Kingdom of Camelot (WIP)

[Unguis]

Note that the lore here is subject to change, as I have just learned the time from the present to this game is only 150 years.

Name: Third Kingdom of Camelot
Ruler: William Pendragon II
Capital: City of Wolfchester, on the southern shore of the Bay of Talon
“Walord” (Inventor Paragon): Alfred Dwarfborn (described in second lore)
Citizenry: Primarily human, but with a good amount of elvish blood mixed in.
Government: Monarchy with a council of advisors
Unique Unit: Windcaller (described in last lore)

“When I look out upon the city of Wolfchester and the high towers of Camelot Castle about me, I remember that I am no longer the young elf (although elf-human hybrid is perhaps a better term) I once was. Nor is this city what it once was. I remember the dying days of the Latter God Wars, just before the Catastrophe. The castle and the distant slopes of Mount Albion loomed over the then-town of Wolfchester, lending it an aura of doom and foreboding. The sun rising above the mountain made the Bay of Talon seem as if all the blood spilled the day before had flowed into it. The only reassuring sounds were the clanking of the guards’ metal armour as they patrolled the town – our one spot of relative peace amidst the torrent of violence and chaos that was Gielinor.

“I remember the day of the Catastrophe, though I was but twenty-seven at the time. A great shaking and roaring gripped the land, as if the anima mundi itself were crying out in pain. We waited for several years after it to see if the violence would continue, but, thankfully, an uneasy peace settled over Gielinor. Our old Pendragon, Alfred Pendragon II, seeing this, abdicated as soon as his son was old enough to succeed him. He was raised in the days of war and he was not ready to rule in a time of peace to adjust the kingdom to peacetime. His son, William was then crowned William Pendragon I. Under his leadership, the kingdom prospered greatly. Economic restrictions and the heavy taxes needed to support the military during the Wars were lifted. A bustling city grew in place of the fear-ridden town. Huge farms sprang up in the barren countryside and brilliant industries took the places of barracks. One thing, however, that remained the same were our closed borders. Not only were the leaders still wary of the outside world, but few inhabited places nearby could generate profit. Our only outside contact came through the little trade our merchants did across the bay.

“Despite this, Wolfchester is still a city of hope. In the sun rise, the bright glass in the turrets of Camelot reflects the light down into the city instead of covering it in shadow. The red bay has come to take a new metaphor – that of fire. A fire that will burn brightly. A fire that we create through all our efforts to innovate, make, and grow. This is the fire William Pendragon I helped create in his seventy-eight year reign and that which William Pendragon II, his great grandson keeps burning. It is a flame of two meanings to the people of the city: that of freedom and that of the justice of Armadyl whom they serve.”

First of Rintra, Year 100 of the Seventh Age,
High Chronicler of the Third Kingdom of Camelot,
Lord Geoffery Tarviin

“The young Pendragon has appointed a new Research Overseer, after the last one was killed in that infamous pickle juice accident. Many cried “favoritism” when he announced that his fourth cousin, Alfred Dwarfborn, was to be given the position. I, however, know more of this man. While, he is less than a decade older than the Pendragon, he has already distinguished himself among those who know where to look. He, unbeknownst to many, was the one who created the “Redran Steel” alloy used by the military for their melee troops. This achievement gave him but moderate wealth, as he has never been much of a businessman. I believe this post will suit him well…”

Excerpt from: “High Chronicles of Lord Geoffery Tarviin”
Thirtieth of Septober, Year 99 of the Seventh Age

“With the announced retirement from writing of the mysterious ‘Father Drake,’ a theological era has come to an end in the greater Wolfchester area. For decades, Father Drake’s writings have set the tone for the official teachings of the Royal Church of Armadyl. Although no one has actually seen the man, virtually everyone in the area has a copy of his "Treatise on the Day of Terror" and those educated and religious enough possess copies of his On a Thorough System of Consistent Armadylean Theology. While the Royal Church of Armadyl is the only official church in this region (although the Church of Seren is unofficially present and I have heard rumours of underground Saradominist and Zarosian congregations), another group’s theology has been seeping into the region. As intelligence does not report established Armadylean churches in the surrounding territory, this group must be centered here in Wolfchester itself. According to the rumours I have heard, this group does not believe Armadyl was actually affected by the Catastrophe, although the rumours are vague and of questionable value…”

Excerpt from: “High Chronicles of Lord Geoffery Tarviin”
Thirteenth of Novtumber, Year 99 of the Seventh Age

“The Pendragon has added a new elite division to the military and has authorized funds to continue and expand it through new training. This new ‘Windcaller’ division should lower casualties in any future military action in which we need to engage. Already they have proved their worth against a group of bandits who were terrorizing a group of farms south of the city. These skilled mages can use their abilities to summon win storms at a greater range than most mages can cast spells. Although these windstorms do not kill a great many foes, they do confuse them by throwing dust in their eyes and lower their morale. On the sea, they are more deadly. They can damage a ship’s rigging at a high rate (as well as doing a bit of other damage to the men and the deck) and can reach farther than standard units. I hope, however, that all their skills prove unnecessary…”

Excerpt from: “High Chronicles of Lord Geoffery Tarviin”
Tenth of Ire of Phyrrus, Year 96 of the Seventh Age

