Kaerlymott

On the border of Civilization, Kaerlymott sits on the edge of The Wilds, a lone bastion against the monsters beyond. Once it was the center of the Kings of Kearlys' domain, now this Border Kingdom stands alone, its lands swallowed by The Wilds, its people huddled in its walls, and an uncertain future before it.

Landmarks

Burn Line

Surrounding the Outer Fields is a fifty yard line of barren ground that is regularly set to burn to prevent the Wilds overtaking the arable land. Durring the day there are regular patrols of the Burn Line by squads of twenty soldiers that are a mix of archers and pikemen.

Outer Fields

Bounded by the burn line, Kearlymott is maintained by the farmland that surrounds it. At any daytime the majorety of the townsfolk can be found in the fields.

Lower Bailey

Surrounded by what was once a robust wall over the decades and many attacks, sections have collapsed or been destroyed and been filled in by wooden palisades, the Lower Bailey holds the settlement of Kaerlymott. The town is made up of one room and two room houses and shacks tightly packed within the safety of its walls.

Town Square

A large common area at the center of the town is filled with the sound of young children playing under the watchful eyes of their guardians. Used for community events and festivals that regularly occur on a nearly weekly basis, as well as the weekly militia training.

Stables

Typically guarding and caring for the limited beasts of burden of the town, Fen hostler can be found there ar all hours.

The Common House

Shay and her assistants feed the farmers and workers of Kaerlymott every evening and morning. Few of the houses and shacks have dedicated kitchens or even a cooking capability. Beyond the large feasting hall and veranda seating the Bar has an attached appartment for Shay and the large kitchen.

Herbarium

The third largest building within the Lower Bailey, the herbarium is the core to Kaerlymott's industry. Townfolk not involved in farming, childrearing, or guarding are working here, processing herbs and fungus into reagents to be shipped elsewhere.

Keep

High atop the stronghold mound is the Keep of Kaerlymott, surrounded by a six sided walls that are a mix of stone and wooden palisade and connected to the town through a walled wooden corridor surmounting the mound. Surrounding the four story keep are outbuildings and barracks. They maintain six ballista on each corenr of the palisade to defend from the air and a garrison of archers. At the top its rooftop parapet has a spellstone embedded in it that Lorixelas or other wizard can use to ritual cast a high powered Force Hand spell to directly attack foes or precisely lob stones from the courtyard below.

Stronghold Mound

The core of the defensive structure of Kaerlymott, the keep is perched atop it and the lower bailey hugs it. Within the artificial hill is hidden the granaries, cisterns, and the stronghold. Like the rest of the defenses, it has diminished over the years. Whole sections have collapsed and been lost. Originally the stronghold held three levels of storage rooms, barracks, and shelters to protect the townsfolk and defend against the monsters of The Wilds. There are two reinforced entrances into the Stronghold in the Lower Bailey and on in the keep.

Notable Individuals

King Johannes Kearly

In his mid thirties, King Kearly knows he is considered a petty king and far outside the halls of power in the High King's court. Raised with a clear sense of purpose to defend Civilization from the Wilds. He is becoming disillusioned with that task as support from the High King and neighboring kingdoms diminishes. He will take help from any quarter to maintain the roads out of the kingdom and push The Wilds back.

Views

• Queen Radhia Kearly: King Kearly loves and trusts his wife, but he sometimes feels an inadequate partner, so he pushes himself to be more regal, more informed, and more confident than he truely is.
• Senechal Adellade: He trusts Adellade and turns a blind eye to his inadiquacies of a beurocrat.
• Lorixelas: Even though he ostensibly commands the Pactborn Wizard he has never shaken the sense of awe he gained growing up. Because of this he gives Lorixelas far more latitude and independance than any of his predicessors.
• General Thaddiun: He trusts his general as much as he can pay him. Thaddiun's reticense for pushing furtheir into The Wilds grinds at the king, he does understand that they don't have the resources for an extended campaign.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: He has been growing less impressed with Ceinwaen over the past few years as the old herbalist has diminished in capablity and refused to pass her knowledge to a potential replacement.
• Fen: He is fond of the young man but does not give him latitude as the hostler's charges are so key to the survival of Kaerlymott.
• Shay: Considers her a dear friend from his childhood, but she is far below his current station and while his people rely on her, she is not a mamber of his court.

