KINGDOM SHEET

Name of the Kingdom: Kingdom of Arlais
Current Ruler: [hider=Her Royal Highness Queen Nadiege I of the Bodou family][IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/t0pwdl.jpg[/IMG][/hider]
Dynasty: Bodou (300 years)
[hider=Flag][IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/2j2uias.png[/IMG][/hider]

[hider=History] Arlais was founded 800 years ago when the rivalling duchies of the land were finally conquered and unified by the first king of Arlais, Séverin I of the Ducross family. The kingdom then enjoyed a generation of relative peace until the vassals of the realm tried to seize power by attempting to murder Séverins heirs as he lay dying. The coup failed and started a bloody civil war which lasted for nearly thirty years, almost tearing the nation apart in the process. As his children were too young to rule, or even defend the throne, his brother Dacard stepped in as royal steward and managed to conquer the rebellion. The house of Ducross endured for a hundred more years, but the dissent of the vassals never dissipated. The line was utterly extinguished when a second coup successfully assassinated or exiled all of the remaining family members of the Ducross house. The mastermind of the coup, duchess Tyrande of the Gironde family, took the throne and declared herself as queen of Arlais. The Gironde dynasty was beloved by the people and endured until three hundred years ago, when duke Duncard of the Bodou family defeated the current queen Luisette II in the second great civil war or Arlais, securing the throne for the Bodous. They have remained in control of Arlais to this day.[/hider]

Kingdom Traits: Beloved by the People, Developed Infrastructure, Wondrous Beauty
[hider=Explanation]The Arlaisans are an industrious people fond of beautiful architecture and high art. The great cities of the duchies are a marvel to behold, especially the capital of Onryx with its multitude of monuments and fountains. The crown piece, however, is the great dome of the royal palace in the heart of the city. It was designed and built five hundred years ago by the great architect Leysan, and is rumored to be the biggest building of its kind in the world. The cities are all very well connected, primarily out of strategic necessity; the constant wars of the past made good roads critical to the speed of the armies. 

While the Bodous aren’t held in high regard by the nobility of the realm, the people adore them. The royal family is very fond of games and artistic performances and sports them whenever the opportunity presents itself. Bread is usually distributed to the masses at these events, for free. Speaking against the royal family in Arlais will furrow more than a few eyebrows.[/hider]
Military Traits: Good Equipment, Jousting Lords, Knowledge of War, Show of War, Trained Troops
[hider=Explanation]The Arlaisan armies are and have always been a very well-oiled machine. The kingdom has an ancient military tradition stretching back to even before it was unified, with songs, chants, stories and parades as a part of everyday culture. The nobles of the realm rarely keep soldiers of the civilian population, and instead rely on their elite retainers and the numerous mercenary companies of the realm. Nearly a thousand years of strife has taught the Arlaisans the value of good steel and proper education, and it is with pride that the Arlaisan armies present themselves to the world.[/hider]
Trade Traits: Agriculture, Industry, Ports, Rich with Ores
[hider=Explanation]The land of Arlais is rich with golden wheat and sparkling minerals. Everyone but the most poorly wretches has bread and ale on their table, and iron or even steel tools are a common commodity. Constant wars have forced the artisans of the land to excel in order to compete with the rivalling duchies, leading to a well-developed industry. Having an extensive coastline, Arlais sports many coastal cities with big ports. Here they entertain ships from near and far, enjoying the trade they bring.[/hider]
Flaws: Arguable Claims, Corruption, Horrible Vassals, Sellswords
[hider=Explanation]As the Bodous came into power during a military coup, the other vassals are of course questioning their right to rule. The fact that Arlais has no ancient royal family or clear line of succession has always made rule hard for the sovereign of the nation. Because of this, vassals sometimes refuse to send troops or aid during a crisis if it doesn’t directly concern their own duchy. The land is officially united, but the truth is that the unification only matters a duchies own interests are on the line.

It is also no secret in Arlais that the nobles play favourites with certain individuals of the public, namely the rich ones. Money can get you far in Arlais, especially if you know who to bribe. 

