Korin

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Korin is a vast country that nearly extends the entirety of northern Eire, and is certainly the largest country on the continent. It borders Dentoria, Kilia and Hanalan to the south. The government is tremulous, and lords basically rule with free reign over their individual provinces, of which there are many. Its capital is Rayla.

Contents

[edit] History

Five hundred years ago, the lands north to the Eran mountain range were unified by the ruling lord of House Preni and it was decided that a structured nobility would be formed to help the ruling house govern. It was soon apparent that governing all of the northern lands would be a difficult task. Korin is by far the largest country in Eire; huge, wild, and freezing cold. The terrain is harsh, blizzards are frequent and the far northern reaches nearly uninhabitable. As a result, travel is hard, temperatures can drop so low that going outside is a death sentence, and people prefer to stay inside where there is oil, wood, and fire. And so, the further away from the influence of the capital the noble Houses were, the harder it was for the sovreign to keep control over them. Feuds and prejudices run deep among Korin nobility, and so along the border of influence, feuding Houses would attack each other over the most insignificant of reasons, to the point where it became a national hobby, or, in the view of the Houses not involved, a national joke.

In distributing power, wealth and influence, Preni handed most of the power to its allies and shunned its enemies, a mistake that would be repeated many times by houses too ignorant or arrogant to pay heed to history. In addition to age-old feuds, there were splits and factions divided over Preni's right to rule- those who were dead set against having Korin unified in the first place, those who did support unification for its ecomonical advantages, and those who simply did not care, as long as they could keep the automany in peace. It was also evident that there were considerable flaws in government structure: there were too many houses to spread responsibility around, too many houses to manage over such difficult terrain, too many houses to officially document who would answer to who. Four generations later, unrest and dissatisfaction grew to the point where members of House Preni were assassinated, and House Reike assumed the throne, along with it, problems concerning Korin's government.

As the years passed, border conflicts that had previously been self-contained had spread so far across the country that the ruling house basically held no power save over a few loyal allies who would probably follow their own orders if threatened. When the ruling house realised how far conflict had spread, it tried to re-establish its authority. However, their orders would pass unheeded by most Houses, who had gone too long in enjoying their own automony. Who would listen to a King when one was more or less a king himself? When the crown attempted to regain control by force, their and their allies' armies would be outnumbered by the rest of Korin's. And so the cycle repeated: dissent over the sovreign's rule would grow, the sovreign and his family would meet an untimely death, and anarchy would run rife until a noble house laid claim on the crown.

The longest run of power in Korin has come from House Rayla, which currently holds the position of ruling house, and has for about three hundred years, after its promise to open up its trading routes to the rest of Korin and build new ones- necessary in a land where the soil is too frozen or barren to grow anything and the animals too fierce to be killed for food- won the support of the majority of the noble houses, especially since Rayla promised to allow each Lord to almost completely retain his own automany. And, like the ruling houses before it, it has not learnt how to manage or control the fierce independence inherent in the people of Korin. The treaties it signed with the rest of Korin were poorly drafted, and as it soon became apparant the Rayla intended to exert the control over the rest of the Houses that it had promised it would not, the Houses used this inconsistancies in the treaties to pull back their own power. The age old process repeated. Starting with the Houses Further from the city of Rayla, the Lords drew away from their "king" until he held virutally no power, only this time, the trade routes built to service most of Korin only aided the Lords in being self-sufficient.

Learning somewhat from history, Rayla quickly and prudently made a few alterations to their rule-in-name-only that the previous overlords hadn't, and managed to preserve some measure of their rule, or at least the appearance of it. For starters, the current King removed the royal stylization from his title, choosing to take "Lord" as all the other Houses did, instead, which elliviated tension from those expecting him to control them utterly. He set Rayla as the capital of Korin as a trade center rather than a political one, and built the Academy to stabilize the city's importance to Korin, claiming, to relieve suspicion as to his intentions, it was a gift from Korin to service all of Eire [which, to this day, has lead to complications regarding who exactly owns or is supposed to be in charge of it.] As always, there have been times in the three hundred years since when a particularly ambitious heir to Rayla has fancied himself a Monarch and tried to reclaim control of the wild country and the proud people who govern it, always ending in failure and a hasty retreat back to Rayla to recover from losses and recuperate and save what respect and power they have. There have been more consistant struggles with the Houses closer to Rayla, leading to assassinations and kidnappings and death on both sides, but these are small in relation to the size of the rest of the country.

