Khorne Posted October 3 Posted October 3 (edited) Kingdom of Mardier The Old Kingdom The Kingdom of Mardier, once flush with gold and glory, now struggles beneath debt and division. The Temple Tax, imposed on the Nornian faithful, has inflamed tensions in the Carolean Pale. The recent death of queen-consort Isabella of Eslandola has left the dynasty of the dual kingdom weakened and the king devastated. In a kingdom as diverse as Mardier, a weakened central authority clears the path for ambitious trade companies and Free Cities to expand their own power. Sub Factions: The Carolean Pale | The Namereen Princes Heraldry Flags: Yellow Colors: Yellow, warm hues such as nougat, dark orange, dark tan Sigils: Dragons and Dragon Knights * * For example. Faction colors are key. Lay of the Land Political Ruler: King Raul II the Pious Capital: Londa Government: Decentralized feudal monarchy Faction focus Faction Focus is a roleplaying instrument that helps indicate what a Faction finds important on a quick glance. It can help inspire your builds or shape your stories. The ranking of the Focuses indicates what a Faction finds more important, i.e. the Focus that comes first is most important to a Faction. People and History The majority of Mardierians are ethnic Madrician and see themselves as the proper inheritors of old Imperial Madrician power and authority. The Old Empire was once the largest and most powerful nation of the whole peninsula. As the Empire succumbed to internal strive and trivial politics, Mardier was one of the first provinces to break away and carry the imperial torch in its own way. Mardierians are a proud and boastful people. They are renowned merchants and explorers. They are often seen as haughty and pompous by others, especially in their open display of wealth. While proper Mardierians are somewhat conservative and loyal to the Crown, Eslandolans and other people are generally known to be more free-spirited and independent. While Mardier presents itself as a strong and united kingdom on the world stage, that is only a superficial sheen. In truth, Mardier is an amalgam of many different smaller states and peoples, with many internal fault lines. At the start of king Raul II’s reign, there was a strong push for more centralization and turn the tide of fragmentation in the Kingdom - but to little avail. In order to gain approval for a tax increase to enlarge the royal army, king Raul II had to seek the support of Mardier’s most wealthy and influential duchy: Eslandola, a long-standing proponent of more local ducal authority. The Eslandolans devised a deal in which they would politically and financially support the young king. In return, Eslandola would be elevated to a Grand Principality and the king would take the hand of princess Isabella of Eslandola, elevating her to Queen of Mardier. Eslandola would become a near-equal of Mardier, transforming the state into a dynastic union of two crowns. King Raul II, needy for Eslandola’s support, accepted the deal and created a dangerous precedent for other constituent entities in their struggle for more autonomy. Seeking to show Mardier’s role as power broker on the Madrician peninsula, King Raul II decided to enter the Long War on the side of Oléon, in Oléon’s darkest hour - an act that became known as the Mardierian Intervention. Brokering a marriage deal between one of his sons and the Oléonder princess, an alliance was forged and Mardier invaded Corrington. The war was over soon after. Unfortunately, Mardier’s golden moment was not to last long. Soon thereafter, queen Isabella died of illness. The Long War had put a large strain on Mardier’s coffers. Ever more, the King sought refuge in the Faith - spurred on as well by his pious Oléonder allies. While Mardier had never been a really devout country, the King erected many temples which only exacerbated the financial troubles. In the end, the King was forced to raise extra taxes, many of which have proven to be deeply unpopular with the populace and have furthered the tensions between the different peoples, local governance and the Crown. Geography The Kingdom of Mardier is a diverse place, with overall an warm climate. It is rather mountainous, with large stretches of arable land and pastures in between. The Mardierians are famous for their horse breeds. Mardierian landed nobility often live in large haciendas and own gigantic plantations, known especially for the cultivation of olives and tomatoes. The southeastern coast boasts several large ports, with most people living in ports and towns and some residing in the beautiful isolated countryside. In the east you can find the flatlands and marshes of the Carolean Pale, while in the northeast the mountains continue - forming many natural borders for the different Princes of Namere. Example builds An example of some Mardierian soldiers. From left to right: jinete, captain, rodeleros (2x) An example of some Carolean soldiers, with allegiance to the Riverlands Trade League. An example of some Namereen soldiers, specifically of the House of Luppino. Real world inspiration and influences The Kingdom of Mardier is mostly influenced by southern European countries such as Spain and Portugal, or southern Italy. This is reflected in its culture, geography and architecture. Politically, Mardier is similar to the Holy Roman Empire: a claimant to old glory, but a patchwork of divided fiefs, duchies and principalities. Future equivalents in BOBS: Mardier and Eslandola Subfactions Sub Factions are for all intents and purposes part of