SkaForHire

That is a good real-life example of similar terrain. Very cool build.

I must have missed your declaring of sides, but I added you to the DK roster. :)

The story is still shrouded in mystery. Although, I think I hinted that it had to do with his ties to Nocturnus, where he found is greater power. The Ulandians hate undead. We won't hear much more about it in the preludes... but I am thinking I am going to MOC some interludes for the next three months to continue to flesh out stories and as advents happen. I am kind of sad that I can't build for the war! So many ideas. The color, I believe is medium Azure -- but it might be Dark Azure my eyes are playing tricks on me when I look at this chart. To me Maersk Blue does not look right, so I am not sure the chart is right. They are not Maersk blue though. I got a bunch of 2x1x1s on a PAB Wall, and the color was on all three of our walls here. EDIT: Whoops... sorry, that's dark turquoise I believe... I thought you meant behind him. I read they don't make it any more, it was the same color that was the main color from the Mars mission / conquest... whichever one had the weird aliens in it. I think I got that on a PAB wall in Orlando around 2007.

Well this one is the longest... A King Reborn (Challenge IV Prelude, Chapter 18) Chapters so far: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 A King Reborn (Sorry, I had some really bad lighting issues with most of the rest of the builds.) throneroom by skaforhire, on Flickr The Desert King Ark'Mora Raa looked down on the Nile Croc emissary lying prostrate before him. He was in his secret throne room in Kaligem – the lost city was being repaired quite rapidly, and he thought that he may be able to move the capital from Sultan’s Gate back to his home in a matter of months. But today, he was here receiving pledges. The Nile Crocs were an interesting lot, he could remember freeing their ancestors from the clutches of the Goblin King, 2000 years ago. Of course then they were mostly denizens of the Enchanted Forest and not the Mainlands. He was pleased with the emissary’s people. Apparently they had already begun to fight near Queenscross in his name. It did seem as many of Kaliphlin’s peoples were pledging to their true leader once again. For the first time in a long time, he began to think about his first life, how he came to be, and Ner’I’ti. Oh Ner’I’ti… +-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-+ The very chamber that they sat in presently was not always a throne room. In fact, it had been the burial chamber the entire Raa Dynasty. His Greatest Grand Father still sat behind him, however the rest of his relatives were no longer occupying the chamber. tomb8 by skaforhire, on Flickr He remembered coming to the Tomb of Kings as a boy with his father Ahmendi Raa, his older brother Kalin’ti Raa, and his father’s closest advisor, Horros. This was the first time he had been allowed into the sacred crypt, and he had many questions. “quit your prattling,” his brother complained. “Father has brought you here to witness my ascension to the line of kings.” Ark’Mora was wise enough not to incur the wrath of his brother, and he knew that his brother was about to become a god, and his training told him one does not upset a god. Even if that god is his spiteful brother. The other gods had chosen Kalin’ti, and it was now time to begin his ascension. His brother was lucky, his father was still alive to start the process. His father began the sacred ritual, which lasted all of two minutes. “Fathers, gods, rulers to come, we call to you to begin Kalin’ti Raa’s ascension to Pharaoh.” Ark’Mora zoned out thinking about what this all meant. He was there because he would be first minister to his brother, although not a god like Kalin, he still would be essential in running the three kingdoms of Kaliphlin. His father had not been lucky enough to have an advisor of the same bloodline; he was forced to kill his two brothers to take the throne. His first minister, Horros, was a much different man, and Ark’Mora had realized early on in his tutelage that Horros likely kept the kingdom together, as his father distanced himself from the mortals. His father cared more for preparing himself for his second life that managing the kingdoms. This was evident in the current war against the Snow and Dark Elves of the northlands. There were rumors of the Western Marches preparing to rebel, also. His grandfather had destroyed most of the great Drow cities that were North of the three Kingdoms and had forced their people to begin to build