User:Oseng
The Serene Kingdom of Velgarth
Genre: High Magic Kingdom (with a Guild Wars 2 flair)
Background:
Velgarth is a planet of magic – a place where the leylines are alive with power. Magic naturally to many of its inhabitants, and those with powerful magic have naturally drifted to the top. It has been a backwater planet for many generations, even going back before access to the star lanes was cut off, but its western-most continent still bears the scars of orbital bombardment from that era.
At the very top of the kingdom's social order is the monarch, currently Her Serene Majesty Caitlyn BLANK the 3rd, from whom all power descends. Below her are the various nobles, who administer the lands of the kingdom in her majesty's name and at her whim. Most noble titles and lands are hereditary but succession is dependent on the monarch's approval. He or she can also raise someone or a family to the nobility and also strip that nobility from them. According to historical records the kingdom was once much more feudal and the nobles held power in their own right, but over time the monarchy seized power for themselves. Below the nobles are the gentry: wealthy officials, merchants, and others who lack titles. Most of the high ranking clergy comes from the gentry due to an age old religious decree intended to prevent clergy from gaining too much secular power. Below the gentry are the commoners: average townspeople, servants, and others. At one time there were serfs and slaves beneath the commoners but they were freed by an abolitionist monarch generations ago, though criminals can still technically be bound into serfdom for a few crimes.
Religion
The main religion on Velgarth is the faith of the four-faced goddess, though worship of a monothestic Sun-Lord is fairly widespread in the western regions of the empire. The four faces of the goddess are the maiden, mother, crone, and warrior. Each face represents a different season and is the patron of different things and crafts.
Principles and Interests
Divine Right
Magic
Velgarthian mages are commonly known as Arcanists and use a formal, ritualized, style of spell casting. There is another tradition of magic that is practiced among low-level magic users and peasants but the nobles consider this “hedge magic” rather rustic and rarely bother to learn any of it. This “hedge magic” or “low magic” is much more fluid, instinctive, and nature oriented then the “high magic” practiced by proper arcanists.
Military
The Velgarthian military is divided into four sections or branches: the knightly orders, the royal guard, the royal navy, and the heralds. The knightly orders originally started out as pure-noble forces but, though they still count a significant number of nobles among their ranks, have developed into Velgarth's elite forces. The Royal Guard is responsible for all planet bound military operations, while the Royal Navy has a similar mandate in the deep ether. Finally, the heralds are the personal agents of the monarchy – elite spies and operatives who keep an eye on the nobles among other duties.
Heroes