The Principalities of Mons Caelos - Status: Future Uncertain

[Doc Gnosis]

[HEADING=1]The Principalities of Mons Caelos[/HEADING]​

[http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/443/monscaelosregionalmapp.jpg/]


Picture a time long ago when man grew beyond the limitations of the tribe and seized the glory days of their forefathers. Gone were the days of taking up the sword and constantly fighting for survival in a harsh world. Gone were the hunting & gathering cultures, the darkness, and the savagery. One man from another world proclaimed himself King of the realm, and ushered a golden era. The new kingdom, Mons Caelos grew under his command, expanding its borders and becoming the most powerful nation in the land. with its encastellation mankind could finally grow beyond the puny towns and militia, and truly flourish within walls of stone like a forest untamed.

Exactly like a forest untamed...

As populations grew inside these castles, so did their needs. Some expanded their walls to hold more land, while its people left their safety to seek their fortune. Those who stayed to build recieved renown from the king and became the future castellians, while those who left relived the days of warrior kings and held territory in their name. A rift was created between those who stayed inside and those who left; each had accused the other of decadence and sought nothing more but their subjugation. Yet both the castellians and landlords still swore fealty to the King and remained united.

Until his death.

The new sovereign did not carry the same allegiance as his predecessor, and with each passing generation they many opted to secede; in fact many had abandoned Mons Caelos to form their own kingdoms in the south: Sul'giat and Ancier. Were it not for their constant warring with their suzerain nation and the pirate hordes from the Golden Edge in the east, the city-states would've abandoned the king long ago. In an attempt to keep rule in the lands, the King gave to powerful castellians in the land unilateral authority to establish control in their lands by any means necessary, proclaiming them as Princes of the domain.

With this declaration, all vestiges of the King's authority were stripped and a great game between the new Princes, the landlords, and the few independant castellians had finally begun. And this game for power will not end until Mons Caelos' rotting heart beats its last.

*.*.*

To describe it simply, Mons Caelos is a confederation of city-states loosely united under the rule of a King. Back in its founding days, the king held absolute power, but now the office is only a figurehead; the real power is in the Princes, the castellians, and the landlords.

The land's history is intermingled with the Golden Edge; the founding ruler hailed from there and was the one who led Mons Caelos to its golden age. Many hold people from the ocean in high regard, prizing them for their competence, acuity, and resilience; some elevate them to working as their lieutenants and secretaries, but others prefer to keep them as quality slaves.

Slavery is legal in Mons Caelos, and consists of criminals, prisoners of war, and people from the Golden Edge. Since castles and walls were being built across the land, the nobility relied on slave labor to accomodate their needs.

Few are willing to admit it, but the Principalities are falling apart; the Princes, castellians, and landlords refuse to see eye to eye; and the only thing the king can do is lament at the state of his realm. The sun is setting fast upon Mons Caelos, with the only thing that can be done is to take power like the Princes have done.

Anything goes this RP, but to win, you'll need to fulfill these two objectives:

LEGITIMATELY CROWN YOURSELF KING

CONSOLIDATE ALL POWER IN MONS CAELOS AS KING

*.*.*

Spoiler: A Brief Political Rundown

Princes - Acting to keep order in the land, the Princes became established as the rulers of the larger domains of Mons Caelos - the Principalities. They answer to nobody but the king and handle regional matters of the kingdom. By themselves, their power is very small; only enough to have the illusion of control. But most Princes cooperate with one another like a guild, and their collective might is enough to give any upstart pause.

Landlords - Established long before the Princes, the landlords are provincial rulers of Mons Caelos. No one is as well equipped for rule as the landlords; with legions of manpower, coin, and political savvy, they have ensured a degree of autonomy and freedom from the Princes whom they technically answer to. Cooperation between lords is almost impossible; their lot is a cutthroat environment where everyone wants something from them and will take it by any means necessary.

Castellians - Simply put, they are masters of castles and the cities within their walls. Most serve as retainers for both the landlords and Princes, but the most cunning of this office often pit the other groups against one another while they quietly gather their own power. Speaking of, their influence beyond the castle is small but can extend their reach beyond their province; any other power must be invested in this with a Prince or landlord backing them. (If you are looking for a challenge, feel free to play as a Castellian.)

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Appearance:

Position (Prince, landlord, or castellian):

Background:

Personality:

Describe your domain (King's Range is taken):

*.*.*

The Party Line

Please be reasonable with your character design - No Mary-Sues, Trenchcoats, Godmods, etc.

Even though we'll be at each others' throats in this RP, don't do the same in real life - Be respectful and courteous to one another while speaking.

You have free reign to design your domain, from landmarks and settlements, to how you run it - Feel free to use the map as reference, be as descriptive as you want, and you are encouraged to outsmart the GM.

Having said that, be reasonable with your domain size - Don't take up half of the map.

Take some time to design your retinue: Contacts, power structure, reputation, etc.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Awesome! I love the premise and the setting so expect to have a sheet from me relatively soon. I hope that's okay for me to do that.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Feel free to send one in, and it's good to have you aboard.

 

[El Dwarfio]

Sounds great, here's my character sheet

Hope all is in order, let me know if anything needs changing / when we start.