settlements underground instead of above it, but his father’s turning away from military matters had allowed the Snow Elves and their darker kin to resurface. As first minister, he knew he would have to prosecute the war. DSC_1732 by skaforhire, on Flickr Twelve was a young age to be tutored in the way of statecraft, but Horros was sure that Ark’Mora was a promising student, so much that he had convinced his father to decree that Kalin’ti could not kill Ark’Mora. Kalin had already killed one of their brothers, as he saw him as a rival. Ark’Mora was considered too weak, and would soon become unable to bear and heir, thus taking away any sort of divinity. Ark’Mora snapped back to attention when he saw Horros’ bad eye staring at him. He knew the boy was daydreaming. His father was finishing the last part. “And May the line of Raa continue in eternity.” He had given Kalin’ti the blood amulet already, and Ark’Mora had been a little sad that he had not paid attention to the ascension. He wanted to see if Kalin’ti would change before his eyes or not. With the ceremony over, Ark’Mora began more questions. “Why is this space vacant he said, pointing to a position closest to the father of the Dynasty, Kaliph Raa. DSC_1730 by skaforhire, on Flickr “The closer to Kaliph Raa, the more important the Pharaoh. As you can see, the baby king is all the way at the end of this row, and right here, in the most important spot is your grandfather, conqueror of Nocturnus and Great Uniter of the Three Kingdoms.” Horros said. At this moment in time, Ark’Mora was uneasy thinking about the darkness of the third kingdom, Nocturnus. In time that would change greatly. Ner’I’ti… His father followed this up with his own boast: “That is my spot, I am worthy of my father’s spot. And for that reason, when Kalin’ti ascends to the throne in many lifetimes from now, I will begin my voyage to the second life here in this spot.” Ark’Mora was almost positive that his father would not be considered high enough by the priesthood for this spot, but there was a more suitable spot two sarcophagi down from his grandfather. He doubted that any of the living Raas could live up to his grandfather. His mind shifted to another time. He was walking through the streets of Kaligem with his brother and Horros. Horros was teaching the boys about responsibility. “You must be humble to people, they are your life blood” Because Kalin’ti was a god, Horros could no longer give him lessons, but he could give Ark’Mora lessons, which were meant for Kalin’ti to listen to and benefit from the same advice. Ark’Mora doubted that Kalin’ti listen to half of the speeches. Neither his father nor brother were very good with the people, and took the god aspect to a new level, his father would not let mortals touch him, while his brother believed that all mortal possessions, including their own lives, belonged to him. This was one of those times. “The hand that helps a lost soul, will have another soul to serve him in the afterlife…” Horros trailed off as Kalin’ti walked up to a sleeping man on the street. DSC_1803 by skaforhire, on Flickr “You!” Kalin’ti said, “Why do you pollute my streets with your filth?” The man jumped up immediately realizing who was standing before him. He immediately bowed. DSC_1804 by skaforhire, on Flickr “I am sorry my lord, I am a veteran of the West Marches Campaign. I came home and my house is gone, the new temple is being built there. I have no money, no more clothes, and my wife died of pox. I laid my head down here as the streets are the only home I know now. Please forgive me, I will move on.” The man graveled. DSC_1806 by skaforhire, on Flickr Kalin’ti threw the man up against the wall, and the frightened veteran cowered back to the ground. The prince lifted his foot up and began stomping on the man’s face. “You will not dirty my city. You are nothing. You are sand between my toes. You are fleas on a camel. You must know your worth – nothing. You could not have the courage to die fighting the Faeries of the Enchanted Forest, you can die here beneath my boot!” DSC_1809 by skaforhire, on Flickr Horros gasped, he knew he could not stop the prince, now that he had ascended. This was the first time the Desert King had seen someone die in front of him. +_+_ Ark’Mora’s mind flashed forward to his father’s death. He had died in sleep, and from the rumors the boy had heard, most likely from too much drink. He was now in the Tomb of Kings, where Kalin’ti was directing men to begin crafting the sarcophagus at the foot of Kaliph Raa. It was at this point that Ark’Mora