Jul 2, 2022 7:36 pm
Brief History of The World
"Like a steel-clad ship in a thundering storm, she cut through the waves of darkness and dread. I was there to bear witness; I am one of few who stood in awe as the first light of dawn got caught in her armor, transforming our young Queen into a mounted, sword-wielding sun – Korinthia Nightbane, our sovereign, slayer of the dark.
The blood that was spilt, the lives that were lost, the tears that keep falling from red-rimmed eyes; the skies filled with ash, the soils turned to dust, the rivers transformed into muddy trenches. Such is the price we had to pay, for the Dark Lords’ betrayal, but also for the hardships that finally led us here, to the Promised Land.
Strengthened and enlightened, we begin again, the children of Alberetor matured into the mothers of Ambria. The sorrow that blackens our hearts will be delivered in tears of hope and joy, not of grief and despair. We shall harvest the fruits of earth and forests, we shall harness the force of rivers and mountains, we will rise higher than ever before. To the pleasure of Prios we shall ascend to a place where there are no shadows, where darkness is no more. Because we are the people of Korinthia Nightbane and we will never be vanquished!"
Fleeing a bitter war against the forces of darkness, the Queen lead her people to a new land, and carved a place for them from the barbarians who dwelled there. South of the forest of Davokar, they rebuilt an old cursed city with slave labor. The city is Yndaros.
Much has happened over a short period of time, so there has been no room for subtleties. Disobedient barbarians have been killed, banished or imprisoned by Korinthia’s experienced and well-equipped soldiers; the obedient ones have been used for labor under slave-like conditions. The latter also holds true for many of Korinthia’s own subjects, namely all those who came from the south without personal riches or sought-after skills. If anyone bothered to keep count of how many people have died in the process of building Ambria the final score would be in the thousands. But no one does. To those who are alive nothing counts but the remarkable result. Although the restoration of Yndaros is far from finished the city has grown to enormous proportions, and at the same time Korinthia’s knights have conquered all land between the mountains in the south and the woods in the north. Now the nobles of Ambria are starting to plan for new conquests, in the north and in the west.
Seven years ago the uncrowned king of Ambria’s treasure-hunters, Lasifor Nightpitch, established the town of Thistle Hold. The construction was largely financed by the reward Lasifor had received for an armful of dried Twilight-Thistle – a rare herb, allegedly powerful enough to aid the gravely ill Abesina, mother of Queen Korinthia. Ever since then, the walled settlement of Mayor Nightpitch has acted as a safe haven for Ambrians exploring Davokar, a forest full of natural resources and rich remnants of long lost civilizations; also a forest full of rampant abominations, dark-minded creatures of otherworldly origins and a band of wardens most unwilling to welcome the damages done by human explorers.
Factions and Territory
The Kingdom of Ambria
Ambria, as Alberetor before it, is a hierarchal society, for centuries governed by an assembly of noble families, called houses. The families are ranked based on their position in the order of succession, and the rank affects what offices their representatives may hold.
Ambria is divided into seven duchies, in turn divided into smaller domains, called counties or baronies depending on their size. Formally, it is the Queen who appoints dukes, who then appoints counts and barons to manage subjects and land.
Ranked first among the noble families is the royal House of Kohinoor, personified by Korinthia Nightbane and five of Ambria’s six dukes, all of them closely related to the Queen.
The Barbarian Clans
When the Ambrians arrived in the region south of Davokar, thirteen barbarian clans were living in the area. Since then thirteen has becomes eleven, as clan Kadiz was subdued and integrated into the Ambrian civilization and clan Jezora was annihilated by Ambrian steel. Recently there have been rumors circling about a possible twelfth clan, the fiendish brutes of the Beast Clan. But while the existence of such a clan is yet to be confirmed, and especially since the barbarians seem to be equally confounded by the flourishing rumors, Ordo Magica and other authorities are ignoring them, pending more reliable accounts.
Lately the relations between the clans have changed, because of the arrival of the Ambrian people but also because of the slowly but surely escalating threat from the beasts and abominations of Davokar. Reasons aside, the clan chieftains have all declared themselves to be aspiring for peace, and judging by appearance they try to live up to that promise. Sure, it is still turbulent in some borderlands, not least up north as well as between Karits and Vajvods in the east. But at the moment the region is free from outright clan wars.
The barbarian High Chieftain, seated on Karvosti, is elected for life during a gathering at the Thingstead held when the reigning "warlord" is nearing death. But he is not elected to rule. Instead the role of the High Chieftain is to arbitrate or, when necessary, act as a judge in conflicts within and between the clans, and only if requested to do so by the clan chieftains. 
The Church of Prios
The Church of the sun god Prios governs a domain of its own in Ambria, a territory large as a duchy centered around the city of Templewall. The First Father of Prios resides in the city, selected for life by the Curia – the ruling body of the Church, which is comprised of the leaders of its three subdivisions: the Priesthood, the Templars and the Twilight Friars. Jeseebegai who now sits on the Evening Throne at Templewall was elected from among the Twilight Friars six years ago.
