Stonebrook Dynasty
Day 53
Land sighted! Food has been running short and tensions have been high. The sea had been getting rougher when the slight tinge of grey appeared on the horizon. Captain Redtree even now is turning the ship to port while Alvaster is preparing everyone for a land venture to find some much needed water. This is our only chance and our desperation outweighs any threats that might present themselves - nothing could be worse than the Stronggirth giants!
Excerpt from the Travel logs
of the ship Castaway, 403 AC
On Governance
And there, on Mount Freedom, the kings were crowned and their lines given authority over the people. The Alvasters to rule the humans and the Redtrees to rule the elves and together form one dynasty. Those who had taken the most risks in the escape were given their own areas to be lord over and the peoples cut out a chunk of land for themselves.
This is what led to the system still in use today. The two monarchies jointly ruling the dynasty, supported by a network of lords and ladies and the heads of the different guilds throughout the dynasty. Through this, the strength of the dynasty holds together and the might of the dual races can be seen.
King Eldervine Redtree's
The Making of the North
On the Military
The Dual-Blood Guard has been in existence almost since the initial founding of the dynasty. It is split into two distinct halves, one composed of humans and the other of elves. Although other races can occasionally show their merit - particularly in times of strife - they are generally split into a third, smaller unit to not minimize the two races upon which the dynasty was founded.
Each of the two races have chosen a color to represent themselves: green for the elves and gold for the humans. Although all the uniforms bear both colors, the dominance of the color can help identify the soldier's race even from a distance. It also helps to encourage the friendly rivalry between the two groups that keeps both armies fit for duty and competition.
The split between the two armies does not mean they are always separate though. Often when on active duty the units are composed half of each race as the skills prevalent between the two races differs slightly with the elves favoring the bow and the humans closer melee options.
It has been said before in the lower bands of the court that often our guards are taken with bribes and have been known to look the other way to adverse conditions. I can assure that this is not the case for if a guard is found to be corrupt he would be immediately removed of his position by his superior and possibly imprisoned depending on the extent of his corruption.
King Eldervine Redtree's
The Making of the North
On Religion
Mantar has been the true monarch of the north for many ages. Ever since the first colonists arrived, expressing their thankfulness for being spared from the giants, heathens in of all things merciful, Mantar has been present. The colonists built the first major temples to him in existence only to have them obliterated in the fires of the dragons when they shadowed the whole world in their fury.
Now, temples have been rebuilt to the golden one, celebrating light and charity for all those who gaze upon his golden likenesses. His chief temple is in Aufest - a beacon of light for everyone to gaze upon and feel how he can lift anyone from the darkness. This temple is...
...
This is not to say that Mantar is the sole deity, or even the sole deity of the north. Nothing could be further from the truth! Several other deities are worshiped including Laros (as farming is very important to many of the peoples inhabiting these lands) and even Craorloc has her place among some of the regions, particularly near Tvintiir. Together, these three...
Excerpts from With the Rising Sun
by Martin, Servant of Aufest 2103 AC
On Economics
Accounts from 2309 AC
Largest Imports Largest Exports/Financial Items Fine artefacts Fish Gems Iron / Copper Furs Coal-Gems Spice Meats Rare metals Timber Blue Ice Fine stone List from the Stonebrook Treasury
On Crimelife
Upon meeting with a few individuals outside of Bell's Glade it is clear that the Stonebrook Dynasty is not as strong as it likes to appear. My contact says that they have control over many high placed officials and there is quite a dark underbelly present. Black markets abound and there are ample candidates for more ... professional tasks. The roads themselves are often unsafe due to such bands roving the countryside, something that the Dual-Blood Guard seem incapable of stopping.
As such, it seems that it should not be hard to find the right person for this job.
Shadow 2395
Interesting Sites
...
Four Falls
When at last I came to Four Falls I felt that the difficulties I had traversed in the last few days crossing the glacier were worth it. I descended into the valley heedless of the mist (after all, I could not get more soaked, right?!?) that poured forth from the four waterfalls that gave the valley its name. The towering trees, sparkling with the fairy lights, looked more alive than the stars in the sky on a midsummer’s night. The rivers flowing through the valley were spanned with great arching bridges that allowed amazing views of the colorful rocks and the fish that were flying up the current.
The buildings in the city were built into the bases of the trees themselves, shaping the wood into the shapes necessary. At the very center of the city was the palace of the Dual-Blood, a massive structure constructed of living stone that had the very colors of the trees around it. Me trying to describe it here is almost pointless as no words can account for the beauty of this city!
…
Aufest
… travelled from the east I came down to the edges of the Sandbacked mountains and crossed the grasslands to the town of Aufest. I had heard several accounts of the city on my route, passing pilgrims travelling to the great Temple of the Sun which is said to shed light both day and night.
Upon arriving at the town at sunset I can confirm these accounts. The giant temple on the island’s crest shines like a golden globe and revealing the beauty of the town. In my travels through the town I was amazed at the friendliness and cleanliness of the place (remember Oldgord! It was nothing like there). Despite its lofty outside appearance though, I would say the inside of the temple was actually quite plain and disappointing. Still worth a visit but I would not get your hopes up. As this was the 95th day of my hike I decided to…
Excerpts from the rambling
Hiking the Sandbacked Mountains
by Sintar Wanderloose
“A nation run by elves and humans and they wonder why they have problems?”Popular sentiment in theTvintiir State
700 AC - 2325 AC
Capital
Power Structure
Feudal state
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Tense Non-aggression
Non-occupying governance
The Tvintiir state has been conquered but is not physically occupied by the Stonebrook Dynasty. This results in tensions among the Tvintiir state but profits for the Stonebrook Dynasty off of the important coal-gem deposits within the Tvintiir's domains.
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