[quote=@ClocktowerEchos] [@wxps350][@Brithwyr] Just checking to ask that both of you repost your NSs or what you have of them if you want, I was going through the thread to check for claims and found both of your NSs and didn't want you guys to be left behind. [/quote] [hider=Lescatie][center][h1][b]The Most Serene Kingdom of Lescatie[/b][/h1][img]http://rs189.pbsrc.com/albums/z258/Almonaster/Northern_Kingdoms_01.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip[/img] [hr][hr][/center] [b][h2]Overview[/h2][/b] A kingdom occupied by Faeries and the like, heavily inspired by Celtic Mythology. Whilst generally peacful, the chaos around them and the risk of invasion by outsiders has driven them to a state of combat readiness, willing to fight and die to protect their glens and glades. [b][h2]Geography[/h2][/b][hider=Map Claim][img]http://i.imgur.com/RXyiGGJ.jpg[/img] [/hider] Lescatie is well known for its expansive forests and hilly walks. The Fae's penchant for building homes underground or in treetops means that the environment is mostly untouched, with the occasional cairn or milestone. The whole nation has a wild and rugged look, and is incredibly rich in resources that the Fae never use. To hold Lescatie would be to hold one of the most environmentally stunning places on the planet Lescatie is run from the capital city of Glasborough, with other major cities including Kilderry, Strathness, the Orcadian Island and Redwing Brae. Major military forts include Fort St Wick, Fort Melitta, Fort Dalkenny and Fort Belclyde [b][h2]History[/h2][/b] (Pending) [b][h2]Government[/h2][/b] The Seelie Court functions as a standard Monarchy, with the King or Queen being the De Jure leader of the nation. Inheritance laws permit the monarch to choose their own heir, which causes many princes and princesses to clamour for support from their parents and other lords alike. However, King and Prince are largely nominal titles, since female rulers are almost always chosen to rule. The last time a male heir was elected, the following succession crisis saw him abdicate mere weeks after taking the throne. Below the Queen are, of course, her dukes, earls, counts, viscounts and barons. Other than the dukes, Vassals tend to focus their efforts on other vassals. The vassal contract is a very loose and flexible arrangement, allowing dukes to run their duchies almost like independent nations. It is not uncommon for one duke to declare war on outside territories in the name of expansion without the Queen's backing. This means the Queen cannot be held accountable for her Duke's actions but also means she cannot stop a duke from declaring war on outsiders and must specifically have enforced realm peace through her Court to prevent internal wars - a process that is both unpopular and time consuming. [b][h2]Race Description[/h2][/b] Lescatie citizenry is comprised mostly of Aos Si, or Aes Sidhe. These fae creatures are shorter than the average human, with males being around three and a half foot and females roughly four foot tall. Aos Si are universally feminine and lissom in looks. Males are easily mistaken for females to humans, though to these fairies the difference is very clear. What is masculine to most other races is considered animalistic and bestial to an Aos Si. The distinction between Aos Si and Fae is a blurry one and the two terms are often used interchangeably - however there is a very big difference between Fae and Faeries/Fairies. Simply put, a Faery is a subspecies of Fae. A pixie, for example, is a Fae but not a Faery. Locals tend to get very upset when they are mislabeled, even though from an outsider's perspective there is little different about them. Aos Si possess a variety of powers and abilities depending on what sub-race they are. Just about every Aos Si can fly, for example - some have big, beautiful butterfly wings, some have fluffy moth wings, some have bird wings and some have no wings whatsoever and simply glide through the air. By looking at the wings of the Fae and where it lives, one can find out just what kind of Fae it is Faeries, Pixies and Sylphs are easily the most common types of winged Fae, and other than wing shape and skin colour, these creatures appear very alike. Faeries have beautiful gossamer butterfly wings, pixies have nimble bee wings and Sylphs have fluffy moth wings. Sylphs are also pale green in colouration, whilst Faeries are dark skinned and pixies light skinned. In the water you will find Nymphs and Nereids - physical differences are negligible, but both have different magical abilities and cultures. The parrot-winged Mockingfae, known for its ability to imitate sounds perfectly, are considerably rarer than other types and most make a profession singing at taverns and inns. Redcaps, Spriggans and other more earthy faeries can be found in the deep forests - earth fae are considerably more serious and humourless than their air and water dwelling cousins, and are typically stereotyped as grumpy wet blankets. It isn't all fun and