Stekkmen — Roleplayer Guild

TALES OF CALRADIA

Please study and refer to this basic map. Only the big names, those of cities, matter to get a basic idea of the Synopsis and factions. But it's high-rez, so if you want to zoom in and get a look at the villages and stuff for your backstory, go on ahead. 
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/mountandb..

Also, please accept this complementary exposition music.
youtube.com/watch?v=YXd6MeIOuyA&ab_cha..

SYNOPSIS
Calradia.
A land torn apart by incessant warfare, in a time where horses are ridden, blades are drawn and scrolls and scrawled on. It is a large place, full of different climates and peoples, and yet, it feels so small, like the towns are crammed up against eachother. As people often say, there's no such thing a coincidence in Calradia.

Once, Calradia was united, in what was known as the Calradian Empire. Now people refer to it as the Old Calradian Empire, for it is indeed old. A hundred and fifty years have passed since after the collapse of the Old Calradian Empire, and the Age of Divided Calradias has lasted ever since.

It's a beautiful country, really. What makes it ever the more a prize is the fact that it's the only place fit to live, for to the north-east is the Great Frozen Plain, to the east is the Great Steppes, and to the south is the Great Desert, and everywhere else is the Great Ocean. And in the middle of it all, is the stunning Calradia.

Six Kings claim the right to rule the throne.

King Harlaus the Tenth, ruler of the Swadians, second grandson to King Harlaus the eigth, who was a former emperor of the Old Calradian Empire.

King Ragnar of Wercheg, leader to the Nords, the Usurper of Tyrants, and Protector of the Faith.

King Graveth of the Rhodoks, a true king, a true scholar, and a defender against corruption.

Sanjar Khan, sixth of his kind to rule the Khergit Khanate, his horse faster than the wind.

Prince Yaroglek of the Vaegirs, his youth eternal, his passion fuels the fire of every hearth.

And Sultan Hakim of the Sarranid Sultanate, traveller of many lands, teller of many tales.

All rulers believe themselves to be the Emperor that Calradia needs, and all believe the others to be foolish. They are constantly at war and peace, making alliance and trade agreements one year, and once again raiding and pillaging eachother the next. No one is able to hold on to an offensive, or concrete an alliance long enough to destroy and conquer another completely. Vassals of the Kings serve their country and themselves, and weaker factions face internal strife.

But a new feeling has arisen over Calradia as of late. For in the stars, there are signs of great change. It is as if the Gods themselves promise something different, and many think, and many hope, that a new ruler will emerge the rest, and finally put the war to an end. Someone to step up, and form the New Calradian Empire.

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THE FACTIONS OF CALRADIA

The Swadians:
Capital: Dhirim

King Harlaus the Tenth makes his capital and rests at Dhirim, the previous capital of the Old Calradian Empire. The colors of the Griffyn, red and black, fly above Swadian cities and above Harlaus's personal army. They are the most like the Old Empire, and are attempting to reunite Calradia and resume it as it was. Even the old royal bloodline has been preserved, King Harlaus is a direct descendant of the Old Calradian Emperors. Swadia still holds on to the largest military of all the factions, retaining funding from time times where now Swadian lands were the heart of the Old Empire. Swadia's land is fertile, so it's farmlands are productive, and it is in the center of all the factions. Therefore, in order to make cross continent trade, one has to travel through Swadia, giving the Kingdom a very productive economy. They also are home to the Knights of Calradia, or the Knights of Swadia. The Swadians field the most hightly trained and heavily armored cavalry out of all the factions, and they are not to be trifled with. Despite all of this, they are in the center of all the factions, and all wars they fight have the potential to be fought on two fronts; their large, well-equipped military is always fighting a defensive war. King Harlaus has yet to come up with an effective strategy to go back on the offensive and begin reuniting the Old Calradian Empire.

