Rebellion
The kingdom of Alantier has existed for the last 1300 years. Expanding to conquer its neighbors and managing to unify the region from the Dhalrang Mountains to the North, a massive forest to its West, the coast along the ocean to it's East and the Asp-Var river to its South. The kingdom became an Empire which wrestled its neighbors into submission with a dark secret.
King Dolien Alantier, 2nd of his name made a bargain with their neighbors to the West. A bargain which traded arcane knowledge and a treaty of peace between the great green dragons who live in the forest in the West. Dolien II didn't realize the long term ramifications of this treaty, but it did lead to him becoming a sorcerer on his throne. Capable of holding his castle with a small guard with his powerful magic the Kings Army could lay siege to castle after castle solidifying his rule of the region.
Once solidifying roughly half of what the Alantier Empire now holds the other territories and barons unified together under the flag of the wolf. The rough and stalwart men and women who lived in the foothills of the Dhalrang Mountains to the North of the region put up a fight that led the other barons to rally behind their banner of a wolf crouching in a forest. Their lord and lady Naldha led a fight against the Alantier's attempt at full control until their death. They trained a generation of guerilla fighters called Fang Knights and a group of druids with secret tactics that were learned fighting Fire Giants and dragons raiding South into the hills over generations.
King Dolien II met a beautiful young woman who he found in his court. Without knowing much about her, he took her as his wife as if under a charm spell. Doting on her and his attentions on the war, they had a child which the midwife and nurses did not survive. Whispers and rumors started concerning the birth of the Princess, but none knew what really happened. She was kept in secret with only the parents to tend to their child. Some thought it weak and sickly, some thought it ugly. None knew what really happened. The Princess was introduced to the court on her 3rd birthday. An animated young girl with black hair like her father and green eyes like her mother charmed the court and dispelled much of the rumor and whispers about her.
The young wife ended up taking the throne when her husband the King died of a heart attack at the age of 48. She claimed the throne until the Princess who was 10 at the time could come of age to rule. A rebellion occurred at the thought of a woman in charge, but the young queen led the army to a ruthless battle against their neighbor who attacked. A large dragon guarded the castle in a surprise to all. No one knew who the dragon was or where it came from but it seemed to support the throne and laid waste to army laying siege to the castle.
From this point on, the High Keep of the Alantier Empire has been held in regard as a castle which cannot be taken. The empire took the flag of a Green Dragon curled around a castle as their banner. The Queen ruled for 10 years until her daughter came of age. Between the two of them they managed to break the alliance of the Barons on their borders and bring the region under their control. Peace reigned under a silk gloved fist from the capital until the princess was 135 at her death.
It has been 548 years since what was called the Great Unification. Peace reigned, and the Fang Knights still guard the North from giants and dragons coming South. They are respected but largely forgotten in day to day life of the rest of the empire to the south of the foothills. Altius is now King and is in his 76th year. The lineage of Kings and Queens has outlived most of the humans in the region by nearly 50 years each of them. The dark green eyes holds with those who sit on the throne. Some whisper that dark magic must be involved to have such long lived rulers. No one knows for sure.
It is now year 1485 in the Alantier Empire. A old treaty which has held those who live in the Western edge of the Empire has been broken by loggers and settlers who has been cutting down the old forest. A battle broke out between large green and black insectoid creatures. The loggers and their families were killed, their village burned. This lead to the local Baron leading his troops to the border to find who sacked his village. The Baron and his troops didn't return. The ruling Prince hearing of this at court has offered to lead troops to re-establish control of the border but his mother has refused him the right to do so. The King read aloud the ancient treaty that his ancestor made with those who live in the forest and uttered a royal decree which stated no one to enter or interfere with the forest.
The court was mixed in how they felt about this. Surely a forest held lumber for building and soil to grow crops. What can forest dwellers do against the might of their army they say. The King and Queen sent a delegation of their troops to guard the border, enforcing the treaty that has kept the forest dwellers from entering their kingdom on the plains to their East.
Meanwhile, in the South along the river bank a fishing village has vanished. The whole village collapsed into the river, forming a small pond off the raging rivers flow. The fierce rains of the spring have those nearby worrying if it is safe to fish along the river bank. A low supply of fish in the South and flooding in the fields threaten to ruin the crop. The crown will need to do something before summer to ensure grains and fish are able to supply the people. An uneasy court raises concerns of famine bringing barons to fighting over food despite the crowns hold on all of them.
One baron, under the banner of the wolf has problems of his own. Year after year he sends a messenger asking for iron ore and lumber with soldiers to guard the border. The crown sends a cart of iron, a cart of oak beams and a dozen fresh soldiers to guard it and serve. Year after year a messenger responds this is not enough. The Naldha family still rule in the north, braving mountain passes and harsh winters with rocky soil. Keeping the Fire Giants out of the rest of the empire requires extra weapons and armor in nearby caches. The giants are able to sunder a weapon or suit of armor quickly. Not to mention the giants and red dragons fire breath can melt steel and leather.
Baron Naldha sees a famine in the south leading to a possible loosening on the hold of those who rule. The trouble on the Western border draws Imperial troops. Rumor has it that Baron Naldha knows some dark secret of the royal family. He is gathering his knights and the druids to his castle with a purpose only the greybearded baron knows. Having just knighted his son Bayolf at the age of 16, the old baron is having his hands full with his twin daughters who want to join as well.
You may be from the foothills, the river bank, the center of the empire, on the border of the western forest. However, you will be answering Baron Naldha's call of those who seek truth and a righteous leader. Too long those who suffer to provide for the crown then go without has people riled up as well as their Barons who can't afford the taxes as they go up. It's been centuries since someone challenged the crowns iron fist on the empire. Now the barons are considering rebellion and taking what they must to survive.
Welcome to the Rebellion.
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