Queen Radhia Kearly

Before coming Queen of Kearly Radhia was a Priestess of Juentaer the Rose of Dawning Light. Since coming to Kaerlymott she has taken on the task of ministering to her new subjects. Her kindly and peacekeeping exterior hides a tactical mind that seeks to ensure her position and the safety of her family.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: She loves her husband and likes pushing him to attempt to impress her. He attracted her to this backwater Petty Kingdom trhough his force of personality and she has started to regret that choice as the situation has become more dire.
• Senechal Adellade: She tollerates the Senechal and would like to replace him, but knows no one in the kingdom is educated enough to replace him and they don't ahve the resources to bring in a replacement from outside the Kingdom.
• Lorixelas: She distrusts the Pactborn but understands his necessity for the defense of the kingdom and respects his power. As such she keeps him close to her and plays the part of the attentive patron. To outsiders this makes her seem to be very close to the Wizard.
• General Thaddiun: She dislikes the man, seeing him as brutish and plainspoken. But she recognizes his necessity and respects him for his prowess.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: The two of them are old friends and Ceinwaen followed Radhia to Kaerlymott. She doesn't see the problems from Ceinwaen's aging.
• Shay: She takes personal interest in Shay's work, to the point of meddling in the name of efficiency.

Senechal Adellade

The aging seneschal has served the kingdom first as a scribe then Senechal all his life. While his predicessor was university trained and created many policies and processes to keep the kingdom running, Adellade only was trained in how to do them, not why they are done or how they are supposed to work. This has led him to make costly systemic mistakes as he tried to emulate his predicessor. He is aware of his shortcomings but refuses to acknowledge them and deflects the problems he causes onto others.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: Desperate for approval of the King and flatters him beyond what could be expected by a Petty King.
• Queen Radhia Kearly: Is unaware of the Queen's dislike of him and seeks to flatter her to secure his position.
• Lorixelas: Having grown up with Lorixelas present, he is unnerved by the Wizard and defers anything supernatural to him.
• General Thaddiun: Frustrated by the general and the conflicts they have had over pay of the soldiers and their logistical support.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: When she arrived he hoped to attract her, but never impressed her and he feels spurned by her. He lives in hope though.
• Fen: He likes his nephew and does his best to shield him from consequences of his failures.
• Shay: They contiually but heads over budgets for supplies and food. He belives she could support the village with fewer respources.

Lorixelas, Magus of the Fifth Circle

The bastard child of a King of Kearly, he was sent away to be trained as a Wizard. When High King Dalran withdrew his support of the Border Kingdoms, Lorixelas's half brother called for him to return and defend Kearlymott. Since then he has been a fixture of the Kearly court. His relationship to the crown has been kept secret, even to Johannes Kearly. He is dedicated to the defense of the kingdom and will go to any lenghts he feels justifed to protect it.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: He sees the King as as a useful puppet, only deiging to defer to him for the protection of the kingdom. But he feels an overwhelming protectiveness for the king and his family line.
• Queen Radhia Kearly: He doesn't trust the Queen's intentions for his kingdom, but understands his position in the kingdom's hierarchy and her necessity.
• Senechal Adellade: He does not respect the old senechal and sees him as an old fool.
• General Thaddiun: He leans into his ominous persona with the General to keep him cowed and respectful of the Pactborn's power.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: While he recognizes her necessity for the kingdom's survival, he does not respect her craft nor her refusal to pass her knowledge on.

General Thaddiun

An aging mercenary commander who hired on to lead the defense if this kingdom, he wants to live out his remaining years in security. He has started to regret the choice as he doesn't feel he has the respect he is owed. But he doesn't have the wealth or prospects elsewhere to draw him away.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: He respects the king, and appreciates that the king seems to respect and honor him appropriately.
• Queen Radhia Kearly: He appriciates the support the Queen seems to advocate for him, and doesn't realize the King's feelings towards him.
• Senechal Adellade: Sees the senechal as stingy and a an aging fool.
• Lorixelas: He fears the Wizard and will never move against him. More than once Lorixelas has been the only thing keeping the Kingdom from being overrrun.
• Shay: Is attracted to the woman, but doesn't think of her beyond that.

