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Important Archived Posters & Rumors / A Failure of Fate

« on: February 11, 2021, 04:32:58 AM »

The Northern Queen

Some time after the tragedy of the Royal Wedding between the late Nordic King and Vaegir Princess, the Nordic crown has passed unto the last surviving heir of the King of Ruin, his daughter. She has, after some contest, been anointed the new Nordic Queen. Many of the old Nordic Kingdom have held some serious issues with her ascension, especially the pagan majority in the northern remnants of the Kingdom.

The issue with the queens ascension is largely rooted in the support of the heir to the Swadian Kingdom, having now affirmed his marriage to her. Their son shall one day bear both crowns, and create a personal union between the two Kingdoms.

The Swadian Heir to the throne has marched an army into the nordic territory in order to escort his queen back to Praven, as is considered tradition, in order to marry in the soon-to-be- Kings land. However, this has been seen as a slight unto the Nordic nobility, for they have expressed their opinion that it seems more like conquest than peace.

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Important Archived Posters & Rumors / A New King, and Hopes for Peace

« on: February 01, 2021, 09:47:38 PM »

A New King

With the passing of one Monarch comes the ascension of another, and such is the case for what remains of the Nordic Kingdom. Young and hopeful, if not controversial for his Makerist faith, the son of the King of Ruin bring new hopes for peace to his people.

It is rumoured that peace is real possibility, and whispers run rampant about a proposed marriage between the new Nordic King and the daughter of the current Tsar of the Vaegirs. Such an event would end the war between them, and finally allow for the Nordic Kingdom to begin rebuilding. These rumours reach Nordic ears to much applause, and Swadian ears to much chagrin.

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Lore / "The Veil" *IC Pamphlet on religious philosophy*

« on: December 29, 2020, 02:07:05 AM »

The Veil: Knowledge of its Origin and State of Being

   In the many Makerist Realms of Calradia dwell those Faithful servants of the Church. The Church, respected and sacred, teaches the people of Calradia the ways of the world, and brings them into the Maker’s light. The light of the Maker, brought forth by his sun in the sky, the very visage of his greatness, so bright we cannot bear to look directly into it lest we be blinded by his glorious incandescence, is gifted unto us each passing day. To remind us why we live, why his gift of light is followed by Knowledge. The Maker’s world is a bright one, and his many glorious gifts to humanity dwell within it, out of reach of darkness.

However, there is a darker side to Calradia, one that lies just beyond our grasp. Long ago, when the Maker gifted Calradia his sons, the Divi Filius, he poured into them all of himself, but the Maker created men in his own image, and so his own suppressed imperfection followed. Of his four children, made to watch over the world and guide humanity, each became patron of one of his Domains. Vaghar, the patron of the skies, eldest and closest to the Maker himself. Diath, the patron of the lands, revered dearly for his home is ours as men, Rhudan, patron of the seas, beloved by humanity for his resourcefulness, vengeful of those disrespectful, and harbourer of mysteries and secrets of the deep.

Each of these Divi, perfect, orderly, and loved. But a fourth son, into whom all the Maker’s previous malice was poured, was born. From the very depths of the Maker’s being, buried deep down away from the love and joy he expressed, came Ortysis, the patron of the Void, harbinger of death, destruction, and all things evil. In his creation of his children, he poured all of himself, each of his aspects taking new form, but even those aspects he repressed unfortunately surfaced. The Maker wept at this being that he had borne and endowed with power, but he could not kill his own son. So it was that Ortysis, least treasured son of his Father, was cast out.

Between them, the Maker placed a veil, so that no matter how tempted he was to look, he would never see the son who caused him so much sadness. The realm beyond the veil was dark, and within it, dwelt Ortysis alone. Or so he thought. For other beings soon made themselves known. The Primordial beings, having never been so perfect as to share in the Maker’s afterlife in Calradia, crept out of the very depths of the void, and flocked to Ortysis. Embracing those who dwelt in his realm, so sympathetic of those also cast out, like he, who were unfit to share in the Makers bright world, he plotted.

