"Only two things shine as bright as jewels;
The Honor of a Knight and The Blood of the People."

— Merjean proverb

The History

The Kingdom known as Merjoux was founded around two thousand years ago, the exact date of the founding is uncertain due to the ongoing war at the time. The land of Merjoux and the people, however, had existed for far longer than that. Much of that history has been lost, the details forgotten to time, but some stories and legends persist in the traditions and beliefs of the people, and in the songs they sing and the stories they tell. In the aftermath of The Breaking, people were scattered across what was left of the world, they scrambled day and night, merely eking out survival from the land. Then through the secret ways, came the Fey.
The Fey arrived in droves, each group more different than the last, but those who stood above all the other Fey were the Eladrin, the Fey of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The Eladrin were the Courts, all other Fey only pledged their fealty to those beguiling and charismatic beings. To the Seelie Court belonged the Eladrin who embodied Spring and Winter. To the Unseelie Court belonged the Eladrin who embodied Summer and Autumn. And for a time the Fey took the humans under their wing, protecting and guiding them in return for hard work and entertainment. In time children were born of unions, for the Fey were nothing if not passionate beings. The children and the grandchildren of these unions received special treatment and took on positions of power among them, still ultimately serving the Fey but undoubtedly above the rest of their kind.
Eventually there was a falling out among the Fey and the people, the exact cause is uncertain but in most of the stories the blame is laid squarely at the feet of the Fey. The people rose up and banded together behind the banners of a number of descendants. Iron had been secretly harvested and worked into weapons and armor for the people and they went to war. The people swept across the land harrying the Fey back to the Feywild through the secrets ways, and warding the ways. The leader of the people was then crowned with an iron crown. He had brought together all of Merjoux, unified them against the threat of the Fey and dealt with it. From these disparate peoples he forged a kingdom with noble titles gifted to his generals. He was a young king, but surrounded by those loyal to him and he reigned for a long time. He married and gave birth to three sons.
He was an old man with his sons all grown when the Fey returned, at this time with an army and a leader who wore a mantle of all seasons. The King raised a mighty army and they went to war against the Fey once again. During the years of battles that followed the King’s wife fell to Fey assassins, and his sons all fell in battle. The King himself fought on grimly and bitterly and during the final battle, he and the Fey King met on the field of battle. There are a great many ballads of that battle, but in the end the Fey King was killed, but not before he struck a mortal blow to the King of Merjoux. The Fey were either killed or forced back through the door they came through and upon his death he took aside his most trusted general and instructed him to do two things. The first was to ensure the door never opened again and to bury him before it along with his sword to serve as guardian. The second was for him to take up the crown and rule in his stead.
The general did the first, but he could not do the second. He could not bring himself to wear the iron crown of his king. He had a new crown fashioned of brass and wore that as king, and time passed. The Noble Houses grew and grew in power and influence and the class of the nobility, and thus the class of the commoners, slowly became solidified. The Orders of Knights formed during this time, originally as a means for each noble house to have their own small army. As time went on the various Houses clashed against each other and dozens of small wars broke out among them. These small wars built into something larger as the Low Houses, as they are now known, banded together and marched on the King, who called to him the High Houses. Among them were seven knights, one from each of the High Houses, of such skill and strength that they were unmatched.
These seven Knights were put together into a single unit which became the vanguard for the King’s army. They were called The Virtuous and it is said they are who truly turned the tide and decided the battle in the King’s favor. Order was restored and the King then required all Knights everywhere in the kingdom to swear an oath to serve the Kingdom, and thus him. A new order of Knights was instituted, The Order of the Golden Rose, and it was placed in charge of all Knights. All land within Merjoux was reclaimed by the King and it was then rented out to the Noble houses, with the rent due periodically. This became the new order of the land and the reputation of the Virtuous helped to enforce this for many years. The old king however soon passed away and his eldest son took over the throne. Only a few years later a great scandal broke out, The Virtuous were cast out of the Knighthood entirely, by order of the King. They were guilty of treason and hunted down one by one, though they tried to escape and scatter across the lands, word trickled back that each of them fell among the onslaught of Knights sent after them.
Over the years there have been other stories, other heroes and villains to rise and fall, for such is the way of Merjoux, kingdom of glamour and stories.

