and each takes turns standing watch over their creation. An eclipse is seen as the two arguing, and is considered a horribly dire omen. Huitzilo is a very masculine god - he serves as the god of war, herding, hunting, and requires sacrifice. In contrast, Yadira is depicted as a beautiful woman and serves as the goddess of peace, farming, and art. Yadira does not require ritual animal sacrifice, but prayer and meditation.

In the Southern Cities of the Yek'sik Empire, the proximity of Aea and Arcanus have caused the popularity of Asignism. However, cultural syncretism has certainly altered some aspects of Asigna. According to the Southern Yek'sik cities and priests, Asigna, Huitzilo, and Yadira are all one and the same. The priests claim that Asigna is two gods which speak with one mind - a symbolism of the unity found in a married couple. However, this has the effect of alienating the Yesignan Church from both Arcanus and the Northern Clans (which both disagree with this interpretation). The Yek'sik Asignans (or Yesignan Priests) still hold the belief that an avoidance of "degenerate" behaviors and beliefs endears them with Asigna, who will reward their followers in both their present and future lives. "Degenerate" behaviors are incest, unjust persecution of the poor and helpless, lack of caring for the young (or old), murder, rape, and theft. In fact, a portion of the tariffs taken out on imports and exports are set aside for the almshouses - temples which provide care and food for the destitute. The Southern Cities certainly hold a higher standard of morality than the Northern Clans - the Northern Clans do not believe in the tradition of alms, or the degeneracy of murder. In the North, killing a rival chieftain in his sleep is completely acceptable - whereas in the South, this is considered a sin, as diplomacy and settling differences peacefully is nearly always the first course of action.

◆History: The Empire of Yek'sik is a relatively new nation, in comparison to others on the continent of Ferra. Before the year 903, the Yek'sik were two separate nations. There was the Commonwealth of Mzen, a collection of city-states on the southern coast of the continent. To the north were the Yekken - hundreds of small tribes, led by a Khan. The Khan was the leader of the tribes, although this position was extremely unstable. The two entities coexisted in a fragile peace - the cities were aware of the horde outside the civilized gates of the coastline, but the Yekken were primarily interested in squabbling over a petty crown and their pastoral fields.

Or, at least, that was how things were before Otgon the Great. In 903, the previous Khan was assassinated, and a power vacuum commenced. The Mzen cities were tragically indifferent - but things were different this time. Otgon was the son of the previous Khan's brother, who had been slain in the struggle for the crown (by his brother, in a successful attempt at swift power grab). After his father's tragic death, his mother fled to the South, abandoning the clans and their more primitive life. There was opportunity in the Southern cities. Yes, there was untold poverty and failure to be found, but a shimmering glimmer of hope was there as well. The chance to create a new life - to haggle your way to wealth, to board a ship and return with glorious riches. Otgon was raised in the city, and even attended the Academy of Mzen, the crown jewel university of the great city. After turning twenty five, Otgon received the news from one of his father's friends that the crown was contested yet again - and as the son of the prior Khan's brother, he had a solid claim to legitimacy.

Otgon, at the time, was nothing but a successful spice merchant. However, his heart ached for the fate of his people. They were a bunch of squabbling peasants - children, fighting in the mud over scraps. In a sudden decision that would change history, Otgon sold his ships and storefront, and left Mzen with an entourage of hired knights. Emerging onto the scene with the superior iron weaponry and armor of the Southerners (along with a solid understanding of logistics, which was his primary advantage), Otgon's forces swept through the clans, shredding them like paper. But as Otgon tore through the countryside, defeating clan after clan, he spread a new message. Otgon had his sights on something other than their farms, fields, and Triple Speared Crown. The Southern cities were rich, gluttonous, decadent...and poorly defended. The Northern clans, in their opinion, would never move beyond their feuds for power. It wasn't worth the expense to keep a trained military around - not when the only threat was roaming gangs of pirates. Otgon united his people under these words: "Brothers, why do we shed so much blood for what we already have? Untold wealth lies in the lands below."

The cities realized their mistake far too late. As reports of an oncoming enormous horde made their way from the North, the councilmen and governors of the cities realized that they did not either the forces necessary to repel it, or enough time to prepare for the attack. In a panic, ships (in both air and sea) fled the cities, filled with the riches of a thousand merchant and any citizen who had managed to pay their way onto it. All those who remained were those who were too stubborn (or unfortunate) to leave. The Mzensian Knights manned the walls, prepared to fight to the last man - but they knew that defeat was inevitable.

The hordes swept down from the North, taking city after city. They looted and pillaged, gleeful in their newfound wealth and glory. But Otgon was not satisfied. His heart desired more than just being another Khan - he wanted to stand above and beyond any other Khan. His lust for glory was truly unmatched. He knew that once they had pillaged the cities, his people would go back to their homeland...and the cycle would continue. Sure, they would have newfound wealth and fame, but at the end of the day, they would still be the same squabbling tribesmen.

It was time for a change. As Otgon's campaign approached Mzen, his horde sailing to the great island-city, he did something truly unexpected. Otgon and a small retinue of elite soldiers approached the city gates...bearing a white flag. The Khan of the North wanted to engage in diplomacy. Though the Merchant King of Mzen feared that there was treachery at hand, he knew that this was his city's only chance at salvation. There was no defending against the Yekken army - they simply did not have the forces able, short of a miracle from Asigna himself.

And he received a miracle from Asigna himself. The murderous, blood-soaked, barbaric Khan Otgon sat down...and made a bid for peace. He bid for more than peace, actually. He proposed a bicameral government, which would unite the northern Yekken clans and the southern Mzen cities. It was quite clear, he stated, that the Southern cities did not have the capacity to support a serious military without crippling the merchant incentives, low tariffs, and low taxes which made them so successful as economic centers. Furthermore, the Southern cities were increasingly importing food from other regions, as the area around them was simply not enough to sustain their burgeoning populations. In contrast, the North, while having large herds and fertile flood plains of maize, was at a technological and economic disadvantage. They were barbarians. The uniting of their two peoples would solve both of these problems: The Northern Clans would become civilized members of a great empire, and the Southern Cities would receive both food and fodder for their armies. Otgon, the Great Khan, son of Yekken and son of Mzen, finished with an ultimatum to the Merchant King. He could surrender and accept Otgon's proposal - or the great city of Mzen would be burned down to dust, with every remaining citizen slaughtered and butchered.

There's no real need to say which choice the Merchant King took. Since then, the Empire of Yek'sik has dominated the Southwest of Ferra, with the wealth of the South and the might of the North. However, two hundred years have passed since Otgon the Great - and his reforms are slowly being eroded away. The South now has the upper hand over the North - they have two of the three of the Council of Lords. They have begun to take advantage of the less educated and less powerful clans, keeping them in pointless infighting while the South takes their resources and land. And on the opposite hand, the North thirsts once more for the glory of Otgon and the Great Khans. Truly, it is uncertain whether the empire of Yek'sik will be able to truly stand the test of time.

Assets

◆Resources:
In the North: Cattle, horses, maize, wheat, and timber.
In the South: Commerce and fish.

◆Strongholds: The only "strongholds" are small military forts located on the edge of each port city, and the Khan's Tomb. The Khan's Tomb is a castle/crypt located at the end of the Great River, given to the strongest Khan in the North by the Southern Merchant King.

◆Towns:
Khar Ord: Approx 10,000
Khar Bayan: Approx 12,000
Khar Tonala: Approx 20,000
Khar Liao: Approx 20,000
Khar Neza: Approx 23,000
Khar Mzatlan: Approx 30,000
Khar Merida: Approx 46,000
Mzenes: Approx 80,000

All of these cities are located on the coast. Any city in the North is smaller than 10,000 - in fact, few breach 5,000.

Military

◆Military Commanders:
Tenoch Ketboge, Great Khan of the North
Addis Guiellen, Merchant King of the South

◆Military Strength:

Military Strength: The armies of Yek'sik are split in two, like almost everything in the nation.

The Southern Cities have a small, dedicated contingent of Kharguard. These are well trained and well equipped city guardsmen, which exist for the purpose of defending the waters from pirates and defense of the city. However, these soldiers are not always as powerful as knights in other nations. While they are hardly incompetent, most of the Kharguard are closer to local police than knight templars. In the event of a truly threatening event, the Governor of a city can raise from a thousand Levy Guards to eight thousand (in Mzenes). However, these Levy Guards are not professional soldiers. They range from sailors attempting to gain an extra bit of coin to merchants protecting their homes, from roaming mercenaries to armed priests. These soldiers have low morale and extremely varied skill, and beyond that, they cannot be levied for any other purpose than the defense of the city. The Kharguard can be used as an offensive force, but compared to the Levy Guard, they are far and few between.

As for the Northern Clans - these make up the majority of the Yek'sik military strength. The Great Khan is responsible for their entire clan being able to be summoned and ready for war at all times. Additionally, they are responsible for riding out and assembling the soldiers of the clans into an army - in reward, the Southern cities pay for their men's food, upkeep, and provide them with nearly any luxury that they request. However, the clans are never all mustered into a single army (due to the fear of a repeat of the past). Thus, despite the potential for a horde of twenty thousand...this never happens.

Command Structure:
Tenoch Ketboge, Great Khan of the North
Addis Guiellen, Merchant King of the South
Lucero Gonzales, Commander of the Mzenesian Knights
The Seven Kharguard Captains
Total: 10 people

Kharguard Soldiers:
Composition: Pavise crossbowmen and halberdiers.
Orden Kharguard: 100 men
Bayan Kharguard: 200 men
Tonalan Kharguard: 200 men
Liaon Kharguard: 300 men
Nezan Kharguard: 300 men
Mzatlan Kharguard: 400 men
Meridan Kharguard: 400 men
Mzenesian Knights: 800 men
Total: 1900 Kharguard, 800 Knights (2700 in total)

City Levies:
Composition: A motley mix of anything from lightly armored spearmen to heavily armored cavalry. These levies are highly unreliable and have terrible morale, but have signed on to the volunteer draft for a little extra coin.
Orden Levy: 1,000 men
Bayan Levy: 1,200 men
Tonalan Levy: 2,000 men
Liaon Levy: 2,000 men
Nezan Levy: 2,300 men
Mzatlan Levy: 3,000 men
Meridan Levy: 4,000 men
Mzenesian Levy: 8,000 men
Total: 23,500 Levymen

Northern Khansmen:
Composition: Lightly armored cavalry (sword, spear, and bow), compound bowmen, lightly armored swordsmen and spearmen. With the exception of the Golden Horde, who are heavily armored cavalry. Most Clan riders are lightly armored, favoring scimitars and small round shields.
Ketboge's Golden Horde: 10,000 Khansmen
Northern Clans: Anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000, depending on clan politics.
Total: 10,000 Khansmen, 10,000-30,000 Clan Riders.

