ValinoreanDawn
Namarië
Realms of Outre Mer
Welcome! Realms of Outre Mer is a fantasy roleplay set to the theme of the 12th Century Crusades & 12th Century Renaissance. The setting as such is very much grounded in the aesthetic of the 12th Century (or loosely around the High Middle Ages) and set on the fictional continent of Outre Mer. The Outer Lands. The RP will involve players taking the mantle of the various lords and figures of the period with all their boons and busts. Fortunes and failures. A pious warrior-noble, a vassal of the King, or a mercenary warlord in it for the spoils. And should that not suffice perhaps a hand at the Emperorship of Konstanton or the Sultan of Dhamaskus and perhaps become the Beyliph of all Al-Iqsa. The choice is yours!
The Lands of Outre Mer
The Lands of Outre Mer are varied and knowledge of the more distant regions to the Far East and South is few and far between. Indeed, for those who dare the Field of Glowgrass, Shadowlands, and the Endless Fire seem to speak of only maddening lands totally inhospitable to the habitation of the sane. Lands to alien and otherworldly. As a result, the RP will primarily take place in the settled and more known lands of the Western regions. Primarily dominated by the two major faiths of Apostolism and Al-Iqsa. While Old Faiths/Pagan religions exist, they have been primarily pushed to the periphery or are the native faiths of other Humanoids like Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Kobolds, and the like.
Races of Outre Mer
Apostolism & Al-Iqsa
Both of the major religions originated in the Lands of Outre Mer. The first being Apostolism, founded by The Messiah of Hierosolyma one-thousand and eighty-five years before the present. A Man proceeding from a Monotheistic almighty, forgiving, God and embodying the Holy Spirit. A trinitarian faith bound by the Apostolic Creed set forth at the time of the Messiah's crucifixion by the Konstantinian governor of Hierosolyma at the time, Pontian Pharisee. The Messiah could heal the sick and walk upon water, turn poisoned wells into drinkable wine, and had foreknowledge of events to come. A figure preaching redemption, salvation, and all those that believeth in God shall have eternal life in a Heavenly existence.
Apostolism spread rapidly in its first centuries and in the early years of the ninth century spread to the Western Continent which harbored the bulk of Humanity. Becoming the state religion in the Konstantinian Empire in the three-hundredth and thirteenth year since the birth of the Messiah. It is the larger of the two faiths if accounting for the Western Continent and considers both Arca Hierosolyma and Konstanta as Holy Cities.
Al-Iqsa was founded surprisingly not by a Human. But by the slave turned warlord turned religious prophet Orcan. Born in the slave markets of Dhamaskus, Humanity's oldest continually inhabited city in Outre Mer, the Orc slave Orcan preached about prophetic visions and escaped into the desert. There he traveled the dunes for twelve years before dwelling in a cave overlooking the City of Medine. There he received visions and wrote the Is'Uran, the Final Word, and founded the Al-Iqsa religion (Al-Iqsa meaning The Faith). A Monotheistic religion believing in a single mighty, vengeful and forgiving, God and that their faith is a correction of previous religion's theological errors and corruption. Thus, Orcan gathered followers and took Medine by surprise. His oratory and rhetoric, preaching the Word, swiftly converted many in the city and in the first full moon since taking the city as comet streaked across the sky. As such lunar and comet iconography was adopted by the religion.
Al-Iqsa spread rapidly during Orcan's lifetime. Spreading from Mekka to Dhamaskus all the way down the Tethon to Fahadeen by the end of the 7th Century. His succesors, the Beyliphs of Al-Iqsa, continued to spread the religion by conquest and from Al-Aqaba to Samarkand it became the dominate religion of the South. By the time of the late 8th Century the faith was the dominate religion in Outre Mer among Humans and Orcs and had spread to the North. Conquering vast stretches of the Konstantinian Empire. Only beaten back out of some regions at great cost by the Empire and when new assaults came in the early 10th century the plea went out to the West. Thus, the Crusades began.
The Unseen Fire
The Unseen Fire is a common term in reference to the arcane. The magical arts and sorcerous practices. While street charlatans may use gimmickry like smokes and mirrors to give flashy shows of 'magic' in truth the Unseen Fire is far more esoteric and subtle. All living things possess a 'flame' and it can vary from person to person. For example, some of the Elven kindreds like the Star, Sun, and Crystal Elves their presence is known to have an unnatural aura. The flame of their souls touching the world around them and burning far brighter. While those of Humans, Dwarves, and Orcs are more subdued. Like a candlelight flame in a dark night. As such the Unseen Fire closely operates based on willpower and spiritual belief rather than flashy shows and climactic magical duels. In truth you will only find the latter in storybooks. Divination and healing are the generally the primary applications of such powers. Enchantments similarly require one to put part of their flame into the device for it to function. To give it life via your own mortal fire.
As such the magic of this setting is closer in operation to that in Tolkein works or Arthurian legend.
Both the Apostolic and Al-Iqsa religions generally look down upon the use of the Unseen Fire. Deeming it a perversion of a tool reserved for God and all that is Holy rather than for mortal use. However, courts on both sides of the great religious conflict and indeed many of those that follow older faiths harbor the services of individuals capable of using magic.
The Faction Template
Territory Name: The Apostolic Kingdom of Hierosolyma
Territorial Claim: Political Map, see territory covering Hierosolyma
Leader Name: Baudoin IV of the House of Northrend-Comnene
Banner/Heraldry of Territory: The banner of the Kingdom is a golden cross on a white background with for smaller golden crosses, quartered.
Leader Heraldry: A golden cross under a crown of thorns.
Religious Affiliation: Apostolic Church
Population of Territory:
The Kingdom in total has a population amounting to a little over 1.5 million.
The Royal Demesne accounts for:
The Population of Arca Hierosolyma: 300,000
Surrounding estates in the Olive Hills and along the eastern half of the Providencia River and down further to the Dusk Wood. Accounting for a rural population of 190,000.
-Religious Breakdown:
The Kingdom due to its history has the following breakdown:
Approximately 1.4 Million are Apostolics.
~100,000 Al-Iqsa in generally the regions bordering the Southern Plains.
>100,000 are various Humanoid nativist/pagan faiths from the minority populations found in the Kingdom's cities.
-Cultural Information:
Culturally, the Kingdom as a basis has a strong Konstantinian heritage and as such the main language of the Kingdom aside from tongues from the Western Continent used by the Crusaders is Konstantese. In fact, the latter is the general tongue of the rural population and only in the cities will you see significant usage of the Western tongues or languages of other races. Namely Soldarin, the dialectal tongue of the Sun Elves, will be heard in the Elvish quarter or amongst learned individuals.
Breakdown of Population
-Nobility: ~3%
The Nobility represent both landed and unlanded aristocracy in the Kingdom and generally follow the model of feudalism present in the Western Continent populated solely by Humanity. That is the monarch at the peak and they're beneath the most powerful Dukes and Counts followed by Barons and Knights. The last group, Knights, can be both landed or unlanded and still considered nobility.
-Burghers: 33%
While the Burghers are not a true middling class by definition. They collectively represent those of the merchandizing and artisanal, urban, population of the Kingdom. Those that work above subsidence levels. The Kingdom is quite urbanized compared to the Human realms of the Western Continent due to the various medicinal, engineering, and agricultural advances absorbed by the Kingdom from Imperial, Elven, Dwarf, and even the southern realms that it has come into contact with.
-Peasants: 61%
The largest group are the peasantry. The commoners. And represent everything from the farming villages and orchard hamlets to the bottom rungs of labor in the cities and towns of the Kingdom.
-Foreign groups: There is always a trickle of Westerners arriving in the Kingdom in pursuit of religious goals, wealth, and wanderlust. With usually a few hundred arriving monthly to stake their claim in the Crusader States. Most end up filtering into the Peasant and Burgher classes of Crusader society.
-Any Serfs/Slaves: Slavery is illegal within the Kingdom though serfdom does exist on an individual lord-peasant basis.
Economic Description of Territory:
The Kingdom is quite fertile and as such farming and crop growing is common along the coast and inland to the Salt Seas. There, production of salt also occurs, and the King's Salt Tax collects a hefty sum each year for the realm's coffers. Olive Oil production is common in the eponymous named Olive Hills as is mining in the North and in the Tarsanius Mountains. While fishing and shipbuilding is common along the coasts. Wine is a common export in the southern reaches of the Kingdom while in the north brandy and mead are the chosen beverage of manufacture.
Given the varied locales and climate of the Kingdom the realm despite its population being smaller than many Human realms on the Western Continent, and about a fourth the population of the Empire, is disproportionately wealthy. The Royal Mint produces a number of coins such as the Golden Florin with 99% purity and representing a two-month wages for an unskilled laborer. The Silver Crown is the more common coin for the nobility and merchandizing classes with 97% purity and generally capable to most big purchases or money transfers. While the Copper Penny, representing a day's wage for a farm hand, is typically enough to purchase a meal and night at an inn.
Main Produce/Products:
Olives/Olive Oil
Iron, Copper, Tin
Gold and Silver
Wood
Ships
Agricultural Produce such as grain and fruits and vegetables
Fish
Treasury Breakdown:
The treasury of the Kingdom sits at the equivalent of 500,000 Gold Florins with at current a surplus of 15,000 florins a year.
