Kingdom of Leostonnia

The Kingdom of Leostonnia, one of the youngest Kingdoms of Man and within its lands there are no cities, merely a number of fortified Keeps, citadels and towns what are each small domains in their own right by Dukes, Barons and other Minor Lords. Leostonnia is a highly-chivalrous feudal Kingdom that lies in between the borders of the Nightwing and Icewing lands, in the former neutral territory known to humanity as the highlands and the moors. Leostonnia despite only being younger than three hundred years united as a Kingdom is second to none of size and military power compared to the other Human realms. In recent years it has been because of Leostonnia the Human crusade against Dragons and the invasion of the Earthwing homeland was brought into fruition. Having a culture and society that revolves around the ideals of Nobility, social birthright and upholding of a strictly enforced code of chivalry the Kingdom of Leostonnia has flourished as a bastion of mankind.

Ruled by a Monarch, the nation of Leostonnia has been known throughout the realms of Man for having the greatest Knights of the continent of Pyyria, surpassing all other knightly orders located within the other City States of Humanity. A proud and honourable Kingdom, the warriors of Leostonnia comprise mostly of Knights and Noblemen, who ride into battle with lance, horse and sword, seeking out glories and tales to add in their name. The dominant Religion of this feudal nation is the worship of the “Church of Holy Light”, which is a theological belief that the Light ever blesses its champions to stand against darkness and shadow. It is said, that it only when Warlord Oribas Wyrmfyre pledged himself to the unyielding Holy Light did he gain the resolve to unite the minor Kings and warlords which made up the land of Leostonnia did it become a single Kingdom and he the first King of the glorious land.

Beyond the visage of chivalry and justice what the Nobility and Knights display as the most significant traits of one’s character, they are nonetheless afflicted with a much darker side from the shining Knights they believe themselves to be. Within the feudal social structure of Leostonnia, these Knights and Nobles consider their lowly subjects as almost sub-Human, serving as Serfs upon the lands, they are little more than property seen in the hubris and arrogant eyes of their betters. The labour of all Serfs are to take no more than one tenth of the share for their hearth and kin, while providing the other nine-tenths to their local liege.



Leostonnia is widely considered to be the fairest and most beautiful land of all the realms of Man. It is a green land of fertile farms, rolling hills, starkly beautiful mountains, and airy forests. Leostonnian chefs are famous for their culinary skills, and the wine produced in the vineyards of the country is renowned throughout the world. It is seen as a land of honour and virtue, where noble knights keep the domain safe as peasants till the fields, where chivalrous heroes slay monsters and rescue fair damsels. This is the image Leostonnia want to project, and it is not entirely false. However, though these honourable warriors are meant to uphold chivalry and justice above all other traits, they are nonetheless afflicted with a much darker side than the shining knights they believe themselves to be. Within the feudal social structure of Leostonnia, many knights consider their lowly subjects as sub-human, as if they are nothing more than property in their eyes. Indeed, the life of a Leostonnian peasant is a life often fraught with endless injustice and cruelty by a nobility whose sole duty was meant to protect them and to uphold their duties as beacons of justice.

Early History and the Church of Holy Light.

Among the tribes of the people who would later become the Leostonnians it became the custom for the best and bravest young man in the village to be armed and ready at all times to fight off foes. Everyone else in the village toiled to provide for themselves, but also to feed and equip the warrior and his warhorse. The warrior lived off the fat of the land, ate the best meat and drank the best wine. This, together with constant training and practice at arms, set him apart from ordinary men. He was physically bigger, fitter, and more robust, standing head and shoulders above an ordinary peasant.

The chosen warrior took up residence in the village watchtower, a wooden structure which would in later times evolve into a stone Castle, and would take for his wife the fairest maiden in the village. In return for all this, the warrior was honourbound to defend the village against any foe, no matter how terrible. If necessary he would take on even a horde of marauding Barbarians alone. These warriors became known as "knights", and as the centuries passed both knight and warhorse became exceptional examples of their kind. Although knights were known among other human tribes of Pyrria as well, it was among the Leostonnians that the tradition of knighthood was perfected.