Spoiler

Name: Sulla McAerin

Age: 43

Gender: Male

Appearance: Sulla is of medium build and height (5'10"), is heavily grizzled from years of active service and has the first wisps of grey entering his long hair an bushy sideburns. His eyes are deep blue, however the iris of the right eye is grossly swollen (from an old mace wound) that leaves his eyes looking different colours from a distance. He bears a gold signet ring on his right hand which has the crest of his family (three diamonds) embossed on it.

Position (Prince, landlord, or castellian): Castellan

Background: Sulla comes from a military family, the McAerin's. Of is forefathers little is known, his relatives have long served as mere foot soldiers in the armies of Mons Caelos. However his Grandfather was knighted for services to the crown, a position that was hereditary. When Sulla took on the position as head of the family, he inherited a lot of debt, however after saving a young Prince from three enemy horseman found his debts wiped and was gifted with his castle (Greyback). While he may seem a simple military-man on the outside, those who know him are aware of how cunning he really is.

Describe your domain (King's Range is taken): Sulla is Castellan of a mighty castle (Greyback) on the western edge of the Direrorota Wilds, the castle is huge in size, but owing to the sparse and treacherous nature of the land, is not particularly wealthy or populated.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Sounds great, here's my character sheet

Hope all is in order, let me know if anything needs changing / when we start.

Spoiler

Name: Sulla McAerin

Age: 43

Gender: Male

Appearance: Sulla is of medium build and height (5'10"), is heavily grizzled from years of active service and has the first wisps of grey entering his long hair an bushy sideburns. His eyes are deep blue, however the iris of the right eye is grossly swollen (from an old mace wound) that leaves his eyes looking different colours from a distance. He bears a gold signet ring on his right hand which has the crest of his family (three diamonds) embossed on it.

Position (Prince, landlord, or castellian): Castellan

Background: Sulla comes from a military family, the McAerin's. Of is forefathers little is known, his relatives have long served as mere foot soldiers in the armies of Mons Caelos. However his Grandfather was knighted for services to the crown, a position that was hereditary. When Sulla took on the position as head of the family, he inherited a lot of debt, however after saving a young Prince from three enemy horseman found his debts wiped and was gifted with his castle (Greyback). While he may seem a simple military-man on the outside, those who know him are aware of how cunning he really is.

Describe your domain (King's Range is taken): Sulla is Castellan of a mighty castle (Greyback) on the western edge of the Direrorota Wilds, the castle is huge in size, but owing to the sparse and treacherous nature of the land, is not particularly wealthy or populated.

I just noticed I forgot to include personality in the character sheet, but anyway...

It's an interesting character though some details with Sulla seem sparse. What kind of influence does he have beyond Greyback? Is he an officer to a Prince's or landlord's army? Does he have family spread amongst the Wilds or the northern region in general? How did he get the mace wound to begin with? Consider tweaking your character some more and expanding on certain details, especially if you're planning on playing a castellian.

Also new update: I'll be seeking a Co-GM for this RP. Needs to be savvy enough to know how to build a political arena and move the game from time to time.

 

[ThreeWords]

I would like to register an interest. I would also like to be the co-GM, but I'm way too busy. I'll probably be a Landlord, by the way...

 

[Captainguy42]

Alright sign me up, I'm bring back Julian Scarisi as the Merchant Prince of the Presses, (kinda of a mouthful).

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Welcome aboard. This should be an interesting RP with you two here.

One thing to note though is were not in the Renaissance era for Mons Caelos, and there's going to be some technological stunting. If you want any of such devices - like guns - you're going to have to invent it in the course of the RP. By the same token, you do have slave labor for whatever ends you engineer.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Here's mine. Hope you like it and of course criticisms and suggestions are welcome. If you need me to edit just tell me.

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Name: Cassius Picus

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Appearance: Cassius is slim with large, long arms with callous hands. His head is shaved and bald with a long, auburn, beard. His eyes are narrow with cheeks like razor blades. With his sharp features he is easy to pick out from a crowd due to his appearances. He wears nobleman robes with a leather vest with a fur collar. Three rings adorn his hand, each a unique color and design with two letters inscribed in front: "V.C" "G.C" "K.C". The rings are adorned in silver, copper, and gold.

Position: Landlord

Background: Cassius and his fathers before him followed the Great King. Long have they have served along side the King, and even Cassius' own father among the dead who have sacrificed everything in order for the lands to grow. Being an admiral in the King's army, he was given land along the Bleeding Wolf adding more power to their city state as well. Cassius inherited the land once the eldest of the family and along with the youngest died tragically. One was found dead in the woods while the other, burned to death in his own home. Cassius still looks for the killer, convinced that someone in the cutthroat lot of landlords and Castellians was responsible.

Cassius himself is a sailor at heart and despite running the land he goes on voyages on the ships that his family has built that ferries supplies and maintains the waters. The Picus clan is one of the few families that still retain their authority on their own navy as their ships are not only the strongest but the more reliable ships in the empire. He traverses the seas with his captains and occasionally his wife who was from the ocean herself. Aera is her name, or that name she was given and come to have known. Despite her beauty and resilience she is a mute. Born without the ability to speak attracted Cassius to her of which she is the one of the primary focuses of his attention. It is unknown if she is a rather a trophy than a wife but Cassius and Aera do have a family together consisting of his eldest son Deter and his daughter Vera.

