A Short History of Ral’Ēon

The History   Upon the world of Ä'Resh, on the continent of Düsmōn, there once was a kingdom known to its people as Ral’Ēon. It was a large and prosperous kingdom, ruled by the High King, and divided into 12 duchies, called Houses. The names of these Houses were: Merrideth, Laincolm, Quinsär, Pierce, Cuirätis, Trehlma, Hewksley, Víereg, Jacobi, Ward, Gerärd, and Träví’err. These ruling Houses were each governed by a baron (otherwise known as a noble), who helped the High King rule and maintain the King’s Peace, which was the rule of law. The many peoples and races could be found throughout the predominantly human kingdom of Ral’Ēon, and everyone throughout the realm lived in relative harmony. The territory outside of Ral’Ēon was known to them as the Wilds.   All manner of mysterious and fey creatures lived in the Wilds. It was a place of wonder and even dread. In the Wilds the magic of the land was at its strongest, for the people of Ral’Ēon had forgotten the roots that tied them to the land. The magic that Ral’Ēonites used went to advance their civilization and for purposes of war, all of which took from the land and gave nothing back. The druids made their home in the Wilds, and their connection to the land was very strong. They saw themselves as guardians of the Wilds and its creatures and became an enemy to all who abuse them. Different tribes of humans that lived in the Wilds, whom the people of Ral’Ēon called barbarians, made peace and war with the druids, depending on their inclination. Most of these tribes depended on the Druids to be spiritual leaders and relied upon them as heralds, soothsayers, healers, and interpreters of omens. The barbarians avoided the people of Ral’Ēon and had little to do with them. The many creatures of the Wilds, although not all magical, could be dangerous to the unwary and inexperienced.   Not everything in the Wilds was chaotic, for there were many other humanoid races. The many kingdoms of Bä’Er (elves): She'Bä, Te‘Hōm, Le’Tä, Ye’Rä, Ze’Pé; and the dwarves resided here. Trade between these realms and Ral’Ēon was prosperous, and relations were friendly. Communities of halflings and gnomes also kept good relations with the other realms, although they tended to keep more to their own affairs. The clans of dragonborn were scattered throughout the Wilds. They were held in high esteem as mighty warriors, although their culture was shrouded in mystery to outsiders. Rumors of Tieflings existed, but only the druids knew they were real. The Peace of Kings, which were the laws common to all the realms, extended to the roads of trade that linked the communities and realms. Each realm assigned rangers to garrison and patrol portions of the trade road closest to their territory. They enforced the Peace of Kings and kept goods and travelers safe; for there was far more to fear in the Wilds than the breakdown of wagons and attack by criminals and creatures.   Large tribes of orcs roamed the Wilds between the realms. Bands of them would make raids along the trade roads, careful to avoid ranger garrisons, and seized goods and waylaid its travelers. Seasonally, they raided the towns and villages of all species, pillaging and burning. As such, they were marked as an enemy to all. Orcs welcomed other fell creatures such as trolls and ogres into their ranks. Orcs and their fell allies were in a constant state of war with all species, but they hated elves above all others.   Other traditional enemy species of the good peoples as they translate to D&D 5E such as: bugbears, which are not found on Düsmōn, and dragons have not been seen near Ral’Ēon for generations and reside only in fairy tales and legend. Kobolds tended to keep to themselves and resided deep in the mountains. Few but the dwarves interacted with them, but they could be a great hindrance to the adventurer who explored dungeons, keeps, and ruins. Kobolds hate gnomes above all creatures. The Ä’Bé, went into exile long ago during the splintering of the Bä’Er. They forsook the light and embraced darkness, choosing to live underground in large cities. They despise their former kin, dwarves, and other surface dwellers, but are no friend to the orc and their fell allies. There are rumors that they have been known to raid settlements for slaves, but this has never been confirmed. They had not been seen for at least a generation or more.   After a particularly savage series of raids, Ral’Ēon created a border territory, known as the March - which was broken into five districts - to protect them from the Orcs and their fell allies. These districts became known collectively as the Marcher Houses, and were settled by soldiers, veterans, and knights. The settlers remained in high vigilance and were always ready for war. The Marcher Houses were named: Axíum, Kässän, Särdär, Mércet, and Nexär. Each were ruled by an Earl, who swore fealty to the High King of Ral’Ēon and bore the obligation to protect the realms from the enemies of all. Soon these districts became a home to the adventurous and to those who did not fit well within their mainstream societies. Half-elves and half-orcs were especially welcomed and many of them lived within the Marcher Houses.   The realms thrived in this manner for many uncounted generations, that is until the Sundering.   The Sundering   The kingdom of Ral’Ēon was ultimately fractured and divided during a time when a new High King was due to be elected. In the peerage of Ral’Ēon, it was the law for a baron holding the title of Duke to govern over the lands and peoples of the Houses. The High King did not have absolute power. He was given a palace to hold court, administrators to collect taxes and enforce the King’s Peace, and command of his royal bodyguard, called the Kadrē. He was the head over all the land, but the High King’s authority came from the Dukes, and he needed them to give counsel and consent on major governing issues. The High King, although formerly a Duke himself, no longer ruled over a House. This was to free him from the burden of additionally ruling his House, and to keep his loyalty to the whole kingdom instead of possibly favoring his House’s interests. To fill the vacancy that he left, upon election to the High Kingship, his House chose another to be Duke in his place. This choice was preferably from his family, but if a suitable candidate wasn’t available, then a new election was held among the many Counts or Castellans that ruled over the various counties or castles controlled by the House.   