Carthmoor enters the present year at a moment of uncertainty.

King Jorrel II is dead. Queen Maessa serves as Regent while the High Council determines which eligible member of House Jordayne will next occupy the Sapphire Throne.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the succession, Carthmoor has not ceased to function. The Lord High Chancellor and Small Council continue the administration of the kingdom, while the Great Houses govern their lands and uphold their obligations to the Crown.

Beneath that stability, older tensions remain.

Relations with the Elder lands have never fully recovered from the Salt War. Mercia remains a sometimes-restless neighbor beyond the northern approaches. Piracy, smuggling, and illicit trade persist along the coasts despite centuries of attempts to suppress them.

The Church of Ceros remains one of Carthmoor's most influential institutions, even as tensions endure between some of its ancient doctrines and the laws and practices of the Crown.

And the royal succession has once again reminded every Great House that the stability of Carthmoor depends upon a careful balance between Crown and nobility.

Whoever inherits the Sapphire Throne will inherit a strong kingdom.

That sovereign will not inherit an uncomplicated one.

Carthmoor's recorded history stretches far beyond the founding of the present kingdom, but the modern realm dates its years from Maedar's Conquest.

0 AC - Maedar's Conquest

Twelve and a half centuries ago, High Lord Maedar Jordayne began the campaign that transformed the political landscape of Brydd.

Backed by the Houses of Kheldish Riding, mercenaries from Falcor, and the Knights of the Temple of Ceros, Maedar conquered the Five Marches and united them beneath his Crown.

His attempts to extend the conquest farther did not bring all of Brydd under his rule, but the realm he founded endured.

The Kingdom of Carthmoor was born.

In return for the Church's support, D'Hassa received formal recognition as an autonomous city-state, and the Faith of Ceros became Carthmoor's official religion.

Heresy laws followed. Many were later softened or repealed by Carthmoor rulers, although the Church continues to retain them within its own law.

Maedar's victory established a new reckoning of years. The Conquest became 0 AC - After Conquest, a calendar subsequently adopted by many of Carthmoor's trading partners.

1150 AC - War of the Pirate Kings

Reign: King Taevar Jordayne

After centuries of persistent pirate raids against Carthmoor's coasts, King Taevar Jordayne ordered the royal navy to attack the island strongholds of the Pirate Kings.

Assisted by skrill riders from Falcor, Carthmoori forces broke several major pirate strongholds. Raiding diminished substantially for several decades but was never eliminated.

1170 AC - The Salt War

Reign: King Malaeron Jordayne

The Salt War began when intruders penetrated the protections surrounding Claen Gael's Burning Sea and stole several Ddraig eggs.

All but one escaped. The captured thief carried the seal of Great House Kilane.

The Morrighan retaliated against Wrexham's Salt Docks, destroying much of the harbor and its naval force. Wrexham responded militarily, and the conflict spread into the Connait.

As the fighting escalated, Carthmoor employed skrill riders, rogue dragonriders from Falcor, and secretly hired dragonslayers from the Howling Islands. Losses were severe on all sides.

Fearing that a wider war with Claen Gael would devastate the kingdom, King Malaeron sought the intervention of the Sidhe.

Kerowyn Trevalyan, ruler of Tir Ceilte, agreed to mediate a cessation of hostilities, supported at sea by forces from Tir an Aigean.

The peace endured, but relations between Carthmoor and the western Elder lands never entirely recovered.

1220-1250 AC - The Reign of Jorrel II

Jorrel II Jordayne ascended the Sapphire Throne in 1220 AC.

Known before his coronation as kind and well-liked, his reign became increasingly politically complicated, particularly in its later years.

Jorrel married Lady Maessa, who became Queen of Carthmoor and an influential figure at court.

Questions surrounding royal policy, Jorrel's family, and the succession would ultimately outlive his reign.

1250 AC - Death of the King

On the 7th Day of the 4th Moon in 1250 AC, King Jorrel II died.

His death was officially declared natural, although doubts remain.

The Lord High Chancellor summoned the High Council to determine which eligible member of House Jordayne would succeed him.

On the 15th Day of the 4th Moon in 1250 AC, Maessa Jordayne was confirmed as Queen Regent and assumed temporary executive authority pending the succession.

Carthmoor is divided into five major regions. Each possesses its own noble Houses, local traditions, and political interests.

