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General Information Leader High King Domin Esparto Moneret dy Bassál et Gremaire Demonym Mentralian Population Estimated at 11-13 million Demography Primarily human, with small elven enclaves and scattered communities of dwarves and halflings Government Type Elective monarchy; High King elected by the Assembly of Kings every five years Notable People Notable Figures Queen Isandre of Valméra, General Hadrien Vauxelle of the Northern Host, Lady Cyrienne of the Ashen Thorns (Order), Archbard Mellan of Bellerand Military Land Forces Knight-led levy forces, elite Orders, and a professional army in the northeast Naval Forces Southern galley fleets, strong coastal defense, limited high-seas capacity Important Locations Seat of Power Bellerand Key Locations Tor Praxis, Tor Amras, Valméra, Black Citadel, Carinthia Wondrous Places The Singing Ruins, Shardsfall Grove, the Oracle Wells of Marrienne Infrastructure & Trade Infrastructure Decent in cities, poor in hinterlands; Kingsroads maintained by the crown Trade Goods Wine, timber, ore, enchanted relics, grain, luxury crafts
Overview
The Mentralian Kingdoms are a proud yet fragmented confederation of six sovereign dominions, bound - if only in name - under the rule of a High King. At their heart lies the seventh dominion: Bellerand, a neutral city-state of ancient grandeur, where spires of silver and stone rise over courts long steeped in diplomacy, rivalry, and reluctant unity. Formed in the aftermath of the Shattering, the kingdoms uphold a code of chivalry shaped by centuries of warfare, noble tradition, and competing ideals of honor and rule.
Beyond their borders, conflict brews on all fronts. The Temerian Empire presses from the northeast in a bitter and ongoing war. Trade falters with the merchant-lords of the Free Cities in the Reaches. Sea-bound skirmishes with the Kyourin Shogunate flare frequently across the Shattered Sea, while the sacred lands of Carinthia survive under Mentralian protection. Only the distant Great Pagoda of Lao-Shan remains a steadfast ally to the High King.
The land itself is vast and wild - scarred by the Dark Times following the Shattering and riddled with the relics of ages far older. Forgotten ruins, shattered keeps, and cursed tombs speak to a past as layered and treacherous as the politics of the present. In the Mentralian Kingdoms, glory is pursued by sword and scheme alike, and unity remains ever a dream deferred.
Geography
The Mentralian Kingdoms span a diverse and often treacherous landscape shaped by ancient forces and centuries of strife. To the northeast, they border the Temerian Empire along the contested lowlands - an open frontier of scorched earth, shifting lines, and weathered fortresses. This frontier stretches between the Solemn Ridge and the wide, winding river that feeds into the Inner Sea. To the east, the Great River carves a natural boundary, running southward with the Setting/Realms/Mentralin/Ashenvale Woods/Ashenvale Woods lining its far bank. The river's course leads to the elevated highlands where the Black Citadel looms over the borderlands - a grim sentinel from a darker age. Southward lies the Shattered Sea, its fractured isles and storm-swept coasts a haven for traders, raiders, and the bold. Farther east, the jagged White Peaks rise above the southern horizon, forming a harsh and seldom-crossed barrier. The western frontier meets the Western Ocean, its tides crashing against stony cliffs and forgotten harbors. There, near the mouth of the Taradas - one of the great rivers - sits Carinthia: a city-state technically within the realm but governed independently by the High Synode of the Creed of the Veil.
The six kingdoms form a loose ring around Bellerand, the central and neutral seventh dominion, whose marble courts and ancient spires house the High King's court and the only place where all crowns must, at least in theory, bend.
- Calvarien, in the northeast, is a rugged, martial land of high plains and fortified cities. Its knights are famed for their endurance and grim resolve, forged in constant skirmishes with the Temerian Empire.
- Velthane, in the west, is a kingdom of stone hills and deep fjords, colder than most, with a proud naval tradition. Its people are seen as stern and honor-bound, and its fleets patrol the icy coastlines vigilantly.
- Marendor, southwest of Bellerand, is rich in iron and timber, its forests both a resource and a danger. Its nobles are known for political ambition and a web of old feuds, giving it a reputation for subtlety and ruthlessness.
- Elarien, in the southeast, is a land of open valleys, warm winds, and rolling vineyards. Culture and courtly grace flourish here, though its knights are no less deadly beneath silken words and bright armor.
- Avenhar, east of Bellerand, controls fertile plains and the lower reaches of the great river. It is the breadbasket of the realms and a center of commerce, known for its merchant houses and lavish cities.
- Dorthane, in the northwest, holds the highlands bordering the Solemn Ridge] and the lands approaching The Reaches. It is a somber, stoic kingdom steeped in old magic and grim watchfulness, its people accustomed to living in the shadow of ancient threats.
Each dominion reflects the land it commands - harsh or gentle, wild or tamed - and together, they form the fractured heart of the Mentralian Kingdoms.