Military Breakdown & Organization:
The Kingdom is feudal in nature and as such no central army or navy exists. Rather, there are the forces of the King, The Military Holy Orders, and the armies of the vassal fiefs of the realm.
Knights of Arca Hierosolyma
Knights of Arca Hierosolyma are very much the direct household knights of the King who are either unlanded but ennobled or landowners in the environs and general vicinity of Arca Hierosolyma itself. Bearing the heraldry of the city, a golden cross with four smaller golden crosses, quartered, on a blue field. Knights of Hierosolyma often stand out for the golden threading of the heraldry on their surcoats and the fact they ride under the banner of the King rather than individual lordlings flags or their own.
The Knights of Hierosolyma are 311 strong backed by a similar number of squires and for many of the landed knights they are obligated to bring armed retainers on campaign or in defense of the Kingdom when summoned.
Military Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Based in Arca Hierosolyma itself and founded by Godfrei of Angeouleme in 920AD to protect the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The King acts as Grandmaster by virtue of bearing the title of Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. Knights of the Holy Sepulchre bear a red cross with four smaller red crosses, quartered, on a white field. The Order however is mostly filled out by non-ennobled men-at-arms and volunteer warriors but all Apostolics who took monastic vows.
The current strength of the order is:
42 Knights
37 Squires and Pages
211 Men-At-Arms capable of arming themselves as cavalry
436 Men-At-Arms footmen.
Maison du Royaume, The Royal Army
The largest direct force under the king and semi-professional as far as feudal standards goes. Represent those that operate as full-time men-at-arms in the service of the King or those of noble families that have taken military positions as full-time. This also covers the feudal levy and landed nobles beyond the environs of Arca Hierosolyma but not under the major vassals of the King like the realm's dukes, counts, and princes. Many of these soldiers who are ennobled are knights or of baronial status overseeing individual manors or estates. They all fly the banner of the King and for those ennobled may fly their own standard if bringing more than sixteen men on campaign or their own pennant otherwise.
At full muster as of 1185 this army, often informally known as the Royal Army or King's Army, accounts for:
7 Counts (each obligated to bring a 'Grand Company' of at least 300 men on campaign)
43 Barons (each by feudal contract obligated to provide no less than fifty men in defense of the realm from their estates when call-to-arms is given)
1,568 Knights (obligated to bring 2 to 16 men-under-arms with at least 50% equipped as either crossbowman or archer depending on acreage of estate from 15 acres to 300 acres. Unlanded knights in full-time service are exempt but expected to train squires)
4,400 horsemen comprising Burghers and urban dwellers well off enough to equip themselves with horse and arms.
16,260 Royal Yeomanry
13,150 Men-At-Arms
The feudal levy based on the 1180 Census accounts for 83,000 of "militarily desirable means" able to provide for seasonal military service. This is a fixed quota levied across all municipalities that directly answer to the King and are not "indirect" vassals under a Lord of Ducal or Princely status. Naturally, this figure far exceeds typical campaign means and usually a small fraction of this figure several hundred to less than 10,000 are ever raised for military service.
Order of Our Blessed Lady
While it is sanctified as a religious order by the Patriarch of Arca Hiersolyma it is however not officially considered a 'Religious Order' on account that by law 'Only Men may bear Arms' in the eyes of Military Orders. The Order of Our Blessed Lady is named after the mother of the Messiah, The Blessed Mother, and operates various hospitals and apothecarions throughout the Kingdom. But what makes the order unique is that in addition to their primary goal of providing medicinal and hospice care, the women of the order are trained in combat, and while never called to serve on campaign in an armed capacity will put up a defense of their priories and themselves. They are some of the only women allowed by the King to bear arms in his presence and regularly provide physicians for his care.
Current membership:
1,742 Members
1,186 Acolytes
Holy Order of The Lazarene Passion
Often shortened to The Lazarene Order are knights afflicted with Leprosy and are vassals directly to the king on account of the Leprosarium operating in his honor near Arca Hierosolyma. They bear a Green cross on a white field as their heraldry.
Current memberships:
22 Knights
34 Men-At-Arms
The Blue Cloaks
The City Watch of Arca Hierosolyma are an armed force 5,500 strong organized in fifteen companies and paid for by taxes from the city. They keep order within the city itself. They bear a blue crown on a white field as their heraldry and wear blue cloaks uniformly. They also function as the guards of the Royal Jail and the Debtor's Prison.
Historical & Biographical Information:
The Kingdom of Arca Hierosolyma was founded in the wake of the First Crusade in 920AD. The Crusaders had already been operating on the Old Continent for several years and the epic siege of Hierosolyma from October 918 to February of 920 heralded the formalization of the territories under Crusader control into a kingdom. A distinct realm separates from the old Konstantinian Empire to the West and the nascent, smaller, but nominally under the suzerainty of Arca Hierosolyma, Crusader states to the North. Initially, a collection of cities under Crusader control until the appointment of Godfrei of Angouleme as Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. having rejected a crown, and acting as primus inter pares among the burgeoning, new, noble class settling the lands.
In the following decades and through the tenure ship of William of Northrend's mantle of Protector the Kingdom solidified into a cohesive polity. Exerting nominal and at times practical control over the other Crusader states. Reinforced by the flow of pilgrims and crusaders arriving from the Western Continent on an almost yearly basis. Slowly, altering the demographics of the Kingdom over several generations until the realm possessed a solid mix of groups descended largely from the old Imperial population and the new influx of Westerners.
It would not be until 995AD when the elderly, blind, and bedridden William of Northrend's son, Baoduin, would finally take a crown at a convention of the Haute Coeur. The High Council of the Kingdom and formalize its transition into a true feudal monarchy. Baoduin, now Baoduin I of Hierosolyma, already middle aged, would set up the formal system of governance with many of the realms's oldest lordships tracing back to him. Making way for his own successor Baudoin II, who would launch several successful crusades that achieved the conversion of various peoples to the immediate East of the Kingdom such as the Svadavians.
Yet, it would be under the third and fourth generation. King's Fulk and Amalric I, that would see true expansion and solidification of the realm into a major power player in the Old Continent. While Ful would wed one of the Konstantinian Empire's Imperial Princesses, Melisandra, as a strategic maneuver to form a united front against the various Sultanates and Emirates to the South. Amalric II, himself a quadroon by virtue of his half-elven mother Melisandra, introduces elven blood to the royal line and while Amalric would only live into his 50s, he would uniquely be both Emperor and King of a united monarchy during his lifetime and firmly entrench Apostolism in the North and lead to a golden age for the Kingdom and allow a recovery by the Empire in the West.
His three sons: Isaakion (Emperor Isaakion III), Baoduin III (King of Hierosolyma), and Bohemund (Duke of Taranto) would divide up his composite realm. Ultimately, such a divided state was taken advantage of, and several defeats inflicted on the Kingdom of Hierosolyma led to the current geographic boundaries. Baoduin III would marry Princess Belnobia of Palmyras in a political alliance and Father Richard the Lion, however, the pregnancy was harsh and Belnobia would perish during labor. Only the skill of the Elf physician Vanelon Selinvuir managed to save the child's life. Baoduin III would marry again, this time to a Half-Elf Maiden named Opheriel and from this union the future Baoduin IV would be born. A sister, Sybella, would be born in 1164.
Richard would go on to succeed his father and spent most of his reign at war in defense of the Kingdom. Fighting a defensive struggle against a revitalized and re-organized foe in the Sultanate of Dhamaskus among other threats including other opportunistic Apostolic states. Ultimately, Richard would die in 1167, weary and prematurely aged, with his younger half-brother Baoduin IV ascending to the throne. Baoduin IV would be put to the test immediately and only eight months into his rule he was embroiled in a series of battles in a running campaign throughout the summer and autumn of 1167. Suffering initial setbacks the young King would win a crushing victory at Montblanche near the Tarsanius Mountains when leading only 300 Knights and 1,500 other troops the King destroyed an Al-Iqsan army of 26,000 and pursued the remnants over twelve miles. This would be followed up by the more tactical victory at Bellegarde Castle, a small crusader castle thirty miles West of Kerak near the southern banks of the Capitolina in a small patch of low hills. Relieving the tiny garrison the King would drive away the again much larger Al-Iqsan force with only 7,000 men. Giving respite to a weary Kingdom.
Baoduin IV however would be stricken by Leprosy at a young age from an unclear source and only through the combined benefits of elven physicians and his own Quadroon heritage was the disease progression slowed if not halted for periods of time. For while Baoduin is physically more capable than other Lepers he still suffers from periods of exhaustion and prone to risks of illness. While physical disfigurement is lessened or repaired by his physicians and heritage, he still opts to wear full coverings and masks to make himself more approachable to his subjects. While the coverings are often specially woven and imported from Arca Sol'Eil for their comfort and anti-septic qualities.
Aside from his sister, Baoduin IV is related to the Prince of Ascalon, Bellephoron Avonvariel, nicknamed the 'Half Elven Prince' for his mixed Westerner and Sun Elf heritage. Who is the King's cousin by way of Opheriel's full elf siblings.
Bellephoron rules over the Fortress-City of Ascalon as a direct vassal of the King and often sits on the Haute Coeur. Ascalon itself is populated by 55,000 souls. The prince's banner is a Black Cross surrounded by a coiling scarlet dragon bearing a golden crown on its head on a white field. The Prince can call 281 Knights and their manorial levy alongside 3,000 Men-At-Arms and 3,000 Archers & Crossbowmen. Also, Bellephoron controls the Scarlet Company. A unit of warriors of Elven and Half-Elven stock as his personal guard.