Detailed regional guides will expand upon their settlements, geography, and histories as development continues.

Kheldish Riding

• Royal House: House Jordayne
• Great House: House Fannon
• Capital: Rhemuth
• Great House Seat: Tornbridge Keep

Kheldish Riding is the royal heartland of Carthmoor.

Rhemuth, seat of House Jordayne and capital of the kingdom, stands at the confluence of the Kaedros Rush and the Kheldour River.

House Fannon is the Great House of Kheldish and holds the hereditary office of High Warden of Kheldish.

Its ancestral seat, Tornbridge Keep, stands upon a holm in the northern reaches of the Riding. The ancient river crossings surrounding the keep have been destroyed and rebuilt more than once; their most recent reconstruction was undertaken in dragonstone.

From Tornbridge, House Fannon guards the northern approaches to the royal heartland and stands between the lands to the south and neighboring Mercia, whose relations with Carthmoor have not always been peaceful.

This strategic position has made House Fannon one of the Crown's most valued allies and one whose strength must always be respected.

Notable Houses: Fannon, Arryn, Brech, Arilan.

D'Hassa

D'Hassa is an autonomous city-state within Kheldish Riding near Rhemuth.

Established by the Church of Ceros beside Lake Jahassa, it became the great western center of the Faith. Its central temple complex is Elysia.

D'Hassa is the seat of the Cardinal of Ceros and headquarters of the Knights of the Temple of Ceros.

Its autonomy was formally recognized by Maedar Jordayne following the Conquest in return for the Church's support.

Wrexham March

Great House: House Kilane

Wrexham occupies Carthmoor's western reaches. Its proximity to the Elder lands has repeatedly shaped its history and its relationship with the Crown.

The March played a central role in the Salt War of 1170 AC, when the theft of Ddraig eggs brought Wrexham into direct conflict with the Morrighan of Claen Gael.

Notable Houses: Kilane, Salain, Laran, Rawlin.

The Connait

Great House: House Aldyn

Known Seat: Bay of Seawatch

The Connait occupies Carthmoor's southwestern reaches.

Its proximity to Wrexham and the western seas drew it into the Salt War after fighting spread beyond Wrexham's borders.

Notable Houses: Aldyn, Cordaire, Mindolin, Tomar.

Raventyr March

Great House: House Mallister

Major Port: Arvon by the Sea

Raventyr occupies much of Carthmoor's southeastern coast along the Rheic Sea.

The kingdom's largest port, Arvon by the Sea, makes Raventyr important to Carthmoor's maritime trade and overseas connections.

Notable Houses: Mallister, Stalwin, Camdon, Kewart.

Blackmoor March

Great House: House Shatterstone

Blackmoor occupies Carthmoor's southern reaches along the Rheic Sea.

Further details about Blackmoor, its settlements, and the history of House Shatterstone will be added during regional development.

Notable Houses: Shatterstone, Barris, Kettleblack, Lanser.

Carthmoor society is strongly hierarchical. Status is shaped by birth, land, sworn allegiance, profession, wealth, education, and service.

Social advancement is possible - particularly through military service, scholarship, wealth, or royal favor - but the noble Houses remain the foundation of the kingdom's political and social order.

The Royal House

House Jordayne stands at the head of Carthmoor society.

The reigning King or Queen is sovereign of the realm. Other members of the royal family hold precedence according to their relationship to the Crown, individual titles, offices, and political standing.

The Great Houses

Immediately beneath the Crown stand the Great Houses.

The head of a Great House traditionally bears the title High Lord or High Lady.

Great Houses possess extensive hereditary lands and authority. They govern their territories, maintain military forces, administer justice within their jurisdiction, collect revenues, and oversee the Lesser Houses sworn beneath them.

Their power makes them both essential supporters of the Crown and significant political forces in their own right.

Lesser Houses

Lesser Houses comprise most of Carthmoor's hereditary nobility.

Their wealth and influence vary considerably. Some possess substantial estates and military strength; others hold little more than a modest ancestral holding.

The head of a Lesser House traditionally bears the title Lord or Lady.

Most owe allegiance to a Great House, although particular families may hold rights or lands directly from the Crown.

Knights and Landed Gentry

Knighthood is earned through service and does not require noble birth.

