Slamurai

Fabula Elysia - Medieval Fantasy Nationgame

@Shorticus
How's this look?

Vyddru history

In antiquity, Vyddru was a vast, wild home to many tribes of the Gwyllion. Divided into clans and tribal identities, these factions coexisted through trade, though frequently warred over territory and possessions. They worshiped many gods, and followed the rituals and traditions as decreed by the druids.
Their way of life took a dramatic change when the Ardonian Empire sent ships across the sea, and began to settle in traditional Gwyllion land. They first landed at Ynys Dantom, establishing imperial settlements and forming client states out of conquered lands. Initial contact did not bode well for either side, and soon the Ardonians began to mount incursions into the ancient mainland. Centuries of warfare saw the balance of power shift between the Empire's legions and their tribal warrior adversaries; though better equipped and orderly, the legionaries succumbed to the Gwyllion warriors in ambushes and raids, where they had the advantage of familiarity with the land. Some tribes fell under Imperial occupation, and there were indeed Gwyllion that served the foreigners in military capacity. The Ardonians brought Revelationism to Vyddru, resulting in the conversion of subjugated Gwyllion tribes.

In time, the Ardonian Empire was beginning to strain itself under the burden of war. With the fighting against Zhodul, Alexan's purge of the dragons, and his subsequent overthrowing by Gullo, the Empire gradually abandoned Vyddru, leaving behind their former subjects. As hostilities came to an end, with both cultures having had their share of defectors to either side, great cultural exchanges were the hallmark of this new peace. Gradually, Gwyllion society evolved to take on Ardonian influences, with a feudal system rooted in its old legacy of tribal communes. Imperial technological developments and academics were adopted by the Vyddreig, and the kingdoms that arose from antiquity engaged in trade. There remains an Ardonian-Gwyllion culture, and influences from Imperial rule are evident in society and government.

Fast-forward several centuries, and Vyddru has reached its hand into the international sphere. It has established itself as a fast-growing nation with a strong maritime presence in the east. Its borders have expanded northward, resulting in warring upon contact with the southward-bound Order. The Kingdom's northward expanse was halted forty years ago, when the Order moved to invade the Kingdom of Iorica, a territory that was to be inherited by Duke Bryn of Helonshire, cousin to King Maldwyn IV. War broke out between the two powers, with the Kingdom's armies gaining an edge after a strong initial push. However, decades of fighting had left the northern countryside in ruin and taken its toll on Vyddru's treasury. Popular opinion in favor of the war was diminishing. A solid Order counteroffensive eventually pried Iorica from Vyddru's aspirations with the Battle of Dalion. (More modern developments, etc. etc.)

Fabula Elysia - Medieval Fantasy Nationgame

<Snipped quote by Aristo>

That works perfectly for me. I'll let you decide what the state of our current relations is, but Ardonia is no longer an empire or a binge-conquering land.

But you could be especially Celtic if you wanted. If Arcturia is Rome, then Ardonia is Romano-British, and your nation can be Romano-British or whatever it is you want.

@Shorticus

Excellent; I'll get to work on revising my history. I think that given the course of Arcturia's influence and history within our lands, my people would see themselves as a distinct culture, but having close ties to your society, in a sort of fraternal way.

Fabula Elysia - Medieval Fantasy Nationgame

<Snipped quote by Aristo>

The Arcturian Empire = a Rome, inspiring my nation which = a sort of Britain, which could perhaps have helped inspired yours at around the same time?

@Shorticus

I like that route; could the Empire have tried to settle in my nation during its height and abandoned it after the fall, leaving a kind of Romano-British-equivalent culture in my territory? The war with Zhodul, coupled with the dragon incident and the infighting may have contributed to it pulling out of #6.

Fabula Elysia - Medieval Fantasy Nationgame

Would anybody like to have been the Rome to my Britain in our setting's antiquity, and as a result, propelled me into the feudal age over a few centuries? My new 'theme' borrows from Celtic/Welsh history and culture.
Nowadays, I'll have been all caught up technologically, with some institutional and societal feel from your 'Rome.'

