The Kingdom of Elos
One of the three major kingdoms on the continent of Malan. It is the youngest, largest, and most prosperous of the three.
In the days of old, the continent of Malan was controlled by two great nations: The Kingdom of Moravan in the West, and the Kingdom of Esterlon in the East.
As history tells it, it was a time of darkness, when kings cloistered themselves in opulent castles, oblivious to the suffering of their people. Fear stalked the night, and hope was a fading ember. Then, a beacon of light pierced the gloom, heralding the arrival of King Elos. Hailing from a distant eastern realm, Elos sought a new kingdom, and he found it in the sun-dappled shores of Malan.
The Midlands, as they were known in those days, were given a wide berth by all men. History and myth have merged, and the true record of why has been lost, but the surviving story claims that they were ruled over by a fierce dragon known as Xersorrad - The White. Different accounts tell a different tale, but at some point, King Elos confronted the dragon and bested it, driving it from the continent, and claiming dominion over the Midlands. They were rechristened as the Kingdom of Elos, and so began the unstoppable rise of the Middle Kingdom.
Structure
The Monarchy
- King / Queen of Elos
- The King of Elos holds absolute authority in the Kingdom. His word is law. Some of his responsibilities are as follows:
- Leading the Military - this has been a literal and honorific title over the years. Some kings prefer to lead from the battlefield, while others rarely leave Edon, appointing generals to lead in their stead.
- Making Laws
- Acting As the Highest Court
- Appointing Noblemen
- Overseeing the Church
- This became part of the Kings duties after the Clerical Uprising threatened to break the Kingdom in two.
- Maintaining diplomatic relations with other kingdoms.
The Nobility
Beneath the king, several noble ranks help to administer order in the realm.
- Duke / Duchess
- A high-ranking noble who oversees and administers a large territory.
- Marquis / Marquess
- A noble below a Duke. They typically govern a smaller territory within a Dukedom.
- Count / Countess
- Territories under a Marquis' supervision are divided into individual Counties, with each county being overseen by a Count or Countess
- Viscount / Viscountess
- A noble ranking below a count. A count may enlist one or more Viscounts in order to help administer his county. A viscount may also serve as a deputy to the Count.
- Baron / Baroness
- A noble ranking below a viscount, typically governing a manor or a small territory.
Responsibilities of the nobles include: Serving in the military as knights and soldiers for the Kings army, paying homage to the king and providing military and financial support, collecting taxes, administering justice, and ruling over and protecting the vassals and lands under their control.
The Clergy
- Archbishop
- The highest-ranking cleric, overseeing a large diocese.
- Bishop
- A high-ranking cleric, overseeing a diocese
- Priest, Monk, or Nun
- Lower-ranking clergy, responsible for religious duties, such as administering sacraments and providing spiritual guidance.
The Commoners
- Knights
- Warriors Sworn to a code of chivalry, serving a noble lord.
- Peasants / Serfs
- The majority of the population. They work the land, and provide labor and taxes for the nobility.
- Some common peasant occupations include
- Farmers
- Fishermen
- Ranchers
- Merchants
- Artisans
- Blacksmiths
- Carpenters
- Weavers
- etc.
History
The Kingdom was founded in 1 CE, and this is widely considered the start of the Common Era. While Elos' neighbors may disagree that this is how it should be, few divert from this nomenclature, and most dates are measured in the distance of time before (BCE) or after (CE) Elos was founded in the Midlands.
The story of the Great Empire began when the man who would become King Elos first arrived on the shores of Malan. A 2nd prince from a distant land, Elos had little hope of claiming the throne in his own country. So, with a cadre of his greatest loyalists, and those nobles who swore fealty to him, he set off with a contingent of ships to find a place he could establish his own kingdom. On the sun dappled shores of Malan, he found just such a location. But the land was not simply free for the taking. Though history has long forgotten the true story of what happened when the King-to-be arrived, legend holds that he found an environment ruled over by a great and powerful dragon known as Xersorrad - The White. Through some manner or means, King Elos expelled the dragon, claiming dominion over the land for himself.
Once he had free run of the territory, Elos and his convoy of loyalists began to survey the land, searching for where they would be able to erect their capital city. Near the center of their territory, he found the hill that would become his future home.
Upon it, he had a might castle built, and about that, he constructed a town where his nobles could live, and where peasants could ply their trades. In honor of his brother, the future king of his original homeland, Elos named his Capital Edon.
While there is a judicial system that is composed of a series of judges, the ultimate authority of the courts lies in the hands of the White Throne. This means that at any point, King Aidas or Grand Vizier Gisele can choose to intercede on a case, either passing stricter judgement, or granting clemency.
Suzerain
Peace
Fragile Peace
The Kingdom of Elos and the The Kingdom of Moravan have never been on good terms. However, the current arrangement is a marked improvement from years past, where open war raged between the two kingdoms.
Though there exists veiled hostilities, no one knows how long this fragile peace will last.
Comments