Knights may serve as household warriors, military officers, retainers, sworn swords, or independent warriors.

A knight granted hereditary land may establish a family holding. Successful knightly or landed families may eventually rise into the Lesser Houses.

The landed gentry also includes families possessing hereditary property and local influence without holding one of the kingdom's greater noble titles.

Magisters

Magisters occupy an unusual position in Carthmoor society. Their standing derives primarily from education, training, and expertise rather than hereditary noble rank.

Their principal ranks are:

• Adept: A Magister who has completed the required foundational training and practices under appropriate supervision.
• Mage: A fully trained Magister recognized as capable of independent practice.
• Archmage: The highest formal rank of the Order, representing exceptional mastery and experience.

Grand Mage is an appointment rather than a separate rank. A Great House, royal household, city, or institution may appoint a Grand Mage to oversee the Magisters serving it.

Magisters commonly serve as healers, archivists, historians, scholars, teachers, advisors, and specialists. Their influence may considerably exceed their social rank by birth.

Guilds, Merchants, and Tradespeople

Skilled artisans, merchants, and tradespeople form an influential portion of Carthmoor's towns and cities.

Guild membership provides professional standing, training, and economic influence. Successful merchants and guild leaders may become extremely wealthy, although wealth alone does not confer hereditary noble rank.

The Common Folk

Most Carthmoor are free subjects of the Crown: farmers, craftspeople, servants, laborers, soldiers, sailors, merchants, and other working people.

Rural communities commonly live and work upon lands belonging to the Crown, a noble House, the Church, or another landholder and owe rents, taxes, labor, or other obligations according to local custom.

Indentured Service

Indentured service is legal in Carthmoor and may arise through debt, contract, or certain criminal sentences.

The conditions and duration of an indenture are regulated by law, although abuses occur.

Slavery is illegal in Carthmoor. No person may lawfully be owned as property.

Illegal enslavement and black-market slave trading nevertheless occur, particularly through criminal networks operating in major ports. Such activities remain subject to prosecution under Carthmoor law.

Carthmoor is a feudal hereditary monarchy with elective dynastic succession.

The reigning King or Queen possesses broad executive authority, but Carthmoor is not governed by the Crown alone. Great Houses exercise substantial hereditary authority within their own lands, while the Small Council administers the machinery of royal government.

Effective rule therefore depends upon a balance between royal authority, regional power, and institutions whose influence extends beyond any individual monarch.

The Sapphire Throne

House Jordayne has ruled Carthmoor since Maedar's Conquest in 0 AC.

The Crown passes within the Jordayne dynasty, but not automatically from parent to eldest child. Eligible royal heirs are considered by the High Council following the death of a sovereign.

Birth order carries considerable weight, but does not determine succession.

The ruling sovereign may openly favor or recommend a particular heir, and such a preference carries significant political influence. It does not bind the High Council.

Royal Heirs and Legitimacy

Marriage is not the sole basis of dynastic legitimacy in Carthmoor.

A recognized child of the sovereign born to a member of another noble House may be accepted as a legitimate royal heir even when the parents were not married.

Thus, several members of House Jordayne may possess valid claims simultaneously. None has an absolute right to inherit until chosen by the High Council.

The individual widely expected to succeed may be called the presumptive heir, but the designation reflects expectation rather than legal certainty.

The Regent

A Regent exercises the authority of the Crown when no reigning sovereign is able to do so.

A regency is temporary and does not itself confer a claim to the Sapphire Throne.

Queen Maessa Jordayne presently serves as Queen Regent following the death of Jorrel II. Her executive authority will end when the High Council's chosen sovereign assumes the throne.

The Small Council

The Small Council is the Crown's permanent governing body. Its members advise the sovereign, administer their respective offices, and oversee the daily operation of royal government.

Advisers served Carthmoor monarchs from the kingdom's earliest years, but King Jorrel I formalized the Small Council as a permanent institution approximately 250 years ago.

The Council traditionally consists of seven senior officers.

Lord High Chancellor

• Full Title: Lord High Chancellor of Carthmoor
• Additional Style: First Minister of State
• Council Title: Lord Chancellor of the Small Council
• Common Usage: Lord Chancellor; the Chancellor

The Lord High Chancellor is the Crown's chief minister and principal political officer.