◆Special Troop:
The Golden Horde: The Golden Horde are the Great Khan's clansmen and brothers - essentially, clans who backed the Khan who would become the Great Khan (either by political or military means). These lucky clans are rewarded with the luxuries of the finest armor and weapons the Southern Cities can purchase and manufacture, as well as imports of food and goods. As a result, though, they are expected to serve as Yek'sik's primary military force. Yek'sik does not often go to war, but when it does, the Golden Horde is one to be feared.

Mzenesian Knights: The Mzensian Knights are the elite guardsmen of the wondrous capital city of Yek'sik, Mzenes. These soldiers ARE equivalent to professional knights (unlike the Kharguard), and spend their time destroying pirates in both sea and air. This is the closest thing that the South has to a professional military; however, there are only 800 knights, and at least half of these are spread out all over the globe. At any one given time, there are only 400 knights in the city of Mzenes itself. However, these heavily armored soldiers are capable with both bow and sword, and are on par with an average knight of another nation.

Diplomatic Relations

◆Friends:

The Kingdom of Arcanus: Again, there is no formal alliance between the Kingdom of Arcanus and the Yek'sik - however, the two are close neighbors and fervent trading partners. Before the North and South united, the Southern Cities imported foodstuffs primarily from Arcanus. Many of the citizens of the Southern cities are descended from Arcanian citizens and merchants, so the two are culturally similar. The Northern Clans do not share this bond, but they respect the Kingdom of Arcanus for its' military might.

◆Rivals: The Koinon (or Confederation of a Hundred Islands) is the Yek'sik Empire's most significant rival in the trade through the Penerian Ocean, and are regarded as a significant thorn in the side by the Southern Cities. Their ports and city-states take up a significant portion of the commerce which flows through the area, and the Merchant King would love to see them fall. However, the Yek'sik do not have a dedicated naval force (with the Northern Clans being primarily cavalry), and the Great Khan cares little for trade, so there is little threat of military action by the Yek'sik. While the Southern cities are rather cosmopolitan and accepting of various beliefs, it is not uncommon to see slight discrimination against Koinon sailors and travelers.

◆Other:
The Confederation of the Free City-States: The Southern Cities and the Confederation of Free City-States exchange both commerce and scholars. In fact, the Southern Cities admire the intellectual achievement of the SCFCS, and Ferrara is seen as a city equal to Mzenes itself. However, the Northern Clans and the Great Khan have expressed disdain for the Confederation. Their religion is seen as foolish - every Yekken tribesman knows that life comes from the sun, and the idea that it comes from the sea is seen as directly heretical. Furthermore, their lack of military strength is seen as a significant negative trait - to quote the Great Khan, "Those who lack strength lack my respect as well."

The Nerakan Confederation: The Nerakan Confederation is respected and admired by the Northern Clans. It is quite likely that the Yekken clans and the Nerakan peoples came from the same ancestors, as they are similar in both appearance and culture. In fact, their religion is quite similar (although Nerak has been replaced with Yadira, and the Death of Nerak seems to be absent from Yekken belief.) The Nothern Clans have the most frequent contact with the Manu, and there is significant trade of livestock between the two people. However, the Southern Cities hold nothing but disdain for the Nerakan Confederation. Their lack of written records and tradition of polygamy are seen as primitive and barbaric. To quote the High Priest of Yesigna, "The Nerakans are just Northern barbarians, more degenerate and unseemly than any Yekken tribe could be."

County of Argonvost: The Yek'sik are relatively cordial towards the County of Argonvost, as the other major power in West Ferra. While they do not have a formal alliance, there is no animosity between the two nations. (As far as the Yek'sik are aware, at least.)

The Kingdom of Gyrcant Bay: While Gyrrhic culture is admired by both the Northern Clans (or, at least, those who are learned enough to have heard of them) for their meritocratic military and strong family values, and the Yesignan church, who admire their lack of degeneracy, the Kingdom is simply too far away for two nations to have a strong relationship. Not only that, but their insular nature has made it difficult for significant trade to occur.

Other Information

◆Location: Southwest Ferra

by **Rastrian** » Wed May 22, 2019 11:17 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of Realm: The Kingdom of Gyrcant Bay

◆Rulers:
The Kings of Gyrkant Bay are not hereditarily granted their title. Gyrcant Bay elects their rulers from one of sixteen clan-lords, who act as patriarch for the whole clan, effectively making each clan-lordship a separate realm in itself. While each of them do indeed pledge loyalty to the King, whoever they may be at the time, and historically do not cause upset for the King as the leader of both the nation and the Gyrrhic people, they have no obligations to each other, causing historic rifts which have destabilized the entire nation.

The current King is Tedas III Namiroth Kyll, an aged man, who has led the Kyll clan for nearly forty years, and has led the Kingdom for almost as long. When he was a child, he trained under the then-clan-patriarch, Namiras Yukanoth Kyll, known as Namiras the Fierce, who, by his influence within the Kyll dynasty and the rest of the Kingdom (despite not being King), managed to convince all of the clansfolk to elect Tedas as ruler upon his death, and the Kingdom to elect him to the Kingship upon the King's death. He has ruled fairly, being almost universally popular with the people and the lords of the land. However, he is near death.

There are three expected successors, all of which promise, in one way or another, to destabilise the realm somewhat. The first is Clanlord Hamadas Yulekoth Naesh, a good fighter, but deeply unpopular with many of the Clanlords thanks to his traditionally unbending moral compass. This has also worked in his favour, as many of the Clanlords see the continuation of fair ruling to be essential. The second is Clanlord Ghenas Yukoth Leth, a cunning diplomat, who, while a much less talented man in many ways, has the ear of many within the Kingdom, thanks to well-timed parties, social events and bribes. The final is Desas Tedoth Kyll, the distant relative of Tedas III, much younger, and while not necessarily the best diplomatic choice, certainly the choice for some of the Kyll-loyalist clans.

The list of clanlords is as follows, from most influential to least:

◆Culture:
Gyrrhic culture is built around three pillars, each connected and related - Duty, Family and Strength.

Gyrrhic ideas of 'duty' cover many separate ideals. One is expected to carry out their order regardless of the personal cost to them, and is expected to do it as well as they can. Shirking responsibility is one of the gravest crimes in Gyrrhic culture. But more than that, Gyrrhic people have a duty to provide for and extend their family, and a duty to the people and nation as a whole. This is part of the reason why Gyrrhic culture has remained very united under the one Gyrrhic nation, because rebellion is considered a shirking of duty, and a shirking of duty is punishable by death. Thus, a lord who rebels from the crown can expect not only the crown to come for them, but for their own vassals and family members to criticize them, sometimes even kill them, for their lack of dutiful respect. Duty to family and duty to strength (the nation) are considered equal. If one shirks their duty to either, they shirk their duty to both.

Gyrrhic 'family' is wide and far-reaching. Clans are descended from the sixteen warriors of Gyrrhic legend, and so each clan, however distantly, is related to some degree. Though people have their own families, often fairly nuclear in nature, all Gyrrhic people have a wide extended family of people all around the Kingdom. This also means that every peasant is, at least in theory, equal to a lord. As such, while there is distinction between males and females (in that only males currently inherit title), the Gyrrhic culture is one of the most egalitarian in the world, treating peasants and lords as closely related kin rather than serfs or peasant laborers. Gyrrhic people have "family duty", the respect of every family member as an equal, as well as "family strength", keeping one's family close even in times of disagreement.

Gyrrhic notions of 'strength' can often be equated with the state, and the service of it, even if, in many other ways, the state is not the only form of strength. In fact, the Gyrrhic word for "Kingdom", Kathonasir, is derived from the term 'strength-built', meaning that it is the collective strength of the Gyrrhic people keeping it together. Gyrrhic people have a strength duty, a duty to be strong for the nation, whether that be strength of will or strength of arms, and a "strength-family", that is, the defense of the family at all costs.

Beyond the three pillars of Gyrrhic society come the other cultural aspects.

As Gyrrhic society is built around the clans, names are also built around them. Gyrrhic people have three names - a personal name, given to them at birth, the name of the current Clanlord, and the clan's name at the end. All Gyrrhic people have these names. The inheritance of one's clan is from the mother, so if a man from Clan Saath and a woman from Clan Yti married and produced offspring, the children would be of Clan Yti.

Gyrrhic marriages are, as a result, quite grand affairs, with the bride's family usually organizing most of the festivities.

As well as that, Gyrrhic society focuses a lot on death, and how to deal with that. Gyrrhic mausoleums are some of the grandest structures in the Kingdom, with often many levels built to the sky and into the ground. For the most part, Clanlords are placed in the towers, in individual coffins, with influential clan members in individual coffins below them, and finally, mass graves of clan members below that, with the names chiseled into the wall elsewhere through the mausoleum. Not every clan member opts to be buried in one of the sixteen grand mausoleums, however. If a member of the clan dies but was not influential enough to get an individual coffin, sometimes the Gyrrhic people will place them in smaller local mausoleums for their clans, which are usually filled fairly quickly.

Gyrrhic people usually spend a while in the military, and the military is highly meritocratic, focusing on skill at arms rather than influence. Any man can become a general if they are skilled enough. While sometimes corruption is overlooked in the Kingdom, corruption does not go unpunished in the military.

While all the clans have associated color schemes, most individuals also have coats of arms of their own, always including those colors. This goes from the peasants to the King, all with their own armorial features, often changing throughout their lives to represent their achievements.

