FAQ:
The Nations of Avalon and the Accords of Avalon
Written
By Sir Tivorak Nobel, First Knight and Champion to
King Mykel Endarr II of the
What is the Nations of
Avalon?
The
Nations of Avalon is a group of sovereign nations (Empires, Kingdoms,
Principalities, Duchies, Baronies, Estates, and Settlements) that have all
agreed to adhere to the Accords of Avalon - the agreed upon laws, Noble
Etiquette, and societal customs that travelers can expect when they enter the
lands of any of the Allied Nations of Avalon. Each locale may retain their
independence, but may count on support from nearby kingdoms when they are in
need, and that when there citizens travel they can
expect the same laws to protect them, and general customs.
The
The
The
Qualtain Cities joined the Nations of Avalon in December of 600 E.R. The
Qualtain cities are on the southern part of the western end of our continent.
The rulers of the Qualtain Cities were quite hospitable and welcomed an
alliance with lawful people.
The
Kingdom of Anilar and the Kingdom of Elan have not yet joined the Nations of
Avalon and thus travelers from one of the Nations would know that their
customs, laws, and etiquette might be very different from ours. You can always
find out what there customs are by doing research at the library.
The
Emperor Candidates of Avalon are actively seeking to communicate with the
established rulers of those domains which are not currently participating and
are preparing to send emissaries to each of the lands to discuss their
addition. Expect to see these emissaries in the year 601 by Evendarrian Reckoning.
The
Nations of Avalon are also preparing, and have sent a few, Avalon Knights to
cultivate regions with a populace, provide protection to the existing
inhabitants, build shelters, wood mills, taverns, etc. and to generally expand.
The Avalon Knights are chosen from surrounding lands that have joined the
Nations of Avalon.
What are the Accords of
Avalon?
The
Accords of Avalon is an agreement between the ruling bodies of each
domain/region in which they agree to follow the same Laws, Customs, and
etiquette toward each other and their people. The Accords are meant to assure
the protection of the populace, insure fair trade among the many domains, and
promote communication and education.
How are domains/regions
(kingdom, duchy, etc) added to the Allied Nations of Avalon?
For existing regions, the
easiest way to join the Nations of Avalon is for their Noble courts to contact
Sir Arthur Richmond, Lead chamberlain of the Allied Nations of Avalon, who will
explain the entire process of allying ones kingdom with the Nations of Avalon.
For
expansionists, those who feel they are worthy are encouraged to petition the
Council of Avalon with an explanation of their intent and the location of the
lands they want to enjoin. Typically, frontier lands being expanded into will
begin as an expedition of a Local area Noble and will start as a settlement
once the Fort is built. Materials are brought into the settlement to build the
Smithy, the Wood Mill, Housing for settlers and the other necessary buildings
such as barracks for the soldiers. At the end of a year or two, if all goes
well, more land mass is secured, the population increases, and the settlement
becomes an Estate or even a Barony with multiple estates if there is great
support. Once a Barony is established it becomes easier to attract adventurers
and settlers to the lands, and the population continues to grow. As well, many
small villages and hamlets with populations of about twenty have been found
scattered among the estates. A second Barony is formed when there are enough
estates, regardless of population, to create one. Two baronies are often
declared a County, though there have been instances of where two baronies have
not been given a County name. After a total of 4 or 5 Baronies, the region
becomes a Duchy with multiple baronies. Most duchies will have a Ducal Court as
well.
Who are the leaders of the
Allied Nations of Avalon?
There
is no King or Emperor to the Council, though there is a Leader. The Leader acts
as an arbitrator, guiding the actions of the Avalon Knights, whom travel the
lands to uphold the laws, the code, and the customs of our society. There are
three individuals who are contending for Leader of the Council of the Allied
Nations of Avalon. Each of the three are Nobles from Avalon Nations, very well
educated, care for the people, have impeccable reputations, and will perform
their Noble duties in the best interests of the Allied Nations. They are
scheduled to make an appearance in the 5th year since the founding
of the Nations of Avalon (summer 603 E.R).