The Nords:
Capital: Sargoth

King Ragnar of Wercheg,  although with great respect for his Northern hometown, makes his capital at the traditional city of Sargoth. Sargoth is an ancient town, some Nords claiming the first ever city established in Calradia, and that all other peoples are simply branches of an ancient Nordic empire. King Ragnar is known as the Usurper of Tyrants to his people, for they believe him to be the great hero all of Calradia needs; that the Old Calradian Emperors, and therefore, Swadia, are supressors of the Nordic faith, (which they may have been) and King Ragnar will usurp the power from the tyrants and restore order. In Nordic legends, it is said that from the Northern land of Jumne, several different tribes made land fall. The trees, Nordic Pine, were sturdy, stubborn, and made the most excellent wood. In order to chop down these trees, the ancient tribes created axes so powerful, they could fell the massive trees with one swing. The tribes battled, using these axes against each other, but the bravest chieftan of all the tribes, Chieftan Sarg, defeated the others and founded Sargoth. Though many people doubt these legends, the oral tradition has been passed down for generations. But some things cannot be denied about the Nords: Their houses are sturdy, their culture runs deep, and their axes always strike true. The Nords claim the most well-trained foot infantry in all of Calradia.

The Rhodoks:
Capital: Jelkala

To the mountain ridden South East is the Rhodok Republic, King Graveth ruling over it in a very non-republic fashion. They are a young faction, forming just over two decades ago, but their power rivals any other faction. The Republic part of the name seems  to just be decoration, because King Graveth, like any other monarch, rules with complete power. Their rise was one of blood shed, they were originally the western branch of the Swadian kingdom. But the war distracted Harlaus from proper administration, he could not keep his western Vassals in check. The then Boyar Graveth apparently rallied the friends, and declared war on the Swadians, forming the Rhodok Rebellion. For a few bloody months, the outskirts of Veluca became a battleground between the two nations. The people were excited and innovative, and in order to counter the Swadian Knights, they developed the finest pole-arms in all of Calradia. The Swadians could not keep up the pressure with the other factions waiting to pounce, and let off their attack and the Rhodok Republic was formed. As a result of the war, the Rhodoks boast the most powerful pole-arm infantry, and possess excellent anti-cavalry troops.

Khergit Khanate:
Capital: Tulga

Long ago, the Khergits were a nomadic people, divided into multiple different sub-factions. They rode their horses across the Steppes, raiding each others' camps and doing battle. They developed into swift and accurate horse archers as a result of the constant warfare. But then, Sanjar Khan the Everlasting, the first Khan, went on a terrible and effective campaign, mobilizing his small tribe and annexing the neighboring tribes. It was over before anyone knew it had begun, and the Khergit Khanate  was founded. He constructed cities, warning the people of the neighboring Calradian Empire's threatening stance, that if they did not modernized quickly they would be enslaved. They did so, quickly. Sanjar Khan the Everlasting earned his name, for he lived to be incredibly old, Khanate Lore claiming he reached 200 years of age. Once he passed away, his son took his place, and then the son of his son, and it was an imperfect Kingdom, to be sure; but the Khergits held together for a long time. But then, the Calradian Empire, in the prime of it's power, invaded. It was a long war, but eventually the Khergits were overcome. But when the mysterious event that splintered the rest of the empire occured, the Khergit Khanate immediately reformed, and Sanjar Khan the fifth ruled for a brief time before dying under very convenient circumstances. Thereafter Sanjar Khan the Sixth was made ruler of the Khergit Khanate.