History
In the wake of the Shattering, the heartlands of the continent descended into an age of ruin and war. Petty warlords carved out domains amid the wreckage of the old world, their rule as fleeting as it was brutal. Over generations, these fractured realms gave way to dynastic kingdoms - rising and falling like the tides - until the central lands from the frozen north to the sunlit south became a patchwork of sovereign banners, locked in near-constant strife.
Roughly five centuries ago, a warlord-king known as Pentaghast the Humble changed the course of history. A man of vision and restraint, he did not crown a lineage, but rather a legacy: after uniting much of the region through conquest and diplomacy, he established the elective monarchy of the High Kings, with Bellerand as its neutral and sacred seat. His hope was to temper ambition with accountability - though the unity he forged would not hold forever.
Two centuries later, King Temerian I, once a sworn vassal, seceded from the High King's peace. Through conquest and coercion, he forged the Temerian Empire from the northeastern dominions, dragging the realms into decades of open war. Though the Mentralian Kingdoms endured, the High Kingship waned, seen more as a symbol than a sovereign force.
As the Temerian Empire's momentum slowed and internal rivalries deepened, the six kingdoms turned inward. In the absence of strong central rule, old grudges flared, and a bloody civil war fractured the realm. Seizing this moment of weakness, Emperor Temerian III launched a brutal campaign twenty years ago, claiming the northern bastions of Tor Amras and Tor Praxis, and pushing deep into Calvarien's territory.
It was this humiliation - more than diplomacy or tradition - that finally rekindled unity. The kingdoms, bloodied and bitter, set aside their rivalries. One by one, the dominions rallied behind the need for strength and order. The elective council was reconvened, and a new High King was chosen: Domin Esparto, a shrewd and iron-willed sovereign from Elarien whose reign now marks a fragile age of reconsolidation.
Though peace has returned in name, the wounds of war remain open. Ambitions stir beneath gilded courts, and the shadows of the Temerian Empire still fall long over the northern hills.
Revered High Kings
Since the crowning of Pentaghast the Humble some five centuries ago, the High Kingship of the Mentralian Kingdoms has passed through many hands - some wise, some vain, and a few utterly ruinous. Elected not by blood, but by the council of crowned sovereigns and Bellerand's Council, each High King has held the throne as a steward of unity rather than a master of all.
Pentaghast the Humble (1st High King) remains the most revered. A conqueror who refused a dynasty, he founded Bellerand as a neutral crown city and enshrined the tradition of elective monarchy - a bold move that prevented immediate succession wars and set the tone for centuries of uneasy cooperation.
His successors struggled to maintain the balance. The reigns of High Queen Serenthia I and High King Albin Vorcrest brought a brief golden age - marked by trade expansion, cultural blossoming, and codified laws - but their peace was undone by the rise of King Temerian I, whose rebellion shattered the northern alliance and birthed the Temerian Empire.
The High Kings that followed, such as Gareth Redmane and Ilmeran the Pallid, were weak, often chosen as compromise candidates with little power beyond ceremony. The throne lost its grip, and kingdoms fell back into isolation and rivalry.
Two centuries passed without a figure of true authority until the crisis brought on by Emperor Temerian III's incursion. The fall of Tor Amras and Tor Praxis spurred an emergency convocation of the High Council.
From this came Domin Esparto (current High King), once a minor Duke of Merrowyn in Elarien, now hailed as a restorer of order. His election marked a decisive shift - the first time in generations that the High King holds real command over armies, trade policy, and diplomatic affairs. His reign remains young, and whether it signals a lasting return to unity or a prelude to another age of betrayal remains to be seen.
Social Structure
The Mentralian Kingdoms rest on the bones of feudal tradition, upheld by blood, oaths, and the quiet weight of old steel. At the summit stands the High King, elected from among the ruling monarchs of the six dominions for a term of five years. Though reelection is permitted, it is rare; tradition dictates that a former High King must retreat from public power, a custom that ensures the office is held by elder sovereigns in their final years of influence.
Each dominion is ruled by its own king or queen with near-absolute authority over their lands, governing through layers of vassalage. Below them, the knightly class bears both sword and seal, administering fiefs, leading levies, and enforcing justice. Prestige among knights is not just measured by wealth or valor, but by blood - those who trace their lineage back to the warlords of the Dark Times after the Shattering stand highest in esteem. Rarer still are the Scion-Bearers: nobles who wield Relic Arms - ancient weapons and armor imbued with gem-infused power from the mythic ages before the Darkening of the Stars. These artifacts mark their bearers as chosen by fate - or by forgotten forces.
Below the nobility lie the commons, divided between bound peasants tied to noble estates and freefolk who till land, serve in militias, or work as tradespeople. In the cities, a rising class of merchants and guild craftsmen has begun to challenge the old order. Guilds stretch across borders, binding artisans and craftsmen into vast networks of influence that the old nobility neither fully trust nor control.