Lead
Chamberlain of the Avalon Accords; Sir Arthur Richmond
Chamberlains
of the Avalon Accords: Sir Garret Francis, Dame Jeanne Lourdes, Lord Bart
Gallows, and Lady Diane Fresno, others to be named…
Each
of these people have representatives traveling the
lands, in an attempt to convince the populace that all lands should be joined by
the Accords of Avalon. Thus travel among the lands will be safer, and more will
travel.
What is the hierarchy of the
Nations of Avalon?
The
hierarchy supports all Feudal societies; Emperor/Empress, King/Queen,
Duke/Duchess, Counts/Countess, Barons/Baroness, Knights/Dames, Lords/Lady’s,
Squires, Honorary Lords/Lady’s (Healers, Mages Guilds), Soldier, Guard,
Adventurer, Commoner.
There
is an Avalon Council that advises the Council Leader. The council is comprised
of One Representative from each region. The representative will distribute all
information to the people of their region.
They will also have the opportunity to provide feedback to the Council
and the Emperor on specific issues relating to their region.
How old is the Allied
Nations of Avalon?
The
Allied Nations of Avalon is not very old at all, unless you consider the age of
the domains that have joined. Many hundred and thousand year old kingdoms have
joined.
How old is the current
regime?
The
families contending for the seat of the Leader of the Allied Nations of Avalon
have been of Noble stature over 400 years each.
How is succession handled in
the case of the Leader and below?
Every
Noble is encouraged to create a Last Will and Testament with instructions
concerning their lands should they pass. Their liege will review the document
and support it or not. Non-Nobles may utilize a Last Will as well, though most
do not. Ordinarily, the local land is passed from family member to family
member. In the case of the Leader of the Allied Nations, every several years
there will be a review to see if the Leader should be replaced.
Are the locals annexed into
the empire by force?
Force is rarely used, except to keep the monster races at bay. There is much effort expended to expand the lands of a region, and few Knights will use force to make the people of a village or hamlet join. What good are citizens whom you have oppressed? The Knight will support the villagers, and protect them, and provide education and convince their governor to join under his ruler-ship. Most village leaders realize the benefits of having a protectorate, though an organized unit of soldiers does help to show the people you are equipped to fulfill your obligations. The Avalon knight will maintain relations with the village leaders and communicate to the people through them. Many of the commoners understand the feudal conventions with which we live by, and accept it. Some commoners do not accept it so easily, and they create liberation groups or bands of rogues who commit atrocities against the soldiers and leaders of the expansion group. A good example of how a Noble person would prove their worth to a local settlement. “In 429, the soldiers of the Galenson Expedition from the kingdom of Evendarr encountered a large tribe of Trolls called the Razorbacks and quickly dispatched the vermin. The Trolls had been assaulting a hamlet of peasant farmers for years, and many of the villagers joined Lady Katherine’s band in hopes of settling a more hospitable land.”
Is the local nobility
imported, converted, or promoted from the peasantry?
For
regions with Noble structures in place, the local nobility will remain in tact,
without alteration.
For regions in which we are
expanding into, an outside Noble will lead the local Nobles from the Nations of
Avalon. Local Empires, Kingdoms, Provinces, etc. are still permitted to expand
their boundaries or support expansion.
The Evendarrian Expedition of
429 E.R., led by Lady Katherine Galenson, which departed on March seventeenth,
annexed a few villages and hamlets along its way in search of the legendary
Empire of Hadran.
The people, both common folk
and nobles will have a ruling body to communicate with, to insure that all the
Nobles follow the Accords of Avalon, and that all people, everywhere, are
protected from oppression by others.
Are there Nation-wide Laws
or are things left up to the local nobility?
There
is one set of laws that we all agree to live by and honor. With travel among
our regions becoming more and more dominant, there is a need to honor the same
Laws, and to punish fairly. Many kingdoms are utilizing the Gate Formal Magic
Spell and Greater Extend to
Who are the Nations of
Avalon’s neighbors? What are the current relations?
The
Nations of Avalon is comprised of many different domains all working together
to keep peace and defend each other’s against those who are not peaceful. With
the Nerid and Evendarr relations once again on good terms, both Kingdoms will
see aid in their quests to defeat their enemy. The Nerid forces will help aid
the Evendarrians against the Sessuar, and the Evendarrian forces will aid Nerid
against the Varikytes. They are on great terms with the other domains that have
agreed to the Accords of Avalon and not necessarily on bad terms with those who
have not joined yet.