games, though. Sinister and creepy beasts dwell in Lescatie that inspire nothing short of terror in their merrier cousins. Banshees are a well known example, being so horrendous they are often mistaken for ghosts. The Three Riders make every little Faery tremble and the Tooth Fairy? Well, let's just say she isn't what modern myths make her out to be. A lot of the time, these Dark Fae are no more aggressive or dangerous than your average Pixie. That doesn't stop them being nightmare inducing to the unprepared. Finally, there are the "animal" Fae. The most common of these are the Cait Sith and Cu Sith, which resemble bipedal cats and dogs, but sheep, wolves, horses and seals have also been noted - Defaid, Wulver, Kelpies and Selkies respectively. Due to their bestial looks, it is not unheard of for pet trappers to accidently take these things instead of real cats and dogs. They are just as intelligent as any other Fae and have retained the ability to talk to the animals of which they are based off of. [b][h2]Culture[/h2][/b] Lescatie Culture is split right down the middle between the Seelie and the Unseelie. Seelie, or "light fae", are the average pixie, sylph, faery, Cait Sith, etc. It is the nature of these creatures to discover and learn. A more curious culture one will struggle to find. The adventurous and playful aspects of society are those most stressed, to the degree where many Fae dont have settled homes and instead wander between barrows and cities. A Seelie is expected to wear bright colours, be a social butterfly and foster a healthy curiosity for foreigners. Seelie can talk to total strangers as if they knew each other their entire lives. In order to build and maintain relationships between friends, Seelie hold large banquets, tea parties and, on smaller scales, perform pranks and tricks to build bonds. The Unseelie are far more serious. They focus on honour and duty, and that duty is to defend Lescatie to their last breath. Often suspicious of foreigners, Unseelie look to themselves and the Seelie to do the duty they believe they were created to do. Unseelie are more practical and less social, often coming across as cold and blunt. They speak of the "greater good", which is used to excuse poor acts performed by its members if the action contributes to this greater good. Unseelie are far more socially conservative and more brusque. Both Seelie and Unseelie worship two deities, the Allfaither and the Sea Mither. The Allfaither is believed to be a creator deity who gave fathered all living creatures, whilst the Sea Mither is responsible for creating non-living things, like rocks, earth, gems and the oceans. They are truly benevolent deities. The Fae, both Seelie and Unseelie, believe it is their job to look after Lescatie, as commanded by the Allfaither himself. "Ye shaa swatch tae yir mither's wark, 'at she has created fir ye, an' ye shaa watch ower it. Fur it nurtures ye an' keeps ye alife, sae ye main dae th' sam fir it". The Allfaither also teaches benevolence to foreign cultures and religions. "Th' allfaither is worshipped in mony forms, by mony names an' by mony fowk. Ergo, ye wulnae strike doon those ay an alien faith tae yoorselves in mah nam, fur ye will strike doon yer ain brithers". Because of the political nature of marriage in these turbulent times, it has been weaponised to its fullest potential. Polygamy and the use of concubines and consorts has always been accepted, but relatively recently same-gender marriages were legalised. This helps Dukes, Counts and the Queen herself broaden the marriage pool for heirs and children - though usually the married couple needs to employ some consorts of the opposite gender to reproduce. [b][h2]Economy/Industry[/h2][/b] Agrarian to the extreme, Seelie culture despises more industrialised methods of production. Their economy is incredibly strictly run and anyone hoping to get into business is going to be regulated out the wazoo. Great care must be taken to avoid pollution and environmental damage. This, of course, makes creating large scale businesses incredibly difficult and the economy is propped up mostly by small trading stalls and independent businessmen. To counter this, Lords have the power to directly appropriate businesses whose owners fail to pay regular taxes, violate the environmental protection laws or generally violate rules and regulation. Foreign goods, particularly those mass manufactured, are taxed to hell and back in an act of blatant protectionism. Many foreign imports are banned altogether. [b][h2]Magic[/h2][/b] [hider=Lore of the Seelie] [hider=Spell Format] [b]Name:[/b] What is the spell called? [b]Type:[/b] (Offensive, Support, AOE, Single Target, Debuff, Buff, etc) [b]Short Description:[/b] Tell us a little about your spell, enough to wrap our heads around it. [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Lore of the Unseelie] [hider=Spell Format] [b]Name:[/b] What is the spell called? [b]Type:[/b] (Offensive, Support, AOE, Single Target, Debuff, Buff, etc) [b]Short