Ad Infinitum

King / Queen

Royal Family

Duke / Duchess

Count / Countess

Baron / Baroness

Lord / Lady

Knight

Hierarchy of Power in Prasiolaire

King / Queen: Nolfia rules the empire of Prasiolaire from atop her throne within Castle Yrent, located in the heart of the kingdom’s territories. Nolfia is unwed, and inherited the throne from her late mother, whose husband died shortly after they were betrothed. This unfortunate fate has been a recurring event in the royal bloodline, so much so that the locals have taken to calling the throne of Prasiolaire cursed.

Royal Family: Following the King and Queen, their close relatives and children are set to inherit or make decisions on behalf of the Crown. Beyond distant elvish cousins, Nolfia has no living relatives; she miscarried five years ago, the father being unknown but nevertheless spoken widely of in taverns and newsletters

Duke / Duchess: Dukes and Duchesses comprise the most-trusted inner circle of royal politics. It is a title that is never inherited, and only given to those that have truly proven themselves in the eyes of the Crown. Dukes are in charge of capital cities and several thousand acres of land, often large enough to be their own kingdoms. They are allowed to knight individuals of exceptional character, and command a greater number of the kingdom’s military. The Duchess of Helena, before she was assassinated twenty years ago, was one of the closest friends of Queen Nolfia; her betrayal and subsequent death at the hands of an adventuring group came at a huge shock.

Count / Countess: Counts and Countesses make up the working backbone of Prasiolairen royalty. Unlike Dukes, this title is often received hereditarily and the trust-gap that can form is held in check by an enormous amount of responsibility; Counts are in charge of large swaths of land, often spanning several miles, and respectable military numbers in the thousands. However, they are pressured more than any other noble to collect resources and maintain border safety for the kingdom. The late Faren Markelhay of Fallcrest is an example of a Count.

Baron / Baroness: If a Knight or other individual performs a great service for the Crown, such as offering up their land or other resources, or commanding several victories in battle, the title of Baron is awarded by the presiding King or Queen in recognition of this. Because of Prasiolaire’s constant expansion and never-ending military operations, Barons and Baronesses can be found in most frontier communities. They own the land a few miles out from their ruling town, and command men in the upper hundreds. Thomas Harken is an example of a Baron.

Lord / Lady: For many, this title is seen as a cheap throw-away given out far too often and, as such, is prevalent throughout the kingdom. Anyone from an aid to a Duke to a minor noble that made a large monetary contribution to the Crown can be rewarded the title of Lord or Lady. They typically control a small town and a number of soldiers never exceeding two hundred. Vencat Kalton and Ernest Padraig of Winterhaven are examples of Lords.

Knight: Also known as a Reeve, Knights are individuals who have been officially recognized for their commendable actions for the Crown. Above Barons, any noble can knight men and women of the kingdom. Knights are then often employed and put to work keeping their communities safe, representing their reigning lord both in public affairs and in battle. The late Edward Devincre is an example of a Knight.

Peasant: Citizens in the kingdom are expected to follow the law of the land, contribute to society by means of offering up taxes, either with gold earned from handling a business or with goods such as food or cattle. Peasants are offered incentives, such as free land or reduced taxes, to travel into newly conquered territories and maintain communities there.

Prasiolaire: A History

Prasiolaire is a feudal State whose reach spans most of the known world. It began as a humble kingdom over two thousand years ago and slowly grew into the, then-uncharted, surroundings.

In time, a basic manorial system was established, with the greatest of lords being named King after his great military accomplishments and capacity to defend the population. The world was a darker, more goblin-infested realm at the time and the first King of Prasiolaire, Edward Lionsblood, lead the collective armies of man against the shamanistic horde. Thus began the decline of the goblinoid territories, the eventual alliance with the mountain dwarves against all giant-kind, and the slow integration of elves into mainstream human culture as the short-lived folk logged more and more of the elvish homeland.

Prasiolaire flourished, perhaps too well, and soon sought to expand its borders when population began to become an issue. Terrence Lionsblood, reigning King of the time, began what is now a common practice of offering incentives for the populace to strike out into territories unknown, paying little heed to the local cultures that may be at the varied destinations. When a rival kingdom to the southwest took umbrage at the encroaching humans, the first war of Prasiolaire began. Many technological advances followed, but it is important for this document to note that it also birthed the idea of using titles as rewards; the newly acquired territory was awarded to those who performed bravely in battle or in trade, and thus the first Lords were created.

Hundreds of years passed, and many more territories fell to the ever-expanding population of Prasiolaire. With every new King or Queen, however, the qualities that made the original royals a respectable lot began to grow farther and farther away. The monarch was no longer concerned with the overall happiness or defense of the people, and royal children were bred to learn the tactics of war and the secrets of trade; to date, Prasiolaire has been engaged in a foreign war of some kind for the past eight hundred years. By the time of this campaign, Her Majesty Nolfia Lionsblood has been Queen of Prasiolaire for only a few decades, but she has already established herself as much a cunning, shrewd and closed-off leader as her mother before her. Still, she remains a beautiful and charismatic leader, one that is quick to promise noble titles and lavish rewards to those that remain loyal to the core principles of Prasiolairen society.