The Human Parliament

A NOTE ON TITLES

The Title Ranking of the Kingdom is as thus

1)King

2)Dukes

3)Lords and Ladies

4)Counts

5)Viscounts

6)Barons

7)Knights (Sirs and Dames)

There are also "Special Ranks"

-Marquis or Marquesse - Refers specifically to the ruler of a province that is at the border of the Kingdom. The owner of a Margravate has an extra duty in defending the Kingdom. In terms of rank, they would fall between Lords and Counts.

-Bishop - Refers to the ruler of a Bishopric. Bishops have an extra religious duty. In terms of Rank they would fall between Dukes and Lords

-Meister - Refers to the head of a non-noble Organization. In terms of Rank they would fall between Viscounts and Barons.

-Inquisitors - Special Religious Rank designed for hunting witches, heretics, necromancers, and other such religious and magical malcontents. In terms of Rank they fall just below Bishops. Inquisitors are also exempt from secular laws.

Members of the Human Parliament

King Barlys Acerbus - Technically the King is a member of Parliament with immense voting power. The 63 year old King Abernia, however, has been Crusading since he was 18 and has never yet returned home, happy to let Parliament deal with "the boring stuff". He is still a bachelor and without heir, to the consternation of many back home.

Marquis Charles Agravine - Marquis of the Border Margravate of Boulon, which borders on Elven Lands to the East. General advocate of military action and expansion. Title also gives him command of the Wood Guard, elite Rangers of the Kingdom. His first wife was raped in an Elven "Border Reaving"- she died of injury and sickness not long after. Since then he has held a deep hatred of Elves, and a desire to annex the forest bordering his land.

Marquesse Ysabelle Alsace - Beautiful Marquesse of the seaside Margravate of Chandre, where the elegant (or ostentatious) Port Rosale can be found. Generally conservative regarding immigration affairs, with her Margravate being overrun of late with Merfolk and Elves, who she sees as "uncivilized". General elitist, usually more concerned with the Artistic and Cultural aspects of the nation rather than diplomacy or military, though she does find politics more interesting than she lets on. Her Margravate is the home of the Red Guard, a military/police force with Inquisitorial and Ecclesiastical ties.

Bishop Jon Balmund - Ruler of the small but holy Bishopric of Tarven. Currently 120 years old, having used three of his four allowed Resurrection spells. When not being senile or sleeping, is generally a political moderate. He usually sleeps through large parts of Parliament meetings and thus can usually only come up with taken random (and often mis-remembered) quotes from the Red Book as "sage advice". As Bishop of Tarven he has certain special powers afforded him, such as calling a Summons of a Militia of the Faithful, blessing a Crusade and excommunicating other provinces.

Meister Bosch XI of the Shade Bound Order- Representative of the Shade Bound Order in Parliament.

Lady Admiral Olessa Deschelle- Olessa Deschelle is the ruler of the coastal City-State of Sapphire Bay. By tradition, holding this Ladyship makes one the Lady or Lord Admiral of the nation's fleet. Olessa Deschelle is a flamboyant and maverick Naval Commander, but undeniably brilliant, having famously devastated they Yellow Fleet of the Goblin Warlord Feggar the Terrible. She is also known for her love of the female sex and for having many fair lovers (it is rumoured she keeps a small harem, in the style of certain foreign nations) - perhaps scandalous to the more conservative classes, but no one wants to risk losing their Naval Genius. Politically, she is also something of a maverick, being liberal when it comes to domestic matters but more conservative when it comes to foreign policy.

Baron Brenton Desquin- Proponent of Diplomacy, known for honesty.

Marquis Yohan Falkenstein- The Marquis of Stonewatch, the Margravate that forms the border between the nation and the large Mountains to the North-East. He is actually a rather demure, frail and peaceful - but has managed to run his Margravate with remarkable efficiency and has had many diplomatic successes dealing with the Dwarves. He is known for being very honourable and a true gentleman. He has been unable to attend the recent Parliament session due to certain circumstances.

Sir Choppa von Hammersmarck - Representative of the Anvils, a province populated by many Half-Orcs. Generally militaristic in outlook.

Lord Jacob Highblade - Herald of the Parliament.

Count Maximillian Janus- Moderate Member of Parliament who dislikes war.