The lords and ladies of Arlais has always employed mercenary companies to do their bloody business for them, sporting only small bands of loyal retainers for personal protection. The sell swords are extremely effective at what they do, but can be unreliable; they follow their purse and not their heart.
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Vassals of Arlais

[hider=Ancel]
[IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/2j2atmc.png[/IMG]

Ruled by Lady Mareta Ancel, a noblewoman who has ruled over her household for more than forty years. From her time as a lady she has married two nobles, giving birth to over five children; three boys and two girls. First known as a sweet and romantic dame in tourneys and feasts, she's now grown old and bitter, spitting curses at her children and beating them at times. She has hair on her upper lip and is deaf on one ear. But her keen intelligence, judge of character and brilliant experience in organization and managing makes her an extremely powerful person.

[IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/1zgvkeh.png[/IMG]

The Ancel household was founded by a landowner given several fiefs for his service in one of the civil wars. Aft the gracious reward, he had managed to procure claims on several other counties through marriage, bought estates and swindled minor nobles out of coin. However, he had been beheaded after several such complaints. His only heir was a woman forced to grow and adapt to political environment very fast. Lady Mareta.

Her first husband has been an old man, one of the minor nobles his father had swindled. After having threatened the young lady with pressing another complaint to the royal family, she has married him. Soon enough, he has died of a plague, leaving her with pregnant a daughter, however. The second husband she has married out of love, a third son of the Count of Abaddie, whom she has met on a wedding feast. After a prolonged affair, the two married, but it is rumored that the husband became abusive. After bearing him the rest of the children over the course of twenty years. Her husband having shown signs of madness, she befriended Cardinal Ippocrate Morel, at that time a rather formidable representative of faith in Arlais. Her marriage has been annuled by the Church.

Her children are Pelagia Ancel, her oldest daughter, thirty four years of age and married to a Chernogravian count, depressed after her fourteen year old son died in a disastrous hunt. Gregory, twenty seven years old, unhappily married to Lord Matthias Vidal's youngest daughter, the gluttonous Maria. Salom, a young man barely out of his teens, formidable fighter and regular participant of jousts. Franck, twelve years old, a squire to Sir Germain Vidal. Simona, aged seven, a sickly and spoiled girl.

Her discontent with the Bodou dynasty is widely known, for her father had helped them in their wars, and in her opinion they have been unjust to him and her family. Her contacts and connections are staggering, and her strong ambitions are frightening.[/hider]

[hider=Vidal]
[IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/2nq867c.png[/IMG]

Lord Matthias Vidal is a middle-aged man, knighted when he was young and hardened by training and battle when he was young. He takes great pride in being an Archmaster of the Order of the Sable-Tigre, the sigil of which he keeps as his family's coat of arms. He may be a courageous and chivalrous warrior all-right, but as a lord he has some evident flaws. He's shown to be a poor diplomat and general, as well as being petty, naive, trusting, and short-tempered. In fact, he's practically in Mareta's pockets as she intertwined their families together by marriages. The heaavens alone know what will happen when Mareta and he will marry, although he dislikes the idea of it, much to the Ancel Lady's dissatisfaction.

[IMG]http://i59.tinypic.com/fvk4ue.png[/IMG]

The Vidal family originally hailed from Chernogravia, having settled in Chalewiel and given lands by the royal family for substantial financial contributions to the royal treasury as a merchant family. A relatively young noble house, Matthias is only its' second lord in Arlais, though it is believed that the Vidals had been one of Koronai's most ancient noble families.

Aft the death of Matthias' father, he's quickly formed a friendship with the house of Ancel. He's reportedly married a lowborn woman for her beauty, and she's given him two healthy children. Hippolyte Vidal is his only son, sixteen years old, and is almost completely opposite of his father - where Matthias is proud, Hippolyte is humble, where Matthias is dull, Hippolyte is a genius. And he loathes Lady Mareta. His sister is a quiet, shy woman, fearful of the heavens, yet loving food. She's been married to Gregory, Lady Ancel's oldest son and heir. Hippolyte has been betrothed to Simona, Lady Mareta's youngest daughter.

Matthias doesn't have a stance on the Bodou family, though he's sometimes referred to as Lady Mareta's blunt minion. In some instances, it's shown to be rather true.[/hider]

[hider=Claim on the map][IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/2n1gznt.png[/IMG][/hider]