The theurgs and liturgs of the Priesthood are responsible for interpreting Prios’ commandments and for managing all His temples, from the cathedrals in Yndaros and Templewall to the repaired shrine on Karvosti. Their current representative in the Curia is named Anabela Argona and is the sister of Count Alkantor Argona; a bond that the count is accused of exploiting in the ambition to expand his domain and influence.
The Knights of the Dying Sun, also called Sun Knights or Templars, are the armed wing of the Church. Its well-equipped and highly skilled Templars, who all stem from noble families, played a crucial part at the end of The Great War – a fact which Knight Commander, Iakobo Vearra, never lets anyone forget.
Finally, the Twilight Friars, also called Black Cloaks, is a monastic order with its main seat south of Yndaros, up in the Titans. Aside from a handful of convents in Ambria's larger settlements, the order manages a convent school in Yndaros and is in charge of internal as well as external intelligence activities. The spokesperson of the order, Brother Eumenos, is often heard declaring that whilst the Templars aim their swords towards Ambria’s outer enemies, the knife points of the Black Cloaks are aimed at those within.
Ordo Magica
Roughly a year ago Ambria’s most prominent order for learned studies and mystical schooling, Ordo Magica, relocated from Yndaros to Agrella on the shores of Lake Ebel. Grand Master Seldonio governs an organization with chapters in all larger settlements as well as a handful of outposts in Davokar. Each chapter is run by a Chapter Master, under which the Masters of the Order are sorted. The latter are experts in their respective areas – for instance Botany, Elf Studies, Beast Lore and Wizardry – and all have a number of novices and adepts working for them.
The primary ambition of Ordo Magica is of an explorative nature: its members seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake. They arrange expeditions to both forests and mountains, from which they bring curious artifacts to be studied in search of their properties and applications. Instead of spirituality the members argue that philosophy must be the primary tool for expanding the understanding of the world, and in the end they rely on experience and evidence rather than on faith – something which often causes its members to clash with theurgs and black cloaks.
But the single-minded search for knowledge does not mean that the order is totally cut off from the rest of civilization. Seldonio appears to be fully aware that he is in need of others – for instance, he needs the Queen’s blessing to explore Davokar, the silver thalers of the nobles to finance expeditions, and the Rangers to take members of the order along on their patrols. It should also be noted that the order strives to capitalize on knowledge gained and discoveries made, as for instance shown by the Vivisectory in Yndaros where ordinary people can pay entrance to bear witness as the masters carve into everything from farm animals to rage trolls and actual abominations.
"Like a steel-clad ship in a thundering storm, she cut through the waves of darkness and dread. I was there to bear witness; I am one of few who stood in awe as the first light of dawn got caught in her armor, transforming our young Queen into a mounted, sword-wielding sun – Korinthia Nightbane, our sovereign, slayer of the dark.
The blood that was spilt, the lives that were lost, the tears that keep falling from red-rimmed eyes; the skies filled with ash, the soils turned to dust, the rivers transformed into muddy trenches. Such is the price we had to pay, for the Dark Lords’ betrayal, but also for the hardships that finally led us here, to the Promised Land.
Strengthened and enlightened, we begin again, the children of Alberetor matured into the mothers of Ambria. The sorrow that blackens our hearts will be delivered in tears of hope and joy, not of grief and despair. We shall harvest the fruits of earth and forests, we shall harness the force of rivers and mountains, we will rise higher than ever before. To the pleasure of Prios we shall ascend to a place where there are no shadows, where darkness is no more. Because we are the people of Korinthia Nightbane and we will never be vanquished!"
Fleeing a bitter war against the forces of darkness, the Queen lead her people to a new land, and carved a place for them from the barbarians who dwelled there. South of the forest of Davokar, they rebuilt an old cursed city with slave labor. The city is Yndaros.
Much has happened over a short period of time, so there has been no room for subtleties. Disobedient barbarians have been killed, banished or imprisoned by Korinthia’s experienced and well-equipped soldiers; the obedient ones have been used for labor under slave-like conditions. The latter also holds true for many of Korinthia’s own subjects, namely all those who came from the south without personal riches or sought-after skills. If anyone bothered to keep count of how many people have died in the process of building Ambria the final score would be in the thousands. But no one does. To those who are alive nothing counts but the remarkable result. Although the restoration of Yndaros is far from finished the city has grown to enormous proportions, and at the same time Korinthia’s knights have conquered all land between the mountains in the south and the woods in the north. Now the nobles of Ambria are starting to plan for new conquests, in the north and in the west.
Seven years ago the uncrowned king of Ambria’s treasure-hunters, Lasifor Nightpitch, established the town of Thistle Hold. The construction was largely financed by the reward Lasifor had received for an armful of dried Twilight-Thistle – a rare herb, allegedly powerful enough to aid the gravely ill Abesina, mother of Queen Korinthia. Ever since then, the walled settlement of Mayor Nightpitch has acted as a safe haven for Ambrians exploring Davokar, a forest full of natural resources and rich remnants of long lost civilizations; also a forest full of rampant abominations, dark-minded creatures of otherworldly origins and a band of wardens most unwilling to welcome the damages done by human explorers.