◆Religion:
Gyrrhic religion is entirely ancestor-based. While a vague idea of "the ancestors" are praised much of the time, while more specific ancestors are praised even higher. The highest ancestral beings in the Gyrrhic faith are the former kings, and the 16 warriors of myth, who are honoured by each clan individually. This ancestor worship is part of the reason for their obsession with death.

The Gyrrhic faith places a lot of importance on recovering the body of a dead loved one. Burning of bodies, leaving them out to be eaten or other such measures are strictly forbidden. This leads to the somewhat odd side-effect of murderers going unpunished as long as the body is returned to the clan it belongs to, and some violent feuds of killing and counter-killing going on for centuries, usually only petering out when the initial cause of the fighting is forgotten.

The belief that the ancestors are always watching extends to the afterlife, with ancestral spirits judging mortals before they enter it. Morality is rewarded by rank in the afterlife, immorality is punished by being, for the most part, forgotten.

While the Gyrrhic faith does have a creation myth regarding a single god whose death created the universe, this god-being is not worshiped in Gyrrhic society, and as such, it could be seen more as deistic than (mono)theistic.

◆History:

FIRST ERA/MYTHIC ERA (???? - ????):
The bay now known as Gyrcant Bay was once inhabited by great monsters that had long since killed the people of the bay. They prowled and roamed through it, some living in the seas, others in the skies, some in the ground and some upon it. It was a no-man's land, where none could thrive and all foodstuffs died out. A neighbouring King, slothful, prideful and weak, commissioned four warriors to take the land from the beasts. The four were killed almost immediately. He commissioned eight warriors. They put up a fight, but were killed almost as quickly as the first. Finally, he sent sixteen warriors to kill them. These men were stout of heart, noble, valorous and strong. They split into four groups to deal with the four kinds of beasts, and butchered them all, their blood soaking into the land and making it fertile. They returned to the King, who clapped them in irons and took the land for himself. However, in a cruel turn of fate, as soon as he stepped onto the land, he was struck with a terrible curse, that amplified his negative traits, making him more tired, more prideful, and nearly too weak to stand. Unsure as to why, he sent the sixteen men back into the land, and found their positive traits enhanced.

The King spent ten years building up an army to kill off the sixteen warriors, and sent it to the bay lands. But each of the men had started families of their own, each with eight sons and eight daughters. To defend their families, the sixteen men went out alone to face the army. The army tired, slackened and weakened, but despite the sixteen killing over a thousand men each, the army won, and the sixteen warriors were killed. But the army could not remain in the lands, their condition weakening. When they returned to the King's lands, they cursed him for letting 16,000 of their comrades fall and for weakening them, and they executed him, freeing themselves from his tyranny. While the sixteen men had perished, their families built great structures for them, now becoming the mausoleums of the clans we see today, and founding the clans as we know them.

It is likely that this claim is false, though there are not many who can theorise as to how the history would have actually occurred. Some claim that the Gyrrhic people may have been once-nomadic warriors who already had their clan structure when they invaded the Gyrcant Bay, though since no records exist, it is difficult to say for certain what occurred, or even when the Mythic Era would have been.

SECOND ERA/LEGENDARY ERA (???? - c.1,400 BCE):
The Second Era began the founding of a somewhat recognizable nation, though it was still very different to its current form. The Gyrcant Bay Kingdom of the Second Era was a highly decentralized raiding nation, built around small city states nominally united into the clan groups. It is also theorized that the original Kings of this era were not, in fact, Kings at all, but high priests and grave-keepers within the nation, elected by priestly bodies rather than by the Clanlords. However, just as the clans were all nominally united in some form or another, so too were the clans united into a very loose proto-nation. As the Legendary Era progressed, various great rulers now enshrined as heroes, rightly or wrongly, came and went, with the internal and external conflicts being largely similar in scale and scope. The title of King became a much more important one in secular society, and the King began to pass laws affecting the whole region. Around 2,500 years before the present (approximately 1,400 BCE) an act of unity was passed, formerly uniting the Kingdom in ways more than just nominal.

The Second Era was likely the least isolated Gyrcant Bay has been until the most recent point of the Seventh Era. With raiding and wars, this era saw great use of the military, though diplomacy was basic, especially as the surrounding nations had, for the most part, not formed into recognizable Kingdoms as of yet. This initial feeling of superiority, however, would bleed into the other eras.

THIRD ERA/LEGAL ERA (c.1,4000 BCE - c.950 BCE):
The Legal Era was characterised by a much stronger legal system developing in the nation, and by an increase in the philosophical musings of the people within the nation. It is considered a golden age of progress and science for the people, with great names, such as Varelas Yti and Savosas Kheyn creating treatises and philosophical works still examined today. Clanlords were chosen based on a complex and largely bureaucratic system of inheritance, forgoing the use of elections to choose Kings, making the ascending of new Kings largely automatic and predictable. The Legal Era was so called because, for the first time since foundation, the Gyrrhic Kings and various Clanlords and lower Lords were beholden to a legal system, which was highly class based and bureaucratic, but was effective in its own way. The nation, united as never before, possessed a central military as well as the other militaries of the clans. This, however, would change around 2,050 years ago (950 BCE), as the role of King became the most centralised that it ever would become, leading into the beginning of the Despotic Era.

The Third Era was home to a form of superiority complex. The philosophical musings of Gyrrhic thinkers created a narrative of Gyrrhic civilisation versus foreign barbarism, and as the legal system developed, and internal trade with it, that superiority complex only increased, causing a notable isolationism native to the era.

FOURTH ERA/DESPOTIC ERA (c.950 BCE - c.300 BCE):
The Despotic Era began fairly innocently, with laws being made to limit the ability of clanlords to declare war on each other. As these laws became completely unenforceable without erupting into all-out civil war, the Kings in Pelitathi formally neutered the clans. All armies were centralised into the Kingdom's army. Clanlords acted as commanders within the framework of the Kingdom's army, meaning that they served at the leisure of the King rather than amongst themselves. This era was one of the largest periods of instability in Gyrrhic history, and while much of the bureaucratic system of choosing Kings remained from the Legal Era, it had evolved into a much more corrupt system, meaning that warlords tended to become the Kings, sometimes even by marching into the capital and killing the current King, in a flagrant violation of Gyrrhic cultural standards up to that point. The Despotic Era evolved into the Steward's Era with the long period of illness during King Malaras Naesh's reign.

The Fourth Era's policy of isolation was largely a matter of self-defence. With the consolidation of the army, the focus shifted from individual clanlords wanting to gain more land for themselves to the King wanting to defend the land which he owned at any one time. That, and the fact that the internal squabbling of various warlords caused destabilization, which meant that the Kingdom was in no fit state to invade surrounding land.

FIFTH ERA/STEWARDS' ERA (c.300 BCE - 52 CE):
The Steward's Era saw the consolidation of power once again moving away from the King. However, instead of going to the clans, power became vested in the hands of the Gyrrhic Stewards, newly styled as First Regents of State. The First Regents took hold of the situation left by the young King Malaras Naesh. While young, he became incapable almost as soon as he ascended to the throne in 300 BCE, but despite being ill, the council decided keeping him alive and gently siphoning off power to themselves was the best option. Medics kept the King alive for many years, and in a weakened mental state, he conceded more and more power. And since the council favoured a controllable king, all attempts to depose him, as many other kings had been, failed or were quashed before even beginning. The First Regents of State implemented much stronger laws for governing the citizenry rather than just within the clans, and while the Kingship remained notable throughout, it was these First Regents who held the reigns of power. Clanlords were not automatically commanders, instead the most merited captains and warriors were the commanders. This period is known for being almost democratic - almost, in that the King still had a hand on the rudder. This was eventually the era's downfall. While the First Regents of State were somewhat popular, many of the Lords resented the fact that they were beholden to a power that was not the King. As such, they revolted in the Clanlords' Strife. The current King, merely a puppet, was on the side of the First Regents, while many (though not all) Clanlords defaulted to choosing a successor from among them, and demanded the installation of their claimant. This remains the single greatest event of instability in Gyrrhic history, and with the victory of the revolting forces, many of the First Regents' Laws were rolled back, and the Reformation Era began.

The Fifth Era saw the policy of isolation continue, as the Stewards were not concerned with expanding territory, just ruling well and efficiently, as well as independently, hence why less outside trade also occurred within this period.

SIXTH ERA/REFORMATION ERA (52 CE - 541 CE):
This era saw the reformation of the monarchy as the central authority of state. The Clanlords who assisted in the installation of the monarch were rewarded with some increased rights, though armies were still generally held centrally by the monarch. This era saw a revitalization of art and culture, with music and painting from this era still being somewhat popular to this day, though in terms of social advances, not much was made. Peace was the order of business, and it continued that way until the rise of King Sirenas Leth, a fairly weak man, who conceded much more power to the Clanlords even then, beginning what is known as the Feudal Era.

The Sixth Era, due to the general inward focuses on philosophy and culture, yet again had its own isolation policy. However, this era was when the superiority complex of the Third Era returned with a vengeance, with the Gyrrhic people seeing themselves as entirely superior to outsiders, and in need of no communication with them.

SEVENTH ERA/FEUDAL ERA (541 CE - present):
The Feudal Era saw a stratification of the relationship between the King, the Clanlords and other lower vassals. Clanlords began to field their own armies again, instead of relying on the central government to field armies. This system eventually morphed into what is now recognizable feudalism, which the entire era is named after, though with the Gyrrhic clan dynamics mixed into the system, making it somewhat distinct to other Feudal systems. The King ruled through right of election by the Clanlords, and only the Clanlords could become Kings, essentially making for a two-filter system, whereby popularity amongst the clan predicated ascention to the Kingship, again, via popularity. But despite the largely feudal state of affairs, this society, from outside perspectives, largely due to a prevailing policy of isolation that was highly pervasive throughout the era, appeared largely peaceful, even though wars between clans had yet again begun to spring up. Some argue that, with the ascension of Tedas III Namiroth Kyll and the ending of this isolated policy, the era has yet again changed to one of involvement in the world at large rather than internal strife. However, there are those who see a storm brewing within the Kingdom itself, as the death of King Tedas may throw the balance of power off its axis. Perhaps it shall not evolve into anything, or perhaps, it spells the beginning of the greatest period of unrest seen in Gyrrhic history.