Among the most enigmatic figures in Mentralian society are the bards. Publicly, they are musicians, storytellers, and keepers of memory - welcomed in every hall and honored at every court. Privately, they are messengers, spies, and silent blades in the dark. Every great house trains its own bards, often plucking younger sons and daughters for the art of guile. With masks of song and charm, they move freely through the kingdoms, their loyalties cloaked and their purposes seldom clear. It is said the difference between a bard and a spy is merely a matter of the song they choose to sing.
People and Culture
Honor is the lifeblood of Mentralian society, binding noble and commoner alike in a shared reverence for legacy, loyalty, and personal valor. Knights are not merely warriors - they are living embodiments of the realm's ideals, bound by a code of conduct that prizes courage, restraint, and service. This chivalric ethos, shaped by centuries of tradition, governs both battlefield and court, and is as much about poetry and ritual as it is about steel.
Tournaments are the grand theatres of this culture - lavish affairs where lords and ladies gather to witness feats of arms, forge alliances, and settle grudges behind the veneer of ceremony. Some are festive pageants of joust and song; others, grim melees where capture and ransom are expected outcomes, echoing the brutal pragmatism of ancient wars. For many knights, a tournament victory can bring not only glory but also significant wealth through ransoms and prizes.
Life across the kingdoms varies with geography and history. The western dominions, rugged and cold, breed hardy folk accustomed to scarcity and strife. The eastern realms, blessed with gentler climates and fertile lands, are more prosperous and cosmopolitan. In the north, the ever-present threat of the Temerian Empire casts a long shadow, while the southern coasts bustle with trade, bringing both opportunity and foreign influence.
Though open warfare between the six kingdoms is forbidden under the High King's peace, ambition finds other paths. Intrigue is the true sport of the nobility - an endless game of whispers, marriages, and maneuvering. Lesser houses scheme to rise within their dominions, while monarchs and their consorts weave elaborate plots to sway the next High King election. In this realm, a well-placed word can be deadlier than a sword.
Gender roles are formally equal under law, but tradition paints a more complex picture. Among the nobility, men often dominate martial and political spheres, while women command the subtle power of households, alliances, and courtly influence. Only one of the six kingdoms, Marendor, known for its matrilineal customs, favours female rulers and knights, a legacy of an ancient queen whose reign reshaped its laws. Among commoners, necessity blurs such lines: men and women alike labour, though men more often take on physically demanding tasks, while women frequently engage in trades requiring meticulous skill or mental acuity.
Marriage is rarely a matter of the heart. Across all classes, unions are forged for land, alliance, or ambition. Love matches are viewed with suspicion, even disdain, as indulgent and destabilizing. Among nobles, marriage is a political tool, often arranged to secure alliances and consolidate power.
In this world of masks and manoeuvres, the bards are a kind of hidden social class in themselves. They are both ornament and weapon. Trained in song, lore, and performance, they are welcomed in every hall as entertainers and chroniclers. Yet beneath their smiles lie secrets. Many are agents of their houses - spies, messengers, even assassins. Because both noble-trained and freelance bards dress the same and perform the same roles, it is nearly impossible to tell them apart. This ambiguity grants them a unique power: to move freely, to listen unseen, and to strike when least expected.
Fashion
Clothing across the Mentralian Kingdoms is shaped by climate, class, and the persistent influence of knightly and courtly traditions. Though each dominion has its own aesthetic nuances, certain themes bind them: layered garments, symbolic colors, and the ever-present influence of status.
Among the nobility, fashion is both armor and declaration. Lords and ladies wear embroidered doublets, sweeping cloaks, and gemstone-studded belts. Each major house favors specific hues and motifs - foxes for Marendor, rivers for Avenhar, thorns and ash for Dorthane. Silks are prized in the southern courts, while northern nobles prefer wool trimmed in silver-thread. Armor, even ceremonial, is often integrated into high fashion - polished breastplates engraved with heraldry or chainmail woven into formal capes.
Knights wear practical garb off the battlefield: heavy riding leathers, woolen mantles, and fur-lined tunics. During tournaments, they display vivid surcoats bearing their personal sigils, with plumes and sashes denoting order and rank. The veilroses of Elarien sometimes appear stitched into garments as symbols of mourning, honor, or spiritual reflection.
Commoners dress by region and necessity. Peasants wear linen or coarse wool, with hooded cloaks in colder areas. Traders and artisans in cities adopt a more cosmopolitan flair - striped fabrics in Avenhar, dyed scarves in Bellerand, bone jewelry in Velthane. In forest villages, bark-tanned leathers and felted cloaks provide protection from underbrush and rain. Decorative elements are modest but personal: carved buttons, brooches from local stone, or belts gifted across generations.
In matters of modesty, tradition rules, though exceptions persist. Marendor's matrilineal clans favor elaborate hair bindings and chest-wrapped gowns, while in Dorthane, both genders wear long tabards laced at the side, often over plain tunics.