MAPS
Central Outre Mer
Southern Outre Mer
Central Political Map
South Political Map
The Northlands
The Jade Lands
Welcome! Realms of Outre Mer is a fantasy roleplay set to the theme of the 12th Century Crusades & 12th Century Renaissance. The setting as such is very much grounded in the aesthetic of the 12th Century (or loosely around the High Middle Ages) and set on the fictional continent of Outre Mer. The Outer Lands. The RP will involve players taking the mantle of the various lords and figures of the period with all their boons and busts. Fortunes and failures. A pious warrior-noble, a vassal of the King, or a mercenary warlord in it for the spoils. And should that not suffice perhaps a hand at the Emperorship of Konstanton or the Sultan of Dhamaskus and perhaps become the Beyliph of all Al-Iqsa. The choice is yours!
The Lands of Outre Mer
The Lands of Outre Mer are varied and knowledge of the more distant regions to the Far East and South is few and far between. Indeed, for those who dare the Field of Glowgrass, Shadowlands, and the Endless Fire seem to speak of only maddening lands totally inhospitable to the habitation of the sane. Lands to alien and otherworldly. As a result, the RP will primarily take place in the settled and more known lands of the Western regions. Primarily dominated by the two major faiths of Apostolism and Al-Iqsa. While Old Faiths/Pagan religions exist, they have been primarily pushed to the periphery or are the native faiths of other Humanoids like Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Kobolds, and the like.
BM=Before Messiah
AD=Anno Domini
10,000-8,000 BM Settlement by Humanity in what is now the Great Southern Desert along the fertile life-giving waters of the Nikherata and Tethon. However, at that time the Great Southern Desert is a fertile grassland.
10,000-7,500 BM Dvaro evolve in the North and become the Dwarves before splitting again into what would become the Gnomes and Halflings.
10,000BM Dragons are known to already inhabit the region and masters of "The Unseen Fire," aka Magic
9,000BM Precursor Elves arrive in the region and settle in the Valleys and Vales of the Spine. There they befriend many Dragons and various creatures.
7,000 BM Dragon Fafnir forges the Divine Crystal from a vast condensed pool of the Unseen Fire known as The Solgarite. But the process proves unstable, and the Crystal becomes unstable.
6,500 BM Fafnir works to teleport it using forgotten magic into the Aether beyond the world but is only half-complete and the Crystal detonates in the sky. Greatly effecting weather patterns. Great Southern Grasslands begins to become a desert. Humanity fractures with some moving South and never seen again. Others go East. While most head North and reach the Coast.
6,000-5,000BM Humanity develops basic farming and domestication. Contact with the Elves is established who have spread to the Coast and various cities that Humans would later return too several millennia later.
4000-2000BM Copper Age and then Bronze Age humanity forms.
1600BM Dragon Wake occurs. Dragons scour many lands for unclear reasons but the Elves and Dwarves hint at a civil war within the species. Humanity flees across the Sunset Sea and settles on another Continent.
1500-500BM Elven civilization spreads far and wide. Forming various diverse sub-cultures in the process. Humanity establishes its first empires across the sea and reaches Iron Age technology towards the end of this epoch.
480BM Explorers Herodotus and Thucydides manage to navigate back to the Old Continent and map areas around the Perranic Gulf. Meets the Elf Sage Aethalas and the two return to the Human Continent with marvelous artifacts.
450s-421BM Significant political upheaval and geological problems on the Human continent leads to a Human King named Antonian to launch an expedition East and reaches the Perranic Gulf, Sypriot Isle, and neighboring areas. His great grandson Konstans would lead a large expedition that would found Konstanton in 336BM. Leading to significant migration until the two continents are sundered by the event known as the Deluge which caused significant damage to the Human continent's civilizations. the Konstantinian Empire becomes established over the succeeding generations.
200s-100sBM Internecine Conflict and also conflict with other races leads to recession of Elven civilization back towards the Great Spine. Konstantinian Empire founds many cities on Elven ruins.
1 AD Birth of the Messianic figure who would found the Apostolic Faith near Arca Hierosolyma.
33 AD Crucifixion of the Messianic founder of Apostolism. The Twelve Apostles preach the faith far and wide. All but one are killed by the end of the century. But Apostolism spreads rapidly. Supplanting the old polytheistic religion of the Empire (which was itself based on the Elven pantheon).
200-300AD Wars of Faith in the Empire erupt amid succession wars and economic upheaval and invasion by other races. Emperor Konstans V makes Apostolism the state religion of the Empire before splitting it into West and East on his death bed in 339 AD.
350-400AD Arrival of Polytheistic faith worshipping Humans that settle in the Svadavian Mountains. Human tribes from the East also gradually settle territories further East in the succeeding centuries.
410AD Arrival of men from the West that sack several Konstantinian cities and settle in the far North.
425-576AD Decline of the Eastern Empire begins slowly and fueled by wars with the Dwarves.
610AD the Orc Tide begins with the arrival of Orcs from the East and South. Significantly weakening both the Western and Eastern Empires. Mainly the East which enters a rapid decline from 638AD onwards with the loss of all territories South of the Providencia River.
Western Empire hangs onto the coast and peninsula
Orcan the Prophet of the Green Sun founds the Religion of Al-Iqsa in Damaskar formally in 640 AD. Many humans convert to the faith in the South.
677AD Konstanton is besieged for the first time by the Iqsan Jihah but is relieved by Imperial reinforcements.
707AD Death of Orcan, succession of Orku Al-Dhamaskus as Bearer of the Word or Beyliph. Wages Holy War on the remnants of the Eastern Empire. Eventually conquering the last hold out near what is now modern Anteiarch in 778AD
810 AD missionaries out of Konstanton manage to cross the Sunset Sea and find the rest of Humanity. Apostolism is preached to them and spreads across the Continent.
800-900s Civil Wars fracture the Al-Iqsan Empire into various territories with the most powerful being the Sultanate of Dhamaskus.
911AD Al-Iqsan rulers bar Apostolic pilgrims from holy sites and in 913 the Second Siege of Konstanton is fought. The Emperor Alyxian I sends a request for help. Apostolic clergy stir up religious fervor and with the backing of various nobles and monarchs the first Apostolic Crusade is launched in 914AD. Crusaders land on the site of what is now First Landing in 915AD and defeat Al-Iqsan forces. Capturing Anteiarch and later Acre before moving south and besieging Syracuse which with the help of an Imperial Navy fleet manage to storm the city.
916-917AD a second more massive wave of primarily peasants and zealot pilgrims begin arriving by the hundreds if not thousands every month in Imperial and Crusader ports. In 916 Phireneesce is captured and Crusaders assist Imperial forces in the recapture of Niketas and later Kercerne in 918. Crusaders besiege and capture Arca Heirosolyma in an epic struggle from 918-920. Godfrei of Angouleme is named Protector of the Holy Sepulchre and ruler of the newly created Apostolic Realm of Hierosolyma. Much to the chagrin of the Western Emperor who wished to have all territories eventually restored to his suzerainty.
921AD the Crusaders take Seidon.
924AD death of Godfrei and ascension of William of Nothrend, a Crusader from the Western Continent, as Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. William founds the city of Tyr after a Second Apostolic Crusade lands in 930AD and captures Aelia.
940-970s Western Empire revival that sees the recapture of Ephesan and foundation of Taranto.
977AD Crusaders establish formal relations with Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings in a series of diplomatic expeditions. Northern Crusade is launched that purges most Orcs in the North as far as the Mithradan Mountains. Kobold Crusade is launched but is a failure in the 980s.
995AD William of Northrend's son Baudoin crowns himself King of Hierosolyma after winning a stunning victory near what is now Ascalon. Baudoin I later builds the fortress of Ascalon with construction completed by 1012AD.
1013AD ascension of Baudoin II as King and Crusades East. Converting the Humans of the Svadavians to Apostolism. Later founded the city of Tiberias over the ruins of older Elven and Imperial ruins.
1044AD death of Baudoin II, ascension of Fulk who captures Joirdain in 1049 and thus destroys the Sultanate of Jheran.
1050AD Huspodar Kingdom is founded and converts to Apostolism. The Huspole realm is based out of Varswaw. Foundation of Tripoli in 1051 as a crusader stronghold and later fortress-city.
1068AD Death of Fulk, ascension of Amalric I who wages war against various Al-Iqsan polities and captures what is now Tarsanius in 1073. Builds the fortress of Kerak in 1077 and marries the Imperial Princess Melisandra. Dies in 1098 while campaigning against the Sultanate of Banat. Melisandra takes over as regent until 1101 when their son Amalric II comes of age.
1105 Amalric II inherits the Imperial Crown as well via his mother, the only surviving daughter of the Konstantinian Emperor Isaakion II. Uniting both realms under him and begins to campaign aggressively with his newly acquired vast resources. Capturing Elizna and besieging Damaskar (unsuccessfully). Launches the Eastern Crusade that sees the forced conversion of peoples as far as Beltyne. Conquers the Banat Sultanate in 1114.
1136AD Death of Amalric II. Realm splits among his three sons that form The Konstantinian Empire, Kingdom of Hierosolyma, and Duchy of Taranto. Crusader military defeats in the 1140s under King Baudoin III see the unraveling of earlier conquests till the present. Oultre is founded is 1152 as a fortress outpost after the loss of all territories East and South of it.
