Founded in 210 PB, The Kingdom of Falconcrest was founded by the great Hero-King of Lairroth, Aleric Falconcrest. This kingdom has grown very rapidly in recent years, having been forged from a large section of territory splintered from The Queen’s Lands and expanding into regions of Ebrus, Akeron, Myzentius, and Haven. Even so, the Kingdom of Falconcrest is known to have strong relations with the Kingdom of Westerland, and the Kingdom of Haven.
Falconcrest is known for extraordinarily low taxes, expansive politics, and the fierce way it defends its own citizens. Citizens of Falconcrest proudly wear bright golden armbands which display their often fearsome loyalty to their king and fellow countrymen.
Important Figures
King Gilrandir Galathule: Once known as the general of the armies of Falconcrest, Gilrandir Galathule began his own legacy as the friend and squire of Xefrom Greymoore, and has since completely surpassed his former mentor on the field of battle. A kindhearted White Knight and dauntless Master of War, Gilrandir Galathule is known across Terath as the knight who forced High King Arador Kajorelle to submit to the will of the dragons at the end of The War of Kings. He is know to be a follower of the Path of The Earth Walker, and has displayed great respect for druidic traditions since coming to power. When King Aleric Falconcrest abdicated the throne in the year 214, he commanded General Galathule to take his place as King.
Queen Natasha Galathule: The Queen of Falconcrest is a former adventurer, famous for her skill with the healing arts. She is a Parthan of the lost Silvermoon Pride, known for previously leading local chapters of the Healers Guild in many different adventuring outposts, which put her at the forefront of dozens of incredible tales of daring & danger. She is said to have slain demons with her magic warhammer, befriended ice giants beyond the frozen wall in the Northern Continent of Lairroth, and is rumored to have fought off the vicious magical compulsions of Typhon, The Father of Monsters. Frighteningly, she is known to be a close blood relation to the Vampire Lord Avric Silvermoon, who is said to be one of the undead lords of the Kingdom of The Night. As Queen of Falconcrest, Natasha does not wield the authority of the crown like her husband, but she holds a great deal of sway over the Kingdom’s political landscape.
Sir Xefrom Greymoore: A White Knight famous in Lairroth for destroying the heart of the demonic Prince of The Western Abyss during The Dark War, Sir Xefrom followed his liege, King Aleric Falconcrest, into the war against The Forsaken and proved himself worthy of his own glorious reputation during the half decade that followed. Sir Xefrom is known as a skilled swordsman, and as one of the mightiest ritual spell-casters within the kingdom. During the Pale War in 215, Sir Xefrom used a dreaded weapon known as The Bloodbane Spear in order to destroy some of the greatest Pale One champions, and is believed to have used the power of the weapon as a source of magical energy, which is rumored to have affected him in strange & frightening ways. He is the current heir to the Falconcrest Throne, although he spends much of his time within The Broken City serving as a representative of the empire, holding the legendary title of Steward of Rhoum.
Aleric Falconcrest: After succeeding amid a constant struggle against undead and demonic forces an an attempt to rebuild the kingdom of The Heartlands in Lairroth, King Aleric left his homeland behind and traveled to Terath in 207 PB in order to fight against The Forsaken. Though he had been a King in Lairroth, Aleric Falconcrest served as a Lord of the King’s Lands during the rule of High King Arador Kajorelle, defending the southern territories and fighting valiantly against Ebrus during the War of Kings. King Aleric is a descendant of the ancient Greymoore bloodline, and is known to believe in the virtuous tenets of the Path of The Lightwalker.
The Falconcrest Sage: The Sage maintains the records of this very library which you are reading now, and heads up magical research within the Falconcrest Kingdom.
Flag
Citizenship & Taxation
The people of Falconcrest are governed using a manifestation of monarchy which often seems strange to outsiders. The laws of the land are extraordinarily few in number, relying on individual magistrates, high-ranking military officers, or nobles to resolve complex disputes and other more intricate judicial matters.
Each denizen has the right to choose for themselves whether or not they will become full-fledged lifelong citizens of Falconcrest, or if they will simply exist as a resident of the land without swearing fealty. Those who swear citizenship nearly always display their loyalty to king and country by wearing a gold armband. Indeed, many of those citizens who have distinguished themselves in service to the kingdom have been granted gold armbands which have been woven from a magical thread that restores health and vitality to the wearer.
Every man and woman within the kingdom pays taxes regardless of citizenship, and it should be noted that funds received through taxation are often spent in ways that seem to be more beneficial to sworn citizens than to those who have decided not to participate in citizenship. However, this difference is negligible in most instances, and all denizens of the kingdom report to receive fair protection from the Falconcrest Range Guard, and seem very pleased that they are subject to a rate of taxation with is infinitesimal when compared to that of neighboring nations. The vast majority of those who live within the borders of Falconcrest have elected to become citizens since the nation’s founding in 210 PB.