The Veil was strong, and no matter his efforts Ortysis could not make himself seen, could not make himself heard, for he was too large, too powerful an essence to travel through it, as were so many of the primordial beings. But time went on, and soon he realized his power. As mortal men came and went from Calradia, he soon found others in his presence. Those spirits, borne malignant tumours upon the Maker’s earth, with such a dearth of love, that even in death, even when exposed to the Makers light shunned him, those spirits, were cast across the veil, into the realm of Ortysis. It is then he began to see.

As humanity went on, the imperfect beings embroiled themselves in every aspect of the Maker’s being, even those he repressed. Evil was in them, and it was there to stay. Those who took the righteous path of repression, found his light, those who did not… made the crossing. This is what it became known as, when an evil spirit, even in death unable to accept or be accepted by the Maker, had passed from our mortal realm, it would make the crossing, or be “crossed” as became a term, sent through the veil into the Void, the dark realm of Ortysis. There dwelt countless horrors, insurmountable sadness, and the Master of that realm, was none other than the Maker’s own Son.

These lesser spirits provided Ortysis with an opportunity, for such a small essence could sometimes slip through tears in the veil, slip between the weavings in its very fabric. As time progressed, War and Death came upon humanity, hatred and malice ran rampant in their hearts, and the Maker wept, as this evil began to stretch, and even tear the Veil he had made. He dared not look beyond it, for fear of what he might see, of seeing his own son, cast away so long ago. But the same did not go for his son….

No, Ortysis did what he could to peer into the Realm of men. And when he did, he had an idea. Though far too small for his own crossing, Ortysis sent through lesser malicious essences, lesser souls, to wreak havoc upon the realm of men, and bring more suffering and death. The more evil that plagued the world, the larger the tears would be, and the greater essences of evil Ortysis could cross. Plague, famine, these occurrences thought so unbearable by mankind, these are said to be essences, large and powerful ones, brought forth by Ortysis through the largest holes in the veil. And one day, when evil permeates the Mortal Realm, Ortysis will cross, and once again see his estranged Father. Or so they hope…

But the Maker’s love for his creation was too great, and his favoured sons shared this love. Wherever they could be found, tears were mended. By the love of the Maker, and the spreading of his light. Where the Maker found tears, he would mend them, where those evil essences crossed, his Divi would cast them back. As the ages dwelt on, it became the duty of mankind, passed down from the Divi, to mend these gaps, and to cast back the abominations vomited forth from it. Love, compassion, mercy, all good works, these are things that strengthen the veil, keeping the darkness out. Hatred, War, death and evil, these are the things that weaken the veil, the things that give credence to the Dark Master of the Void to send his beings through, to expose humanity to.. “The Crossed.”

They have taken many forms over the ages, or so it is said. Demons in live form, horrible beasts, magnificent and deadly, abominations, deranged and unfit for the mortal realm. However, not all are so, the lesser spirits appear human, and often times even blend in with humanity. Shaman of the Void, or “Veil Renders”, are mortal beings whose essence and soul has been replaced by a lesser essence of the Void. These beings spread the word of Ortysis, lies and deceit, and with silver tongues and fiendish charm they sway mortals to their side. Their very worship of the Dark one is evil, and their sacrifices allow for tears to form in the veil, and for greater evils to be crossed. A constant struggle, to break free of the prisons they have been confined to.

But it is not their fate, for the Maker and his sons have created so much good in the world, that they are to be kept back. Priests of the church, and their divine servants work tirelessly to counteract the ripping of the Veil, mending it back whole and strong. This is why in times of War, prayer is so essential, for it provides a slight resistance to the damage the Veil takes in such times of hate and death.

Alongside priests, though having lost popularity in all but the tales of old, are the very counter to Veil Renders, those who mend the Veil, Veil Menders so to speak. Through historical recollection and tales of fancy people of the Realm have taken to referring to them as Paladins, Holy Men of staunch and flawless faith, striving against the darkness, hunting those who would rend the veil unwhole down and casting them back across it. In the Modern day such things have been chocked up to old wives tales and folklore.