Cuisine
[!aside|show-title right] A Culinary Calendar of the Realms First Frost (Late Winter)
Stonefire Stew: A thick broth of marrowbone, black lentils, and turnips, eaten in silence by candlelight.
Ashcakes: Hard, flat oatcakes baked in coals and wrapped in cloth for travel.Verdant Rise (Early Spring)
Riverherb Tartlets: Delicate pastries filled with eggs, wild garlic, and soft cheese.
Blossom Cordial: A chilled drink made from veilrose petals and early apples, said to bless new love.Highsun (Midsummer)
Boar on the Ironspit: Whole-roasted boar glazed with spiced honey and served with barley-crust bread. Knight's Brew: A strong ale or mead infused with bloodfruit or ghostmint, drunk before tournament duels.Goldharvest (Late Summer/Early Autumn)
Goldenbread & Pumpkin Mash: Sweet bread dipped in thick, spiced pumpkin purée.
Harvest Brandy: Strong fruit brandy served warm, often shared with neighboring households.Shadowfall (Mid-Autumn)
Wraith Porridge: A gray millet porridge cooked with herbs, eaten to honor the dead and fortify the living.
Smoked Ashfish: A delicacy prepared only for those who light lanterns to guide lost souls.Deepfreeze (Midwinter Solstice)
Salt-crust Elk: Wrapped in rock salt and slow-roasted; carved by the eldest at table.
Frostberry Clove Pudding: A rare dessert of preserved berries and winter spice, layered into thick custard.
Mentralian cuisine reflects the diversity of the realm - hearty in the north, refined in the south, and always steeped in tradition. Food is a mark of identity, and each dominion prides itself on unique ingredients and inherited recipes.
In Calvarien and Dorthane, meals are dense and sustaining: smoked meats, blackbread, root stews, and spiced blood sausage. Preserved rations like salt-pork and stone-cakes are favored by soldiers and knights on campaign. Fermented cabbage, known as vinterleaf, is a winter staple, often boiled with marrow bones.
The southern regions, especially Elarien and Avenhar, cultivate a more elegant cuisine. Dishes include honeyed duck, riverfish in herb sauces, saffron rice, and sun-dried tomatoes. Vineyards produce rich reds and floral whites, often reserved for courtly banquets. Avenhar in particular is famed for goldenbread - a sweet, soft loaf glazed with egg and honey.
Marendor, rich in forests and game, favors smoked venison, berry preserves, and stone-hearth pies filled with mushrooms and root vegetables. Forest folk often bake bread with spirethistle flour, giving it a bitter aftertaste once thought to ward off illness.
Velthane, with its access to the sea, relies on salt-cured fish, mussel stews, and hearty grain porridge served with pickled greens. Whale-fat is rendered in colder months and used sparingly to flavor stews or preserve meat. A common saying in Velthane: “If it swims and doesn't sing, it goes in the pot.”
Across all dominions, feasting customs mark births, victories, and funerals. Boar roasts, mead, and barley cakes are universal fare, while seasonal fairs bring out sweets: candied walnuts, honey tarts, and rose-syrup pastries. In noble halls, etiquette governs each course. Among commoners, food is shared with stories, and a pot is always kept simmering for the unexpected guest.
[!quote|author mark] Old saying from the kitchens of Valméra As the seasons turn, so do the flavors of our tables - each a memory, a ritual, a promise to the land.
Religion
Faith in the Mentralian Kingdoms is a layered and living thing, as much a tapestry of mystery as the Veil itself. At its center stands the Creed of the Veil, the dominant religion sanctioned across the dominions. Its followers believe the world is separated from realms beyond by the Veil - a metaphysical barrier that shelters mortals from unspeakable truths and divine wrath. The Creed preaches vigilance, humility, and sacrifice, warning that pride or unnatural meddling may tear holes in the Veil itself. Its clergy, led by the austere High Synode in Carinthia, wields immense moral and political power.
Yet beneath the Creed's ordered theology, older faiths endure.
Ancestral worship runs deeper than doctrine. Families of every station honor their forebears, whose spirits are believed to linger in hearth, hall, or hill. Great houses perform elaborate blood rites to consult ancient family spirits before major decisions, while common folk leave offerings at graves or whisper prayers to those who came before. These local cults often evolve into regional customs, forming a patchwork of spirit traditions that no Creed can wholly extinguish.
Wandering the borderlands of faith are the Spirit Soothers - robed mendicants who claim to commune with the dead and placate angered shades. Some are gifted mediators, capable of quelling hauntings and restoring balance between the living and the beyond. Others are little more than charlatans, peddling incense and hollow words for coin. Still, most villages welcome them, if warily, for fear of what might happen if they do not.
In every valley and shadowed glade, the old spirits of nature are revered in quiet rites. Shrines and carved stones mark the places where river-mothers, wind-fathers, or grove-bound watchers are said to dwell. Some receive humble gifts of grain or wine; others demand the blood of beasts - or, if rumors are to be believed, lost travelers. To disrespect these spirits is to court misfortune. Many a farmer still leaves the first cut of wheat beneath a tree, and many a soldier prays to the river before crossing its waters.
