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OOC: "Queen of The Known World"

CutiePie1997

CutiePie1997

Literotica Guru
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OOC:
"Queen of The Known World"

ALL THREADS ARE CLOSED 1x1s
If you are interested in beginning a new 1x1 thread
within this Universe, PM me.
Do not post interest here.

IC THREADS (in Timeline order):
"Queen of the Known World" -- in progress
"Lady of the Lake" -- concluded
"Search for the Whore's Gold" -- closed but yet to begin​

List of Characters

List of non-characters (still worth knowing about)

History of the Known World:Map of the Known World w/ Topographical Descriptions
Politics of the Known World -- Prior to and following the Falling Wars.

The Falling Wars

Other Resource Pages:
 
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"The Known World"

Link in case you want to open it in another tab.
0sAUlDr.jpg

Key: A basic explanation of the map's features.

Topography:
  • Dark green: lower elevations of mostly lush grass and shrub lands.
  • Light green: middle elevations of grass lands.
  • Yellow: higher elevations of more arid lands.
  • Black triangles: mountain peaks.
    • All peaks get some degree of snow cover during the winter.
    • Only those 6 peaks nearest Frost Bay -- the region called the Unnamed Untamed -- are snow capped year round.
  • Green trees: trees ... what else?
  • Very light blue: fresh water lakes.
  • Splotchy blue-green (such as the Fenwater or near Lux): swamp and wetlands.
  • Darker blue: Salt water seas.
    • The Great Circle Sea: surrounding The Known World.
    • The Inner Sea: surrounding the peninsula of Tella-Un.
  • Large gray circle on Tella-Un: active volcano called Un.

City markers:
  • Shape of marker:
    • Small circles: small cities, most with a keep and some sort of barricade defense.
    • Large circles: larger cities, most with a castle and all with an assortment of barricade defenses.
    • Star: Capital cities, typically the largest city in a sovereign region and typically the best defended of cities.
  • Colors of marker:
    • Green: Meretheni Federation pre-war. Most are now independent.
    • Blue: Ras Rufna Kingdom pre-war. Most are now part of the Frenkish Empire, though the 3 cities to the south are off and on in rebellion against the Emperor.
    • Violet (surrounding white): Republic of Yalla pre-war. Most are now independent, though there is still a great deal of commerce between them.
    • Red: The Order of Vint (a religious order) pre-war. Most were sacked and, trapped between warring parties, are little more than ruins occupied by the lowly helpless.
 
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Onya:

Physical Description:

Personality:
  • Strong willed.
  • Loyal.
  • Cunning.
  • Intelligent.
  • Educated and literate.
  • Pure of body (virgin).

Possessions:
  • A back pack of personal items (clothes, a few knickknacks, hygiene products).
  • Hidden in the bottom of the back pack, a map of The Known World.
  • Little more.

History:
  • 11th child of:
    • Lord Rolton, of the House of Mereth, King of the Meretheni Federation.
    • Lady Ella, of the House of Ras Rufna:
      • Youngest daughter of the Frahm (king) of Ras Rufna.
      • Granddaughter of the High Counselor (elected ruler) of the Republic of Yalla.
  • At age 6, she first became aware of the conflict that was endangering her family, her people, her homeland.
  • At age 7, she began losing siblings to war, accident, and disease.
  • At age 8, she learned the word siege as the Meretheni Federation's capital city of Fothala was surrounded by local rebels and foreign invaders who simultaneously warred with her father's forces and amongst themselves over the spoils of the wealthy city.
  • At age 9:
    • Onya and her two youngest siblings were snuck out of the city to Kinth, where they would supposedly be safe.
    • The once loyal Lord of Kinth betrayed King Meretheni, though, and sold the three children to the Lord of Morbeth.
    • The Lord of Morbeth betrothed the three Mereth children to his own children with an eye on solidifying the legitimacy of future claims upon The Known World.
    • Servants who claimed continuing loyalty to King Mereth snuck the three children out of the castle.
    • During their flight, though, Onya was separated from her siblings. She would never see them again.
    • It was only after they had escaped Morbeth that Onya learned her saviors were actually slavers who intended to sell her to a Party with money.
  • For 3 (2) years, Onya was drug through the wetlands of the Fenwater as her captors searched for someone to buy her.
  • (2)
  • At age 12:
    • Onya escaped and found her way to Virta.
    • She made her way to the Great Temple of the Order of Virta and presented herself as the daughter of King Rolton.
    • She was taken to Vint, where she spent the next three years as both a servant to and a student of the High Priest of the Order of Virta.
    • She was educated in reading, writing, arithmetic, history, dance, art, and more.
    • Although her presence and identity were kept secret by the Priests, her place and position was impressed upon her by the High Priest, who had both arranged and officiated the wedding of her parents two decades earlier.
    • Over time, information continued to arrive about the deaths of each of her siblings.
  • At age 15:
    • Onya learned of the death of her last (and eldest) brother during battle on The Great Steppe.
    • In despair (and also feeling the pressure of being the last Mereth heir), she fled into the rolling hills surrounding Vint to be alone.
    • While there, she was captured by slavers.
    • Onya was asked and confirmed that she was a virgin.
    • Girls who were virgins, fair skinned, and of a hair color other than black were considered religiously unique to the people of the northern region called the Unnamed Untamed.
    • Onya's captors took her north and sold her to the powerful Chieftain Borona.
    • She served the Chieftain's First Wife for 3 years.
  • At age 18:
    • Her Master was killed by Baldr.
    • Added 11/2/16: After months of service to Baldr as an Untouched, during which she came to realize that he was destined for greatness beyond the Unnamed Untamed, Onya revealed her true identity.
    • She told Baldr that with her pedigree and his army, they could rule the Known World as King and Queen.
    • They rode south to Virta, in the Territory of Vint, (Map of the Known World), to find a Priest of the Old Religion to marry them, something Onya insisted on primarily because she wasn't ready to become Baldr's lover. (During this time period, Onya's servant, Gree, began sleeping with her at night to educate her on what being touched would be like.)
    • Upon reaching the City of Virta, though, Onya was kidnapped by Aliza of the Darkness (the City's special forces-like force), who initially presumed that Onya was a hostage of Baldr.
    • Onya was whisked away to the City of Vint, where the High Priestess of the Order of Vint decided she would be married to an appropriate Southern Noble or Royal.
    • Onya was instead rescued by Aliza, who -- upon realizing her error -- had switched allegiances from the Clan. (Aliza was injured and left behind, presumably killed, during the rescue.)
    • Upon returning to Baldr, Onya watched the City of Vint fall to the Clan, then supervised at Baldr's side over the surrender of the City.
    • And our story continues.
 