(Edited to remove a number of unnecessary blank lines)
(Second and third edits for spelling mistakes and italicising Tarviin's writings.)
(Fourth edit to fix a wrong date on the first entry)

[Unguis]

“Only four men make up the Pendragon’s official Council of Advisors. However, at times, as many as eight others will join in council meeting. His foremost and most important official advisor is Thomas Saelbour, who covers the area of nearly every foreign affair not including the military. His main concern, however, is diplomacy, though precious few foreigners with whom live nearby to negotiate. He is a middle-aged man of an esteemed native house; however, he is also a blood relative of the Pendragon, albeit not a close one. He is generally a peaceful man, though he knows how to fight if the need arises. His son, Lewis, despite his mere nineteen years, displays much of the wisdom and intelligence of his father as well as a prowess matched by few of his age in the kingdom.

“The second on the council is a kind of mentor of Lord Saelbour. Earl Charles Grayham works closely with Lord Saelbour in managing the military affairs of the nation. When the former was young, Earl Grayham took him under his wing and trained him up to be a man of intelligence and wisdom like himself. Therefore, it may be guessed that the teacher can possess no less of these qualities than the student. This is quite true. Although inferior to Lord Saelbour in pure intelligence and more prone to use force, Earl Grayham has provided important council to the past two Pendragons in times of near-crisis and seldom recommended his area of expertise be employed domestically save against outlaws. Unlike Lord Saelbour, Earl Grayham has little actual power, save in what he persuade the king to do. Due to this, he is more knowledgeable and expert in his advice, though his good suggestions are sometimes (though seldom) ignored with ill consequences. Outside of his position as advisor, however, he has power and responsibility over the countryside outside of Wolfchester, though he delegates most of his tasks related to this post. He has a granddaughter about the same age as Lewis named Aldrea, who refuses to pursue womanly tasks, but who instead spends much time with Lewis learning of valour and combat.

“The third is the Lord Tyrion Goulding, his economic advisor. He is generally considered a wise man and is remarkable for the efficiency with which he manages his rural estate. However, having observed him for some time, I find a disturbing consistency in his counsel to the Pendragon: almost everything he recommends would help the agrarian aspects of our economy greatly, sometimes at the expense of industry and trade. The effects of this advice is, however, often mitigated by the presence secondary counsellors such as Michael Dankirk, the head of the Abberon Corporation, the Research Overseer, Alfred Dwarfborn, and occasionally myself.

“The final permanent member of the council is Father Benedict Winston, the religious advisor. I often consider his strictly traditional Armadylean views a hinder to freedom and thus to progress, however, he does help balance the council against the aggressive changes recommended by several of the occasional members. He has been least affected of the four major Fathers of the city by the writings of ‘Father Drake’ and still sticks to many Armadylean values of before the Catastrophe. Sometimes I fear he will plunge us back into the God Wars, even without gods, but he usually can be kept under control. However, without the opposition of ‘Father Drake,’ he may become too influential.

“The occasional members of the council, some of whom I mentioned above, are Michael Dankirk, the director of the Abberon Corporation, which does most of the government contracts for building and research etc.; Arthur Draconic, the Prince Commander and William Pendragon II’s father who refused to accept the crown for an unknown reason; Travis Dranok, a successful merchant on the bay whom the Pendragon hired as the head of his new naval division; Alfred Dwarfborn, the young successful Research Overseer; Phillip Sedron, the most knowledgeable man about the law of the kingdom, William Pendragon I, the former Pendragon who abdicated due to his age (he rarely concerns himself with these meetings or any matters of state); Guinevere Laudraconic, the former Pendragon’s mother, who due to her half-elven blood has been able to survive this long and accumulate the resulting wisdom from experience; and myself, who most often merely sit in as recorder, though I do speak when the necessity arises.

“Although all twelve of us are seldom on hand to advise the Pendragon, each of us makes our own contributions, usually for good. However, there are times when the Pendragon, for good or for ill, overrides all of his advisors. Then is when we are reminded of the lack of power we have over the Pendragon and the disastrous results that would occur were he not virtuous, intelligent, and in possession of a certain amount of wisdom. I hope we never have to, by force, increase that power (though I am certain some members of the council would welcome that opportunity)…”

Excerpt from: “A Supplement to the High Chronicles of Lord Geoffery Tarviin for the Year 100”

((Edits to correct spacing issues)

[Unguis]

“Following the McGrubor’s Wood debacle, many questions have been raised about the military leadership of our nation. Although he was not on the field, Thomas Grayham, who was in charge of dispatching the expedition, has taken most of the blame. As a result, the Pendragon has demoted him to merely Commander of the Royal Guard. In his place, he has raised the former Commander of the Guard and Chief Contingency Planner for Wolfchester, Lord Goneph Launcet, a rather young and inexperienced noblemen who has been his fast friend. Although I know the young man has great potential and respect the Pendragon, even I question the Pendragon’s decision. Only time will tell if removing one of the most brilliant tactical minds in the kingdom from active command will prove advantageous for Camelot, or lead to the disaster of proportions unseen since the early Sixth Age.”

Excerpt from: “High Chronicles of Lord Geoffery Tarviin”
Nineteenth of Moevyng, Year 101 of the Seventh Age