1154AD Death of Baoduin III and ascension of Richard the Lion who holds the realm together against various assaults and enemies on various fronts. Dies in 1167. Ascension of Baoduin IV.
1185AD Present
AD=Anno Domini
10,000-8,000 BM Settlement by Humanity in what is now the Great Southern Desert along the fertile life-giving waters of the Nikherata and Tethon. However, at that time the Great Southern Desert is a fertile grassland.
10,000-7,500 BM Dvaro evolve in the North and become the Dwarves before splitting again into what would become the Gnomes and Halflings.
10,000BM Dragons are known to already inhabit the region and masters of "The Unseen Fire," aka Magic
9,000BM Precursor Elves arrive in the region and settle in the Valleys and Vales of the Spine. There they befriend many Dragons and various creatures.
7,000 BM Dragon Fafnir forges the Divine Crystal from a vast condensed pool of the Unseen Fire known as The Solgarite. But the process proves unstable, and the Crystal becomes unstable.
6,500 BM Fafnir works to teleport it using forgotten magic into the Aether beyond the world but is only half-complete and the Crystal detonates in the sky. Greatly effecting weather patterns. Great Southern Grasslands begins to become a desert. Humanity fractures with some moving South and never seen again. Others go East. While most head North and reach the Coast.
6,000-5,000BM Humanity develops basic farming and domestication. Contact with the Elves is established who have spread to the Coast and various cities that Humans would later return too several millennia later.
4000-2000BM Copper Age and then Bronze Age humanity forms.
1600BM Dragon Wake occurs. Dragons scour many lands for unclear reasons but the Elves and Dwarves hint at a civil war within the species. Humanity flees across the Sunset Sea and settles on another Continent.
1500-500BM Elven civilization spreads far and wide. Forming various diverse sub-cultures in the process. Humanity establishes its first empires across the sea and reaches Iron Age technology towards the end of this epoch.
480BM Explorers Herodotus and Thucydides manage to navigate back to the Old Continent and map areas around the Perranic Gulf. Meets the Elf Sage Aethalas and the two return to the Human Continent with marvelous artifacts.
450s-421BM Significant political upheaval and geological problems on the Human continent leads to a Human King named Antonian to launch an expedition East and reaches the Perranic Gulf, Sypriot Isle, and neighboring areas. His great grandson Konstans would lead a large expedition that would found Konstanton in 336BM. Leading to significant migration until the two continents are sundered by the event known as the Deluge which caused significant damage to the Human continent's civilizations. the Konstantinian Empire becomes established over the succeeding generations.
200s-100sBM Internecine Conflict and also conflict with other races leads to recession of Elven civilization back towards the Great Spine. Konstantinian Empire founds many cities on Elven ruins.
1 AD Birth of the Messianic figure who would found the Apostolic Faith near Arca Hierosolyma.
33 AD Crucifixion of the Messianic founder of Apostolism. The Twelve Apostles preach the faith far and wide. All but one are killed by the end of the century. But Apostolism spreads rapidly. Supplanting the old polytheistic religion of the Empire (which was itself based on the Elven pantheon).
200-300AD Wars of Faith in the Empire erupt amid succession wars and economic upheaval and invasion by other races. Emperor Konstans V makes Apostolism the state religion of the Empire before splitting it into West and East on his death bed in 339 AD.
350-400AD Arrival of Polytheistic faith worshipping Humans that settle in the Svadavian Mountains. Human tribes from the East also gradually settle territories further East in the succeeding centuries.
410AD Arrival of men from the West that sack several Konstantinian cities and settle in the far North.
425-576AD Decline of the Eastern Empire begins slowly and fueled by wars with the Dwarves.
610AD the Orc Tide begins with the arrival of Orcs from the East and South. Significantly weakening both the Western and Eastern Empires. Mainly the East which enters a rapid decline from 638AD onwards with the loss of all territories South of the Providencia River.
Western Empire hangs onto the coast and peninsula
Orcan the Prophet of the Green Sun founds the Religion of Al-Iqsa in Damaskar formally in 640 AD. Many humans convert to the faith in the South.
677AD Konstanton is besieged for the first time by the Iqsan Jihah but is relieved by Imperial reinforcements.
707AD Death of Orcan, succession of Orku Al-Dhamaskus as Bearer of the Word or Beyliph. Wages Holy War on the remnants of the Eastern Empire. Eventually conquering the last hold out near what is now modern Anteiarch in 778AD
810 AD missionaries out of Konstanton manage to cross the Sunset Sea and find the rest of Humanity. Apostolism is preached to them and spreads across the Continent.
800-900s Civil Wars fracture the Al-Iqsan Empire into various territories with the most powerful being the Sultanate of Dhamaskus.
911AD Al-Iqsan rulers bar Apostolic pilgrims from holy sites and in 913 the Second Siege of Konstanton is fought. The Emperor Alyxian I sends a request for help. Apostolic clergy stir up religious fervor and with the backing of various nobles and monarchs the first Apostolic Crusade is launched in 914AD. Crusaders land on the site of what is now First Landing in 915AD and defeat Al-Iqsan forces. Capturing Anteiarch and later Acre before moving south and besieging Syracuse which with the help of an Imperial Navy fleet manage to storm the city.
916-917AD a second more massive wave of primarily peasants and zealot pilgrims begin arriving by the hundreds if not thousands every month in Imperial and Crusader ports. In 916 Phireneesce is captured and Crusaders assist Imperial forces in the recapture of Niketas and later Kercerne in 918. Crusaders besiege and capture Arca Heirosolyma in an epic struggle from 918-920. Godfrei of Angouleme is named Protector of the Holy Sepulchre and ruler of the newly created Apostolic Realm of Hierosolyma. Much to the chagrin of the Western Emperor who wished to have all territories eventually restored to his suzerainty.
921AD the Crusaders take Seidon.
924AD death of Godfrei and ascension of William of Nothrend, a Crusader from the Western Continent, as Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. William founds the city of Tyr after a Second Apostolic Crusade lands in 930AD and captures Aelia.
940-970s Western Empire revival that sees the recapture of Ephesan and foundation of Taranto.
977AD Crusaders establish formal relations with Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings in a series of diplomatic expeditions. Northern Crusade is launched that purges most Orcs in the North as far as the Mithradan Mountains. Kobold Crusade is launched but is a failure in the 980s.
995AD William of Northrend's son Baudoin crowns himself King of Hierosolyma after winning a stunning victory near what is now Ascalon. Baudoin I later builds the fortress of Ascalon with construction completed by 1012AD.
1013AD ascension of Baudoin II as King and Crusades East. Converting the Humans of the Svadavians to Apostolism. Later founded the city of Tiberias over the ruins of older Elven and Imperial ruins.
1044AD death of Baudoin II, ascension of Fulk who captures Joirdain in 1049 and thus destroys the Sultanate of Jheran.
1050AD Huspodar Kingdom is founded and converts to Apostolism. The Huspole realm is based out of Varswaw. Foundation of Tripoli in 1051 as a crusader stronghold and later fortress-city.
1068AD Death of Fulk, ascension of Amalric I who wages war against various Al-Iqsan polities and captures what is now Tarsanius in 1073. Builds the fortress of Kerak in 1077 and marries the Imperial Princess Melisandra. Dies in 1098 while campaigning against the Sultanate of Banat. Melisandra takes over as regent until 1101 when their son Amalric II comes of age.
1105 Amalric II inherits the Imperial Crown as well via his mother, the only surviving daughter of the Konstantinian Emperor Isaakion II. Uniting both realms under him and begins to campaign aggressively with his newly acquired vast resources. Capturing Elizna and besieging Damaskar (unsuccessfully). Launches the Eastern Crusade that sees the forced conversion of peoples as far as Beltyne. Conquers the Banat Sultanate in 1114.
1136AD Death of Amalric II. Realm splits among his three sons that form The Konstantinian Empire, Kingdom of Hierosolyma, and Duchy of Taranto. Crusader military defeats in the 1140s under King Baudoin III see the unraveling of earlier conquests till the present. Oultre is founded is 1152 as a fortress outpost after the loss of all territories East and South of it.
1154AD Death of Baoduin III and ascension of Richard the Lion who holds the realm together against various assaults and enemies on various fronts. Dies in 1167. Ascension of Baoduin IV.
1185AD Present
Races of Outre Mer
Humanity
Humanity is dominant in the majority of regions and originated in Outre Mer. However, this fact is largely forgotten by Humanity and generally lost to the sands of time. Back when the Great Southern Desert was lush Mankind emerged in the South and spread to the North and South. Until, some three thousand years before the present, ecological catastrophes struck the Human settled lands and the majority of Mankind abandoned the Continent to the West. Following a then existent island chain to the Western Continent (analogous to Europe). Settling there with only a handful of Humans surviving in the regions in the South along the Tethon, Nikherata, and Mede Rivers.
Humanity would return at first to Outre Mer in 336BM. The Expeditions of the Warrior-King Alyxandros Konstanta founded the eponymous city that bears his last name and in the following decades a migration of his people took place back to Outre Mer. Before a series of seismic events in the Sunset Sea sunk the island chain spanning from East to West. Losing contact with the Western Continent until the first years of the 9th Century AD when missionaries from Konstanton were sent on a then thought suicidal mission across the stormy Sunset Sea. Managing to land on the Western Continent and there spread the Apostolic Faith.