had had enough. His father could not have been a god, let alone be buried next to the greatest god kings of all time. “The priests have not approved this yet.” Ark’mora said. DSC_1749 by skaforhire, on Flickr “You belittle our father after his death?” his brother said. “You think yourself on the same level to decide where a GOD is buried?” “I think Horros would agree with me, we must wait for the priests.” Ark’Mora said, knowing that he was standing on quicksand in this situation. “Horros has gone to the great hall to serve our father.” What? The Great Hall? This meant that Horros had been prepared for the afterlife – killed, mummified, and packed into the Great Hall. This was a common ritual for wives, petty servants, and cats, but not for a first minister. Horros was supposed to oversee the transition between Pharaohs. “That is not the way it is done!” Ark’Mora protests. “You will join him in the hall. Father demanded it.” His brother snickered. “Tomb Guard, take my brother to the Great Hall!” The tomb guard came forward to apprehend the boy. Without thinking, Ark’Mora ran to the tomb of the Greatest Raa, and took his staff. A gold Serpent that was said to hold immense power, that only a god could wield. Ark’Mora should not have been able to remove the staff, but he needed something to defend himself. DSC_1750 by skaforhire, on Flickr It slid out with ease, and he turned on his brother. The guard hit the ground prostrate and mumbled “oh great one.” His brother kept coming though. DSC_1754 by skaforhire, on Flickr Ark’Mora declared in a booming voice “You are not worthy, Kalin’ti. You and our father are not worthy of the power of these thrones.” And as he forced his brother back, he fell into the shallow water that surrounded the sarcophagi. But… DSC_1758 by skaforhire, on Flickr It wasn’t shallow for some reason. As he pointed the staff at his brother, his brother kept sinking… the water should not even come up to his knees, but still, his brother sank. DSC_1760 by skaforhire, on Flickr Until finally, his brother disappeared without a trace. Unlike the ascension of his brother, where Ark’Mora witnessed nothing unusual, he knew that in that moment he has ascended, and he knew he was a different person. +-+-+-+ The Desert King let his mind wonder. The War against the Shadows, The reconquering of the Drow. The decimation of the Snow Elves… his three greatest military achievements. The great Arch, the Triumphal Dome of Merriph, The great Golden Road, the third wall of Kaligem, his greatest architectural achievements. His land to soldiers initiative, his adoption of citizenship for all three kingdom’s residents, even the non-human ones, his greatest political achievements. He had accomplished this all before 35 years of age. None of it compared to the love he found in Nocturnus though. The staff had led him to a cave in the Dark Kingdom where he met her. She helped him tap his powers, before he fell in love with her, he never knew that he could be so powerful… powerful enough to destroy a whole subcontinent – twice. His mind immediately went to their last moments together. It was one year after he had sunk Ulandus, and they were back in this same chamber. DSC_1764 by skaforhire, on Flickr Things had taken a turn for the worst. He had used the same mass ritual to try and destroy most of the Western Marches. western march by skaforhire, on Flickr But something had gone wrong. It had not succeeded as planned. Another great force had played against his ritual, many of his priests had died in some sort of backlash, and his reports told him that a new ruler led in the West. One who over the next six months would unite the Western Marches, tap the power of the Faeries of the Enchanted Forest, enlist the Goblin King of the same realm, ally the remaining Drow, and find a way to maneuver and army hundreds of miles to Kaligem, while dealing devastating blows to the Pharaoh’s forces. His name was Agalmar, Lord of Pender, the largest city in the Western Marches, and we was now in the Tomb of Kings. DSC_1765 by skaforhire, on Flickr “False king, Kaliphlin scum, I come here to destroy you once and for all! The people of Historica are free from your bloodline’s tyranny.” The intruder announced himself. “I Agalmar of Pender will vanquish you.” Ark’Mora called back. “Your people brought this war upon them. Three decades of peace shattered by the killing of a baby! The nation of Kaliphlin will be restored.” He readied for a fight. He was exhausted, his magic was still recharging. Much of it had been drained in the long war with