Peasant Murder Quest - Setting Information

The time is very different from what you might know.

 

It is a dark age, full of war and death. Life is cyclical, going between the wild hunts of Spring, warlike fervor of Summer, dreary toil of Autumn, and the culling cold of Winter.

 

War is a constant. Lesser kingdoms and duchies die in a matter of decades, swallowed by the endless campaigns of the major kings, who rule from no capital but from the midst of trained armies roaming their domain, constantly defending from invasions and seizing any opportunity at taking away unprotected lands. Sooner or later, a knight-monarch dies, and with them the feudal oaths binding his vassals. And thus, amongst wars of succession and the first stumbling steps of a new lord, many decide that they are better off on their own, and break off. The cycle begins anew.

 

Some things, however, provide stability. Half of the known lands are united under Griflaw, the remnant of the warlike race's conquests centuries ago. Though the griffon kings are warlords first and rulers later, they are, for the most part, gracious and honourable masters. For the most part.

 

The ponies, though numerous, are mingled with other races and divided under various rulers, mostly not of their own species. They are, however, united by an old faith teaching that a nonviolent order can be brought to things, and the cycle brought under control. Though many dismiss the books speaking of a time when they ruled all those lands and even Nature herself as naught but fairy tales.

 

More than any law of races, though, it is chivalry that brings order to the lands. All are represented among the knights, who are bonded by a common code stronger than any ties of blood. True knights strive to remain charitable, cheerful, courteous, dutiful and sincere at all times, even when going to battle with each other. The demands of worship and honor are considered of utmost importance.

 

 

 

The place is Coltchester, a walled city remembering the times even before the griffons came. It is populated majorly by ponies, and holds, within its old keep, a chapel that is sacred to their ancient beliefs.

 

Its duke, Adamant, swore fealty to Eorhic, one of the four most powerful kings of the Griflaw. The duke was a good friend and vassal. Until recently. No one knows what poisoned his mind, but news is that he expelled every soul in the city that was not a pony – those who refused to leave were put to the sword.

 

 

 

This is where the action began. Today, the King's forces breached through the city's outer walls. The royal guard, led by Eorhic himself, took the High Castle, the duke's residence, but Adamant's whereabouts have been unclear. Some royal knights made it as far as the Old Town, but all that remains of them now is speculation about why that particular contingent was formed almost completely of pony knights who stayed loyal to the King.

 

The time of day is late afternoon now. Coltchester's streets are strewn with corpses and many districts are burned. Yet the rebels, their numbers massively bolstered by the city's inhabitants, show no sign of surrender, and the royal troops have anything but retreat in their mind.