The Kingdom of Lancaster
Lancaster is a feudal monarchy and the northernmost nation of the Third Empire of Evermore. It is a mountainous kingdom famed for it's storied great houses and powerful knights.
The Great Houses of Lancaster
For the most part, the noble Houses are as old as Lancaster itself. They were initially brought to power by the Sidhe Lords of Faerie. Each House holds an identity in the form of banners, mottos, and ancestral keeps. The oldest families of Lancaster also have special titles given to them by the ancient Sidhe.House Silverlight
The House of Silverlight have been the kings of the Tegdylun since before the migration to the Material Plane. Their banner is a silver lion, often on a yellow field. Their words are Know My Name, and their Fae title is, quite simply, Kings of Lancaster. House Silverlight holds the cliffside city of Silverlight, from their ancestral home of Castle Silverlight, which is a castle suspended over a waterfall by ancient Fae magic. Currently, House Silverlight are not only the lords of all Lancaster, but also joined by marriage to the Skalxien royal family of Evermore.House Luminos
The House of Luminous are the first bannerlords to House Silverlight and famed for being the House of the legendary hero Sir Ryl the Noble, said to be the first ever knight. Their banner is a white knight on a golden field, sword held aloft. Their words are Summer Reigns, a reference to their ancient loyalty to the Summer Court of the Sidhe. The Summer Lords gifted them a Fae name, Bright Knight. They rule over Summerdown from the Sunrise Keep, tasked forever with defending the eastern reaches of Lancaster from the Orcs of the Greenlands.House Thorne
The House of Thorne are the most powerful House in the west of Lancaster. Their banner is a black and white checkered pattern. Their House words are For Avalon, in reference to their ancient and loyal service to Sidhe King of Avalon. To this day, the House of Thorne practice ancient religious rites tied to the Fae rather than practice the Cult of the Fifteen, and this everlasting loyalty has granted them the Fae name The True Believers. The House of Thorne rules over Faeriedown, and serve as the wardens of all Lancaster's wild places. Like House Silverlight, House Thorne is bound by marriage to the Skalxien family through Prince Lawrence of Bronzehold's marriage to Terra Thorne.House Tilgen
The House of Tilgen are famed for the fierce nature of the family. There has not been a Tilgen in a thousand years that did not become a knight. The banner of House Tilgen is a red tiger on a field of black. The House is situated in the center of Lancaster and charged with the training and deployment of the standing army of the nation. Their words are Hear Me Roar, and their Fae name is The Roaring Flame. They rule from The Clawed Keep at Fort Lion's Tooth, situated at the southern edge of Loch Shimmer. Traditionally, the heirs to House Tilgen bear the magic blade Striped Fang.House Swyft
The House of Swyft guard the northern shores of Lancaster. Their banner is a white dragon on a blue field. On My Honor are the words of the House, and their Fae name is The Coming Darkness, a name earned from their ancient service to the darkfae Morrigan. House Swyft rule over Fort Snowwatch from the Battered Keep, so named for the waves that constantly crash against it's rock walls.House Davidon
The House of Davidon are charged with defending the Slipshale Pass in the south of Lancaster. Their banner is a white wasp on a yellow and black field, and their words are Rouse Not My Wrath. Their name is derived from their ancestral service to the Sidhe King David of Avalon, and their joyous service earned them the Fae name The Laughing Kings. Their home is New Avalon, which they rule from The Hive, a castle carved into the rock walls of the pass.House Graves
The House of Graves are the lords of the southern marshes, and serve as the first line of defense against the undead horrors spawned by the Swamp of Souls. Their banner is a white hanged woman on a field of black. Their constant warfare against the living dead has given them their motto, All Men Die. Like House Swyft, the ancestors of Graves served the Morrigan, specifically as the Dark Queen's personal guard, earning them the Fae name The Dark Daughters. They rule Faelight from Headstone, a castle of runed stone that glows in darkness.House Longshadow
The House of Longshadow are the lords of most of Loch Shimmer. They keep a falling star on a purple field as their banner, and their words are Stars Guide Us. They served the Shimmering Lord of the Sidhe, and were given the Fae name The Star Watchers. From the floating castle Skymirror they rule over Starrydown and defend the loch from pirates and lake monsters.Structure
With the Royal Family on the very top, Lancaster is a feudal state ruled by high lords over smaller lords over still smaller nobility. Ruling families have often been in place since the founding of Lancaster itself. Between the nobility and the common folk, orders of Knights wield some political power.