Children claim to be them as they run about the streets fighting with sticks, any sensible man of today would laugh at such a quarry. For the days of the larger tears are over, having passed long ago, now we have only to pray, and keep our own evils, as men, in check. Lest we bring about dark times once more. Yes, it would seem that the days of great evils are over, the Age of Heroes long since past, magnificent and terrible things that once roamed this earth are now gone, and only the Makers men remain, kept company by those beings taken under the patronage of the Divi, the birds, the fish, the animals of land. All under the Maker's bright sun.

In common day, it has come as  custom that to be “crossed”, to claim one is such or to wish them to be, is a statement of a man or woman’s status on the moral spectrum. To a woman so unsavoury as to practice prostitution, one might say “She’ll be crossed soon if she doesn't find her way to a nunnery..” A statement of pity, but a prayer she may find the light. Another example, to speak to a man you are at odds with, “I’ll cross you soon enough!” This in reference to the speaker believing whom he speaks to is so bad, or so evil, that upon wrestling his soul from its mortal coil it would be cast across the veil, or ‘crossed’. This insult is common as it both implies that you seek to kill that person, as well as the implication that they are so inherently bad, sinful, and evil that the Maker would be unable to accept them into his embrace, few people truly exist in such a manner, but it is meant to be insulting, so it is.

There is another way in which the term has become used, and that is in reference to those who cross…. in the other direction. To refer to a being, or person, who is so suspected of evil and or malice. Those who practice witchcraft, and other unworldly beings can be seen as those taken over by the evil entities that cross the veil. One might shout at a witch, or woman accused of witchcraft, “She’s crossed! Crossed I tell you! I heard her whispering in the night about some darkness or other!” Or perhaps if one were to see a being so otherworldly (though doubtful, but occasionally put in use to intimidating things like large bears or sharks or other perfectly normal but still frightening things) it looked as if it were not of this realm, “It’s Crossed… its got to be! Look at it!”

Beings that find their origin across the Veil are known collectively as “The Crossed”, and such a reference can be used to refer to them collectively. These are not things you wish to spend time with, and if you have any suspicions about them I implore you all to contact your local authorities and your local parish, for prayer and good men are needed. I thank you all for reading, and implore you to see to any of my further and prior pamphlets!

Ever your servant of knowledge,

   Father Olivar Belwick

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Lore / The Makerist Faith

« on: December 29, 2020, 01:58:33 AM »

Makerism


The Beginning

   Before the dawn of time, the Cosmos whirled in chaos and disorder. The heavens above shifted and spun relentlessly, and no life could prosper, it was truly an Abyss. Whatever divine beings wrought this havoc upon the Maker’s universe are gone now, for upon his awakening before conceivable time they were vanquished. Mayhaps he was simply slumbering, and so it was that without him Order could not reign, but no matter the cause, the effect was certain.The Universe halted, its heavenly bodies began to move in slow meandering patterns, the stars formed rigidly, and the Universe as we know it under the Maker was born.

   So it was that our Universe was forged, however our world had not yet been born. The bright balls of fire that once whisked wildly across the cosmos had halted, but no such world as our own yet existed. Not but slow meandering light, and darkness now existed. The Maker, now awakened, grew weary of this, and in his divine intelligence, required more. And so it was that he created our World. He took a near star, and examined its light. This he saw, would be the first of his elements: Fire. He clasped the star tight and quenched its flame, leaving only a dense mass behind, and thusly the second element, Earth, was born. He then began to sculpt that mass, he placed massive indents, large peaks, and flat plateaus. He filled those massive holes with a new element of his own ingenuity; he filled them with Water. These became our first oceans, his plateaus our first land masses, and his peaks our Mountains.

   His creation was not yet done, for what could he do with yet another floating mass. And so it was that he blew unto our world, and from his breath came the final element; Air. With this, he could now begin to design our world. He covered the lands in lush green plains, he dotted the landscape with lakes and rivers for he loved the beauty of the Water he created. He did many things with this most versatile of elements, he froze it and covered our mountains with it, and then with it he created clouds, a thick fog to forever shield him from our sight. He built this perfect world, but had noone to share its glory with. His lonesome tormented him, for he is a great being, and could not stand to be alone in such a wide cosmos.

The Gift of Life
   
   To soothe his lonesome, he created life on his World. He created all manner of beings in all shapes and sizes. His first creations were truly grotesque and attractive to look at, and so he made their domain the sea, where in its depths he would not have to see them. As he grew fond of creating living beings, he began to create the first creatures of the land. Large and still a bit grotesque, they were able to be looked upon with pride. And yet as he looked down upon his new creations, he felt something was missing. Though they could never come to him, there was such vast space above the earth, and such a beautiful sight to be seen when looking down, that he could not be the only one to know its glory. And so he gifted some of his creations with wings, and they could then soar through the air and see what he had done.

   And so it was that the Maker had created life, and his quiet absent world quickly became a bustling wilderness. Millenia passed by, and in that time he saw his creatures interact and was fascinated by it. He created new beings in new ways with new traits and each time saw and loved them even more. However as time passed, he began to grow tired of them. Their animosity, their simple instincts, and all at once he realized what he had done, he had created the very existence he himself wanted nothing to do with. It was chaos, with no order or control, just on a smaller scale. He was saddened, reminded of his days before, and knowing that each of his beings meant nothing if they were but walking mindless husks, no matter how great and terrible some may have been.

   He pondered, for what could have been another millennia, leaving his savage beings to wreak havoc on each other whilst he did. The earth in some places scorched, in some froze, in some became overgrown, in some flooded. It was the Makers absence in that time that formed the world as we know it, no longer a paradise. Unshielded, those places that were scorched became our deserts. Unloved, those places that were frozen became our Tundras. Unchecked, those places overgrown became our forests. Unguarded, those places that were flooded became our swamps. A fair bit of land maintained itself, and by sheer luck, we have our plains. But what, after so long would he place now within them?

The Divi and the Dawn of Man

   The Maker in his infinite wisdom, created children in his own image, beings of modest size, but beings of intelligence over savagery, He created mankind. However alone, man would not be able to survive such a world, and so to guide them, and to rule beneath him, the Maker created the Divi Filius, his four sons, that would aid man in mastering his domains. He created Vahgar, patron of the skies, to watch over man in its inception. He created Rhudan, patron of the Sea, to quell its rough waters and subdue its wild beasts, so man could tame it and master the sea for its own. He created Diath, patron of the land, to bring life and prosperity to the men that dwelled upon it, and he created Ortysis, patron of the abyss, warden to all those souls damned to its eternal depths for abusing the Makers many gifts, or for lacking gratitude for them. These divinities would take human form, and spread wide across the lands, leading men in the conception of civilization. It is under them that such primordial beasts as the Makers first creations were slain, and it is under them that society was born.

*It is here in scripture that the branches of Makerism find their divide. What follows below is not scripture, but a summary and brief look at what each branch believes.*

Orthodox Makerism

Those of the oldest practices, the Orthodox faith, believe fully in the divinity of the Divi Filius. In their eyes these immortal and ethereal lesser gods took human form, and led mankind out of the dark ages. They interbred with some of mankind, and gave rise to the Age of Heroes. In Orthodox mythology, the Divi often take a direct hand in the helping of their heroes, and are often responsible for the victory that Heroes find, and the failure that villains face. This continued practice of old traditional belief is a mark of pride that its followers hold dearly. The Orthodox faith is practiced widely in the northern regions, the taiga and some of the converted nordic sectors as it is closer to the old pagan faith. The Vaegirs, being the old descendents of the Northern Empire, hold their values close, and the divine right of the Tsar and his family to lead is an imperative part of their culture. However with such divinity, there are several other remarkable Boyars that are able to trace their lineage back far enough to also claim divine right to rule, the more powerful of them have at several points in history, usurped the throne.

Core Makerism

In the faith of the central Makerists, Core makerism practiced widely in swadia, the Divi Filius are seen as powerful immortal beings that were created for the purpose of guiding mankind out of the dark age. They began the first civilizations and once again, interbred with mankind, however when their job was fulfilled they were taken back up to the Makers side. In Core Makerism the Divi are worshiped and revered as powerful divinities, however once they were taken from this world they no longer were able to influence it. In Core Mythology the divi are regarded as paragons of their domain, and their children and ancestors show incredible talent in their respective Divi’s domain. They are, as those with divine blood, stronger, smarter, and simply a higher quality of being than normal humans, however the Divi are not directly involved with their heroes. Many of these tales focus on the divinity within the blood of the heroes, and though these tasks are completed by them alone (or with mortal company), their greatness is attributed to their blood. This is a very important aspect in the Monarchy as it is the Divi blood that supports the divine right of kings to rule over man.

Revisionist Makerism

In the faith of the southern Makerists, the revisionists, widely practiced in the Rhodok confederacy, the Divi Filius are seen as powerful beings of divine creation, however they are seen as mortal. It is believed that, though with greater lifespan and greater ability than normal men, the Divi were created, lived, and died on earth. They were made as the first line of Rulers for men, to lead them from the dark ages and begin the civilizations of the world, however they were mortal, and it is their children that continued their legacy. This change is imperative and was a large influence during the swift revolution that recently shook the south of calradia. Seeing as the Divi were, though important and still revered, not necessarily divine beings, the divine right of kings was questioned. Though all things are indeed the will of the Maker, the Revisionists focus more on the Gifts of Man. The Maker created these fragile but intelligent beings to watch them prosper, and thusly Revisionists prefer to focus on merit, ability, and talent, rather than simply blood. The nobility still maintain their political control, as it is the Makers will that some men are born to lead and some to follow, but at the level of the monarchy, their power was shaken with this development. Myths of the Revisionist church focus highly on the merit and talent of mortal men, aided by the gifts their Divi ancestors passed down to them. You will find little in the realm of the supernatural in these myths, but rather they are filled with ingenuity, witty decision making, martial prowess, and occasionally, a bit of luck with the help of the Maker.

The Age of Heroes

Following the departure of the Divi, the tribes and petty kingdoms that made up Calradia at this time faced incredible hardships. Many of the old titanous creatures of the days before man had been slain and destroyed by the work of the Divi and the Makers guidance, however mankind now had to prove itself as worthy of the Makers continued care. Many horrible creatures still roamed the lands, and it was the duty of mankind, led by the many children of the Divi, known as the Liberi Deo, or the Liberi for short, began the effort to preserve mankind, and to rise above the rest of the Makers creations to prove its worth. The tales told here are our foundation, the very pinnacle of mankind, and the reason we are here today. The Maker is merciful, but just, and does not give unto those who are not worthy of giving.

*Past this point is where the bulk of the faith’s scriptures are found.*

The tales of the Liberi, the Children of Gods (the name was pinned in the earliest stages of the faith, now the orthodoxy, but only to them are they actually considered children of gods.), or more often referred to simply as the “Heroes'' are found past this point. These tales differ for each branch, some have the same tale told different ways in accordance to belief, but all are made as lessons and it is here that the basis of human morality is found and justified.
This is where the community enters the picture, I have lain the groundwork, but it is up to those of us who want to be involved in the roleplay to fill the rest. There will be a section of the forums dedicated to religions, and there will (soon) be the ability for any player to write up a moral story of any branch, and submit it to be reviewed. If found fitting, and in accordance with the lore, it will be accepted as canon, and this is how heroes and those revered as saints are made. I myself will of course contribute to start things off, but this is more or less how we will, for once, have a religion that has depth, purpose, and meaning. Now rather than empty speeches about penance and sin and vague descriptions of god during sermons, each one can be dedicated to a specific tale, divi, or period of human history. I think this will really help religious roleplay in the community take off, and I hope everyone agrees.

***Side note, everything above this note, and below, may be familiar, and thats because it is what was used for CRP4. From my perspective in 4, more people tended to use this religion in roleplay than did with older versions, and so i figured we could try it again. Everything below is sort of a TLDR/timeline of how Makerists see the world, then a short paragraph detailing why i felt it might be better this way***

-Vahgar(Sky), Rhudan(Sea), Diath(Land), Ortysis(Underworld/Abyss)
-Dieties help man fend off titanous primordial beasts(Split happens here, in some they are gods, some divine entities, some Mortal but powerful men)
-Go back to Maker , leave men to their own devices, but had many children whilst they were on earth and started bloodlines of heroes
-Age of heroes
-Heroic age is where heroes with mortal men following them slay the rest of the primordial beasts of the world, the lesser ones like dragons, hydras, cyclops, giant boars, and other monsters
-tales from here form morality, right and wrong, similar to greek myth, they all have a lesson (most)
-The last of the heroes, Liberi Deo - means children of god, became the founder of the Empire. -Human history starts here. The current date is based on the founding of the Calradic Empire.
-Human history happens.
   

For everyone who is reading this; Yes the origin story of makerism is rather short, I believe the older one wasn't much longer to be fair, but that's the point. It's easily read. The difference between my new one and his old one is that there is INFINITE room to expand and really create a faith. The heroic age is vast and literally brings us from the stone age (with the divi) all the way to the empire. There will be plenty of stories filling the gaps, some written and some passed by oral tradition. So now in a sermon instead of “Be good, praise the Maker, burn heretics” The priests can be orators and tell tales of valour, love, might, greed, and each will have a moral that they can explain to the audience. Think of it like ancient greek mythology mixed with christianity. People can now attend mass and not be bored as fuck, it can last an hour instead of five minutes. Just opens a plethora of new roleplay for the church. And of course they can STILL do the same praising of the maker they like to do, this just gives more options

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Lore / The State of the World (WIP)

« on: December 27, 2020, 01:10:28 AM »

The State of the World

As is tradition upon the continent of Calradia, since the days of the collapsed Empire and beyond, the state of the world is at its status quo; utter disarray. Most lands are either ravaged by war, or preparing for one. In such chaos it is hard to see precisely how each of the Kingdoms is fairing, yet it is clear there are winners and losers of late. However, the tides of success wax and wane like the moon with each passing evening, and the current state of affairs could shift at any moment.

The Kingdom of Swadia

The great Kingdom of Swadia, the famed successor state to the old Vlandian Kingdom, has amassed a great deal of power in the recent decade. Ruled by one of the most famed line of warrior Kings on the continent, they have slowly and surely secured their dominance over the surrounding lands. However, things are not so secure for the Kingdom as they used to be today, and many fear the faltering of their hegemony could spell disaster for their many inhabitants.

After a recent, and wildly successful, invasion of the Nordic Kingdom, the Swadian monarch became greedy, and lusted for further conquests. With his army already gathered in the North after signing a damning peace treaty with the frail and weakened Nordic Kingdom, he pressed his warriors a step to far. The King of Swadia declared that the campaign would continue, despite his lords desiring peace, and a return to their home fiefs. In a bold act, the King declared war upon the Tsardom of the Vaegirs, and demanded his army head for Reyvadin.

This action angered many of his Lords, who feared their time away from home had already been too great. But it angered none more so than the southern marcher Lords, whose lands lay defenseless against their rivals in the Rhodok Confederacy. As it would seem, their fears were soon realized. A Rhodok invasion upon a distracted Swadia has driven many southern Lords to simply take their men home, some even declaring they want nothing to do with the conflict, and in essence breaking from the Kingdom to save their own lands.

The Kingdom of the Nords

The once great Nordic Kingdom has become a shadow of its former self. Whittled down by constant wars with aggressive neighbors, and frequent raiding upon its coasts from anything from savage raiders of the far north, to simple wandering warbands taking advantage of their weakness, they have become haggard and frail. Losing much of their southern and western lands to the Kingdom of Swadia recently, the old Nordic King must now rally what is left of his people to defend against a Vaegir invasion of their north most peninsula, and an attempt at seizing the Jarldom of Wercheg.