South Kaliphlin and Ulandus – They had risen up in protest over his connections to Nocturnus. A trait the Ulandians would hold even to the present day, a distinct hate for the immortal, the undead, the ever living. They still cursed the name Nocturnus to this day, and most during his first life knew that the region was the source of his great magic and immortality. “You attempted to destroy the West as you did Ulandus. Well, we were not so equally terminated. Maelord, our great Fae Wizard saw your spell in progress, and the Faery forces countered your blow before it was too late.” Agalmar said. Ark’Mora would learn after he began his second life that his spell had worked partially, destroying much of the landmass of the Western Marches, and creating the Mystic Isles. Avtoday by skaforhire, on Flickr Ark’Mora stepped forward to fight the man, only one guard stood in between the two rulers. But then, out of the shadows the Goblin King appeared behind the Kaliphlinites. DSC_1767 by skaforhire, on Flickr Ner’I’ti, always by his side since his pilgrimage to Nocturnus, had no chance. The Goblin King sliced her belly, and at the same time, their unborn heir, in one fluid motion. Ark’Mora raged. He turned on the surprised Goblin King and took his head in one motion. DSC_1769 by skaforhire, on Flickr He turned around to see Agalmar dispatch his last bodyguard. But before he could make it to the Western King, he felt cold… so cold. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Faery Magelord, Maelord. His body weakened, but he still had to fight the upstart King. For her. DSC_1771 by skaforhire, on Flickr They spun, and thrashed at each other, block after block after block, and Ark’Mora could feel all his being draining from his body. Maelord was chanting. DSC_1773 by skaforhire, on Flickr Then he felt a blade enter his back. As he fell, he turned to see the Dark Elf Prince Drooz’Kang, his bloody face smiling after just receiving vengeance. DSC_1775 by skaforhire, on Flickr He could hear them talking over his body. He was not dead. He knew gods did not die. But he was trapped. DSC_1776 by skaforhire, on Flickr “We cannot let them have his body. He is immortal, he could still rise. It would be better to take him with us back to Avon Hill.” Agalmar said. “The staff is the greater source of his power. I will take this, and forge you a sword my king.” Maelord said. “You may need it in the coming battles of retribution. The rest of Kaliphlin will not sit idle. Drooz’Kang spoke up. “I consider our bargain complete human king. Do not come over the Northmounts, our alliance held until the Desert King fell.” “Believe me, dark elf, we have no desire to tread on your tundra filled lands. Stay north, and we will not have a problem.” Agalmar said. At this point, Ark’Mora’s vision faded to black as the last words that he heard came from Maelord. “Perhaps I will make you a new coat of arms too… something more… dragony? Maybe?” +=+=+=+=+= emptyw by skaforhire, on Flickr The next thing he remembered was waking up foggy, and walking. For hundreds of miles. Day upon Day upon day he walked without knowing where he was going. His first clear memory was back in this chamber. But it was so much different. All of his kin, save Kaliph Raa had been plundered. The powerful enchantment protecting his burial place seemed to protect some of what was around him, but mostly just his sarcophagus. empty by skaforhire, on Flickr He could feel his own body regenerating, he looked down to see that he was mostly in burial rags, but he could see fresh flesh returning to his body. He felt… good. But lost, longing for her, longing for his power, his throne. Sadness swept over him as he realized that the dynasty had ended with him, and that respect for his family had dwindled enough that people dare loot their graves! He knew at that moment that he would bring back his family’s honor. He would restore the great kingdom of Kaliphlin. DSC_1729 by skaforhire, on Flickr --------------+ In the weeks to come he gained men, money, and most importantly Kaliph’s staff. Which had been given to him by a supporter… Ra… he was brought back to the present by the Nile Croc’s voice. “My lord, may I please rise and tell you more about our operation?” The Desert King smiled, benevolence, humility, but power and strength. The four points of rulership according to Horros. He would show his subjects all these traits, and he would put the Ulandians back into the ocean, tame the rebel lords, and forge new alliances to strengthen Kaliphlin once more. DSC_1798 by skaforhire, on Flickr