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BALDR:

Appearance: Clan Lord

  • Northern Clansman
  • 6 foot 4 inches tall
  • Long hair usually worn in a warriors braid
  • 24 (At start of role-play)
  • His name means Prince in the language of the clans.

Personality:

  • Loyal
  • Intelligent
  • Strong willed
  • Dominant
  • Powerful

Possessions:

Personal:
  • Sword
  • Dagger
  • Armor
  • Horse
  • Onya

Chieftain:

Baldyr is the chief of Clan Baldyr. It is the biggest clan in the North and at the start of the role play numbers close to 10,000 warriors plus all people associated with them. (Wives, slaves children etc.) He owns a vast treasure Horde, large herds of beasts and a fine stable of horses, plus technically he owns all goods owned by his clan including the slaves, all herd animals and horses.

History:

  • Only son of Haldur and Freya
  • Named Baldr which means Prince
  • At 3 rides horse on his own for the first time
  • At 5 begins serious warrior training under his father
  • Mother teaches him to read and write
  • At 10 participates in first raid, kills 3 men
  • At 15 Mother dies of wasting sickness
  • At 17 Father dies on a raid and Baidr challanges for the ledership of the clan. He defeats three older and tougher opponents to claim the title of chieftain.
  • Over the next few years he changed the way his people thought, soon changing them from a nomad clan to a village society.
  • At 20 begins his quest to unite the clan lands under his banner
  • At 24 defeats Borona and finds Onya
 
Encyclopedia

This is always being expanded.​

  • Black dream: Nightmare, in the Northern Culture particularly.
  • Falling Wars: The 15+ years of conflict prior to the beginning of our role play that led to the collapse of peace and prosperity across the Known World.
  • First Wife: In polygamist cultures, a man's first wife. Although cultures differ, the children of the First Wife are typically considered the man's heirs, even if children of other Wives are older or of a more suitable gender, meaning male.
  • Freeman: Freed slaves who continue to serve their original Masters.
  • "Joy Place": A polite description of a female's pussy.
  • Horse Warrior: Mounted fighters of the Clans of the Unnamed Untamed.
  • Karant: A superior officer (aka Lieutenant) in an army from the region of the Unnamed Untamed.
  • Karanteen: A unit commanded by a Karant. Typically 100-200 Horse Warriors, plus their support (wives, children, slaves, etc.)
  • Known World, the: Just as it sounds: all of the world that is known. (See map.)
  • Long Eye: A simple telescope, constructed of two lenses at either end of a hollowed out piece of wood.
  • Moon Bleeding: menstruation.
  • Outriders: Scouts, specifically of the Clans of the Unnamed Untamed.
  • Protector: A personal bodyguard who is responsible for and answers to no other person than their charge. (A person of higher station cannot give a Protector orders.)
  • Tella (or Tella-Un): Home (or Home of the Goddess).
  • Tiala:
    • "The Truth".
    • The name of an Inner Sea coastal port that was part of Vint.
  • Unnamed Untamed, the: The northernmost region of the mainland of The Known World. (See map.)
  • Un: "The Goddess", the first and still the primary divine being of the Known World, signified by the volcano on the peninsula of Tella-Un located almost at the dead center of the Known World.
  • Untouched: A Southern female enslaved yet honored by Northern Chieftains for their fair skin, non-black hair, and purity of body. (Example: Onya.)
  • Vint:
    • "The Daughter", specifically of the Goddess Un.
    • The religious capital of the sovereign territory of Vint.
    • Per the oldest interpretations of the Un religions, Vint and Virta are the parents of all Mankind. (See "Virta".)
  • Virta:
    • "The Son", specifically of the Goddess Un.
    • The trade capital of the sovereign territory of Vint and the home of the Library of Vint, the Known World's greatest repository of knowledge. (See "Vint".)
 
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Lists of Characters

Listed by thread in which they are central.
Some characters are active in multiple threads.
Look for them here, there, and everywhere.​


"Queen of the Known World":
  • Aliza (aka The Arrow) -- Archer in The Darkness, the ninja-like Guard of the City of Virta. (Written by CutiePie1997.)
  • Baldr -- Powerful Chieftain from the Unnamed Untamed. (Written by Aussie_Wolf.)
  • Onya -- Possibly the most legitimate heir to The Known World. (Written by CutiePie1997.)
  • Secondary Characters:
    • Gree -- Onya's servant.
    • Hodr -- Baldr's Chief Karant.
    • Yol -- Onya's Protector (bodyguard).

"Lady of the Lake"
  • Lady Stella -- Baroness of Platt. (Written by CutiePie1997.)
  • Tyr -- Clan Scout, now a "guest" of Lady Stella.

Threads yet to begin:
  • "Quest for the Whore's Gold"
    • Eelo -- Archer and highwayman. (Written by CutiePie1997.)
 
