Guiles

Guiles is the region where the kingdom of the same name once existed. Now it is sparsely populated by monsters, mostly Vampires.

## Description

Guiles is located comfortably on the southeastern coast of Wraimall. It is flanked by the Ocean on its east and south, Fanemire to the northeast, Kelemere to the northwest, and Olbrecht to the west. The rivers Wryard and Goldmós make up its northwestern and western border, dividing it from Olbrecht and Kelemere. The Tídrén Hills separate Guiles and Fanemire to the North.

In several ways, the geography of Guiles is more desirable than that of other countries like Kelemere, Fanemire, and especially Olbrecht. It is composed mostly of fertile rolling hills, rich forests, and few areas of open grassland. Due to their weakness to the sun, the Vampires of Guiles have allowed (and even cultivated) the growth of forests to cover exposed land with dense canopies of mostly evergreen. This allows them to travel between any point at any time of the day. As the Vampires only subsist on the blood of the living, farming is obsolete, and no longer practiced. Many ruined cities and villages lay buried in the overwhelming forest, Dinmes, which encompasses much of the country. Winding and tangled roads still stretch across the land, half-consumed with brush.

Though many landmarks and geographical features once had names, the ones unimportant to the Vampires or not near their few settlements have been lost to the ages.

The capital of Guiles is the city of Ophinicon, a large stone city with a sprawling maze of streets. It is a gray place where nothing grows, and the buildings are impressive and tall. Ophinicon is located in the center of the country, along the Westdor Road. The other settlements are much smaller and widely spread out, including the villages of Hauter, LaFlot, Achêne, and Mentraves.

Guiles is a wild country and has little in the way of borders, aside form the natural boundaries of the rivers and hills. Many things may come and go freely and undetected into and out of the country.

### Climate and Countryside

Guiles is a dark and quiet land, where the warm ocean winds fail to penetrate the stranglehold of the Dinmes Forest; Guiles is much cooler in temperature than it should be, due to the forest that shades the earth. Many animals roam this country, including large predators such as bears and wolves, but seldom do animals call, not even the birds. This contributes to a frightening stillness, one that is easily broken by the slightest of sounds. In the Dinmes, a pin can be heard being dropped for miles around. Predatory animals and monsters alike are constantly listening for such disturbances. The land is relatively flat and rolling, with low elevation save for the Tídrén Hills that mark the northern border of the country, and lead into the rocky highlands of Fanemire. The summers can be hot, and the winters are mild, with snow being a rarity. Parts of the forest is old, with immense trees that reach to the heavens, while the majority of it is relatively newer; thinner trees with dense underbrush, cool earth adorned with moss and ferns. The Vampires have planted many evergreen trees to shade them from the sun even in the wintertime.

## Background

The kingdom of Guiles is a direct descendant of the former empire of Guilron, a seafaring group that haled from distant lands in the east. By the earliest known records, the colonies had already broken off contact with their host empire across the sea, though still used the same name and shared the same customs and language. The Guilron Empire of Wraimall was an impressive force in its day, reaching from Fanemire in the north to Holominea in the west. Though Kelemere was not formally a part of the empire, it was considered as such.

Though the empire fell a millennia ago, its influence is still seen across the continent: From ancient fortifications, its impact on local languages, and even with its former currency still in circulation.

The Guilron Empire was very close with the Elves, and took much influence from them. When the Elves first arrived, the Guilrons were the first men they were in contact with. The city of Ophinicon itself was built by the Elves, and served as their capital in Wraimall. With the arrival of the Elves, they brought with them knowledge of the Gods, which the Guilrons accepted readily, abandoning their old deities. As the Guilron Empire spread, so to did their new beliefs, which they enforced by law. With the refusal of the pagans of Fanemire, Olbrecht, and Holominea to adopt new beliefs, the Guilron Empire was presented with a problem. Their solution was to begin a Crusade, purging the lands of these idol-worshippers. Eventually, one of the only remaining deities was Malchoir himself, the renegade god. As there was no longer any competition between other pagan cults, Malchoir grew in popularity and amassed a substantial following, eventually militarizing. After repeated wars, the Guilron Empire managed to beat back Malchoir's forces, though at the cost of scarring the land of Olbrecht where much of the fighting took place, the extinction of the Elves, and the decline of their empire. Though victorious, the Guilron Empire had sustained significant damage, and fell into steep decline. It relinquished its control over its owned lands, leading to the independence of Fanemire, OIbrecht, Kelemere, and Holominea. From its ruins, the kingdom of Guiles was born, and has tried its best to preserve the legacy of the once sprawling empire, even today.

