Demonym: Ustelians
Description: The Order of the Pegasus can trace its origins back to the original Zealots who followed Lindos throughout his conquests. A powerful sect of mages capable of handling themselves in combat, when Lindos eventually returned to the creator himself they chose to create their own legacy in his name. The first Knight Commander of the order, which at the time only had 100 members to it’s name, was Sir Mercator ‘The Blessed Champion’. A master of both magic and the sword, ancient tales tell of him being as strong as mountains and noble as the creator himself. It was said that through the magic bestowed upon him by Lindos he had created the first Pegasus, a horse worthy of Lindos’ name and thus began the Order of the Pegasus.
Initially, though powerful, the Order had little to it’s name other than it’s leadership and history. Often it served as a mercenary company working to reclaim lost lands that were once part of Lindos’ grand empire. It wasn’t until four hundred years ago they found their home in the lands of Ustelia, working as noble knights in service of King Marco I “The Wise”. This service naturally continued through lineage, and as a result the Order slowly grew both in size and in popularity among the people and noble class alike. So much so that among the noble class to have a child serve as a knight within the Order of the Pegasus was one of the greatest honors.
As time progressed however the knights increasingly grew more decadent. To be a knight of the Order was something that could now be achieved through bribery rather than skill. Soon the Knight Commander himself was no longer a the strongest, wisest, and most admirable of the order, but rather just another cog in the wheel of nobility given his position through a series of bribes and slander. It was when Prince Ernesto III was to take the throne after his father’s death that this corruption among the knights began to show.
Two days before his coronation, Knight Commander Sir Berarducci “The Favored” approached the nobles with both shocking and unprecedented evidence of the secret conversion of the soon to be king to Western Lindosian. Soon Sir Berarducci seized control of the throne and the soon to be king was forced into exile.
Sir Berarducci “The Favored” has long since passed and a new Knight Commander named Sir Gregori “The Great” has effectively been crowned king. These recent events have as a result caused a constant state of unrest. The nobility expecting the King’s cousin to take the crown and many of the people longing for King Ernesto III to return. The Order is in a constant state of flux, fighting both the people and nobles vying for power over the lands of Ustelia.
Government: There are two main levels of government and several subclasses within the Order of the Pegasus. The first and central authority within the government is of course the Order itself. Managed by the Knight Commander at the top with supreme authority, who is elected by the twenty Knight Lieutenant’s of the Order which are in turn selected by the Knight Commander himself. The Order has no other ranks beyond the two highest within the order, instead authority is established based off single combat, connections within the order itself, and battlefield experience. These play an essential role in becoming a Knight Lieutenant or Knight Commander.
The second level of government is managed by the many nobles, aristocrats, and town officials within the lands of Ustelia. Each individual given their lands to manage in terms of finance, laws, and trade so long as they act within the confines of the supreme laws established by the Order, often in relation to heresy. Beyond that these nobles are largely autonomous and act in their own self interest within Ustelia often fighting among themselves except during times of war.
Economy: The lands of Ustelia are on the brink of a new golden age brought about by both its trade and technology. Whether it is trading with the commonwealth or the nations of Albion, it has become a trade hub on the Lindos Strait, most notably within the “Horn of Albion”. This geographical location has become a favored spot for trade to both Ustelians and foreigners alike to become wealthy through goods and services.
The lands of Ustelia have far more than geographical convenience to offer these foreign merchants however. To the commonwealth Ustelia is a land rich in precious gemstones, a desired commodity among their elite and wealthy. This desire has spurred new technological advancements as merchants of all backgrounds come to sell the technology of the commonwealth.
This newfound technology within Ustelia have drawn the eye of nations across Albion, nations such as Keva and Zymokar. For other nations, such as Cenaria, Ustelia is just a wealthy trading port for their merchants and smugglers alike to dock within. To all Ustelia’s trade ports are seen as an opportunity to advance themselves among society.
Religion: The lands of Ustelia predominantly follows Eastern Lindosianism. The Order of the Pegasus, being a religious order of Eastern Lindosiansim religiously pay tribute to Lindosia, mostly foodstuff, and are sworn to protect the church from all outside influences. However, this relationship has not always been so reliable.
Geography: The terrain within the country of Ustelia consists of mostly of vast and untamed forests surrounding surrounding the grand cities which are interconnected by major roads littered throughout the country. The soil itself within the country is extremely poor and bear little in regards of wheat and foodstuff. As a result the diet within Ustelia consists mostly of meat from pasture farmers.
Population & Demographics:
10,000,000 individuals live within Ustelia.
98% are Ustelian Humans
1% are Commonwealth humans
1% Other
Notable Locations
- Pelos: Less a city and more a grand temple dedicated to Lindos himself, Pelos is located high atop the Mountains of Ustelia and is home to The Order, thus making it the political capital. There are less than one hundred thousand individuals permanently living within Pelos, most of which are servants, guards, and farmers. The temple and outer city surrounded almost entirely by mountains, thus if it were ever to come under attack defenders would only need to protect one side of the city. It is also home to a rare species called the Pegasus, which the order claims were created by Sir Mercator, the first Knight Commander of their order.
- Komosa: Often referred to as “The City of Gold”, Komosa is well known for it’s wealth, trade, and prosperous population. Home to over one million people, it’s geographical location on the Horn of Albion makes it one of the most visited cities in the world. Some tell stories that its grand harbor stretches for miles just to accommodate for the thousands who comes every day.