Description:[/b] Tell us a little about your spell, enough to wrap our heads around it. [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Lore of the Lost] [hider=Spell Format] [b]Name:[/b] What is the spell called? [b]Type:[/b] (Offensive, Support, AOE, Single Target, Debuff, Buff, etc) [b]Short Description:[/b] Tell us a little about your spell, enough to wrap our heads around it. [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Lore of the Allfaither] [hider=Spell Format] [b]Name:[/b] What is the spell called? [b]Type:[/b] (Offensive, Support, AOE, Single Target, Debuff, Buff, etc) [b]Short Description:[/b] Tell us a little about your spell, enough to wrap our heads around it. [/hider] [hider=Spell Format] [b]Name:[/b] What is the spell called? [b]Type:[/b] (Offensive, Support, AOE, Single Target, Debuff, Buff, etc) [b]Short Description:[/b] Tell us a little about your spell, enough to wrap our heads around it. [/hider] [/hider] [b][h2]Military[/h2][/b] [hider=Peasant Levvy] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Levy [b]Type:[/b] Peasant Levy [b]Short Description:[/b] Desperate times call for desperate measures. Aos Si don't like levy systems, but even they must acknowledge that throwing meat into the grinder until it clogs can be an effective tactic [/hider] [hider=Faery Light Swordsmen] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Light Swordsmen [b]Type:[/b] Light Swordsmen [b]Short Description:[/b] Aos Si falling on the Seelie end of the spectrum tend to be lightweight, lissom and nimble. Ergo, the most effective Aos Si swordsmen are those with light armour and long, thin rapiers. Like what this unit has. [/hider] [hider=Light Spearmen] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Light Spearmen [b]Type:[/b] Light Spearmen [b]Short Description:[/b] Like the swordsmen above, only with spears. Light spears, quick and nimble and good for stabbin' [/hider] [hider=Swordsmen] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Heavy Swordsmen [b]Type:[/b] Light Swordsmen [b]Short Description:[/b] The Seelie idea of a "heavy" swordsman is a Light swordsman with a shield. [/hider] [hider=Heavy Spearmen] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Heavy Spearmen [b]Type:[/b] Light Spearman [b]Short Description:[/b] Like the Heavy Swordsmen, the main difference between a Light Spearman and a Heavy spearman is the presence of a shield [/hider] [hider=Seelie Archers] [b]Name:[/b] Seelie Archer Contingent [b]Type:[/b] Light Archers [b]Short Description:[/b] Plenty of Aos Si are accomplished hunters. Sure, people might bleed a bit more and occasionally beg for mercy in a language they can understand, but its all the same really. [/hider] [hider=Queensguard] [b]Name:[/b] Queensguard [b]Type:[/b] Heavy Spearmen, Mages [b]Short Description:[/b] Only ever seen with either the Queen or one of her children, these guys mean serious business. Only the finest of the fine get to join the Queensguard [/hider] [hider=Spriggans] [b]Name:[/b] Spriggan Warriors [b]Type:[/b] Golem [b]Short Description:[/b] The wooden women of the forest and avowed protectors of the Glades, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Often mistaken for Dryads, you do NOT want to get in the way of their claws [/hider] [hider=Spriggan Matrons] [b]Name:[/b] Spriggan Matron [b]Type:[/b] Golem, Independent [b]Short Description:[/b] Guardians of the Glades and Glens, the Matron is an accomplished beastmaster and WILL turn non-sentient animals on their masters. She's no slouch in the swirling melee and will employ hordes of stinging bees to soften the foe up before finishing them off with vicious claw strikes [/hider] [hider=Unseelie Soldiers] [b]Name:[/b] Unseelie Light Unit [b]Type:[/b] Light Infantry [b]Short Description:[/b] One or a few lines about what they are, what weapons they carry, Total War style if that makes any sense [/hider] [hider=Unseelie Heavy Soldiers] [b]Name:[/b] Unseelie Heavy Unit [b]Type:[/b] Heavy Infantry [b]Short Description:[/b] One or a few lines about what they are, what weapons they carry, Total War style if that makes any sense [/hider] [hider=Unseelie Archer] [b]Name:[/b] Unseelie Archer Contingent [b]Type:[/b] Light Archers [b]Short Description:[/b] One or a few lines about what they are, what weapons they carry, Total War style if that makes any sense [/hider] [hider=Sluagh] [b]Name:[/b] Sluagh Horde [b]Type:[/b] Undead Beast [b]Short Description:[/b] "Let go of your grudges, lest ye be destined to wander the bogs in murderous rage". [/hider] [hider=Banshee] [b]Name:[/b] Banshee [b]Type:[/b] Independent, Ghost [b]Short Description:[/b] The banshee does not scream or wail, as most believe. She sings. She sings songs of forthcoming doom and disaster, predicting destruction for the enemy army. Whilst occupying a mostly supportive role on the battlefield, parrying with empty air is no easy feat and she can call the spirits of the dead to her aid. Beware. [/hider] [hider=Dearg-Due] [b]Name:[/b] Dearg-due [b]Type:[/b] Vampiric, Light