Name/Player Name: The Kingdom of Tareen/Golden1Knight
Ruler/Family:
House Ellarion
-King Donan IV (39)
-Queen Bone Tydwell (38)
-Prince Alan (18)
-Prince Tyler (17)
-Princess Taena (15)
-Princess Anna (12)
House Ellarion Coat of Arms:
Location:
Vassals:
-Lord Harlan Tydwell (42): Belonging to a family that traditionally serves the lords of Tareen as stewards, Lord Harlan is a simple, traditional and hearty man. His sister, Bone, is married to the king.
-Lord Edgar Eastlyn (23): Called 'The Unwilling Lord', Edgar never intended to inherit the land of his father, but with the death of his brothers in a terrible hunting accident, he did not have much of a choice.
-Lord Andrew Osbryn (45): Cold and practical are the right words to describe this man, whose ancestors bear a strong naval tradition, where there is no place for failure.
-Lord Brandon Gallister (53): A man who lives of memories, since the future does not look promising. His family had been powerful in the past, but nowadays its power was drastically reduced to the point that they are no longer relevant. Perhaps its unique possession of value is its ancient fortress.
Kingdom Biography:
Tareen is an ancient kingdom, located in a geographically diverse area. To the north, it borders the waters of the Great Bay and the Small Sea. To the west it borders an peninsula, and to the east it borders vast plains located between two mountain ranges. To the south it borders the Great Sea in all its infinite vastness.
History portrays Tareen as an ancient kingdom with distinct military traditions. Since its origins, when the first self-proclaimed King of Tareen, Arthor Ellarion, came to power, the people of Tareen rarely saw defeat in the battlefield, for two reasons: They rarely marched beyond their homeland, where they were masters of defense, and when they did, they always surprised their enemies by their courage on the battlefield. By sea, they were known for their strategy: even when outnumbered, they used to win their battles, thanks to brilliant naval commanders, whose names were recorded in history.
Always isolated, they were not seen with good eyes by their neighbors. Few foreigners were allowed to inhabit their lands, and their kings often married local families. They fought with all their strength against the Conquest, but when they saw they had no choice, they surrendered. The years under the domain of the Kings of Auronas served to make them more receptive to other people, to the point that they have forgotten their old isolationist ways. Because of their proximity to the capital, the Lords of Tareen were in the group of the most influential vassals in the royal court. Whenever the capital was in danger, they were the first to come to the rescue.
Before a resentful vassal, they became the most loyal vassal of the king.
Tareen is divided into five lordships:
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The Lands of the Crown (or
Lordship of the Lake), heart of the kingdom, whose center is the Sacred Lake. The local people is largely made ​​up of woodcutters, and the local forests are well known for the exceptional quality of the hunts. As the name says, these lands belong directly to the Lord of the Lake, also King of Tareen, Donan Ellarion. The royal family lives in the fortress of Lakecastle. Nearby there are two towns: Black Oak and Esthellen Hill.
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Lordship of Waterfront, renowned for producing galleys with the best available wood. The local population is composed mostly by fishermen and traders, besides the traditional woodcutters. They are more receptive to foreigners, because of their frequent participation in trade. These lands belong to the House Osbryn, and its current lord is Andrew. The Osbryn inhabit the castle of Saltstone, and manage the city of Greyshell.
-In the valley of the Esthellen River, the
Lordship of the River Lands occupies the land to the northwest. Due to the local soil fertility, the region is known for its agricultural production. Most of the local population is made up of farmers, with some traders on the coast of the Bay. Its lord is Harlan of the House Tydwell, whose ancestral home is the castle of Red Tower. Near the mouth of the river, lies Bridgeport, a port city where much of the agricultural exports are shipped.
-The
Lordship of the Mountains, a vast region that is extensively excavated in search of ores, and as such its population is composed mostly of miners. The current Lord of the Mountains is Edgar Eastlyn, that inhabits the castle of Peak Keep. Situated in a small valley between the mountains, lies Goldtown, a small community of miners who prospered and grew to become the largest city in the region.
-The
Lordship of the Plains and the Narrow Coast, before belonging to two separate houses, were recently united under the House Gallister. The plains region is inhabited only by shepherds, being isolated from the Narrow Coast by a small mountain range. The only way to cross these mountains is through the Prince's Way, a narrow path guarded by a castle, Prince's Keep, the power base of House Gallister. Between the mountains and the sea, the Narrow Coast is home to fishermen and hunters, and shelters a city, Narrow Town.
