Of Princes and Power

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 6:37 pm

It might be best to restrict this RP to one area of High Rock. If no one's willing to take Jehanna or Farrun, why don't we just cut them out of the RP and focus on the west? We could greatly decrease the number of members we need if we just focus more clearly on a few kingdoms.
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Khamaji Taylor
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 12:48 am

Spoiler

Name: http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x3518306/Female_archer_close-up_MDF00041.jpg
Title: Princess of Northpoint
Age: 17
Race: Breton
Gender: Female

Appearance: Elissa is a rather attractive young lady, with dark brown hair and bright gray eyes. She prefers to keep her hair in a simple braid, but, as royalty, she often doesn’t get the choice, and is usually forced to keep her hair in any manner of fancy styling. Elissa stands at 5’7”, and keeps herself in relatively good shape, especially in recent times, having started her martial training several months ago.

Skills: The most obvious skills Elissa possesses (and, in her opinion, the most trivial) are the ones that have been drilled into her as the Princess of Northpoint: grace, manners, etc. In addition, Elissa possesses the strong personality that shows that she may make a great leader one day, and she has proven herself to be naturally talented with a bow. After only several months of training, she has already surpassed her mentor, and, on the several hunting expeditions she’s taken part in recently, she’s continued to show her great talent, as well as a skill with tracking.

Equipment (Weapons, armor, misc.): Elissa’s wardrobe, much to her dismay, consists almost entirely of a variety of expensive dresses expected of someone of her station. However, Elissa is much more comfortable in her archery clothes, which consist of leather pants, knee-high leather boots, a loose cotton shirt with elbow length sleeves and a hood, a leather bracer on her left arm, and gloves that leave her thumbs and little fingers uncovered. The bow that Elissa uses is, at first glance, rather simple, as she passed over the more extravagant bows in favor of a more practical one. However, upon closer inspection, one can tell that the bow bears a craftsmanship second to none, and her name is inscribed in a thin gold inlay on one side of it.

Background: The first child of the King of Northpoint, Elissa has been lucky enough to live a life of luxury experienced by few others. Never wanting for anything, Elissa found herself being groomed for the throne from the time she could walk. She fell easily into the life, learning manners with her personal attendants, mastering how to bear herself in public with her mother, finding out what’s expected of a leader by attending councils with her father, and finally, in the past several months, excelling with the bow. But this life of ease is led with an uneasy tension boiling just below the surface: Elissa knows as well as anyone that High Rock is embroiled in a dangerous game of power, and it’s only a matter of time before Northpoint becomes a player. When that time comes, she recognizes that she and her family will have only two choices: to win, or to die.

Important People in Elissa’s Life:

Hammen Mitchel (49): At first glance, one would assume that Hammen is simply a washed up old man who is too fond of drink. However, beneath the gruff and seemingly perpetually drunk exterior is one of the cleverest and best-trained chevaliers in High Rock. A veteran of the Oblivion Crisis, Hammen turned to drink to drown the haunting memories of the Daedra he fought. It’s only recently, with the beginning of his tenure as Elissa’s teacher, that he’s begun to stay sober for any length of time, though he still usually bears the unmistakable aroma of wine around him.


Gaspard Elliot (17): The son of a bread-maker, Gaspard has lived in the Northpoint Castle for nearly his entire life, in training to become a knight. Still a squire for now, Gaspard and Elissa have been close friends since they were children, and their friendship sometimes (more frequently of late) bears traces of wanting to be something more. However, both teens recognize the danger they could both be in if that was ever found out, and so their relationship remains platonic for now. In order to get to spend more time together, Elissa had Gaspard assigned to be her personal bodyguard when he isn’t training.


Charlette DuBois (33): Charlette is Elissa’s personal maid, and has been taking care of the Princess since she was a baby. Charlette is, as Elissa admits, purely responsible for Elissa’s appearance being kept up to royal standards. Elissa considers Charlette one of her closest friends, and would trust her with anything, and Charlette herself considers Elissa to be like the younger sister she never had.



If anybody wants to play the King/Queen of Northpoint, they're welcome to the role. If not, though, I'm willing to take those roles as well. Just let me know.
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jesse villaneda
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 3:35 am

It might be best to restrict this RP to one area of High Rock. If no one's willing to take Jehanna or Farrun, why don't we just cut them out of the RP and focus on the west? We could greatly decrease the number of members we need if we just focus more clearly on a few kingdoms.

That's what I intended to do if no one took them.

Spoiler

Name: Elissa Caron
Title: Princess of Northpoint
Age: 17
Race: Breton
Gender: Female

Appearance: Elissa is a rather attractive young lady, with dark brown hair and bright gray eyes. She prefers to keep her hair in a simple braid, but, as royalty, she often doesn’t get the choice, and is usually forced to keep her hair in any manner of fancy styling. Elissa stands at 5’7”, and keeps herself in relatively good shape, especially in recent times, having started her martial training several months ago.

Skills: The most obvious skills Elissa possesses (and, in her opinion, the most trivial) are the ones that have been drilled into her as the Princess of Northpoint: grace, manners, etc. In addition, Elissa possesses the strong personality that shows that she may make a great leader one day, and she has proven herself to be naturally talented with a bow. After only several months of training, she has already surpassed her mentor, and, on the several hunting expeditions she’s taken part in recently, she’s continued to show her great talent, as well as a skill with tracking.

Equipment (Weapons, armor, misc.): Elissa’s wardrobe, much to her dismay, consists almost entirely of a variety of expensive dresses expected of someone of her station. However, Elissa is much more comfortable in her archery clothes, which consist of leather pants, knee-high leather boots, a loose cotton shirt with elbow length sleeves and a hood, a leather bracer on her left arm, and gloves that leave her thumbs and little fingers uncovered. The bow that Elissa uses is, at first glance, rather simple, as she passed over the more extravagant bows in favor of a more practical one. However, upon closer inspection, one can tell that the bow bears a craftsmanship second to none, and her name is inscribed in a thin gold inlay on one side of it.

Background: The first child of the King of Northpoint, Elissa has been lucky enough to live a life of luxury experienced by few others. Never wanting for anything, Elissa found herself being groomed for the throne from the time she could walk. She fell easily into the life, learning manners with her personal attendants, mastering how to bear herself in public with her mother, finding out what’s expected of a leader by attending councils with her father, and finally, in the past several months, excelling with the bow. But this life of ease is led with an uneasy tension boiling just below the surface: Elissa knows as well as anyone that High Rock is embroiled in a dangerous game of power, and it’s only a matter of time before Northpoint becomes a player. When that time comes, she recognizes that she and her family will have only two choices: to win, or to die.


If anybody wants to play the King/Queen of Northpoint, they're welcome to the role. If not, though, I'm willing to take those roles as well. Just let me know.