500 years before the Curse of Malchoir, there was mounting fear over the growing popularity of the old god's cults, and what he wished to do in recompense for his banishment from the ethereal world, as well as his defeat at the hands of the old Guilron Empire. So, the leaders of Guiles proposed that the kingdoms should unite one last time, and with the use of their greatest clerics, use Malchoir's black magic against him, and seal him away under the mountain forever. Most everyone agreed to this, and a great host of men from all kingdoms marched together to Malchoir's lair in the distant Sigil Hills. Kelemere was delayed however, and arrived too late. In missing the event though, they were spared Malchoir's parting curse, leaving them the only remaining kingdom of Men in Wraimall. As Guiles was indeed present and responsible for the plot, its population were transformed into Trolls, Ogres, and more than anything, Vampires.

## Society and Attitudes

The Vampires of Guiles had always been the rivals of Kelemere, but are imbittered more now than ever for their failure to arrive on time and be spared the fate that everyone else had to endure. They are jealous and vengeful, though not hopeless. They still carry out the customs and traditions that had always been practiced in Guiles, and, despite being monsters, consider themselves superior to the Kelemerians.

"Monsters we may now be, though we remain more refined, graceful, and couth than the rustic and lazy Kelemerians," - Lord Hammond.

The Guilians value a high standard of conduct across all sections of their society. They place importance on education and proper dress, with both male and female Vampires having different outfits that must be worn at different times of day; they also all have parisols which they take wherever they go. A vast majority of them are literate, and learn this at an early age so they may study the history of Guiles (and why they should hate Kelemere). The government rules over only a small region, but is led by Lord Hammond LeMaire, and Lady Veronica LeMaire. Lord Hammond concerns himself with the military and diplomatic matters of Guiles, while Lady Veronica handles the domestic side of things. The Vampires believe in using nature to serve their needs, and are very convincing diplomats, and even better liars. They are on friendly terms with the Goblins of Fanemire, and have been able to successfully seduce members of the Kelemerian government into aiding them.

## Notable Guilians

### Saren LeMaire

Son of Vampire Lord Hammond, and leader of "The Inquisitors". Son of Lord Hammond and Lady Veronica, brother of Thisbe.

### Presque Marloth

Scholar at the Ophinicon School and personal friend of Saren. Deeply interested in history.

### Lord Hammond LeMaire

Vampire lord of the city Ophinicon, a ruthless and cunning sneak that pulls the strings in the shadows. Father of Saren and Thisbe, husband of Lady Veronica.

### Lady Veronica LeMaire the Red

Wife of Lord Hammond and mother of Saren and Thisbe, a cool and composed but nonetheless wicked ruler who handles the domestic aspects of Guiles.

### Thisbe LeMaire

Daughter of Lord Hammond and Lady Veronica, and bratty sister of Saren. Cruel, unforgiving, and entitled.

### Gamaliel Dempsey

Important and stuffy lieutenant, right hand man of Lord Hammond.

### Murait Steep

Royal doctor, surgeon, and tinkerer. Has created many twisted devices to serve Guiles. Often referred to as simply "Steep".

### Dulgettar

An ancient spirit, the Wight of Lusarch. Once a warrior of the Guilron Empire, now resurrected by the Lich to hunt down the Three Heroes.

### Grimauve

A lone Ogre who has taught himself basic magic. Lives in a cave in the southern woods of the country.

### Marisol

The last of the Fairies, vampirized as both a novelty and a mockery.

### Natalie

The sole remaining Gorgon sister, lives alone in her island shrine off the southern coast of Guiles.

## Monsters in Guiles

The dense shaded forests of Guiles has made it an obvious home to a wide array of monsters, most of which detest the sun. These include Trolls, Ogres, Wargs, and of course, Vampires. These monsters rarely come into contact, but when they do, it usually results in brief conflict.