Among the Leostonnians each petty king or warlord soon began to rename themselves as a duke of their own small dukedom.By the years just before the unification, the lands of all Leostonnia had since been divided into Nine realms, each ruled by their own duke. And many with various customs and laws, it would later be the emergence of the Church of Light what many would credit as the first unity of the Leostonnian lands as their faith spread throughout all the Nine Dukedoms consolidating all into a single faith, even before they had a single King.

The idea of chivalry for the Knights of Leostonnia were later perfected with the birth of the Church of Holy Light, the now state religion of Leostonnia as it is today. No one knows how the Church was founded, and no one remembers when people first discovered the faith in the Holy Light - or were discovered by it. In a time prior to the Unification of the Nation, humans began preaching about the Holy Light, explaining that it is a great and benevolent force that sought out mortal spirits interested in helping others and protecting life. Because the philosophy involves a significant amount of study and contemplation, they likely built libraries before churches. As the organization grew, the places of teaching and study grew as well. Eventually, all of the individual churches began working together and formed the Church of the Holy Light.

Chivalric Virtues taught by all Knights upon their oath defined by the Early Church.

• Faith
  

• Charity
  

• Justice
  

• Sagacity
  

• Prudence
  

• Temperance
  

• Resolution
  

• Truth
  

• Liberality
  

• Diligence
  

• Hope
  

• Valour
  

The Church of Holy Light were seen as a benevolent force and before long as the Church was united but the Nine Dukedoms remained independent of one another, it would fall to the Church to protect the vast road network and represent the faith. To this end the order of the Temple Knights was created. These Temple Knights followed a further three virtues;

• Respect
  

Respect is the first virtue taught to those joining the path of the Temple Knights. When looking at an enemy, one must look past the hatred that separates. There are qualities to respect and prowess to be acknowledged. Conducting oneself with honor and treating one's opponent as one wishes to be treated shows respect. Respecting one's opponents on the field is acknowledging a connection, which brings one closer to the Light.

• Tenacity
  

Tenacity is the second virtue. This is the virtue of persevering through troubling times and painful experiences. In the face of despair and hatred, one must continue to stand true to their beliefs and fight on.

• Compassion
  

Compassion is the last step on the path of the Light. In times of rivalries, it is easy to see differences at every turn. The challenge is in looking beyond appearances and understanding the similarities. Through this understanding, one can feel compassion for the losses others have suffered, even if the victim bears another banner. By feeling and understanding compassion in enemy and ally alike, one reaffirms his or her connection with the world.

The Order of the Temple Knights.

The order of the Temple Knights which remain to this day, swear to forsake all mortal wants, they father no children, hold no lands or titles and swear by the sword. The Temple Knights are known also to even recruit from the peasantry should even the lowest wretch show promise to serve the Light’s will. It would be the Temple Knights and in extension the Church what provided the first banks within Leostonnia, while protecting the roads a traveller would deposit his wealth within one of the many outposts of the Temple Knights for a small fee and donation to the faith before receiving a slip where they would reobtain their wealth once they had crossed to their destination. To this day the banks of the Church of Holy Light provide the wealth for the Crown of Leostonnia in recent years, far more consolidated and renowned than any other such banking guild what would emerge within later years.


Unification of Leostonnia

Oribas was born during such a time that a new drive to unification was undergoing within the Dukedoms of Leostonnia, as the customs and culture of the Dukedoms were becoming increasingly consistent and with the faith of the Church of the Holy Light now preached and worshipped in all Dukedoms it became apparent that the Kingdom was on the verse of true unification. This began a series of wars between the Dukedoms as they challenged one another for the Crown. The Eldest son of the Steward of Duke Lyeon of Brighthurst (Brighthurst would later become the Capital Ducal lands of Leostonnia, later taking the name simply Capital City), Oribas personally squired for Duke Lyeon as the wars of unity took place in Leostonnia as many Dukes and ambitions Lords were fighting each other in order to determine who will prevail and become the first king of the nation.