The Vaegirs:
Capital: Curaw

Unlike most of the other factions, two other rulers were King of the Vaegirs before their current one took control. Even in the days of the Old Calradian Empire, the Vaegirs were almost non-participatory in the affairs of the rest of the Empire. They kept to themselves in their snow-covered landscape, only trading for supplies with the other groups. When the empire collapsed, they formed their own faction only to not be absorbed by default, by the Nords or the Khergits or the Swadians. They fought defensive wars, keeping to their castles are firing upon the oncoming hordes, particularly early Nord invasions. Their archers are very skilled, it is said that in order to hunt the quick and small creatures of the north-east, their arrows had  to be vast and lethal, and their bows had to be reliable; and they are. The finest archers in all of Vaegir gain access to be apart of the elite Longbows. They use the aptly named Longbow, a weapon that requires incredible strength, and is undoubtedly expensive, but one that can fell a knight in one shot. Now, on to the current ruler of the Vaegirs, Prince Yaroglek. Two short years ago, his overthrew his father in cou, his sub-faction known as the Longbows, and comprised mostly of those elite troops. He quickly gained support, and his father had swiftly lost control of his own Kingdom. Prince Yaroglek's policies state that the Vaegirs should begin taking the offensive, that the other factions will never overtake each other, and that it is up to them to reunite Calradia. He calls the old ways far too cowardly, and that the Vaegirs should be far more confident in their abilities. The people got behind this idea, for they were sick of the constant sieging.

The Sarranid Sultanate:
Capital: Durquba

The Sarranids originate from the sandy southern territory, their kingdom is sprinkled with beautiful oasis' that make the land habitable for human life. According to Sarranid mythology, they were the first people to come to Calradia, and that all other factions are just branches off of the original Sarranids. As you can probably tell, the Nords and the Sarranids don't get along very well. Sultan Hakim and his father both shared a trait of persistent studiousness, they read many books together and have sent embassadors to several other kingdoms to aquire ever more books and tomes. Sultan Hakim is a new ruler, his reign only ten years old, but he is already aged and wise, for his father took his advice very seriously into consideration, and it was almost like a shared kingdom. Sultan Hakim's son, however, is an apple that has fallen very far from the tree. He cares not for history and book intelligence, rather he insists that they should be attacking their neighbors, pillaging and looting their towns where Hakim would merely annex them into their kingdom. The Prince Hakim is brash and unliked by his people, and the Sarranid populous dread the day where he takes charge of the Sultanate. Hakim's advisors have also placed him under constant watch, for even if Hakim does love and trust his son, his advisors managed to convince him for round the clock watch. The advisors claim it is for "other jealous kingdoms", but the people know it is truly to protect Hakim from the angry prince. The Sarranid army is a surprisingly vast one for their desolate landscape, the Sultans have done an excellent job of almost eliminating deserters and bandits, so the peasants are safe from any unwanted visitors. Their troops are lightly equipped, opting for speed rather than armor, and it also increases their own marching stamina; the sun is harsh and the turbans and cloth-leather armor they wear reduces their chance of heat-stroke. Even if the people are loyal, other factions can see that the angry prince Hakim is plotting for a rebellion, and perhaps even admires the charming Yaroglek to the North.

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ROLEPLAY PROCEDURES

We will be doing this in way of World Updates. Every roleplayer will create one post, and then I will write the World's reaction to your actions. Sometimes, if all roleplayers in one group have posted, I will do their World Update before everyone elses. Furthermore, if some roleplayers are say, relaxing in a tavern, I will notify them that they can post as many times as they want to interact with the other roleplayers in their vacinity. These "Casual Phases" can last as long as you desire, but may be interrupted depending on the circumstances.
If you do not post enough, you can be kicked from the RP. If you want to quit, notify everyone else, would you? Don't just go quiet on us.
Remember, you control only yourself. For example: When attacking, state your attack, and state your desired results from the attack, but only I will be able to decide if your attack was successful. Same thing goes for conversations with NPC's, or trading, or any other action.
Choose your characters backstory wisely, I will consider it when you do actions. Natives of Calradia, farmers, peasants, merchants, will not be able to do battle as effectively as a mercenary. But then again, nobody but other mercenaries like mercenaries. You can make your character a noble, who is born into a faction already. That means you'd be rich, well-versed, and trained in combat, but be prepared to face the interesting challenges a noble may have to over-come. 
So, please, in your character sheet, your backstory is VERY important, so make sure it's specific and detailed. Unlike other RP's, this WILL effect how the world sees you.
When it comes to choosing a capital city to start in, it by no means binds you to that faction in ANY way. But you have to choose to start in Sargoth, Curaw, Jelkala, Tulga, Dhirim, or Durquba. You could be peasant from one of the neighboring villages making a run into buy supplies, or a merchant to sell his goods, or maybe you just happened to stop by there in your travels. If you are a noble-man or a certain faction, however, you must choose to start in the faction's capital that you were born into.
You may only have one character. 
Your physical appearance can be a face-claim or picture, but be sure to use a few sentences of description either way.
Your personality can be brief, I prefer characters to be developed over the course of the RP. But be sure to make it balanced.
Your equipment includes your clothes, weapons, armor, goods, or anything else you might have on you. It has to reflect your backstory, however, no armor or advanced weapons for farmers, and even if you are a mercenary, keep it to light, cheap armor. Just put the word "cheap" in front of the word "chain-mail" and I'll be happy. We have to have room for plenty of upgrades in this world.

