Long a bastion of honor, strength, and justice, as well as being a proper example of modern chivalry, Palador calls itself the “shining example of the north”, and takes great pains to keep its pristine reputation intact. For centuries the kings and queens of Palador worshiped at the altar of the Northern Gods, but in recent decades have come to worship as taught on Holy Avalon, strengthening their repute in a more global sense by taking the One True Light as its sole patron god. Palador sees itself as the primary representative of the Ten Kingdoms (despite what Flandre might claim) to the rest of the world, and it knows it must continue to show to the world that honor and faith live in abundance in the civilized parts of the north. Palador is made wealthy not merely by its nominal control of the Storming Sea, but also by three Rivers that give life (and bring trade) from other northern nations: The Peregrine, rushing swiftly from the Stagged Mounts north of Gault; the Merry, burbling out of the deep forests of old Ravenna to the east; and the Wise, a wide, slow-moving tradeway originating in lush Lacéne to the southeast. The old tongues of Palador are Vasca (in the north) and Anglis (south), though there are many who speak Frous, and even Ispaña and the Propil (and Veru) Lingae of Lorea.
Locale: Proudly situated on the western banks of the Storming Sea; borders Zhadra (northeast), Baltanya (north), and Lacéne (southeast)
Banner: A golden lion rampant on a blue field bordered in white silk (white pearl for brooches)
Role: A nation nobly born and bred, destined to justly lead Crown’s Reach into a new age of chivalry and honor (whether the other kingdoms like it or not)
Theme: Chivalry! Grace! Honor! Beautiful horses and sweeping romance! And more knights than you can shake a stick at.
Ruler: His Noble Grace, King Thelon Mychus Amberland VII
Duchies: Ashfordshire, Chavaldan, Crownguard, Pridemoor, Prous, Riverdown
Capital: Courescent
Cities & Strongholds: Brazenwood Keep, Candora Promenade, Crownhold, Evelaste, Fort Sumber, Pemberthy Hall, Prias, Royan, Proudspire Keep
Notable Towns: Cranbee, Dove’s Landing, Foxil, Gallop, Halftown, Johnswell, Joysong, Loon, Mannings, Mumble, Nary, Ostner’s Mill, Palston, Riverdown, Rump, Scarbottom, Skipmeadow, Tumbler, Vemmer’s Cove, Warville, Windshear Cove
Landmarks: Bilgewater Sound, the Brazenwood, Fox Ford, Gideon’s Neck, the Grizzly Hills, the Merry River, the Peregrine River, the Shrouded Wood, the Swirl, Whitewater Quay, Windshear Bay, the Wise River, Wod’s Wood, Yeoman’s March
Exports: Fish, woodworking, marble, justice
Internal Factions: The Azure Knighthood, the Griffinguard, the Valorian League
Old Tongue: Anglis (likely progressed from 17th century English; bote that a number of older Paladori families claim Vatsul as their old tongue (see: Vertaes)
Nobiliary: il (example: Lord Flavro il’Fairhand), though it should be noted many within the Paladori nobility view an added nobiliary as “overstating the obvious” and many eschew it
Noble Houses: Amberland (ruling), Ambrose, Ashura, Aversong, Butterwell, Crownmantle, Dorward, Drakesbane, Evendrake, Emmersong, Ethelfort, Ethers, Fairhand, Galifor, Garroud, Goldsgrace, Goodworth, Hawksguard, Hawksmantle, Hemsworthy, Highguard, Haveland, Joyeus, Marcain, Noblehand, Palston, Pemberthy, Proudspire, Rookwhite, Silverbell, Silvermark, Sterling, Summerford, Talondar, Tavers, Valorsong, Verondor, Windworth
Faiths: Illumination Reformation (90%), Olympos Athanatoi (3%), Vindici Deorum (2%), Deith Diadh (2%), Zvystni Bohova (1%), Wakhan Shakoi (1%), Other (1%)
This small island territory is traditionally controlled by Zhadra (and previously to them, Baltanya) but is now under Palador’s auspices. It is known for its wealth of amber production.