Common Knowledge
The capital of Falconcrest is the city of Citadel, located on a large island which rests in the center of the great river Adwine. Where once stood the worn stones of an old ruin amidst high grasses, rocky outcroppings, and small groves of deciduous trees – now stands Citadel, a strong and defensible city which was created after the founding of Falconcrest through the ritual awakening of an ancient elven artifact. The city has quickly become a vital location for river-trade throughout the central continent due to its extremely low taxes, with many other minor rivers connecting to the great river Adwine, thus encouraging a network of mercantile trading companies to make Citadel a destination of vast importance. The Citadel Merchant’s Alliance, originally pioneered by Lord Edward dan Brock, is just one such mercantile operations.
One topic of frequent discussion is pair of magical artifacts which are housed within a great vault within Citadel. These two artifacts are believed to originate from ancient times, perhaps having been created over a thousand years ago, before the reign of Queen Octavia. The first of these two artifacts is a crystal apple which enlivens all crops within the boundaries of Falconcrest, protecting fields and orchards from disease, and ensuring that harvest is a time of great bounty within the kingdom. The next of these two artifacts is a matching crystal egg which fortifies all livestock within the boundaries of the kingdom. This artifact increases the fertility of domesticated animals, and causes them be healthier, larger, and more productive their their equivalents in other kingdoms.
These two magical artifacts, alongside an extremely profitable and exclusive trade with a group of druids known as The Arcadian Grove, have allowed Falconcrest to defy all expectations and conventions, becoming a powerful, influential, and very wealthy kingdom.
Falconcrest Expansionism
The Kingdom of Falconcrest has developed a reputation for attempting to expand its borders. This expansionism often takes places through conversion of Citizenship, rather than through acts war. Since its founding in 210 PB, The Kingdom of Falconcrest has claimed territory and appointed leaders over land which was formally in the possession of The Kingdom of Haven, The Kingdom of Ebrus, The Kingdom of Myzentius, & The Kingdom of The Queen’s Lands. In many of these instances, the Kingdom of Falconcrest has offered coin, military support, or favorable mercantile exchange in order to help ease tensions after their expansion, but the rapid expansion of the Kingdom has caused at least minor levels of conflict with every neighboring realm.
An excellent example of the tactics used in this expansionism is the way Falconcrest leveraged its Range Guard and its low Tax Rates (See Terathian Taxation) in order to lay claim to the Dowershire Woods.
Traditionally, Myzentius has controlled the territory, but The Dowershire Woods have a reputation for being relatively rife with monsters, and some people believe that maintaining safety there is more trouble than it is worth. Immediately following the Draconic Domination, King Aleric Falconcrest began to send Range Guard into the forest, and even hired a number of mercenary companies from Myzentius to help patrol the region.
Since many of the locals had felt somewhat abandoned by Myzentius, some of them started to swear citizenship to Falconcrest out of gratitude. A mercantile enterprise known as SilverSword Ventures began to make very generous long-term loans to the people of the Dowershire Woods in order to help with considerable improvements to the region, contingent upon a condition that all laborers hired to make these improvements were Citizens of Falconcrest. And oaths of Citizenship flooded in until enough of the people were Falconcrest Citizens that King Aleric Falconcrest was able to justify an expansion of his borders to claim the territory. Shortly before the rise of King Gilrandir Galathule, his predecessor appointed a knight named Sir Tristan, and made him the official Falconcrest Steward of the Dowershire Woods.
Myzentius was not pleased, and negotiations over the true ownership of the land were perpetually ongoing. As a show of frienship towards Myzentius, King Gilrandir Galathule offered the Kingdom of Myzentius a number of lucrative Mercenary Contracts aimed at reduce the threat of monsters along some of the main roads in Eastern Falconcrest, and this has eased the tensions somewhat, but Myzentius continued to express a strong belief that Falconcrest should either purchase the land from them outright, or surrender all claim to it.
Due to similar activities on all sides, many of Falconcrest’s official borders are considered to be “contested” by the High Queen.
The Laws of The Kingdom of Falconcrest
His Majesty King Gilrandir Galathule, Sovereign ruler of the Kindgom of Falconcrest, has proclaimed his laws thusly, and charges those whom deliver his justice to mitigate their rulings with consideration for the intent of the criminal action, in holding with the traditions of the former King Aleric Falconcrest and the once High King, Arador Kajorelle.
The following actions are violations of Falconcrest Law-
Pursuing or performing an act of war against the subjects of The Kingdom of Falconcrest. Punishable by death or worse.
Summoning up or bring to bear those powers which are Abyssal in nature, or possessing items of Abyssal nature. Punishable by death or worse.
Taking the life of any of His Majesty’s subjects except for in direct defense of life or in pursuit of thy honor or rightful duties. Punishable by death or worse.
The use of necromantic magic, necromantic abilities, necromantic rituals, or necromantic items, including the possession of such items. Punishable by death.
The giving of offense or slander to those of full Falconcrest noble title, and the slander of military officers above and including the rank of Captain. Punishable by heavy fine or death. While Knights, Guildmasters, Magistrates, and other titled individuals do not carry the protection of this law, the noble who appointed them may take offense at slandering of their names.
The theft or unlawful acquisition of possessions, including failure to pay tax. Punished by reparation in low multiples of the acquisition’s value, or death when payment is not possible
The act of deadly assault. Punishable by heavy fine or death.
The abduction, acquisition, or ownership of a sentient creature. Punishable by death.
Honor Above All,
By Command of King Gilrandir Galathule