Personality: Bitter but to the point, he does not lash out at people with long winded banters but rather with his own hands. Of course, fighting other lords with his hands would something he would prefer than the political thievery of the land these days. He dislikes the landlords around him, hates the Princes, and distrusts the Castellians for the authority they carry within their walls. He sees them especially as tinkers of humanity due to their devious nature and position.

When he isn't bitter, Cassius is calm and reserved for the most part. His voice is low and resounding like a bell toll but it has an occasional ring when he is happy or the mood changes so abruptly that he has no time to draw forth his voice for which he is known for.

Domain:

Spoiler: Picus Banner

Phyra: The main city that Cassius operates from is the port city of Phyra. The city is the Picus' deteriorating jewel with the city seeing better days. The economy of the city is average as it relies on the ships to bring in the money due to the lack of fertile lands surrounding its wooden walls. The city itself consists of a sparse but long-lasting collection of houses, stores, markets, taverns, and a keep within the city that belongs to Cassius. The roads are paved and are often used by trading companies or the citizenry to transport themselves all throughout the territory. There is a merchant's guild within the city that Cassius relies on for extra income and in return he keeps them happy doing deeds that they couldn't normally do without his help. There is a garrison of men-at-arms inside the city but in dire circumstances levies are gathered to bolster the city's numbers. All able-bodied male citizens of Phyra are required to answer the call to duty and for return they are less taxed than the other citizens.

Along with a barracks, there is a workshop where boats are planned and assembled to build onto the navy and trading companies that have sprouted in the port city. The docks themselves are being expanded to accommodate the ship building of the workshop. Sailors are taught on the docks and ships that they sail on with experienced captains able to purchase more expensive homes outside of the city or in the comfortable district of Phyra where the wealthy merchants reside and prosper.

Phyra's Eyes: Two towers were built on opposite tips of the Bleeding Wolf. They were meant as warning towers to signal the garrisons in Phyra if pirate raiders were close by but soon its use as a landmark and navigation tool became vital as trade expanded. They are both built of sturdy stone with identical features to either one. A watch is stationed regularly with eyes to the horizon or inland because if both lighthouses are lit then trouble is a foot and Cassius' soldiers are alerted.

Spoiler: One of the towers

Settlements: There are two outlying towns on the fringes of his given territory that are still within reach of his soldiers if the need arises. The town Berdon is a bit north and a halfway town between the Direvorota Wilde and Phyra. Berdon is mostly a haven for travelers and there is some fertile lands providing some grain and food for Phyra while lumber is also plentiful there as well. The other town down south is Grecor which is mostly a fishing village that feeds off the bay. There is a weak garrison in Grecor as it is farther from Phyra than Berdon. Cassius looks over these two territories as they serve as buffer zones to Phyra, allowing to stop any force of attacker before they get to Phyra itself. Because of this, Cassius pays attention to his outer territory and caters their residents in an effort to garner their loyalty.

Troops: While Cassius' ground troops are lackluster and average at best, his strength lies in his navy. Because of the nature of the Bleeding Wolf, most of the ships are narrow to fit through the "Wolf's teeth" as they call the inlets of land that would otherwise damage the hulls of wider ships. As a result, most of Cassius' ships are narrow and long in length with multiple decks of men and cargo in store. The largest of the ships is a narrow but dense ship with a large ballista on the front of the ship able to pierce any hull. Below that are firing slots where his sailors can fire their missiles out of with slight ease. The "Griffin" is what the mighty ship is called and the flagship of Cassius' armada.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Here's mine. Hope you like it and of course criticisms and suggestions are welcome. If you need me to edit just tell me.

Spoiler: Character Sheet

Name: Cassius Picus

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Appearance: Cassius is slim with large, long arms with callous hands. His head is shaved and bald with a long, auburn, beard. His eyes are narrow with cheeks like razor blades. With his sharp features he is easy to pick out from a crowd due to his appearances. He wears nobleman robes with a leather vest with a fur collar. Three rings adorn his hand, each a unique color and design with two letters inscribed in front: "V.C" "G.C" "K.C". The rings are adorned in silver, copper, and gold.

Position: Landlord

Background: Cassius and his fathers before him followed the Great King. Long have they have served along side the King, and even Cassius' own father among the dead who have sacrificed everything in order for the lands to grow. Being an admiral in the King's army, he was given land along the Bleeding Wolf adding more power to their city state as well. Cassius inherited the land once the eldest of the family and along with the youngest died tragically. One was found dead in the woods while the other, burned to death in his own home. Cassius still looks for the killer, convinced that someone in the cutthroat lot of landlords and Castellians was responsible.

Cassius himself is a sailor at heart and despite running the land he goes on voyages on the ships that his family has built that ferries supplies and maintains the waters. The Picus clan is one of the few families that still retain their authority on their own navy as their ships are not only the strongest but the more reliable ships in the empire. He traverses the seas with his captains and occasionally his wife who was from the ocean herself. Aera is her name, or that name she was given and come to have known. Despite her beauty and resilience she is a mute. Born without the ability to speak attracted Cassius to her of which she is the one of the primary focuses of his attention. It is unknown if she is a rather a trophy than a wife but Cassius and Aera do have a family together consisting of his eldest son Deter and his daughter Vera.