The Crusades, began in the latter years of the 10th Century, ushered in a wave of migration back to Outre Mer in the wake of the successful establishment of the Crusader States. Add in the generations since and a sizable demographic shift has occurred in the lands now comprising the Crusader states themselves.
Humanity varies from the pale, fair haired Northmen of the Skyrraic region, to the Swarthy and uniformly black-haired men of the Great Southern Desert and beyond.
Dwarves
Dwarves primarily reside in the North-central region of Outre-Mer amid the Dvarowdelf (their ancestral homeland), Iron, and Frostpeak Mountains. Though, some small dwarf colonies are known to exist along the northern slopes of The Great Spine. The Dwarves are a short, rotund, but hardy race. Standing from four foot ten to five foot five the Dwarves are quite strong for their size with denser bones and a larger muscle-to-mass ratio. They are adept in subterranean environments with an unerring sense of direction and possess keen senses of smell and touch. Dwarves are able miners and craftsmen and find employ in variety of trades across Outre Mer.
The Dwarves primarily engage in Ancestor worship though some that have settled in Human dominated areas have been known to convert to Apostolism or Al-Iqsa. Though, given the relatively small area of their habitation this is a rare sight. Indeed, the Dwarves are primarily concentrated in their great underground-mountain cities. The largest of which, accessed by the Gates of Dvar and spanning an appreciable length of the mountain range itself, is home to several hundred thousand Dwarves.
The Dwarves are socially clan based and broadly associate these clans with specific materials. The Dwarves of the Dvarowdelf are as such known as Diamond Dwarves. Those that exist in the Mithridan villages are Mithril Dwarves. While those that live in the small colonies of the Great Spine are Emerald Dwarves. Those that live in the distant city of Morthei at Last Peak are the reclusive Obsidian Dwarves. While those in the Frostpeaks are the Sapphire Dwarves. In the south small colonies of Dwarves exist Svadavian Mountains as the Silver Dwarves while those in the Carthaeon are the Ruby Dwarves. Those Dwarves from families that have long migrated to Human cities are collectively labeled 'Gold' Dwarves for their merchant origins.
Dwarves typically live for about two centuries.
Kobolds
The Kobolds are a harsh race of Draconid humanoids. Ranging from Dwarf to Human size the Kobolds herald from the smoky Kobold Hills and Mithradan Mountains. While their major city is Keldaron, founded on Elven ruins. The Kobolds seldom leave their homeland but those that do are typically mercenary bands. For the Kobolds love gold and silver to a high degree. Their entire society is based on the pecking order of who is most wealthy and as such tend to be doggedly loyal to the hand which pays them. That being said Kobold mercenaries have been known to switch sides even mid-battle if the opposing side offers them substantially more coin.
Kobolds typically live for around fifty years though some are known to reach into their seventies.
Orcs
A race as variable as the weather. The origins of Orcs are a mystery, and their subsets vary by the region. For Orcs possess a natural ability to slowly adapt their skin to the environment around them. Thus, while the base skin color of Orcs is known to be green, encountering them of a variety of colors is common and can even speak as to their origin or whereabouts. Orcs of the Great Southern Desert tend to indeed be tannish or even brown. While those of Mountain locals may be anywhere from coniferous green to stone gray. While those that have lived in the far north have proven able to blend into the snow and ice quite readily.
Orcs, further, are as intelligent as Humans. Save for those Orcs heralding from the Lands to the East. Considered lost and forsaken tribes given over to madness and degeneracy. Indeed, the Orcs of the Western lands are known to inhabit a variety of walks of life. Orcs are generally just shorter, same as, or slightly taller than Humans of comparable strength but often displaying greater agility.
Orcs possess the same lifespan as Humans.
Halflings
Halflings inhabit the region simply known as Halfling Country. Usually under four feet tall the Halflings are a race prone to quiet afternoons smoking pipe weed or picnicking by a stream. Their only major renown is as chefs and culinary masters.
Halflings are known to live about as long as humans.
Gnomes
Roughly the size of Dwarves. Gnomes are an offshoot of the Dwarven race in actuality but by bizarre means have become a twisted, warring, spiteful race almost eternally at war with the Dwarves and those around them. When traveling abroad they are often raiders, slavers, and pillagers.
Gnomes generally do not live as long as Dwarves at around one-hundred and fifty years.
Elves
The Elves closely resemble humans but are taller and generally considered attractive to the eye in comparison to all other races. Their telltale slightly pointed ears and fair skin and hair colors set them apart. While they are one of the oldest civilizations in Outre Mer and technologically developed before Humanity did. Having a close relationship with the Dragons and once possessed a civilization spanning across Outre Mer. Indeed, many cities from Konstanta to Arca Hierosolyma, to Dhamaskus were built over Elven ruins. The Elves for the most part exist in small bands or isolated communities outside of their few known cities such as Arca Sol'Eil and Arca V'aryana. The Elves worship a polytheistic pantheon of Gods and Goddesses alongside Ancestor Spirits.
The Elves can be divided into several kindreds based on cultural and aesthetic differences. Broadly categorized as High, Silvan, and Low Elves. Elves are biologically immortal but all kindreds marry for love and generally have few children if any.
The High Elves
The Sun Elves of Summermist Valley, based out of their capital city of Arca Sol'Eil, are often the kindred that deals most closely with the Crusader Kingdoms and the Empire.
The Star Elves of the Hidden Vale primarily reside in Aelordrim with their capital city of Arca V'aryana. Considered the mightiest and fairest of all the kindreds though intensely reclusive.
The Moon Elves reside in Ilumere amid the mirror like waters of Lake Iluin.
The Silvan Elves
The Elves of Las Osgalen, the Kindred of Osse, live in the Osse Hills and are generally quite friendly to Humans. Often taking boat across the Salt Seas to trade with the Crusader Kingdom of Hierosolyma.
The Elves of the Crystal Forest, The Anare, are those that live in the Crystal Forest and are generally quite hostile to outsiders. Even holding other elves in suspicion.
The Elves of Vaneir Forest, The Wood Elves as they are often known by Humans tend to engage in trade but keep their refuges hidden to many.
The Scarlet Elves, the Blood Elves, live to the East of the Aelordrim amid the Scarlet Forest, Burning River, and Lake of Fire. Renowned horsemen and mercenaries.
The Dark Elves, the Shadow Walkers, live amid the dark boughs of the Darkwood.
The Low Elves
The Duskers, Elves of the Elizan Mountains, are a nomadic tribe of elves that reside in the Elizan mountains.
The Has'asari,The Elves of the Desert, often termed 'The Assassins' by mistranslations of their tongue, are Elves native to the Great Southern Desert that live nomadically amid the plateaus and dunes.
The Aqua'ari, the Sea Elves, are those elven clans and bands that have taken up life as maritime traders and reside in human port cities.
The Grey Elves, The Grimcloaks, The Elves beyond the Tigron river to the South-East. Dour and often traveling as various bands or tribes. The Grey Elves live semi-nomadically with hidden refuges in the Carthaeon Mountains and Uplands.
The Snow Elves, Elves of the Endless Winter, were once considered Silvan Elves until the collapse of their civilization in the North. Now primarily wander the Mithridan Mountains, Frozen Forest, or reside in northern Human cities like Tripoli.
Harpies
Harpies are nartive to the regions around the Harpilen, Harpywood, coasts of the Perranic Gulf, and the upper Athos Mountains. Harpies are known for their audio mimicry and siren songs capable of fooling unsuspecting victims. They are also solely carnivores, and these winged sirens will even on occasion take unsuspecting Humanoids, especially children, as a veritable feast. Their clawed hands and bird of prey shaped feet more than a match for the task of rending flesh from bone.
Harpies are known to live for around sixty years.
Valkyries
Cousins of the Harpies but the two kindreds diverged thousands of years ago. The Valkyrie settled in the North amid the Jotunheim Mountains and dwell within their stronghold of Valkyrheim. A largely inaccessible mountain city saves for the perilous Path of the Valkur passage. The Valkyries while also largely carnivorous shirk the consumption of humanoid flesh and instead opt for a diet largely subsisting on game, dairy, nuts, and roots. They additionally do not have claws and possess typical humanoid feet of identical structure to humans and five toes. It is unclear if this was an original form or an adaptation from the Harpies. The Valkyries pride themselves as a warrior society and seldom tolerate other races within their city save for the Elves and the Dwarves.
Valkyries tend to live to be around a century old give or take a decade.
Dragons
Wise and noble, greedy and vengeful. These are the two sides of the Dragon and largely describe the two common personalities associated with the ancient species. Dragons are considered the first learned race and while exceedingly rare can be found in a variety of mountain ranges. However, their gift for arcane powers and generally reclusive nature largely means their presence can go unnoticed. Add in their ability to hibernate for years if not decades mean the sighting of a Dragon can be intermittent across multiple generations. Dragons come in a variety of colors, horn arrangements, and abilities but all have four legs and two wings. In total six appendages. They are capable of speech though often communicate telepathically in order to adopt the tone and mannerisms of the race they are conversing with.
Dragons may live for several millennia or are biologically immortal. It is unclear given they generally take increasingly longer hibernation periods.