That is Everlast. It doesn't count as 2 points because it is not a normal city. Since Maxim declared for the High Council, the city went high council. I am sure he will come on this thread and explain more about that location.

I was kind of waiting for the Challenge Three threads to be unpinned... but I can pin the cat c thread at least for now.

Correct. I will make up a chart this week to help with any confusion.

I can change it to h6 for you

Because I just changed the rule today, we will let it stand, but normally, since f12 is two victory points (it is the location of LittleJohn's town), a second builder from your side would have to make a Guerrilla MOC too in order to be able to take the square. (Not that someone might not put up a MOC in the next day and a half to help you out here) In the future, with situations like this, the MOCer who made the build would still get the points, but there just would be no counter opportunity since the attempt would not have enough builders. Also, in the future, the two, three, or four guerrilla MOCers don't have to post together, just in the same week.

I hope my clarifications on the thread made sense :)

There are no requirements that you must have a city / territory. So you can always add that later. I can't help you with the geographical definitions of Avalonia, as I don't pay much attention to the divvying of land here. The main story thread, that is stickied can give you the Book I background, book two is scattered in the challenge threads and no one has really consolidated it. Where we are at with the current challenge can all be found in the preludes for the challenge, which are linked on the challenge page.

Added the naming convention suggested by Gideon, clarified the Guerrilla phase for everyone, hopefully. I will change the previous Guerrilla MOCs titles, once I know what location they picked.

I must need to clarify the rules thread. You, indeed, pick the square. I think we will throw a limitation on cities though where you have to at least have as many MOCers as the city has victory points in order to make a guerrilla attack.

Really cool! I think I may have not made the directions clear, we need to know where this is in the post so others can counter it next week. I know it is for Ulandus though!

I think as long as it is introduced correctly, and there is never a claim at the kingdom of historica, (what is left of it) then it should be fine.

Yes, one a week until the second to last week of the challenge (there has to be time to counter it)

I guess if the Desert King wins, it will be a moot point. But we do like to expand our borders lately... Ulandus may have their eye on the Fallen Angel

I have always wondered if the Fallen Angel was in Kaliphlin or Nocturnus. kaliphlin by nice.marmot, on Flickr I suppose it might be the border after looking at these two maps. I guess that means Everylast is pretty much the northern border of Kaliphlin in the Rakath Mountains. kaliphlin-north-east by nice.marmot, on Flickr

It is just for the start, plus, the pirates are actually more a confederation of rogues. Historically, the British only wiped out piracy when it really started to bother them, the Spanish never had the muscle after the fall of the Armada, and the French, at least in the Caribbean, were never organized to do so. Because of this, there was a lot of leeway on what some individuals were doing on the high seas, especially right before the Golden Age, as long as they didn't interfere too much in the grand scheme of things. In addition the confusion between the legitimacy of a privateer, and fake letters of marque, or just acting as a privateer without any sanction, added to the mix. Most navies wanted prizes, but they also didn't take in their own privateers unless they were absolutely sure they would be able to condemn the ship. I think that the loose indifference to start the project is a good meter for where feelings are. Remember, those diplomatic ratings will change over time. I said we have a schedule, I didn't say it was a detailed one that we were keeping! haha. I can't give a start date, but if we could get some moderator support to get a few more people in the forum, I think we could get this launched. To be honest, I am waiting to see how the Kaliphlin challenge goes (as most of my lego time is going there now) to see what we can implement here as a more permanent way to take/hold land. I wrote up a pretty different system for this last year, before writing the Kaliphlin system, which was pretty much parts of the system for BOBS here in an accelerated time scale. As for releasing the other factions for preview, since I am not the main author, just a suggester, I would rather their faction leaders unveil them.

I think that would count as Irregular, but when the public is judging, there is a chance that some other people would not count it as so. I would go at least two irregular sides.

Absolutely. Build wherever you want.