Hedge witches and spirit-bound warlocks inhabit the edges of towns and morality alike. Often tied to a spirit through bargain or bloodline, they practice subtle magics - charms, visions, healing rites. Though rarely outright hunted, they live under the scrutiny of the Veilwarden Inquisitors, roving agents of the Creed tasked with rooting out heresy and sorcery. True mages - those with dangerous power - are rare, and most emerge only from the haunted halls of the Black Citadel, trained in secret and often sworn to the service of the high houses.
But in recent years, a darker current stirs.
In hushed tones, folk speak of Setting/Magical Traditions/Pact Magic - nobles whose fortunes rise too quickly, or mills that prosper while neighboring farms starve. It is whispered that some strike bargains with malevolent spirits, who grant wealth or power in exchange for unspeakable acts. These whispers are no longer rare. And while the Creed decries such dealings as blasphemy, many fear its reach has grown too thin - or too compromised - to stop what grows in the dark.
Education
Education in the Mentralian Kingdoms is shaped by class, culture, and necessity.
Among the ruling class, education is both a duty and a privilege. Nobles are well-versed in the arts of strategy, history, and etiquette, with knights receiving specialized training in warfare and tactics. For these elite families, literacy is not just common - it's expected. Reading, writing, singing, and music are fundamental skills instilled in every noble child. A noble's education is often rounded out with poetry, philosophy, and the study of ancient texts, preparing them for the challenges of leadership, diplomacy, and honor-bound life.
The lower classes experience a starkly different education. While merchants, ever pragmatic, are well-educated in economics and trade laws, the majority of craftsmen and peasants remain focused on the practical knowledge of their trades. Peasants are intimately familiar with the land - how to till, sow, and reap - but beyond these skills, formal education is rare. It's a society where practical know-how often trumps book learning, and wisdom is passed down through generations in the form of hands-on experience.
Education is decentralized, with each kingdom fostering its own centers of knowledge. Elarien, one of the eastern dominions - a kingdom with a rich tradition of intellectual pursuits - boasts the only established university in the realm. This institution is dedicated to the study of science, mathematics, and philosophy, though it is still in its early stages, with many scholars traveling between kingdoms for knowledge exchange. In the absence of centralized schooling, apprenticeships and family traditions serve as the primary means of passing down skills and knowledge.
Magical knowledge is an even more fragmented discipline. The Black Citadel, a fortress of arcane study, stands as the primary institution for the highest-level magical education. Here, the secrets of spirit binding and Setting/Magical Traditions/Spirit Binding are taught in secretive, rigorous programs, and many noble houses send their heirs to the Citadel for training. On the other hand, the practice of magic among the lower classes is less formalized, often passed down through oral traditions or within local coven networks. These hedge witches and spirit-walkers might never be formally trained but have often inherited their arts from teachers or mentors in hidden corners of the land.
Setting/Magical Traditions/Alchemy is held in high regard, particularly among healers and apothecaries. Alchemists are seen as practical magicians - masters of potions, salves, and elixirs - often trusted more than sorcerers for their useful knowledge. Some are even believed to dabble in the darker arts, crafting poisons and venoms as easily as they brew curatives, adding a layer of suspicion to their revered status.
Law and Jurisdiction
In the Mentralian Kingdoms, the concept of justice is as fractured as the land itself. There is no unified legal system; each kingdom is a law unto itself, with rulers enforcing their own decrees. While the core principles of justice - such as harsh punishment for murder and theft - are broadly shared, the methods of enforcement vary wildly across the realms.
For capital offenses, such as murder or the theft of livestock, the punishments are severe, often leading to execution or other extreme penalties. Lesser misdeeds, such as petty theft or dishonoring a contract, are generally punished with fines or forced labor, either for the wronged party or in service to the ruler.
Markets are a particular point of control. Ruling nobles frequently insist on strict regulations, dictating which merchants may set up shop and what goods may be traded. In many towns and cities, the local noble often enjoys a "right of first buy", meaning they may purchase any goods they wish before they are offered to the public. This system reinforces the nobility's control over the flow of goods and wealth, further cementing their power.
Taxes and tolls are another constant. Travelers on the main roads and bridges will often find themselves paying fees to cross borders between dominions, with each kingdom imposing its own charges. This makes long-distance travel slow, expensive, and often dangerous, as merchants and common folk alike seek ways to avoid costly routes.
Outside the cities, the reach of the law becomes tenuous. The wild lands, often home to bandits and outlaws, remain largely beyond the grasp of any monarch. In these lawless regions, the only enforcement comes from the knights and their vassals, whose patrols are few and far between. As a result, ambushes, highwaymen, and raiders plague travelers, and life in the untamed territories remains harsh and uncertain.