Assets

◆Resources:

Fresh water
Fish
Stone
Iron
Wood
Wheat
Game meats
Clay
Water-reeds
Copper
Tin
Bronze

◆Strongholds:

Map of Strongholds and Capital City

Castle Yti - Clan Yti
Castle Balv - Clan Balv
Castle Kyll - Clan Kyll
Castle Kaes - Clan Kaes
Castle Taan - Clan Taan
Castle Anov - Clan Anov
Castle Palt - Clan Palt
Castle Saath - Clan Saath
Castle Tsaed - Clan Tsaed
Castle Naesh - Clan Naesh
Castle Sies - Clan Sies
Castle Kheyn - Clan Kheyn
Castle Yun - Clan Yun
Castle Zarn - Clan Zarn
Castle Leth - Clan Leth
Castle Hais - Clan Hais

◆Towns:
Most strongholds have towns built around them, usually centered on either the stronghold itself or the mausoleum of the clan. There is one exception, however, that being the capital city of Gyrcant Bay, Pelitathi, located around prime farming land and at the furthest point into the bay.

Military

◆Military Commanders:

CLANLORD BANNER-CALLER: Clanlord Hamadas Yulekoth Naesh. It is the Clanlord Banner-Caller's duty to raise the sworn troops of each Clanlord to battle, though not always to lead them. Hamadas, however, is a skilled commander, and knows how to lead troops well.
HIGH MARSHAL OF THE REALM: High Marshal Kilethas Farroth Saath. The High Marshal is the head of all military forces, and their job is to ensure that strategy between the armed forces is maintained.
GRAND GENERAL: Grand General Kelas Sarridoth Sies. The Grand General is in charge of the army.
GRAND ADMIRAL: Nimenas Farshoth Balv. The Grand Admiral is in charge of the navy.

◆Military Strength:
STRONGEST TROOPS:

GALLEYS: The Gyrrhic navy is known for its galleys, fast moving ships good for transport through protected bays and close to shore rather than on the open sea. The Gyrrhic navy uses these ships to patrol the actual Gyrcant Bay area.
MARINES: The Gyrrhic navy also employs elite boarding troops. Suitable for land or sea battles, the Gyrrhic Marines are known for their efficiency and formations, as well as for attacking at long or close range, with long glaive-guisarmes for unbalancing boarding troops and crossbows for ranged combat.
PIKEMEN: Another elite polearm unit, the Gyrrhic Pikemen are also adept at formations, though with the aim of countering cavalry rather than infantry for the most part.

FORCES:
38,600 total

Crown Army: 5,000 men
Clan of Kyll: 3,000 men
Clan of Hais: 4,300 men
Clan of Naesh: 3,800 men
Clan of Yti: 2,600 men
Clan of Kaes: 2,500 men
Clan of Sies: 2,300 men
Clan of Palt: 2,150 men
Clan of Saath: 1,800 men
Clan of Kheyn: 1,800 men
Clan of Zarn: 1,700 men
Clan of Anov: 1,500 men
Clan of Leth: 1,450 men
Clan of Yun: 1,400 men
Clan of Balv: 1,300 men
Clan of Tsaed: 1,100 men
Clan of Taan: 900 men

◆Special Troop:
CORDED SPEARMEN - An elite unit of spearmen, known for their wearing of scarves to dehumanize them in battle. These men can be used in formations, but are also adept at hand-to-hand spear fighting. They are athletic, often jumping with their spears to get the strongest impact force, and dodging enemy blows, even with their light armor.

Diplomatic Relations

◆Allies: BLANK

◆Rivals: BLANK

Other Information

◆Location: Uratos, the bay next to the Confederation of the Free City-States

Essential Details

◆Name of House: Clan Kyll

◆Leader: King Tedas III Namiroth Kyll, Clanlord of Kyll and King of Gyrcant Bay, age 82

◆Family Members:
Desas Tedoth Kyll - Expected Successor, age 33
Genadas Namiroth Kyll - Oldest male by seniority, age 85
CHILDREN OF TEDAS:

Uranas Namiroth Kyll (oldest son, age 47)
Namanas Namiroth Kyll (second son, age 42)
Verila Tedoti Kyll (oldest daughter, age 37)
Haras Tedoth Kyll (third son, age 35)
Namara Tedoti Kyll (second daughter, age 33)
Marenas Tedoth Kyll (fourth son, age 31)

CHILDREN OF DESAS:

Marana Tedoti Kyll (oldest daughter, age 7)
Hala Tedoti Kyll (second daughter, age 4)
Vertas Tedoth Kyll (only son, age 3)

OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS:

Tavanas Tedoth Kyll (captain of the Clan army, age 36)
Aratas Tedoth Kyll (chief diplomat, age 29)
Zireas Namiroth Kyll (steward, age 52)
Laritas Namiroth Kyll (gravekeeper, age 44)

◆History:
Founded, ostensibly, by Kyllas, one of the great warriors of legend, Clan Kyll has enjoyed a historically safe position even being at the mouth of the Gyrcant Bay, as they own the other defensible bay of the region, the Soresant Bay. Their castle, Castle Kyll, lies at the center of their city, from which they can see on the western edge of the city, the Kyll Mausoleum, decorated in gold and sapphire, as well as yellow and blue paints. Supposedly, after the death of Kyllas, Clan Kyll became one of the greatest shipping clans in the Gyrcant Bay, and this has largely continued to this day, being a favoured stop over for Galleys. Historically, they have had a long friendship with Clan Balv, which has usually supported Kyll claimants to the throne, as well as been a major port of call along the way to Castle Kyll, also acting as a lighthouse of sorts. Clan Kyll have been rulers of the Gyrcant Bay for forty years, taking over from the previous Clan Taan, but their hold on the reigns of power appears to be nearing its end for the time being.

Assets

◆Home:
Castle Kyll, as well as the City of Kyll, is the home of Clan Kyll. The large city stretches around the Soresant Bay, with warehouses and shops along the waterfront, as well as pontoons and bridges throughout. A small river divides the east and west sides of the river, and straddling the river on a hill is the castle itself, a building of very yellow stone, grand in spectacle. Across much of the city are gardens, with the furthest west point being home to the Kyll Mausoleum, a grand high tower of gold and blue, which, at the sunset, appears to shimmer in the setting sunlight. It is a beautiful city of paved streets, stone buildings and shipyards.

◆Military Strength:

Army:
1,000 pikemen
500 marines
500 spearmen
300 swordsmen
200 cavalry
200 crossbowmen
150 heavy cavalry
150 ballista operators (with 30 ballistae)

Navy:
60 galleys w/ crew
100 smaller trade galiots w/ crew

Relations

◆Allies:
Clan Balv

◆Rivals:
Clan Hais
Clan Yun

by **The Imperial Warglorian Empire** » Wed May 22, 2019 11:48 pm

Is the dark green on the map thick forest? And what is the lightest green?

It'd be much appreciated if there was a key for the map

by **Gudmund** » Thu May 23, 2019 12:27 am

Might join later, looks pretty fun. I have a question regarding magic - if there is any - will it be systematic or the mythological/fantastical type. Like super in depth like Harry Potter or based on vague stuff like how Excalibur is some super magical sword?

by **Lunas Legion** » Thu May 23, 2019 1:37 am

Essential Details

◆Name of Realm: Koinon Ekató Nisión (Confederation of the Hundred Islands, normally known as the Koinon)

◆Rulers: The Koinon is a confederation of many self-governing towns and cities, each with their own distinct form of government ranging from peasant democracies to merchant oligarchies to feudal aristocratic monarchy. Each member of the Koinon sends a single Praxos to the capital, Drakainapolis, where internal disputes within the Koinon are settled and matters of external defence when relevant are discussed before the Drakina Regenta, who has the final word in such meetings, but normally rules with the option supported by the majority of the Praxos present.

The Drakina Regenta is the head of the Ordia Drakina, a holy order that rules the city of Drakainapolis and, supposedly, is responsible for tending to the dragon Drakina, which the order claims to be a living god and an oracle and which lives deep in the island's interior. Drakina has not been seen for centuries, but she supposedly still issues instructions and gives prophecies through the Ordia Drakina.

◆Culture: The Koinon is a cosmopolitan state, spanning numerous different islands, cities and landmasses each with their own dialects, cultures and traditions. Therefore it would be absolutely wrong to say that there is a single 'culture' within the Koinon. The few unifying things culturally between the diverse cities and towns of the Koinon are a healthy respect and acceptance of new ideas, other peoples and different religions. The Koinon is a largely mercantile and trade oriented nation, with many thriving ports and shipyards, and it is said that there is nothing one cannot buy in the Koinon, if one is merely willing to look hard enough and spend enough.

◆Religion: The Koinon is a religiously cosmopolitan realm, including numerous foreign beliefs among the merchants that ply its waters. Among the native populace, however, a distinct form of Asignism, known as Koinan Asiganism has formed as a syncretic faith, incorporating the old traditional mythology of the Koinon's poleis and the cult of Drakina. Under Koinan Asiganism, Drakina is a conduit between man and Asigna; her prophecies are wisdom from him granted to mankind through her, and the other oracles of the Koinon and the taking of omens are other ways of consulting with Asigna. The old pantheon are Asigna's Praxos, advising him and also acting as conduits between him and the mortal realm in mythology, but he is the sole 'god'. Whether changes to the rules prescribed by Asiganism according to Drakina should be followed or not is a matter of some debate, but no rule change has ever been made, so the matter remains solely in the territory of theological and philosophical debate for now.

◆History:

Pre-Koionic Era (Prior to -694)

History before the Koinon is a scattered mess, the historical records either lost or never recorded, leaving just the oral traditions of various cities and islands, the historical records of others and those few records that have been found. The Pre-Koinonic Period saw the cities and islands that would one day become the Koinon in a state of rivalry and conflict, fighting with one another over land and resources and even, to some degree, the nature of rule as different cities chose different means of rulership. The various cities would found colonies on the shores of the main continents that surrounded their archipelago of islands, many of which would grow to become independent from their mother cities.