There had been a few concerns about two larger challenges in a row, so I thought I would add an additional small challenge for those who want to focus on details / figs. Warzone 4: The Lonely Mountain Rumble Location: H9 Who Can Participate: All Factions Terrain: Volcanic, recently erupted, Erexhi, or the Lone mountain, has many communities that used to sit at its base. The high peak used to catch condensation from the rare cloud, and water would trickle down to the base. It is unclear if this still happens. The land at the base is volcanic rock, mixed with sand. Much of the territory has to be fed by merchant caravans from the South Coast, as foodstuffs rarely grow. With limited grass, livestock is in shortage also. History: The Lone Mountain, or Lonely Mountain, has always been a fixture in Kaliphlin heritage. The first Kaliphlin coins known to historians had a Pharaoh on one side, and the mountain on the other. In coat of arms, sometimes the Kaliphlin Lion is perched upon a background of the Lone Mountain. There was even a religion, seldom practiced today, dedicated to the mountain as a creator figure. Today, or at least until half of the mountain’s top blew off a few months ago, it hosts a vibrant set of villages and towns, who rely on it to catch water. The lord of the region, who represents all the towns and villages here, is Lord Abrim Kar’dani. With the recent outbreak of Civil War, he tried to stay completely neutral. However, as all of the food providing regions were snagged up by different powers, it has become evident that he needs to side with one of the powers in order for what towns that are left in the region to survive. He has come up with a unique way to do this – a call to the bravest champions to fight for his land. Mini-challenge: Lord Kar’dani is like any Kaliphlin lord, he wants to survive and he wants to make money. He sees an opportunity for both. He has made a general appeal to all three sides to bring their strongest champions to Bella’Erezhi, his town, to fight in a general mass melee. The side who survives will receive his pledge. Bella’Erezhi has been half destroyed by the Great Disturbance, so a part of the town has been marked off as the “Fighting Zone.” Anyone leaving the zone after they enter will be disqualified, but aided if in need. The last side standing wins the zone. Builders should create a MOC that depicts the mass melee in Bella’Erezhi, their faction should be winning. Since this is a vignette challenge, this will probably be a one on one battle, but if you can fit more participants than that, that is fine. Restrictions: The MOCer will create a vignettes of no more than 8x8studs. Limited overhang is acceptable. No height restrictions. Don’t worry about throwing flags / banners in if you don’t have room. JUDGING: Figure "look" and posing will be considered as a judging criteria for the vote. Due Date: March 29th When posting a link to your entry to each battle thread, make sure you note which zone you are picking as the next warzone if you win. You may want to coordinate with others from your faction. WARMAPSTARTNOW by skaforhire, on Flickr

Oh, very nice! I imagine his thoughts were something like "clever girl..." before he got eaten. Great way to represent an underrepresented subset of the non-human population of Historica.

I wish I could make interiors like this. Spectacular, and great starting story! Looking forward to the rest.