Personality: Bitter but to the point, he does not lash out at people with long winded banters but rather with his own hands. Of course, fighting other lords with his hands would something he would prefer than the political thievery of the land these days. He dislikes the landlords around him, hates the Princes, and distrusts the Castellians for the authority they carry within their walls. He sees them especially as tinkers of humanity due to their devious nature and position.

When he isn't bitter, Cassius is calm and reserved for the most part. His voice is low and resounding like a bell toll but it has an occasional ring when he is happy or the mood changes so abruptly that he has no time to draw forth his voice for which he is known for.

Domain:

Spoiler: Picus Banner

Phyra: The main city that Cassius operates from is the port city of Phyra. The city is the Picus' deteriorating jewel with the city seeing better days. The economy of the city is average as it relies on the ships to bring in the money due to the lack of fertile lands surrounding its wooden walls. The city itself consists of a sparse but long-lasting collection of houses, stores, markets, taverns, and a keep within the city that belongs to Cassius. The roads are paved and are often used by trading companies or the citizenry to transport themselves all throughout the territory. There is a merchant's guild within the city that Cassius relies on for extra income and in return he keeps them happy doing deeds that they couldn't normally do without his help. There is a garrison of men-at-arms inside the city but in dire circumstances levies are gathered to bolster the city's numbers. All able-bodied male citizens of Phyra are required to answer the call to duty and for return they are less taxed than the other citizens.

Along with a barracks, there is a workshop where boats are planned and assembled to build onto the navy and trading companies that have sprouted in the port city. The docks themselves are being expanded to accommodate the ship building of the workshop. Sailors are taught on the docks and ships that they sail on with experienced captains able to purchase more expensive homes outside of the city or in the comfortable district of Phyra where the wealthy merchants reside and prosper.

Phyra's Eyes: Two towers were built on opposite tips of the Bleeding Wolf. They were meant as warning towers to signal the garrisons in Phyra if pirate raiders were close by but soon its use as a landmark and navigation tool became vital as trade expanded. They are both built of sturdy stone with identical features to either one. A watch is stationed regularly with eyes to the horizon or inland because if both lighthouses are lit then trouble is a foot and Cassius' soldiers are alerted.

Spoiler: One of the towers

Settlements: There are two outlying towns on the fringes of his given territory that are still within reach of his soldiers if the need arises. The town Berdon is a bit north and a halfway town between the Direvorota Wilde and Phyra. Berdon is mostly a haven for travelers and there is some fertile lands providing some grain and food for Phyra while lumber is also plentiful there as well. The other town down south is Grecor which is mostly a fishing village that feeds off the bay. There is a weak garrison in Grecor as it is farther from Phyra than Berdon. Cassius looks over these two territories as they serve as buffer zones to Phyra, allowing to stop any force of attacker before they get to Phyra itself. Because of this, Cassius pays attention to his outer territory and caters their residents in an effort to garner their loyalty.

Troops: While Cassius' ground troops are lackluster and average at best, his strength lies in his navy. Because of the nature of the Bleeding Wolf, most of the ships are narrow to fit through the "Wolf's teeth" as they call the inlets of land that would otherwise damage the hulls of wider ships. As a result, most of Cassius' ships are narrow and long in length with multiple decks of men and cargo in store. The largest of the ships is a narrow but dense ship with a large ballista on the front of the ship able to pierce any hull. Below that are firing slots where his sailors can fire their missiles out of with slight ease. The "Griffin" is what the mighty ship is called and the flagship of Cassius' armada.

Good character, though it's Gulf instead of Wolf; apologies for that bit of confusion. Welcome aboard!

 

[ThreeWords]

Spoiler: It's a Shannow, but not the same Shannow

Name: Jon Shannow, the Industrialist

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Appearance: Jon is tall slim, and well into his prime. His hair is still dark, and his body as strong as ever, while his mind seems only to sharpen. He wears cloths of good quality but simple design, especially since his distance from the main kingdom puts him out of reach of the quickly changing fashions of the Prince's and the Royal Court.
He moves and speaks as he acts; slowly, with care to maximise efficiency and minimise waste, building up to blinding bursts of energy, achieving his objectives via sudden direct action.

Personality: Having learnt from his father, Jon is a quiet man, who seeks to cover his weaknesses before exploiting those of others, and to only take risks when he has a solid foundation. So too with his words, for he weighs up their value and effect before speaking. He is a calm man, not given to fits of rage or sadness, but equally neither of great joy, though sometimes he is known to be filled with nervous energy. Overall the effect is of a cold man. His friendship and loyalty are not easily gained, and neither are his enmity, or indeed his mercy, for when he pursues his goals he does so with a quiet, focussed ferocity and total ruthlessness.
Seeing the dark times approaching, he seeks to emulate his father, and prepare a power base from which he can survive the violence.

Position: Landlord

Background: The Shannow line have always been careful; they were not the first to leave the great castles, but when they did they selected a realm that would allow them a strong bastion against whatever the world could throw at them. The supported the Old Kind quietly in all things, and Jon's father perfected the art of choosing the best time to invest in a venture, so that maximum profit would be attained form minimum risk. Thus, Shannow the elder gained a reputation for quiet, dependable strength and a pragmatism that sprung from wisdom, not cowardice. He tried to pass this on to Jon, his son, who has in turn done his best to learn, but Jon has a good deal more restlessness than his father, and is prone to use the preparations he has built for sudden, decisive acts.
The Shannow family have no distinguished line, like those of the Princes, and are often looked down on as commoners who went into the wilderness and struck it rich. Jon has taken his image and made it his own, choosing a relatively simple life, in which he is a nearer equal tot he (free) men of his realm.