I'm #6, for reference.

Deleted

@ShorticusLooks good to me; thanks!

Fabula Elysia - Medieval Fantasy Nationgame

I'm thinking of revamping my NS. Nothing dramatically different, but I'm not as drawn to my original race, so I'll use a new one. History with @The Nexerus's Order won't change; but I'm starting some sections fresh to reinvigorate myself for the RP.

@RisenDead Now that we're new neighbors (I'm #6), I'll have to revisit some passages in my NS to accommodate your faction. I had it in my history that the island was part of #5, and I'd conquered it, but that was with the previous player of your land claim. Any particular ideas you might like to pursue, considering the Order at our doorstep is not too friendly to non-humans?

How does this sound as a preliminary history? It involves gnomes, so I thought I'd run it by you.

New History

In antiquity, Virith was a vast, wild home to many tribes of the Gwyllion. Divided into clans and tribal identities, these factions coexisted through trade, though frequently warred over territory and possessions. Their way of life took a dramatic change when gnomish explorers, hailing from what would come to be be Khor Kaldhur, began to settle in traditional Gwyllion land. Initial contact did not bode well for either side, and soon the gnomes began to mount incursions into ancient Virith to “tame” their adversaries. Centuries of warfare saw the balance of power shift between each side; though better equipped and orderly, the gnome legionaries succumbed to the Gwyllion warriors in ambushes and raids. Knowledge of their home geography was crucial. Some tribes fell under gnomish occupation, and there were indeed Gwyllion that served the foreigners in military capacity. Towards the end of the ancient era, most of Virith had been reclaimed by its native people, though gnomish influence forever changed Virithian society.

As hostilities came to an end, with both cultures having had their share of defectors to either side, great cultural exchanges were the hallmark of this new peace. Gradually, Gwyllion society evolved to take on gnomish influences, with a feudal system rooted in its old legacy of tribal communes. Gnomish technological developments and academics were adopted by the native Virithians, and the two groups engaged in trade.

Fast-forward several centuries, and Virith has reached its hand into the international sphere. It has established itself as a fast-growing nation with a strong maritime presence in the east. Its borders have expanded northward, resulting in warring upon contact with the southward-bound Order.

Totally not mirroring Rome's legacy in Britain.

Deleted

Princess Dhatru

Name: Princess Dhatru

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Appearance: Dhatru stands tall, with broad shoulders and limbs. She is the antithesis of the noble ladies of Atlantis or Thrule; where they are slim and frail from lack of activity, her body is solid and muscular. Her strength is complimented by well-developed and full breasts and hips; an ensemble that some would regard the paragon of “barbarian beauty.” Her hair is fairer than wheat and groomed into ornate braids. Though her people are barbarians, she is a princess nonetheless, and makes her station known with all manners of jewelry and trinkets.

Personality: A degree of aloofness can be seen between Dhatru and her followers; through the years of her reign, she has come to rely on her sorcerous reputation to instill loyalty in others. A blink of an eye there, or a wave of the hand here, and her powers are manifest and order restored. Where one man may step out of line, an example can be made, and more will take his place. She is accustomed to being obeyed, to her objectives being within reach and especially, to being feared. Such power has made her somewhat complacent in herself.

However, Dhatru is also plagued by restlessness, perturbed with the need for fulfillment, but never wholly finding it. She is irritable and finds it difficult to remain idle for long. As a result, she spends her time leaping from one activity to another, lest any feeling of gratification escape her. Some might call her paranoid, pointing to her restless nights walking the halls and whispering to invisible confidants as evidence.

History: Dhatru was born well after the beginning of the Age of Dawn – a daughter of Lemurian warlord Franzic, who'd established his own small kingdom between the borders of Hyperborea and Thule. King Franzic was, in fact, the son of one of the generals who followed the mighty warlord against Iiram, whose name none speak. Franzic capitalized on this fact, using his lineage to gather followers and strengthen his territory.