Alliances were unstable and fractious, and wars were bloody on sea, but due to the phalanx-based fighting style of the Pre-Koionic Era and the cultural refusal to pursue a retreating 'civilised' enemy, land battles were surprisingly light on casualties.

Towards the end of the era, the expansionist Tenth Dynasty of Nekhur conquered the Orean Kingdoms, distant Rhete and Ureia falling in -697, the alliance of Apaireia and Arceia being defeated at the Battle of Lake Trasia in -696, a coalition of Lysania, Chalia, the island kingdom of Masaia, the city states of Euedia, the island cities of Iria, Eura and Onis and the Koinon ton Tessera Nisia, forming in -696 and fighting on for two years until its defeat at the dual land and sea battle of Erybea in - 694.

This alliance that formed in -696 is considered to be the Koinon, although it was far from the extent of the modern Koinon, a simple military coalition against an expansionist threat. After their defeat at Erybea, the surviving members of the coalition appealed for aid from the rest of the Koinonic city states. For the first time in history a threat to all the city states had appeared, and they mustered together to face it off of the coast of Euedia.

Early Koinonic Period (-694 to -454)

The combined cities of the Koinon possessed equal strength to the Tenth Dynasty, but the empire had a dragon, it's name long since forgotten to history, and many trained griffins and against that the Koinon simply could not win. Yet their fleet committed to battle anyways off of Northern Euedia and Rhaemis in two separate naval actions, and for three days and nights the Koinon and the empire fought, the enemy griffins being laid low by skilled archers, but the dragon's fire tearing through the Koinon's fleet off Rhaemis, arrows harmlessly bouncing off its scaly hide even as they emerged victorious off the northern coast of Euedia, that fleet turning southwards to aid against the other fleet.

On the dawn of the fourth day, the dragon Drakina joined the southern battle. Drakina was older and larger than the dragon of the Nekhur, and she cast it down, flinging its corpse against the earth. Its skull, supposedly, remains on a plinth encased in marble in Rhaemis to this day. Drakina was heralded as a messenger from the old gods of the pantheon of the ancient Koinon, an oracle and a leader beyond compare. The Koinon, which would have dissolved after defeating the Nekhur most likely, was led to the mainland of Oros by her where they liberated their fellows over the next decade from -692 to -682, adding them in to the Koinon.

Drakina returned to her island, and the Koinon followed, each member city sending families to settle Drakina's island, and so Drakainapolis was founded, the City of Drakina that grew up around the Koionic Dragon-Oracle. The Koinon's council of war became a council of governance after the end of the Tenth Dynasty and the end of the military threat to the Koinon, meeting to settle internal disputes, to admit new cities into the Koinon and fighting external wars where in the common interests of the Koinon. Most of these external wars were directed into the lands of the Nekhur after the fall of the Tenth Dynasty and were led by the Orean Kingdoms, with many colonial settlements being established further inland after their victories.

Many Koionic colonies overseas were founded in this period, the last time a substantial number were founded, stretching up the western and along the southern coasts of Ferra and on the far side of the Gulf of Phoenas on Oros.

The Early Koionic Period ends with the Siege of Phoena by the resurgent Eleventh Dynasty in -454, where the Koinon once again mustered to defend its member states and although successful, it marked the end of the era of relative peace for the cities of the Koinon that had lasted since the defeat of the Tenth Dynasty.

High Koionic Period (-466 - 421)

The High Koionic Period is considered to be the Koinon's 'golden age', if there was one. Nekhur was weakened, far from a threat to the Koinon and her cities. Her traders sailed the seas from cold Glyis in the south to the new colony of Lamias in the distant north, beyond Selipolis in the west and Helipolis in the east, the two cities that had been the 'edge of the world' for the ancient sailors of the Koionic cities.

Their cities grew wealthy off of being the crossroads of trade, and art and culture and literature and history flourished, producing many of the classical texts on medicine, philosophy, history and politics that continue to be read up to the present day by scholars and the well-learned. Asignism arrived in the Koinon, and over this period was melded with the traditional faiths and the Cult of Drakina into its modern form. Merchant adventurers sailed to distant shores, mapping the coast of Oros, the eastern coast of Aea and the southern andwestern coasts of Ferra and even reaching distant Hygard in the year 3 if the writings of one adventurer, Massias of Boralis, are to be believed.

Drakina presided over the Koinon's gatherings less and less and was seen less and less in this period, her role in ruling the Koinon largely assumed by the Ordia Drakina.

Many Koinon mercenaries and exiles formed bands of soldiers and like-minded individuals, invading the lands of Nekhur to establish their own petty kingdoms, many having ambitions of one day founding their own, 'civilised' Koionic Dynasty ruling over the lands of the ancient Tenth Dynasty. With Drakina's absence, the Koinon's cities began to gradually turn on one another. The Kings of Rhaemis sought to conquer the island, and would eventually do so in the year 272, only to be overthrown by Helenos in 289, son of Pyrrus who had conquered the island for his masters.

The Arcean Dynasty of Arceia would gradually expand over this period, especially after Drakina's absence was noted, conquering Apaireia in 241, and Ureia and Rhete after a long war by 304, and would spend the next century fighting wars against the Kingdom of Lysania, the Koinon Khoraea and the island Kingdom of Masaia, conquering the former two by 404 and 389 respectively, the latter remaining independent owing to its strength at sea.

The Arceans turned their attention to the growing Eighteenth Dynasty, and their defeat at the Battle of Ipythios in 410 would signal the Koinon's first decisive defeat by the Nekhur for over a millennia and the loss of the Koinon Khoraea to the Eighteenth Dynasty. Combined with the arrival of the Kharan in southwestern Ferra and the loss of the Koionic cities there to the Kharan over the following decade, the High Koionic Period would end in 421 with the loss of the island city of Hyre following a night crossing of the sea by the Kharan, bypassing the Koionic fleet assembled to defend the city, making the end of the Koinonic presence in southwestern Ferra.

Arcean Period/Arcean Tyrrany/'Arcean Empire' (421 - 697)

The Arcean Period, sometimes known as the Arcean Tyranny or the 'Arcean Empire' by foreign scholars, a term despised by Koionic scholars, marks the ascendancy of the Kingdom of Arceia to almost hegemonic status within the Koinon. Having conquered its rivals over the previous century, the Kingdom of Arceia sought to achieve a dominant position first on Oros, and then to assume control over the whole of the Koinon by virtue of its military power.

The last of the mainland Orean kingdoms, Chalcia, submitted without a fight in 429, the Eurans surrendering a year later in 430 after the defeat of their fleet. The Masaian defeat of the Arcean navy, however, set the kingdom's expansion back quite considerably. For the next few decades they would conquer into the eastern party of Nekhur, fighting a long series of wars against the resurgent empire's various dynasties but never making substantial headway in their attempts to conquer the region into their Kingdom.

After failing to conquer into Nekhur, the Arceans instead commandeered the Koinon as a whole, using their military power to bully the Koinon into fighting a series of inconclusive wars from 501 to 589 against the Kharan to attempt to liberate their former territories there and from 594 to 671 more inconclusive but bloody wars against the Nekhur to reverse the losses suffered after the Battle of Ipythios with occasional wars against the Kharan continuing at times.

These repeated failures would bleed the Koinon as a whole, but left the Arcean military power relatively intact, paving the way towards the Arceans achieving military hegemony over the Koinon and its turn to an Arcean Empire completed. They moved the Koinon's treasury from Drakainapolis to their capital of Zakypetros in 680, signalling their intent to control the Koinon, and would finally crush the Kingdom of Masaia in 691 after the Battle of Tyria. The Pyrrid Kings of Euedia would ally with the Arceans in 686, seeking to avoid the fate of their neighbours. This vast kingdom would invade the Nekhur Empire in 690, until being forced to a peace treaty in 695 at the Battle of Sagana.

After this defeat, the Arceans turned back to the Koinon, demanding that the island city-state of Onis submit to them. Onis refused, their confidence buoyed by the defeat at Sagana, perhaps, or due to their close proximity to Drakainapolis. A messenger supposedly personally met with Drakina herself, and the Koinon mustered a fleet against one of its own members.

The Battle of Onis in 696 marked the last time Drakina took to the field. By that time, she was massive, supposedly blotting out the sun itself, and being visible until she flew beyond the horizon, such was her size. She obliterated the Arcean armada single-handedly, much of the armada surrendering rather than being burned alive or drowning. The following year, she would lead the Koinon's armies into Oros, liberating the kingdoms and cities and burning any who resisted her divine judgement, ending the Arcean Empire.

Modern Koionic Period (697 - Present)

Since then, the Koinon has been rather quiet and peaceful, quelled by the reminder of Drakina's fire and fury about the fate that all who would threaten the Koinon would meet. The cities and kingdoms of the Koinon kept to themselves, content to trade and explore in peace, a less glorious reflection of the Koionic Golden Age hundreds of years earlier even as technology spread across the world.

When the Yek'sik clans came out of the north, the Koinon was only too happy to both provide ships to sail to Mzenes for the Yek'sik in the hopes that they would obliterate their rival, and to take in the fleeing refugees from the cities that fell to the Yek'sik and their wealth. When the Yek'sik did not destroy and plunder and burn the southern cities as they hoped, the Koinon's members were disappointed, but not disheartened, even if they did have a new stronger enemy to face. It was with some relief that the Nakhur of the Twenty-First Dynasty stopped their expansion, any threat of repeat of the events millennia ago seemingly gone for now, even if the Koinon is not at the height of its power any longer.

But the world turns. What once was, may come again. Drakina still spins the threads of men's lives. Perhaps she shall wish for the Koinon to return to what it was, to make the Koinon great again. To bring order where there is chaos, to remake the world of men according to a better plan. Perhaps.