Describe your domain: The Shannow family domain is that of the Southern Notch, though their land extend along the coast and the shores of Lake Mitra. The lowlands, from which the food of the province is gained, are relatively undefended; the roads are good and the towns well, but the strength of the domain is the the labyrinth of passes, fortresses and bastions that fill the Notch itself, making an assault of the Shannow's centre of power a nightmare for all but the largest, well prepared army. A number of hidden ports, and a light but agile fleet to deliver supplies makes siege almost impossible, and raiders have learnt to their cost that retaliation from the Notch is inevitable.
The land is not the most productive, but the Notch has various metal deposits, and some of the best artificers in the kingdom; much of the Shannow's wealth has been made by importing the raw materials from other domains, and exporting devices and artefacts of value.

Troops: Shannow's land forces are well trained and boast some of the best equipment in the Realm, but their numbers are low and they are most at use when fighting in close quarters where strength in numbers mean least; fortifications and urban environments. On the open field, his men are weak to simply being surrounded, though Jon has begun the training of an elite force of cavalry who, though still low in number, can make effective use of open spaces.
The Shannow navy consists of small, light craft, no match for more military vessels but able to outrun heavier ships. If caught in a direct fight, they will doubtless suffer terribly, but they are savvy and agile enough to avoid all but the cleverest of enemy captains.
The Notch has powerful defences; the fortresses are equipped towers to spot intruders, and catapults to give them second thoughts. Then, the walls are thick and high, and positions to take maximum advantage of the steep and harsh geography of the Notch.
The defences of the lowlands are meagre in comparison; most towns have a militia and a wall, but little in the way of a permanent garrison, and must mainly fend for themselves. These have been enough to ward off raiders in the past, but Jon fears that in the turbulent times to come, there will be threats form other authorities that the simple defences cannot endure. This is the second reason he is training his cavalry force; he desires to have a professional force which can deploy rapidly to the weaker extremities of his realm.
The final part of Shannow' forces comprise of the Dunain, a force of elite, talented men and women who are more suited to acting as individual agents than a battlefield force. Their skills in woodcraft allow them to travel light and fast without detection, and are trained to excellence in the skills of bow and sword. While they wear only light armour, they are a match for any in single combat, though their skills are more often used for stealth and subterfuge, or the delivery of messages. All the Dunain are diplomatically adept, and quite capable of representing Shannow, and making independent decisions in his interest.

Note: When I mention the notch, I refer tot he range of mountains there. I am also assuming the the peninsula of land is also mountainous, or at least made of of hills and highlands.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

I'm interested, but curious as to how exactly this works. I mean when, and indeed how, do we play? Sorry, I'm sort of a noob when it comes to RP.

 

[ThreeWords]

I'm interested, but curious as to how exactly this works. I mean when, and indeed how, do we play? Sorry, I'm sort of a noob when it comes to RP.

If this is anything like what I think it's based on, we'll be typing describing our actions in this thread, rather like a collective story, only each of us is trying to completely dominate every other player (probably).

It may come about that we need secret actions, which will be sent ot the GM (Doc Gnosis) who will announce the result without saying who caused it (ie with an assassination attempt)

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

If this is anything like what I think it's based on, we'll be typing describing our actions in this thread, rather like a collective story, only each of us is trying to completely dominate every other player (probably).

It may come about that we need secret actions, which will be sent ot the GM (Doc Gnosis) who will announce the result without saying who caused it (ie with an assassination attempt)

Sounds fun, I'll get to work on my character sheet.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Spoiler: It's a Shannow, but not the same Shannow

Name: Jon Shannow, the Industrialist

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Appearance: Jon is tall slim, and well into his prime. His hair is still dark, and his body as strong as ever, while his mind seems only to sharpen. He wears cloths of good quality but simple design, especially since his distance from the main kingdom puts him out of reach of the quickly changing fashions of the Prince's and the Royal Court.
He moves and speaks as he acts; slowly, with care to maximise efficiency and minimise waste, building up to blinding bursts of energy, achieving his objectives via sudden direct action.

Personality: Having learnt from his father, Jon is a quiet man, who seeks to cover his weaknesses before exploiting those of others, and to only take risks when he has a solid foundation. So too with his words, for he weighs up their value and effect before speaking. He is a calm man, not given to fits of rage or sadness, but equally neither of great joy, though sometimes he is known to be filled with nervous energy. Overall the effect is of a cold man. His friendship and loyalty are not easily gained, and neither are his enmity, or indeed his mercy, for when he pursues his goals he does so with a quiet, focussed ferocity and total ruthlessness.
Seeing the dark times approaching, he seeks to emulate his father, and prepare a power base from which he can survive the violence.