Lord Knight Jhonas - Representative of the freezing island of Silverkiln, one of the more heavily militarized nations of the continent. Abrasive, classist and ruthlessly pragmatic, he takes a realist's approach to politics, and rarely cares for the wellbeing of the other factions if it means advancing his own. Jhonas is the founder and leader of the Knights of the Kiln, a circle of knights famous for their slaying of the Great Dragon Phyrax, and infamous for boasting of their direct ancestry to the bloodthirsty tyrants of a now thankfully fallen empire. Although Silverkiln and its representatives hold very little sway in the politics of the lands, they are nonetheless considered a formidable military-asset.

Comte de Latastei - A Count from the place where there is the College of Sorcery.

Viscount Marron DeLorean - Viscount of the Gerian Expanse, a lush, fertile province close to the capital that he famously won in a wager. The peasantry joke that he is "lucky in cards, unlucky in bed", as though he brings home a new woman every time he goes gambling, he never keeps them for more than a fortnight. Politically, he is seen as idealistic, but steady disillusionment has left him unwilling to press any point too hard. Currently on the run after being ambushed while returning from a parliament session to prepare his citizenry for a potential war.

Lady Mallea Moiselle- Firm and prepared for war, as well as demanding, but fair.

Lord Paladin Everius d'Ralin Leader of the Chivalric Order of Justice, a religious order dedicated to maintaining the spirit of the words of The Powers That Be. EG: Justice, not law, is important. Lord Ralin became head of the order 30 years ago, just before the first of a long series of crusades against the Orcs and other goblinoid empires and their death gods. Fought in the "Inhuman Rebellions" alongside the Chivalric Order (on the side of the 'Inhumans') in protest against the Inhuman Laws 40 years ago. Paladins mostly fought a defensive battle, and discouraged direct retaliation of any sort, they were instrumental in abolishing the racist laws and restoring the peace diplomatically. Lord d'Ralin has since tried to maintain this in the council ever since. He is now over 60 years of age, and is still healthy and battle ready given his strict regime and his own paladin abilities keeping him free of disease unlike most of the population.

Count Theodoric Rossler - Lord of the small island of Cairn, one of the smallest and weakest provinces of the nation. Official Intelligencer of the Kingdom. Prefers to use indirect, some would say cowardly, methods. He sees it as being pragmatic - assassinating a rebel leader means not having to slaughter hundreds. Is generally a political liberal. His title of Intelligencer gives him command over the Grey Chamber, the center of the nation's Spy Network.

Lord Ivan van der Scheut - A prominent Military Leader of the nation. Exceedingly militaristic. Father of the deceased Sir van der Scheut. Followed by his son Ivan Jr.

Inquisitor Tex -While not the highest-ranking of the Kingdom's Inquisition, Tex is certainly one of the most influential and is thus the chosen Representative of the Inquisition to Parliament. A native of Tarven, Tex is a staunch pro-humanist (though it's more accurate to say that he's just racist against elves to an unbelievable degree). He's generally the first one to suggest that the Parliament starts burning people (and elves, even if they don't count as "people"). However, despite (or perhaps because of) his hang-ups involving "those thrice-damned knife-ears" and his apparent pyromania, Inquisitor Tex has been named as "Best Witchhunter" by the Inquisition for the past 6 years.

Duke Valjon- A very powerful noble, of the central province of Quavor. His son was murdered by a Doppleganger and he has not come to Parliament in three months out of grief. He has begun viscous anti-Doppleganger laws in Quavor in reprisal for his sons' murder. The Doppleganger murderer has escaped and is still at large.

Other, Less Important People

Parliament Staff

Baldrick, 40-Year Old Page- "I have released the ravens as you instructed, milord. I myself pray that your knights will see us through this dark time. Now, what did you want done with these notices?" Guy in Charge of Ravens, Messages, and Other things.

Billduck, 20-Year Old Page - Guy in Charge of linking people to this page. Son of Baldrick

Guard Sergeant Brungle - A Guard Sergeant of House of Parliament

Watchman Maliss - A Watchman on the Outer Wall. He is deathly allergic to onions.

Archivist Rohn - An Archivist

Sir Valder - Gate Knight of the Houses of Parliament

Elvish Delegation

Long Dong - A particularly unpleasant half-elf with the Ambassador's Party. It is dubious if he was actually a half-elf noble. Currently is far away, dying horribly from poison administered by Count Theodoric Rossler.

Seminia Heartsknot - Head Ambassador from the Elves

Riss Leafstrider - Son of Ranger Leafstrider, the elf whose murder of Sir Brian led to the current afair. He has come to represent his father.

And Others

Mr. Wyld Bone - Suspiciously fleshless salesman

Jak - Representative of the Dopplegangers to Parliament

Links

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