Very nice, I think Astien has found yet another person he's going to get along with haha :P
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The Time Car
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 3:14 pm

One question, the way this is being talked about, I'm guessing actually trying to make your side win is part of the RP? So any secondary characters I have should be in the same Alliance..right?
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Chris Duncan
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 11:31 pm

Sheet: (One of them)

Spoiler
Name:Waylon Thoreau
Title:Waylon the Wrathful, Duke of Alcaire & Grand Marshall of Wayrest to Queen Elysana
Age:38
Race:Breton
GenderMale

Appearance: Waylon is a muscular and lean man, carrying a tanned skin tone and very light, golden brown eyes upon his head. A slight pinch of dark blond hair covers his jaw line, while only a few tiny hairs can be seen upon his shaven, oval-like head. The little hair covering the top of his scalp is slightly darker than that on his face. His brows are somewhat thick, always seemingly turned down in an angry manner. A small vertical scar holds itself slightly below his right eye, along with a few wrinkles that cover his bitter, worn cheeks. He stands near the size of 6 feet, somewhat taller than most men of his land, but not so noticeably towering.

Skills: Waylon is an experienced strategist. While he was, at one point in time, a most well-versed combatant of the Knights of the Rose, his body, though still fit, is now older. While he could still hold his own in combat when needed, he is more-so of a strategist and a long time studier of military theory. He is a man of many skills, such as marksmanship, swordsmanship, and axe fighting. He holds a deep knowledge of many maneuvers and positions, but the most notable unique information he holds is that of siege weaponry.

Equipment (Weapons, armor, misc.): Aside from his normal clothing, Waylon, at some points, may wear the honorable robe of the Knights of the Rose, which holds the Crest of Wayrest sewn into its blue black, along with a red rose padded into the front. In battle, He wears steel plate over steel mail, adorned with the crest of Wayrest. In the rare moments he goes into the battle, he carries with him a lance in charges, as well as a triangular steel shield. His sword clings to his leather belt at all times, being his most valuable weapon. He may take a bow into battle as well.

Background: Waylon was born in Wayrest, son of a Bretic Wayrestian merchant and knight. He grew up with a good education, learning all sorts of things about business from his father. Though he knew these things, business disgusted him, and instead he took his time into reading the various history books of the age, along with participating in studies on warfare. At 18, he began to go to battle himself, participating in many different skirmishes throughout Wayrestian territories. For the first time, he saw war for the terrible bane of existence it really was, and from then on, he swore to not fight unless it was absolutely his duty and unavoidable. Though war was terrible in his eyes, he still fought for his homeland, first leading simple peasants against different bandits and marauders, carrying his experience over into skirmishes between different Lords. After these battles at the age of 24, he attended a military academy in Wayrest, in which many sons of knights took part. It was necessary for a knight to know how to fight for his homeland, both with his sword and with his mind. However, Waylon was often not as chivalrous as one would think. While he is a fair fighter, he is nearly always merciless to his enemies. Waylon has recently been appointed ruler of the Duchy of Alcaire by Elysana herself, and given the title of Marshall of Wayrest. He now commands Wayrest’s armies for his Queen.
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Enie van Bied
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:51 am

One question, the way this is being talked about, I'm guessing actually trying to make your side win is part of the RP? So any secondary characters I have should be in the same Alliance..right?

Well this is more about creating a story than playing a "game". One side will win eventually. Northpoint is kind of caught in the middle and doesn't want to get involved with the Daggerfall vs. Wayrest conflict unless they have too. So there will be a definite winner between Wayrest and Daggerfall unless there is a treaty. If Northpoint does choose a side then they would share the fate of that side. However they're trying to suppress possible internal fighting between Sharnhelm and themselves. Sharnhelm was conquered and swore fealty out of fear, but they've regained their strength and are getting ballsy. So Northpoint is being cautious not to incite a rebellion.

Therefore the main conflicts will be between Wayrest and Daggerfall, and Northpoint and Sharnhelm which is more like a cold war.

So that being said, you can have multiple characters on multiple sides so long as you play them unknowing of what's happening on the other side. All events will be agreed upon before they happen anyways. So if Wayrest is launching a sneak attack on Daggerfall, everyone on that side will know about it, but their characters wont and will be played as if they don't know.

I hope all that makes sense, I tend to ramble a lot. :P
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Kelsey Hall
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 4:40 pm

Very nice, I think Astien has found yet another person he's going to get along with haha :tongue:

I don't think they're going to be able to interact very much, though. Camlorn and Northpoint are a long distance away from each other.

And I edited my post to include a link of a picture of Elissa's appearance. Can you edit that into the OP?
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Emma Pennington
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 12:17 pm

Well this is more about creating a story than playing a "game". One side will win eventually. Northpoint is kind of caught in the middle and doesn't want to get involved with the Daggerfall vs. Wayrest conflict unless they have too. So there will be a definite winner between Wayrest and Daggerfall unless there is a treaty. If Northpoint does choose a side then they would share the fate of that side. However they're trying to suppress possible internal fighting between Sharnhelm and themselves. Sharnhelm was conquered and swore fealty out of fear, but they've regained their strength and are getting ballsy. So Northpoint is being cautious not to incite a rebellion.

Therefore the main conflicts will be between Wayrest and Daggerfall, and Northpoint and Sharnhelm which is more like a cold war.

So that being said, you can have multiple characters on multiple sides so long as you play them unknowing of what's happening on the other side. All events will be agreed upon before they happen anyways. So if Wayrest is launching a sneak attack on Daggerfall, everyone on that side will know about it, but their characters wont and will be played as if they don't know.

I hope all that makes sense, I tend to ramble a lot. :tongue:

Right, thats kind of what I expected at first. All this talk of Games and Thrones makes it sound like a competition, haha.

If no-one wants to join as a Duke, Count or a Baron under Syllawen I guess I could RP one of those...I'll kind of have my hands full RPing one half of one of the two major alliances in the RP, so I kinda wanted my second character to just be a goodly Knight. But we'll see who turns up. I think Rping as The Duke of Gauvadon could be really cool (hint hint...).

EDIT: Could I get this picture in the OP as well? http://i43.tinypic.com/wk0gi0.png Thaaaanks
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Danii Brown
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 9:39 pm

Damn Vincent.

You've got skills.
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Isaiah Burdeau
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 4:52 pm

EDIT: Could I get this picture in the OP as well? http://i43.tinypic.com/wk0gi0.png Thaaaanks
MMMMM, so fine!
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Emmie Cate
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 1:00 pm

Right, thats kind of what I expected at first. All this talk of Games and Thrones makes it sound like a competition, haha.

If no-one wants to join as a Duke, Count or a Baron under Syllawen I guess I could RP one of those...I'll kind of have my hands full RPing one half of one of the two major alliances in the RP, so I kinda wanted my second character to just be a goodly Knight. But we'll see who turns up. I think Rping as The Duke of Gauvadon could be really cool (hint hint...).

