Kingdom of Arian

The **Kingdom of Arian** was a Breton principality in northern High Rock.

In 3E 300, the land was ruled by Henri XIX.

## **Government**

### **King and Court**

In the Kingdom of Arian, governance of the realm was by and large the right and responsibility of court ministers. These men belonged to a class somewhere between common and noble. They could hold but not pass on lands, they could wear personal arms but were restricted in colours and charges, and they could marry but only by permission of the King. The ministers made up a body called *the Court of the Phoenix King*, or more simply *the Court*.

The Court was a sophisticated labyrinth of positions and offices, and duties and responsibilities. One minister might work as a lawyer for the King, while another might tend his gardens. The all-encompassing nature of the Court gave it significant, indeed unrivalled, influence on the realm and its rule.

Despite his undoubtedly higher station, for he (and not just his crown) was considered sacrosanct, the King of Arian did not enjoy the direct authority of his neighbouring rulers. He was usually hidden away in his palaces from birth, kept away from direct rule. The Kings of Arian traditionally ruled *by suggestion*, dictating proclamations and meeting with high ranking court ministers to sway the realm's direction. These Kings therefore depended on the loyalty and receptivity of their ministers. Most rulers of Arian were, for all intents and purposes, powerless over their Kingdom.

The highest ranking minister in the realm was the Grand High Chancellor of Arian.

### **Nobility**

The Nobility of Arian were largely those hereditary landholders *entitled and enfeoffed* by the King and their immediate families. Though knights, even landed knights, usually lacked title, they were considered to be a part of this class. There was a wide array of titles present in the realm: the Princes, the Lords, the Royal Duke and Dukes, the Marquesses, the Counts, and finally the Barons. In addition to this number, there were the Viscounts who despite not holding *hereditary* land and title were still considered noblemen.

The Princes, all of whom belonged to branches of the royal dynasty, were afforded significant autonomy. They ruled over three peaks and their valleys: Cyfnos, Eirias, and Seren. These lords often functioned as independent rulers with their own laws and diplomatic relations. Were they not vassals of the King of Arian, there would be little difference between them and the other rulers of High Rock.

There were five other mountains over which vassals were granted lordship: Anian, Anterth, Coeth, Hallin, and Gwin. The rulers of these were simply Lords and ranked higher than the other noblemen of the realm.

Of two duchies in the Kingdom, one was royal: the Duchy of Pellan. The title was created for the younger son of King Aymar I, Prince Frederic, in the second century third era. Thereafter, it was held by his descendants. The Dukes of Pellan were granted the titular rank of Prince.

In addition to the landed nobility, there were individuals granted title but not fief by the King. These were noblemen without traditional obligations and they could privately hold land without owing levies or scutage. It was common for Kings intending to marry low-ranking (or outright lowborn) women to raise their status by granting such a title to their father. One example of this was the case of Henri XVIII and his wife Theodolinde, whose father (previously a mere knight) was raised to the rank of Marquess without fiefdom.

## **Culture**

### **Magical Creatures**

Many creatures of fable and magic inhabited the mountains and valleys of Arian. There were dragons and phoenixes, griffins and ogres, even minotaurs, and a host of other such beasts.

#### **The Dragon and the Phoenix**

Of these legendary creatures, the dragon and the phoenix drew particular interest. Both were rare and majestic animals and both were linked to the Divines: the dragon was the form taken by Akatosh, while the phoenix was the sign of Arkay's cycle.

Rulers in the region made great efforts to synonimise themselves with these creatures; the Kings of Arian especially, whose authority was buttressed by rituals associated with dragon and phoenix both.

#### **Phoenix King**

Among the many titles used by the rulers of Arian was *Phoenix King*. It was held that in days of yore, the wise king Tancred desired to abdicate his throne so that he might retire to a life of monasticism. Hitherto undecided concerning his many potential heirs, he developed a dangerous trial. He ordered the creation of a great pillar of magical flame and then commanded his sons to walk into the fire. Three of his sons could not bring themselves to enter the fire while his fourth and youngest son submitted himself to his father’s command. Stepping into the inferno, he was engulfed by blue fires before re-emerging alive and unharmed. The fire continued to burn forever thereafter and a temple was built around it.