The laws of the succession of the High King were based upon the Houses’ laws. The first High King was chosen by lot and election from the among the Dukes of the 12 Houses. Upon the death of the High King, the crown was passed to the High King’s living first born. In the earliest of times, the crown could only pass to the first-born son, but in much later generations this was changed to also include first born daughters. If the first born died before they ascended the throne, the crown then passed to the High King’s next living child. This continued until the deceased High King had no remaining living children. When no child lived for the crown to pass to, a new election from among the Houses was held. A new High King was proclaimed, and then an election for a new Duke from the winning House has held. The Kadrē was responsible for more than just safeguarding the High King and his family. They also ensured that the transition of power from Duke to High King was clean and without bloodshed. They maintained the stability of the kingdom for generations.   The trouble began when High King Laincolm IV died without an heir. A new election was convened, but before the proceedings were to begin, an announcement was made that the High King did not die naturally; but instead, was assassinated. The assembly descended into chaos, as mistrust and accusations abounded. The once united realm was doomed, when evidence was brought forward that the Kadrē had killed King Laincolm with the backing of one of the ruling Houses. Different rumors circulated, each with a different House being implicated as the traitor that backed the Kadrē’s assassination. Though the evidence was never vetted in a court, the Kadrē was disbanded, and its leaders were arrested and executed. Its once untarnished reputation for duty, honor, and loyalty that had lasted dozens of generations was now tainted and compromised. Many of its members went into hiding and disappeared from society. Those who chose to remain in the open were despised and often attacked; for the King’s Peace was removed from them and no harm could come to any person that attacked, stole from, or even killed them. While the Kadrē bore the brunt of the initial fervor, no one had the strength of arms to arrest any of the other Dukes. The kingdom’s bureaucracy failed, and the Dukes usurped the rule of 12 in favor of their own individual rule and a stalemate ensued.   Unable to overcome the stalemate, each House proclaimed their Duke as the High King and swore to unite Ral’Ēon under their own rule. Without the Kadrē to ensure the election and transition of a new High King, chaos reigned, armies clashed, and family fortresses fell. Old feuds were avenged, revenged, and then avenged again. The generations long peace was splintered, and for a period of about a year no one felt safe. So shaken were its people, that all histories refer to that time as the Sundering.   From out of the Sundering emerged two new powers within the former realm of Ral’Ēon. The kingdom of Alteríä, and the country of Kaläbash. Old house alliances were reforged, as the older Dukes realized that the destabilization of Ral’Ēon left the entire realm open to attack. They were correct in their fears, for the Orcs had begun to stir. New fell creatures such as smaller orcs, hobgoblins, and goblins were appearing in their ranks, and raids became more frequent. Rumors also began to spread of a great fell army forming. United in purpose, one by one, each Duke chose one of the two powers to align with, until only one ruling House remained unaligned. House Träví’err decided to trust to themselves, and to the cliffs and ravines that provided the natural defenses of their lands. All three succeeded in creating armies large enough to forestall a full invasion from the Orcs and their fell allies, but these alliances also made their leaders foolhardy.   Kaläbash and Alteríä once again tried to reunite the kingdom of Ral’Ēon. This resulted in many wars and conflicts, known collectively as the Great Barons Wars for no manor was left unscathed, nor were there any nobles who didn’t take part. House Träví’err, whose warriors always comprised the largest portion of the Kadrē, sold its soldiers to the highest bidder. These mercenaries became elite fighting forces, and a very much sought-after addition to an army, if the buyer could afford their prices. Although Ral’Ēon remained fractured, the leaders of each power were successful in solidifying the unity of their own collectives. They abandoned the old structures and hierarchies, and each created their own.   The Effect of the Sundering   When the chaos of the Sundering had just begun, the Marcher Houses each declared themselves neutral and independent. They vowed to continue to protect the territory of the former realm of Ral’Ēon, in exchange for vows from each of the Houses to honor the Marcher Houses’ neutrality. All the Houses kept their word, and the Orcs were kept safely at bay. Then when the first Dukes began to form what would become Alteríä and Kaläbash, the neutrality of the March was violated. The Marcher Houses’ response was swift and decisive. The Earls held an emergency council, and they all agreed that each Marcher House would be declared an independent kingdom. An alliance was then drafted between them, which stated that all kingdoms would come to the aid of any kingdom that was attacked. If one was attacked, all were attacked. They quickly combined their forces and repelled the threat. The Marcher Kingdoms’ neutrality would not be violated again, but neither would they help to protect the former realm. Alteríä, Kaläbash, and House Träví’err were on their own to protect themselves from the Orc and their fell allies.   Modern Relations   Neither the elven or dwarven kingdoms, nor any of the communities of halflings or gnomes took sides in the Sundering. They maintained normal relations with the Marcher Kingdoms, but because of the constant conflicts between the humans inside of Ral’Ēon the outer kingdoms refused any contact with Ral’Ēonites. The Marcher Kingdoms would have to be their advocates. Populations from the other peoples and races continued to favor the Marcher Kingdoms. Some half-elves, dragonborn, and half-orcs could be found in House Träví’err, and perhaps Kaläbash, but Alteríä preferred humans, although some half-elves could be found there.   The druids and barbarians continued in the same manner as they always had done. They are reserved towards strangers but were stalwart allies to friends.   Along with the Elven and Dwarven realms, the Marcher Kingdoms’ rangers continued to garrison and patrol the trade roads in the Wilds. They were always hiring soldiers and adventurers to help them keep the peace.   Although not openly at war with each other, Alteríä and Kaläbash both tolerated each other’s existence. When given the opportunity, each would try to sow political turmoil and unrest in the other. There were occasional border clashes, but these were seemingly tolerated without escalating to war.   House Träví’err's troops remained the best the humans can offer. Some of their veterans, and those who don't fit the strict discipline of their army, could be found leading sorties for the Marcher Kingdoms.