Okay [@Gowi], here is my kingdom sheet. Everything is closish to finished besides the history (I want to wait to see how I can incorporate other PC kingdoms into it) and a few character sheets. I am also willing to change or expand anything you don't like. [hider=Gradiar Vassal Map][img]http://i.imgur.com/LSLm1lM.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=House Aublanc] [b][u]House Name[/u][/b] [b]House Aublanc[/b] [b][u]Sigil[/u][/b] [hider=My Hider][img]http://i.imgur.com/W82NtKG.jpg[/img][/hider] [b][u]House Words[/u][/b] [i][b]"The Bloodline is Precious."[/b][/i] [u][b]House Specialty[/b][/u] [b]Pferdjager Cavalry[/b] – The first nation to put archers on horseback, Gradiar's specialty lies with their unique cavalry unit. Especially useful for hunting and protecting herds, the Pferdjager have also made important appearances in the warfare of House Aublanc. Each rider must be a skilled equestrian with well developed leg muscles, for the use of a bow requires the rider to temporarily ignore the reigns. Though lightly armored during the hunt, the Pferdjager mounted cavalry is a heavy unit during battles, with both rider and mount being outfitted with heavy chainmetal skirts and interlocking metal plates. These heavier units form irregular, rapidly swirling lines advancing in seemingly-chaotic unison that converge in the center of their opponent, raining volleys of arrows the entire time. Some lighter units might also be utilized for flanking and for fighting smaller groups of enemies with the Ababi shot, a military tactic that involves archers engaging and retreating from an enemy while turning their upper bodies backwards and shooting behind their mounts. [b]Ancestral Weapon[/b] [u][b]l'Odyssa[/b][/u] – A longbow created for the founder of House Aublanc, Fleur the Merchant, to signify the completion of his journey across the known world, bringing back the riches that would be used to lay the foundations of his grand house. Crafted by the master bowyer of legend, Iphitus Eurytus, l'Odyssa is a beautiful thing with its ornate bone centerpiece, thick yew limbs, and curling platinum horns. Not every man is able to string this great bow from nook to nook, for it's strong body stands over five feet tall with smooth, rolling curves. [u][b]Important Members[/b][/u] [hider=King Florus][b]Florus Aublanc[/b]: The King of Gradiar and head of the Aublanc family, Florus is a man strong of will and formerly of arm. Ascending to knighthood early in his life, he would go on to succeed his father, Florian Aublanc II, to the crown only Three decades into his life. [b]Appearance[/b]: The King of Gradiar is a refined, distinguished looking man, standing just over six feet tall with broad shoulders and long – almost lanky – limbs. His handsome face and strong jawline show the beginnings of wrinkles, signs of the pressures of ruling. He is of fair skin. His dark brown hair is cut short and beginning to show some streaks of gray. It leads down into a sharp, short beard he keeps perfectly trimmed and shaped. He evaluates situations with piercing and somewhat unkind eyes. [b]Personality[/b]: Florus is singularly focused on success. He is calm and commanding, inner strength apparent to all under his leadership. Though not a master tactician or expert warrior, Florus is determined to learn from his limited experience. As a father, he is stern and unrelenting, demanding only the best from his children. Florus works hard to maintain the appearance of dominance, for his pride won't allow for anything less. He is not a man of honor, and he will take any action to ensure the success of House Aublanc and his legacy.[/hider] [hider=Queen Liliane][b]Liliane Aublanc[/b]: The Queen of Gradiar and wife of Florus Aublanc. Born into another noble family, her marriage to Florus was made purely for political reasons. [b]Appearance[/b]: Liliane Aublanc could be very beautiful if her appearance wasn't so harsh. The Queen dresses extremely modestly and pulls her hair back tightly, giving the overall appearance of a stern, reserved teacher or bookkeeper. She is tall and fair like her husband but with blonde hair. High, pronounced cheekbones and the finest blushes and powders suggest fine breeding and a prosperous lifestyle – exactly the things she wishes to portray. [b]Personality[/b]: Liliane and Florus fit together perfectly, if not in a loving relationship, then a tactful partnership. Like her husband, the Queen values success over morality. She works hard to entertain the ladies of her court and keep the talk of her superiority on the lips of all. She commands several servants to tutor her in all things befitting a noble lady from etiquette and dancing to reading, foreign languages to embroidery, horse riding to a knowledge of wine.[/hider] [hider=Prince Florian III][b]Florian Aublanc III[/b]: Named after his grandfather and his grandfather's father before him, Florian is the very image of a gallant, dashing knight. [b]Appearance[/b]: Florian is still a growing boy, but he carries himself like a man. He is good looking but with a youthful and boyish face. Whether dressed in his glorious armor or fine silk tunics, Florian has the quintessential look of the “fabulous knight in blue, pink and white” from the children's songs every child in Gradiar grows up hearing. From the way his hair is styled for him to the instruments he can be seen playing in the many portraits of the Aber Keep, it is almost as if Florian has been styled as the hero of stories, a facade from the crown to inspire hope in the difficult lives of the hardy people of Gradiar. [b]Personality[/b]: His father always wanted a famous warrior, and through years and years of intense training from the most skilled mentors, Florian has become just that. Though not born with spectacular strength or skill, Florian has become a very competent fighter with the bow, lance, and infantry sabres. This competence has led him to many triumphs in House Aublanc tournament... when paired with a “helping hand” from the man who organizes the tournaments, his father. Despite the fact that he will almost surely succeed his father as king – being the only male heir alive – Florian has little interest in politics and court intrigue. Supremely confident as a result of his privileged upbringing, Florian loves his female adorers almost as much as he loves himself.