[edit] Current Situation

Each Lord in Korin more or less maintains control over his own lands as a small kingdom. He sets his own laws, his own policies, passes his own judgement on criminals, commands and controls his own armies, and writes out his own treaties to other Houses. There are something around 40 Houses within Korin's vast countryside, some appointed from the founding of the country, some being raised in power by someone in a higher position since, and some merely being the rich and ambitious who found people and places who didn't seem to answer to anyone. It's difficult to keep track of exactly how many there are, since old Houses fall and new ones are raised a least once every other generation, but the number generally evens to about that much.

Because Korin is wild, cold, and often somewhat dull, there is a constant unrefined game of houses going on within it, Houses allying with each other and against each other, amassing armies, attacking one another for no cause of minor insults and, more likely, boredom. The is no real system to which Houses are major and minor and influencial and not, because no House answers to any other. However, there are "Great Houses," who have no power over the others, but more power in general, and there is a sort of internal predjudice over Houses that consider themselves "Old Blood" [those who have existed since the "unification" of Korin] and those who are considered "New Blood" [those are have been appointed or have appointed themselves in the five hundred years since] Since the founding of Korin was a messy and largely undocumented affair, there does not appear to be any way to determine which Old Blood claims are correct and which are very old lies which have more or less become truth.

There are some Houses which maintain a subservient relationship to Rayla, although they are far in the majority, usually those Houses considered "Old Fashioned" or "Traditional", or those who simply feel more comfortable answering to someone. Out of Korin's 40 odd Houses, there are something between 10-15 Houses that still consider themselves under Rayla's banner, although the number fluctuates occassionally due to the eternal Korin curse of being unwilling to document ties. Some of these Houses with more solid ties are are House Gathre, House Mera, House Eorme, House Taerin, and House Kasrae. Rayla generally tends to not exert the tremulous authority they have over this Houses more than it needs to, as it is as always, cautious about meeting the same fate as all of it's predeccessors, and knows that the deferrenace they are given is a choice by these Houses and not something they should take for granted.

However, oddly, despite the complicated and messy situation of politics, the system actually works. This is mostly because Korin citizens, for some reason, even those rare ones who continue to answer to Rayla, seem to be programmed with a fierce national pride that is not tied to any House or any Lord, but to the land and the history behind it itself. You'd be hard pressed to find a Korin who is not intensely proud of their heritage, and those who aren't usually have some personal reason for it. Because of this national pride, the Houses of Korin are more or less happy with the governing the land they have as a piece of Korin and don't take it to their head to split apart and form their own country. It's a bizarre sort of unity, but it's often said in Eire that if every kingdom were to split apart and fell to civil disarray, Korin, confusingly, would be the last -- except Kilia, of course, but since Kilia seems to have been there since the dawn of time, well, really.

[edit] Geography

The map of Korin. For high-res/larger version, see [1].
The map of Korin. For high-res/larger version, see [1].

[edit] The Houses of Korin

[edit] The Great Houses of Korin

These are the Houses with more power, alliances, money, and respect than a good portion of the others. They tend to be Old Blood, with ties and histories leading back a very long time, near to the founding or Korin itself, on many occassions.

There are tensions between almost all of them, and while they often lay latent (as they are right now), there have been many times when they’ve been engaged in serious struggles, where they gather allies to themselves and shake Korin in their clashes.