Infantry [b]Short Description:[/b] Dearg-Due are the Fae equivalent of of Dhampirs - light, fast and thriving off the blood of the fallen. The more they kill, the stronger they get. [/hider] [hider=Dullahan] [b]Name:[/b] The Dullahan [b]Type:[/b] Heavy Axe Cavalry, Undead, Independent [b]Short Description:[/b] The infamous Dullahan, of Headless Horseman fame. This fearsome demon rides into battle atop a phantom horse and cuts down most in his path. [/hider] ----------------------------- [hider=Queen Morganna] [b]Name:[/b] Her Highest Majesty Queen Morganna of the Wilds, High Queen of the Seelie and Mistress of the Unseelie, Queen of Lescatie [b]Position:[/b] Queen [b]Powers:[/b] Do they have anything of note about them or use any spells or carry any unique weapons? [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] A few short lines on why/how they came to power and how are they generally perceived. [/hider] [hider=Lady Kayleigh] [b]Name:[/b] Her Majesty Lady Kayleigh Goldwine of the Estate of Morganna, Heiress to the Throne [b]Position:[/b] Heiress to the Throne [b]Powers:[/b] Do they have anything of note about them or use any spells or carry any unique weapons? [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] A few short lines on why/how they came to power and how are they generally perceived. [/hider] [hider=Tanist Llaeth] [b]Name:[/b] His Majesty Tanist Llaeth Windwhisperer of the Estate of Morganna, Fifth Heir to the Throne [b]Position:[/b] Tanist [b]Powers:[/b] Hammer and a half - [i]Llaeth uses a Hand and a Half Warhammer[/i] Unpredictable Leader - [i]Llaeth doesn't have one set tactic and is constantly changing plans midway through a battle. Your troops won't see it coming, and neither will you.[/i] Bouts of Mania - [i] Llaeth may occasionally experience manic bursts, regaining energy and morale.[/i] Fields of Blood - [i]The battlefield is a stressful place, no-one denies this. But it affects some more than others. If Llaeth loses all morale, he will suffer a psychotic break, attacking nearby enemies rather than retreating. When the nearby fields are clear, then he will come back to his senses.[/i] [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] Llaeth is the youngest son of Queen Morgana, and second youngest child. Since his youth, he was... unusual. Quiet, brooding, inquisitive without asking questions. In the darkness of night, his caretakers reported hearing him whispering to himself. As others played in the sun, he shunned the light and took solace in dark, dusty libraries reserved for scholars ten times his age. His speech became rarer and more confusing. His midnight whispers began to happen during the day. He locked himself in his quarters for hours on end. The court whispered that he was unwell, that he was losing his grip on reality. Yet his mother and siblings never did anything about it. Llaeth was young, attractive and far away enough from the throne to be useful in a political marriage without posing a risk - his abnormalities would have to be endured. But ignoring him proved a poor move. His quirks eventually manifested themselves as full-blown lunacy. He started switching between moments of manic energy and joy and moody, foul moods at unpredictable intervals. He would no longer lock himself away, but would instead take long walks into the wilderness, sometimes not coming back for several days. In his joyous moments, he was as playful and as merry as any sprite. In his darker moments, he spoke in riddles and had a haunted look in his eyes. And the things he said... This lunacy had another unforeseen effect. The boy often frequented the arena "for fun" and by god, it was a sight to be seen. Even the greatest of the arena's champions couldn't match his boundless energy, ferocious bloodlust and insane strength that belied his small, pretty frame. One of the finest warriors in the nation, nobles are willing to overlook his "quirks" if he can keep getting them victories [/hider] [hider=Tanist Caoime] [b]Name:[/b] His Majesty Tanist Caoime Swiftstep of the Estate of Morganna, fourth Heir to the Throne [b]Position:[/b] Tanist [b]Powers:[/b] Do they have anything of note about them or use any spells or carry any unique weapons? [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] A few short lines on why/how they came to power and how are they generally perceived. [/hider] [hider=Lady Eilidh] [b]Name:[/b] Her Majesty Eilidh [b]Position:[/b] Princess [b]Powers:[/b] Do they have anything of note about them or use any spells or carry any unique weapons? [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] A few short lines on why/how they came to power and how are they generally perceived. [/hider] [hider=High Priest Avalon] [b]Name:[/b] High Priest Avalon Hopewing, Defender of the Faith, Hand of the Allfaither, Mouthpiece of the Sea Mither. [b]Position:[/b] High Priest [b]Powers:[/b] [b]Short Bio/Personality:[/b] A few short lines on why/how they came to power and how are they generally perceived. [/hider] [/hider]