Whytehold Commonwealth

The Whytehold Commonwealth was a nation based out of the city of Whytehold. It arose after the collapse of the Great Sturvandian Empire. It lasted from 18.27 to 20.30, when it was reformed into the Kingdom of Whytehold.

## History

#### The Scramble for Whytehold

Following the collapse of New Dasa, many of the most powerful of the rising Tyrranean nations still had a grudge to settle with Whytehold, resulting in the Scramble for Whytehold of 18.27. The two major players, Erradan and Haven, sent forces.

A Havenite army tore its way across Silvershire, razing and sacking Avamore and Theracoure, to arrive at the King's Plateau, while an Erdannian mercenary army snuck its way up the River Strom in riverboats, and hired mercenaries from Gildenstadt on their way.

With the aid of a mountain dragon, the Havenite army sacked the city of Kirkenhold, burned down the Cathedral, and killed the rival Heirophant Tenacity I.

Meanwhile the Marshal of Whytehold, Sigfried Kommanstrom, was preparing for the worst. He recalled his greatest knights and warriors to Whytehold, including hunters of the Hinterwald, knights who had been fighting darkness in Umberlain, and warriors who fought the Vaskarr in the mountains. He granted increased power to the Abbey of Metallurgy, and commissioned them to build great and powerful weapons. These hardy warriors, equipped with incredible weapons and armour, defended Whytehold from both enemy armies, and even managed to slay the dragon that the Havenites had brought.

#### The Reformation

After successfully defending Whytehold, Kommanstrom then turned to resolving more civil matters, and began an array of sweeping reforms to the structure of Whytehold. With no apparent heir to the throne, after the Sturvandy dynasty all died in New Dasa, Kommanstrom abolished the monarchy, and heavily reduced the power of the aristocracy. In turn, he heightened the power of the military, and elevated those who had defended Whytehold during the siege to positions of incredible power. He then named himself High Marshal of the Whytehold Commonwealth, and established a system of elective succession.

Finally, Kommanstrom created the High Court, in which the High Commanders of Whytehold held most of the power, but there were also positions for representatives of the Elders and the Metallurgists.

#### The Two Revolutions of Whytehold

In 20.15, a knight called Nikovid Von Karstein re-formed the Lightguard, a group of religious militants who were dedicated to the belief that Tyrrus was a sacred land, and that going beyond its borders was breaking many holy laws, allowing the darkness in. In 2015 Nikovid was proven right as the country of Hirokir declared war on Tyrrus. This, as well as the undead invasions, gained him a much larger following. By the beginning of 20.16 the Lightguard had become one of the largest religious factions in Whytehold, outnumbered only by the Elders and the Metallurgists.

Later in 20.16, Whytehold sent a battalion of knights lead by High Marshal Talon Austermark to aid in the defense of Erradan against the undead. Nikovid Von Karstein was taken by surprise, and disgusted, when the High Marshal not only allowed, but helped, a group of adventurers to go beyond Tyrrus. While the adventurers were away, Nikovid plotted and planned, and began to gain a following in Erradan and Thassalus. He also made a trip to Sollan Temple, and consulted with the Heirophant himself, Purity IX. The Heirophant endorsed his endeavors, and named him "High Persecutor" of the Lightguard, a title which had not existed since the fall of the Sollan Dominion.

After the infamous party in the summer of 20.17, Nikovid siezed his chance. He rallied up the Commanders of Whytehold, with the claim that the General had put his faith and trust in the wrong people, and was only bringing suffering and madness into Tyrrus. With the support of the Heirophant at his back, he managed to convince the majority of the Church of the Light as well. He dug up an ancient law and challenged the general to a duel. Nikovid eventually won the duel, and Talon Austermark was forced to abdicate as High Marshal. The commanders then made Nikovid High Marshal of the Whytehold Commonwealth and General of the Military of the Tyrranean Coalition, giving him unparalleled military power within the city, and the whole of Tyrrus. With this power, he began ordering public executions of anybody who he believes to be a heretic, which included many of the adventurer's companions, and the former High Marshal.

The Metallurgists originally protested to Nikovid's rule, but when Nikovid threatened to reveal the secrets of Whytehold Steel to the world, they reluctantly bowed, for Whytehold Steel was something sacred to them.

Not long into his reign, a rebellion began. Wearing white bird masks, rebels began to attack the Lightguard within the city, and prevented many executions taking place. The rebels printed out fake accusations from Nikovid against his own allies and rallied the people. Cedric Gallows was revealed to be the leader of these rebels when he confronted Nikovid and the Commanders at the council building, but he was quickly detained by Nikovid. Despite this, he managed to sneak in a jar of spiders, which terrified Nikovid so much that many commanders lost faith in him. After a few days of rebellion, the people were discontent with Nikovid's rule. A final climactic execution resulted in the appearance of a Black Legionnaire, who was swiftly defeated by Lightguard. Almost immediately afterwards, a glowing white woman wearing the bird mask floated above the square. A mob assaulted the dungeons and the castle, lead by Commander Leona Carrus. The Lightguard Bastion Wolfgang Geltrich managed to convince many members of the lightguard that Nikovid was not to be trusted. The adventurers revealed that they had been behind the rebellion, and they broke into the dungeons, freeing many of the prisoners that Nikovid had unlawfully locked away, including Cedric. After this, they confronted Nikovid at the top of the castle, where he had Jerome Joysong hostage. Jerome almost died, but was saved via timely teamwork between Doctor Steiner and Cedric. Nikovid, defeated and surrounded, threw himself off the top of the castle, since he had nothing else to live for, but he was saved by Steiner's magic.

#### Confederation of the Commonwealth

After the revolutions, High Marshal Carrus' most significant actions were unifying the territories of the White Cape and Umberlain more solidly with the rest of Whytehold, in 20.20.

Six years after Leona Carrus became High Marshal, her tenure ended, and rather than compete to be re-elected, she graciously stepped down, to make way for the popular commander Theodoric Helmsgarr, who promised to expand the commonwealth, and start a new age of progress. His first actions were to confederate with the Rivenwald States in 20.26, which was mostly consensual. His conquest of Thassalus in 20.28 was a lot less peaceful, though no blood was actually shed, since Whytehold faced no resistance in marching an army into the city.

In 20.30 the nation was officially reformed into the Kingdom of Whytehold, with Theodoric Helmsgarr as its King-Commander. The nation retained its system of elective succession, but each King-Commander would reign until death, abdication, or deposition.