Trade & Transport
Though the Mentralian Kingdoms are largely self-sufficient, trade thrives in pockets, driven by regional specialties and distant demand. Each dominion contributes uniquely to the realm's economic web: the eastern terraces are famed for their sun-steeped wines, delicate textiles, and aromatic herbs, while the western kingdoms mine the Solemn Ridge for ore, stone, and lumber, shipping raw bounty to the Free Cities of The Reaches.
Beyond the seas, trade crosses treacherous waters. The island-nation of Lao-Shan, ruled from the Great Pagoda, offers spices, silks, and rice - luxuries in the courts of noble houses. In return, the Mentralian kingdoms send timber, grain, and furs across the Shattered Sea, often under threat of piracy from the warlike Kyourin Shogunate, whose swift ships prowl the shallows like wolves in fog.
To the east, trade stretches even farther: through the cities of the Golden Coast, caravans and clippers brave the Stepping Stones and sail the Golden Sea, bringing Mentralian steel and relics as far as Pharos and the markets beyond.
Most commerce moves overland via the King's Roads - broad, ancient paths patrolled by knights and lined with toll posts. Trade caravans, led by bannered guilds and backed by hired swords, make the rounds between cities and market towns. In more remote regions, local peddlers and pack-traders travel lighter, relying on folk knowledge and swift feet rather than steel.
Though foreign trade is taxed and tightly regulated at ports and crossings, internal commerce remains relatively free - so long as the local lord receives their due in coin, kind, or favor.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure across the Mentralian Kingdoms reflects a patchwork of ancient brilliance and modern neglect. Outside major cities and noble estates, roads are rough and often washed out by rain or reclaimed by wild growth. Only the Kingsroads - broad, paved trade arteries connecting key strongholds - receive consistent upkeep, maintained by decree of the High King and funded through royal levies and tolls. These roads are lifelines of commerce and travel, flanked by patrol stations, signposts, and aging mile-markers from the days of the First Compact.
Public works within cities - such as wells, fountains, sewers, and watchtowers - fall under the High King's oversight, though in practice, maintenance is delegated to local lords or guilds. Toll stations, road keeps, and border forts are manned by knightly households or mercenary retinues under noble banners, each claiming their due from travelers and caravans.
While the present is marked by modest stonework and wooden fortification, wonders of a lost era still linger. The Whispering Aqueduct of Grenvalle, an arched marvel of rune-etched stone, continues to deliver water from distant mountain springs through unseen channels, murmuring with faint magical resonance. Near the capital lies the Sky Mirror, a crumbling observatory whose shattered dome still glows with spectral starlight on solstice nights - its purpose forgotten, its machinery broken, but its mystery intact.
In the southern ports, shipwrights build sturdy, seafaring vessels, and their artistry rivals any in the known world. Expeditions beyond the western horizon have ventured far, discovering isolated isles shrouded in mist - but tales of returning ships are rare, and more often bring silence than riches.
The infrastructure of the realm is uneven: grounded in tradition and practical need, and haunted by the ghosts of lost grandeur.
Military
The military heart of the Mentralian Kingdoms beats through the chivalric code. Knights and their men-at-arms are the backbone of each realm's defense, summoned by oath and honor when banners rise. Every kingdom nurtures its own martial traditions, shaped by geography: mountainous terrain favors heavily armored cavalry, while marsh-bound regions field agile light infantry and skirmishers.
[!quote | author mark left] The Codes of the Knightly Creed Loyalty
A knight's word is bond; their loyalty stands firm against temptation, doubt, and despair.Discipline
To master the self is to master the sword. Without discipline, honor decays.Mercy
Power wields restraint. The strong who spare may save more than lives - they preserve the soul of the realm.Resolve
The knight stands when others fall. In doubt, in pain, in ruin - they endure.
At the pinnacle stand the Eight Knightly Orders, each sanctioned by the crown and sworn to the Knightly Creeds - four of which are universal codes of honor, while the remaining four vary by order, reflecting their founding ideals. Some orders are ascetic, scholarly, or spiritual, while others are fiercely militant or bound to forgotten rites. Though not all specialize in war, all are trained to fight, and their members often serve as envoys, champions, or royal agents, where steel and status must go hand in hand.
Only the northeastern kingdom, Calvarien, for decades locked in skirmishes along the contested lowlands of the Temerian border, fields a true standing army - a disciplined force of infantry, engineers, and scouts hardened by generations of war. In the other realms, levies and militia are raised as needed, drawn from local holdings and bound by feudal obligation.
The southern kingdom commands the realm's only real navy, a fleet of oared war galleys and swift coastal raiders. These vessels patrol the Shattered Sea, protect merchant convoys to Lao-Shan, and conduct punitive raids against pirates and corsairs. Though modest in number, the Southern Fleet is a respected force - its admirals proud heirs to ancient seafaring lineages.