The Land

The Kingdom of Merjoux is spread over two major landmasses and over a dozen smaller islands. The land is rich with fertile ground and vast forests providing the people with wide varieties of food. Much of the land is given over to farming with several areas having been turned into vast orchards and vineyards. Even the land below the earth is rich for there are deep seams of metals and gemstones which are mined for their value. The sea as well is rich, teaming with fish and shelled delicacies. The weather in Merjoux is not often volatile, the seasons progressing much the same as they have in the past, giving the farmers of the kingdom little in the way of surprises.
Every inch of land and sea within Merjoux is owned by the King, or Queen, and it is leased out to those he deems fit to rule over it. Thus Merjoux is divided up into 15 different provinces, each of which is ruled over by one of the Noble Houses. Each province is further broken up into smaller counties, each of these counties are given to one of the Branch Families of the Noble Houses.
Clairelle is the province where the Capital city of Lamersein rests, and is ruled over by House Diamant. Clairelle is home to several smaller cities, and a number of small towns and villages, fertile fields and a vast forest. It is the heart of the Kingdom. The counties of Clairelle are Lamersein (the Capital city is considered its own county), Fresnel, Brosseau, Pierlot, Belyea, Verany, and Charbonne.
Cardelle is a province consisting of five islands and the sea surrounding them, and it is ruled over by House Rubis. While the smaller islands do contain small forests, the larger two islands are home to several gemstone mines on one, and on the other is a deep chasm known as The Crag. Legends abound of pirate treasure hidden somewhere in The Crag. The counties of Cardelle are Allemand, Raolt, Darchel, Saunier, Lacan, Estien, and Sylvain.
Escarelle is a province of farms, a large forest in the center and is ruled over by House Grenat. There are two small cities, and one large city which holds one of the two major naval shipyards of the Kingdom. Deep within the forest are a series of hills believed to be cursed and dangerous. The counties of Escarelle are Heroux, Ducheme, Gendre, Lemoine, Augere, and Selsoit.
Oranelle is a province both on the mainland and on one large island and is ruled over by House Ambre. Like Escarelle, it is home to fertile fields and seas, large forests and the second of the two major naval shipyards of the Kingdom, which is on the island. The counties of Oranelle are Barreau, Allard, Giraul, Amadou, Sartel, Armelle, and Tonnier.
Dorelle is a province of both forests and farmland and home to a large shallow bay between the mainland and a large crescent shaped island. It is ruled over by House Cornalin and has a reputation of being more rustic, which may be due to how remote it is from the capital. The counties of Dorelle are Jardin, Ghysla, Deshai, Beauline, Coliere, and Tolesse.
Jaunelle is a province of mostly farmland, and a pair of islands, the larger of the two home to grasslands. It is ruled over by House Citris. The only major wooded area is on the smaller of the two islands, which is also home to a fortified city, which is also a naval base. The larger of the two islands is also home to a small but swift breed of horse. The counties of Jaunelle are Cellier, Fortier, Gaubert, and Descome.
Jadelle is province dominated was vast swathes of both grassland and orchards and vineyards among the farmland. It is ruled over by House Varis. The major city in the grasslands is noteworthy because it lies directly on a county division. Several tribes of steppe orcs make their home among the grasslands and have good relations with the First Branch Family. The counties of Jadelle are Legere, Hemery, Tremau, Tiphaine, Coulome, and Massone.
Vertelle is a province of farmland, forests, rolling hills, natural hot springs, mountains and a canyon, all of which are ruled over by House Emeraude. The majority of the wealth of the province comes from the natural hot springs, the metals beneath the rolling hills and the riches of the mountains. The counties of Vertelle are Solle, Poincar, Silvest, Courtia, Lagarde, Vernier, and Charpente.
Turelle is a province dominated by mostly by farmland, though it is home to a large lake known as Lac de Verre. It is ruled over by House Perido. The province is very rural, despite its nearness to Clairelle. The abundant fresh water fish within the lake are a delicacy that many nobles will travel miles for the chance to taste. The counties of Turelle are Moise, Passeau, Cyrilt, Josine, and Clement.
Tristelle is a province of farmland and large forests and a large island upon which both hills and a small mountain rises. It is ruled over by House Saphir. This province boasts a large city which is the major port on the second landmass. Most sea traffic will stop at Feycrest. Tristelle is quite urbane, even in the smaller villages. The counties of Tristelle are Rigale, Lievre, Cleris, Evrard, Alcest, and Remont.
Blanchelle is a province home to farmland, a large portion of the mountain range, some forests and an arid mesa. It is ruled over by House Quaris. It is a hardy land, worked by hardy people, even the nobility work hard here, pulling value out of the land like blood from a stone. The counties of Blanchelle are Abelin, Wathel, Duclos, Rengard, and Arduin.
Indelle is a province of forests and farmland and the seas between the islands that are part of it. It is ruled over by House Zanite. Compared to the other provinces there are not many settlements within Indelle and those that are there seem to be mostly populated by the nobles. The commoners of Indelle live off the land and in harmony with it, moving as they need to. The counties of Indelle are Emmane, Lebas, Flore, and Gachet.
Viofelle is a province of forest and farmland, though a vast majority of the farmland is given over to vineyards which produce some of the best wines within the kingdom. It is ruled over by House Dolite. Viofelle also contains a large port city, though not as large as Feyport. The island of the province is rumored to contain secret deep in the forest upon it. Stories of what that secret might be are many and varied. The counties of Viofelle are Vassier, Foureur, Heline, Klebier, Boude, and Gavreau.
Ametelle is a province of fertile farmland, vast grasslands and steep mountains. It is ruled over by House Ametys. There are many fishing towns and villages along the coast, and a few of the branch families, those who live and rule the land around the mountains, have good relations with the orcs and the dwarves who live there. The counties of Ametelle are Menetre, Vaillan, Guillame, Joguet, Larouse, Broche, and Cuvier.
Noirelle is a province of forests and mountains, but the vast majority of it belongs to a wide swathe of marshland. It is ruled over by House Sidien. The mountains and forests provide wealth, as does the marshland in its own way. There is a sizable population of Lowland Halflings who live and work in the swamp. Perhaps due to the swamp, the people of this province are a somber lot overall. The counties of Noirelle are Dieudon, Pretres, Morel, Noemi, Berlios, Severine, and Jauffier.

