Where once the Kingdom of Elland was just a minor border region at the outer edge of the Republic, the cataclysm and the destruction of the Republic has left them as the largest significant bastion of human resistance. There may be other regions beyond the lands now held by the Undead or the orcs or even beyond the seas where other groups of humans are holding out (or even are living in blissful ignorance of the invaders). However, so far as the people of these lands know they are the only human survivors and humanity's future will depend on them and their sometimes reluctant allies.
To the North of the Kingdom lies the Rime Sea to the north east and the mountainous lands of the Northmen. In the West The Theocracy stands separate as the land of the gods and to the east the Shieldlands stand between Elland and the Undead threat of the Council of Seven.
The Kingdom is organised into many distinctive areas, falling into one of three regions:
The Days of Fire brought the fall of the Qadaq Republic. With this collapse, the Kingdom of Elland went from a small satellite nation in the shadow of its vast neighbor, to the largest known concentration of humanity in this part of the world.
The political structure in Elland is feudal, comprised of a series of noble houses that owe fealty to King Edric Shadowbane. The seat of government is the royal capital of Ironmark, the largest city in the land. Ironmark is positioned roughly in the centre of Elland, surrounded by lands held by the King personally. The dukes each have a connection by blood to the throne, while the counts have a more remote link or even no direct bloodline. Each duke or count holds a hereditary region for the crown where they have the power of high and low justice over their subjects. These lords are technically appointed by the King in each generation, although it is extremely unusual for the position to pass to any other than the eldest child of the previous holder. Dukes and counts enjoy great autonomy in the management of their land but they are required to produce taxes, to supply a sufficient army upon demand and to protect their fief in the name of the King. Duke's and count's holdings are both referred to as 'Counties'.
In turn the counties are separated into smaller holdings held by lesser nobles with various titles, such as viscount, baron, Baronet or simply knight. The senior nobility are responsible for the lesser nobles within their land. They collect the taxes from them for delivery to the Kings Treasury as well as marshaling their forces within their own armies. Each great noble's army consists of soldiers from each of the houses under their command and these armies then go to make up the Kingdom army commanded by the knight general of the Realm. This has historically been a political appointment based upon who holds the most status at a given time and who has had the most success at court. It is sometimes skill in politics rather than their skill at arms or tactical prowess that wins the appointment for these commanders. Sister Katherine of House Tarren Matron of the Tears of the Mother.
Kingdom culture is heavily centered on loyalty to your house and a knowledge of your social place. From the lowly squire to the most honourable knight or court wizard, your house is your life and you will do your best to defend its holdings and honour. Your colours are always worn proudly as a declaration of the pride you have and as a reminder of the fealty that you owe to your Lord and by extension, to your duke or count and ultimately the King.
The majority of those who journey to the Vale do so with the sponsorship of one of these houses. Even the more lowly members of society 'belong' to the house that holds the land they work or where they live. It will be this house which sponsors their journey, doubtless due to their unique skills or abilities.
Those who are not a members of a noble house will most likely rely upon one of the new Guilds or the Faith for their sponsorship in the Vale. These organisations have members that are sworn to them as opposed to a House. They therefore enjoy a degree of autonomy within the Kingdom. They have their own colours and The Guilds are effectively Houses in their own right. They follow kingdom law but they are operate outside of the normal system of fealty and are sworn directly to the King. Therefore, there is a little more room for mobility within the guild class structure.
Military style within the Kingdom is an extension of the feudal design. Grand armies are created from the smaller armies of the lesser noble houses. These are gathered together under the colours or symbols of house and county. This makes for a dazzling and sometimes garish conflagration of colours, all combined under one banner with plate and chain-mail armour glinting throughout and the purple and white of Edric's royal house prominent in the mix. At the head of this army will always be seen the ranks of The Lion Guard, the elite legion of troops that guard the King and his family and wear his colours with utmost pride.
Nobility commands respect whether its deserved or not and the chain of command in both peace time and war is rigidly adhered to. What these underlings really feel about their betters is most likely spoken about in whispered tones. it always does well, however, to make sure those conversations are had out of earshot of any who would take offence.