Humanity is dominant in the majority of regions and originated in Outre Mer. However, this fact is largely forgotten by Humanity and generally lost to the sands of time. Back when the Great Southern Desert was lush Mankind emerged in the South and spread to the North and South. Until, some three thousand years before the present, ecological catastrophes struck the Human settled lands and the majority of Mankind abandoned the Continent to the West. Following a then existent island chain to the Western Continent (analogous to Europe). Settling there with only a handful of Humans surviving in the regions in the South along the Tethon, Nikherata, and Mede Rivers.
Humanity would return at first to Outre Mer in 336BM. The Expeditions of the Warrior-King Alyxandros Konstanta founded the eponymous city that bears his last name and in the following decades a migration of his people took place back to Outre Mer. Before a series of seismic events in the Sunset Sea sunk the island chain spanning from East to West. Losing contact with the Western Continent until the first years of the 9th Century AD when missionaries from Konstanton were sent on a then thought suicidal mission across the stormy Sunset Sea. Managing to land on the Western Continent and there spread the Apostolic Faith.
The Crusades, began in the latter years of the 10th Century, ushered in a wave of migration back to Outre Mer in the wake of the successful establishment of the Crusader States. Add in the generations since and a sizable demographic shift has occurred in the lands now comprising the Crusader states themselves.
Humanity varies from the pale, fair haired Northmen of the Skyrraic region, to the Swarthy and uniformly black-haired men of the Great Southern Desert and beyond.
Dwarves
Dwarves primarily reside in the North-central region of Outre-Mer amid the Dvarowdelf (their ancestral homeland), Iron, and Frostpeak Mountains. Though, some small dwarf colonies are known to exist along the northern slopes of The Great Spine. The Dwarves are a short, rotund, but hardy race. Standing from four foot ten to five foot five the Dwarves are quite strong for their size with denser bones and a larger muscle-to-mass ratio. They are adept in subterranean environments with an unerring sense of direction and possess keen senses of smell and touch. Dwarves are able miners and craftsmen and find employ in variety of trades across Outre Mer.
The Dwarves primarily engage in Ancestor worship though some that have settled in Human dominated areas have been known to convert to Apostolism or Al-Iqsa. Though, given the relatively small area of their habitation this is a rare sight. Indeed, the Dwarves are primarily concentrated in their great underground-mountain cities. The largest of which, accessed by the Gates of Dvar and spanning an appreciable length of the mountain range itself, is home to several hundred thousand Dwarves.
The Dwarves are socially clan based and broadly associate these clans with specific materials. The Dwarves of the Dvarowdelf are as such known as Diamond Dwarves. Those that exist in the Mithridan villages are Mithril Dwarves. While those that live in the small colonies of the Great Spine are Emerald Dwarves. Those that live in the distant city of Morthei at Last Peak are the reclusive Obsidian Dwarves. While those in the Frostpeaks are the Sapphire Dwarves. In the south small colonies of Dwarves exist Svadavian Mountains as the Silver Dwarves while those in the Carthaeon are the Ruby Dwarves. Those Dwarves from families that have long migrated to Human cities are collectively labeled 'Gold' Dwarves for their merchant origins.
Dwarves typically live for about two centuries.
Kobolds
The Kobolds are a harsh race of Draconid humanoids. Ranging from Dwarf to Human size the Kobolds herald from the smoky Kobold Hills and Mithradan Mountains. While their major city is Keldaron, founded on Elven ruins. The Kobolds seldom leave their homeland but those that do are typically mercenary bands. For the Kobolds love gold and silver to a high degree. Their entire society is based on the pecking order of who is most wealthy and as such tend to be doggedly loyal to the hand which pays them. That being said Kobold mercenaries have been known to switch sides even mid-battle if the opposing side offers them substantially more coin.
Kobolds typically live for around fifty years though some are known to reach into their seventies.
Orcs
A race as variable as the weather. The origins of Orcs are a mystery, and their subsets vary by the region. For Orcs possess a natural ability to slowly adapt their skin to the environment around them. Thus, while the base skin color of Orcs is known to be green, encountering them of a variety of colors is common and can even speak as to their origin or whereabouts. Orcs of the Great Southern Desert tend to indeed be tannish or even brown. While those of Mountain locals may be anywhere from coniferous green to stone gray. While those that have lived in the far north have proven able to blend into the snow and ice quite readily.
Orcs, further, are as intelligent as Humans. Save for those Orcs heralding from the Lands to the East. Considered lost and forsaken tribes given over to madness and degeneracy. Indeed, the Orcs of the Western lands are known to inhabit a variety of walks of life. Orcs are generally just shorter, same as, or slightly taller than Humans of comparable strength but often displaying greater agility.
Orcs possess the same lifespan as Humans.
Halflings
Halflings inhabit the region simply known as Halfling Country. Usually under four feet tall the Halflings are a race prone to quiet afternoons smoking pipe weed or picnicking by a stream. Their only major renown is as chefs and culinary masters.
Halflings are known to live about as long as humans.
Gnomes
Roughly the size of Dwarves. Gnomes are an offshoot of the Dwarven race in actuality but by bizarre means have become a twisted, warring, spiteful race almost eternally at war with the Dwarves and those around them. When traveling abroad they are often raiders, slavers, and pillagers.
Gnomes generally do not live as long as Dwarves at around one-hundred and fifty years.
Elves
The Elves closely resemble humans but are taller and generally considered attractive to the eye in comparison to all other races. Their telltale slightly pointed ears and fair skin and hair colors set them apart. While they are one of the oldest civilizations in Outre Mer and technologically developed before Humanity did. Having a close relationship with the Dragons and once possessed a civilization spanning across Outre Mer. Indeed, many cities from Konstanta to Arca Hierosolyma, to Dhamaskus were built over Elven ruins. The Elves for the most part exist in small bands or isolated communities outside of their few known cities such as Arca Sol'Eil and Arca V'aryana. The Elves worship a polytheistic pantheon of Gods and Goddesses alongside Ancestor Spirits.
The Elves can be divided into several kindreds based on cultural and aesthetic differences. Broadly categorized as High, Silvan, and Low Elves. Elves are biologically immortal but all kindreds marry for love and generally have few children if any.
The High Elves
The Sun Elves of Summermist Valley, based out of their capital city of Arca Sol'Eil, are often the kindred that deals most closely with the Crusader Kingdoms and the Empire.
The Star Elves of the Hidden Vale primarily reside in Aelordrim with their capital city of Arca V'aryana. Considered the mightiest and fairest of all the kindreds though intensely reclusive.
The Moon Elves reside in Ilumere amid the mirror like waters of Lake Iluin.
The Silvan Elves
The Elves of Las Osgalen, the Kindred of Osse, live in the Osse Hills and are generally quite friendly to Humans. Often taking boat across the Salt Seas to trade with the Crusader Kingdom of Hierosolyma.
The Elves of the Crystal Forest, The Anare, are those that live in the Crystal Forest and are generally quite hostile to outsiders. Even holding other elves in suspicion.
The Elves of Vaneir Forest, The Wood Elves as they are often known by Humans tend to engage in trade but keep their refuges hidden to many.
The Scarlet Elves, the Blood Elves, live to the East of the Aelordrim amid the Scarlet Forest, Burning River, and Lake of Fire. Renowned horsemen and mercenaries.
The Dark Elves, the Shadow Walkers, live amid the dark boughs of the Darkwood.
The Low Elves
The Duskers, Elves of the Elizan Mountains, are a nomadic tribe of elves that reside in the Elizan mountains.
The Has'asari,The Elves of the Desert, often termed 'The Assassins' by mistranslations of their tongue, are Elves native to the Great Southern Desert that live nomadically amid the plateaus and dunes.
The Aqua'ari, the Sea Elves, are those elven clans and bands that have taken up life as maritime traders and reside in human port cities.
The Grey Elves, The Grimcloaks, The Elves beyond the Tigron river to the South-East. Dour and often traveling as various bands or tribes. The Grey Elves live semi-nomadically with hidden refuges in the Carthaeon Mountains and Uplands.
The Snow Elves, Elves of the Endless Winter, were once considered Silvan Elves until the collapse of their civilization in the North. Now primarily wander the Mithridan Mountains, Frozen Forest, or reside in northern Human cities like Tripoli.
Harpies
Harpies are nartive to the regions around the Harpilen, Harpywood, coasts of the Perranic Gulf, and the upper Athos Mountains. Harpies are known for their audio mimicry and siren songs capable of fooling unsuspecting victims. They are also solely carnivores, and these winged sirens will even on occasion take unsuspecting Humanoids, especially children, as a veritable feast. Their clawed hands and bird of prey shaped feet more than a match for the task of rending flesh from bone.
Harpies are known to live for around sixty years.
Valkyries
Cousins of the Harpies but the two kindreds diverged thousands of years ago. The Valkyrie settled in the North amid the Jotunheim Mountains and dwell within their stronghold of Valkyrheim. A largely inaccessible mountain city saves for the perilous Path of the Valkur passage. The Valkyries while also largely carnivorous shirk the consumption of humanoid flesh and instead opt for a diet largely subsisting on game, dairy, nuts, and roots. They additionally do not have claws and possess typical humanoid feet of identical structure to humans and five toes. It is unclear if this was an original form or an adaptation from the Harpies. The Valkyries pride themselves as a warrior society and seldom tolerate other races within their city save for the Elves and the Dwarves.
Valkyries tend to live to be around a century old give or take a decade.
