#about armorica

[armoricaroyalty]

𝔓𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔄𝔯𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔖𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔫𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℌ𝔢𝔦𝔯𝔰 [1/4]

Everard III had a problem. Four decades of marriage to Lady Yvette Holland had produced only a single child, a girl, whom the couple had named Thérèse. Under Armorican law, the Princess could not accede to the throne, leaving the succession up to chance. If he were to die, the crown could pass either to Thérèse's young son, Prince Andre, or to the children of Everard's detested younger brother, Prince Henri. Knowing that Parliament would likely favor his estranged brother's sons over the teenaged Andre, Everard found a legislative solution. With the passage of the Inheritance Act of 1976, Thérèse became Armorica's first Crown Princess, securing the succession. In this triumphant 1978 portrait, Everard III gazes confidently at the viewer, hands placed firmly on the shoulders of his chosen heirs...the portrait embodies the greatest contradiction of his reign: faced with the possibility of a forced reconciliation with his brother, he cast aside a century of legal precedent and his own chauvinistic worldview to affirm the rights of his daughter, "a mere woman." Arthur Farrier. "The Succession in Oils: A Century of Royal Armorican Portraiture." In Overview of Meritrean Portraiture, 1900 - 2050, edited by H. L. Orville, 159 - 197. Allard University Presss, 2061.

[nexility-sims]

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 / ❛ boy crazy ❜ part 1 (@armoricaroyalty)

❝ The Lover's Gala was the Armorican Queer Front's biggest annual event and 2044 was the 25th Anniversary. The organization's communications team had spent months putting out stories about the gala and the celebrities and members of the royals family expected to attend, trying without much success to turn the event into a major cultural major. Overnight, Princess Zofia (and her new boyfriend) blew them all out of the water. It was only his second time in Armorica, and the first time they'd appeared in public together since the funeral. It was only natural that they landed on the front page of every newspaper in the country, the gala (and the work done by the AQF) a vague footnote after paragraphs upon paragraphs breathlessly speculating about the intimate details of the lovebirds' long-distance relationship. "

♥ shoutout to gabe for pitching this very fun idea, as well as for the title card, the contextual prose, and, of course, my beloved daughter miss zofia augusta st. fleur !!!!!!! she's my favorite barbie doll & has been for a long time :^) i guess i love and adore my son as well, but nonetheless. this is special in part because it's the first time i've written them speaking outside of a parody piece that will never see the light of day. anyway, enjoy this super premature dialogue-inclusive, full-color sneak peak of Them™

PART 2

TRANSCRIPT:

{Light music, overlapping conversations}

[Z] It’s gotten so long since December!

[R] Anything for you.

[Z] Anything at all? Promise?

[R] On my life.

[Z] So ... Can we leave then?

[R] Well, that’s actually your call—

[Z] Okay, let’s leave right now!

[R] We’ve been here for only a short while, Fia.

[R] Even less if you count the “restroom break.”

[Z] That was worth it, and no one even noticed.

{Knocking}

[Z] Occupied!

[Z] Anyway, Hannah’s still here. Even Pidge. Et cetera. We can go.

[R] They walked out ten minutes ago—Hannah with Hugo, Margaret following Arthur. All through a servant’s door. Very conspicuous.

[Z] Did they? Huh. So they did.

{Rui laughs}

[Z] Look, if we leave now, it’ll be perfect. It’s barely nine o’clock. We can go back to the city, change clothes, go dancing—!

{Imaginary club music thudding} [Z&R V.O.] Party all night—bet you don’t believe me, but we actually do have good clubs [Rui snickers] or, like, one I like a lot—then I get a cheeseburger—[no pickles]—right! Oh, remember that poor cashier in Nakawe? You sure told him. [“Plain” means plain.] My hero! Anyway, then you carry me and my sore feet to bed. Ideal night.

[Z] You can keep this on, actually. Maybe ditch the jacket.

[R] Undo another button or two?

[Z] Of course. [Soft sigh] You get me.

[Z] The rose is also a must.

[R] It’s for you—a keepsake.

[Z] Aw. Our first appearance and our first Valentine’s Day ...

[R] A sign, probably. Meant to be.

[Z] Romance novel worthy. I’d read it.

[R] The boxes are checked: excitement, fate, many graphic—

[Z] No! Erotic. {Repeats in Armorican} Memorize that one.

{Murmuring}

[R] Do you think I should’ve worn a tie this evening?

[Z] What?

[R] If we were home, obviously not. But, Armorica is ... People here seem to care a lot about unnecessary things. So, was that a misstep?

[Z] {Laughs}

[Z]  Pfft. Hugo didn’t even have his jacket on.

[R] {Scoff} I am not Hugo.