the Main Faction, but they offer the chance at playing a character of a distinct culture or subgroup of the Main Faction. As Sub Faction are mostly less strict in terms of uniform, the overall Faction uniform is of less importance here. What is important is that soldiers or armies of the Sub Factions still fly the main colors/flags of the Main Faction The Carolean Pale The wet and green flatlands, fields and marshes in the east of Mardier are home to the Karlomans, or Caroleans. This warrior people set foot on the shores centuries ago and ultimately pledged their swords to the King of Mardier in exchange to cultivate and live on the lands they had settled. Over time, the Karlomans drained most of the wetlands by the use of ditches, canals and windmills and have turned the land into fertile farmlands and pastures, perfect for raising sheep which are then used to make textiles and cloth that have made the cities rich. The Karlomans are known to be a free-spirited people and ferocious warriors. This is reflected in their politics, as the Carolean Pale is hardly a united entity. It is a patchwork of city-states, principalities - many governed by guilds and trade leagues - the most well-known of which are the Garvian League and the Riverlands Trade League.The Carolean warrior spirit has never quite left the hearts of its people, and many Carolean mercenary companies are found in conflicts all over the world - called Reiseläufer in their own tongue. Recently, the King's deeply unpopular Temple Tax has agitated the populace of the Pale to such a degree that a rebellious priest, called Birger Jung, has risen up in the defiance of the Crown to declare the independence of the Nornian Faithful from the authority of the King. A dangerous statement which in practice would mean the independence of the Pale itself, a treasonous act. Lay of the Land Political Ruler: The High Council and Viceroy-Elect Capital: None officially, but Riesmond is the most prestigious city Real world inspiration and influences The Carolean Pale is influenced by the historic Hanseatic League and many Free Cities in the Holy Roman Empire. The western part of the Pale is based upon the rich trade cities of the Low Countries, famous for their textile industries. The western part of the Pale, called Westerland, is what will later become the Dutch-influenced part of Eslandola. Next to the Hanseatic League and the Low Countries, the medieval Swiss Confederacy is also an important inspiration, whose mercenary armies helped shaped European politics. The Caroleans lust for adventure and combat is still evident in the cultures of the future nations of Altonia, Garvey and Carno. The nature of the Pale's grassy lands and clayish grounds is reflected in its architecture, which is famed for its red-brick gothic buildings. Even castles are sometimes built using bricks. This is less the case in the southern part of the Pale, which is dominated by the Garvian League and is a colder, more mountainous and harsher climate. Future equivalents in BOBS: Carno, Garvey, the Dutch-influenced parts of Eslandola, and Altonia The Namereen Princes The rough northeastern area of Mardier is a patchwork of petty principalities and counties. While it may have been a united territory in the past, it has long since fallen into rivaling territories of squabbling and conniving lords looking to further their own power and wealth. Most of the people live in the coastal cities, with the inland only sparsely populated and largely consisting out of huge plantations. The country side is ruled by so-called Cosas who try to emulate the power structures and schemes of the noble Famiglias. Often the Dons who rule the Cosas are subservient to the urban noble families, whose countryside estate is lent to them as a fief. The Famiglias often employ the Cosas for their shady deals, be it piracy, or arson of a competitors warehouse. Next to being infamous for its highly fluctuous power structures, Namere is famous for its fine clothiers who attract clientele from across the globe, despite the chaotic nature of the country. Its many vineyards produce some of the finest wines, rivaled only by the best Oléonder wines. Lay of the Land Political Ruler: Various Princes presided by a Viceroy Capital: None officially, but Balmin is the most eminent Real world inspiration and influences The Namereen Princes are based upon the various warring (Northern) Italian city-states and republics during the medieval era. This, coupled with influences from the Balkan political climate, make for a volatile nation, infamous for shady deals and backstabbing - despite its beautiful nature and cities boasting tons of art and culture, patronized by the Princes who all seek to outdo one another. Future equivalent in BOBS: Namere Want to join the Kingdom of Mardier and bask in wealth and glory? To sign up, post a picture of your signature figure, preferably accompanied by Mardier's formal flag colors. You are welcome to include a bit of a description as well. Your signature figure, or sigfig, will represent your character throughout your MOCs within Tales of Old (That does not mean that your sigfig has to be in every MOC you make). Although this is the “Yellow” faction, that does not mean that everyone should have a yellow-uniformed soldier as sigfig. Within Tales of Old you build your own story – for example, your sigfig could start out as a carpenter that decides to work on a ship. Edited October 19 by Khorne Quote
Khorne Posted October 4 Author Posted October 4 Lorenzo Luppino is the youngest son of the House of Luppino, a wealthy Namereen merchant dynasty. From their seat in Gonda, the famiglia built an empire on cloth and coin: textiles, banking, and whatever other ventures turned profit, whether by honest trade or more questionable means. The Luppinos like to claim ancient imperial blood, boasting of a name and crest that recall a fable of wolf-born origins. But the streets tell another story. Behind closed doors, it’s said that the Luppinos spring not from wolves but from the lupanar. According to rumor, they are the children of courtesans and their nameless patrons, bastards who clawed their way from brothel floors to banquet halls, buying land, bribing magistrates, silencing rivals. Nobility purchased, not inherited. A tale none dare speak too loudly, for those who cross the Luppinos tend to take a deep-diving lesson into Gonda's canals. Whatever the origin, the present is undeniable: the Luppinos endure, and thrive. Young Lorenzo, nicknamed “Lupito” within the family, plays his part. Like his forebears, he is a man of cloth, journeying between Gonda and the distant markets of Riesmond in the Pale to secure the finest textiles for Namere’s famed ateliers. Yet cloth is not the only thread he weaves; he serves, too, in the subtler business of influence, intrigue, and quiet obligation, ensuring that the wolf-banner of his house remains aloft amidst the endless games of power that bind Namere and Mardier. Quote
Dutch Thriceman Posted October 22 Posted October 22 Interesting, I just discovered a lot of my recent favorite figbarfs come from this new Tales of Old group. After reading up a bit on this I'm now very tempted to make my own Carolean Mercenary Company haha. This might just have to be a placeholder. Quote
Jeff of Clubs Posted October 22 Posted October 22 @Dutch Thriceman, please do! The more the merrier! Quote
Khorne Posted October 22 Author Posted October 22 11 hours ago, Dutch Thriceman said: Interesting, I just discovered a lot of my recent favorite figbarfs come from this new Tales of Old group. After reading up a bit on this I'm now very tempted to make my own Carolean Mercenary Company haha. This might just have to be a placeholder. Welcome, welcome! The recent windmill you did is already a very fitting building for the Carolean Pale. As stated in the introduction and overview, the Carolean Pale is home to many guilds, free cities and trade leagues so definitely feel free to come up your own group! The more variety, the better. Looking forward to it! If you have any questions, shoot! Quote
Dutch Thriceman Posted October 22 Posted October 22 (edited) On 10/22/2025 at 5:59 PM, Khorne said: As stated in the introduction and overview, the Carolean Pale is home to many guilds, free cities and trade leagues so definitely feel free to come up your own group! The more variety, the better. Looking forward to it! I definitely tried to give them my own spin, but honestly I was lucky to pick up two Tournament Knights years ago and never really knew what to do with them since, so I got really excited when I saw your figbarf... I will say I'm not satisfied with how the gunners turned out, they are definitely subject to change when/if they turn up in future stories (I just don't have any other parts to change them now that would be faction appropriate. I have plenty of Red/Blue Castle fig parts but those pieces would be much more at home at Oléon and Corrington. That said here is my introduction let me know if I got anything wrong or if there is anything I have to change! Tiberio, and the Wyvern's Talon mercenary company An orphan to parents unknown, Tiberio spent his early childhood surviving under savage conditions in the Rats Nest, the local slums of merchant city Nevalle in the Namere province of Mardier. One day as Tiberio lay nearly starving by the side of the road a carriage stopped, it was the youngest daughter of the wealthy Vandymion merchant family, she pitied the malnourished child and told her attendant to bring the boy home for a meal. At first the Vandymion patriarch disapproved but then, wanting to indulge his beloved youngest daughter, decided to take the boy into his household as an indentured servant. Tiberio was a quick learner and was among many other things taught the basics of combat and strategem for which the boy had a knack, realizing his potential the patriarch decided Tiberio was to one day serve the Vandymion household's personal guard. Tiberio however had other plans, secretly leaving the household as the boy came of age to join the Wyvern's Talon a then famous Caroleon mercenary company, with big dreams of becoming a legendary hero in the Long War. While the boy quickly realized war wasn't all he had dreamt it to be, throughout the years he still worked his way up the ranks. His experience surviving in the slums and his lessons during his servitude to the Vandymion household paying of. Tiberio worked his way up to becoming number two in the company, until eventually taking over leadership when the company's previous captain fell in battle. Now that the Long War has ended and the coffers have been drying up, the once legendary Wyvern's Talon has become a shell of it's former self and Tiberio is contemplating returning back to Nevalle, back to the Vandymions he once turned his back to. Edited October 28 by Dutch Thriceman Quote
Professor Thaum Posted October 25 Posted October 25 Really cool introducing... Can't wait to see what will come next. (nice touch those culverins ) Quote
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