I appreciate the interest thus far. Thought I may as well go ahead and put down some rough NPC bios to give a sense of what sort of diplomatic landscape you might expect in the game.

[center][h1]The Royal Family[/h1][/center]

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[center][h3]King Harlus of Rivia[/h3][/center]

The ruling monarch of Swadia for just over forty years. Known as Harlus the Reconciler after ending the destructive war with Rhodos and forging a lasting truce early in his reign, Harlus was heavily criticized for his concessions to the Rhodos Khanagate.  Perceived as weak, The Nords of Vhaegar invaded, and despite their perception, wave after wave was routed from Swadia under Harlus' leadership. The sacking of Harleston a decade ago ensured peace at last. 

Harlus meticulously expanded the rights of the Crown over Swadia, bringing further centralization to Preven. Several counts banded together to block the king from imposing increasingly stringent crown laws over Swadia, but the coalition broke up after several were proven to be resorting to treasonous revolt. As a result, lands were confiscated and passed over to Harlus' heir, forming the Duchy of Dhim. Soon after, Harlus pledged his daughter, Princess Bella to the Duke of Sunro, effectively making House Rivia the undisputed rulers of Swadia.

Recently, it has been rumoured that King Harlus' mental state is deteriorating with age. The king is said to be living in isolation within Preven Palace, and his court is overseen by his sons, Prince Clais and Prince Dagin.

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[center][h3]Crown Prince Clais[/h3][/center]

Clais of Rivia stands to inherit the kingdom upon his father's passing, and serves on the Royal Council as the Royal Marshal of Swadia. Clais is charged with the overall defense of the realm, and orchestrating the king's banners, as well as chief military adviser. This has given Clais frequent contact with the realm's marcher lords. He is known for being a stern perfectionist and intolerant of failure. His dour sense of discipline hasn't exactly made Clais overly popular in the kingdom, but overall the marcher lords see him as a competent military commander.

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[center][h3]Prince Dagin[/h3][/center]

Dagin serves as the Royal Chancellor of his father's council, as well as the Duke of Dhim. Rule over the duchy as well as the numerous relationships fostered over his tenure as Royal Chancellor has effectively made Dagin the second most powerful man in the realm. It is said he is often at odds with his brother, Clais. Some even whisper that the rift between the brothers grows as the king's health fails, hinting at a possible succession crisis in the kingdom's future. 

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[center][h3]Prince Agon[/h3][/center]

The king's youngest son, Agon has a reputation for being an indulgent wastrel, more concerned with court fashions and parties then his responsibilities at the king's court. Nevertheless, he enjoys a highly ceremonious position as the Royal Seneschal. 

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[center][h3]Princess Bella[/h3][/center]

The Duchess of Sunro and Royal Almoner, Bella is a highly influential member of the royal family and is much beloved among the commoners of Swadia. Her many charities have secured her the love of the baseborn and fostered fierce loyalty in her husband's realm in Sunro. Living in Preven Palace over her husband's in Sunro has ignited rumours that there is little love between her and the Duke of Sunro, yet in the limited time she has spent in Sunro it is said she usurped the affections of the ducal court to her favor, over her husband's.