EDIT: Could I get this picture in the OP as well? http://i43.tinypic.com/wk0gi0.png Thaaaanks

Sure thing man.

And do you want me to put you down for the Duke of Guavadon?

I don't think they're going to be able to interact very much, though. Camlorn and Northpoint are a long distance away from each other.

And I edited my post to include a link of a picture of Elissa's appearance. Can you edit that into the OP?

Yes, but Camlorn and Daggerfall are trying to gain Northpoint as an ally against Wayrest. Therefore they're most likely going to send someone to coerce them into an alliance, and who would be better than The Fox of Camlorn himself? :P

And I'll add the pic for you.
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jesse villaneda
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:07 am

Damn Vincent.

You've got skills.
MMMMM, so fine!

Haha, thanks guys. Those are the kind of reactions Syllawen is meant to produce. Different hair-do every time she goes to court though :D


do you want me to put you down for the Duke of Guavadon?


Actually I was kind of hoping the opposite; that someone else might turn up and fill that spot.
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Melly Angelic
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 12:15 am

Yes, but Camlorn and Daggerfall are trying to gain Northpoint as an ally against Wayrest. Therefore they're most likely going to send someone to coerce them into an alliance, and who would be better than The Fox of Camlorn himself? :P

That should be an interesting encounter. I'm looking forward to it.
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Rusty Billiot
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 7:19 pm

Alright so for opening scenes I was thinking of a few things.

Wooly is going to be granted the Duchy of Alcaire in court by Elysana in his first post. So, that would be a place that Syllawen, and whoever else is part of the Wayrest court could start out and get some character interaction.

I was thinking that maybe the King of Northpoint could be holding a feast in an attempt to gain the favor of Sharnhelm, in which Astien would show up uninvited.

I was also thinking that for whoever is in the West King Camaron could be holding council and a few of the nobles including Senhyn and Manfred could be there.

This gives all of us a chance to have some character interaction from the beginning and get things stimulated and flowing as well as allowing us to develop our characters. What do you guys think?
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teeny
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 12:41 pm

Sounds good, though I can tell you the FIRST thing Queen Syllawen is going to do is organise a feast (party) and invite absolutely everyone she can.

I actually thought a cool opening for the RP (Or a very early scene) Could be before the war had started, some pleasant gathering including nobles from different sides, when the animosity is there but that's all. Might be cool.
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Hairul Hafis
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 7:22 pm

Sounds good, though I can tell you the FIRST thing Queen Syllawen is going to do is organise a feast (party) and invite absolutely everyone she can.

I actually thought a cool opening for the RP (Or a very early scene) Could be before the war had started, some pleasant gathering including nobles from different sides, when the animosity is there but that's all. Might be cool.

We could do that as well, but having all of the major powers in High Rock convene at one location would be rather odd. I know that a few people wouldn't show up due to the fear of being killed or captured. There's also no middle ground, so the feast would have to be in one of the realms, which would dissuade their enemy from coming out of mistrust.

Also, it's not guaranteed that a war will break out. It's likely, but it all depends on how things play out. There are no set major events as of now and everything depends on diplomacy.
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JLG
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 12:24 am

There's also no middle ground

Actually, there is the Isle of Balfiera, owned by Clan Direnni, which is in-lore the neutral meeting place for the whole of Iliac Bay. Don't expect the Queen of Evermore to get special treatment; unless Syllawen stops being such a MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT to all her esteemed relatives and invents a new type of spell or something, she'd probably get the frostiest reception of anyone there. Maybe not a setting for the start of the RP, but definitely somewhere we should utilize at some point. It's just too cool not to.
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Charity Hughes
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 3:47 am

Actually, there is the Isle of Balfiera, owned by Clan Direnni, which is in-lore the neutral meeting place for the whole of Iliac Bay. Don't expect the Queen of Evermore to get special treatment; unless Syllawen stops being such a MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT to all her esteemed relatives and invents a new type of spell or something, she'd probably get the frostiest reception of anyone there. Maybe not a setting for the start of the RP, but definitely somewhere we should utilize at some point. It's just too cool not to.

Yeah I had thought about that. Just didn't know how you guys felt about the Adamantine tower and all.
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Kate Murrell
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:32 am

Hail to the king (and some fluff on the kingdom).

Spoiler

Name: Camaron Thagor
Title: Here following the titles of King Camaron, rightful ruler of the West, in correct order as recognized throughout the civilized realms of the world, shortened appropriately to His Majesty the Sovereign King of Daggerfall and all its domains and vassals:

King of All Daggerfall, indivisible and forever, thus entitled by right of blood and recognized by the Estates of the Realm;
Sovereign-Protector of Anticlere, of Illessan, of Daenia, of Shalgora, of Camlorn and all its domains;
Protector of the Church of Kynareth, of Mara, of Zenithar, and of the Faith of the Nine and all the Faithful;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Dragon;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Owl;
Honorary Magistrate-Defender of the Guild of Mages in High Rock;
Sovereign Lord of Tulune, of Northmoor, of Betony;
Rightful Lord and Patron of the City of Daggerfall and all her citizens, so recognized by the Guilds;
Baron of Glenpoint, of Rithwyn, of Agaleck, and all other lesser domains rightfully of the House of Thagor.
Age: 40
Race: Breton (Daggerfallian)
Gender: Male

Appearance: Slightly under six feet, Camaron retains the fitness and poise he possessed in his youth. Though his skin is quite pale, especially compared to that usual to some of the other races of Tamriel, it is merely a natural feature common in the House of Thagor and among Bretic nobility in general; he is, in fact, very much healthy and rarely bothered either by sicknesses or old injuries.

Even as he soon turns 41, the king appears several years younger than he actually is, though age is beginning to show despite his best efforts – a careful eye could note that his pitch black hair is starting to thin slightly along the sides, its once deep colour losing just a touch of its texture as well; nevertheless, it is kept well trimmed and quite short with a slightly deliberately messy look to it that Camaron has proved unable to let go of through the years, which goes with his goatee and wispy moustache rather well. His light brown eyes retain a lively spark to them, though even it now sometimes dims, leaving his gaunt face strangely void of life when it does.

Skills: Camaron is a man of many skills, only a few of which are universally admired. He retains from his youth a reputation as one of the best dancers in the entirety of High Rock, as well as being supposedly still unmatched in the bedroom; a startling inability to keep his (many, many) affairs secret goes hand in hand with that. Unkind tongues often remember that the king’s achievements are often in the ballroom rather than in the jousting field, which is true where popular opinion is concerned – though he is a fine jouster and far from the last sword of his realm, whatever tourney victories he wins are overshadowed by a new scandal that same evening in the feast. All in all, the ruler of Daggerfall is an embodiment of Bretic passion and gusto for life.