The past seventy-five years have been particularly hard on the Great Houses, their numbers have been dwindling, which has made some of Korin nervous, and some eager to see where the balance of power will turn next. Rayla was assumed to have been next on the list of those to fall, until Lady Eve returned. Very few are exactly sure what to think of this development.

[edit] Ruling House Rayla

The ruling House of Korin, Rayla has the most power of all it’s Houses. It’s army is strong and it’s influence vast, and despite the tremulous status of it’s power, in the end, it is Rayla other countries see as Korin’s head, and Rayla who deals with international affairs. Located in the center of Korin’s strongest trade routes, near the center of the country, housing the Rayla Academy, naturally protected by the mountains it’s built into, Rayla’s power is staunch. It was always said that only a situation such as the recent one could bring Rayla to ruin. Despite this, there are few aside from it’s sparse allied/truly subordinate Houses who trust or respect House Rayla, largely due to the mistakes it made while coming into power. While all Houses are technically beneath House Rayla and technically required to obey at it’s orders thanks to treaties signed centuries in the past, very few Korin Houses consider Rayla it’s leader.

However, in the end, though very few respect House Rayla, a large number fear House Rayla, and this fear tinged with strong resentment to any inference from them leads Korin’s Houses to greatly prefer they not incur Rayla’s pushy fix-everything sense while engaging in their games of power.

The current ruling Lord of Rayla is Lady Eve. She has no heir.

[edit] House Eina

Located far to the east of Korin, built strongly and solidly into it’s mountains, House Eina is a proud House and an old one, the oldest traceable in Korin’s History. It’s because of this it has built it’s power and support. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, House Eina remains aloof from the rest of Korin. While it maintains relations with other Houses, it holds no enmity or alliances. It raises it’s own army and has it’s own trade routes, and keeps it’s borders staunchly. House Eina holds a great deal of respect from the Houses of Korin, especially the Old Blood.

The current ruling Lord of Eina is Lord Valtes, and his heir is Lady Ruseia.

[edit] House Sarrca

A House located to the Northwest of Korin, House Sarrca is known for it’s unreadable nature. Having no long-standing alliances, it lends its support out to whatever House it is most interested in at the moment. House Sarrca makes a great deal of promises to those who come looking for their support, but the promises it’s making are rarely the ones you’re hearing. In almost every conflict, without fail, numerous Houses will, against their better judgement, decide that Sarrca’s immensely strong army of magic users is worth the risk of ‘betrayal,’ and approach House Sarrca for its support. In the end, House Sarrca truly promises itself to only one House – if that. Many consider it the Wild Card of Korin’s conflicts, it never seems to play itself out the same way twice. It’s lords and heirs are, without fail, intelligent, conniving, skilled politicians who sit in their home in the deep forests near the Shirfrei Mountains, studying the existing situation and deciding who they favour before they are even approached.

The current ruling Lord of Sarrca is Lord Keran, and his heir is Lord Aiden.

[edit] House Varise

Located on Korin’s Southeast coast, House Varise is a strong trade center for Korin, it’s strongest and most sturdily fortified seaport. Despite not being allied or subordinate to House Rayla, exactly, they share a sort of amiable yet tense friendship that’s been maintained over many years, which has made House Varise cocky;. Cocky is, in general, a good word to describe House Varise. Many Houses resent it’s superior attitude, even it’s allied and (very) few subordinate Houses, the mercantile (and military, for that matter) power it possesses and the services it affords almost all of Korin are undeniable, and the other Houses have learned to put up with House Varise and it’s often frustrating attitude for these reasons.

The current ruling Lord of Varisa is Lord Cartlon, and his heir is Lord Tyren.


[edit] Houses Sworn To Rayla


Had a messy war with House Drysi.

Old Blood. Rayla's best friends, completely love them. Devote some major sacrifice to them each generation. Most of the country is laughing at them, but they do have an army. Ruled by Lord Benjamin, his heir is Lord Anllin.