- Tarallo: The former capital of the Kingdom of Ustelia and home to the Grand Palace where the former Royal Family once sat. It is said to have been originally built for Lindos, a grand fortress for him had the capital city ever been under attack, but now it is home to the current Knight Commander of the Order of the Pegasus. The city itself is unremarkable outside its political importance and is placed in a central location within Ustelia. It is home to close to 600,000 individuals.
- Codo Fortress: Located in the southern territory between the mountains and the coast, Fortress Codo acts as a chokepoint if any forces invade from the South. Manned by close to 500 knights of the Order, it is a strategically important Castle. It has a small city within it of close to ten thousand.
Personalities of Note
- Knight Commander Sir Gregori “The Great”: Effectively crowned King of Ustelia, Sir Gregori faces a wave of resistance after the recent death of the former Knight Commander. Push back has persisted over the years has thousands call for the return of the soon to be king, Prince Ernesto III. He himself is a harsh and cruel man, willing to do whatever it takes to protect those within the order and it’s grip on the lands of Ustelia. While arguably one of the strongest warriors in the land and a potentially competent military commander, he often makes rash and aggressive decisions on the battlefield.
- Knight Lieutenant Sir Benito: Favored to become the next Knight Commander, Sir Benito comes from the wealthy house of Catto, a family of nobles who own large swaths of Ustelia. A young and inexperienced individual who achieved his position through little more than his wealth and fame among the nobles and people alike. This inexperience has granted him a feeling of purity and innocence among the harsh elite within the Order.
- Knight Lieutenant Sir Edilberto: Corruption, deceit, and dishonesty stain Sir Edilberto’s past. Willing to forgo commands given to him by the order if it means he himself benefits as a result. Honor and loyalty mean little to him. Few know of this corruption outside of the Knight Commander himself, who has chosen to look past these actions in exchange for his connections with shadier organizations.
- Prince Ernesto III: Former Prince of the Kingdom of Ustelia, Prince Ernesto III resides in the lands of Zymokar, secretly under the protection of the Autokrator. Ousted as a heretic, he fled the kingdom quickly to the only country willing to take him.
Institutions:
- The Council of noble gentlemen: With the rather decentralized government within the Order and their laissez faire attitude towards the way they govern their lands, the nobles chose to create a small council to conduct diplomacy, trade, and relationships within the lands of Ustelia. It is also responsible for the institution of dueling among the elite within the lands of Ustelia to settle most arguments.
- The Grand Inquisition: Created shortly after the ousting of Prince Ernesto III as a heretic, the Order had in response created the Grand Inquisition. An order of priests trained in combat to remove heretical influences within the country and ensure that beliefs seen as traitorous to the Eastern Lindosian church were expunged from the lands of Ustelia. Rumors speak of attempts to expand the order outside of Ustelia, yet little has come of it.
- The Komosa Merchant Guild Council: Though most cities within Ustelia are ruled by a single noble or noble family who rules with almost absolute authority, Komosa is a unique exception. Five merchant families constantly struggle for control over the jewel of Ustelia and thus the Order stepped in forcing the creation of the Komosa Merchant Guild Council to quell violence within the city and handle issues in a more civilized manner. Though political assassinations and violence persists, it has been greatly reduced as a result.
Military:
Organization: The standing army of the Order of the Pegasus consist solely of the 5,000 Knights who make up the order and are often times supplemented with levies during wartime. In terms of the capabilities of these knights they are experts in both martial and magical combat. Specializing in enchantments and magical warding they ride into battle on top of a pegasus clad in enchanted plate armor and carrying with them magical blades. If war were ever to break out, most knights however would likely act as commanders rather than front line units. When used however, they often act as flanking units.
The navy however acts almost autonomously of the Order’s will, control by the five merchant families of Komosa, the fleet is in most regards often used to protect incoming trade. Answering each independent family, unification of Ustelia’s fleets are an extremely difficult task and often extremely disorganized.
Troop Total:
Army:
5,000 Knights of the Order of the Pegasus
Navy:
4,000 Marines/Sailors serving in small trade fleets
Other: Though a recent addition to the army, the Knights have been working to integrate artillery and gunpowder units as a commonplace feature among the Order’s ranks, however outside of training levies to perform such feats, little has come out of it.
Other:
+ Knights of the Order of the Pegasus: Chivalrous and powerful these knights are capable of being effective and powerful units on the battlefield. While they do not wield the raw power of most magic users, their magical enchantments, competence on the battlefield, and Pegasus mounts are a key factor in their battlefield effectiveness.
+ Urban Mobilization: As a result of Ustelia’s heavily urbanized populations, mobilizing the people has become both far more streamlined and efficient than in past eras.
+ Horn of Albion: The center of both trade and technology between the commonwealth and Albion has resulted in the Horn of Albion becoming the starting point of a new golden era in both wealth and technological progress within Ustelia.
- Apathetic Commanders: Whether it is due to incompetence, corruption, or apathy, the Order cares little for the people outside of its orders. Often times when conflict breaks out the mobilized populations of Ustelia act more as cannon fodder rather than units to be maneuvered and used.
- Calls to a return of Monarchy: It is rare for a nation to call for a return of monarchy, but the nobles and people alike have an inner desire to see their king crowned once more. This has weakened the people’s will to fight in wars in the name of the Order and thus often times suffer a great moral penalty.