The People

The people of Merjoux are divided by their history and the culture that has grown up over the years. The stories of legend speak that the people of Merjoux have the blood of the Fey running through their veins. In some run the blood of the Seelie Court, and these people are the Nobles of Merjoux. In others run the blood of the Unseelie Court, and these people are the Commoners of Merjoux. There are far more Commoners than there are Nobles, but the Nobles wield more power and influence than the Commoners do.
The people of Merjoux tend to be taller and slimmer than the people of other regions of Ashiel while also having a wide variety of coloration, no doubt favoring their Fey heritage. Both the Nobles and the Commoners have skin colors ranging anywhere from pale & dark peaches to light & dark browns. Their hair and eye coloration, however, tends to be more varied. The Nobles tend to have hair and eyes of pale oranges, golds, yellows, pale greens, dark greens, pale blues and even pure white. The Commoners tend to have hair and eyes of dark blues, purples, violets, pinks, reds, dark oranges and black.
Humans are not the only people on Merjoux, there are also a significant number of Dwarves, Halflings, Orcs, High Elves, Light Elves and Tieflings within Merjoux. While these other races are not considered to be either Nobles or Commoners, when the laws must apply to them the Dwarves, High Elves & Light Elves are considered Nobles and the Halflings, Orcs and Tieflings are considered Commoners.