Second only to the sovereign in the daily administration of the kingdom, the Chancellor coordinates the Small Council and ensures that royal decisions are carried out throughout Carthmoor.

When authorized by the Crown, the Chancellor may summon officials, issue directives, and speak in the sovereign's name.

The Lord High Chancellor presides over the Small Council when the sovereign is absent but does not thereby become Regent. A regency is a separate office.

Upon the death of a sovereign, the Chancellor also summons and presides over the High Council and oversees continuity of government until the succession is resolved.

Chancellor of the Treasury

The Chancellor of the Treasury oversees Crown revenues, taxation, expenditures, royal debts, and administration of the treasury.

Chancellor of Laws

The Chancellor of Laws oversees the administration of royal law and advises the Crown on decrees, courts, jurisdiction, and other legal matters. Local justice remains largely in the hands of authorities possessing jurisdiction over their own lands, subject to royal law.

Chancellor of the Admiralty

The Chancellor of the Admiralty oversees the Crown's naval affairs, including royal fleets, maritime defense, and naval readiness. The office also coordinates naval forces supplied by the Marches when called into royal service.

Chancellor of Whispers

The Chancellor of Whispers oversees the Crown's intelligence network and advises the sovereign on espionage, counterintelligence, foreign agents, political threats, and information vital to the security of the realm. The office traditionally operates with considerable discretion.

Grand Magister

The Grand Magister represents the Order of Magisters before the Crown and advises the sovereign and Small Council on scholarly, arcane, historical, medical, and other specialized matters. Unlike the Chancellors, the Grand Magister represents an institution whose authority and traditions exist independently of the Crown.

Lord High Commander of the Royal Guard

The Lord High Commander leads the Royal Guard and bears primary responsibility for the personal security of the sovereign and immediate royal household.

The Royal Guard is broken into two units: The Kingsguard and the Queensguard. They all wear white cloaks, but the badges they wear distinguish which guard they belong to. The Kingsguard wears the sigil of Royal House Jordayne while the Queensguard wears a sigil that consists of the Queen’s House and the Royal House Sigils entwined.

The High Council

The High Council is a temporary body convened following the death of a reigning sovereign for the sole purpose of determining the succession.

Its membership is established by law and tradition rather than selected by the Lord High Chancellor.

The Lord High Chancellor summons and presides over the Council but does not ordinarily vote.

Its voting members are drawn from Carthmoor's Great Houses and other principal institutions according to the laws governing succession. Neither the Regent nor a candidate under consideration for the Sapphire Throne may vote upon the succession.

The Council considers the eligible members of House Jordayne and selects the candidate it judges best suited to rule.

The Council must choose a Jordayne.

If the voting members are evenly divided, the Lord High Chancellor casts the deciding vote.

Once the new sovereign assumes the Sapphire Throne, the High Council dissolves.

Carthmoor is a large human kingdom on Brydd, formed 1,250 years ago when Maedar Jordayne united the Five Marches beneath his crown.

Today, Carthmoor remains a strongly hierarchical realm shaped by the Crown, the Great Houses, the Church of Ceros, and the obligations of land, service, and sworn allegiance.

The death of King Jorrel II has placed the kingdom under the temporary rule of Queen Regent Maessa Jordayne while the High Council determines which eligible member of House Jordayne will next occupy the Sapphire Throne.

Quick Facts

Carthmoor is divided into five great regions collectively known as Marches: Kheldish Riding, Wrexham March, the Connait, Raventyr March, and Blackmoor March.

Four Marches are governed by their respective Great Houses. Kheldish is the royal heartland of House Jordayne, with House Fannon serving as its Great House and hereditary defender.

Current Canon • 1250 AC

Development Note: This guide reflects current Carthmoor canon and is available for character creation and play. Additional regional details and minor revisions may be added as the setting continues to develop.

Playing in Carthmoor

Carthmoor supports characters from nearly every level of society, including members of the royal dynasty and Great Houses, Lesser Houses, knights, Magisters, clergy, merchants, soldiers, sailors, craftspeople, servants, and common folk.

Characters may become involved in the succession and politics of the royal court, but they are not required to do so. Stories may center upon noble Houses, military service, the Church, scholarship, trade, crime, exploration, family affairs, or everyday life throughout the Five Marches.

More detailed guides to individual Marches, Houses, institutions, and settlements will expand upon this national overview as those subjects enter play.