Alenthylian

Alenthyl was founded by Saint-King Alen, who established the Holy Church of Alenthyl, which worshipped the Light as an ethereal, omnipotent being. As the kingdom expanded, older Kingdoms were conquered.
Three Duchies were established - The Capital Lands, Antonelle, and Florham. After Saint-King Alen Capewell's death, the old Kingdom of Westershire was also conquered and established as and Alenthylian Duchy. On his deathbed, Saint-King Alen established the Alenthylian Church of the Light and granted all power over religious practice in Alenthyl to a Pontiff. The seat of this new Pontiff was chosen as Florham.
After Alenthyl fell to a Volvarian broadwing; its offspring spread about the land and killed any who stayed. The people of Alenton retreated underground and established an underground city. For many years they struggled to survive and lived harshly. When King Avan eventually lead the assault on the Dragon threat and reclaimed Alenton, the people of Alenthyl followed.
== History ==
- Pre-Conquest, 2E ??? - 3E 1
Before the Saint-King's holy conquest, Alenthyl was divided into five petty kingdoms, along with several other small groups of nomadic folk that lived in the Eastern forested regions and the Western swamps. The kingdoms had uneasy peace. Their religions varied, with some worshiping a singular deity, some with around a dozen, and some with uncountable hundreds. The kingdoms were Westershire, Antonelle, Windmere, Darren, and Northpoint. Westershire encompassed the west, Antonelle the south, Darren and Windmere fought over the central plains, and Northpoint was the smallest, only holding small keeps near the Lady's Eye.
- Saint-King's Conquest, 3E 1 - 17
A man by the name of Alen Capewell, holder of a small keep in the petty Northpoint kingdom, declared that the Lady Light worshipped by most in Northpoint was actually a misidentification of the true entity, and all-powerful being known simply as the Light. He crowned himself the Saint-King and chosen one of the Light, and that his Holy purpose was to unite the land in the Light's name, claiming that the Light itself spoke to him in his dreams and told him the truth and granted him this power.
Over the course of several years, Alen gained a large following and began his conquest. He first marched south to Windmere, using its war with Darren to easily sweep over and capture their capital cities and keeps, before marching for Darren. Once captured, he went his men eastward to claim the forests for his own. The nomads offered little resistance. Then, he marched south and began a six year long siege of Lavette Rochelle, the capital of Antonelle. Eventually, the Antonellans gave way and yielded to his might, and the Saint-King agreed to wed one. He marched westward and battled with the Westermonts of Westershire, but to no avail. They reached a stalemate, and eventually the Saint-King pulled his forces back to begin to establish his new kingdom.
The Saint-King was notable for his ruthless tactics of war, often razing and sacking villages and keeps, taking the leaders and lords' families hostage until they backed down. Once a kingdom was conquered, he placed one of his trusted Courtiers in charge, those men who had followed him while he still simply owned a small keep. After capturing a rival kingdom, his Courtiers would forcibly convert those under them to the new way of the Light.
After the main bulk of the Conquest was over, the Saint-King named his new kingdom and the Capital city after himself. Alenton of Alenthyl.
- Establishment of the Holy Church and Florham, 3E 17
The Saint-King grew deathly ill, and on his deathbed he declared that no man would ever be as he was, the voice of the Light as well as the king of Alenthyl. As such, he established the Pontificate and the Alenthylian Church of the Light. The Pontiff would, from now on, act as the voice and representative of the Light.
The Saint-King's eldest son, Erasmus I, was displeased with this. The first Pontiff, Saint Florian, took the power and began to wield it against the throne. He had the support of many of the believers of the Light. With this, he established the Holy City of Florham, and declared it the Light's Capital. The Saint-King gave his crown to Saint Florian to keep in Florham. This began unease between the Crown and the Pontificate that would last until the present day.
- Westershire Joins the Fold, 3E 19
After two years of uneasy peace with Westershire, the Saint-King's son, King Erasmus Capewell I arranged a treaty with the Westermonts, threatening to crush them like all the rest if they didn't agree. The Westermonts agreed, and King Erasmus allowed them to keep hold of their lands and retain the title "Prince" and "Princess". The Holy Kingdom of Alenthyl was united.