Franzic succumbed to wounds he sustained during battle with a rival Lemurian faction, leaving his only child, Dhatru to inherit his kingdom. The princess, aged seventeen, immediately gathered the closest of her father's confidants and with them reinforced her right to rule. With a keen eye and strong arm, she set about purging political rivals from her inner circle. Any dissidents that were to be found in command, she slew herself. With her rule consolidated, Dhatru turned her attention to neighboring tribes and kingdoms.

It was also around this time that she'd begun claiming to have visions of “Dark Gods” and their extraplanar servants. Any doubts to these claims were crushed when a rebellious chieftain splintered from her rule, and in her wrath, Dhatru's vengeance channeled a portal, through which a throng of fiends manifested and tore him apart. Other similar displays of power convinced neighboring tribes to bend their knee. When she marched on the neighboring petty kingdom of Novorad, she'd promised her followers she would conquer it in no more than six day's time. On the sixth day, when her axe fell on the throat of the Novorad's king, there was no questioning her right to rule. Word spread of the “Witch Princess” throughout western Lemuria, even into Hyperborea and northern Thule.

Now in her twenty-third year, Dhatru has claimed vast swathes of eastern Lemuria, and brought the banners of many tribes under her direction. She has even found allies in Hyperborea, her ranks diverse with people of many origins. Nevertheless, as her authority waxes, there are some barbarians which see her as a threat; a vessel of evil that cannot be trusted. In the deeper reaches of the untamed north, clans conspire against her. Wary kings of Thule gather armies and raise their drawbridges at night, eyes glued to the horizon for the sight of Lemurian banners. Dhatru's reputation serves both as a boon and a bane.

Journey: The simplest of barbarians are content to kill or be killed; the promise of bloodshed equal to, if not greater than the promise of booty. Dhatru is above such base entertainment, having tasted the sweetness of power, but who's thirst has yet to be sated. Though she has made great strides to empower the command that was once her father's, Dhatru's blessings (or afflictions, depending who you ask) have emboldened her reach. Her influence is at its height, but she feels less and less satisfaction from each victory - chasing the scent of blood in hopes of quelling a hunger that will not subside. Her eyes are set on many goals: the northern kingdoms of Thule, her enemies in eastern Lemuria, opposition in deep Hyperborea, as well as places of power that she has seen in her visions.

Ideals:
Avarice: Dhatru is a muse of avarice; she desires many things, that even when attained, may not bring her the satisfaction she imagined they would. Her quest is one of fulfillment, and with each objective completed, a greater desire swells in her heart. She is never wholly satisfied, restless and anxious for the next hint of gratification. Whether her rapacity can ever subside has yet to be determined.

Faust & Mephistopheles: The extant of Dhatru's link to the Dark Gods are immeasurable, as even she cannot say how deeply they stare into her soul. It is clear that her successes are the result of collaboration with these entities, but to what end they have elected to be her patron is not certain. In this sense, Dhatru's ability to wield their power is a true gamble. Who can say what will become of her when they decide to collect interest on her loan?

Ancestor Worship: In a looser sense, she also represents the desire to surpass one's ancestors. Her realm far exceeds the original boundaries of her father. In her early life, Dhatru was close to King Franzic, and his lessons emphasized the importance of tradition and familial bonds. Her additions to Franzic's kingdom can be interpreted as her way of honoring his memory. It may also be an homage to the “Unspoken Warlord” that ravaged Iiram during the Years of Dusk.

Holdings: Dhatru's sphere of influence stretches from Lemuria's western coastline to expanses at the border of Hyperborea and Thule. She has several tribes and clans of barbarians at her command, giving her a strong core to raise her army. Be as it may, her powerbase is decentralized, and she cannot prevent disputes between distant tribes from arising. They are united only by a fragile thread of awe and dread that her command of ungodly powers has weaved. In that sense, her strongest allies can very accurately be described as whichever tribe she happens to be closest to at a given time. What her domain lacks in refinement and sophistication of the south, it makes up for in sheer, brutal simplicity.