In times of peace, many warriors return to landholding, farming, or court. Yet when the horns sound and banners unfurl, the realms remember their blood-oaths - and the knights ride once more.
Fauna and Flora
The Mentralian Kingdoms are a land of ancient soil and worn beauty, where nature is both resource and mystery. The realm's flora and fauna, shaped by centuries of hardship and subtle magic, are integral to daily life - not only as sustenance, but as medicine, symbol, and silent partner in war and ritual.
Plant life across the kingdoms is deeply intertwined with survival and tradition. In the highlands and forests of Marendor and Dorthane, ashenbark trees are tapped for their astringent sap, often used in poultices and spirit-warding salves by hedgewives and battlefield surgeons. The wood itself burns poorly, but is highly resistant to rot, making it ideal for grave markers and wayposts along the King's Roads.
Spirethistle, common in the highland cliffs and moorlands, has thorny blooms used in rustic medicine. Boiled in vinegar or wine, its roots treat fevers and ward off sleep-spirits. In the south and east, the river-fed plains of Avenhar yield riverwheat and briargrain, staples that feed much of the realm. These grains are ground into coarse bread and fermented into mild ale.
For nobles and apothecaries, veilroses and skyblossoms are cultivated in sheltered gardens. Their petals are steeped into ceremonial teas or crushed into inks used for funerary scrolls and oaths. Some say they bloom more brightly when planted near sites of grief or spiritual rupture.
Wild herbs and fungi - like witchcap mushrooms and silvermoss - are foraged in the Ashenvale and traded in secret. Alchemists covet them for use in elixirs, sleeping draughts, and minor glamours. The twilight ivy, with its blood-dark berries, is used sparingly in love philters and shadow charms - though most peasants treat it as cursed.
Animal life provides not only meat and leather, but also magic, myth, and memory.
In Velthane, gray sealions are hunted for their oil-rich blubber and thick hides, tanned into waterproof cloaks for coastal rangers. Their tusks are carved into charms and tools. Inland, ironback stags are rarely taken except in great ritual hunts; their antlers are used to craft highlord scepters, and their hides displayed in halls of tribute.
The common folk depend heavily on hillfoxes, boars, and gorse-deer for meat and leather. Boar tusks, when properly cleaned, are worn as protective charms against cowardice and treachery. In the colder reaches of Dorthane and northern Calvarien, snowhares and mountain grouse fill winter tables, while mountain bears, if killed, are considered omens of great change - good or ill.
Domesticated animals, too, hold deep utility. Stone-hoof oxen, bred in the stony western uplands, are used for both plough and war-cart. Their immense stamina makes them prized by caravaners. Ravens, long a symbol of death and witness, are sometimes trained as message-carriers by knightly orders. Superstitions claim they will not fly toward cursed ground.
Some creatures serve more exotic or ceremonial roles. The feathers of sunhawks, rare birds nesting along cliff faces, are used in circlets of knighthood and the adornment of royal scribes. The bone-chimes of certain mountain shrines are made from the vertebrae of shadowhares - fleet, elusive animals believed to slip between worlds when frightened.
More dangerous beasts are feared and respected in equal measure. Grave hounds, often mistaken for wolves, are said to dig up unblessed dead or guard ruined barrows. Though rarely seen, tales of their howling in the Solemn Ridge stir old fears. Travelers whisper of mirror-eyed lizards in the White Peaks that paralyze prey with a glance - though scholars insist these are just folk tales.
Across the realms, spirit-soothers and hedge witches often claim certain animals as familiars or omens. The behavior of foxes, frogs, or moths can foretell weather, birth, or death. Some animals are buried with warriors or burned in pyres to send messages to the Veil.
Notable Horse Breeds
In the Mentralian Kingdoms, horses are more than beasts of burden - they are companions of war, symbols of noble heritage, and sometimes, legends in their own right. Each dominion breeds its own distinctive line, shaped by geography, warfare, and cultural tradition. To ride a horse of famed lineage is a mark of station; to lose one in battle is cause for mourning.
| Breed Name | Region of Origin | Typical Use | Temperament | Notable Trait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvarien Warsteed | Calvarien | Heavy cavalry, siege campaigns | Stoic, aggressive under command | Exceptional endurance and pain tolerance |
| Velthani Fjordrunner | Velthane | Fast patrols, shipborne assaults, messengers | Alert, willful | Hardy hooves and uncanny terrain sense |
| Elarien Courser-Knight | Elarien | Tourneys, duels, courtly display, shock cavalry | Proud, intelligent, sensitive | Highly responsive to subtle commands |
| Marendor Ridge-Mare | Marendor | Reconnaissance, bard couriers, border patrol | Canny, steady | Near-silent gait and strong directional instinct |
| Avenhar Stepplord | Avenhar | Light cavalry, caravan escort, long-distance travel | Loyal, easy to train | High stamina, low water needs |
| Dorthani Ashmane | Dorthane | Highland cavalry, spirit-soother escorts, necropolis guard | Independent, fiercely loyal | Resistant to magical fear and spiritual interference |
Language
The Mentralian Kingdoms share a common tongue often referred to as High Mentralic, a refined and evolving language descended from the speech of the old High Tul language and later shaped by the warlords of the Shattering. Spoken by nobles, commoners, and clergy alike, High Mentralic is the official language of diplomacy, law, and scripture, maintained through the scribes of Bellerand and the canon scholars of the Creed.