Old Blood Located between the Giev River and the edge of the Konerash Mountains, just north of Forshen. No one is quite sure when Hanmor really came into power, due to Korin's lack of documentation, but most of it's ruling Lords have all been quite likable and have stayed sworn to Rayla and on good terms. Its own, somewhat small, army is maintained by the current ruling lord.

It's Lord in name is Swithin and his Lady is Gwyneira, though their heir and only son Simon is the one currently governing. Simon himself currently has no heir.


Valentine's house.


LARA IS FROM HERE


New Blood. House Lahn is New Blood, though it still dates some 300 years back in history. Located in the small pocket between the Shirfrei Mountains and the Eran Mountain Range, Lahn is a considerable distance from Rayla. It's somewhat of an anomaly that it hasn't proclaimed itself independent, but the previous Lords of Lahn have always taken comfort in just that fact, --- they have allies. Lahn has strength in number as well as funds and very rarely ignores a call of arms if it is made by any of their allied Houses.

The current Lord is Maximillian, and his Lady is Victoria, heir is Dafydd, other children include Dafydd's twin sister Anemone and a younger son of 17 named Declan as well as a daughter of 15 named Dar.



Old Blood. Devoted to Rayla above all other alliances, as illustrated by their abandoning Taerin in the current war. Located in the mountains near the Giev River, just west of Forshen. Ruled by Lysander's father, heir is Lysander.


Old Blood. ruled by Lord Rodger, heir is Lauren. Long-time ally of Rayla, an alliance that is held in great importance, though they did not consider Rayla to be a "ruler" necessarily. Their next strongest alliance would be with Mera, though the alliance has been injured somewhat by Lady Irene's infedelity and treason.


MEGAN IS FROM HERE

[edit] Houses Not Sworn To Rayla

Old Blood Recognizably powerful. Located Ruled by a Lord Drogen, a young, hard man with no heir of his own blood. Names Rory of Fallen Forna as his heir. Is harbouring he and his sister Colleen.


Located in the northeast, Justin and Erin and Liam stayed there while in Korin.


Home to Lord Jerome and formerly his sister, Jeann, who married Carenth, the former lord of House Sylea.

New Blood. Located in the western part of Korin (between Maea and Charet). A house with the reputation for being rather rowdy and not overly respectable. Ruled by Lord Henry, a widower with three grown sons, the eldest of which is his heir Edward.


Kenneth's 'friend' Lady Marcia lives here. May elaborate.


Ruled by Lord Raoul, brother of the late Carenth of Sylea.



Located in the East. Irene of Taerin, while on an undercover mission, once claimed to be a Michelle of House Fryda, who does not in fact exist.


New Blood, located in the East. Heir is Lord Kenneth.

I am pretty sure this was used in Syleaplot but I don't remember for sure

HM, it was, Jarek and Keane mentioned it once in like FEBRUARY, but I can't figure out the context.

Eric's House. This is here so no one thinks its free!!


New Blood. Shares blood relations to House Taerin. Heir is Lady Tyre. Currently at war with house Sylea.



Old Blood. Very sensible and practical. Ruled Lord Felrin, his heir is Lord Sarn. Located in the Southern part of the West, near the Eran Mountain Range. They hold no great love for Sylea but also are not an enemy of the house.


New Blood. Ruled by Lord Xavier, located towards the west of the Koneragh Mountains. Heir is Lord Joseph.




Old Blood. Ruled by Lord Damien, with several valid claims following him. Located in the armpit area of the peninsula on the west coast.


Old Blood. Located north to the Shirfrei mountains. Ruled by Lord Ciaran, Orach takes great pride in their army. Ciaran's heir is Lord Arwel.



Kara's House. THIS IS HERE SO NO ONE THINKS IT'S FREE!!


Old Blood. Seems to attempt to isolate itself from most conflict, located near the Leinstar mountains. Ruled by Lord Lyndan, heir is Lord Kresley.


The evil bastards who fucked with lara and eric and raped taerin.


New Blood. Located in the west, in the midst of the Shirfrei mountains. Claims no alliance to Rayla, and is currently embroiled in a bloody fued with House Keir Ruled by Lord Malcolm, his heir is his brother, Lord Keane.