Ok, I'll try to answer in order. The idea of Green Coats were that they were not the same sort of imperial faction (In fact, I am not sure , actually, what we have is pretty interesting, and Kabel has actually already started MOCing for them. We also didn't want to fall into the B v R v P, that seems to be the norm. We have talked about privateers and pirates going in and out of other factions, no true mechanic was put together for this. It was decided pretty early that their should be a pirate faction, as many would want to be lawless, while there would still be privateers for all three of the major powers. The reason we need 8 leaders is because of our history at GOH. This was something that was decided from the beginning, that people can get burnt out being leaders in a system like this, and that two leaders per faction would take the burden off of everyone. Kabel and I both have a lot of experience in this, but we both wanted to be vice or co-leaders since we had roles over in GOH too. We have a leader for every faction, except green, where Kabel is vice leader. We actually have a lot of rules written... its all there, we just need to have a few more leaders, a moderator (or semi-moderation powers given to the leaders[i have this in the GoH forum, but not here]) We actually have a schedule/plan, just need to stick with it. It is there, and I am sure if we can get some of you veterans of the forum in there in a few more leadership roles, you will see there is A LOT of work that has been done. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On another note, as some of you know, I am pretty tied up with the current GoH challenge going on, as it happens in Kaliphlin where I am the guild leader. Why am I noting this, besides the fact that I have less time for launching Brethren of the Brick Seas (or BoBS for short -- see we even have a name for it!)? Because in BoBs we are trying to put a game element in there so you can take over each other's islands, fight for ranks, duel, gamble, and make war in a more structured fashion. This GOH challenge has a game mechanic, not exactly what we have in mind for BoBS, but if it goes well, we might adapt some of it to this project. So, if you are an old GoH vet, or a newcomer that wants to build fantasy on the side, or just someone who wants to take a look at some rules, head on over to here for the game challenge, and here is the general challenge if you are interested in that. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To kind of show what we have been working on, and I hope the others don't mind, but I want to demonstrate that there actually has been A LOT of work put into this, here is the thread for the Red Faction, copied from our construction forums. The Empire of Corrington Faction Page The Empire of Corrington Quick Glance: Primarily Red Coats – Colors: Red and Black -- Best navigators – Larger well-armed ships– Hold science and order important – Small colonial presence – Accept traders, craftsmen, privateers, naval officers, seamen, agriculturalists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. Membership Corrington is open for members. If you are adventurous, but like to belong to a well ordered machine, join Corrington! If you like rum, but are more of the sort that likes to get paid rather than rob people at sea, join Corrington! Corringans tend to put science before superstition, and look to further their navigational knowledge of the world. If you are a grand navigator, join Corrington! Corrington MOCs should display at least a red flag, if not the red and black colors. To join, just sign up in this thread with an introduction post that shows your sigfig. A little background goes a long way, we appreciate any backstory you would like to present with the fig! THE DETAILED LOOK at the EMPIRE OF CORRINGTON Leadership: DSC_0920 by skaforhire, on Flickr Queen Annetta -- Every Corringan would die for Queen Annette, the heart of the empire. Yet to find a suitable husband, the Queen is the most popular person in the realm by far. At 25, she is rich from the taxation on trade throughout the empire, and she is loved enough to have her own personal army – The Queen’s Guard. This unit is considered to be the crack troops of the empire, and all important campaigns include at least a company of these soldiers. Viceroy Oliver Oxley (Capt. Stabbin, Co-Leader) Viceroy of the Colonies. Viceroy Oxley is a stern but fair leader. He is born of noble blood, his father was a famous knight. He has a personal vendetta against Oleon, after his father was killed in the 49 Years war against Oleon. He has aspriations to be a great explorer and conquer new lands in the name of Corrington, and seeks to drive Oleon from the colonies. Overall commander of the colonies. DSC_0919 by skaforhire, on Flickr Admiral Woodbrose (Skaforhire, Co-Leader) – Minister of the colonies. A hard-nosed old sea buzzard who looks to please his niece (the Queen) by expanding trading policies in the New World. Although he sometimes wishes he was still a naval commander, he often turns to diplomacy to avoid major conflict. This is not to say that he doesn’t crush a rebellion or two, every once in a while. Technically, the Minister of the Colonies is the overseer of the Conquered Isles as well. The Parliaments: Three generations ago the monarchy instituted a new reform – representative government. Although the Queen is popular, she does not rule over the kingdom with absolute power. She shares it with a House of Representatives, Noble Parliament, and Scientist Parliament. The House of Representatives are elected by tax-paying citizens, the Noble Parliament is elected by their peers, and the Scientist Parliament is appointed by the House of Representatives from a limited pool of scientists chosen by the Queen. All four branches of government have an equal share in all parts of the government except for the Queen’s personal army. Landscape Corrington has three distinctive regions. The Mainland / Mother Country The mainland is mostly rolling hills with a small mountain chain running down the middle of the country. Most of the freeholders grow potatoes, wheat, or cabbage, and raise livestock. Cows and pigs are plentiful, and the countryside is dotted with many small hamlets. However, the cities