The Kingdom

The **Kingdom** is a realm located on the continent of Sothos, ruled by King Lightchester, the king who sits on the King's Throne in the capital city, Fair Port. It is the the largest Kingdom ever in Convergence, and the only one currently. It consists of ten counties, one duchy, and the King's lands. The counts serve under the King, but own and govern their own lands for the most part. The Duke operates independently for the most part, but is loyal to the King.

## Origin

The houses that survived the Unification War, that King Lightchester waged, did so by submitting while still in a favorable position enough to keep their lands or by aiding the King in conquering their neighboring lord. Below the current lords are listed roughly from most Northern to most Southern. Other than in the Seabreak Knightdom, each city is governed by a baron, who is sworn to a count, the Duke, or the King. There are a number of dead houses that were ended during the Unification War. Each Lord governs and is bound to his land and is seated in his castle.

**Count Alderman Merfar**

**Count Tyr Winterwolf**

**Duke Artor Suncaster**

**Count Locklear Briefield**

**Count Gilbar Runbourne**

**Count Gregor Blackmyre**

**Count Gendry Capemar**

**Count Rkyer Loveburne**

**Count Damon Moorsky**

**Knight Grandon Seabreak**

**Count Auran Reachrae**

**King Seldan Lightchester**

To what extent these claims are "legitimate" is ultimately a matter of having the power to enforce the title. The requirement for a House Lord to also be a knight, capable of warfare means that weak sons often do not inherit as intended. The King is the ultimate rule of law in the land and if a man can make a claim the King finds favorable, this will sometimes become the *new law.* Should a former house seek a claim, or a new lord wants his own land, it is an uncertain matter of daring, politics, and luck.

## Regions and Territory

* The Lightchester Kingsland is the Southern most holding. It is mostly grassland inhabited traditionally by nomadic pastoralists who travel in wagons with their massive animal herds. Some permanent settlements have formed, like Fair Port. It is blocked from sea trade with the North counties by Saltmarsh, which at sometimes has not been under Kingdom control.
* The Seabreak Knightdom is a coastal cragland with some forest and rivers.
* Capemar County is a coast forest land.
* Moorsky County is impassable swamp and mangrove forest.
* Reachrae County is large hills and rugged plains.
* Loveburne County is rugged highlands and small mountains.
* Suncaster Duchy is mostly mountainous, getting more extreme to the East.
* Blackmyre County is wetlands, swamp, and damp forest.
* Merfar County is coastal lowlands, dunes, and forested dunes.
* Winterwolf County is a dramatic plateau land jutting into the ocean, heavily forested with mixed trees.
* Runbourne County is riverlands.
* Briefield County heavily agricultural and forested.

## Population

### Cities, towns and villages

The kingdom is speckled with burgs, but only the Lord's seats can be called cities.

* Fair Port, located in the Lightchester Kingdom.
* Blackmyre, located within Blackmyre county.

## Religion

See also: Religion
The Nine Divines are the core pantheon of all Convergence, but different people prioritize the Gods differently.

* Estus is the patron God of the Lightchester Kingdom. With a heavy focus on agriculture, the Sun of Estus is especially important to the Lightchester's lands. He is associated with the knightly traditions of horsemanship, heavy armor, the sword and lance.

* Druidic worship and sacred tree groves are more common in the Northern counties than in the South. It's said that these cultures have more in common culturally and in bloodlines with the elves.

* The coastal communities tend to pray to Eatora for protection against the chaotic and unpredictable sea storms. None of the Gods are believed to rule over the crushing, freezing, lightless depths of the oceans, and some remote communities are believed to give service to the dark things below in hopes it will appease them.

* Secretive cults exist in the hidden places of Sothos, but some spawn within cities, masking themselves in plain sight. Worship of Order or Chaos is taboo across Convergence, but it is often difficult to identify until it is too late.