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CHARACTER SHEET:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Physical Apperance:
Backstory:

Personality:
Equipment:

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If you have any questions, ask. If you need me to specify something I may have overlooked, tell me! For realsies.
If you're a fan of the game, you may have noticed I took some liberties when it comes to the games backstory. I hope you're not offended.

You know that game Mount and Blade?
If you haven't let me explain.

It's the mid 1200's, and there's a land known as Calradia. It's like Europe. Pretty small, but lots of stuff goes down.

Basically, there's Six factions in this land. There was once a great empire, the Calradian Empire, but it collapsed and now people are fighting to fill the power vacuum. They make peace, only to declare war again months later. It's a never ending cycle, and in the game, the player is thrown in the middle of it and expected to make their own way. Here are the factions and what they'll be in the RP.

The Swadians
They used to be the top dogs, because it's said that some factions used to be a part of them. They have excellent heavy cavalry, and start in the middle of Calradia. The Swadian counts roam the lands with heavily armored mounted knights at their side, and most caravans have to make passage way through their territory for trade. Despite being powerful, they ARE in the center, and are usually fighting wars on multiple fronts.

The Rhodoks
Their origins are relatively new ones. Only a decade or so ago they rebelled from the Swadians and fortified themselves in the West, where grassy plains clash with dry mountains. Them and the Swadians are almost always a war, but because of the harsh terrain, the Swadians never make any ground. The Rhodoks are anti-cavalry, fielding excellent spearmen.

The Vaegirs
The icy northwest. Another faction in this war, the Vaegirs have the best foot archers in the land. They are few in populations, and their neighbors tend to go after them. But because of the never ending winters and the skilled archers atop the walls, the Vaegirs have repelled many invasions in their time, though they can't keep it up forever.

The Nords
The Vaegirs' northern rivals. Heavily armored axe-men, powerful foot soldiers. Settled by the early vikings, the Nords were the first to step foot on Calradia. But that was a very long time ago, and others have since arrived and splintered off. Fueled by a strong sense of nationalism, the Nords are usually on the offensive, with very few enemies getting into their territory. 

The Khergit Khanate
Basically the mongols. Horse archers and steppe plains to the east. Conquest is part of their culture, and the previously nomadic people reflect this in their tactics.

The Sarranid Sultanate
The Sarranids of Calradia are a splintering off of a great empire somewhere very far south, separated by a vast desert. Though they are connected to another land they have been here long enough to individualize themselves from their previous monarchs and have started a new lineage. Though they call themselves the Sarranids, they share only their name and heritage with their old empire.

--

So, the players would be tossed in, perhaps meet up, and directed to form a mercenary company of some kind like in the game. There could be more than one group of mercenaries if we get enough people, and they may even come into contact or even conflict with eachother depending on how the story goes.

This is a rambly post, but I just wanna know if anyone is interested in something like this.

EDIT:
Also, I'd imagine you could choose what faction to start with. Either a foreigner travelling to the capital of one of the Big Six, or perhaps a wandering criminal group, or maybe you were born into a random village and are going to be dragged into the conflict in some way. Stuff like that.

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