All these escapades and adventures, along with many more, have contributed to the image of Camaron as an incompetent, lavish ruler. Those few who are part of the monarch’s closest circle of friends and advisors know that he considers this reputation his greatest victory of all.

Equipment: The king’s clothes vary from occasion to occasion, however as a rule he stays at the forefront of High Rock fashion, now often favouring exquisite robes of Nibenese soul silk over the armour of his youth; in fact, Camaron is rarely seen in military equipment, preferring to leave outfits almost Colovian in their simplicity and martial flavour to the more militant of his bannermen.

Background: Entitled to the very highest circle of Bretic politics from the moment of his birth, Camaron was the firstborn heir of the ancient House Thagor, the ruling bloodline of Daggerfall since (with some interruptions) the early First Era. His father Gothryd was an admired hero of the War of Betony, setting the bar high for his son from his first marriage; especially so since no other Bretic heirs were soon coming, with the king’s marriage to Aubk’i of Sentinel.

Public opinion from his own time might hold that Camaron failed in comparison to his father, proving an indulgent and passionate man who seemed to focus far more on lavish celebrations and ceremonies than ruling the kingdom, but it is often forgotten that during his reign, Daggerfall has more than stood its ground against the threatening advances of Wayrest’s shrewd Queen Elysana – it has expanded to include several neighbouring realms, annexing them outright or binding their rulers in oaths of vassalage. For a man who allegedly does not rule at all save from his bedroom, the current king’s reign has been quite successful, from his uneventful succession soon after the close of the Third Era right up to the current days of High Rock.


Daggerfall is among the most densely populated regions in High Rock, and one of the most prosperous as well – at least as far as its nobility is concerned. A land of pleasant rolling hills yet stark social contrasts, many areas that have been part of the kingdom for longest have inherited from ancient times of Elven rule a habit of treating the commoners almost like slaves; many peasants remain serfs to this day and age, and sometimes even the burghers of the towns and cities cannot feel safe from the selfish designs of the nobility. Meanwhile, countless barons, sur-barons, baronets and their ilk cling to the right to call their bloodline noble, treasuring ancient documents, treaties and privileges in vast record books that are iconic of the Daggerfallians’ love of all things dusty, old and proven, all in the name of protecting their freedom. Even the lowliest chevalier – the martial lesser nobility of the realm – may have proof of his (or her; female knights are far from unheard of in the realm, though Bretons of some other realms may find this odd and even preposterous) status that goes back to the first known knightly privileges granted by King Thagore in the early years of the First Era.

The nobles of Daggerfall are thus the most politically active of the estates; in fact, they have a virtual monopoly over all offices and goings-on in the realm, as well as a dominant position in the economy and making up the backbone of the kingdom’s military. This is at the expense of the other three estates – the clergy, the burghers and the peasantry, all of whom have little to no say in the General Estates of the realm, despite the fact both the king and his blue-blooded vassals feel the need to maintain some facade of the others’ involvement and activity in the rule of the realm. Just around 7% of the kingdom’s inhabitants (a higher percentage compared to most other Bretic realms, where nobles may make up only 2-4%, but nevertheless just a small portion of the whole population) therefore have nearly complete control over the whole rest, except insofar as they are checked by the king in his own pursuit of unquestioned control.

Titles of the nobility in Daggerfall are as follows, from the monarch himself to the lowliest, most destitute and least influential of all:

King and Queen – in theory equal by Daggerfall’s law, but one or the other invariably dominates the other; the case for most of the kingdom’s history has been the king taking the dominant role, as they nearly always come from House Thagor and thus are well established in the realm, whereas their queens tend to be foreigners – either from other Bretic realms or other corners of Tamriel altogether.
Archduke and Archduchess – mistakenly often believed to be a new title created for the purpose of establishing Camlorn’s status in the new joint kingdom. In fact, there are four other families that can claim the title; all of them based in the old heartland of the kingdom’s core and all of them vastly influential and powerful.
Duke and Duchess – lesser in relation to the Archdukes, those of this rank are usually considerably more powerful than elsewhere in High Rock, owing to Daggerfall’s influence and wealth compared to many less fortunate Bretic realms. It is not uncommon for them to have holdings beyond the old borders of the kingdom, particularly in the previously independent Barony of Tulune – something that made politics between the two realms vastly complicated.
Lord-Marcher and Lady-Marchess – an ancient title mostly unique to Daggerfall and several surrounding realms that inherited their social structure from the kingdom, nobles holding this title are quite rare and usually are referred to as simply Marcher or Marchess. This is a title granted to nobles handpicked by the king to take charge of problematic border regions, being granted authority to call a levy from the surrounding lands without the word of the ruling monarch; understandably, this makes this position rather problematic and that is why this is not usually a hereditary title.
Baron and Baroness – the lowest title that still confers peerage upon a noble, i.e. the right to carry oneself as an equal among other nobles of Daggerfall and even the monarchs and be respected as such.
Sur-Baron and Sur-Baroness – most easily explained as those who are not considered peers but are also too influential or nevertheless honoured to be granted the rank of baronet. Daggerfallian heralds claim there are quite distinct differences between these three titles, yet there are no recorded explanations of such.
Baronet and Baronetess – an obscure middle ground between the ‘proper’ nobility and the vast ranks of lesser nobility, baronets are quite far from being considered peers, however may be granted the privilege of ‘the Cloth’ – exemption from personal war service. This does not stop many from confusing baronets with chevaliers, which is usually a great insult to those who hold this rank.
Chevalier – the title itself does not differentiate between male and female, however men of this rank are referred to as ‘sir’, while women – ‘dame’; as mentioned above, female knights are not so unusual in Daggerfall. The status of chevalier is the only more promising hint of social mobility in the kingdom – far from being peers, chevaliers are often not even considered proper nobility and may not be granted the Cloth; their status depends entirely on service in war and they are what is most often meant when one says ‘bannerman’ in Daggerfall. While usually hereditary, their status depends more than other nobles’ on being able to actually perform their function – chevaliers who cannot prove that they own at least two horses for their own personal use are stripped of the rank.
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Cathrin Hummel
 
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Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:16 pm

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 6:44 pm

Hail to the king (and some fluff on the kingdom).