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List of Historical Figures

For unfamiliar terms used below,
see "Encyclopedia"​

The following are people who are not primary characters but who are, nevertheless, important to our story:
  • Borona: Now deceased Chieftain from the Unnamed Untamed; once Onya's Master.
  • Corol: Frahm of Ras Rufna. (Image)
  • Crone (aka "Scratch"): A stable boy (13 at the beginning of "Lady of the Lake") serving Lady Stella who became Tyr's squire in Post #20. (Image)
  • Durgarin:
    • Deceased.
    • Was the Frahm (King) of Ras Rufna at the beginning of the Falling Wars.
    • Was the son of the High Counselor (Elected Ruler) of the Republic of Yalla.
    • Father of Onya's mother.
  • Gree:
    • Prior to any mention of her in "Queen of the Known World", Gree had been a slave within the Borona Clan and personal servant (the North's version of a chamber maid) to Loro; as well as the lover of Yol, Onya's protector.
    • When Baldr and Onya departed the Unnamed Untamed for Virta to be married (Post #23 in "Queen..."), Onya selected Gree to accompany her on the trek. At this point, Gree was still a slave.
    • While on the road, Onya asked Gree to teach her about coupling (sex). Gree did, performing upon Onya all of the sexual acts except penetration that Onya could expect from Baldr in the future.
    • Onya elevated Gree from slave to Freeman while on the road to Virta.
    • After the sacking of Virta, Onya gave Gree her full freedom, enabling her to marry Yol.
  • Hagar: One of Baldr's Senior Karants (first spoken of here).
  • Laura:
    • Deceased.
    • Was the youngest daughter of Durgarin, the Frahm (King) of Ras Rufna at the beginning of the Falling Wars.
    • Was the granddaughter of the High Counselor (Elected Ruler) of the Republic of Yalla.
    • Mother of Onya's mother.
  • Loro: Now deceased First Wife of Borona (explained above); Onya's Mistress.
  • Parta, Sir: First Captain of the City of Virta Darkness (the City's Guard).
  • Priests of the Order of Vint:
    • A millennia old religious order that was the seat of knowledge and learning in The Known World up until it was sacked during the Falling Wars.
    • They controlled communication between the various Houses and Governments via their raising and distributing of message carrier pigeons.
  • Rolton:
    • Deceased.
    • Was the King of the Meretheni Federation at the beginning of the Falling Wars.
    • Onya's father.
  • Rozonna: High Priestess of the Old Religion and elected-for-life ruler of the Territory of Vint.
  • "Scratch": See Crone above.
  • Urtin: Novitiate in the Order of Vint, assigned to serve Onya.
 
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The Politics of The Known World

Map link (if you prefer to open it separately).

0sAUlDr.jpg


List of Sovereign Territories and the Houses within them:

The Meretheni Federation:
  • Houses (alphabetically):
    • House of Forthala, capital of the Federation.
    • House of Kinth.
    • House of Lux.
    • House of Mereth.
    • House of Morbeth.
    • House of Tothan.
  • Politics prior to the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Feudal Manorialism.
    • Sovereign: King (from the House of Mereth).
    • Cities (Earldom): led by an Earl, declaring fealty to the King.
    • Villages (Counties): Led by a Count, declaring fealty to their Earl.
  • Politics after the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Feudal Manorialism (same, except no King).
    • Sovereign: The King was killed; and the members of his family were either killed or fled.
    • Cities (Earldom):
      • The Earls no longer show fealty to anyone.
      • Many of the Earls declared themselves kings over their own Earldoms and also call those Earldoms Kingdoms.
      • Conflict and alliances have continued, resulting in some Houses falling and others joining via conquest or marriage.
    • Villages (Counties):
      • Some Counts have done as the Earls (Kings) above did.
      • Others still declare fealty to their previous Earls (Kings).

The Territory of Ras Rufna:
  • Houses:
    • House of Bind.
    • House of Lentfrenk.
    • House of Nolk.
    • House of Norla.
    • House of Nurva.
    • House of Ras Rufna, capital of the Territory.
    • House of Sipriot.
    • House of Tut.
  • Politics prior to the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Absolute Monarchy.
    • Sovereign: Frahm (King) (from the House of Rufna).
    • Cities (Baronies): Led by a Baron, declaring fealty to the King.
    • Villages (Counties): Led by a Sheriff, declaring fealty to the King (directly, not indirectly through the Barons).
  • Politics after the Falling Wars:
    • The Territory of Ras Rufna, centered in the City of Ras Rufna, was replaced by the Frenkish Empire, centered in Lentfrenk.
    • And while the Emperor lays claim to all of Ras Rufna's former territories, the reality is that constant war is constantly realigning the politics of the Empire such that no one ever knows which Barons are allied with or fighting against the Emperor.
    • Form of Government: Absolute Monarchy (torn apart by war and anarchy).
    • Sovereign: Emperor (from the House of Lentfrenk).
    • Cities (Baronies): Led by a Baron, declaring fealty or opposition to the Emperor.
    • Villages (Counties): Led by a Sheriff, declaring fealty or opposition to either the Emperor or other more powerful Barons.

The Republic of Yalla:
  • Houses:
    • City of Abad.
    • City of Klawell.
    • City of Marcan.
    • City of Servat.
    • City of Sutia.
    • City of Yalla.
  • Politics prior to the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Democratic Republic.
      • Every property owning male could vote in bi-annual elections.
      • Sovereign: High Counselor (President).
    • Counsel House:
      • The voting population of each village and town elected 1 Counselor.
      • Counselors attended the annual meeting of the Counsel House in Yalla.
      • Counselors introduced Proposals (bills) concerning domestic issues. Proposals passed by a simple majority went to the High Counselor for approval into Law.
    • Senate:
      • The voting population of each city elected 1 Senator.
      • Each Senator attended semi-annual and spontaneous meetings of the Senate in Yalla.
      • Senators could introduce Proposals (bills) concerning domestic issues of their cities. Proposals passed by a simple majority were sent to the Counsel House for a vote.
      • Senators also controlled foreign affairs, voted on war declarations, and elected the High Counselor. They could also veto Counsel House Proposals passed by the High Counselor with a 4 out of 6 vote.
  • Politics following the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Varied.
    • The sovereign territory of Republic of Yalla no longer exists as it once did.
    • Villages, towns, and cities could be democratic, feudal, dictatorial, or in total anarchy.