- Unification of Alenthyl, 3E 20
The Kingdom of Alenthyl was unified, all of the land belonging to the Capewells and to Alenthyl. The land was divided into duchies, resembling the original kingdoms that had once stood. Now that the kingdom was at peace, several establishments were made. The Arcane Society was formed, which would conflict with the Light's teachings. The Holy Templar was formed as an armed force to represent the Light.
- The Sack of Florham, 3E 54
The Pontificate the Crown had continued their unease, though it was never prevalent. However, this eventually came to a head when the Pontificate began to grant itself more and more power without the knowledge or permission of the king. Erasmus demanded that the Pontiff move the Holy Capital to the Capital city so as to work more closely with the Crown. When the Pontiff refused, stating that Florham would be the only Holy Capital Alenthyl would know, King Erasmus sent a force of men to Florham. The city was razed and sacked, with the Pontiff being executed for treason. The king declared that the Holy Capital would reside in Alenton from then on, and that the Church would never again act outside of the king's power.
The ruins of Florham stand to the present, being a religious site for many Light believers to travel to. It is said that the Saint-King's crown was lost in the sack, and that it remains somewhere in the ruins to this day.
- War of the Seventh Born, 3E 200 - 211
In the centuries following the sack of Florham, Alenthyl remained in relative peace until King Alen II's death. King Alen had seven children. The eldest, third eldest, and sixth eldest sons died due to various reasons. Only one son remained to him, the seventh child, Henric. Henric's older siblings were all women. However, his eldest sister, Ada, was not content with this. After Henric was crowned king, she fled to Westershire and declared that, as the oldest child of King Alen, she was the rightful queen of Alenthyl. The Westermonts supported her claim, and thus began the largest civil war in Alenthyl's history. The Arbor and Antonelle were steadfast in their support of King Henric, though Lordharbour and Centrafeld were divided. Several of the great families within both declared for the Westermonts and Queen Ada.
The war lasted for eleven years, with several bloody battles. Queen Ada was renowned for her remarkably ruthless tactics, involving torture and the flaying of her enemies. She was named Queen Ada the Devil, in reference.Eventually, however, the wars ended and King Henric stood victorious. Despite the urging of his advisors, he did not execute his sister, instead declaring that they both shared the Saint-King's blood, and she would be forgiven, so long as she surrendered her children to the Crown for fostering. Because of this act of mercy, Henric would be called King Henric the Merciful.
- Granthel's Colonization and Exploration, 3E 390
In the years that followed the War of the Seventh Born, Alenthyl began to turn its sights elsewhere. Several exploration expeditions were funded by the Crown. Though most were unsuccessful, one managed to find a seemingly uninhabited continent, that was later named Granthel. Alenthyl decided to take a gamble and began to send people to establish colonies on this new continent. During this time, the Holy Templar and the Arcane Society had hostile conflicts, often involving armed violence and deaths. Because the Templar had much more power and influence, the Arcane Society fled to the Granthelian colonies. Eventually, Alain Wrenne declared himself king and the kingdom of Granthel was formed.
In addition to Granthel, Alenthylians explorers also discovered a large landmass, which the natives named Volvar. Not much was discovered about this landmass, as the explorers were eventually run out.
Alenthylian explorers eventually discoverd the landmass known as Deurlyth, as well. This marks the first time Deurlyth is recorded.
- Western Rebellion, 3E 1143 - 1145
A woman by the name of Larene Westermont was murdered in Alenton. The Westermonts were furious that one of their own had been killed under the nose of the Capewells, and they sent demands to the Capital, stating that the killer must be brought to justice. However, the killer was revealed to be a powerful courtier and knight under the Capewells, and the crime was ignored. The Westermonts, even more furious, declared that the Capewells were fools and tyrants, and declared open rebellion on the kingdom. The rest of Alenthyl united against them.
There were several battles, and it was clear that were it not for a single crucial keep, the Westermont rebellion would be easily crushed. However, this keep was crucial to the defense of Westershire, and the war continued. Several Alenthylian generals tried and failed to siege the keep, until one general convinced the holder of the keep that the war was a lost cause, and that the violence could be ended if he simply agreed to fight him, one on one, for the keep. The general won, and the keep was taken. The Westermonts were crushed and the war was over. The head of House Westermont was executed, and his children taken as hostage.