Position: Landlord

Background: The Shannow line have always been careful; they were not the first to leave the great castles, but when they did they selected a realm that would allow them a strong bastion against whatever the world could throw at them. The supported the Old Kind quietly in all things, and Jon's father perfected the art of choosing the best time to invest in a venture, so that maximum profit would be attained form minimum risk. Thus, Shannow the elder gained a reputation for quiet, dependable strength and a pragmatism that sprung from wisdom, not cowardice. He tried to pass this on to Jon, his son, who has in turn done his best to learn, but Jon has a good deal more restlessness than his father, and is prone to use the preparations he has built for sudden, decisive acts.
The Shannow family have no distinguished line, like those of the Princes, and are often looked down on as commoners who went into the wilderness and struck it rich. Jon has taken his image and made it his own, choosing a relatively simple life, in which he is a nearer equal tot he (free) men of his realm.

Describe your domain: The Shannow family domain is that of the Southern Notch, though their land extend along the coast and the shores of Lake Mitra. The lowlands, from which the food of the province is gained, are relatively undefended; the roads are good and the towns well, but the strength of the domain is the the labyrinth of passes, fortresses and bastions that fill the Notch itself, making an assault of the Shannow's centre of power a nightmare for all but the largest, well prepared army. A number of hidden ports, and a light but agile fleet to deliver supplies makes siege almost impossible, and raiders have learnt to their cost that retaliation from the Notch is inevitable.
The land is not the most productive, but the Notch has various metal deposits, and some of the best artificers in the kingdom; much of the Shannow's wealth has been made by importing the raw materials from other domains, and exporting devices and artefacts of value.

Troops: Shannow's land forces are well trained and boast some of the best equipment in the Realm, but their numbers are low and they are most at use when fighting in close quarters where strength in numbers mean least; fortifications and urban environments. On the open field, his men are weak to simply being surrounded, though Jon has begun the training of an elite force of cavalry who, though still low in number, can make effective use of open spaces.
The Shannow navy consists of small, light craft, no match for more military vessels but able to outrun heavier ships. If caught in a direct fight, they will doubtless suffer terribly, but they are savvy and agile enough to avoid all but the cleverest of enemy captains.
The Notch has powerful defences; the fortresses are equipped towers to spot intruders, and catapults to give them second thoughts. Then, the walls are thick and high, and positions to take maximum advantage of the steep and harsh geography of the Notch.
The defences of the lowlands are meagre in comparison; most towns have a militia and a wall, but little in the way of a permanent garrison, and must mainly fend for themselves. These have been enough to ward off raiders in the past, but Jon fears that in the turbulent times to come, there will be threats form other authorities that the simple defences cannot endure. This is the second reason he is training his cavalry force; he desires to have a professional force which can deploy rapidly to the weaker extremities of his realm.

Note: When I mention the notch, I refer tot he range of mountains there. I am also assuming the the peninsula of land is also mountainous, or at least made of of hills and highlands.

I'm digging this character, though I have to inform you that the peninsula proper sadly isn't within Mons Caelos' borders. Nothing though can stop you from leaching from those lands though, or seizing them for you own purposes.

I'm interested, but curious as to how exactly this works. I mean when, and indeed how, do we play? Sorry, I'm sort of a noob when it comes to RP.

If this is anything like what I think it's based on, we'll be typing describing our actions in this thread, rather like a collective story, only each of us is trying to completely dominate every other player (probably).

It may come about that we need secret actions, which will be sent ot the GM (Doc Gnosis) who will announce the result without saying who caused it (ie with an assassination attempt)

ThreeWords pretty much nailed it on the head on the how. As for the when, we'll be getting this RP started when at least 9 or more people sign up.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I don't want to leave anyone in the dark.

 

[ThreeWords]

Snippy snip

It seems I'm suited to co-GMing, I guess. I'd happily volunteer if you don't mind me being only able to post once or twice a day...

As for geography: Am I to understand that the Southern Notch is the mountain range alone? who lives on the peninsula? Are they hostile? Can I raid them/enslave them? Would I gain glory from adding their lands to the kingdom?
[sup]Please excuse the barrage of questions...[/sup]

 

[Doc Gnosis]

The Southern Notch is the name of the peninsula in the south, with most of the mountains incorporated in the region; the mountain coast north of the range aren't part of the Notch. The rival state of Sul'giat occupies most of it; the map shows the dividing line in the region.

As for the people in the Notch, most of its ethnicity comes from the pirate hordes from the Golden Edge. They don't see eye to eye with one another - one side adheres to anarchial nomadic tendencies, while the other embraces the perks of city life - with each believing they're following the example of the first king of Mons Caelos. But that doesn't make them loyal to the countries.

Yes, you can try conquering the land and take whatever you can get from it, but due to the lack of unity in the region control is tenuous and tends to flip-flop. The wild card in the region is the nomads that dot the Notch - the state can't control them but trust them enough as buffers against invaders; if you're looking for more permanent control, you'll need to turn the nomads against Sul'giat, which may backfire.

Anyway, captainguy42 is already Co-GM, but I'd be glad to have you at the helm as well. I'll even create a Skype chat for us all if you're interested.

 

[Grim327]

This sounds very interesting, here's my sheet

Spoiler

Name: Chris Gannon

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Appearance: Chris has a caucasian complexion and stands at 6'0", and weighs 200lbs, but this is mostly muscle. He has deep set eyes, which are greyish-blue. Light brown hair covers his head. With being a landlord, people would expect Chris to be wearing fashionable and expensive clothing, but he prefers simplicity and practicality. He prefers to look like the people so as they see him more on their level which gains their trust. Chris has a shallow scar that runs down his left cheek and ends at the corner of his mouth. Chris obtained this scar when dueling a rival landlord who challenged his rule over his recently acquired land which he inherited from his father. Although the rival landlord got him good on the cheek, Chris ultimately won and gained the loser's land as a prize. Chris also prefers to carry around his trusty broadsword. The sword is simple and looks like a standard footman's sword. Other than that, Chris is normal looking.