Factions and Territory
The Kingdom of Ambria
Ambria, as Alberetor before it, is a hierarchal society, for centuries governed by an assembly of noble families, called houses. The families are ranked based on their position in the order of succession, and the rank affects what offices their representatives may hold.
Ambria is divided into seven duchies, in turn divided into smaller domains, called counties or baronies depending on their size. Formally, it is the Queen who appoints dukes, who then appoints counts and barons to manage subjects and land.
Ranked first among the noble families is the royal House of Kohinoor, personified by Korinthia Nightbane and five of Ambria’s six dukes, all of them closely related to the Queen.
[ +- ] Duchys of Ambria
When the Ambrians arrived in the region south of Davokar, thirteen barbarian clans were living in the area. Since then thirteen has becomes eleven, as clan Kadiz was subdued and integrated into the Ambrian civilization and clan Jezora was annihilated by Ambrian steel. Recently there have been rumors circling about a possible twelfth clan, the fiendish brutes of the Beast Clan. But while the existence of such a clan is yet to be confirmed, and especially since the barbarians seem to be equally confounded by the flourishing rumors, Ordo Magica and other authorities are ignoring them, pending more reliable accounts.
Lately the relations between the clans have changed, because of the arrival of the Ambrian people but also because of the slowly but surely escalating threat from the beasts and abominations of Davokar. Reasons aside, the clan chieftains have all declared themselves to be aspiring for peace, and judging by appearance they try to live up to that promise. Sure, it is still turbulent in some borderlands, not least up north as well as between Karits and Vajvods in the east. But at the moment the region is free from outright clan wars.
The barbarian High Chieftain, seated on Karvosti, is elected for life during a gathering at the Thingstead held when the reigning "warlord" is nearing death. But he is not elected to rule. Instead the role of the High Chieftain is to arbitrate or, when necessary, act as a judge in conflicts within and between the clans, and only if requested to do so by the clan chieftains.
[ +- ] The Clans
The Church of Prios
The Church of the sun god Prios governs a domain of its own in Ambria, a territory large as a duchy centered around the city of Templewall. The First Father of Prios resides in the city, selected for life by the Curia – the ruling body of the Church, which is comprised of the leaders of its three subdivisions: the Priesthood, the Templars and the Twilight Friars. Jeseebegai who now sits on the Evening Throne at Templewall was elected from among the Twilight Friars six years ago.
The theurgs and liturgs of the Priesthood are responsible for interpreting Prios’ commandments and for managing all His temples, from the cathedrals in Yndaros and Templewall to the repaired shrine on Karvosti. Their current representative in the Curia is named Anabela Argona and is the sister of Count Alkantor Argona; a bond that the count is accused of exploiting in the ambition to expand his domain and influence.
The Knights of the Dying Sun, also called Sun Knights or Templars, are the armed wing of the Church. Its well-equipped and highly skilled Templars, who all stem from noble families, played a crucial part at the end of The Great War – a fact which Knight Commander, Iakobo Vearra, never lets anyone forget.
Finally, the Twilight Friars, also called Black Cloaks, is a monastic order with its main seat south of Yndaros, up in the Titans. Aside from a handful of convents in Ambria's larger settlements, the order manages a convent school in Yndaros and is in charge of internal as well as external intelligence activities. The spokesperson of the order, Brother Eumenos, is often heard declaring that whilst the Templars aim their swords towards Ambria’s outer enemies, the knife points of the Black Cloaks are aimed at those within.
Ordo Magica
Roughly a year ago Ambria’s most prominent order for learned studies and mystical schooling, Ordo Magica, relocated from Yndaros to Agrella on the shores of Lake Ebel. Grand Master Seldonio governs an organization with chapters in all larger settlements as well as a handful of outposts in Davokar. Each chapter is run by a Chapter Master, under which the Masters of the Order are sorted. The latter are experts in their respective areas – for instance Botany, Elf Studies, Beast Lore and Wizardry – and all have a number of novices and adepts working for them.
The primary ambition of Ordo Magica is of an explorative nature: its members seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake. They arrange expeditions to both forests and mountains, from which they bring curious artifacts to be studied in search of their properties and applications. Instead of spirituality the members argue that philosophy must be the primary tool for expanding the understanding of the world, and in the end they rely on experience and evidence rather than on faith – something which often causes its members to clash with theurgs and black cloaks.
But the single-minded search for knowledge does not mean that the order is totally cut off from the rest of civilization. Seldonio appears to be fully aware that he is in need of others – for instance, he needs the Queen’s blessing to explore Davokar, the silver thalers of the nobles to finance expeditions, and the Rangers to take members of the order along on their patrols. It should also be noted that the order strives to capitalize on knowledge gained and discoveries made, as for instance shown by the Vivisectory in Yndaros where ordinary people can pay entrance to bear witness as the masters carve into everything from farm animals to rage trolls and actual abominations.