Spoiler

Name: Camaron Thagor
Title: Here following the titles of King Camaron, rightful ruler of the West, in correct order as recognized throughout the civilized realms of the world, shortened appropriately to His Majesty the Sovereign King of Daggerfall and all its domains and vassals:

King of All Daggerfall, indivisible and forever, thus entitled by right of blood and recognized by the Estates of the Realm;
Sovereign-Protector of Anticlere, of Illessan, of Daenia, of Shalgora, of Camlorn and all its domains;
Protector of the Church of Kynareth, of Mara, of Zenithar, and of the Faith of the Nine and all the Faithful;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Dragon;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Owl;
Honorary Magistrate-Defender of the Guild of Mages in High Rock;
Sovereign Lord of Tulune, of Northmoor, of Betony;
Rightful Lord and Patron of the City of Daggerfall and all her citizens, so recognized by the Guilds;
Baron of Glenpoint, of Rithwyn, of Agaleck, and all other lesser domains rightfully of the House of Thagor.
Age: 40
Race: Breton (Daggerfallian)
Gender: Male

Appearance: Slightly under six feet, Camaron retains the fitness and poise he possessed in his youth. Though his skin is quite pale, especially compared to that usual to some of the other races of Tamriel, it is merely a natural feature common in the House of Thagor and among Bretic nobility in general; he is, in fact, very much healthy and rarely bothered either by sicknesses or old injuries.

Even as he soon turns 41, the king appears several years younger than he actually is, though age is beginning to show despite his best efforts – a careful eye could note that his pitch black hair is starting to thin slightly along the sides, its once deep colour losing just a touch of its texture as well; nevertheless, it is kept well trimmed and quite short with a slightly deliberately messy look to it that Camaron has proved unable to let go of through the years, which goes with his goatee and wispy moustache rather well. His light brown eyes retain a lively spark to them, though even it now sometimes dims, leaving his gaunt face strangely void of life when it does.

Skills: Camaron is a man of many skills, only a few of which are universally admired. He retains from his youth a reputation as one of the best dancers in the entirety of High Rock, as well as being supposedly still unmatched in the bedroom; a startling inability to keep his (many, many) affairs secret goes hand in hand with that. Unkind tongues often remember that the king’s achievements are often in the ballroom rather than in the jousting field, which is true where popular opinion is concerned – though he is a fine jouster and far from the last sword of his realm, whatever tourney victories he wins are overshadowed by a new scandal that same evening in the feast. All in all, the ruler of Daggerfall is an embodiment of Bretic passion and gusto for life.

All these escapades and adventures, along with many more, have contributed to the image of Camaron as an incompetent, lavish ruler. Those few who are part of the monarch’s closest circle of friends and advisors know that he considers this reputation his greatest victory of all.

Equipment: The king’s clothes vary from occasion to occasion, however as a rule he stays at the forefront of High Rock fashion, now often favouring exquisite robes of Nibenese soul silk over the armour of his youth; in fact, Camaron is rarely seen in military equipment, preferring to leave outfits almost Colovian in their simplicity and martial flavour to the more militant of his bannermen.

Background: Entitled to the very highest circle of Bretic politics from the moment of his birth, Camaron was the firstborn heir of the ancient House Thagor, the ruling bloodline of Daggerfall since (with some interruptions) the early First Era. His father Gothryd was an admired hero of the War of Betony, setting the bar high for his son from his first marriage; especially so since no other Bretic heirs were soon coming, with the king’s marriage to Aubk’i of Sentinel.

Public opinion from his own time might hold that Camaron failed in comparison to his father, proving an indulgent and passionate man who seemed to focus far more on lavish celebrations and ceremonies than ruling the kingdom, but it is often forgotten that during his reign, Daggerfall has more than stood its ground against the threatening advances of Wayrest’s shrewd Queen Elysana – it has expanded to include several neighbouring realms, annexing them outright or binding their rulers in oaths of vassalage. For a man who allegedly does not rule at all save from his bedroom, the current king’s reign has been quite successful, from his uneventful succession soon after the close of the Third Era right up to the current days of High Rock.


Daggerfall is among the most densely populated regions in High Rock, and one of the most prosperous as well – at least as far as its nobility is concerned. A land of pleasant rolling hills yet stark social contrasts, many areas that have been part of the kingdom for longest have inherited from ancient times of Elven rule a habit of treating the commoners almost like slaves; many peasants remain serfs to this day and age, and sometimes even the burghers of the towns and cities cannot feel safe from the selfish designs of the nobility. Meanwhile, countless barons, sur-barons, baronets and their ilk cling to the right to call their bloodline noble, treasuring ancient documents, treaties and privileges in vast record books that are iconic of the Daggerfallians’ love of all things dusty, old and proven, all in the name of protecting their freedom. Even the lowliest chevalier – the martial lesser nobility of the realm – may have proof of his (or her; female knights are far from unheard of in the realm, though Bretons of some other realms may find this odd and even preposterous) status that goes back to the first known knightly privileges granted by King Thagore in the early years of the First Era.

The nobles of Daggerfall are thus the most politically active of the estates; in fact, they have a virtual monopoly over all offices and goings-on in the realm, as well as a dominant position in the economy and making up the backbone of the kingdom’s military. This is at the expense of the other three estates – the clergy, the burghers and the peasantry, all of whom have little to no say in the General Estates of the realm, despite the fact both the king and his blue-blooded vassals feel the need to maintain some facade of the others’ involvement and activity in the rule of the realm. Just around 7% of the kingdom’s inhabitants (a higher percentage compared to most other Bretic realms, where nobles may make up only 2-4%, but nevertheless just a small portion of the whole population) therefore have nearly complete control over the whole rest, except insofar as they are checked by the king in his own pursuit of unquestioned control.

Titles of the nobility in Daggerfall are as follows, from the monarch himself to the lowliest, most destitute and least influential of all:

King and Queen – in theory equal by Daggerfall’s law, but one or the other invariably dominates the other; the case for most of the kingdom’s history has been the king taking the dominant role, as they nearly always come from House Thagor and thus are well established in the realm, whereas their queens tend to be foreigners – either from other Bretic realms or other corners of Tamriel altogether.
Archduke and Archduchess – mistakenly often believed to be a new title created for the purpose of establishing Camlorn’s status in the new joint kingdom. In fact, there are four other families that can claim the title; all of them based in the old heartland of the kingdom’s core and all of them vastly influential and powerful.
Duke and Duchess – lesser in relation to the Archdukes, those of this rank are usually considerably more powerful than elsewhere in High Rock, owing to Daggerfall’s influence and wealth compared to many less fortunate Bretic realms. It is not uncommon for them to have holdings beyond the old borders of the kingdom, particularly in the previously independent Barony of Tulune – something that made politics between the two realms vastly complicated.
Lord-Marcher and Lady-Marchess – an ancient title mostly unique to Daggerfall and several surrounding realms that inherited their social structure from the kingdom, nobles holding this title are quite rare and usually are referred to as simply Marcher or Marchess. This is a title granted to nobles handpicked by the king to take charge of problematic border regions, being granted authority to call a levy from the surrounding lands without the word of the ruling monarch; understandably, this makes this position rather problematic and that is why this is not usually a hereditary title.
Baron and Baroness – the lowest title that still confers peerage upon a noble, i.e. the right to carry oneself as an equal among other nobles of Daggerfall and even the monarchs and be respected as such.
Sur-Baron and Sur-Baroness – most easily explained as those who are not considered peers but are also too influential or nevertheless honoured to be granted the rank of baronet. Daggerfallian heralds claim there are quite distinct differences between these three titles, yet there are no recorded explanations of such.
Baronet and Baronetess – an obscure middle ground between the ‘proper’ nobility and the vast ranks of lesser nobility, baronets are quite far from being considered peers, however may be granted the privilege of ‘the Cloth’ – exemption from personal war service. This does not stop many from confusing baronets with chevaliers, which is usually a great insult to those who hold this rank.
Chevalier – the title itself does not differentiate between male and female, however men of this rank are referred to as ‘sir’, while women – ‘dame’; as mentioned above, female knights are not so unusual in Daggerfall. The status of chevalier is the only more promising hint of social mobility in the kingdom – far from being peers, chevaliers are often not even considered proper nobility and may not be granted the Cloth; their status depends entirely on service in war and they are what is most often meant when one says ‘bannerman’ in Daggerfall. While usually hereditary, their status depends more than other nobles’ on being able to actually perform their function – chevaliers who cannot prove that they own at least two horses for their own personal use are stripped of the rank.


Wow, amazing stuff! I think I'll write up something similar for the recent history of Evermore now, you've inspired me :wink:.
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Trevor Bostwick
 
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Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:51 am

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 3:11 pm

Fluff and inspire, citizen. It's what we do :P

Manfred's sheet and a brief run through Anticlere.

Spoiler

Name: Manfred Flyte
Title: Here following the titles of Lord Manfred Flyte, rightful and legal ruler of Anticlere and all within its borders, in correct order as recognized throughout the civilized realms of the world, correctly shortened to His Lordship the Flyte of Anticlere:

Flyte of Anticlere, elected of free will by the Council-Elect in lawful representation of all the citizens of the realm;
Captal of the Gradkeep, so proclaimed by all its lords, its barons, its knights and its freemen;
Baron-Elect and Protector of Mens;
Protector of the Benevolence;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Flame.
Age: 72
Race: Breton (Anticlerian)
Gender: Male

Appearance: Age has taken its toll on what was once a man of impressive stature; however Manfred retains something of his former fitness. His back is not hunched, thus he still stands at five feet eight; his muscles still bear some shades of their former strength. Quite notably, the lord still looks slightly odd due to his arms being a bit too long and his legs – too short. His complexion is quite tan for a Breton, an echo of the time he spent as a younger man in war, something that is also evident in his impressive array of scars.

Unlike many men of his age, the Flyte of Anticlere has not lost much of his hair and still retains a full head of medium length whitened hair, along with a rather scraggly beard. With age, his blue eyes have taken on a deeper, world-weary look than they used to and often seem rather dead, appearing to sit deeper inside his skull than they used to; thick whitened eyebrows still frown above them in worried thought, as they have for most of Manfred’s life. What draws the unaccustomed eye most is the fact the tip of his rather large nose is gone, an old present from a Dremora during the now-distant Oblivion Crisis.

Skills: Age has stripped Manfred of his martial prowess, but it has not clouded his mind; the lord still remains one of the sharpest minds within his own borders and retains his love for combat – as a spectator if he cannot partake himself, even if his healers advise him even against that. Though his voice may normally seem rather quiet, it can take on a booming quality at moment’s notice, so the Flyte of Anticlere still retains his oratory skills as well. ‘Of all the old geezers on thrones’, more patriotic citizens sometimes say in Anticlere’s taverns after a few bottles of wine, ‘our old captal is the most alive – and the most dangerous.’

Equipment: Manfred is most often seen dressed according to the Anticlerian fashion, in a manner that befits his station and age – clothes that are rather loose-fitting and open, as is usual in Anticlere thanks to local custom as well as the warm climate, of rather bright colours and trimmed a bit conservatively (by the standards of other fashion currents in High Rock at least) in silver; as with most Anticlerian men, he also wears a sizeable white ruffled collar. Of late, however, the lord has also taking to wearing a slightly thicker mantle for warmth.

Background: Born the only son of Auberon Flyte, Lord of Anticlere, Manfred has had a long and troubled life, which, much like his reign over the realm inherited from his father, was a series of ups and downs. Challenged immediately after assuming the throne by his own mother, he outmanoeuvred her and marked himself as just as strict as his father by banishing her to the small isle of Mens off the coast of mainland Anticlere. The Oblivion Crisis that soon struck prevented him from solidifying his hold over the throne, however, and while he was campaigning in defence of Wayrest – at the time his sovereign – his own wife Joan made a bid for power, using fabricated evidence of her husband’s death and a claim of regency for their one year old son Auberon as tools; Manfred’s return put a swift and brutal end to it as the lord painfully ordered her execution.

For 28 years since those troubled times now, the reigning Flyte has sat on the throne, weathering the winds of change as Wayrest’s rule was changed by Daggerfall’s; he steered his realm away from the major military confrontations of those years, focusing instead on maintaining healthy trade relationships with the now-foreign port of Anvil as well as the much closer Redguard ports on the other side of the Iliac Bay. As a result, Anticlere has entered a miniature renaissance of economic prosperity and culture following the downfall experienced after the disastrous Riot of Reich Gradkeep years ago; something that has not gone unnoticed by her neighbours, who remain wary of the lordship’s continued neutrality and indifference to High Rock affairs – something that, according to the predictions of some, could not long last, not now when Daggerfall pulls together its resources for an anticipated confrontation with their age-old enemy across the Bay – a confrontation that many Anticlerians, Manfred included, view with distaste.


In the Bretic West, Anticlere is unusual in that its western border was actually outside the easternmost limits of the ancient kingdom of Daggerfall – which conquered nearly all other western Bretic realms (with the interesting exception of Glenpoint), eventually contracting politically but leaving behind its social structure and enormous cultural influence. Not only was Anticlere not a part of Daggerfall, however – it hardly had any dealings with it at all, at the time being far from the single realm we know it as today, but rather a mess of various magocrats’ holdings in the east and petty hillmen chieftains’ holdings in the west, who held off the unenthusiastic thrusts into what Daggerfallians of the time considered ‘the far east’ without too much difficulty, continual border raids and minor conflicts being the norm for the time of Daggerfall’s stay in what is now Shalgora. These circumstances make Anticlere rather distinct, but not, as some Daggerfallians might claim, inferior – in fact, some might say it actually has more vigour than the stagnated ancient structure that dominates the kingdom to its west.