Old Blood. Ruled by Lord Symeon, heir is Lady Lissandra, followed by his other two daughters. Known for high rate of female births among their ruling family, that they have a high number of talented mages.


[edit] The Fallen Houses

[edit] House Forna

Once located in the open tundra of Korin’s eastern lands, House Forna was the most consistantly respected and influencial House in Korin. It was proud, with a line traced to the third oldest recorded in Korin, and while it’s army was weak at best, many has considered it Korin’s greatest House for a great many years. However, its most recent generation began to misuse this respect to take advantage of the Houses it was allied with, and began to strengthen its weak military exponentially by exploiting these ties, in an attempt to make a power bid. It’s allies and surrounding Houses picked up on this, and turned on it, cutting through the armies it had built and brutally killing its lords. Its two heirs escaped, and have yet to be hunted down and killed, despite all the effort of it’s enemies, who fear that the respect the name Forna still commands could be enough to damn them.

While House Forna has fallen, its surviving heir is Lord Rory.

[edit] House Daely

Located several weeks ride east of House Rayla, Daely had been Rayla’s closest ally since Rayla had delivered it a great deal of power after it had come into its own. While not particularly strong in its own right, it was considered a Great House simply due to how much of Rayla’s endless support and strength it was afforded as it’s closest friend. Daely constantly supported Rayla in everything, going to far as to give its heirs to Rayla as knights until they came into their power and took their seat in their home. However, this power eventually made Daely hungry, and it used its ties to House Rayla to hatch a plot to take Rayla’s heir and mould her to their wishes, all the while working to bring down the ruling Lord of House Rayla. The first part of their plot succeeded, but when their treachery was discovered ten years later before their plan could come into fruition, Rayla rightly turned on their dearest ally and slaughtered their army and ruling lords in home of regaining their heir who had been raised as their daughter. However, by that point, she had already fled the country, believing that her fate was to be the same as her “parents’.”

House Daely has fallen, and its line snuffed out. The last ruling lord was Lord Raymond.

[edit] House Bersilae

The fall of House Bersilae was tragic and unplanned. Located to the west, long considered one of Korin’s most treasured and sincere of Houses, old, proud, a line of scholars and philosophers, who contributed a great deal to Korin’s respect from other countries, and expanded the Rayla Academy’s impressive library every generation, House Bersilae fell when its entire ruling family were killed in a horrible fire, save its sickly heir, a babe of only a year, who died two years later, unable to live for any longer. Its armies disbanded and its citizens were scooped up by the nearby Houses, but it was few who did not mourn their passing.

House Bersilae has fallen, and its line snuffed out. The last ruling lord was Lady Eaphi.

[edit] House Foxworth

Old Blood. Located near Rayla. Fell when the unstable Lord Clarence committed a crime. It has been years since, and Foxworth is forgotten, but there are still a few rumors floating around; the most popular being that Lord Clarence had an affair with another House's lady. The family is borderline reculsive save for a few of Lord Clarence and Lady Lois's friends.

Though House Foxworth has fallen, its surviving heir is Lady Stephanie.

[edit] House Drysi

Located far to the north, near the Koneragh Mountains. Drysi was an ambitious house that sought to rise higher than its place. However, this ambition had no cunning or wisdom to temper it, and they fell into a quick, but bloody war with House Eorme. After three days of battle, in which Drysi's forces were slaughtered, soldiers were sent to Drysi Hall with orders to kill all inside. The three heirs escaped; however, Drysi's daughter was murdered three years later.

Though House Drysi has fallen, its two surviving heirs are Lord Asher and Lord Davan. The last ruling lord was Lord Iendar.

[edit] Characters Of Korin Heritage

[edit] Nobility

[edit] Of The Great Houses

[edit] Of House Rayla's Allies

[edit] Of The Independant Houses

[edit] Of The Fallen Houses

[edit] Commons

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