The City-State of New Knave (NPC)

## History

The foundation of the City-State of New Knave can be derived in the early Aldrian region. Towards the end of the 3rd era, a group of early La'Vanti and Greyborn settlements came together and founded the city of Knave, under the leadership of King Edmond Remington. As such the Remington dynasty was first established, and it is this same dynasty that has managed to persist to this day.

The fall of the City-State of Knave was compounded by multiple factors. It is well-known that Knave was considered as the 'Great Betrayer' during the Calamities of the 4th era, and that it was this event that led to their general ostracizement from the survivors of Eyumel—and subsequent targeting by the refugee-brigands. However, Knave's collapse was only hurried upon by the significant clout of chaotic magic in the area. The city was founded upon a hotspot of deathly magic, one that culminated into the animation of their dead. As time went on and the ancestors of Knave passed on, their bodies would ultimately culminate to bring about The Great Swelling, an event that characterized the departure of the undead from the Crypts and Catacombs and overwhelmed the general countryside. The royal family fled South to a small fort, that would ultimately survive much of the Dark Ages, and ultimately be the site of the future city of New Knave.

This event still marks its scars to this day. As Knave—an area now referred to as *Old Knave*—has been subsumed by this deathly magic for nearly a millennia since its fall. Its the reason that despite the descendants of Knave returning to the area. that New Knave was founded a considerable distance away from the original city. Compounded by the effects of the Morire forest and Old Knave, the inhabitants of New Knave have had to form a formidable defensive apparatus, one that has served as a bulwark for Western Eyumel in keeping these evil influences from spreading further into the heart of the West.

## Government of New Knave

While New Knave is functionally a city-state, it's size and area of influence is still on par with many Kingdoms. New Knave is headed by a somewhat symbolic King derived from the Remington dynasty. While the King still holds a fair degree of executive power and tends to act in tandem with the Chancellor of the Patrician Council, the true power of the state falls to the Patrician Council, where laws and regulations are passed.

The Government of New Knave is divided into several entities. The King, Chancellors, the Patrician Council, and the House of the Proletarians.

### The King:

The King is the Head of State. While greatly limited in power since the Patrician Accords, the King still holds a lot of influence over the government, and most particularly the nations people. The King, acting as head of state, is representative of the country itself. Frequently meeting with foreign ambassadors and serving as the diplomatic arm of the entire state. The King promotes unity within the realm, and exercises that power on behalf of the people. He is the chief of the citizens, and the chief diplomat.

### The Chancellor:

The counterpart to the King, the Chancellor is the head of Government and runs the executive apparatus within the Sovereignty. He is also the Legislative facilitator, and holds the power to convene the Patrician Council.

### The Patricians:

Senators of the government. These officials hold noble rank, but represent their noble houses and the areas upon which they are given jurisdiction. This office is elected, not by the people, but by the Noble Houses themselves. Typically these individuals are the Patriarchs of the Noble Families, but instances of relatives being elected in the stead of the Patriarch are not uncommon. Members of the Patrician Council are referred to as "Patrician".

### The Proletariat:

The House of the Proletarians can hardly be considered influential by any measure within the government of New Knave, and tends to be frequently ignored. However, it still remains an integral outlet for many of the cities wealthy merchant, and fledgling middle class that help bridge the gap between the peasantry and the nobles. These individuals are elected by the people themselves, however those elected to this office hold no real power. Simply acting as an advisory body to the Patricians. Individuals elected to the House of the Proletarians are referred to as a "Proletarian".

## The State

While the Sovereignty is well known for it's capital of New Knave, the state has long since surpassed the qualifications of being considered as a simple "city-state" and has evolved into a true Kingdom. Though, considering the standing and power of the Patrician Council within the Sovereignty, it is more accurate to identify the state as a Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy. Parliamentary because of a class of elected officials chosen by the people. Constitutional because of the rights bestowed upon the people, by which the government is to be held accountable; and Monarchy because of the evident power that still resides within the King as the head of Government.

### Annesley

Annesley is a town found towards the south-western most point of the Sovereignty, approaching the Sunkenlands. The town is predominantly known for its timber industry, and has played critical roles in producing the timber necessary to build the Sovereignty's ships, buildings, and occasionally even war machines. The people of Annesley, while burly, are much more atune with the natural world than other residents within the Sovereignty. They find themselves closer attuned to the forests and the beasts that live within there. One may not be surprised to find that there may be a handful of actual leybeast tamers that reside in the town.

### Royston

Royston is well known for its extensive quarry. Most of the fortifications that encompass Fort Remyngton, as well as the city walls of New Knave originated from the great quarry mines of Royston. The people here are a hardier folk, and tend to be rough around the edges, much like the rocks they quarry.

### Beosley

Beosly is the town of the golden fields. A distinction that fits rather well. One will be surprised that when they near the town of Beosley of the extensive fields of wheat that flow through the wind. The region surrounding it, known as Golfiels boasts long flowing rivers, as well as the conditions and soil necessary for the mass production of grains and other food crops, and as such has become the bread basket of the Sovereignty.

### Harden

The town of miners. Near constantly dirty as a result of the soot that layers the air, and every building in the town. Resident to coal & iron mines that fund the pervasive war machine that is the Sovereignty military. Many issues of discontent originate from here; and as such a very active military presence is near-always felt. Though, if one asks the government the presence of so many legionnaires is attributed to the dangerous nature of the Aldrian forest.

## Demographics of the Sovereignty of New Knave

The Aldrian region was traditionally home to the Greyfolk and La'Vanti of old. However, following the cataclysm that laid wastes to much of the coastal areas of Eyumel, and the subsequent upturning of the very land itself in the frequent tremors that followed, populations and cultural groups experienced a period of migratory change near-unheard of throughout the history of the continent. Entire cultures were displaced, with some merging with dominant cultures of their new regions, and with others ultimately falling extinct. This great dying off of the mortal races served to change the face of the continent forever, and as such, so too did the area of Aldria change. While the Greyfolk still play a large role in local population distributions in the Aldrian Region, the City of New Knave (or what has now become known as the Sovereignty) has come to encompass a variety of minority groups. Many of whom are descendants of refugees from various regions across Eyumel. This has led to New Knave having a truly diverse population of races.

The descendants of the La'Vanti (the Vargash) and the Greyfolk make-up the majority of the population within the region. But within new Knave one may encounter various groups of Felkata and Humans from regions afar. New Knave has, as such, become a cultural powerhouse of the continent as a multitude of cultures have converged and the exchange of ideas made rampant.

Some scholars attribute this phenomenon to why the monarchy ultimately fell in standing, and why the Patrician Council rose to power in New Knave; as a diversity of ideas and perspectives led to a rapid accumulation of power amongst the patrician class that upset the traditional power between the people and state.

## Geography of New Knave

New Knave is situated on the banks of the Aldrian river, and south of the Grey Forest. This forest forms a natural barrier that has helped protect the city from the effects of the The Great Swelling, as well as hostile brigands. Fort Knave, north along the coast of the Aldrian region, and south of the Morire forest has played a crucial part in the blunting of any evil influences that stem from the Morire forest. Occasionally incursions erupt from the depths of these rotted lands, but Fort Remyngton has near consistently survived to this day. Scholars suspect that the establishment of this fort is one of the reason why stability has largely returned to Western Eyumel, and civilizations have once again emerged. Though, to this day, the Fort bears the cost of civilization.