Major Castles and Cities of the Kingdom of Tareen
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Lakecastle: The current seat of the Royal Court of Tareen, this castle has a curious history and remarkable architecture. This fortress was built on an islet near the bank of the lake, by the ancient Kings of the Forest. The only access is through a drawbridge that can be raised at any sign of danger, since the rest is protected by the deep, cold waters of the lake. However, in the event that the invader build small boats and try to attack, this castle has a solid wall and tall stone towers, raining death on would-be conquerors. Defenses aside, the home of the House Ellarion is also comfortable and beautiful: The Hall of the Warrior, with its several fireplaces, Cold Hall, known for their absence, and the Throne Hall (before it was the Lord's Hall), with its trapdoor giving access to the cool waters of the lake.
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Black Oak: Settled next to a swamp, this city is known for being often covered with mist, and also for having a strange black oak situated in the city center. This gnarled tree of mysterious origins gives name to the town, and many think it is just a tree that was burned in a distant past that no one bothered to give the final blow. The local population is mainly dedicated to hunting and logging.
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Esthellen Hill: The largest city in the entire forest, this community has grown with the advent of local trade, serving as a trading post between the port city and the capital, and also providing to the southern coast agricultural items. Situated on a hill, and bordering the river Esthellen, this city is easily defended, being only possible to attack it from the north. Due to its importance, the city is defended with thick stone walls, which almost make it a castle.
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Red Tower: The headquarters of the House Tydwell, this fortress was built recently, after the Conquest. It is composed of a thick wall and five towers: four of them distributed along the perimeter of the castle, and the fifth tower located in the center of the fortress, higher and stronger than the others. This central tower is where the Lord and his family live, and its red color gives the name of Red Tower to the castle.
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Bridgeport: The most populous city of Tareen, is also responsible for most of the trade of the kingdom, exporting the grains planted in excess, in addition to receiving shipments of wood coming from the forest. Its local militia is known throughout the kingdom as extremely efficient, given the lack of natural defenses in the region. Even so, it is fortified with walls and towers, and the port is isolated from the main part of the town.
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Saltstone: This ancient fortress belongs to House Osbryn for generations. Since always the main stronghold of the entire south coast, this castle is feared by any pirate who has any sense of reason. Built on a cliff by the sea, this castle is like a sentinel, always alert to any threat from the sea. Close to the forest, it is not uncommon that this place serve as a shipyard in times of need.
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Greyshell: All those seeking a top quality fish should come to this city. Natural navigators, the inhabitants of this town handle a fish net with as much skill as a spear or sword. The population is small, as is the town.
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Prince's Keep: An impressive fortress, it was built to guard the mountain pass that gives access to the coast. Invade the Narrow Coast by land without taking this castle is impossible. The castle uses the natural high ground as their walls, and the pass is guarded by a tunnel with a fortified gate, which is underneath the main stronghold. There are also two towers, one to the north, where one can see the plains, and another to the south, where the coast can be observed. This unconventional fortress is home to the House Gallister.
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Narrow Town: A small town whose inhabitants live in the peaceful and secure Narrow Valley. There they can hunt and cut wood in peace, without worrying about sudden attacks, except by sea. Because of this single vulnerability, they established several forts along the coast, the largest being Narrow Town, which even has a small harbor and a small stone wall.
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Peak Keep: A castle situated between the mountains and therefore difficult to access. It has high walls and towers, which frustrate anyone who thinks they will have here an easy conquest, because, besides being bombarded by arrows coming from the top, they will have to fight uphill. This fortress is the home of House Eastlyn, and the Lord Protector of the Mountains.
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Goldtown: Known for its gold mines that give the city its name, this thriving community enriched rapidly, becoming the largest of the so-called "mining towns". Its mayor, vassal of the Eastlyn, exerts great power in the region. Aware of the need to protect that golden wealth, high stone walls are currently under construction, financed by the mayor and other wealthy citizens of the city, with the endorsement of the local lord.
Religion:
The Worship of the One
The people of Tareen maintains an ancestral belief in a single deity, the One. He created all things, and his will is above any other. Any other deity is merely the result of human ignorance. To ensure that the creator be praised appropriately, the Order of the One strives to spread the divine word and destroy the pagan faiths. This Order is led by the High Priest, who has direct contact with the One. Below him are the common priests, those who maintain and manage the Temples.
![[Awfully drawn borders incoming]](http://i.imgur.com/QmHRFsM.png){kind=link}