Heralds and troubadours wander around The Kingdom, singing stories of ladies and noble knights, of nobility and intrigue.
Rivers of wine and beer flow in the taverns where the boys toast with squires and warlords of all ages, dreaming of one day being a knight with a fief of their own, or of once and for all entering with their deeds into the songs of Silver Cross, the capital of the Kingdom.
In these charming places bordering the Enchanted Forest, countless rulers have followed one another for millennia, whose influence has been largely reduced over the centuries due to the “Enchantment”: a shadow that has stretched from the forest to envelop the keep of the Royal Family in an indolent sleep that has lasted for generations.
In fact, for centuries the most influential families in the region, always in rapid rise and decline, have declared themselves warlords, claiming some strip of land, without even the need for official recognition.
These families of new self-claimed noble bloodlines create villages surrounding fortifications such as keeps or castles.
The titles of “Count”, “Duke”, “Margrave”, “Marquis”, and “Baron” which once had a specific historical meaning, are now used indiscriminately among the warlords who hold land in the region. No faction in the region ever boasts the title of King (reserved for the ruler of Silver Cross) or Emperor.
Feudal culture is dominant in the region, where warrior virtues are exalted. Every farmer or merchant seeks prestige in society, which is earned through the noble activity of warfare. A feudal and hierarchical structure is encouraged.
Religion is free, although it can happen that one faction declares itself openly religious, trying to convert the others.
Races
The most widespread race is the human one, but every other race has ended up being sucked into the frequent regional wars, so much so that no one in the Kingdom is surprised by any other race.
Small cultural differences exist in the region, due to the influence of ancient historical families. Most of the families’ bloodlines are now extinct and generally their inheritance is well mixed and integrated in the region; in particular many groups of names can be seen in the Kingdoms, all historically human.
Silver Arms
The “Silverarms” are traditionally considered the founders of the town of Silver Cross and the first inhabitants of the area. The first King Wilbald Silverarm is said to have founded Silver Cross many years ago, after defeating a bandit settlement with his warriors, later called knights or “paladins” from the palace of Silver Cross.
The Silver Arms are passionate about facing life as if it were a war, giving rigour and discipline a great deal of space in their rigid evaluation of various fixers and foreigners.
The Silver Arms usually build solid keeps towering on elevated places, joined by farmers from the Kingdom in search of a lord and shelter from bandit raids.
The most daring lords also settle in lowland locations, where defence is more difficult and the stone more difficult to access. Typically lowland settlements adopt the “motte and bailey” tactic around a natural or artificial hill.
For names, look at the end of the document.
As an obvious result of the perennial conflict between houses in the lands of the Kingdom, each Lord has always tried to overwhelm his rivals by any means, even involving populations originally outside of it. The so-called “Black Banners” are families once dedicated to raids or mercenary activities in the border areas, hired into the Kingdom over the centuries in order to patrol the streets or provide support in battle.
These warrior families of unlimited courage, constantly invigorated by unparalleled quantities of alcohol, are often both (ex)brigands, and nobles. Warriors of legendary skill, the Black Banners cultivate a wealth of war talents in their fortified Kreposts, and maintain contacts with every part of the continent. It is not uncommon for them to actively deploy orcs and goblins among their ranks in order to win their wars, or to adopt the most imaginative and surprising tactics.
For names, look at the end of the document.
In the great dramatic instability of the Kingdom, many peasants and nobles often seek refuge in asceticism and isolation, seeking the most inaccessible places to cultivate faith in peace. These religious places, generally located among mountains, plateaus and hills, gather many of these bold monks intent on a hard monastic life enclosed in austere cloisters of stone walls. Their life, made of prayer, work and sacrifice, usually attracts farmers seeking protection.
The religious nature of these monasteries keeps the most religious bandits away while the solid stone walls and the hardening of the monks make these places the safest for the sages and writers of the kingdom.
Monasteries rarely engage in offensive wars and are mostly involved in cultural activities, asceticism and self defence.
Examples of popular names in the Kingdom are:
Group 1:
male: Roger, Godric, Edmund, Oswald, Uther, Edgar.
female: Edith, Mildred, Ermengard, Romilda, Giselle.
Group 2:
men: Piers, Roland, Estienne, Guiscard
female: Aalis, Jehanne, Sophie, Cécile, Madeleine
Group 3:
male: Clodoveo, Eberto, Galvano, Adalgiso, Rodrigo, Ubaldo
female: Isotta, Geltrude, Griselda, Brunilde, Carla, Elvira
Group 4:
men: Dirc, Elrick, Gherijt, Lijn, Pieter, Sarijs
female: Geertruyt, Marij, Yolente, Agnes, Kathrijn
Group 5:
men: Teodor, Boris, Venceslaus, Klaudio, Kaspar
female: Anka, Blanka, Franka, Josefina, Patricija