The Order of Vint:
  • Houses:
    • House of Ketch.
    • House of Suva.
    • House of Tiala.
    • House of Vint.
    • House of Virta.
  • Politics prior to the Falling Wars:
    • Form of Government: Elected Theocratic Dictatorship.
    • Sovereign: High Priestess (elected for life).
    • Structure below the Sovereign:
    • Priests -- 1 of whom represents each House (city) -- vote for the High Priest, who rules as an absolute dictator until death or resignation.
    • Fathers -- students who have completed a proscribed religious education and been anointed by the High Priest -- vote for the Priest of their House. Priests rule their own Cities within the laws and dictates of the High Priest.
  • Politics following the Falling Wars:
    • The Territory no longer exists as it once had.
    • The great cities of Virta and Vint have been all but razed.
    • The port cities on the coasts of the Inner Sea are pirate havens, some with a relative level of law and order, some with total anarchy.
Clans of the Unnamed Untamed:
  • The Northern territory flanking Frost Bay was a cold, harsh, barren land populated by hundreds of small to medium sized, horse riding, barbaric clans.
  • The Untamed portion of the name refers to the fact that the territory was never conquered by a single Clan nor a Southern sovereignty.
  • The Unnamed portion of the name is a reflection of the nomadic ways of the Clans. Each had its own names for the same areas, making knowing what's what impossible for those in the South, who -- of course -- created the maps on which the Unnamed Untamed was drawn.
 
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History of The Known World

This is always being expanded, as you would presume.​

The Known World: A Definition:
  • The Known World, as depicted in this map is well named, as it is all Humankind has ever known.
  • Adventurers have sailed away to the horizons in every direction, only to come back with tales of nothing more than endless seas; or to not come back at all.
  • All life, therefore, is thought to have originated in the Known World.

Early History:
  • Humans had spread to nearly the whole of the Known World before the advent of recording history.
  • Therefore, it is impossible to pinpoint the true origin of Humankind, if one even exists.
  • The Oral Traditions of most cultures include some element that insists their culture was the first.
  • Once established in their new homelands, these individual cultures began to change in appearance, leading to what some called different races or nationalities.

The Old Religion:
  • There were many religions in the beginning.
  • Although many religions still exist -- especially about the periphery of the Known World -- one religion would spread across the largest of cultures, including the Meretheni Federation, the Republic of Yalla, and the Territory of the Ras Rufna (much of which later became the Frenkish Empire).
  • The Goddess at the center of the religion was named Un.
  • Un was said to reside inside the Known World's only active volcano, located on the peninsula of Tella-Un (Home of the Goddess).
  • This religion would eventually come to be called the Old Religion.

Rise of Civilization:
  • For thousands of years, Humans were migratory, living off what the natural world provided.
  • The beginning of civilization is often spoken of as when Humans began domesticating animals, cultivating crops, and fishing the seas. Although it is uncertain which came first:
    • Domestication of animals began in the Northeast and South;
    • And the cultivation of crops began in the West.
    • Although every region has experienced some form of fresh water and sea shore fishing, the most successful of both as well as fishing far from shore began in the Southeast.
    • Within a century, all three areas of food production/harvest were being conducted across the Known World.
  • The earlier permanent settlements were located in the West, supported by advancements in grain harvests. Fothala is the oldest permanent settlement in the Known World.
  • Trade between the West and both the South and East led to the permanent settlement of every corner of the Known World within 300 years of the establishment of Fothala.