With the Vaegirs attacking from the east, the Nordic King now finds himself in a very unusual position, for the Kingdom that just slighted him terribly, the Swadians, now find common cause with him in fighting Vaegirs. Though they are far from allies, the Nordic Kings only hope is to maintain a fragile peace with the Swadians, in order to save what lands he has left.

The trouble for the Nords does not end with war however, for inside the Kingdom the true battle being waged is one of tradition, and progression. With the incursion of the Swadians, has also come the incursion of the Makerist faith. The subjects of the crumbling Nordic Kingdom are torn, and bitter rivalries have formed between those who wish to maintain their old gods, and those who have seen the successes of Makerist Kingdoms, and deemed it to be the will of the Maker. Many feel that the Maker must be real, for he has clearly shown his favour to those who worship him. The traditionalists however, argue that it is the All Father punishing them for losing their faith, and this is why the Kingdom is collapsing. With each side entrenched, it is difficult to see a way forward for the Kingdom.

With a King unwilling to relinquish the old gods, a peasantry supporting him, and an aristocracy opposing him in favour of the Maker, the Kingdom is about ready to collapse entirely.

The Rhodok Confederacy

The Rhodok Confederacy, though ruled by a monarch, remains as it has been since the rebellion long ago, to be ruled closely by the Dukes of the realm. The council of Dukes rules alongside the King, rather than beneath him, and the state functions far more like a union of independent Dukedoms, than a solid political unit. However, this system lends itself frequently to trouble.

In its current state, the Rhodok confederacy remains one of the more stable realms, its system is old and certainly flawed, but the absence of war for the last several years has let them prosper. This prosperity however, has led them to some bold moves recently, namely a declaration of war on a distracted Kingdom of Swadia. Seeing the King of Swadia’s decision to press further north after the Swadian-Nordic War, the Rhodokian Dukes convened at a council in Veluca. They reached the decision to invade from the south, and swiftly gathered a large host of retinues and mercenaries to invade. The desired outcome being the seizure of Uxkhal, Haringoth Castle, Reindi Castle, and securing a new frontier against the Swadian War machine.

This invasion swiftly led to Swadian Lords returning home with their men, only to find a massive host on their doorstep. Negotiations continue at the moment, however many of the southern Lords have expressed their fury with their King, and have some even outright denounced him, claiming pseudo independence contingent on negotiations with the Rhodoks and the Swadian King himself. However, if things go awry, the Rhodoks have some tough decisions to make about their plans.

The Tsardom of Vaegirs

The Vaegir Tsardom has ever existed in a state of icy solitude, partaking more in their own struggles with survival in the tundra than in the politics of the realm. This is not to say they do not frequent the battlefield as often as the other nations, but that their way of life does not mirror those of the heartlands. A near constant struggle with the Khergit Khanates and their frequent raids and attempted migrations north has left them most often on the defensive. However, there are times of struggle, and times of contentedness, now is a time of content.

Recently the defences have become quite reliable, and local garrisons have become very effective at defending their borders, and this has allowed the Vaegirs to capitalize on the weak and floundering Nordic Kingdom. Upon the signing of the peace treaty in the Swadian-Nordic War, the Vaegirs decided to invade the northern peninsula of the Nordic Kingdom, to take the duchy of Wercheg from the already beleaguered Nordic Kingdom.

Much to the chagrin of the Tsar however, their declaration upon the Nords was also swiftly met with a declaration upon their own Tsardom by the Swadians. Thusly, they now must defend their borders from the Khergits, with whom war almost never ceases, the Swadians, who aim to take their Southern stronghold of Reyvadin, and a war of aggression with the Nords.

This complex situation has left them with a stalemate in the north, knowing the Nords cannot attack them, they have brought their forces to bear in the south, and only intend to continue the war with the Nords as a formality, keeping a token force in Nordic territory to continue the war effort. They are confident they can repel the Swadians swiftly, then return to take Wercheg. Perhaps this ambition will come to pass, perhaps it will spell ruin for the Boyars whose lands remain at risk.

The Khergit Khanate

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The Sarranid Sultanate

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