Arcadayn: Visala

Adventures in Arcadayn
The Kingdom of Visala
By Tim Emrick

Ruler: King Hamir I; Queen Bronuvere.

Capital: Kelm Har.

Symbol/Arms: Gyronny gules and azure, an Or Asanos overall. [Eight triangles meeting in the center, alternating red and blue; a gold ring with perpendicular crosspieces formed of two lines each.]

Culture Level: Civilized.

Currency: bronze Holder/Farthing ($.10), silver Baron/Penny ($1) and Earl/Shilling ($5), gold Prince/Florin ($20) and Crown/Sovereign ($100).

Divisions: 8 counties: Caldor, Dales, Haria, Iluar, Kastir, Komar, Ligabeth, Sivia.

Government Type: Monarchy/Feudality.

Languages: Sivian (M/A), Daelic (hillmen, M/A), Sakan (Outland tribes to north, M/A, several dialects), Centaur (M/A).

Population: [TBD]

Racial Stock: Visalans come from Anidel stock, a hybrid of Krithian (South Anidel) and Dalemen (East Anidel). Hair color ranges the spectrum (black, brown, blond, red), and eye color may be brown, blue, green or gray. Those with more pronounced Daleman blood tend towards lighter coloration.

Dalemen outside of the Dales are a minority (10-point Social Stigma).

Geography: Visala's southern border is shared with the Krithian Empire, which once ruled this land as a colony. The northern and eastern borders are defined by the Aurora Mountains. The western border is composed of the Great Sea and the Blackwood. The kingdom also owns islands in the Great Sea: Haria, Ligabeth, and part of Cauldron Isle.

Visala retains much of its original woodlands, the largest two regions being the Kastir Forest on the border with Krith, and the series of forests covering the Aurora foothills. The remainder of the mainland is rolling hills and grasslands, much of it still sparsely settled in spite of the kingdom's origin as a Krithian colony.

Climate: Warm and rainy in coastal areas (within 50 miles of sea); steppe in inland plains; warm with dry winter in other inland terrain.

Agriculture & Resources: See counties for details.

Religions: The Celestian Church and Quadralunic Cults are dominant, especially in thickly-settled areas, while Druidism (in hillman and wilderness communities) and the Elemental Faiths (widespread) are also common. Some Daleman tribes still maintain the ancient Bloodletter Cult. The Demon Cults are explicitly illegal.

The royal family has backed the Celestians (especially the Golden Eye and Dawn-bloom) and Quadrilunics (especially Lastor and Palogira) since Inbron's reign [see History].

St. Merlessa (Quadrilunic) is revered in Sivia and Haria; St. Ororant (Celestian) is favored by diplomats and royal appointees; and St. Celberic (Celestian) is the patron of travellers.

Military: Visala fields two legions (one Seasoned HI, one Veteran MI) organized after the model of its original Krithian overlords. The remainder of the military are feudal levies of men-at-arms (LI, MI, HI) with some knights (Seasoned to Elite HC). Centaurs are IC of Average or better quality; they are tribally organized (see "Yrth Armies", p. CII 128).

Nonhumans: Centaurs are native to the Anidel Forest and Longmeadow, and a few have emigrated to Colony Caldor. Elfkin, descended from the sidhe who fought in the "Aelfhild," are more common here than in most other eastern lands; most dwell in the islands and Kastir. Swanmays live in the wetlands of Feria; werebears [very rare] and weredeer live in the woodlands of Feria.

Other Special Groups:

The King's Rangers: The King maintains an elite force of wilderness-trained warrior-scouts to insure the safety of his borders--especially near the unstable Twin Passes and the dreaded Blackwood. These men are among the hardiest in the kingdom and are as highly skilled in stealth and survival skills as they are with weapons. Most carry bows and swords, and many prefer a second blade to a shield. (See "Dalemen" for more about rangers.) Some Rangers also do double service as law enforcers on the frontier.

The King's Runners: These special foot-messengers are employed by government officers throughout Visala, and are highly respected for their physical fitness and unswerving devotion to duty. They have a special form of Legal Enforcement Powers (10 points): 1. While carrying messages, they have the right to claim food and shelter from any freeman of the realm, but in order to lesson the burden of such imposition, they are issued funds to reimburse their hosts. 2. The penalties for interfering with a Runner's mission are severe, so even hardened criminals think twice before robbing one of these heralds. Only a royal magistrate may legally arrest a Runner, and even then had better have ample justification. Typical prerequisites are: HT 12+, Running-12+, Area Knowledge (Visala)-14+, Heraldry-12+, Savoir-Faire-12+, and Vow (Honesty).

Merchant-Trader Guilds: Like Krith, Visala is home to several wealthy alliances of merchants and traders, who control much of the trade in the Kingdom--and with its neighbors. Although commonly called "merchant lords," these men are rarely of noble blood; they are master merchants (Status 2, Very Wealthy or better, Merchant 16+) with good Contacts (5-point Claim of Hospitality within the alliance, and usually several Contacts of various types). The leader(s) of each alliance are Status 3 "Guildmasters."

A typical "merchant lord" would have a base cost of 10 or 15 points as a Patron, while the alliance as a whole would be worth 20 (maybe 25 for the most powerful two or three guilds). Conversely, as an Enemy, the same merchant would be worth -10 points and the guild -20 to -30.

History: See "History of the Kingdom of Visala".

Two calendar events unique to Visala are: Dalefest, also known as King Inbron's Day, a secular festival held 7-9 Galefest; and the Carnival of Elminar, a royal fete held in Kelm Har during 1-6 Highsuntide.

Royal succession is by primogeniture (the eldest son inherits). Daughters may inherit if no sons are available, but this is very rare. One month after the birth of any royal family member, the baby is presented to the people to show that the heirs have no physical flaws. (This is a holdover from the days following the Aelfhild, when heirs displaying any sidhe taint were destroyed.) A week-long Festival of Presentation follows: misdemeanors are pardoned, matters of honor are considered resolved, dueling is forbidden, all debts are (supposed to be) considered forgiven, and people of all ranks eat at the same table.

The current king, Hamir, is a former Ranger and a popular hero, but some of the nobility think him a bit "touched," especially because of his keen interest in the Scientist Guild's work. His family, the Elminars, is part Daleman, and is also rumored to have some trace of sidhe blood. His queen, Bronuvere, is of nearly pure Daleman stock (of the ancient Penavden tribe), and was a Quadralunic priest before her marriage. Their single son, Moliet, is now a young man of 24.

King Hamir's advisors include the ancient wizard, Jamis Savante, a powerful enchanter and battle-mage of uncertain origin.

Names: Names may be derived from Krithian [Old English/Germanic] or Daelic [Celtic]. Except among traditional Dalemen, the usual form is the Krithian style: a given name followed by a family name.

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