The capital city of the Kingdom of Palador, and the nominal capital of Crown’s Reach, Courescent—sometimes referred to as the “Glittering City” for its polished gold spires and its mastery of crystal production—is easily the largest city in all the Northern Kingdoms. Its plum position on the Storming Sea, where the Merry and the Wise Rivers flow in from the west and south, brings trade and more to its shining shore. A Paladori flag the size of a large house can be seen flying from the city’s front gate from a distance of many miles, and with an equally large standing naval force, Palador can easily lay claim as the true sovereign of the Storming Sea.
The Ivory Spires: This palatial keep is home to the royal palaces at Courescent, and has been the seat of the ruling House Amberland for over 400 years. It is named for the pristine white stone used to build it, though some claim the Ivory Spires are merely a blatant (and lesser) copy of Queen Evelyn’s Pristine Palace on Holy Avalon.
Amberland, Thelon Mychus VII: King of Palador
Amberland, Ylena: Queen of Palador; formerly of House Floran of Flandre
Amberland, Arys: Princess of Palador; betrothed to Prince Valain Fairwood of Vertaes
Amberland, Elanda: Princess of Palador; in love with former court minstrel Ruggero
Amberland, Daevin: Known commonly as “Dae”, he is at age 11 the Crown Prince of Palador
Cimmeron, Aldashar: Paladari Court Wizard
Talondar, Ossion: Captain of the Royal Paladori Guar
Talondar, Obanon: Ossion’s older brother and traitor to the realm
Elginon, Gurden: Commander of the Prince’s Protectorate
Madmelon, Madair: House Fool
Fairhand, Landair: Replacement as Court Minstrel following Ruggero’s banishment
This isle was named by people who believed they had found Lyonesse, the lost isle of lore. The Siege Covenant of Léonois was a pact made between Palador and Lacéne that set in stone their shared agreement of protection and prosperity.
This sprawling keep is old and tactically valuable, guarding Palador’s eastern roadways against possible Ravennan encroachment; it is one of Palador’s oldest settlements, and was raised long ago by Sir Proudan Pemberthy, a man who fought and bled for Palador’s sovereignty over 500 years ago. It has since been lost by House Pemberthy twice; once, to House Drakesbane, though it regained it through marriage, and again, eighty years ago to House Fairhand, which holds it to this day.
Fairhand, Draven: Knightlord of Pemberthy Hall
Fairhand, Temeria: Knightlord Draven’s lady wife by way of House Emmersong
Fairhand, Daltus: Knightlord Draven’s heir
Fairhand, Erolan: Knightlord Draven’s second-born
Fairhand, Tomothy: Bastard son of the Knightlord (mother unknown)
Cadrail Quickfingers: Traveling minstrel; friend of the house (current whereabouts unknown)
A smaller city than Courescent, but no less proud, Prias is one of the oldest habitations in Crown’s Reach. Prias could be accused, at times, of being more boastfull than the charmingly confident capital, and possibly even more showy, boasting the famous “Crystal Causeway” that fords Lake Peregrine, upon which it lays. Prias is ever a city divided, however. The Illumination Reformation came first to Prias nearly a hundred years ago, and in the Upper Arches, the Church’s wealth is on full display. The Lower City, however, has seen its fortunes fail over the decades as the Ten Kingdoms’ faith in the Old Gods has declined. Long a bastion of the old faiths, now only temples to Rosmerta, Baldur, and Ilmatari remain, and they are sparsely attended.
The Peregrine River, the Merry River, and the Wise River—flow from the Eldeshae Forest in the east and the hills in the south, emptying into the Storming Sea and giving life and bringing commerce to parts of Vertaes and Palador.
A small port town on the southern shores of the Storming Sea. Home to the DesTari and Willowbrae families.
DesTari, Adem: Vheret’s wayward father
DesTari, “Bene” Beneficio: Vheret’s ill younger brother
DesTari, Miriya: Vheret’s ill mother
DesTari, Vheret: A young albino shepherd down on his luck
Willowbrae, Bree: Chayand’s older, bratty sister
Willowbrae, Chayand: Heroic young girl adopted by the Willowbrae family
Willowbrae, Rickett: Chayand’s younger, irrepressible brother
 |
| Back to Caelarn – Crown’s Reach |