[/hider] [hider=Princess Martine][b]Martine Aublanc[/b]: WIP [b]Appearance[/b]: [b]Personality[/b]: [/hider] [hider=Princess Meline][b]Meline Aublanc[/b]: WIP [b]Appearance[/b]: Younger and even prettier than her sister Martine, Meline [b]Personality[/b]: [/hider] [hider=Casimir][b]Casimir Aublanc[/b]: Casimir is a child, born a bastard to Artur Aublanc, the brother of King Florus Aublanc. Because he is the only child of the King's brother, Dorian Aublanc, Casimir has been raised in the family, second only to the legitimate children. [b]Appearance[/b]: WIP [b]Personality[/b]: [/hider] [u][b]Courtiers and Retainers[/b][/u] [b]Chancellor[/b]: Sebastien of House Aryllin (Lionsreach) [b]Steward[/b]: Perrin of House Aryllin (Lionsreach) [b]Keeper of the Treasury[/b]: Aggar Black [b]Master of Shadows[/b]: Stefan Walesa, Baron of the Twilight Keep (Shadowweald) [b]Master of Arms[/b]: Oren of House Aryllin (Lionsreach) [b]General Field Marshall[/b]: Robert Staghammer [b]Court Chaplain[/b]: Aksel of House Avalusk [u][b]Vassals[/b][/u] House Aryllin, Duchy of Lionsreach House Bertrand, Duchy of Westpool House Hoying, Duchy of Pipersden House Stormgaard, Duchy of The Storm Coast House Tarsith, Duchy of Shadowweald House Longclaw, Duchy of Rhi'on House Avalusk, Duchy of Bradfirth House Brachyour, Duchy of Arthron House Mout, Duchy of Aaren's Frontier [u][b]Realm[/b][/u] [b]The Kingdom of Gradiar in the Lower Midlands, Upper Lowlands[/b] [u][b]Primary Holding[/b][/u] [b]Aberfin Porth[/b] – The capitol city of Gradiar is the second largest center of trade in the Kingdom (after Westpool). It is a bustling port city that sprawls across several miles with manses, granaries, storehouses, taverns and inns, market squares, brothels, and many, many fishmarkets. Wharfs, piers, and quays are swamped with various boats, neatly paralleling the nearby slums – those swamped with the poor. Tournaments are frequently held in a small collisseum just outside the southeastern gates. [b]The Aber Keep[/b] is the seat of power of the kingdom of Gradiar and the home of the royal family. Not much of a military stronghold, the Aber keep – like the rest of of the port city – is primarily focused on trade. Its wide gates are virtually always open, allowing merchants from all across the Kingdom to enter freely and ply their wares among the fountains and greenery of the sprawling courtyards. [b]Keep of the Roses[/b] – A stronghold on the western outskirts of Aberfin Porth, the Keep of the Roses is the familial stronghold of House Aublanc. It is ruled over by the King's brother, Prince Dorian Aublanc. In the event of the Aber Keep becoming compromised, the Keep of the Roses is designed to fill in as the seat of power in the kingdom of Gradiar. The Keep of the Roses features a castle – much older and more equipped for war than the Aber Keep. It's towering walls surround it to the east, west, and southwest with the south and southeast protected by the mountain range running through the east of Gradiar. To the north, the keep has an entire port, complete with docks, wharves, and shipyards. Also held within the walls are storerooms, barracks, halls, stables, courtyards, a smaller keep, and gardens. All of the household positions in the castle itself are held by experienced vassals from House Bertrand and Hoying. The castle features a great keep and great hall with a crypt, dungeons, towers, and turrets. [u][b]Vassal Holdings[/b][/u] [u][b]Influence & Relations [/b][/u] [b]Terijas[/b] [b]Veronia[/b] [u][b]Exports & Imports[/b][/u] [b]Aquaculture (Squid)[/b] – Many cities in Gradiar (Aberfin Porth, Westpool, Pipersden, Stormgard, Bradfirth) have rose to prominence because of their location close to the sea. Apart from the trade that is abundant along the coast and through the riverbed, one major cause of this prosperity is the success of local squid fisheries. Squid are active at night and attracted to the lights of these various fisheries. Because jigging equipment is fairly cheap, the threshold to break into the squid fishing profession is fairly low, enticing many of the hardy, determined folk of Gradiar. [b]Horses[/b] - Gradian horses, a sub-breed of horse native to Orlandis, are hardy and able to traverse both the mountainous environments and rolling, riverside plains of the Kingdom of Gradiar. They are not the fastest or the best for pulling carts, but their sturdy, thick bodies are great for transporting heavy loads of luggage and heavy people individually. [b]Ore (Tin, Copper, Platinum)[/b] – The mountainous passes of Gradiar are home to heavy riches in raw ore but also to dangerous creatures like feral wolves and dire spiders. Miners must work with others and either double as warriors themselves or hire guards for their mining parties. [u][b]Recent History[/b][/u] [u][b]Other Information[/b][/u] N/A [/hider]