In short the Kingdom is a place where honour and loyalty to the crown is ingrained within society. Only those who have worth to the Crown or have some use to the noble houses have a chance of making it to the Vale. The rewards for loyal service are great and even the lowest member of a house can attain wealth and power.
Set against this background of feudalism and heraldic compliance are The Guilds. Guild members work towards different goals and live within Elland providing the goods, services and training that are required to give human lands the edge in the war against the Great Khan. The crafting guilds of the Alchemists, War Smiths and Mage Crafters, Added to the the Academy of Magic and the Guild of Swordmasters are led by a highly secretive under-council. Its composition is unknown and even its existence is little more than whispers.
The Guilds wear the colours of the royal House of Shadowbane with badges or medallions to denote their guild loyalty and rank. Their royal patent provides The Guilds and their members with autonomy from the feudal system of rule. Only the King or his proper representatives (such as Duchess Elsbeth and her seneschal, Tarsk Feron), can command them to use their skills for specific tasks.
For the sake of the Kingdom and the survival of the human nations, The Guilds have agreed to focus their efforts on the Vale and send their best journeymen and apprentices to aid in the war effort. These men and women have been handpicked as experts in their fields and will be essential to the expeditions success.
The Academy of Magic, sometimes referred to as the magic guild is also a powerful force within the Alliance and representatives will be sent to aid in any matters arcane. It is this Academy who have opened the way to the Vale,allowing the expedition entry.
The Swordmasters Guild was set up to train students in the use of the new weapons and armours created by the War Smiths. This guild was given into the charge of The Lion Guard and traditionally its Master is the current Knight General of that most elite fighting force.
Beyond all the concerns of the Crown and The Guilds lie the princes of the Faith. The priesthoods of the various gods, although having the King as their monarch, also answer to higher powers. These holy men and women are revered in the Kingdom, and rightly so. It is these bastions of faith that hold the demons at bay and protect the sanctity of the minds of the populace. It is a foolish man who scorns or rebukes a member of the clergy and in some cases punishment can follow. The various holy orders that exist in the Kingdom have many initiates and acolytes and many of these will be sent to the Vale to set the defenses against the darkness and continue to keep the people of the Northern Alliance strong in the face of demonic evil.
The Archimadrite, (the head of the Grand Circle of Faith in The Theocracy), has blessed this endevor and has issued a bull explaining that to venture through the gateway to the Vale is not only a righteous undertaking but also a holy calling. With this blessing in place, men and women of faith from across the kingdom have volunteered to offer their service to their King and their gods in equal measure.He has sent two of his most trusted high priests and a powerful Chosen of the Father to accompany the expedition and provide spiritual aid and support to the faithful.
Priestly vestments come in many colours and differing levels of complexity. The higher the rank of priest, the more lavish the vestments. The highest religious power of the 4 nations is the Archimandrite. This most beloved of the Father resides in the temple city of Sarqand in The Theocracy. All priests owe at least a passing loyalty to this august patron and this can often cause awkward situations to arise in regards to the fealty of priests loyal to the Kingdom.
Thomas of Brookdean, Squire to Sir Austyn of Dringwold, Knight of Tarren. There are many orders of Knighthood and famous legions in Elland. Some have existed for decades and even centuries with their history going back far beyond the Days of Fire. Others have sprung up since the world changed in response to the invading forces and the feelings that this generated, both religious, and martial. Players are welcome to play as a member of one of these organisations; please apply to the plot and background team. They may alternately, submit their own ideas for plot team perusal.
Established years before the Days of Fire, The Lion Guard are the personal guard of the royal house of Elland. This august and elite body of troops are the guardians of the royal family and make up all bodyguards and protection details for the King's family.
The Lion Guard has a reputation for being fanatical about the protection of the crown and will defend their charge to the detriment of themselves and all others. They have a royal edict that allows them to exercise any means necessary to protect their charges and they are resolute in the execution of their duty.
Following the Days of Fire, it was The Lion Guard who helped the current King, Edric rise to the throne after his father was killed in an attack on Ironmark by the forces of the Lich known as the Desolate. When the dust settled it was clear who the Guard had chosen. Of other claimants to the throne nothing was heard and King Edric Shadowbane inherited the crown.