The Culture

Society within the Kingdom of Merjoux is equally divided as the people themselves are. The Nobles of Merjoux live a life of opulence and power, but also a life of responsibility and struggle. The Nobles are divided among fifteen different Houses, and each of these Houses are further divided into a number of Branch Families. Each Branch Family has a single Lord or Lady who rules it and they have the title of High Lord or High Lady. While it is true that the Nobles are the ones who rule the lands and thus enjoy the wealth and privilege those lands bring them. They only rule those lands at the sufferance of the King, public opinion and other forces. The Nobles who rule a land must pay taxes to the King for the use of the land, and these taxes are due each season. This money is usually raised by employing Commoners to work the land for profit and providing shelter and food for them as partial payment for their work. Yet overworking, or treating the Commoners poorly will raise the ire of the people, simply cause them to leave, or worse it will reach the ears of The Loveless Society. Besides this balancing act, the Nobles must also contend with their neighboring Nobles who often wish to claim land not being worked properly. Intrigue among the Royal Court is often as dangerous to a Noble as a drought or a fierce storm or a flux.
The Commoners of the Merjoux, at first, may seem to have a worse life than the Nobles, and there is some truth to this. The Commoners also have more freedom in a sense than do the Nobles. The lot of a Commoners is free from the pressures and the intrigue the Nobles must suffer, but they have their own problems, least of which is the lack of money to buy food or clothing or shelter. This is why so many of them submit to working for the Nobles, as much of this is provided as part of the price of their labor. The few coins they receive are able to be saved up. While the Commoners have no obvious power within society, their pleasure or anger is a powerful tool often used by the Nobles against one another. When the people are happy, the Lords and Ladies rest easy, yet when the people are angry, the Lords and Ladies must then take action to address their concerns, at least if they wish to not draw unwanted attention to them. This is why The Jeweled Festivities exist, monthly celebrations of free food and drink and entertainment, all provided to the Commoners at little to no cost by the Nobles.
All of Merjoux, both Noble and Commoner alike, have a fondness for stories. The history of Merjoux is rife with hundreds of stories, from the small to the grand. And new stories are being made by the people themselves, those who venture out, who do great deeds in the hopes that their lives will be written down and told again and again for posterity. There is a saying in Merjoux that there are three types of coin with which you can trade: money, favors & story. There is a fourth type of coin not mentioned there because it is not traded, though it still has value. That coin is honor and it belongs mostly to the Knights of Merjoux. A Knight can be from either Noble or Commoner birth, the Knights accept all who wish to try, but the testing is rigorous and exacting. Few of the many who try rise to the rank of a Knight of the realm and those who do are held to a high standard. The Knights of Merjoux serve the Kingdom and, in the places between towns, are the law. At least that is the way it is supposed to be and while for many this is true, others may not hold so true to their ideals as the people might wish.

The Government

The ruling power within Merjoux is the King, and to a lesser extent the rest of the Royal Family through the King. The eldest child of the King assumes the throne upon the King’s death and thus the succession passes on down the family line. Immediately below the King and his family are the High Lords and High Ladies who rule their respective Branch Families. The Royal Court exists as a way for the various Noble houses to speak directly with The King, to plead for laws to change, leniency on fines or any other manner of things. The High Lord or Lady who currently rules over the first of the Branch Families of each noble House has a place upon the Royal Court. This is a long standing right of their family. The King, however, can and often does appoint others to the Royal Court so the numbers shift and change as the seasons pass.
Each Noble House has been granted a swath of land as theirs, though it is on paper given solely to the High Lord or Lady of the first Branch Family of that House. This is how the fifteen provinces have come to be. Each province is then divided up further into counties, each county being further leased out to the one of the Branch Families to rule over. All settlements within each county are then ruled over by either a Lord or a Lady of that Family, or an appointed representative of them, usually a mayor, in the case of settlements too small to merit personal supervision. Larger settlements may have a council appointed to rule over it or not as the ruling Lord of Lady decides.
Existing apart from the ruling structure but working alongside it are the various Knightly Orders of Merjoux, a collection of men and women who devote their lives in servitude to the Kingdom, and thus the King. They act as peacekeepers, protectors and guardians, and also thief-takers and hunters of monsters and other evils. While many of them have bases of operation within towns or cities, the vast majority of them spend much of their time riding across the countryside, making sure that no trouble is brewing out of sight. They often bring their own form of justice with them out into the countryside and while theirs is fairer than what might be obtained within a city, it is also more direct.