Assets

◆Resources:
-Agricultural Produce (Fish, Wheat, Wine, Olives, Fruits)
-Wood, Coal, Clay
-Iron, Silver, Tin, Lead, Copper, Glass

◆Strongholds: See italics on map.

◆Towns: See map. Cities are in bold on map.

Military

◆Military Commanders:

Drakina, should she be alive and take to the field
Nestorus, Lochagos Ordia Drakina Hieros Lokhos
Other commanders are appointed ad hoc on the formation of an army or fleet, elected by the commanders of all contingents present in a vote.

◆Military Strength: The army of the Koinon is a somewhat disparate affair; each individual city, town and fortress is, as part of the league, responsible for providing at least one mora in the event of the Koinon declaring war. Each mora is composed of 600 men, normally with a mixture of pavise-equipped crossbowmen, armoured, halberd and sword armed lighter troops and heavily armoured, pike-wielding heavy infantry, normally with 450 pikemen, and 75 lighter troops and 75 ranged troops. Mora are formed from professional soldiers, and in peacetime function as a form of town or city watch, a guard for the ruler or rulers of the city and marines for that city's sea/ocean fleet on anti-piracy patrols. The smallest cities can raise at most a single professional mora, while larger and more militarised cities can raise up to ten mora alone.

Additional mora may be levied from the civilian populace in wartime, but this is rare and normally only done to boost a town or city's garrison. Some mora substitute crossbowmen for slingers or regular archers, and Orosean mora may bring lightly-armoured cavalry in place of the lighter troops that protect the flanks of the pikemen. Mercenaries are frequently hired during foreign wars to supplement the mora.

The Koinon also possesses a substantual fleet of airships and naval ships, owing to its position as a primarily island-based state. Each city and town supplies its own ships to the Koinon's fleet in the event of war, with the number of naval and airships provided ranging from single ships to almost 200 from the largest cities.

◆Special Troop:

Masalan, Kyrmeian, Eudeian and Pharnaean Skirmishers: The 'elite' skirmishers and ranged troops of the Koinon, the former using crossbows, the latter two favouring their traditional slings over the crossbow and the final favouring the longbow. All have a long-standing tradition of using their weapons on their islands, predating even the Koinon, and are renowned for their accuracy and range on land, at sea, and in the air. The Kyrmeians and Eudeians have a friendly rivalry over who the best slingers are.

Ordia Drakina Hieros Lokhos: A Lokhos (half of a mora, 300 men) that supposedly guards Drakina herself and the current Drakina Regenta. Rarely seen on the field of battle, their black mail and segmented armour is a sign of inspiration to the other units on the battlefield. The Hieros Lokhos has never fled the field of battle, always universally dying to a man rather than routing. Armed with large round shields, spears, swords and black chainmail under laminar armour.

Pyr Drakina: A closely and jealously guarded secret, Pyr Drakina is an alchemical compound that burns even on water and is used on some of the ships of Drakianapolis through front-mounted projectors to spray fire onto enemy ships. The recipe for the substance is closely guarded by the Ordia Drakina which maintains a monopoly on its production and use, and as such only the ships of Drakainapolis crewed and captained by members of the Ordia Drakina use the substance in battle at sea or in the air.

Diplomatic Relations

◆Allies: TBD.

◆Rivals: The Confederation, although distant, is viewed as a rival in terms of trade, while The Yek'sik Empire is viewed as the Koinon's single greatest enemy and rival in the trade through the Penerian Ocean.

Other Information

◆Location: Map. The Koinon's component states.

by **Lisbane** » Thu May 23, 2019 6:50 am

Essential Details

◆Name of Place: The Ironstone Keep - the city below it is called Sjorohamn

◆Location: See spoiler above

◆Description: Built many ages ago, The Ironstone Keep was once the island upon which all the Chiefs would meet to elect their Leader. Slowly but surely many came to settle on this island, it being one of the bigger Islands of the Kingdom. The Ironstone Keep and Sjorohamn below it - which most refer to when they say The Ironstone Keep - quickly became a thriving city and trade port. Its central location in the Kingdom allowed it to be in the middle of an extensive trade network, and it grew to be the biggest city in the Kingdom. Before the establishment of the Kingdom there was no capital, the High Chief - often referred to simply as the Chief - would be the Capital, wherever he was his court followed. However, upon the first King's appointment it was decided that Sjorohamn would be his seat. The Ironstone Keep slowly came to be, with additions by every King. Soon, it grew to overshadow the city and became a grand symbol of the power and wealth of the King (the image is exaggerated, it is not that tall nor big, think a medieval castle x 4 on a big hill, a town in its own right). Even now, the Ironstone Keep has never been breached - it has been under siege but the loss was due to a lack of food - and will likely never be. Sjorohamn is a city sprawling nearly the entire island, with a small quarter for the growing of crops and livestock. Sjorohamn consists of many quarters, this includes but is not limited to: The Flesh Quarter (housing both brothels and slave markets), The Market Quarter (taking up around 1/4 of the city it has stalls and shops for every conceivable item, a small portion deals in the black market, also has inns and the like), The High Quarter (not actually geographically higher, simply consists of many Highborn residences), The Slum Quarter (pretty self-explanatory), and the Pox Quarter (for those who have contracted diseases). The Port spans near half the coastline and is outside the walls, it is always fulled with fishermen, raiders, and all manner of travelers.

by **Rastrian** » Thu May 23, 2019 8:42 am

Essential Details

◆Name of Organization: Versyan Volet/The Seabound Company/The Gyrrhic Company

◆Leader:

Siveras Yulekoth Naesh

The charming leader of the Versyan Volet, the company of Gyrrhic mercenaries which fights on the seas and in the fields. Versyan Volet is known for his knack in talking patrons into spending far more than usual on his mercenaries, and negotiating his way out of any situation. His skills as a fighter are decent, not exactly up to the level of his men, but they keep him as their leader since he is a useful asset to the company as a whole.

◆Description:
The Versyan Volet is a company of pikemen known for their complex and effective battle formations, decent hand-to-hand skill, and ability to "get the job done", so to speak. They can be quite intimidating, as they tend to call and response on the battlefield, with one of sixteen captains shouting an order and the entire unit following that order, shouting their comprehension. They can be effective against cavalry or infantry, and enjoy their reputation.

◆Assets:
Castle Volet: Less of a castle, more of a large tavern in Naesh town that the Versyan Volet owns between them, they are known for only serving drinks to outsiders either when the entire Versyan is off under patronage, or when the Versyan Volet allow others in, very rarely. Cellars of high-quality beer, wine, mead, rum and other drinks make this one of the best places to drink in the city. The chef there also is in charge of preliminary rations, so the Versyan Volet rarely goes without good food or drink.

◆Relations: Positive relationship with Clan Naesh, neutral with most others.

Essential Details

◆Name of Place: Pelitathi

◆Location: The square marker

◆Description: The capital city of the Kingdom of Gyrcant Bay. Three layers of city walls greet the traveller if they approach from land. From the sea, however, the entirety of the oft-travelled Gyrcant Bay acts as defence, so the city remains open. Inside, a sprawling urban centre divided by a grand river, with businesses, markets, rich gardens and beautiful plazas. In the centre of the city, more prominent even than the Royal Palace, right on the banks of the river, lies the Mausoleum of Kings.

The building has sixteen arms to it, each one an entrance to the great mausoleum, and each arm with a spire of its own, reaching up to the heavens. Moving inwards, the corridor leading to the centre of the building on any side is lined with artwork depicting great battles and kings, small ancestral shrines, grand golden jewels and gemstones. The centre holds a great stained glass dome, depicting the sixteen warriors and their greatest achievements, which the light of the sun shines through, lighting up the entire centre section differently at any time of day. Around the mausoleum are markets selling offerings to the ancestors, and smaller buildings, as larger ones are forbidden near the Mausoleum.

Another district holds the palace itself. A massive building of polished marble, granite and limestone. It is the residence of the King. Around that is a final set of walls, the fourth in total, inside of which are military quarters and various other instruments of state.

The harbour is a great market district, buying and selling a great many things, and storing others in warehouses. It is made of stone also, an improvement from the quaint wooden pontoons and bridges of other towns and cities.

There are other districts, such as lower-class housing districts, dedicated market and plaza districts and the like, but they are a warren of roads and paths not easily traversed. Sticking to the main roads should keep one from getting too far lost, but a common adage and actually a decent indication of where you are is whether you can either see the Mausoleum spires or smell the salt from the sea.

by **Bentus** » Thu May 23, 2019 10:26 am

V A N Q U A R I A wrote:
Gudmund wrote:Might join later, looks pretty fun. I have a question regarding magic - if there is any - will it be systematic or the mythological/fantastical type. Like super in depth like Harry Potter or based on vague stuff like how Excalibur is some super magical sword?

Nah, there is no magic in this world since I'm committed to the hard realism aspect of this roleplay. I feel like it'll be a more immersive experience for players that way.

Just to check, does that mean there's only humans and no magic apart from the tech in the OP?

by **Utceforp** » Thu May 23, 2019 10:45 am

Anyone wanna get sacked? I want to have a great military victory for the Nerakans about a decade ago in their backstory, and it'd be nice to tie them into the larger world.

by **Gudmund** » Thu May 23, 2019 12:01 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of Organization: Order of the Dragon (Dragon Order)

◆Leader: Grand Master Ander Terricus

◆Description: The Order of the Dragon are a secretive gathering of warriors established 120 years ago, specialising in slaying, capturing, or taming large beasts. They are renowned throughout the world as truly ferocious warriors capable of going toe to toe with even the most powerful of creatures; the likes of which no other would even attempt to fight. Nations incapable of fending off such creatures often seek the aide of the Dragon Order, who offer their services for cheap in return for a majority of the hunt. As a votive order members are typically trained from the age of 5, mostly born into or adopted by the order to serve their cause til the day they die. A cause still unknown to those outside the order, the few deserters either dying off or refusing to speak. By the time one reaches 20, they become a full fledged order warrior, granted a white sash, equipment, and skills to deal with almost any foe.