are bustling places that never sleep. The cities are well planned, kept clean, and order is maintained at all times. The largest city, and capitol of the empire is Bellson. Bellson is home to one of the world’s foremost universities: Archeon College, the premier navigation school of the known world. Many other science fraternities and explorers clubs call the capitol home. The public buildings within Bellson are immense in size, and command respect from even the greatest architect. Careful study of city planning, public function, and defense is second nature to a Corringan bureaucrat, noble, or adventurer. The Conquered Isles The Conquered Isles were once three different countries. However, all of these countries sided with Oleon in a series of conflicts over the last 200 years. The final territory was gained in the 49 Years War, the last major uprising and war with Oleon. Upon defeating Oleon, the last of the isles were taken to safeguard navigation routes into the North Bricklantic Ocean. Although now integrated into the culture of Corriginton, the Isles were once a rebellious people, and the source of many civil wars. Still separatists attempt to raise trouble so far away from the capital. Because the shores of these islands are mostly tall cliffs, the cities of these isles tend to sit in the lowlands and marches of the islands anywhere they can be found, and thus some of the major cities such as Barlize and Cotter are known for their vast canal systems. Cotter’s nickname is “The Floating City.” The rest of the island’s inhabitants tend to live in the higher plains inland and are mostly agricultural in profession. The Colonies Corrington’s only major colony in the new world is Arlinsport, named after Queen Annetta’s father, King Arlin II. Arlinsport is a stronghold city on a medium sized island called Serzenia. Arlinsport is known for its robust defenses and deep harbor, but it is the only such port on all of Serzenia. The majority of the island is still not tamed by Corringans, but the island is already home to an established sugar and rum industry. The national drink of Corrington has become rum quite quickly. Some traces of gold have been found on Serzenia, but most of the native population has disappeared over the last thirty years since contact. Although Arlinsport resembles a normal, orderly Corringan city, most of the settlements on the island are makeshift in their permanency, and thus come in all different shapes and sizes. Corringans tend to build in British Caribbean style. Wood houses, wood forts, and plantations. They are diversified in their interests, but mostly agricultural due to lack of finding valuable materials. Their port cities have stone fortifications, but they are likely to extract from the land as much lumber or materials and move on. For this reason, there are few permanent Corrington settlements in the New World. They are considered economic opportunists. Many of the science fraternities are interested in what the New World has to offer, so new expeditions with a scientific premise are leaving for the New World often. Most Corringans have little desire to deal with natives. Army Uniforms: Royal Army: Red Queen’s Guard: Black Militia: Tend to wear a ribbon or hat that is red or black, but may not wear colors at all. Different regiments may have different colors. DSC_0916 by skaforhire, on Flickr A sample of the Queens Guard(Left), a field officer (Center) , and a Queen's Ranger (Right). DSC_0918 by skaforhire, on Flickr A sample of the Royal Army and Marine Captain (Center) Navy: Large battleships, accurate guns, large naval force. People DSC_0921 by skaforhire, on Flickr A sample merchant, sailor, and tavern-keeper DSC_0922 by skaforhire, on Flickr A few adventurers Culture: Brief: Life is dominated by the concept of order. Science is valued, and has led to the best sea charts (also secret) in the world. Queen is the most important person, she has a private army. There are four branches of government, one is elected. Least powerful of the colonial powers, but looking to expand trade opportunities. Detailed: The Corringans are a people who pride themselves on civilization and class above anything else. They look to further their lot in life through trade, and believe that order is more important than might. Although, they are not shy about utilizing might to establish order. The Royal Army wears Red, but auxiliary units and private armies of this nation have been known to wear all sorts of different uniforms. Their building style tends to be mostly Western European, and the capital is considered one of the most orderly and planned cities in the world (in fact they tore down the original capital 300 years ago to install a new grid system that the city followed.) Corringans like to stick to a schedule, and this translates into their sea lives as well. As excellent navigators, they have charted and timed most of the sea routes, calculating averages for every point of the year. Corrigton’s merchant marine is one of the best organized in the world, and it is said that their secret charts keep them always “on time” when trading. Beyond charts, Corringans believe that science will help them establish further order, so there are many universities and “science fraternities” throughout Corrington. Science has also helped them develop better guns, but with these guns comes more weight. For this reason, their ships are heavily armed, but slower than their main rival: Oleon. Corrington is the weakest of the colonial powers. It has one major island in the “East Seas” and no colonial possessions in the Old World. They will use privateers when it suits them, and their lucrative trading in the empire and in the old world lends them some business savvy. Diplomacy Corrington's relationships with other minor nations is good, but it finds itself rivals with other empires. (Note: Relationships are judged on a 1 to 5 scale; Very Friendly, Friendly, Indifferent, Unfriendly, Hostile) Corrington's relationship with... Pirates: Indifferent Eslandola: Friendly Oleon: Unfriendly Other nations relationship with Corrington... Pirates: Indifferent Eslandola: Friendly Oleon: Unfriendly Trading Companies / Fraternities of Science Colonial Governors These are positions we would add as players earned them.