Dragons
Wise and noble, greedy and vengeful. These are the two sides of the Dragon and largely describe the two common personalities associated with the ancient species. Dragons are considered the first learned race and while exceedingly rare can be found in a variety of mountain ranges. However, their gift for arcane powers and generally reclusive nature largely means their presence can go unnoticed. Add in their ability to hibernate for years if not decades mean the sighting of a Dragon can be intermittent across multiple generations. Dragons come in a variety of colors, horn arrangements, and abilities but all have four legs and two wings. In total six appendages. They are capable of speech though often communicate telepathically in order to adopt the tone and mannerisms of the race they are conversing with.
Dragons may live for several millennia or are biologically immortal. It is unclear given they generally take increasingly longer hibernation periods.
Apostolism & Al-Iqsa
Both of the major religions originated in the Lands of Outre Mer. The first being Apostolism, founded by The Messiah of Hierosolyma one-thousand and eighty-five years before the present. A Man proceeding from a Monotheistic almighty, forgiving, God and embodying the Holy Spirit. A trinitarian faith bound by the Apostolic Creed set forth at the time of the Messiah's crucifixion by the Konstantinian governor of Hierosolyma at the time, Pontian Pharisee. The Messiah could heal the sick and walk upon water, turn poisoned wells into drinkable wine, and had foreknowledge of events to come. A figure preaching redemption, salvation, and all those that believeth in God shall have eternal life in a Heavenly existence.
Apostolism spread rapidly in its first centuries and in the early years of the ninth century spread to the Western Continent which harbored the bulk of Humanity. Becoming the state religion in the Konstantinian Empire in the three-hundredth and thirteenth year since the birth of the Messiah. It is the larger of the two faiths if accounting for the Western Continent and considers both Arca Hierosolyma and Konstanta as Holy Cities.
Al-Iqsa was founded surprisingly not by a Human. But by the slave turned warlord turned religious prophet Orcan. Born in the slave markets of Dhamaskus, Humanity's oldest continually inhabited city in Outre Mer, the Orc slave Orcan preached about prophetic visions and escaped into the desert. There he traveled the dunes for twelve years before dwelling in a cave overlooking the City of Medine. There he received visions and wrote the Is'Uran, the Final Word, and founded the Al-Iqsa religion (Al-Iqsa meaning The Faith). A Monotheistic religion believing in a single mighty, vengeful and forgiving, God and that their faith is a correction of previous religion's theological errors and corruption. Thus, Orcan gathered followers and took Medine by surprise. His oratory and rhetoric, preaching the Word, swiftly converted many in the city and in the first full moon since taking the city as comet streaked across the sky. As such lunar and comet iconography was adopted by the religion.
Al-Iqsa spread rapidly during Orcan's lifetime. Spreading from Mekka to Dhamaskus all the way down the Tethon to Fahadeen by the end of the 7th Century. His succesors, the Beyliphs of Al-Iqsa, continued to spread the religion by conquest and from Al-Aqaba to Samarkand it became the dominate religion of the South. By the time of the late 8th Century the faith was the dominate religion in Outre Mer among Humans and Orcs and had spread to the North. Conquering vast stretches of the Konstantinian Empire. Only beaten back out of some regions at great cost by the Empire and when new assaults came in the early 10th century the plea went out to the West. Thus, the Crusades began.
The Unseen Fire
The Unseen Fire is a common term in reference to the arcane. The magical arts and sorcerous practices. While street charlatans may use gimmickry like smokes and mirrors to give flashy shows of 'magic' in truth the Unseen Fire is far more esoteric and subtle. All living things possess a 'flame' and it can vary from person to person. For example, some of the Elven kindreds like the Star, Sun, and Crystal Elves their presence is known to have an unnatural aura. The flame of their souls touching the world around them and burning far brighter. While those of Humans, Dwarves, and Orcs are more subdued. Like a candlelight flame in a dark night. As such the Unseen Fire closely operates based on willpower and spiritual belief rather than flashy shows and climactic magical duels. In truth you will only find the latter in storybooks. Divination and healing are the generally the primary applications of such powers. Enchantments similarly require one to put part of their flame into the device for it to function. To give it life via your own mortal fire.
As such the magic of this setting is closer in operation to that in Tolkein works or Arthurian legend.
Both the Apostolic and Al-Iqsa religions generally look down upon the use of the Unseen Fire. Deeming it a perversion of a tool reserved for God and all that is Holy rather than for mortal use. However, courts on both sides of the great religious conflict and indeed many of those that follow older faiths harbor the services of individuals capable of using magic.
The Faction Template
Code:
Territory Name:
Territorial Claim:
Leader Name:
Banner/Heraldry of Territory:
Leader Heraldry:
Religious Affiliation:
Population of Territory:
-Religious Breakdown
-Cultural Information:
Breakdown of Population
-Nobility:
-Burghers:
-Peasants:
-Foreign groups:
-Any Serfs/Slaves:
Economic Description of Territory:
Main Produce/Products:
Treasury Breakdown:
Military Breakdown & Organization:
Historical & Biographical Information:Territory Name: The Apostolic Kingdom of Hierosolyma
Territorial Claim: Political Map, see territory covering Hierosolyma
Leader Name: Baudoin IV of the House of Northrend-Comnene
Banner/Heraldry of Territory: The banner of the Kingdom is a golden cross on a white background with for smaller golden crosses, quartered.
Leader Heraldry: A golden cross under a crown of thorns.
Religious Affiliation: Apostolic Church
Population of Territory:
The Kingdom in total has a population amounting to a little over 1.5 million.
The Royal Demesne accounts for:
The Population of Arca Hierosolyma: 300,000
Surrounding estates in the Olive Hills and along the eastern half of the Providencia River and down further to the Dusk Wood. Accounting for a rural population of 190,000.
-Religious Breakdown:
The Kingdom due to its history has the following breakdown:
Approximately 1.4 Million are Apostolics.
~100,000 Al-Iqsa in generally the regions bordering the Southern Plains.
>100,000 are various Humanoid nativist/pagan faiths from the minority populations found in the Kingdom's cities.
-Cultural Information:
Culturally, the Kingdom as a basis has a strong Konstantinian heritage and as such the main language of the Kingdom aside from tongues from the Western Continent used by the Crusaders is Konstantese. In fact, the latter is the general tongue of the rural population and only in the cities will you see significant usage of the Western tongues or languages of other races. Namely Soldarin, the dialectal tongue of the Sun Elves, will be heard in the Elvish quarter or amongst learned individuals.
Breakdown of Population
-Nobility: ~3%
The Nobility represent both landed and unlanded aristocracy in the Kingdom and generally follow the model of feudalism present in the Western Continent populated solely by Humanity. That is the monarch at the peak and they're beneath the most powerful Dukes and Counts followed by Barons and Knights. The last group, Knights, can be both landed or unlanded and still considered nobility.
-Burghers: 33%
While the Burghers are not a true middling class by definition. They collectively represent those of the merchandizing and artisanal, urban, population of the Kingdom. Those that work above subsidence levels. The Kingdom is quite urbanized compared to the Human realms of the Western Continent due to the various medicinal, engineering, and agricultural advances absorbed by the Kingdom from Imperial, Elven, Dwarf, and even the southern realms that it has come into contact with.
-Peasants: 61%
The largest group are the peasantry. The commoners. And represent everything from the farming villages and orchard hamlets to the bottom rungs of labor in the cities and towns of the Kingdom.
-Foreign groups: There is always a trickle of Westerners arriving in the Kingdom in pursuit of religious goals, wealth, and wanderlust. With usually a few hundred arriving monthly to stake their claim in the Crusader States. Most end up filtering into the Peasant and Burgher classes of Crusader society.
-Any Serfs/Slaves: Slavery is illegal within the Kingdom though serfdom does exist on an individual lord-peasant basis.
Economic Description of Territory:
The Kingdom is quite fertile and as such farming and crop growing is common along the coast and inland to the Salt Seas. There, production of salt also occurs, and the King's Salt Tax collects a hefty sum each year for the realm's coffers. Olive Oil production is common in the eponymous named Olive Hills as is mining in the North and in the Tarsanius Mountains. While fishing and shipbuilding is common along the coasts. Wine is a common export in the southern reaches of the Kingdom while in the north brandy and mead are the chosen beverage of manufacture.
Given the varied locales and climate of the Kingdom the realm despite its population being smaller than many Human realms on the Western Continent, and about a fourth the population of the Empire, is disproportionately wealthy. The Royal Mint produces a number of coins such as the Golden Florin with 99% purity and representing a two-month wages for an unskilled laborer. The Silver Crown is the more common coin for the nobility and merchandizing classes with 97% purity and generally capable to most big purchases or money transfers. While the Copper Penny, representing a day's wage for a farm hand, is typically enough to purchase a meal and night at an inn.
Main Produce/Products:
Olives/Olive Oil
Iron, Copper, Tin
Gold and Silver
Wood
Ships
Agricultural Produce such as grain and fruits and vegetables
Fish
Treasury Breakdown:
The treasury of the Kingdom sits at the equivalent of 500,000 Gold Florins with at current a surplus of 15,000 florins a year.
Military Breakdown & Organization:
The Kingdom is feudal in nature and as such no central army or navy exists. Rather, there are the forces of the King, The Military Holy Orders, and the armies of the vassal fiefs of the realm.