Tancred abdicated his throne to his youngest son, who came to be known as the Phoenix King. The coronation of a King of Arian requires him to undergo the same ritual. It is believed that some rulers, fearing death in the fire, used various tricks and modes of sorcery to survive it. Some may have entered the flame with protective enchantments; others might have used doppelgangers or illusions.

### **Polygamy and the Concubinage**

Among other remnants of an Ancient Aldmeri custom in Arian were the practices of polygamy and concubinage.

The first of these, polygamy, was usually only practiced by Kings, for whom the right was expressly given by the Temple. It was, however, possible for others to practice polygamy with permission by his King or Temple. Children by a second wife were considered inferior to those by the first, those by a third inferior to those by the second, and so on.

The second of these, concubinage, was the taking of official mistresses—*maîtresses-en-titre*—with whom children would be considered legitimate. The child of one of these mistresses, however, was inferior to a child born to one's wife. It was not uncommon for awife to adopt the child of a mistress, raising their status. The taking of these official mistresses was usually only possible for the noble and the wealthy.

Both practices were exclusive to men, though there were notable exceptions to this.

Many priests, particularly those devoted to Mara, were opposed to both the practice of polygamy and concubinage. These priests encouraged monogamy and strict fidelity to one's only wife, and some even risked preaching directly against those who took a second wife or mistress.

## **Regalia**

Rulers in the Kingdom of Arian were ornamented by many trinkets and treasurers. These ranged from elaborate crowns and masks to rings and feathers.

### **Crowns**

Numerous crowns were kept in the treasury of the realm, treated as relics and guarded by knights. It was rare that a new crown was created and most kings of Arian wore those of their forebears. A ruler’s choice of crown could signal the hopes they kept for their reign.

In 3E 300, Henri XIX wore the same crown as his father and grandfather: the band of King Morcant V, a first era monarch. It was among the humbler artifacts of his forebears, knotworks of latticed gold, and was undoubtedly chosen by his grandfather for this reason.

### **Masks**

The status of the King in Arian was especially great. Belonging to the ancient Galan dynasty and claiming celestial ancestry, the rulers of Arian were afforded a near-divine station. It was beneath them to walk amongst commoners and certainly above commoners to see their face. As such, kings of Arian wore masks of mithril when acting in their royal role. Likewise, when touring the realm monarchs would wear these same masks.

Each King of Arian wore a mask fitted to their own face, created from the materials of their predecessor’s mask.

### **Gloves**

One of several traditions kept by the rulers of Arian was to wear a single white glove on their left hand. This was a tribute to the sainted King Edward I, whose left hand was taken by the dragon Kromiirdaan.

## **Notable Individuals in 3E 300**

#### **The King**

* Henri XIX, who ruled over his city of Arian, its territories and subjects, and over his client kings.

#### **The Queen**

* Marguerite of Torlan, who married Henri XIX in 3E 298 and soon thereafter became embroiled in power struggles.

#### **The King's Immediate Family**

* The King's mother, Theodolinde of Starry Haven, who held significant influence during the reigns of her husband and her son.
* The King's illegitimate siblings:
	+ Charles FitzRoy, who represented the interests of Eirias as a diplomat.
	+ Henri FitzRoy, who was Chancellor in Eirias.
	+ Marie FitzRoy, who was Duchess of Pellan by her marriage to Prince Maximillien and who organised a web of agents.
	+ Pierre FitzRoy, who was Master of the Jewel House in Eirias.
	+ Richard FitzRoy

#### **The King's Extended Family**

* The King's uncle, Arthur, Prince of Eirias, who vied for influence in the Kingdom and who led the realm's dynastic faction.
	+ His wife, Eleanor of Cyfnos
		- Their children:
			* Edward of Eirias
			* Enguerrand of Eirias
	+ His mistress, Lady Iseult
		- Their child:
			* Peronnelle of Eirias
* The King's grandmother, Emma of Coeth, the High Queen Dowager

#### **Nobility of the Realm**

* Charles, Lord of Coeth
* Enguerrand, Prince of Cyfnos