The Laws

There are three layers of laws within Merjoux and they are known as The King’s Justice, The Knight’s Justice and The People’s Justice. The King’s Justice are for those crimes which, by necessity or severity, must be brought before the King himself for judgement. These include crimes of Treason Against the Kingdom, Tax Artifice, Murder of a Noble, Breach Against the Crown, Disdain of Noble Obligation, Ignoring the Call of Duty, Impersonation of Nobility, Incitation of Lawlessness, Conspiracy, & Collusion with the Fey. Being found guilty of any of these crimes by The King can lead to a sentence of execution, exile from Merjoux, less of status, or heavy fines. If the fines are not able to be paid this could also lead to being sold into indentured servitude. If one is called to appear before the King and fails to show on time, the King will immediately rule against the offending person, often exercising extreme sentences against them.
The Knight’s Justice exists between The King’s Justice and The People’s Justice. There is little in the way of a structure as to what crimes fall within the purview of The Knight’s Justice. Anyone, Noble or Commoner, may beseech a Knight to act as a Justicier and the Knight is honor bound to do so fairly and objectively. Their decision is considered final and must be adhered to, even if that decision is immediate execution of the offending party. The Knight’s Justice is often swift and sometimes brutal, but is considered always fair. There is another part of The Knight’s Justice which is only known among the Knightly Orders. All Knights within Merjoux have sworn to uphold the Knight’s Code, a series of tenets to safeguard the honor and purpose of the Knights. Should a Knight be found to have betrayed this Code, other Knight’s will seek his or her head for this violation, as a means of redeeming their honor.
The People’s Justice is where all crimes not great or severe enough to take before the King go to be heard. In every town and city and most smaller settlements there is at least one person, if not more, who has been trained and appointed as a Justicier, one who listens to and passes judgement at the behest of the King. The crimes often seen here are Theft, Accidental Death, Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Destruction of Property, Public Indecency, Breach of Contract, Failure to Pay Debt, & Negligence. Failure to appear before a Justicier will be met with a substantial fine.

The Gods

While Merjoux is not overly fixated upon religion, and indeed at first glance they seem a very hedonistic and materialistic people, there is room for the Gods within their lands. Among the Elder Gods there are no small houses of worship for Berana or Yshirea, though shrines exist to both in most settlements. Murien and Karashiel both have small houses of worship in most large settlements, while Karashiel also have safe places in the heart of many forests and grasslands and even upon the mountains. Seram and Xistan, as in most places, have temples and small houses of worship devoted to them. Rioris tends to only have small shrines and only then in the largest cities and towns. Zolaris and Runalia both have small houses of worship, though Runalia’s tend to be better hidden. Arcana and Estarn are like Rioris in that their shrines are only kept to the larger settlements. Navendia has several small shrines usually located along roads, while in the city there are some fortune tellers who own a small house and welcome those who wish to worship. Cendar, as usual for him, has small shrines scattered all over, sometimes in odd places.
Among the younger Gods, L’iaris has a temple within Lamersein itself and small houses of worship in every city and town. B’erysh and S’erien usually have shrines in most of the Houses belonging to the Knightly Orders, and B’erysh of course has shrines wherever the Orcs are found. S’erien has shrines in most towns, usually grouped along with the others. Y’shram has a few small houses of worship and where you find those you will find a small population of High Elves. S’erris, among all of the Younger Gods save for L’iaris, has the largest number of small houses of worship. Z’olrun and B’erram, if they have shrines, they are not public. It is said X’isdia is worshipped only by those who are members of The Loveless Society. Of the Lost Gods, K’arest, A’naris, M’urcen and M’urdar, the shrines are kept by the priests of L’iaris and brought out for the ending of The Opal Parade. N’avrio is not worshipped, as he is in most places.

The Dangers

There are dangers within Merjoux, perhaps not so many as other places, for the weather tends to be fairly decent with warm summers and plenty of rain over the growing seasons, cool autumns and the winters are not too harsh. Wild animals and creatures from the Feywild are often problematic. Running afoul of a Noble or a Knight is possible, or a group of Commoners. Finding yourself in debt to a Noble or a Merchant can have you placed into indentured servitude. The Green Flux is common, and rarer is the Red Flux, which shows up every few decades. Even rarer than that is the Blue Flux which seems to come and go without rhyme or reason. Intrigue between the Nobles can cause much in the way of trouble for any caught in the crossfire. The Loveless Society proves to be a danger now and then to the Nobles, for all many people don’t actually believe it exists.

La Clarté des Nobles.
Le Feu des Roturiers.
La Valeur des Deux.

The Clarity of the Nobles.
The Fire of the Commoners.
The Worth of Both.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Lamersein

Demonym

Merjean

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Market economy

Merjoux & The Shining Sea

The Kingdom of Merjoux & The Shining Sea

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