Position: Landlord

Background/ Personality: Chris' father was a landlord and upon his death, Chris inherited the land. His mother died of illness when he was young, leaving his father to raise him alone. Chris' father was a brilliant military leader, and he wanted to pass his knowledge down to Chris. So for years Chris studied military tactics, logistics, and training. As he did this, Chris read about duels between powerful leaders, and because of this, Chris grew to believe that a man's honor is one of the most important aspects of life, just short of family. Chris' father had him train in sword fighting at a young age, thus Chris became a master swordsman at the age of 25.

With being the son of a military leader, Chris spent a lot of his time around soldiers, and barracks. As he grew older, he came to believe that the best generals lead from the front, around his troops, than in the rear around a desk. Chris grew to be cool, calm, and collected, thinking through problems and conversations, instead of acting quick and rash. As with spending time around barracks, Chris saw wounded and dead soldiers being shuffled through, and instead of becoming depressed about all the hurt, and anguish, he tried to cheer the soldiers up, and lift their spirits becoming a very optimistic man.

Chris tries to avoid politics, believing it to be a soft and delicate subject. He prefers to settle his problems on the battlefield; man-to-man, sword-to-sword. With not liking politics, Chris hardly spent his time around other lords, and princes, but when he did, he kept quiet so as not to stir up trouble. Trouble found him though. After his father's death, Chris inherited the land, but one landlord believed the land should be his, but before either army clashed,
Chris challenged the landlord to a duel; the winner would gain the other's land, while the loser died. The opposing landlord fought hard and bravely, getting one hit on Chris, but Chris ended up the victor, stabbing the landlord in the chest after he let his guard down briefly. So Chris gained a whole town, although it was of small-medium size. And so, Chris rules a decent-sized chunk of land. Not enough to pose a major threat to the greatest of princes or landlords, but enough to garner some attention.

Describe your Domain: Chris' holdings lie a couple miles north of the river that flows into the Meshlands and his capital city of Darenthall lies on the coast. With great stone walls surrounding the city, Darenthall is a fortress. Archer towers are spaced out evenly along the wall, and two gates that act as the front door. The rear of the city is where the port is. However walls block the rest of the city from the port, with a gate the only way to move between the two areas. This allows the the city to be completely sealed off from attackers making it that much harder to invade. Your normal stores, blacksmiths, taverns, and such are in the city, but where Darenthall really shines is its barracks. Darenthall's barracks are among the best in Mons Caelos, and with this some of the best troops. A keep is built in the center of the city for the most valuable of people to stay when the city is under siege, and it also acts as Chris' military HQ. The city's economy is based on trade on the seas, but taxes are regularly collected from the farming villages of Tathos (a village Chris controlled before the new land acquisitions.) and Markend (a village Chris control after the land acquisition.)

Tathos and Markend both have wooden walls and small towers to provide protection, but Chris wishes to upgrade the walls to stone in the future, thus he puts a small amount of tax money away to store up for the project (Chris does not believe in slave labor). Both villages are based around farming with Tathos lying 2 miles northwest of Darenthall and Markend lying 8 miles south along the river that flows into the Meshlands. Both of their barracks are well kept and have a modest number of troops in each just in case of an attack. The small city of Sarbon ,the defeated landlord's capital, also lies south along the river, and lies 4 miles from Darenthall and Markend. It's economy is based around trade for it acts as a bridge across the river. Sarbon has no keep for it was too small, but other than that it is similar to Darenthall. Chris upgraded the city's barracks to better accommodate soldiers.

Troops: Chris' army has some of the best soldiers in the region. His army is not as big as the most successful princes and landlords but Chris wishes to change that. His army is one of the best equipped and even has its own elite branch. This branch earned its nickname the "Demigods" during the time of Chris' grandfather's rule. They always number in 500; no more, no less, and they earned this nickname for seeming to not die. They are the best of the best, and when past generals and officers saw them march on the field, they shivered. Chris' grandfather and father both had the most elite trainers train these men and they even stepped in to train these elite troops. Their only weakness is their small number. Due to the small amount of villages and cities Chris own's he cannot have anymore in this elite regiment, so they stay at 500 strong.

Chris' navy is OK. It is small in size, only really able to fend off pirate attacks, but not much else after that. Chris wishes to change this in the later future, but he believes the ground battle will decided the fate of a war, not the naval battle.

Chris' army is always ready to march out when needed, and Chris is at the front of it leading the charge. Once Chris gains more land, villages, and cities, he believes that his military will become the strongest in the land, but only time will tell.