What are the empire's social
conventions?
The
Social Conventions of Avalon are mentioned in the NERO RuleBook
© 8th Edition under the NERO Societies Section.
How many citizens populate
the Nations of Avalon?
This is tough to say, as there are many kingdoms and principalities that have joined the Nations of Avalon. The kingdom of Evendarr has roughly 2.5 million people. The other domains combined have another 2.5 million people. The domains that are not part of the Nations of Avalon have another 5 million people.
Typical Duchy Model
1
Duchy (200 Miles by 200 Miles) (population between 50,000 and 250,000)
2 Counties
4 Baronies (160 estates)
1 Ducal Barony led by Duke (40 Estates)
Estates
per Barony: Total of 40 estates (5 National, 5 Royal, 5 Ducal, 6 County, 5
Freehold, and 14 Baronial)
What is the breakdown of
populations per Estate?
600
for average sized estate with one, possibly two Keeps (village, keep, city,
walled city, walled keep)
1200
for large sized estate with several Keeps
1800
for large sized estate with several Keeps, and A walled city around them
2500
for average sized estate with a large city and several keeps.
A Duchy of 200 miles by 200 miles would have about 150 estates, each with about 2000 people average = 300 000 people per Duchy. Often times an estate will be split into two, or two estates merged together to make three estates, when population and Keep, Fortresses, etc. warrant it.
What is the noble/peasant
ratio (roughly)?
There
are roughly 20 percent noble households and 90% commoner households.
Who are the Nations of
Avalon’s enemies?
These
are being established.
The
Sessuar Empire is the enemy of the Nations of Avalon. This empire is from
another continent, rumored to be on our East Side. The Sessei have long warred
with Evendarr in an attempt to capture the kingdom under its rule. The Kingdom
of Evendarr has been able to successfully repel these invaders each time they
have struck.
The
Varikyte Empire is the enemy of the Nations of Avalon. They have been
attempting to conquer the Neridian Duchies for years, and sit upon their
Western doorstep, at war.
Does the empire have a
standing army or is the local nobility responsible for maintaining them on
their own? Historically, the guy in the
Big Chair maintained an army barely larger than his nobility. It was up to each noble to police their own
territory and contribute troops to the king in times of war. Often the local nobles were expected to go
with the king to war. This was simply a
matter of insurance. If the locals were
with the king, then they would be certain to bring as many of their troops as
they could spare for protection. Additionally, they couldn't be at home to
seize power.
The
soldiers of the Nations of Avalon are from all of the adjoined Nations of
Avalon. The soldiers are educated at academies and are sent out of their lands
for as period of time to be educated and help support the Empirical Armies.
Each noble polices their own territory and sends some soldiers to the Nations
of Avalon army from their own forces or through an exchange program. The local
Nobles also send more troops to the empire when they are called upon, as they
want to ensure that they are protected by troops when they arrive to fight
along side the Emperor.
Are there any lawfully sanctioned organizations? (Mage's guilds, etc.) What controls does the empire have to keep them from usurping power?
There
are Lawfully Sanctioned Organizations such as the Mage’s Guild, the Healers
Guild, the Merchants Guild, Astrologers guild, and others… In order to be a
lawfully sanctioned Guild of Avalon, you need to demonstrate the ability to
administer an estate of 1,000 people, and act in a noble fashion. All
sanctioned organizations have to obey the Laws of Avalon, support the Nobles
wholeheartedly, attract members, and provide a value to the estate, kingdom or
Empire. The guild is often called upon by the Nobles to perform tasks related
to their expertise. Because local Guilds sanctioned by the Royal Guild work so
closely with the Local Nobles, any attempts at usurping the authority of the
Royal Guild would certainly become apparent relatively quickly.
.
How does the empire remain solvent? In history,
massive empires fought a constant struggle against both internal and external
pressures. Only the loyalty and strength
of the local nobility kept such empires together so far from the seat of power. The inclusion of magic makes it much more
convenient for a very large empire to remain under the emperor's direct
control, but there are still problems with communication.