Public Agenda
Maintain the borders, traditions, and safety of Lancaster.
History
The Kingdom of Lancaster was founded before the modern age, well before the arrival of Skaldor and his armies. It was founded by humans migrating over from the transitive plane of Faerie, and they swiftly found themselves in repeated brutal wars waged against the Gemloki, which the early Lancastermen dubbed 'rock elves' or 'mountain elves'. With the new Empire's assistance, Lancaster's lands consolidated as a fully human state.
In the early 300s, Lancaster joined many other subjugated nations and broke away from the empire in a bloody war of revolution. They existed as an independent nation enjoying a healthy trade relationship with both The Empire and Ter Eira until 1398, with the union of marriage between Theodora of Lancaster and King Richard VIII of Evermore, uniting the two powers into a more powerful state and launching the beginning of the Third Empire.
Since then, Lancaster has been a favored member of The Empire, often receiving aid above other, longer-established places.
Military
Aside from housing it's mandatory share of the Legions of the Empire, Lancaster can field at any time thousands of Knights of varying orders. In addition, the Monarch reserves the right to order a general levy, conscripting forces from the peasantry. Each lord tends to maintain a small standing army as well. The combined non-Legion, non-Knight forces of Lancaster are collectively referred to as the Lancaster Royal Kingsmen (Queensmen, as it currently stands).
Some, but certainly not all, orders of Knights include:
- The Order of the Dragon
- The Order of the Blue Rose
- The Sisterhood of Valkyries
- The Holy Order of the Sun
- The Brotherhood of the Lion
- The Order of the Sword
- The Order of the Lady
- The Brotherhood of the Morning Star
- The Order of the Flame
- The Order of the Cockatrice
- The Guardians of Old Stars
- The Knights of the Crown
Religion
While a majority of Lancastermen, as in all places, worship most of the major fifteen gods in some form or another, the Sol Invictus, or the cult of Fortissimus, counts Lancaster as it's greatest stronghold. Indeed, the Great Temple of Fire in Silverlight is the holy seat of power for the Sol Invictus, and Lancaster boasts the greatest number of devoted worshipers of the fire god.
Agriculture & Industry
The farmers of Lancaster raise mostly sheep, which translates to mutton being the preferred national dish. Lancaster is the producer of the majority of Illiria's silver supply. Thanks to the abundance of sheep, weavers and textile mills are in abundance, and fine lace is produced here as well.
Trade & Transport
Lancaster relies mostly upon the massive trading caravans to take goods across the continent, and purchases a majority of it's imports from these as well. Some shipping trade is done along the established routes of the Sea of Teeth during the summer months. Luxuries for the highest of the nobility are sometimes flown in on air ships.
Infrastructure
Road networks are well-maintained and well protected, a perk of joining the Empire. Every ten miles or so, a watchtower stands with a small garrison of soldiers. Lancaster also boasts one of the Empire's largest airfields outside of a walled city, the Airman's Respite, which is a large, flat plain maintained by the Monarch to provide a stop for intercontinental air travel.
Mythology & Lore
Lancaster's human population and history are heavily tied with that of Faerie, and as such fairy cults are quite common outside of the major cities. Lancaster is dotted with large steel obelisks coated with ancient runes, which the people believe are the places where Lancastermen first emerged from the Faerie.
Hundreds of tales of the exploits of the first few Knights have an almost religious significance to the people of Lancaster. Stories of these heroes are often treated as pure fact rather than (likely) embellished history.
An Oath, A Nation
Founding Date
312
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Land of Fallen Stars, The Near Dreaming
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Faeish
Leader
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Client state / puppet state
Economic System
Traditional
Major Imports
Lancaster imports a large quantity of iron from The Alliance and dyes from The Greenlands. Fresh fruits and vegetables are taken from The River Kingdoms to the northernmost reaches of Lancaster by river barges.
Legislative Body
The Monarch of Lancaster sets all laws, which can be overturned by a unanimous decision of the Kingly Council, individuals chosen by the Monarch to handle day-to-day operations.
Judicial Body
Criminals are held in holding cells until they can be brought before the local lord, or a knight if there is no ruling House within convenient distance and tried for their crimes. The accused can claim The Rite of Honest Swords, or a trial by combat. The judge, however, can deny this request if they so please.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Items
Organization Vehicles
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments