The Mournful Kingdom

Description:  For over fifty years, the kingdom was ruled by King Luther Kaspara II, better known as The Tormenter for his harsh and often cruel reign. During his reign, Pretomournoun fought numerous wars against the kingdom of Woulph in the south, and conquered the Island of Schicksal in the Silk Sea. Three years ago, the king was assassinated by an unknown assassin and succeeded by his daughter, the twelve-year-old Amarande.

Though Pretomournoun controls all the land between the Silk Sea in the west and the Monument Mountains, the kingdom is heavily forested and sinister, with huge tracts of abandoned lands left to the encroaching forest. The dark woods of the Mournful Kingdom are populated only by animals, and are home to countless monstrous non-humans like deodands, hags, and gnomes.

Ruler: Queen Amarande Kaspara, the Child Queen. Because of her young age and inexperience, she doesn’t have absolute power: her most important advisor, Chancellor Ludwig has considerable influence, as do prince Garland of Western and the Duke of Skinmarch. The duke’s daughter, countess Lorelei of Skinmarch, is Amarande’s best friend and the queen is known to discuss many important (and often secret) affairs of state with her.

Population: The people of the Mournful Kingdom are handsome, with dark hair and light eyes. Both men and women wear baroque, elaborate costumes more suited for the theater rather than practical or sensible clothing, especially the aristocracy.

The Pretomournoun follow the philosophy of Humanotheism, which states that mankind is nearly divine, and encourages men and women to strive for perfection, both physical as mental. Most people in the kingdom are atheists, but religion is not prohibited, and The Temple has a large cathedral in the capital of Pretomournoun.

Pretomournoun: The capital of the Mournful Kingdom is the largest city of the continent, but much of it lies in ruins. According to the latest census, the inner city has a population of about 36,000. About a quarter of that number lives in the mostly ruined districts outside the inner walls. Citizens in the inner city are most likely craftsmen, shopkeepers, merchants and aristocrats. In the outskirts live the thieves, whores, escaped slaves, mad priests and sorcerers of the city. At night, the affluent citizens of the inner city visit the taverns, bordellos, night markets and more secret forbidden pleasures of the outskirts, while the thieves and burglars visit the palaces of the inner city to ply their trade.