While it is not known how, the order manages to outfit every member with a set of dragon scale armour, along with standard half-plate and gambeson. These dragon scales are rumoured to come from an imprisoned dragon within their main and only stronghold, Jibari Keep. Despite this, nobody has been able to sneak inside to prove it. Such scales are tremendously valuable, capable of shrugging off arrows and heavy blows, resisting high temperatures and naked flame, all for a quarter of the weight. The order also uses these scales for its arrows, spear tips, and a whole variety of other weapons. The only way to acquire a set of their unique gear is to pry it off their dead bodies, because you can be sure they won't give it to you willingly.

Ranking within the order is indicated by a coloured sash on their shoulder, based on the number of successful hunts one has partaken (10 White, 50 Red, 100 Blue, 300 Black). From Red to Black it could take as long as 25 years. The governing structure of the order rules under a single Grand Master who appoints 4 Commanders, responsible for controlling separate groupings of the order when split across the continent. As the order lacks certain resources, they frequently visit other realms to gather appropriate supplies, selling their services. Making sure to never raid or steal. Even so they are, for the most part, entirely self-sufficient.

Assets

Resources:

Freshwater
Iron
Wheat
Stone
Rare creature/animal parts
Dragon scales & dragon scale equipment (weapons, armour, etc.)
Tamed beasts/animals

◆Strongholds:

Jibari Keep (Image1 Image2, map location/territory)

Military

All members of the legion wear the same armour, an iconic set of Dragon Scale armour, half-plate, and gambeson. Higher ranking members may have modified it slightly, inscribing patterns and whatnot, but other than that only the coloured ranking sashes differentiate each wearer.

◆Military Commanders:

Commander Edith Jarmean
Commander Hal Gondor
Commander Istan Argot
Commander Anna Terricus

◆Military Strength: The Order of the Dragon, being a gathering of specialised warriors that work outside any nation's governance, veer very closely on the side of a private military of colossal scale. Men and women can join military roles, and often live out their lives camping or setting up house within Jibari Keep. They have no plans to expand their territory, nor invade or wage war, only seeking to defend what is rightfully theirs from outsiders. The singular stronghold in their possession is by far one of the most heavily defended locations on the continent, its corridors weaving deep underground. Every face of the wall lined with archer slots, dozens of ballistas and catapults ready to lay waste to anyone dumb enough to lay siege. Not to mention the large garrison of forces manning the fort of convoluted pathways leading invaders astray, keeping whatever it contains a great secret. When not out at the request of another, all the armies gather at Jibari Keep, usually travelling together as far as possible.

Dragon Order Knight (DOK) - Wearing the standard set of armour, these soldiers make up the majority of the order. Commonly armed with polarms, swords, shields, maces. Usually ranked between White and Blue, they are a formidable force of highly trained soldiers. Entirely loyal to the order and willing to lay down their life in service.
Dragon Order Archer (DOA) - Wearing the standard set of armour, these soldiers tote around large war bows or crossbows, their marksmanship trained for years to reach an unnatural level of accuracy near or far. Should they enter close combat, their swords, axes, and shields will protect them well despite not being their area of expertise.

TOTAL FORCES: 6800 soldiers (5000 DOK, 1200 DOA, 500 DOR, 100 EWR) + 900 non-combatants
Jibari Keep Stronghold Garrison: 1000 DOK, 240 DOA
First Army: 1500 DOK, 280 DOA, 200 DOR, 50 EWR
Second Army: 500 DOK, 200 DOA, 100 DOR, 20 EWR
Third Army: 1000 DOK, 240 DOA, 100 DOR, 20 EWR
Fourth Army: 1000 DOK, 240 DOA, 100 DOR, 10 EWR

◆Special Troop:

Dragon Order Riders (DOR) - Armed with lances, shields and bows, they don the standard dragon scale armour with half-plate and gambeson, although with a slightly more open helm. Riding on the backs of tamed large black direwolves, covered in unique dragon scale barding and saddled, each grown alongside the riders since birth. These units wade through infantry like ankle deep water, their speed and long range capabilities especially effective. At the highest rank of Black, the riders are elites within the order, their very presence inspiring allies. Whether it be large beasties or a hundred mercs, a dozen of these knights will deal with them swiftly. Even dismounted they pose a great threat, their mounts helping them in the midst of combat unlike a regular horse.
Elite Wyvern Riders (EWR) - Flying high above the enemy, highly trained Black rank soldiers rain death from above. Their bows, flechettes, and flaming oil bombs decimating foes below. While useful for scouting, units can just as easily swoop down and pick off enemies, or even dismount and fight together. With the usual Dragon Order armour modified for better aerodynamics, the riders and wyverns are both well protected. The flying beasts are born and raised by the order, a new batch of wyverns requiring years of training before finally being utilised.

◆Relations:

This list is updated constantly, please telegram me or @ me in the Discord server. Any interaction I have with other players will most likely end up here.

Friendly:
- Standard Fish Company - Hailing from the Free Heaven of Illea, Standard Fish is a trade company specialising in seafood. Due to lacking this resource and the ability to gather it, the order has formed a trade agreement of 250kg in seafood (tuna, shrimp, crabs) in exchange for 4 dragon scale coins per week, being the only group to receive dragon scale directly from the order. By doing so the order avoids depending on its neighbours, and thus most local politics that could sway them. The deal has been ongoing for a few weeks, and is likely to continue.
Neutral:
- The Kingdom of Gyrcant Bay - During the founding of the order the first 12 years were rough, with only 400 members and no place to call home the order conducted multiple raids against the age old Gyrcant Bay Empire under leadership of the first Grand Master. Surely, without doing so the order would have ended in the passing years. With the Grand Master of that generation passing, these raids eventually stopped. The possible repercussions of further angering such a large nation certainly not worth the risk. Today, the two are rather neutral to each other, though the past crimes were unlikely to have been forgotten.
- The Collosal Dragon Drakina - Few haven't heard of the tales of Drakina, her one-sided decimation of the Arceans centuries ago still spoken of to this very day. Long before the order had even been conceived, Drakina had been a notable historical figure for millennia. The order is wary of this creature, uncertain of her intent, but due to the fact that their histories have never crossed paths they aren't particularly worried. In fact, the order respects her knowledge, an entire section of their library dedicated to her works.
- The Ashen Empire - The Årgins to the order's East are a civilisation far older than the order itself, renowned mostly for their constant infighting and political issues. Many in the order have migrated from this empire, either being adopted by chance or forced to flee for various reasons. The Dragon Order believes they are the primary cause of bandits, especially during 1081 C.E. during their conflicts with Gyrcant Bay, and have been a recurring issue to the order. Nethertheless, the Dragon Order aren't too fond of them, but honestly don't see any reason to provoke them.
- The Áklíán Order - In the past the Dragon and Ocleian orders had occasional joint ventures into the Ashen Forest, targeting a myriad of beasts in their cooperative outing. The Dragon Order sees them as respectable warriors, worth keeping in touch with for future matters.
Hostile:
- The Twisted Dragon Vastorith - Being the Dragon Order, it was only a matter of time before they caught wind of an actual dragon. Which, much to their expectations, did not have a positive background or kind personality. The beast's horrid activities in usurping House Graves, since renamed House Vastorith, and his crimes of genocide did not go unnoticed. Many escapees even fled the lands of the former House Graves, eventually coming to the doorstep of the order themselves. Vastorith, given yet another title from the survivors, is currently a kill on sight priority.
- House Vastorith - Formerly known as House Graves, due to being usurped by a mad dragon, the order has officially recognised the potential threat they possess. The order alone cannot face this foe, instead, they wait for the people of House Vastorith to rebel against their dragon overlord. Bolstering their own numbers in the meantime. The order refusing to interact with House Vastorith for the time being.
- The Undying Dragon Solthyme - During the early years of the order, before they'd even constructed Jibari Keep, the dragon Solthyme had fled the continent of Ferra to seek safety in Uratos. It wasn't until a few decades passed that the order caught wind of the horrors this dragon had done, sneaking into its home at night as it slept, the order drugged it with a myriad of powerful sedatives. Solthyme had spend 51 years simply idling away around her mountain, entirely forgetting how persistent people were. Over time they constructed a stronghold around its home, imprisoning it for decades. The dragon is very violent, and refuses to talk, but remains the order's primary source of dragon scales. It is unlikely anyone outside the order knows of this, however, those who last saw the dragon know it was headed to Uratos.

Disclaimer: All images used are only references and do not reflect the true appearance unless stated otherwise

by **Zapatha** » Thu May 23, 2019 2:46 pm

Essential Details

◆Name of House: House Lancelet

◆Leader: King Paxter Lancelet III (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2c/f5/29 ... e4e10d.jpg)

◆Family Members:
-Randyll Lancelet (brother)
-Peter Lancelet (brother)
-Vivianne Lancelet (sister)
-Lyonel Lancelet (uncle)
-Damien Lancelet (cousin)
-Tybolt Lancelet
-Lyanna Lancelet (cousin)

◆History:
House Lancelet’s history coincides with the history of their kingdom of Grenadiere. Grenadiere is an ancient kingdom, with its oldest stories saying it was founded by the “Griffin Knight” though in truth no one knows for sure when it was founded. The first written records appeared around 700 years ago, and around 600 years ago the Lancelets first appear as dukes of the Duchy of Chevalier. About 300 years ago, the Lancelet’s had become the second most powerful family in the realm with the first being the royal family. From their stronghold of Castle Lancelet, the family controlled the most lucrative trade port in the realm, the city of Jacquesville. However this all changed when the last king of the original royal family died without an heir, and for nearly two decades the kingdom devolved into several petty kings vying for the throne.

This era ended when Duke Ilyn Lancelet, the newly named head of House Lancelet, set off on his reconquest of the former kingdom. Known simply as the “War of Reconquest”, Ilyn waged his war for unification for 12 years by using marriage, assassination, and military cunning to bring the other petty kings to heel. By the end of his conquest, Ilyn had extinguished 3 houses root and stem and exiled 2 others to unify Grenadiere. Ilyn however was assassinated by his own son two years into his rule as King of Grenadiere, and King Paxter Lancelet I ascended the throne.