Rulers who have no hidden agenda support the Empire of Avalon. The Kingdom of Evendarr was once four assorted domains abutting the Kingdom of Quentari. There was feuding for hundreds of years between the four landholders until they accepted that it was better, for everyone, to join together and become one Kingdom. Thus the Principality of Endarr, the Duchy of Greymoor, the Principality of Nevis and the Kingdom of Sardonia became the Kingdom of Evendarr. The Kingdom of Quentari, under the rule of Aran Elenaro, decided not to join with the Kingdom of Evendarr.
For
the Communication Challenge we will have at least one empirical council member
at each local domain that will receive weekly communications as to the
happenings within the Empire (NERO Intl Plot Reps). As well, where this council
member will be stationed, the Empire will place a Transportation Pad to
eliminate the foot messenger.
It
doesn’t take too long to cross the continent of Avalon. At 3 miles per hour on
foot or 30 miles per day, it would take about 100 days to walk across the
continent from east to west. It would be shorter going north south since the
continent is not as wide as it is long. On horseback, the continent can be
traveled much faster. At 10 mph on horseback or 100 miles per day, it could
take as little as 20 or 30 days to travel across the continent.
With
the use of the new Formal Magic Spell Transportation Pad we have decreased
travel time between any two cities to several hours, and virtually eliminated
adventurer deaths on the trails.
What is the basis of Trade
throughout the Nations of Avalon?
The
basis of trade for any region is based upon its local resources. Each domain
has its own flare and dominant mercantile. It is this flare or ‘difference’
that brings travelers from afar, to meet the people, see the sites, aid an
ally, and for some it is enough simply to battle the monsters in a far off
land.
Many
of the Nations of Avalon are securing guarded trails for adventurers and
tradesmen to use to merchant products to and from neighboring the neighboring
regions. The primary exports of any particular region can be gained by contacting
the local Knight, Baron or Count.
How dependent are the
Nations of Avalon on Trade?
The
Nations of Avalon is relatively independent from requiring anything. However,
one of its primary issues is to connect all the Nations of Avalon via a series
of trails that are patrolled regularly and safe for travelers.
Newly
established lands receive a steady supply of necessary materials from the
Nations of Avalon. This has been tradition for hundreds of years and has been
adapted by the newly formed Nation of Avalon.
The materials come from everywhere around the Nation and are sent with
the sole purpose of securing and building the region.
The
Kingdom of Evendarr has been expanding under the direction of King Mykel Endarr
II, since his return in 595. All of the Duchies surrounding the frontier lands
have been aware of and aiding in the growth of their kingdom. The Nations of
Avalon are trying to support the growth and support of the lands on the
continent of Avalon by uniting the good against the common enemy.
Is there a network of roads
throughout the Nations of Avalon?
Currently
there are some major and some minor trails to follow between the Nations of
Avalon. The road is not to be traversed by settlers without guardsmen, but can
be traversed by adventurers and merchants.
Soldiers
are patrolling the trails in the local areas. The local Nobility is responsible
for the safety of the travelers on the trails within their boundaries. They are
also responsible for the trail upkeep such as moving fallen trees, dispatching
monsters, capturing rogues, etc.
There
are no Nations of Avalon Soldiers patrolling the roads yet. Expect Avalon
troops to begin patrolling the trails of Avalon in late year 601 E.R.
The Chamberlains of Avalon have The Trails of Avalon on the top of their list of projects, and are securing the workers and guards needed to secure the safety of the trails. Expect work on the trails of Avalon to begin in earnest in 601 E.R. and to end in mid 603 E.R.
How are demi-humans treated? Is there a particular bias for/against each particular demi-human? Do they enjoy the same rights as ordinary citizens?
Each
Clan of Demi-human is viewed differently. They will be accepted if they are
peaceful and law abiding. They will be warned to be careful as many of the
races view them as ‘monster’ and some will attack on site.
Any
Creature that attacks to Eat is considered Killable.
Is it difficult or
risky to get to ‘the capital’ of the Nations of Avalon?
The Nations of Avalon Province can be found roughly centered among the continent of Avalon, though it is closer to the East Coast than the west. Any individual, barring the most notorious of criminals, could probably walk right into Quintar, the capital city of the Nations of Avalon. The capital city is known for the 15 protectorates that have dedicated themselves to protecting the capital. These protectorates are rarely more than 5 at any time, except when traveling with the Emperor.
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