Herbalist Ceinwaen

An aging herbalist trained elsewhere and realizes her position is only secured by her control over the kingdom's herbar refinements. But she doesn't realize how precarious she has made the kingdom's situation and if it is cut off from the other Border Kingdoms she will loose her position.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: She is extremely defferential to the king and knows that she serves at his whim and he can replace her at any time. She does everyhing to ensure her position in the kingdom.
• Queen Radhia Kearly: In the awkward position of being old friends and dependant on their relationship, Ceinwaen does all she can to keep the Queen her friend.
• Senechal Adellade: Doesn't like the man and feels awkward around him and his romantic intentions.
• Lorixelas: Fears the Pactborn and that one day he will decide to replace her.

Fen

The young hostler that manages and mantaines the town's livestock and beast of burden, he is combination guard, animal handler, and veterinarian. cComing in contact with most of the townsfolk he knows everyone and all their business. He is interested in the world beyond and yearns to leave the kingdom but feels obligated to his family and their survival. Highly intelligent, he could replace many of the King's court with sufficent education.

Views

• King and Queen Kearly: He is reverent towards the nobility, and supports their rule.
• Senechal Adellade: He feels the man is bumbling but resepcts his authority.
• Lorixelas: Fears the Wizard for his power and position. Would jump at the oppoertunity to learn his secrets.
• General Thaddiun: Sees the general as a savior of the kingdom and would become his attache if he asked.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: Has been learning the herablist art in secret as part of his veterenary duties. Could be Ceinwaen's replacement if she was convinced to train him.
• Shay: Consideres her an older sister and is protective of her.

Shay

The put upon owner operator of the nameless eatery. Her cadre of assistants prepare the majorety of meals for the villagers. She is friendly to outsiders and always willing to listen to tales of other lands.

Views

• King Johannes Kearly: Had a relationship with Johannes when they were children and before he was the heir. He has moved on, she hasn't fully.
• Queen Radhia Kearly: Doesn't like the Queen being both their ruler and their religious authority.
• Senechal Adellade: Frustrated with the man's stingyness she has started manipulating his books to increase the villages rations.
• Lorixelas: She fears the Pactborn.
• General Thaddiun: She is attentive to the general's advances, but has little interest in the man.
• Herbalist Ceinwaen: She respects the herbalist for her position in the kingdom's economy.
• Fen: Sees him as a younger brother and worries for his future.

Economy

The kindom is primarily an agricultural subsistence economy. Being isolated in the Border Kingdoms, it has required the kingdom to become more and more self sufficient. Because if its adjacency to The Wilds and its climate, it can cultivate herrbs and mushrooms unavailable to other Kingdoms. While their refined herbs are valuable they havve been having a harder and harder time getting caravans through as The Wilds encroach.

History

Aelderen was founded durring The Isolation, a midsized kingdom it was the jumping off point for exploring The Wilds. However, with the discovery of Nexus, the Contraction ended exploration of the Wilds. By the time of the First Nexus Wars Aelderen was abandoned, its keeps in ruin and its fields reclaimed.

Kearlymott was founded in the aftermath of the Third Nexus War, retaking the Border Kingdom Aelderen from the Wilds at the behest of the High King. The Kearly family was an offshoot of a minor noble house, Dalteren Kearly petitioned for a royal writ and was granted the Petty Kingship if he could carve out the territory from The Wilds and hold it. They built Kaerlymott to be the center of their power and built nearly a dozen forts to maintain the border.

Five generations of kings or queens have ruled from Kaerlymott as the Border Kingdoms had thrived and diminished around them. Each has had to deal with diminishing support from the High Kigns of Baeon and the growing encroachment of The Wilds. As well as attacks by monsters of increasing strength and destructive power.

Adventures

Kaerlymott can act as a home base or leaping off point for advenures into The Wilds. The Wilds have encroached on the Border Koingdoms repeatedly so there are ruins of settlements that have been overrun but still hold secrets and have become bases of monsters who strike into Civilization. Components and reagents extracted from exotic fauna and flora from within The Wilds could be valuable prizes for adventurers. And as the forces of The Wilds mass, Kaerlymott could become the forntlines of a new encroachemnt.

Kaerlymott is fairly isolated and is of little tactical or political value in the larger conflicts of the Baeon nobility. But if it falls to The Wilds its nearby kingdoms willl suffer. It is typically considered an afterthough in larger political conflicts. Being called upon to replace General Thaddiun would require players to command the kingdom's defenses in the face of rampaging ogres, devious Fey, or even Dragons.

Most adventures set on the border of Civilization could be set in Kaerlymott.