The Lordship is quite easy to divide into two rather distinct cultural groups. In the west, the hills that stretch from the north almost to the very coast in the south of Anticlere and abate into the central plains of Shalgora are home to a rather independent and quite rugged people – the descendants of those same ancient semi-nomadic hillmen who were warlike even among the Bretons of the times, among whom conquerors and warriors numbered far more than artists and bards. Here, the petty nobility – and there is hardly any other sort in the Western Hills – is hardly distinguishable from the freemen, who dominate in this region and guard their status rather fiercely from their preferred solitude of farmsteads that seem almost like miniature fortresses.

The hilltop fortresses that dot this land are almost all those of the Flyte or maintained communally by the guilds of the capital – testament to a nobility that never quite formed, at least not in the way it did in most other parts of High Rock. To a Daggerfallian eye, these are almost the lands of barbarians who have no notion of order, though in fact to refer to them as hillmen would be rather archaic – the term is usually associated with the less advanced tribal people who wandered High Rock with their herds in its earliest years, while the freemen of the Anticlerian west are hardly any less cultured and sophisticated than their eastern lowland brothers; most often it is simply the case that the lack of sizeable estates and large collective fields upsets an eye used to the serf villages that dominate the rest of western High Rock.

It is the Gradkeep Plains in the east – who once gave their name to the entire realm – that seem more acceptable and appealing to foreign Bretons. Here one might even find a dozen or so families of greater nobles in the sea of their lesser counterparts, descendants of either the ancient magocrats or the more recent Gradkeeper barons who fought one another for influence and control before the eventual forming of Reich Gradkeep. Castles dot the land far more readily, and some are far grander and more imposing, than in the west, bastions of the last few remaining barons, whose power was mostly broken at the forging of a united realm and then again by Auberon Flyte’s ‘iron years’ – with the exception of the barons of Chestermarket, distant relatives of the now-extinct Graddock line.

Of note is the fact that in Anticlere, the social ladder for the nobility never became quite as extensive as elsewhere in High Rock. This has less to do with any inferiority that the Daggerfallians so readily ascribe anyone not following their example and more with the fact that the nobles haven’t for long held complete power here, overshadowed a fair bit by the emergent burghers of the capital, particularly the Guilds – who are by now more of political powers than unions of craftsmen.

Lord and Lady – the rulers of the realm, in Anticlere they have several titles; Flyte is the most recent, in honour of Auberon Flyte’s successful reign, however Gradkeepers in general most often refer to their ruler by the archaic title of captal, while their nobility also often use the title of Grand Baron, a remnant from the times when the Gradkeep was divided into dozens of little baronies.
Duke and Duchess – few exist in Anticlere, all invariably located in the eastern Gradkeep Plains, and even fewer of them often use this title, which is often considered with disdain a mere import from Daggerfall. Most prefer the much more established title of baron, though the ducal titles are more often used when dealing with Bretons from outside Anticlere to avoid confusion and insult.
Baron and Baroness – a catch-all term for Anticlerian nobility, unlike in Daggerfall and the realms that follow its model where it is merely the lowest rank of peer nobility. If one hears an Anticlerian talking about ‘the barons’, he or she may well be talking of nobles in general.
Chevalier – hardly a term for nobles anymore, however worth noting since there remain some traditional knights in some parts of the Gradkeep Plains. Much like what a baron is to the nobles, a chevalier is a term for all well-trained soldiers in Anticlere and in this day and age more often refers to a noble’s hired retainers (who are very popular – few nobles do not keep at least a tiny permanent force of several dozen well-trained fighters, almost always lead by battlemages) rather than what other Bretons might consider to be knights.
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Minako
 
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Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:50 pm

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 2:44 pm

I'd be willing to RP someone, however I've never played much of Daggerfall and am always wary about entering RPs in Highrock, so I'm worried I'll be a bit useless.
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Pawel Platek
 
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Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 2:08 pm

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 12:10 pm

I've got the same problem. that's why I don't really know how to start my cs :P
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KiiSsez jdgaf Benzler
 
Posts: 3546
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:10 am

Post » Wed May 02, 2012 8:42 pm

Hail to the king (and some fluff on the kingdom).

Spoiler

Name: Camaron Thagor
Title: Here following the titles of King Camaron, rightful ruler of the West, in correct order as recognized throughout the civilized realms of the world, shortened appropriately to His Majesty the Sovereign King of Daggerfall and all its domains and vassals:

King of All Daggerfall, indivisible and forever, thus entitled by right of blood and recognized by the Estates of the Realm;
Sovereign-Protector of Anticlere, of Illessan, of Daenia, of Shalgora, of Camlorn and all its domains;
Protector of the Church of Kynareth, of Mara, of Zenithar, and of the Faith of the Nine and all the Faithful;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Dragon;
Grand Magister of the Knights of the Owl;
Honorary Magistrate-Defender of the Guild of Mages in High Rock;
Sovereign Lord of Tulune, of Northmoor, of Betony;
Rightful Lord and Patron of the City of Daggerfall and all her citizens, so recognized by the Guilds;
Baron of Glenpoint, of Rithwyn, of Agaleck, and all other lesser domains rightfully of the House of Thagor.
Age: 40
Race: Breton (Daggerfallian)
Gender: Male

Appearance: Slightly under six feet, Camaron retains the fitness and poise he possessed in his youth. Though his skin is quite pale, especially compared to that usual to some of the other races of Tamriel, it is merely a natural feature common in the House of Thagor and among Bretic nobility in general; he is, in fact, very much healthy and rarely bothered either by sicknesses or old injuries.

Even as he soon turns 41, the king appears several years younger than he actually is, though age is beginning to show despite his best efforts – a careful eye could note that his pitch black hair is starting to thin slightly along the sides, its once deep colour losing just a touch of its texture as well; nevertheless, it is kept well trimmed and quite short with a slightly deliberately messy look to it that Camaron has proved unable to let go of through the years, which goes with his goatee and wispy moustache rather well. His light brown eyes retain a lively spark to them, though even it now sometimes dims, leaving his gaunt face strangely void of life when it does.

Skills: Camaron is a man of many skills, only a few of which are universally admired. He retains from his youth a reputation as one of the best dancers in the entirety of High Rock, as well as being supposedly still unmatched in the bedroom; a startling inability to keep his (many, many) affairs secret goes hand in hand with that. Unkind tongues often remember that the king’s achievements are often in the ballroom rather than in the jousting field, which is true where popular opinion is concerned – though he is a fine jouster and far from the last sword of his realm, whatever tourney victories he wins are overshadowed by a new scandal that same evening in the feast. All in all, the ruler of Daggerfall is an embodiment of Bretic passion and gusto for life.

All these escapades and adventures, along with many more, have contributed to the image of Camaron as an incompetent, lavish ruler. Those few who are part of the monarch’s closest circle of friends and advisors know that he considers this reputation his greatest victory of all.