- Broadwing's Destruction, 3E 1150
A Volvarian by the name of Del'Thok, wielding a Dragoncharm, unleashed a Broadwing dragon on the Capital lands of Alenthyl. The dragon ravaged the land, obliterating the capital city and scarring the lands. The Capital lands of Alenthyl were uninhabitable, scorched and burning, with several clutches of dragon eggs having been laid. The current king of Alenthyl, King Avangantamos Capewell I, took a group of Templar and fled to Volvar.
- The Republic of Novania and Saint Varren's Caves, 3E 1150 - 1174
Following the capital's destruction, those who managed to survive the initial ravaging fled into the expansive cave system underneath the Capital lands, forming a society as best they could. The remaining Capewells, the Church, and several thousand citizens made it into these caves.
The Valentines of Antonelle fled Alenthyl when they received word of the attack and travelled to Deurlyth, forming their own Republic, free of Alenthyl.
In the years that followed, tensions in the caves grew. Soldiers were sent aboveground on scouting missions and to kill the dragonspawn that had hatched in the years following. Hundreds of men died during these battles, During this time, the faith of the Lady Light began anew. People believed that the Light had forsaken them, and they had to follow the Lady to achieve salvation. The Holy Church, naturally, did not like this and began to take more and more power, leading inquisitions. The remaining Capewells did not like this, and tensions grew between the two groups. Eventually, the Church staged a coup and began to assassinate the Capewells they could, leading to a civil war in the caves.
- Rebuilding, 3E 1174 - 1180
After several years of fighting, in and out of the caves, King Avan Capewell finally put down the Church's civil war and began to lead the Alenthylians out of the caves. The rebuilding of Alenton began, and the thousands of citizens in the caves were evacuated.
- Derthian Raids and the Great Feldwolf, 3E 1176 - 1179
During the years Alenton was being rebuilt and the people moved from Saint Varren's caves, several groups of raiders from the isles of Derth began to send raiding parties, attacking towns in Lordharbour. Generally, House Dunwell and Ashford preferred to stay out of conflicts. However, the raiders had managed to hit several important trade vessels and ports. For the first time in years, House Dunwell raised its military to fight the raiders, along with several other Lordharbour counts. The conflict continued for years. A raider-general by the name of James Garn arose. The man was known for his brutalization of peasants and killing of innocents, and was known as "Little Jim". Eventually, the commonfolk banded together and managed to ambush and kill Little Jim. With the death of the general, the rest of the raiders began to disperse.
Around the same time, word began to spread of a beastly large wolf ravaging towns within Centrafeld. The stories told that the wolf was larger than a horse, stark white and vicious. Whole villages were found abandoned because of it, dozens of people killed. The current Dukes of Centrafeld sent out several parties to try and catch or put down the beast, but they returned unsuccessful or not at all. Eventually, the Duke put out a bounty on the wolf's hide, promising several thousand coins to whomever who brought it to him. Knights and mercenaries all throughout Centrafeld travelled far and wide, hunting for the beast. It took nearly two years, but eventually it was killed. However, stories are still told of the wolf.
- The War of Forsaken Faiths, 3E 1181 - Present
King Avan Capewell, over the course of several years, seemed to slowly become more paranoid. This culminated with his declaring war on Granthel, claiming that they had looked down on them too long. Alenthyl raised its levies and sent its navy towards Granthel, beginning an assault on its walls.
During the course of the war, the Granthelians infiltrated Avan's court and eventually had him assassinated. In retaliation, the Alenthylians sent an airship, loaded with Blod'Juret, into Granthel's outer wall - destroying it and letting the beasts free within the city.
== Families ==
=== Families ===
- House Capewell: The ruling house of Alenthyl and Duchy of the Capital lands. The house is believed to have been founded by Alen himself, often making this house believed to be blessed directly by the Light.
- House Westermont: An ancient family who's ruled the Duchy of Westershire since before Saint-King Alen's conquest. Most consider them second only to the Capewells.
- House Bywater: Formed by one of the Saint-King's most trusted serjants who was entrusted the Duchy of Lordharbour after its conquest. Their name, originally, came from the fact that they were situated "by water".