For nearly three centuries, the Lancelets have presided over a relatively stable era in the kingdom’s history. With the recent ascension of the young King Paxter Lancelet III, the realm looks to their new young leader with hope for a long and stable kingship. Rumors of dissension within the family itself however grow everyday, and may soon present themselves to the public....

Assets

◆Home:
Castle Lancelet is unique in that it lies within the city of Jacquesville itself on the banks of the Jacque River. The castle lies on top of a large hill, overlooking the city and its bustling port. A wall about 50 meters tall surrounds the castle, constructed of white stone and decorated with a gilded lion’s head above the main gate. The walls house 15 ballistas in total, with hundreds of archer slots inside the walls and on top. Through the main gate, one pathway made of entirely white marble guides a visitor past several gardens and pools to the main courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by fruit trees of all kind and in the center a bronze statue of King Ilyn Lancelet I stands around 15 feet tall. The castle itself is medium sized, though ornately decorated with paintings, carpets, tapestries,and others objects. Three towers rise above into the skies, one for the king, one for the Seneschal, and one for guests of importance.

◆Military Strength:
House Lancelet controls the city of Jacquesville, the largest in Grenadiere and so commands a large force of:

-~500 knights
-~3,000 professional men-at-arms
-~10,000 levy troops from the surrounding lands and city

Due to House Lancelet's wealth, they are also able to purchase the service of about 5,000 mercenaries at once. Most of their military forces are inexperienced however, as Grenadiere hasn't gone to war in almost half a century.

Relations

◆Allies: TBA

◆Rivals: TBA

----------------------------------

Essential Details

◆Name of Realm: Kingdom of Grenadiere

◆Rulers: King Paxter Lancelet III

◆Culture: The people of Grenadiere all have one thing in common: they all depend on the nation’s rivers. Grenadiere’s people are largely farmers who take advantage of the extremely fertile soil of the realm and ship it by river barge to the large ports by the coast. These peasant folk have many rights afforded to them that peasants in other kingdoms don’t, mostly due to how far they live away from most of the realm’s lords on the coast. Going from inland Grenadiere to the coast however is like stepping into a different world, as you go from a more slow and relaxed way of life to the hustle and bustle of the cities. The people who live in the cities are usually all either merchants, laborers, or street urchins. The cities and the lands around them are where one finds most of the kingdom’s noble houses who mean anything, as they mostly control the ports and therefore are the richest people in the kingdom.

Grenadiere is also famous for its placing of knights and knightly orders in society, as being a knight is seen as the pinnacle of achievement for most people in the kingdom. Wearing ornately decorated armors, these knights mostly compete in jousting tournaments and have never actually been in a battle before due to the relative peace of the last 300 years.

◆Religion: In Grenadiere, there are two major religions which are the Faith of Vulkan and the Church of Stromfels. Vulkan is the god of the harvest, and is therefore worshipped by the inland Grenadiens for good crops and harvests. Stromfels on the other hand is worshipped by the Grenadiens living on the coast and cities, and is the god of the ocean. He is believed to protect trade ships from the powerful storms in the open ocean, and according to some is the master of the gargantuan sea serpents prowling the depths of the seas.

◆History: House Lancelet’s history coincides with the history of their kingdom of Grenadiere. Grenadiere is an ancient kingdom, with its oldest stories saying it was founded by the “Griffin Knight” though in truth no one knows for sure when it was founded. The first written records appeared around 700 years ago, and around 600 years ago the Lancelets first appear as dukes of the Duchy of Chevalier. About 300 years ago, the Lancelet’s had become the second most powerful family in the realm with the first being the royal family. From their stronghold of Castle Lancelet, the family controlled the most lucrative trade port in the realm, the city of Jacquesville. However this all changed when the last king of the original royal family died without an heir, and for nearly two decades the kingdom devolved into several petty kings vying for the throne.

This era ended when Duke Ilyn Lancelet, the newly named head of House Lancelet, set off on his reconquest of the former kingdom. Known simply as the “War of Reconquest”, Ilyn waged his war for unification for 12 years by using marriage, assassination, and military cunning to bring the other petty kings to heel. By the end of his conquest, Ilyn had extinguished 3 houses root and stem and exiled 2 others to unify Grenadiere. Ilyn however was assassinated by his own son two years into his rule as King of Grenadiere, and King Paxter Lancelet I ascended the throne.

For nearly three centuries, the Lancelets have presided over a relatively stable era in the kingdom’s history. With the recent ascension of the young King Paxter Lancelet III, the realm looks to their new young leader with hope for a long and stable kingship. Rumors of dissension within the family itself however grow everyday, and may soon present themselves to the public....

Assets

◆Resources: Grain, livestock, beer, wine, ornate armor, high quality steel weaponry

◆Population: 4 million

◆Strongholds:
-Castle Lancelet: owned by House Lancelet, the ruling family of Grenadiere. The castle is as much a work of art as it is a defense against enemy attacks, and has never fallen to any attacking force.
-Castle Glenn: the seat of House Glenn, one of the most powerful houses in Grenadiere and the masters of the city of Glenntown. The castle is smaller than Lancelet, though it is more defendable as it lies on a small island in the Glenn River with only one bridge connecting it to the mainland.

◆Towns:
-Jacquesville
-Grey Harbor
-Glenntown

Military

◆Military Commanders:
-King Paxter Lancelet
-Lord Commander of the Armies Lyonel Lancelet
-Grand Admiral Olivar Grey

◆Military Strength:
-~2,000 knights
-~7,000 professional men-at-arms
-~80,000 levy troops
-~200 galleys and other warships

◆Special Troop:The Golden Lions-
This elite Knightly Order is made up of the 100 greatest knights of the realm and are the king’s personal guard. They are recognizable by anyone as they wear red capes and sashes over their ornate breastplates with the Lancelet lion emblazoned on them. They wield gilded longswords, some studded with rubies or other jewels in the hilt. Highly skilled warriors, in peace time they escort the king in his travels and guard him at Castle Lancelet while during war they serve as bodyguards to the king during battle. If a member dies, a replacement is sought after immediately. To be anointed as a Golden Lion, a knight must have widespread acclaim as a great warrior and face another Golden Lion in a duel to decide if they are worthy or not to join the order.

Image: http://nobodysuspectsthebutterfly.tumbl ... 4349010999

Diplomatic Relations

◆Allies: (You can leave blank and fill in later)

◆Rivals: (You can leave blank and fill in later)

Other Information

◆Location:
https://imgur.com/a/5z9XnNK

by **Turmenista** » Thu May 23, 2019 3:19 pm

Essential Details

◆Name: Lord Vastorith, the Despoiler, Kingslayer, and many other titles

◆Appearance:

◆Age: 245

◆Gender: Male

◆Sexuality: Heterosexual

◆Build: A large adult dragon with a height of 18 meters, roughly 67 meter long wingspan. Weighs slightly more than an elephant at 15,000 lbs. Four-fingered hands and feet are opposable and clawed. Vastorith is covered in a layer of bronze-colored scales acting as natural armor (save for his wings). Able to stand upright when balancing with his tail, which also functions as a club. Head is horned and eyes are a dark amber color, with white scleras.

Legacy

◆Allegiance: Himself (House Vastorith)

◆Profession: Feudal Lord and conqueror

◆Background:

Few have ever lived to tell the tale of Vastorith, or, as he is also known, the Despoiler, the Kingslayer, the Eater of Men, and many other titles. Vastorith cannot trace his backstory aside from a few memories of when he was a hatchling, with an unknown number of siblings. It is unknown where these siblings are, or if they are even alive given confusing family genealogy of male dragons with multiple mates, but Vastorith claims he was always the runt of the litter. Originally from Ferra, Vastorith would grow and live off of the land, becoming nothing short of a passing legend to those who saw the massive beast on his long-distance cross country flights. At some point in his life, Vastorith was involved in a great fight with either a rival dragon or a powerful stronghold (he cannot remember the details of it), a battle which he ultimately lost and resulted in his retreat to Hygard.

For that following century, Vastorith would scour the landscape much like he had done so in Ferra, frequenting a few cities as word of a dragon spread throughout the continent. Using the clout and riches he gained from his plunder, Vastorith hired a mercenary army as he set his eyes upon a jewel in the western half of the continent: House Graves, a realm worthy of calling itself its own kingdom. He laid siege upon Talon Rock with his army and managed to make his way into the castle by taking House Graves by surprise, holding the entire royal family hostage as he presented them with a bargain: their lives for their house. When the Head of House Graves, Lord Harold Graves, stepped up to stop him, he easily defeated the man, costing him his arm and a new prosthetic, and was granted unlimited access to the kingdom, placing himself as the despot. After cleansing House Graves of its dissidents and possible opponents, Vastorith assumed direct control, renaming it to House Vastorith, and changing the heraldic flag.

Vastorith soon became aware of an outlier in the former ranks of House Graves: Maximilian "Max" Townsend, the so-called "Bastard" of House Graves, who was born from a quarrel Harold instigated with House Townsend, a now-extinct rival house. The fragile mind of Max, his tortured nature, and passive personality, made him into the perfect candidate for Vastorith's next stage of purges: destroying the royal family itself from the inside and introducing only those loyal to the draconian despot, starting with the heir and heiress, all until he was left with the head of the household, Harold. He found his best bet in accomplishing this goal in the form of Max, whom he would begin to manipulate in order to kickstart his ultimate plan.

Beliefs

◆Religion: N/A

◆Motivation: Vastorith is a very materialistic individual, driven almost solely by greed, personal gain, and material things. He cares little for what others think, seeing some of them as pawns for his metaphorical game of chess (like Maximilian) and others as obstacles to his plans (Like Harold). Of course, he'll keep around those who are extremely important very close, but, in the end, what good is it to keep someone around if all they're going to do is be a liability?

Personal

◆Likes: Meat, shiny things, manipulating others

◆Dislikes: Not getting his way, weak spots in his scales

◆Hobby: Napping

by **Turmenista** » Thu May 23, 2019 3:43 pm

V A N Q U A R I A wrote:Updated the ooc

Nice

♞ Dynasties ♞ [CLOSED][REBOOTING IC][NATION WAR RP]

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