Knights of Arca Hierosolyma
Knights of Arca Hierosolyma are very much the direct household knights of the King who are either unlanded but ennobled or landowners in the environs and general vicinity of Arca Hierosolyma itself. Bearing the heraldry of the city, a golden cross with four smaller golden crosses, quartered, on a blue field. Knights of Hierosolyma often stand out for the golden threading of the heraldry on their surcoats and the fact they ride under the banner of the King rather than individual lordlings flags or their own.
The Knights of Hierosolyma are 311 strong backed by a similar number of squires and for many of the landed knights they are obligated to bring armed retainers on campaign or in defense of the Kingdom when summoned.
Military Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Based in Arca Hierosolyma itself and founded by Godfrei of Angeouleme in 920AD to protect the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The King acts as Grandmaster by virtue of bearing the title of Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. Knights of the Holy Sepulchre bear a red cross with four smaller red crosses, quartered, on a white field. The Order however is mostly filled out by non-ennobled men-at-arms and volunteer warriors but all Apostolics who took monastic vows.
The current strength of the order is:
42 Knights
37 Squires and Pages
211 Men-At-Arms capable of arming themselves as cavalry
436 Men-At-Arms footmen.
Maison du Royaume, The Royal Army
The largest direct force under the king and semi-professional as far as feudal standards goes. Represent those that operate as full-time men-at-arms in the service of the King or those of noble families that have taken military positions as full-time. This also covers the feudal levy and landed nobles beyond the environs of Arca Hierosolyma but not under the major vassals of the King like the realm's dukes, counts, and princes. Many of these soldiers who are ennobled are knights or of baronial status overseeing individual manors or estates. They all fly the banner of the King and for those ennobled may fly their own standard if bringing more than sixteen men on campaign or their own pennant otherwise.
At full muster as of 1185 this army, often informally known as the Royal Army or King's Army, accounts for:
7 Counts (each obligated to bring a 'Grand Company' of at least 300 men on campaign)
43 Barons (each by feudal contract obligated to provide no less than fifty men in defense of the realm from their estates when call-to-arms is given)
1,568 Knights (obligated to bring 2 to 16 men-under-arms with at least 50% equipped as either crossbowman or archer depending on acreage of estate from 15 acres to 300 acres. Unlanded knights in full-time service are exempt but expected to train squires)
4,400 horsemen comprising Burghers and urban dwellers well off enough to equip themselves with horse and arms.
16,260 Royal Yeomanry
13,150 Men-At-Arms
The feudal levy based on the 1180 Census accounts for 83,000 of "militarily desirable means" able to provide for seasonal military service. This is a fixed quota levied across all municipalities that directly answer to the King and are not "indirect" vassals under a Lord of Ducal or Princely status. Naturally, this figure far exceeds typical campaign means and usually a small fraction of this figure several hundred to less than 10,000 are ever raised for military service.
Order of Our Blessed Lady
While it is sanctified as a religious order by the Patriarch of Arca Hiersolyma it is however not officially considered a 'Religious Order' on account that by law 'Only Men may bear Arms' in the eyes of Military Orders. The Order of Our Blessed Lady is named after the mother of the Messiah, The Blessed Mother, and operates various hospitals and apothecarions throughout the Kingdom. But what makes the order unique is that in addition to their primary goal of providing medicinal and hospice care, the women of the order are trained in combat, and while never called to serve on campaign in an armed capacity will put up a defense of their priories and themselves. They are some of the only women allowed by the King to bear arms in his presence and regularly provide physicians for his care.
Current membership:
1,742 Members
1,186 Acolytes
Holy Order of The Lazarene Passion
Often shortened to The Lazarene Order are knights afflicted with Leprosy and are vassals directly to the king on account of the Leprosarium operating in his honor near Arca Hierosolyma. They bear a Green cross on a white field as their heraldry.
Current memberships:
22 Knights
34 Men-At-Arms
The Blue Cloaks
The City Watch of Arca Hierosolyma are an armed force 5,500 strong organized in fifteen companies and paid for by taxes from the city. They keep order within the city itself. They bear a blue crown on a white field as their heraldry and wear blue cloaks uniformly. They also function as the guards of the Royal Jail and the Debtor's Prison.
Historical & Biographical Information:
The Kingdom of Arca Hierosolyma was founded in the wake of the First Crusade in 920AD. The Crusaders had already been operating on the Old Continent for several years and the epic siege of Hierosolyma from October 918 to February of 920 heralded the formalization of the territories under Crusader control into a kingdom. A distinct realm separates from the old Konstantinian Empire to the West and the nascent, smaller, but nominally under the suzerainty of Arca Hierosolyma, Crusader states to the North. Initially, a collection of cities under Crusader control until the appointment of Godfrei of Angouleme as Protector of the Holy Sepulchre. having rejected a crown, and acting as primus inter pares among the burgeoning, new, noble class settling the lands.
In the following decades and through the tenure ship of William of Northrend's mantle of Protector the Kingdom solidified into a cohesive polity. Exerting nominal and at times practical control over the other Crusader states. Reinforced by the flow of pilgrims and crusaders arriving from the Western Continent on an almost yearly basis. Slowly, altering the demographics of the Kingdom over several generations until the realm possessed a solid mix of groups descended largely from the old Imperial population and the new influx of Westerners.
It would not be until 995AD when the elderly, blind, and bedridden William of Northrend's son, Baoduin, would finally take a crown at a convention of the Haute Coeur. The High Council of the Kingdom and formalize its transition into a true feudal monarchy. Baoduin, now Baoduin I of Hierosolyma, already middle aged, would set up the formal system of governance with many of the realms's oldest lordships tracing back to him. Making way for his own successor Baudoin II, who would launch several successful crusades that achieved the conversion of various peoples to the immediate East of the Kingdom such as the Svadavians.
Yet, it would be under the third and fourth generation. King's Fulk and Amalric I, that would see true expansion and solidification of the realm into a major power player in the Old Continent. While Ful would wed one of the Konstantinian Empire's Imperial Princesses, Melisandra, as a strategic maneuver to form a united front against the various Sultanates and Emirates to the South. Amalric II, himself a quadroon by virtue of his half-elven mother Melisandra, introduces elven blood to the royal line and while Amalric would only live into his 50s, he would uniquely be both Emperor and King of a united monarchy during his lifetime and firmly entrench Apostolism in the North and lead to a golden age for the Kingdom and allow a recovery by the Empire in the West.
His three sons: Isaakion (Emperor Isaakion III), Baoduin III (King of Hierosolyma), and Bohemund (Duke of Taranto) would divide up his composite realm. Ultimately, such a divided state was taken advantage of, and several defeats inflicted on the Kingdom of Hierosolyma led to the current geographic boundaries. Baoduin III would marry Princess Belnobia of Palmyras in a political alliance and Father Richard the Lion, however, the pregnancy was harsh and Belnobia would perish during labor. Only the skill of the Elf physician Vanelon Selinvuir managed to save the child's life. Baoduin III would marry again, this time to a Half-Elf Maiden named Opheriel and from this union the future Baoduin IV would be born. A sister, Sybella, would be born in 1164.
Richard would go on to succeed his father and spent most of his reign at war in defense of the Kingdom. Fighting a defensive struggle against a revitalized and re-organized foe in the Sultanate of Dhamaskus among other threats including other opportunistic Apostolic states. Ultimately, Richard would die in 1167, weary and prematurely aged, with his younger half-brother Baoduin IV ascending to the throne. Baoduin IV would be put to the test immediately and only eight months into his rule he was embroiled in a series of battles in a running campaign throughout the summer and autumn of 1167. Suffering initial setbacks the young King would win a crushing victory at Montblanche near the Tarsanius Mountains when leading only 300 Knights and 1,500 other troops the King destroyed an Al-Iqsan army of 26,000 and pursued the remnants over twelve miles. This would be followed up by the more tactical victory at Bellegarde Castle, a small crusader castle thirty miles West of Kerak near the southern banks of the Capitolina in a small patch of low hills. Relieving the tiny garrison the King would drive away the again much larger Al-Iqsan force with only 7,000 men. Giving respite to a weary Kingdom.
Baoduin IV however would be stricken by Leprosy at a young age from an unclear source and only through the combined benefits of elven physicians and his own Quadroon heritage was the disease progression slowed if not halted for periods of time. For while Baoduin is physically more capable than other Lepers he still suffers from periods of exhaustion and prone to risks of illness. While physical disfigurement is lessened or repaired by his physicians and heritage, he still opts to wear full coverings and masks to make himself more approachable to his subjects. While the coverings are often specially woven and imported from Arca Sol'Eil for their comfort and anti-septic qualities.
Aside from his sister, Baoduin IV is related to the Prince of Ascalon, Bellephoron Avonvariel, nicknamed the 'Half Elven Prince' for his mixed Westerner and Sun Elf heritage. Who is the King's cousin by way of Opheriel's full elf siblings.
Bellephoron rules over the Fortress-City of Ascalon as a direct vassal of the King and often sits on the Haute Coeur. Ascalon itself is populated by 55,000 souls. The prince's banner is a Black Cross surrounded by a coiling scarlet dragon bearing a golden crown on its head on a white field. The Prince can call 281 Knights and their manorial levy alongside 3,000 Men-At-Arms and 3,000 Archers & Crossbowmen. Also, Bellephoron controls the Scarlet Company. A unit of warriors of Elven and Half-Elven stock as his personal guard.
MAPS
Central Outre Mer
Southern Outre Mer
Central Political Map
South Political Map
The Northlands
The Jade Lands
Last edited:
