The Kingdom of the Black Forest
“From bark and blade, we rise.”
Overview
Deep in the western reaches of the world lies The Kingdom of the Black Forest, a misty, primeval realm of towering trees, shadowed glades, and iron-bound oaths. The people of this kingdom, known as Forresters, are a proud, earthy folk defined by grit, tradition, and balance. Though 90% Corvid by descent, their culture has melded with Skandish and Celtain bloodlines, forming a unified identity rooted in the land and sustained by The Triad of Strength.
Language
The native tongue of the realm is Forrester, a living language descended from RavenSpeak, enriched with hearty Skandish idioms and melodic Celtain turns of phrase.
- It is both practical and poetic, used for tales by firelight and terse battlefield commands alike.
- Ancient druids still speak an archaic form of it, used only in sacred rituals.
Geography & Settlements
- The entire kingdom lies within the massive, semi-mythical Black Forest, a place said to be as old as the world itself.
- Villages and towns nestle into forest clearings, built from dark woods and stone, surrounded by protective standing stones.
- The capital, Hartspire, sits atop a great forested hill at the very heart of the realm, its wooden spires rising like antlers above the tree canopy.
Religion
The Forresters primarily revere the Goddesses of the Green (Vellara, Terra, and Verdessa), with druidic priests presiding over sacred groves and seasonal rites.
- Stone circles, hollow trees, and glades serve as temples.
- The Grey Covenant is also honoured, particularly Harlequin and Vellara for their balance and practical wisdom.
- Ravens and white harts are sacred symbols—one representing fate and messages, the other power and purity.
Culture & Beliefs
The Triad of Strength
The core value system of the Forresters:
- Strength of Arm – Valour, discipline, work ethic.
- Strength of Mind – Learning, reasoning, adaptability.
- Strength of Heart – Compassion, loyalty, inner balance.
Each child is taught these virtues from birth. Coming-of-age rites often involve challenges that test all three aspects.
Dress & Colours
- Everyday garb: Muted green and brown, designed to blend with the forest.
- Formal wear: Embroidered cloaks, leaf-motif jewellery, and feathered brooches.
- Warriors wear green-tinted armour, and their shields and tabards bear heraldic axes.
Military
Axes are the iconic weapons of the realm:
- Great axe brigadiers for heavy front-line assault.
- Twin-axe skirmishers for forest ambushes.
- Axe and shield phalanx for defence and pushing through enemy lines.
The Staghelm Knights (Order of the White Hart)
Elite royal knights who:
- Hunt a mighty stag as a trial of worth.
- Mount the antlers upon their helms.
- Don green-dyed plate armour and green and brown tabards emblazoned with the king’s symbol—a noble white hart. Their presence is both inspiring and terrifying, like ghostly forest spirits of vengeance.
- Their current leader is: Heinrich Schultz
Symbols
- National Flag:
- Green (left) and Brown (right) divided diagonally.
- White crossed axes at the centre.
- Royal Crest:
- A white hart's face, front-facing, with branching, elaborate antlers—symbol of the king’s divine mandate and ancestral bond to the forest.
Additional Titbits
- Forrester weddings are held in sacred groves beneath moonlight, attended by druids and ravens.
- Funerals are green-burials—bodies placed under young trees, symbolizing the return of strength to the land.
- Folk sayings:
- “Don’t swing your axe with a hollow heart.”
- “The forest knows its own.”
- “All strength is threefold, or it crumbles like rotwood.”
Details
Ruler: King TBC
Diplomacy:
- Friendly with it's eastern neighbour - The Kingdom of Albion.
- Protectorate pact with The Mumbles.
- Trade agreements with the Duchy of Fromaggio.
- Friendly with Topsider dwarves and Sky Fall Elves.
- Has opened diplomatic communications with forest countries in the Southern lands.
State Religion: Goddesses of the Green.
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