Volcanic Eruption & The Birth of the Order of Vint:
  • As Humans began concentrating in large settlements, power was concentrated in the hands of a few; and sometimes these few found that altered versions of the Old Religion were more beneficial to them.
  • The settlements of the West and Northeast were particularly more likely to operate under radically changed versions of the Old Religion.
  • An eruption of the volcano Un 300 years before the start of our story changed everything:
    • A fierce earthquake damaged or destroyed stone keeps, castles, and walls as far away as Fothala, Ras Rufna, and Tut.
    • For several days, clouds of ash were dumped upon the West.
    • Then, a shift in wind repeated the damage to the northeast.
    • For the most part, the Northwest and South -- both regions that had retained their Old Religion with virtually no changes -- were spared from the most severe damage.
    • These disparities were seen as the acts of the Goddess Un upon those who refused to follow her teachings.
  • In just a few years, the Old Religion was again dominant across the Known World.
  • And the Order of Vint, which had been little more than a cult pre-eruption, became a new power in the Known World:
    • The Order of Vint was given sovereignty over three locations:
      • The Peninsula of Tella-Un, on which the volcano of Un was located.
      • The fertile territory that would come to be known as Vint, on which they had already established the towns of Vint (Daughter) and Virta (Son).
      • And an Inner Sea coastal location that would come to be called Tiala, or The Truth. (After the earthquake, the face of a cliff overlooking the Inner Sea fell away, exposing a rocky outcrop that resembled the shape of a naked woman. There was virtually no other damage to the area, which had been populated by a devote following of the Old Religion. It was seen as truth that Un existed and protected those who believed in her, thus the renaming of the region, Tiala.)
    • The small towns of Vint and Virta became major centers, the first of knowledge, the second of commerce.
    • Suva and Ketch (on the peninsula of Tella-Un) became major trading ports.
    • And Tiala would become a major destination of Old Religion pilgrims.
    • The Priests of the Order of Vint would become major fixtures in the lives of people across the Known World in four key areas:
      • Religion:
        • Temples were built in nearly every region of the Known World, with the exception of the Unnamed Untamed north and a few of the islands and archipelagos in the Great Sea.
        • Priests were available for one-on-one prayer sessions 24/7/365; and services honoring the Goddess Un were held frequently, particularly when the volcano named for her became more active, belching out smoke and gas or shaking the land.
      • Education:
        • Temples taught the Old Religion to Novitiates (apprentice Priests).
        • They also taught all subjects to all classes, from the children of Royals and Nobles, who typically compensated the Order with gold and/or property from which the Order earned income; to Commoners, who typically compensated the Temples with labor or children, who became Novitiates or laborers in Temples or on Order lands.
      • Trade:
        • The territories and cities comprising the lands of the Order of Vint (see Map) were well positioned to take advantage of and sometimes even monopolize commerce and travel between distant lands:
        • Taxes were collected to pay for road upkeep and fill the Order's coffers.
        • The North Road:
          • Runs from Kinth (in the Meretheni Federation) to Bind (in what is now the Frenkish Empire).
          • Passes through the Territory of Vint.
          • Stone paved road with arch bridges.
          • Accessible year round (except in the case of severe weather events).
          • Before the Falling Wars, 70% of inter-state land commerce and travel used the North Road.
        • Ports:
          • The Order of Vint operates large ports in the seaside cities of Ketch, Suva, Tiala, Vint, and Virta.
          • The Order earned money in 3 ways:
            • Ships not owned by the Order of Vint paid taxes.
            • Ships owned by the Order charged transport fees.
            • And most of the businesses in the ports were either owned by the Order or paid rent and taxes to it.
          • In addition to collecting money, the Order often collected knowledge:
            • Ship owners, captains, navigators, and crew members were questioned about their activities and itineraries, both officially at the docks by port officials and unofficially out in the town by a variety of people who informed to the Temple Priests.
            • Crews were sometimes accused of being disease carriers and quarantined, enabling Priests to confiscate, copy, and return documents and books.
      • Communication:
        • The various Temples of the Order of Vint had long used homing pigeons to communicate with one another.
        • After the renaissance of the Old Religion, the number of Temples and pigeon rookeries increased dramatically.
        • The Priests extended their services to others in their cities, from Royals and Nobles to merchants and ship captains.
        • Unbeknownst to those using the Order's service, though, the Priests were reading, recording, often acting upon, and sometimes even altering message carried by their birds.
        • The Priests knew more about the happenings in the Known World than any other person or government in it.
 
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Aliza, the Arrow

Physical Description:
  • Image, blue eyed assassin; image, brown eyed Noble woman.
  • 22 years old (at role play's beginning).
  • Race: Vint.
  • 5', 7", 123#.
  • 34B-24-34; tight, fit, and muscular.
  • Jet black hair.
  • She can change her eye color at will.
  • Tattoos: many, though I am not ready to describe them.

Personality:
  • Quiet, attentive.
  • Strong willed.
  • Cunning.
  • Intelligent.
  • Educated and literate.
  • Promiscuous.

Possessions:
  • She carries very few personal items that are not related to doing her job.
  • Weapons:
    • Throwing daggers, 8.
    • Recurve bow.
    • Garrote.
    • Poisons.
    • Various herbs and compounds for various purposes (such as causing eye color change and temporary darkening of the skin).
  • Little more (to be listed as spoken of).

History:
  • Born to peasants who served the Order of Vint.
  • The Priests saw great skills in her.
  • At age 4 she began training as a Daughter of Un, a secret society of ninja-like warriors who protected the Order.
  • Before she'd even reached her teens, Vint was sacked.
  • She escaped with some instructors and fellow students to a secret Temple on the Peninsula where training was continued.
  • At age 20, she returned to Virta to enforce law and order by eliminating criminals.
 
Map of the Known World
complete with
Physical Description

0sAUlDr.jpg

Size of the Known World:
  • West to east distance: ~1740 mi (~2800 km.), the distance from Seattle, Washington, to Chicago, Illinois (as the pigeon flies).
  • North to south distance: ~1350 mi (~2160 km), the distance from Portland, Oregon, to San Diego, California (as the pigeon flies).
  • Size of land mass (excluding the Inner Sea): ~1.2 million square miles, equivalent to the Mississippi River Basin.

River flow between the Great Circle Sea and the Inner Sea:
  • The various seas and bays surrounding the land mass of the Known World are collectively known as the Great Circle Sea; and the various seas and straits within that land mass -- surrounding the peninsula of Tella-Un -- are collectively known as the Inner Sea.
  • There a great number of river systems winding about the Known World. These rivers are divided into 4 major classifications:
    • Rivers that drain consistently into the Great Circle Sea.
    • Rivers that drain consistently into the Inner Sea.
    • Pairs of rivers that begin at the same source (such as high mountain lakes or low lying wetlands) that drain consistently in different directions to both the Great Circle Sea and the Inner sea.
    • And rivers that connect the Great Circle Sea to the Inner sea.
  • A unique characteristic of the rivers connecting the Great Circle Sea to the Inner Sea is that depending upon a number of weather factors, the flow of these rivers can reverse, causing the Inner Sea to either empty to the Great Circle Sea or be filled by it.
  • This change in flow direction can sometimes cause dramatic changes in the Inner Sea, particularly in salinity levels, thereby changing the environmental situations for the people and animals reliant upon the body of water. For example:
    • When the amount of fresh water (rain fall and/or snow melt) filling the Inner Sea is greater than the amount of water lost to evaporation:
      • The level of the Inner Sea rises.
      • Water drains from the Inner Sea to the Great Circle Sea.
      • The salinity level of the Inner Sea may or may not decrease, depending upon the ratio of water draining to the Great Circle Sea, taking its salt with it; to the water evaporating and leaving its salt behind.
    • When the amount of fresh water (rain fall and/or snow melt) filling the Inner Sea is less than the amount of water lost to evaporation:
      • The level of the Inner Sea drops.
      • Water drains from the Great Circle Sea to the Inner Sea.
      • And, if the condition persists, the salinity level rises significantly.
  • There have been occasions of severe, lasting drought when the connecting rivers have drained into the Inner Sea for years. In those cases, salinity levels have nearly equaled that of the Great Circle Sea. Fresh water animals
  • There are 4 such rivers (beginning in the West and going clockwise):
    • The Great Steppe River.
    • The Fenwater Drainage.
    • The Yalla River (Western and Eastern).
    • The Kokalla River.
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The Falling Wars

Note:
Calendars must obviously have a starting date.
I have picked for the beginning of our story's calendar
the wedding date of King Rolton and Lady Laura, Onya's parents.