The Lemurian princess resides in her home keep of Vostraghis, a bastion along the coastline. It is not a luxurious place, compared to the palaces and castles of the south, but it is a farcry above the sea of hovels, yurts and tents that are common in the barbaric north. There are treasures foreign and domestic that adorn the halls, plunder from the far reaches of the world that has, one way or another, found itself in the least likely of places. Dhatru has no shortage of servants, captivated by her sorcery to obey her whims. Weapons, horses, ornaments, strong drink, and rich foods, she has aplenty. From this stronghold, she directs the movements of her warbands, plots her next advances and conspires with entities unseen.

Deleted

Here's where I imagined Dhatru's sphere of influence would be at its strongest, circled in green:

Deleted

@Dead Cruiser
Here's a preliminary draft of what I've been working on. Definitely not a typical 'Jeanne d'Arc,' unless your Jeanne's a barbarian.
Not sure if I'm over or underselling her. I've left her powers pretty ambiguous, which might be a good or bad thing, depending on what you're after.

Princess Dhatru

Name: Princess Dhatru

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Appearance: Dhatru stands tall, with broad shoulders and limbs. She is the antithesis of the noble ladies of Atlantis or Thrule; where they are slim and frail from lack of activity, her body is solid and muscular. Her strength is complimented by well-developed and full breasts and hips; an ensemble that some would regard the paragon of “barbarian beauty.” Her hair is fairer than wheat and groomed into ornate braids. Though her people are barbarians, she is a princess nonetheless, and makes her station known with all manners of jewelry and trinkets.

Personality: A degree of aloofness can be seen between Dhatru and her followers; through the years of her reign, she has come to rely on her sorcerous reputation to instill loyalty in others. A blink of an eye there, or a wave of the hand here, and her powers are manifest and order restored. Where one man may step out of line, an example can be made, and more will take his place. She is accustomed to being obeyed, to her objectives being within reach and especially, to being feared. Such power has made her somewhat complacent in herself.

However, Dhatru is also plagued by restlessness, perturbed with the need for fulfillment, but never wholly finding it. She is irritable and finds it difficult to remain idle for long. As a result, she spends her time leaping from one activity to another, lest any feeling of gratification escape her. Some might call her paranoid, pointing to her restless nights walking the halls and whispering to invisible confidants as evidence.

History: Dhatru was born well after the beginning of the Age of Dawn – a daughter of Lemurian warlord Franzic, who'd established his own small kingdom between the borders of Hyperborea and Thule. King Franzic was, in fact, the son of one of the generals who followed the mighty warlord against Iiram, whose name none speak. Franzic capitalized on this fact, using his lineage to gather followers and strengthen his territory.

Franzic succumbed to wounds he sustained during battle with a rival Lemurian faction, leaving his only child, Dhatru to inherit his kingdom. The princess, aged seventeen, immediately gathered the closest of her father's confidants and with them reinforced her right to rule. With a keen eye and strong arm, she set about purging political rivals from her inner circle. Any dissidents that were to be found in command, she slew herself. With her rule consolidated, Dhatru turned her attention to neighboring tribes and kingdoms.

It was also around this time that she'd begun claiming to have visions of “Dark Gods” and their extraplanar servants. Any doubts to these claims were crushed when a rebellious chieftain splintered from her rule, and in her wrath, Dhatru's vengeance channeled a portal, through which a throng of fiends manifested and tore him apart. Other similar displays of power convinced neighboring tribes to bend their knee. When she marched on the neighboring petty kingdom of Novorad, she'd promised her followers she would conquer it in no more than six day's time. On the sixth day, when her axe fell on the throat of the Novorad's king, there was no questioning her right to rule. Word spread of the “Witch Princess” throughout western Lemuria, even into Hyperborea and northern Thule.