One day, Duke Lyeon was besieged at the fort of Darions Hill by the forces of Duke Ryenford. Ryenford called Lyeon to parley but in his stead Lyeon sent Oribas to impersonate him. Ryenford intended to kill Lyeon during the meeting but Oribas disobeyed his Duke’s orders and revealed his true identity. Ryenford was impressed by Oribas’s courage and honour and asked him to become his own squire. Oribas refused on the basis that since Ryenford intended to betray the right of parley, he was no man of honour. Eventually, Oribas was permitted to return to the castle before Ryenford launched his final assault in which Lyeon was was killed and Ryenford himself was bested by Oribas in single combat. Oribas spared Ryenfords life and in turn Ryenford first knighted Oribas before then swearing himself to the now Sir Oribas. The lands of the late Lyeon as he had no heirs were handed to his steward Oribas’s father, but as Oribas’s father had no deire to become Duke, the title and lands of Darrowmire were given to Oribas naming him Duke of the central Leostonnia and this Duke Ryenford of Whitehaven sworn to him.

The following years Oribas won victory after victory and more allies flocked to his banner, especially after his renown grew when he supposedly slayed the great Firewing Dragon known as Chemraryn, taking the red dragon as his personal heraldry and thus forming officially House Wyrmfyre. The greatest of these allies would come from the faith, as the leader of the Church of Holy Light, Pontiff Aldenon announced his Church’s support for Oribas’s claim of Kingship along with the considerable influence of the Church there was also its vast military strength from the Temple Knights under the legendary Gramd Master Falstaff who himself would become close friends to the future King. After several years only Simeaon the infamous Duke of Ravenhold stood in the way of Oribas as another formidable candidate to the Crown. At Aldenon’s suggestion Oribas went on pilgrimage to the Monastery of Candor alone and barefooted to seek the Light’s blessing. It is said within the Monastery he was blessed and given the Enchanted blade Nemetos which would later be lost to history.

Following the pilgrimage the pious of the land flocked to Oribas noble born and commoner alike and victory was given to Oribas when he fought once more in single combat against the impressive swordsmanship of Simeaon, but the blessed blade Nemetos broke Simeaons blade in the ensuing fight and Oribas mercifully spared his life. After the submission of Ravenhold the were no other rivals to the throne yet the Dukedom of Carleigh refused to submit, however Oribas successfully went through the Dukedom and many Lords previously sworn as vassals to Carleigh swore their fealty instead to Oribas and he successfully laid siege to Castle Carleigh, being the only third person in history to accomplish such a feat. Unopposed the head of the Faith Aldenon would Crown Oribas the first King of Leostonnia with his wife the daughter of Duke Ryenford the first to pledge his fealty after a landmeet of all the Dukes of Leostonnia, and while the peace would not last through his entire reign and Oribas would continue to fight revolt and rebellion, Leostonnia and House Wyrmfyre would forever since consolidate themselves as the reigning dynasty over the Kingdom


Society

Nobility.
The lands of Leostonnia are a feudal, traditional society where peasants and commoners serve noble knights in return for protection, while the knights are bound militarily to serve their lords in return for certain rights, privileges, and landed titles. At the top of this feudal hierarchy is the King. Beneath the King are the Dukes. Beneath them are lesser ranks of nobility such as Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, Lords, and Knights, all in descending order, the Barons having a special place within the courtly pecking order.

Each of the senior nobles are also master over a number of Knights, whom are the lowest noble rank of society. Each knight, including the higher nobles, has a duty to raise his own full-time force of Men-at-Arms, chosen from the most physically able peasants within his domain. In return for serving his knightly lord, each peasant is given a small tract of land to farm for his family and can be expected to be called upon in times of war, to form a peasant militia of archers and pikes, commanded by the highest ranking Nobleman present.