The Lion Guard have also been charged with the stewardship of the guild of swordmasters. It was created at the same time as the other guilds to train students in the use of new skills and talents that were needed for weapons and armour being created by the War Smiths. The Grand Master of this guild is always the Current Knight General of The Lion Guard and it is for this reason that the War Smiths and The Lion Guard are considered to have very close relationship.
Dowager Duchess Elsbeth of House Tarren has been the new King's staunchest supporter throughout the war and as a reward for this loyalty the new monarch decreed that The Lion Guard would now consider those of the Dukes family to be part of their charge and to this day it is rare to see ranking nobles of this house without the protection of a cadre of Lion Guard.
The Guard wear the purple and white of House Shadowbane. The Officers wear an insignia on the upper left of their tabards that denotes their rank, worn in the knowledge that they are the most trusted and high ranking men in the Kingdom. To be a Lion Guard officer is to be sure in the knowledge that you have been tested in battle on the front lines of the war against the Great Khan whilst serving in the regular forces of one of the other armies of Elland. Only after proving yourself in battle by serving for five years on the front lines can you be considered for the Guard and even then only if recommended.
Lion Guard soldiers are fiercely proud of their positions and the traditions that they uphold. They consider nobility the highest form of authority and respect the rule of the nobles as inviolate, it being by extension the will of the King himself.
Currently the king has tasked the Knight General of The Lion Guard and a small detachment to travel to the Vale with Duchess Elsbeth to protect the family interests on the expedition ...
There exists in every society a particular group that believes that the end justifies the means. In the Kingdom of Elland this group is the Order of the Knights of Scarlet Redemption.
The order was formed in the days before the cataclysm by a Lord of The Northern Fifes named Duke Eadgar Graben. For years the Duke had fought to repel attacks from raiding Northmen and mercenary bands from across the Rime Sea. His Duchy had been constrained for years by the articles of war adhered to rigidly by the honourable kingdom forces and slowly but surely he saw his people and land burned by invading savages.
It is said that finally it became to much for the Duke to bear and he made a pledge to the Warrior that no more would his people be slaughtered as the noble houses bickered over command and rank. He would no longer listen as the screams of the dying were muffled by the petty bickering of noble men trying to curry favour. He made his vow that no more would anything stand in the way of him protecting his people and upon that oath he created the so named Brotherhood of Scarlet Redemption.
The Duke ignored the normal rules of nobility in forming this society and asked only that those skilled men at arms who joined swore an Oath to the Warrior to forever defend the weak and helpless of The Northern Fifes against invaders and tyrants. He even looked upon the elves in his land and proclaimed that even they if they are devout of the warrior could join the order and fight against the forces arayed against them. The uproar in The Middle Kingdom at the sheer audacity of the move rippled through all the noble houses in the land. It was just as the King was sending The Lion Guard to depose the Duke that The Priesthood stood and proclaimed that this venture had been sanctioned by the Warrior. They proclaimed it had been deemed a resolute act of piety that would not be punished by mortal censure. To this day the Dukes of Graben always send one of their sons to the order as a mark of respect to the Warrior and to further affirm their alliance with the Knights.
From that day and beyond the Days of Fire the Brotherhood has protected The Northern Fifes. Since the invasion many of the scarlet clad warriors have travelled south to fight the Great Khan and others, east to battle the Undead menace. Suffice to say that the reavers of the Undead Grey fleets and the orc and goblin forces of the Great Khan are aware of the ferocity of these scarlet avengers. They know them as the Red Death and it is said that the sight of these scarlet clad knights charging without fear into the heart of their ranks has turned more than one battle.
The Brotherhood stands to this day as the only knightly order that does not require you to have been of at least minor noble blood to join and actively seeks out those of skill rather than those of high blood to join their ranks. They still allow elves to join and take holy orders, a practice that is looked upon with disdain by nobles everywhere but they are powerless to do anything due to the divine mandate of the warrior. To temper this feeling of anger towards the order priests of the mother and the father are retained in the order to calm the savage fury that boils in each of these warrior knights. Their main chapter house, the fortress of Falcons Reach is situated in the duchy of Graben on the edge of the salt marshes with a good view of the Rime sea. At any point the forces of the order can ride out to meet any threat from the sea. In these times of alliance however, it is more often Undead bone ships rather than the Northmen's drakkars that tend to be the enemy in the current climate.