- House Dunwell: Rulers of the great city of Ashford, House Dunwell has roots going back even before the Saint-King. House Dunwell has been known, even to this day, to be very upset that their great city is not capital, and their family is not Duke of Lordharbour. Ashford is larger even than Port Darendale, and boasts a large standing army and navy. However, because of House Dunwell's unrest they have offered very little support in the Granthelian-Alenthylian war and instead have conserved strength.
- House Challinder: House Challinder commands the vast military of Ashford. Far more than simple captains of the town watch, House Challinder is a powerful family in its own right. Known as the Marshals of Ashfords forces, they command a great respect.
== Quirks ==
=== Overview ===
=== Appearance ===
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Alenthylians can have a wider range of appearances than most races due to their ancestry. However, they tend to have paler skin, lighter-colored hairs, and common eye colors.
=== Naming Conventions ===
=== Practices ===
==== Clothing ====
==== Food ====
Cuisines of Alenthyl
==== Marriage ====
Marriage in Alenthyl is seen as a holy bond between a man and a woman. Together they are bound by a preacher from the Church of the Light. Marriages are public to families and friends of the bride and groom. Typically, the man proposes to the woman, however, this is not as strict of a social norm, and is still acceptable for the woman to propose.
Marriage between same sex partners is not allowed inside of Alenthyl, and often participants in such relationships are ostracised from society into exile. The Church teaches even at young ages, speaking negatively about such relations. In addition to this, monogamy is the only allowed type of marriage. Polygamy is spoken negatively by the Church in the same manner as that of homosexuality.
Divorce is also not practiced inside of Alenthyl. To the Church, once one is married, they are bound until one dies or is removed from the Church. Only then is the marriage considered to be at an end. In all cases with the removal of one spouse from the Church, the spouse who remains will inherit ownership over all properties and assets, as well as any children. If both are removed, all belongings and children are taken by the Church. It should be taken into consideration that marriages are only considered valid if the ceremony is overseen by an official of the Church.
It can also be noted that anyone doing what is believed to be wrong in the Church related to marriage, be it polygamy, homosexuality, an affair, or other, they may enter purification through the Church, even if they are removed from it. These individuals are all welcomed back into society as if they had always been a devout follower of the Light.
==== Slavery ====
Slavery is not allowed within any region of the Empire of Alenthyl. Any who participate in the holding, buying, or selling of slaves is considered a criminal of Alenthyl, and will be executed according to the law, regardless of position, be they an official of the Church, a highborn noble, or a common peasant.
This view on slavery has stemmed from tensions caused by slavery in the past, as well as believing that only the Light can own a person. Often servants are confused for slaves in Alenthyl, however, this is false as they are employed and receive an income for their job. Their labor is not forced unless it is a punishment for criminal activity, in which they are only considered a prisoner, not a slave.
The only exception for the execution for the crime of slavery is if the accused agrees to join the Church and enter seclusion from society until the wrongdoer is believed to be purified and or redeemed of their crimes.
==== Education ====
==== Magic ====
Light magic is beloved in Alenthyl. Often the users of Light magic in Alenthyl are Light Paladins, who serve both the Emperor and the Church. They are considered the most elite fighting force, and actively recruit all Light mages possible. The only other part of Alenthyl with a large recruitment drive for Light mages is the Church, which often seeks out Light mages to eventually become higher officials in the Church over time.
Arcane magic is often shunned and believed to be a distraction from the Faith in the Light. They believe that users of the arcane are heretics, and often are ostracised. This goes further into believing that these users of arcane magic may also be Granthelians attempting to deify the Light and spread their poisonous words amongst the people to cause a revolution.
Dark magic is the most despised type of magic in Alenthyl. Although they are no longer executed for simply being a Dark mage, it is a common thing to hear about these individuals disappearing from society, never to be seen again or even spoken of. It is thought that either the Light Paladins or some secret sect of the Church hunts down these Dark users and do whatever they desire to remove them from the public. Other devout members have also been heard of taking matters into their own hands, often hunting down even close friends and killing them in their sleep.
Althought Dark and arcane magics are not welcome openly in Alenthyl, it has been heard of such individuals coming to Alenthyl in seek of help in purifying themselves of their atrocities. The Church takes these people and puts them into a seclusion from the public until they are deemed pure of their evils. Once this is done, they are welcomed back as if they had never been what they once were.
==== Funerals ====
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Category:Cultures
Category:Western Cultures