In contrast to our Real World calendars:
  • Our story's calendar starts at "Year Zero", not "1 AD".
  • And dates before the wedding are identified with a negative sign,
    not a version of the Real World calendars' "BC".


Uniting the Sovereign States of all the Known World:
  • Year Zero: The Known World becomes one sovereignty.
    • Peace, prosperity, law, and order reign across the 3 great sovereignties: the Meretheni Federation, the Territories of the Ras Rufna, and the Republic of Yalla.
    • Still, there are concerns that tensions may lead to war between the three.
    • The Order of Vint -- the 4th great sovereignty and the Known World's dominant religious order -- arranges a marriage.
    • Rolton, the King of the Meretheni Federation, marries Laura, who is both the daughter of the Frahm (king) of the Territories of the Ras Rufna and the granddaughter of the High Counselor of the Republic of Yalla.
    • The Triumvirate is created. The 3 leaders agree to rule the Known World together until Rolton and Laura's heir comes of age and becomes High Ruler of the Known World.
    • 10 months later, Rolton and Laura's first son Lorence is born.
  • Year 10: Tensions and conflict begins
    • Hard times have befallen all 3 sovereignties:
      • Meretheni Federation:
        • Drought is leading to starvation and disease.
        • Rising taxes is causing additional discontent.
        • Civil unrest is rising.
      • Republic of Yalla:
        • Corruption and a growing gap between the rich nobility and the poor peasantry is leading to lack of confidence in democracy.
        • Villages, towns, and cities are rebelling -- politically, financially, and even militarily -- against their elected leaders.
        • Military force is being used to keep the populace in line.
      • Territory of Ras Rufna:
        • Raids by barbaric clans from the Unnamed Untamed are both increasing and reaching areas farther to the east and south.
        • The Frahm (king) and Nobles of Ras Rufna pay tribute to the Chieftains.
        • The Clans want more, specifically better lands.
        • The Frahm arranged marriages between Clan leaders and the daughters of Ras Rufna Nobles, giving them claim and title to lands in the northern reaches of the Territory, including the cities of Nolk and Sipriot.
        • Even this ploy fails, with Clans continuing to raid, exploit, or extort adjacent lands.
    • Local tensions and conflicts cause tension between the members of the Triumvirate.
    • The Triumvirate begins to fail.
  • Year 15: the Falling Wars begin
    • Meretheni Federation:
      • Noble Lords are refusing to follow the King's commands.
      • Powerful Lords begin fighting one another.
    • Republic of Yalla:
      • Democracy is collapsing.
      • Many villages, towns, and cities are declaring independence.
      • Democracy is being replaced by Feudalism.
    • Territory of Ras Rufna:
      • The Nobles of the South are becoming fed up with the North.
      • They ceased sending troops, resources, and gold to fight or appease Chieftains.
      • One by one, Nobles declare independence.
      • Ras Rufna is besieged and sacked by a powerful Chieftain.
      • The Lord of Lentfrenk, the last powerful Noble of Ras Rufna -- backed by several Chieftains with lands near him -- uses the most brutal levels of force to conquer Ras Rufna as far south as Tut.
      • He betrays the Chieftains, assassinating many of them and driving the rest back to the Unnamed Untamed.
      • He declares himself Emperor and the former Ras Rufna the Frenkish Empire.
  • Year 20: The Wars are over but conflict continues
    • Meretheni Federation:
      • Fighting has led to a great deal of damage, but most of the cities and, specifically, their protective walls remain standing.
      • Most cities are now all independent feudal societies.
      • Army sizes for Cities are unknown to our characters but are thought to range between 2,000-10,000 per city with approximately 1/4 of those numbers being standing armies. (Calvary varies at ~10% of the number.)
      • Lux and Morbeth also have navies, but their size and power are unknown.
    • Republic of Yalla:
      • Again, fighting has led to a great deal of damage/
      • And again, most of the cities and their walls) remain standing.
      • Cities are divided between forms of democracy and feudalism.
      • Army sizes for Cities are unknown to our characters but are thought to range between 1,000-15,000 per city with approximately 1/3 of those numbers being standing armies. (Calvary/Horse Warrior varies at ~10% of the number.)
      • Coastal cities also have navies, but their size and power are unknown.
    • The Frenkish Empire (formerly the Territory of Ras Rufna):
      • Ras Rufna remains the capital.is sieged and sacked by a powerful Chieftain.
      • The most powerful of the Ras Rufna nobles, backed by Chieftains, uses brutal force to conquer -- and in many cases destroy -- the cities of Ras Rufna as far south as Tut.
      • He declares himself Emperor and the former Ras Rufna the Frenkish Empire.
      • Army sizes for Cities are unknown to our characters but are thought to range between 4,000-20,000 per city with approximately 1/3 of those numbers being standing armies. (Calvary/Horse Warrior varies at ~30% of the number.)
 
Eelo:

Physical Description:
  • Image, with her bow.
  • 18 years old (at role play's beginning).
  • Race/Ethnicity: Eastern, specifically Salfar (see more below).
  • 5'11", 130#. 34A-22-32.
  • Brown/blond hair (further explained below); deep blue eyes.
  • (2)

Personality:
  • Strong willed.
  • Vengeful.
  • Cunning.
  • Intelligent.
  • Knowledgeable about nature, but illiterate.
  • A bit promiscuous.