Peasantry.
The kingdom is notorious for its oppression of both the commoners and peasants, which most agree is stricter and harsher then those of any other Human nations of the world. This dark side of Leostonnian culture is placed unashamedly out in the open where all nobles and nobility are set high above the peasantry in all ways. Noblemen have all the say in most matters, and Leostonnian peasants often live in far worse conditions than those seen in other Human states, however they continue to live in relevant protection thanks to the eagerness of young Knights Errants who are sworn as shields to the realm as they roam the land in search of glory and renown.

The peasants have very few, if any, rights at all, and are kept illiterate and uneducated by law. They are considered sub-human and mere property of their feudal lord. As a result, most remain extremely poor throughout their entire lives. They may not leave their home estate unless allowed, as a result a certain degree of inbreeding is quite common, many peasants are afflicted by clubfoot, extra fingers, lazy eyes, or similar minor defects and mutations. Leostonnian justice is extremely harsh and entirely ruled by superstition, any peasant who is caught stealing or poaching is usually hanged. Far harsher punishment is dealt to any peasant who attacks a noble where he and his entire family will be tortured and slowly dismembered.

Current King of Leostonnia

King Damitian, son of the late King Mallobaude the mad is the current ruler of Leostonnia. Father of Crown Prince Alexander, Prince Landuin, Prince Solomon, Prince Solayn and Princess Lucretia. After seeing his Father Mallobaude be slain by the dreaded wyrm Tenebris of the Nightwings, the Prince became obsessed with destroying the authority of the Dragons in the world. It is said on the eve’ of his coronation Damitian departed on a pilgrimage to the Monastery of Candor like his ancestor Oribas before him, the King removed all the finery of his office and walked the old dirt and cobblestone roads of the land dressed in nothing but the linen shirt of a pauper accompanied by no man but himself and his Wife.


Within in the Monastery of Candor, after three nights of fasting and prayer before the altar the King was said to be visited by a living embodiment and avatar of the Light itself, granting the King a vision and prophecy of enlightenment that it would be Leostonnia what would represent the cradle of Humanity and push back the Dragons. With new found vigor and spirit the King returned to the Capital, in his new found wisdom he returned sober to the world around him and in the face of challenge, noble even when the nation was threatened by the unchecked power of the Dragons beyond Leostonnia’s borders. It was in this time that Damitian became known as a King who didn’t follow the pomp and glamour of some of his predecessors but proved martial and practical, surrounding his court with the greatest Knights of the land.

After consolidating his reign, the King rallied towards him many nations of humanity as he declared there was to be a Crusade against the foul Dragons which continued to plague the lives of mankind. At the forth front of perhaps the largest Human host ever seen within Pyyria, Damitian led the Crusade through the Earthwing territory. The Crusade was successful as even despite taking a heavy toll of lives the Earthwing Dragons were pushed back to almost extinction. Damitian would forever be known since as Damitian the Dragonbane, after seeing the initial set up of several Crusader states and having their new Dukes and Lords pledge fealty to him, he would return to his Kingdom.

Many years later when the retaliation of the Dragons came, there would be little Damitian could do despite trying to call his banners once more, however both his own Lords and the other Kingdoms of man still seemed to be rebuilding their numbers from the previous Crusade. This attempt known as the “failed” Crusade which even left Leostonnia and couldn’t help the beligued human settlers who would be slaughtered and enslaved by the counter attack of the Firewing and Nightwing Dragons would forever haunt Damitian turning the once youthful spirited warrior into a dour sorrowful bitter man.



The Dukedoms of Leostonnia [WIP]

Updated - I've recently added a map of Leostonnia for reference for any topics.

Added the Kingdom's Early history, the country's faith and the Chivalric Virtues of the Leostonnian Knights. Still to come in updates will be the Unification of the Nature under Oribas. The recent history of the Kingdom such as the Crusade against the Earthwings and then the local customs and culture of Leostonnia as a whole and its various Dukedoms.

Updated, now all is left will be the individual Dukedoms.

Gave a little update on the current King of Leostonnia.