Lyshak of the Kingdom Legionnaire of the Legio Canis.
The Beastkin that are in service to and are allied with the Northern Alliance are generally treated as commoners by the people of the Elland. The one notable exception where the Kingdom is concerned is the Legio Canis or Legion of Wolves.
This unit of faithful canine soldiers was raised early after the Days of Fire ended and it was clear that many new invaders assailed the borders of human held lands. An insightful general from the old Qadaq republic by the name of Haran Thanys realized very early that the Kingdom was the new power now that his old land was a broken shell. He approached the King and offered his services as a military tactician and warrior and pledged himself to Elland, swearing his oath to the Shadowbane Throne.
The nobility of the newly powerful kingdom could not in all conscience accept an outsider of low birth into their high born ranks but neither could they shun the expertise of such an experienced soldier. The King took Thanys' oath and tasked him with the defense of The Southern Marches far away from the high born nobles and court politics that he was deemed unfit to participate in. Haran was undeterred by this slight and headed south to begin his duties. What he discovered in the South was a land in turmoil. The south had long been ignored by The Middle Kingdom and seen as a collection of low born minor nobles that were best left to fend for themselves. When Thanys arrived most cities were desperately attempting to bolster their defenses against the increasing waves of river clan attacks and orc raiding parties that had begun months before.
Immediately, the Quadaq general realized he had to act. He needed warriors and he found them in battle with a raiding orc force. A desperate conflict between a tribe of canine beastkin and the crew of a river orc corsair was playing out on the coast near a Kingdom fishing village. Drawing his sword and sounding the attack Haryn and his small contingent of officers charged in and turned the tide against the orcs. The canines recognized a true alpha when they saw one and took him as their leader. Over the next few years, the general cultivated his small force as more and more canine beastkin flocked to his banner. He erected the line of border forts now known as Haryn's Wall and the Legio Canis or Legion of Wolves has manned them against invasion to this day. The Legion styles itself on the Qadaq legionnaires of General Thanys' homeland. They wear their colours with pride and honour and carry out their duties with a fanatical devotion to their General and through him, the King.
The Legion wears livery of red and blue under their Qadaq style armour and favour weapon and shield as a style of fighting.
Across the Kingdom of Elland there are many orders of nobility that noble men and women can join for glory and honour. There are few however that exist for purely selfless reasons.
The Order of Benevolent Knights known as the Swords of the Mother are a deeply religious order of templars who are sworn to the worship of the Mother and the preservation of all human life. They teach that the healing of the sick and injured and the protection of the bodies of the faithful is the highest calling. They learn the skills of the healer during their period as a squire and continue to hone these skills throughout their lives.
The order maintains many strongholds throughout the Kingdom which serve as the best hospitals and healing way stations in the land. The order grew from a seminary hospital run by an order of nuns known as the Tears of the Mother. The knights were raised to protect the various holds and properties of the order and grew to be a powerful force for protection in Elland. Their main stronghold is the fortified hospital monastary of Silver keep in the northern county of Palamyr.
The Swords travel the land in lances giving aid where they can and defending the sick and injured at every turn. They can always be found in and among the troops on the front lines of the war, giving aid and assisting other healers, running hospitals and defending surgeons and apothecaries as they carry out their essential trade.
Their livery is white and blue with an emblazoned teardrop and sword as their heraldry. All Swords carry tools and surgical instruments that have been blessed by the Mother Superior of the Order of Tears and they treasure these items above all things, considering them their connection to their goddess.
There is no minimum Phys rep for playing a human. Simply being human is quite enough.
The feudal system of the kingdom brings a heraldic look and feel to characters from this region. The tabards and colours of the Duke and the King are very common but other ducal households and minor nobles colours are worn by their respective liegemen. Those freemen not in service to a lord wear a variety of styles that range from the flowing robes of the clergy and the wizardly orders to the simple leathers of the common man. In general the Kingdom has a distinctly medieval and feudal feel with a multitude of coats of arms and heraldry that is proudly displayed.