Equipment: The king’s clothes vary from occasion to occasion, however as a rule he stays at the forefront of High Rock fashion, now often favouring exquisite robes of Nibenese soul silk over the armour of his youth; in fact, Camaron is rarely seen in military equipment, preferring to leave outfits almost Colovian in their simplicity and martial flavour to the more militant of his bannermen.

Background: Entitled to the very highest circle of Bretic politics from the moment of his birth, Camaron was the firstborn heir of the ancient House Thagor, the ruling bloodline of Daggerfall since (with some interruptions) the early First Era. His father Gothryd was an admired hero of the War of Betony, setting the bar high for his son from his first marriage; especially so since no other Bretic heirs were soon coming, with the king’s marriage to Aubk’i of Sentinel.

Public opinion from his own time might hold that Camaron failed in comparison to his father, proving an indulgent and passionate man who seemed to focus far more on lavish celebrations and ceremonies than ruling the kingdom, but it is often forgotten that during his reign, Daggerfall has more than stood its ground against the threatening advances of Wayrest’s shrewd Queen Elysana – it has expanded to include several neighbouring realms, annexing them outright or binding their rulers in oaths of vassalage. For a man who allegedly does not rule at all save from his bedroom, the current king’s reign has been quite successful, from his uneventful succession soon after the close of the Third Era right up to the current days of High Rock.


Daggerfall is among the most densely populated regions in High Rock, and one of the most prosperous as well – at least as far as its nobility is concerned. A land of pleasant rolling hills yet stark social contrasts, many areas that have been part of the kingdom for longest have inherited from ancient times of Elven rule a habit of treating the commoners almost like slaves; many peasants remain serfs to this day and age, and sometimes even the burghers of the towns and cities cannot feel safe from the selfish designs of the nobility. Meanwhile, countless barons, sur-barons, baronets and their ilk cling to the right to call their bloodline noble, treasuring ancient documents, treaties and privileges in vast record books that are iconic of the Daggerfallians’ love of all things dusty, old and proven, all in the name of protecting their freedom. Even the lowliest chevalier – the martial lesser nobility of the realm – may have proof of his (or her; female knights are far from unheard of in the realm, though Bretons of some other realms may find this odd and even preposterous) status that goes back to the first known knightly privileges granted by King Thagore in the early years of the First Era.

The nobles of Daggerfall are thus the most politically active of the estates; in fact, they have a virtual monopoly over all offices and goings-on in the realm, as well as a dominant position in the economy and making up the backbone of the kingdom’s military. This is at the expense of the other three estates – the clergy, the burghers and the peasantry, all of whom have little to no say in the General Estates of the realm, despite the fact both the king and his blue-blooded vassals feel the need to maintain some facade of the others’ involvement and activity in the rule of the realm. Just around 7% of the kingdom’s inhabitants (a higher percentage compared to most other Bretic realms, where nobles may make up only 2-4%, but nevertheless just a small portion of the whole population) therefore have nearly complete control over the whole rest, except insofar as they are checked by the king in his own pursuit of unquestioned control.

Titles of the nobility in Daggerfall are as follows, from the monarch himself to the lowliest, most destitute and least influential of all:

King and Queen – in theory equal by Daggerfall’s law, but one or the other invariably dominates the other; the case for most of the kingdom’s history has been the king taking the dominant role, as they nearly always come from House Thagor and thus are well established in the realm, whereas their queens tend to be foreigners – either from other Bretic realms or other corners of Tamriel altogether.
Archduke and Archduchess – mistakenly often believed to be a new title created for the purpose of establishing Camlorn’s status in the new joint kingdom. In fact, there are four other families that can claim the title; all of them based in the old heartland of the kingdom’s core and all of them vastly influential and powerful.
Duke and Duchess – lesser in relation to the Archdukes, those of this rank are usually considerably more powerful than elsewhere in High Rock, owing to Daggerfall’s influence and wealth compared to many less fortunate Bretic realms. It is not uncommon for them to have holdings beyond the old borders of the kingdom, particularly in the previously independent Barony of Tulune – something that made politics between the two realms vastly complicated.
Lord-Marcher and Lady-Marchess – an ancient title mostly unique to Daggerfall and several surrounding realms that inherited their social structure from the kingdom, nobles holding this title are quite rare and usually are referred to as simply Marcher or Marchess. This is a title granted to nobles handpicked by the king to take charge of problematic border regions, being granted authority to call a levy from the surrounding lands without the word of the ruling monarch; understandably, this makes this position rather problematic and that is why this is not usually a hereditary title.
Baron and Baroness – the lowest title that still confers peerage upon a noble, i.e. the right to carry oneself as an equal among other nobles of Daggerfall and even the monarchs and be respected as such.
Sur-Baron and Sur-Baroness – most easily explained as those who are not considered peers but are also too influential or nevertheless honoured to be granted the rank of baronet. Daggerfallian heralds claim there are quite distinct differences between these three titles, yet there are no recorded explanations of such.
Baronet and Baronetess – an obscure middle ground between the ‘proper’ nobility and the vast ranks of lesser nobility, baronets are quite far from being considered peers, however may be granted the privilege of ‘the Cloth’ – exemption from personal war service. This does not stop many from confusing baronets with chevaliers, which is usually a great insult to those who hold this rank.
Chevalier – the title itself does not differentiate between male and female, however men of this rank are referred to as ‘sir’, while women – ‘dame’; as mentioned above, female knights are not so unusual in Daggerfall. The status of chevalier is the only more promising hint of social mobility in the kingdom – far from being peers, chevaliers are often not even considered proper nobility and may not be granted the Cloth; their status depends entirely on service in war and they are what is most often meant when one says ‘bannerman’ in Daggerfall. While usually hereditary, their status depends more than other nobles’ on being able to actually perform their function – chevaliers who cannot prove that they own at least two horses for their own personal use are stripped of the rank.


Superb as always. Damn you and your fluff PFA. I swear you know more about High Rock than MK himself :tongue:

Looks as though I'm going to have to step it up and make something similar for Camlorn.

I'd be willing to RP someone, however I've never played much of Daggerfall and am always wary about entering RPs in Highrock, so I'm worried I'll be a bit useless.
I've got the same problem. that's why I don't really know how to start my cs :tongue:

I've only played the first dungeon of Daggerfall to be honest.

Just read through http://www.imperial-library.info/content/pocket-guide-empire-first-edition-high-rock It should give you a general idea of what to expect. If you have any questions direct them to PFA. He's the resident loremaster for High Rock. :tongue:

And remember, you don't have to play a lord. You can be anything you want.
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Cathrine Jack
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 6:52 pm

I have an idea for a character, well characters, but I'm not sure if it'd work. Basically a Bandit group of Reachmen who intend to use the upcoming civil war for their own benefit and sell themselves as Mercenaries to the highest bidder.
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Sheila Reyes
 
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