Possessions:
  • A recurve bow (she fashioned herself) and quiver.
  • A back pack with a few personal items.
  • A purse of coins, more often than not empty.

History:
  • 3rd of 4th children and only daughter of a fisher and his wife, who was a forest gatherer.
  • Raised in the village of Parth, on the shore of the Eastern Bight, east of Tut.
  • Didn't like the water, so she learned to hunt and gather in the forest with her mother.
  • At age 6, began hunting rodents and small animals with a small bow.
  • By age 12, she had fashioned her first recurve bow and was hunting larger animals, even the occasional deer.
  • At age 13, reluctantly lost her virginity to the father of a play mate. Threatening to tell her father kept the man from doing that again.
  • (2)
  • At age 16, with a new more powerful recurve, she was spending days alone in the forest hunting elk, mountain cats, and more.
  • At age 17:
    • A Cavalry unit -- part of the force besieging Tut -- rode down upon her village. They raped, killed, pillaged, then burned until there was nothing left.
    • Eelo, on foot, tracked down the unit and, one by one, killed each and every man with her bow.
    • She walked to Tut and joined the fight against the besieging forces.
  • At age 18:
    • As the months passed, she would kill hundreds of men, concentrating on Nobles, Calvary Officers, siege machine operators, and other key figures.
    • She became the mistress of the Baron of Tut, who gave her command of a small unit of skill night fighters. There primary job was to ensure she came home alive each night.
  • At age 19:
    • The siege of Tut as broken, due in great part to her night time slaughter of dozens of men guarding the Rock Creek bridge, across which reinforcements arrived.
    • With the enemy routed and her reason for being in Tut ended, she slipped away to the Tella-Un isthmus. She became a highwayman to pay the bills, but her real reason for being there was to find a reported fortune in gold and jewels referred to as the Whore's Gold.
  • At age 20, she met Garett. (See "The Search for the Whore's Gold".)

Salfarian Heritage:
  • The Salfar people originated in the southeastern portion of the Known World, near the Salfar Mountains for which they were named.
  • In their earlier history, they split their time between nomadic hunting and fishing.
  • When the Republic of Yalla began to rise as a power, the Salfar -- a miniority -- was poorly treated, despite the more democratic nature of the Republic.
  • Most of the Salfar moved north to the lands between The Long Sea (in the Inner Sea) and Survival Bay and the Eastern Bight (on the Great Circle Sea).
  • They came under the control of the Territory of Ras Rufna.
  • They traded dried and fresh fish and other products made of fish to the Barons of Tut for generations, establishing a friendship and thus the security of their villages.
  • After the Falling Wars saw the fall of the Territory and the Rise of the Frenkish Empire, the Salfar people found themselves heavily taxed by the ever changing rulers of their lands, but they survived by being politically flexible.
  • When the Barony of Tut became a persistent war zone, the Salfar people were relentlessly attacked and annihilated. The last villages of the Salfar were on the coast of the Eastern Bight.
  • When Eelo was 18, her village was attacked and destroyed, her friends and family murdered, and her entire life upturned.
 
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Lady Stella:

Her titles:
  • Baroness of Platt.
  • Heiress of the House of Abad.
  • Heiress of the House of Sutia.

Her Children:
  • Troben, age 5 (at the beginning of the story):
  • Rican, age 4 (at the beginning of the story).

Physical Description:
  • Image
  • 23 years old (at role play's beginning).
  • Race/Ethnicity: South Yallian.
  • 5'4", 110#. 32B-22-34.
  • Light brunette hair, hazel eyes.

Personality:
  • Strong willed, but soft spoken.
  • Cunning and manipulative.
  • Not above murdering to achieve her ends. (See "History".)
  • Intelligent, educated, and literate; able to read and write Common and, to one degree or another, 14 different dialects.
  • Very erotic and sexual, but has only had 4 lovers:
    • Ages 16-20: her husband, Jorfen.
    • Age 20: her deceased husband's Protector, Ull, who killed Jorfen.
    • Age 21: the daughter of a visiting Southern Noble, whose name she doesn't even recall.
    • Age 22: a merchant from Abad, again whose name she doesn't recall.

History:
  • Only child of:
    • Lord Roer, of the House of Abad:
      • Prior to the Falling Wars: Heir to the House of Abad and, presumably, the future Senator for the City of Abad.
      • After the Falling Wars and his father's death: Lord of the City of Abad.
    • Lady Ella, of the House of Sutia (on the island of Suli in the Inner Sea).
  • At age 6:
    • She was betrothed to a Noble in the North of the Territory of Vint.
    • As with most noble marriages, this one was all about politics.
    • The Lords of the former Republic of Yalla were trying to establish power over the lands of the former Territory of Vint.
  • At age 14, when she began her Moon Bleeding, she left the City of Abad for the town of Platt.
  • At age 16, after the Priests of Vint refused to officiate the wedding and thereby make the marriage legal in the eyes of the Order of Vint, she was married to the Lord of Platt by a local priest (who was paid handsomely to go against his superiors).
  • At age 18: Birthed a son.
  • At age 19: Birthed a second son.
  • At age 20: Confident that she now had a legitimate heir who would survive the fragile years of infancy, she had her husband murdered while hunting.
  • At age 21:
    • By now, she had won the undying loyalty of her subjects and, more importantly, her Guard.
    • Though there had never been a Baroness of Platt, she was declared such by the same priest who had married her.
  • Currently (or at least the last time I updated this) at age 23:
    • She had continued to maintain good relations with her neighbors:
      • To the north:
        • She had had an uneasy relationship with the local Chieftain.
        • They conducted mutually beneficial trade.
        • And they occasionally has troubles when his Horse Warriors raided her lands and her troops attacked his villages as revenge.
        • Recently, the Chieftain had left Platt alone.
        • Only after Tyr arrived did she realize it was because Baldr had killed the man and taken his clan.
      • To the south:
        • She had and still has various Vintan Lords with whom she had to deal.
        • Some didn't like the way she'd come to power, while others simply didn't like her having power.
        • As these Lords became concerned with an invasion from the north, they pressured her to aid in the defense.
        • She preferred to find a diplomatic solution, and that didn't sit well with them.
        • She would have flipped them off if she'd known what giving the bird meant.
    • "The Lady of the Lake" thread begins:
      • The thread begins after Baldr sends Tyr -- an Outrider, or messenger/scout -- north to retrieve the rest of his army in preparations for laying siege to Virta. (Tyr's ride and the attack upon him that leads to "Lady of the Lake" begins at this post in "Queen of the Known World".
      • Tyr is dying from poison administered via an arrow.
      • Her troops find her, and her Healer nurses Tyr back to health.
      • And the story continues...
 