Though unified in script and formal grammar, regional dialects persist. In the rugged north, Calvarien and Dorthane favor clipped, starker phrasing - shaped by martial command and harsh winters. In the south and east, particularly in Elarien and Avenhar, the language flows more lyrically, with softer vowels and a preference for poetic structure even in everyday speech with many words borrowed from the idioms of the Golden Coast. Marendor's dialect is known for its clever idioms and turns of phrase, while Velthane's coastal cadences borrow seafaring terms and occasional Kyourin loanwords from old maritime contact.
Low Mentralic, a simplified and regionalized variant, is the common speech of peasants, traders, and soldiers. It strips away many formal constructions, often mixing in local slang and ancestral terms. Bards, ever versatile, are fluent in both registers - and more than one has used a sudden switch in tone to save their life or sell a lie.
Some border regions preserve older languages in fragments - hunter's cant in the Dorthani hills, sailor-creoles in the Velthani ports, or spirit-cant used by Soothers and hedge mages. These are seldom written and often passed down orally, giving them a mystical or secretive air.
Names
[!aside|left show-title] Naming Conventions of the Mentralian Domionions Male names tend to be strong and consonant-heavy: Gareth, Torven, Albin, Marrec, Vauxelle, Drenner.
Female names favor softer endings and vowel-rich tones: Isandre, Serenthia, Elra, Cyrienne, Maelle.
Unisex names (often bardic or lowborn) include: Reven, Kael, Lyric, Saren.
Names in the Mentralian Kingdoms are as layered and meaningful as their politics. A name is not only an identifier - it is a lineage, a statement of intent, and often a quiet piece of inherited prophecy.
Noble names typically consist of a given name followed by a house name, often preceded by of, dy, or et, marking geographic or ancestral ties. For example: Isandre of Valméra, Esparto Moneret dy Bassál, or Hadrien Vauxelle et Gremaire. Some noble houses claim ancient Tul-Daric roots and still retain compound names with internal markers such as del, al, or ver.
Commoner names are simpler, usually given name and occupation (Tomas Brickwright, Alisse Weaver) or name and village (Seren of Marrienne). In rural areas, epithets based on birth order (Firstborn Bran), physical features (Red Marlen), or notable events (Stormborn Elra) are more common than surnames.
Among knights, a third component is often added: the name of their order or epithet gained in combat. Thus one might hear of Sir Calen Ashthorn of the Violet Order, or Dame Lioré the Hollowblade - the latter a name whispered with reverence or fear.
Child-naming ceremonies are often spiritual. In some regions, newborns are named after a dream or omen seen during labor. In others, the family spirit or local Soother is consulted. It is not uncommon for a child to carry a "cradle-name" until age seven, when their true name is chosen during a coming-of-mind rite.
[!note] Noble Houses & Knightly Epithets
Sample Noble House Names These houses may rule over dominions, minor baronies, or knightly fiefs. Names often reflect geography, mythic ancestry, or symbolic virtues.
Region House Names Calvarien Varnoss, Redmane, Halbrecht, Torren, Drevalle Velthane Gremaire, Iskallan, Morault, Thorne, Syrran Marendor Blackbriar, Verrance, Del Roven, Harthmere Elarien Moneret, Lysenhall, Valméra, Serenthis, Amaurelle Avenhar Trelan, Marrienne, Bascoir, Vexel, Dellemont Dorthane Ashthorn, Veyrun, Durcarrin, Myrren, Frostveil Prefixes like del, dy, et, and ver denote house branches, cadet lines, or ancestral estates. For example, Del Roven might signify a minor branch of House Roven.
Knightly Epithets Granted after notable deeds, spiritual visions, or combat honors. Some are chosen by the knight; others are earned - or inflicted - by rumor and tale.
Epithet Origin/Meaning the Hollowblade Known for a silent dueling style; blade never drawn unless necessary. of the Pale Flame Claimed to wield a relic sword burning with ethereal fire. the Thornbound Swore an unbreakable vow to avenge a blood-oath betrayal. Ghostridden Said to be haunted by a slain comrade; speaks to unseen allies. the Kindly Dagger A charming court duelist rumored to kill with a smile. Stoneborn Survived burial in a collapsed keep; rose from rubble to defend the realm. the Veilmarked Touched by a spirit during the Veilnight Vigil; marked with a spectral scar. of Seven Echoes Famed for a song-sword style taught by a bardic mentor long since vanished. the Last Oath Sole survivor of a doomed order, now bearing its name alone.