Now in her twenty-third year, Dhatru has claimed vast swathes of eastern Lemuria, and brought the banners of many tribes under her direction. She has even found allies in Hyperborea, her ranks diverse with people of many origins. Nevertheless, as her authority waxes, there are some barbarians which see her as a threat; a vessel of evil that cannot be trusted. In the deeper reaches of the untamed north, clans conspire against her. Wary kings of Thule gather armies and raise their drawbridges at night, eyes glued to the horizon for the sight of Lemurian banners. Dhatru's reputation serves both as a boon and a bane.

Journey: The simplest of barbarians are content to kill or be killed; the promise of bloodshed equal to, if not greater than the promise of booty. Dhatru is above such base entertainment, having tasted the sweetness of power, but who's thirst has yet to be sated. Though she has made great strides to empower the command that was once her father's, Dhatru's blessings (or afflictions, depending who you ask) have emboldened her reach. Her influence is at its height, but she feels less and less satisfaction from each victory - chasing the scent of blood in hopes of quelling a hunger that will not subside. Her eyes are set on many goals: the northern kingdoms of Thule, her enemies in eastern Lemuria, opposition in deep Hyperborea, as well as places of power that she has seen in her visions.

Ideals: Dhatru is a muse of avarice; she desires many things, that even when attained, may not bring her the satisfaction she imagined they would. Her quest is one of fulfillment, and with each objective completed, a greater desire swells in her heart. She is never wholly satisfied, restless and anxious for the next hint of gratification. Whether her rapacity can ever subside has yet to be determined.

The extant of Dhatru's link to the Dark Gods are immeasurable, as even she doesn't know how deeply they stare into her soul. It is clear that her successes are the result of collaboration with these entities, but to what end they have elected to be her patron is not certain. In this sense, Dhatru's ability to wield their power is a true gamble. Who can say what will become of her when they decide to collect interest on her loan?

In a looser sense, she also represents the desire to surpass one's ancestors. Her realm far exceeds the original boundaries of her father. In her early life, Dhatru was close to King Franzic, and his lessons emphasized the importance of tradition and familial bonds. Her additions to Franzic's kingdom can be interpreted as her way of honoring his memory. It may also be an homage to the “Unspoken Warlord” that ravaged Iiram during the Years of Dusk.

Holdings: Dhatru's sphere of influence stretches from Lemuria's western coastline to expanses at the border of Hyperborea and Thule. She has several tribes and clans of barbarians at her command, giving her a strong core to raise her army. Be as it may, her powerbase is decentralized, and she cannot prevent disputes between distant tribes from arising. They are united only by a fragile thread of awe and dread that her command of ungodly powers has weaved. In that sense, her strongest allies can very accurately be described as whichever tribe she happens to be closest to at a given time. What her domain lacks in refinement and sophistication of the south, it makes up for in sheer, brutal simplicity.

The Lemurian princess resides in her home keep of Vostraghis, a bastion along the coastline. It is not a luxurious place, compared to the palaces and castles of the south, but it is a farcry above the sea of hovels, yurts and tents that are common in the barbaric north. There are treasures foreign and domestic that adorn the halls, plunder from the far reaches of the world that has, one way or another, found itself in the least likely of places. Dhatru has no shortage of servants, captivated by her sorcery to obey her whims. Weapons, horses, ornaments, strong drink, and rich foods, she has aplenty. From this stronghold, she directs the movements of her warbands, plots her next advances and conspires with entities unseen.

Deleted

<Snipped quote by Aristo>

That sounds perfectly reasonable, though the latent magic power could use some clarity or specificity.

@Dead Cruiser

I haven't given the power(s) a ton of thought; I was hoping to catch some insight as to what would be within the parameters of the setting. One thing that crossed my mind was a connection to one of the Old Gods, or some other extra-planar entity, who could offer knowledge about the past and hints of the future. Another idea was being able to summon or commune with a pantheon of "demons" who advise and help her.

In terms of backstory, I've narrowed her origin to Lemuria; she is a descendant of one of the Warlord's generals, and her aim could be to restore order to the fractured tribes and continue his work. Her consorting with demons and the like could incline her followers to believe she was blessed.