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TYR

Tyr and his weapons

Physical Description

  • 20 years old (at start of roleplay)
  • 6 foot 3 inches
  • Brown short hair
  • Brown eyes
  • Lean and athletic
  • Large scar across abdomen

Personality

  • Loyal
  • Determined
  • Fun Loving

Job

Tyr is a scout of the Clan of Baldr. He is an expert rider and knows several horse riding tricks. He is an expert tracker and sneak.

History

  • Born into Clan Murtag
  • By age 5 was a natural horse rider and tracker
  • At age 12 he participated in his first raid as a scout
  • At 16 after numerous successful raids he is injured seriously in a raid against another clan. Suffers a serious wound in his stomach that leaves a serious scar
  • At 17 his clan is absorbed into Clan Baldr
  • At 20 has worked his way up to being one of the best scouts in the clan
 
Not done yet.



The Fenwater

(Link to the full map of the Known World)

eumEtn8.jpg

Geography:
  • Size: ~100,000 square miles (~300,000 square kilometers).
  • Terrain:
    • Lowlands, swamps, rivers, and lakes.
    • With the exception of 2 key areas -- the locations of the Cities of

      that were nearly impossible to govern. Transport from one side to the other or one end to the other was impossible without traveling by water except for one route.

      That route was the Western Road. It was the longest stone paved road in the Known World, beginning in Kinth in what had once been the Meretheni Federation; and ending 1,200 miles later -- 2,000 kilometers -- in the city of Nurva in what had been the Territory of Ras Rufna but was now the Frenkish Empire. It passed through the two Fenwater cities of Abad and Klawell, which had been built upon the area's only two vast portions of high ground. Thousands of workers spanning several generations had built the Fenwater portion of the Western Road, hauling in hundreds of thousands of wagon loads of dirt and rock to raise the walkway and build bridges to allow water flow between the swamp lands and the Inner Sea.

      The people of the Fenwater -- with the exception of the two cities and a dozen or so larger towns -- had proved nearly impossible to govern. There were hundreds of tiny villages and smaller towns that weren't even on a map, let alone one that could be used for the applicable governments to use to tax the people. Militias often used force and fear to extract wealth and bully the people of the Fenwater.

      And the Lawmen were both the largest and the most brutal of those militia. Their greatest strength, however, was not their vicious fighters but was instead their secret leadership. The Order of Vint had been and still was the most informed governmental entity in the Known World, and in turn the Darkness was the most informed military and intelligence organization. And yet, the Darkness didn't know beyond a doubt who was leading and/or financially supporting the Lawmen. It was believed that most were Nobles who had once been in the Counsel House or Senate of the Republic of Yalla, to which the cities of Abad and Klawell and many of the towns in the Fenwater had once been members.[/QUOTE]
 
Time Line of Our Story

(This is far from complete and constantly being updated.)​

The Beginning of Time, so to speak:
  • The cultures adhering to the Old Religion are typically referred to as the civilized cultures, which is a misnomer as many of them are far from civilized and many civilized cultures don't adhere to the Old Religion. But hey, he who writes the history makes the history, so ... deal with it, you illiterate heathen! :D
  • The beginning of the calendar for those civilized cultures is marked by the ascension of a new High Priestess.
  • The current High Priestess, Rozonna, ascended (or was elected by the Priests of the Order of Vint) to her position 25 years before the beginning of the IC thread "Queen of the Known World".
  • Therefore, the beginning date of that thread is Year 25.
  • The Calendar of the Old Religion is simply called The Calendar.

hYuOB10.png

Explanation of the Calendar:
  • There are 7 days per week, 4 weeks per month (for 28 days per month), and 13 months per year (for 364 days per year).
  • One day at the end of the year is called "Un Day" (or on the calendar above "Year Day").
  • Every 4 years, two days are celebrated as Un Day.
  • Un Day is used to celebrate the Goddess Un, with different cultures doing so in different ways.
  • In total, this makes the calendar year 325.25 days in length. (Sound familiar?)

Timeline of Our Role Plays:
  • Sorry, don't have time to do this right now.
 
Boats of the Known World

Map of the Known World​

(Note: The speeds below are averaged to the nearest round figure for my ease. Fuck accuracy. :D)

The Eastern Junk
  • Image
  • Origin: Clarity Bay (on the northeastern coast of the Known World).
  • Speed:
    • Freighters: Slow, ~8 mi/hr, ~12 km/hr).
    • Troop Carriers: Mid-speed, ~10-12 mi/hr, ~15-18 km/hr .
    • Diplomatic/Envoy: Fast, ~14 mi/hr, ~21 km/hr.

The Yallan Longboat
  • Image
  • Origin: Southernmost Bay (on the southeastern coast of the Known World).
  • Speed:
    • Great Circle Sea model, typically larger: Slow, ~8-10 mi/hr, ~12-15 km/hr.
    • Inner Sea freighters, typically mid-sized: Mid-speed, ~10-14 mi/hr, ~15-21 km/hr.
    • Diplomatic/Envoy: Fast, ~18 mi/hr, ~27 km/hr.
 
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