If you find anything wrong, let me know and I will fix it.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

This sounds very interesting, here's my sheet

Spoiler

Name: Chris Gannon

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Appearance: Chris has a caucasian complexion and stands at 6'0", and weighs 200lbs, but this is mostly muscle. He has deep set eyes, which are greyish-blue. Light brown hair covers his head. With being a landlord, people would expect Chris to be wearing fashionable and expensive clothing, but he prefers simplicity and practicality. He prefers to look like the people so as they see him more on their level which gains their trust. Chris has a shallow scar that runs down his left cheek and ends at the corner of his mouth. Chris obtained this scar when dueling a rival landlord who challenged his rule over his recently acquired land which he inherited from his father. Although the rival landlord got him good on the cheek, Chris ultimately won and gained the loser's land as a prize. Chris also prefers to carry around his trusty broadsword. The sword is simple and looks like a standard footman's sword. Other than that, Chris is normal looking.

Position: Landlord

Background/ Personality: Chris' father was a landlord and upon his death, Chris inherited the land. His mother died of illness when he was young, leaving his father to raise him alone. Chris' father was a brilliant military leader, and he wanted to pass his knowledge down to Chris. So for years Chris studied military tactics, logistics, and training. As he did this, Chris read about duels between powerful leaders, and because of this, Chris grew to believe that a man's honor is one of the most important aspects of life, just short of family. Chris' father had him train in sword fighting at a young age, thus Chris became a master swordsman at the age of 25.

With being the son of a military leader, Chris spent a lot of his time around soldiers, and barracks. As he grew older, he came to believe that the best generals lead from the front, around his troops, than in the rear around a desk. Chris grew to be cool, calm, and collected, thinking through problems and conversations, instead of acting quick and rash. As with spending time around barracks, Chris saw wounded and dead soldiers being shuffled through, and instead of becoming depressed about all the hurt, and anguish, he tried to cheer the soldiers up, and lift their spirits becoming a very optimistic man.

Chris tries to avoid politics, believing it to be a soft and delicate subject. He prefers to settle his problems on the battlefield; man-to-man, sword-to-sword. With not liking politics, Chris hardly spent his time around other lords, and princes, but when he did, he kept quiet so as not to stir up trouble. Trouble found him though. After his father's death, Chris inherited the land, but one landlord believed the land should be his, but before either army clashed,
Chris challenged the landlord to a duel; the winner would gain the other's land, while the loser died. The opposing landlord fought hard and bravely, getting one hit on Chris, but Chris ended up the victor, stabbing the landlord in the chest after he let his guard down briefly. So Chris gained a whole town, although it was of small-medium size. And so, Chris rules a decent-sized chunk of land. Not enough to pose a major threat to the greatest of princes or landlords, but enough to garner some attention.

Describe your Domain: Chris' holdings lie a couple miles north of the river that flows into the Meshlands and his capital city of Darenthall lies on the coast. With great stone walls surrounding the city, Darenthall is a fortress. Archer towers are spaced out evenly along the wall, and two gates that act as the front door. The rear of the city is where the port is. However walls block the rest of the city from the port, with a gate the only way to move between the two areas. This allows the the city to be completely sealed off from attackers making it that much harder to invade. Your normal stores, blacksmiths, taverns, and such are in the city, but where Darenthall really shines is its barracks. Darenthall's barracks are among the best in Mons Caelos, and with this some of the best troops. A keep is built in the center of the city for the most valuable of people to stay when the city is under siege, and it also acts as Chris' military HQ. The city's economy is based on trade on the seas, but taxes are regularly collected from the farming villages of Tathos (a village Chris controlled before the new land acquisitions.) and Markend (a village Chris control after the land acquisition.)

Tathos and Markend both have wooden walls and small towers to provide protection, but Chris wishes to upgrade the walls to stone in the future, thus he puts a small amount of tax money away to store up for the project (Chris does not believe in slave labor). Both villages are based around farming with Tathos lying 2 miles northwest of Darenthall and Markend lying 8 miles south along the river that flows into the Meshlands. Both of their barracks are well kept and have a modest number of troops in each just in case of an attack. The small city of Sarbon ,the defeated landlord's capital, also lies south along the river, and lies 4 miles from Darenthall and Markend. It's economy is based around trade for it acts as a bridge across the river. Sarbon has no keep for it was too small, but other than that it is similar to Darenthall. Chris upgraded the city's barracks to better accommodate soldiers.

Troops: Chris' army has some of the best soldiers in the region. His army is not as big as the most successful princes and landlords but Chris wishes to change that. His army is one of the best equipped and even has its own elite branch. This branch earned its nickname the "Demigods" during the time of Chris' grandfather's rule. They always number in 500; no more, no less, and they earned this nickname for seeming to not die. They are the best of the best, and when past generals and officers saw them march on the field, they shivered. Chris' grandfather and father both had the most elite trainers train these men and they even stepped in to train these elite troops. Their only weakness is their small number. Due to the small amount of villages and cities Chris own's he cannot have anymore in this elite regiment, so they stay at 500 strong.

Chris' navy is OK. It is small in size, only really able to fend off pirate attacks, but not much else after that. Chris wishes to change this in the later future, but he believes the ground battle will decided the fate of a war, not the naval battle.

Chris' army is always ready to march out when needed, and Chris is at the front of it leading the charge. Once Chris gains more land, villages, and cities, he believes that his military will become the strongest in the land, but only time will tell.

If you find anything wrong, let me know and I will fix it.

This is one heck of a character. Welcome aboard.

 

[Grim327]

Thanks for the compliment. I have one question; How would spies work, or are we even able to use them?