[R] I want to make a good impression—on your family, really. This visit is different. They’re all, for better or worse, paying attention to me.

[Z] Are you kidding? Mission accomplished. [Z] Trust me, they love you! Now, come on, let’s go already—!

[sanctus-ingenium]

I have a few questions about the world and other stuff. I’m becoming obsessed with Inver now.

1. What type of entity is the Red King? Do they have a set form or can they change it? What is their personality like? Do they have a human-esque form that you’ve ever drawn before?

2. Are werewolves/lycans considered a type of fae? Or do they simply just worship the fae you call The Immortal Hound? I know they came from Armorica, but I’m curious about their origins. Are they magical or evolutionary?

(If answering any of these spoil any of the books, feel free not to answer)

hiiii thank you for asking!!

1 - The Red King is a barrow lord. There's not strict hierarchy (or strict rules at all) about faeries, but a barrow lord is a faery famous enough to be known by their name & to have attracted many followers and superstitious legends. Barrow lords are usually referred to euphemistically and not by their name (i.e why we don't say 'Puck', we say The Lord of Lies) to avoid attracting their attention. The Ruad itself was named after the Red King who traditionally holds dominion over that entire forest. Sometimes it's called the Red Forest, but that refers strictly to the king and not the actual colour of the forest. The Red King is considered to be in direct opposition to the Immortal Hound, they're ancient enemies.

Until recently, the Red King was considered to be the highest & final authority in all of Inver. Although stories and legends always crop up around the forest, there have been no confirmed firsthand accounts of the Red King in almost a century.

Followers of the Red King were once numerous, but in the 1860s the practise has waned as the Immortal Hound's followers gain more and more power. Small sects remain, particularly in communities close to the edge of the Ruad. The Sons of the Stag/"Stagsons" criminal gang in Invergorken city are adherents of the Red King, and operate under the assumption that the King of Inver's laws are false, because he's not the true king (this is not a valid defense in court).

The Red King is emblematic of Prey. In most stories he takes the form of a red deer with the rotting head of a stag rival entangled in his antlers (that's his crown). Followers of the stag are bound to his core principles of cold, hard survival and fighting for their lives; prey animals get no respite if they show any signs of weakness, and are often more violent and dangerous than any predator, because in every fight, their life hangs in the balance, and not just their hunger, and the Red King is the prey victorious.

Famously holding humanity in utter contempt, the Red King does not take a humanoid form, though some legends of green men are occasionally ascribed to the Red King.

2 - The werewolves are considered to be humans which have been given the ability to become beasts; not faeries of their own accord but definitely in commune with the Immortal Hound (who is a barrow lord). They don't all worship the Immortal Hound (as you'll probably see..) because lycanthropy is hereditary. If your parents were lycanthropes you probably will be as well, but you share a werewolf form with them - whatever werewolf your dad turned into, your werewolf form will look identical, because it is dictated in part by your own physical qualities and in part by a manifestation of your family's pact with the Immortal Hound. Size, physical power, triggering moon phase - these are determined by the terms of the pact your ancestor made (often under the purview of the monarchy, so naturally the higher ranking nobles have the best werewolf traits

So like anybody can make a pact with a faery (if the faery gives enough of a shit to accept), usually the human gets some knowledge in return, mostly about spellcrafting (this is what the title 'witch' refers to in Inver). Technically this means that the werewolves are just witches with very specialised pacts, but not a lot of people think of them that way (Félix is not in this category, he's something else).

Usually 'werewolf' is an umbrella term for anybody in pact with the Immortal Hound, but 'lycanthrope' refers solely to the family line 'body transforming into a big canine beastie' type of werewolf. A 'fleshwolf' is the other type, they do not physically transform but wear the flesh of the Immortal Hound like power armour. The pacts of some lycanthropes stipulate that they can bite someone to turn them into a fleshwolf (fun fact)

[materassassino]

For the prompt ask: hoodie for Joe/Nicky 😉

This one got a bit long, actually... It works though.

One word prompts!

---

Somewhere in the Altai Mountains, 1402

They are travelling east again, weary of the never-ending woes of the Mediterranean and Europe, and because Quynh wants to eat what she calls ‘proper food’ again – there is only so much Nicolò can do with imported spices that have lost their potency from travel (when they can afford them). Why they chose this accursed northern route instead of some sensible ship from Jeddah Yusuf will never understand, but Andromache mistrusts the sea in general, and Quynh will go where she goes, which means Yusuf and Nicolò have little choice. She also wants to show them Karakorum, which they have yet to see.

Winter is not close, but there is a chill on the air, especially now evening is falling and the shadows lengthen. Andromache scouts them a place she deems worthy for camp that night (though she is rarely very discerning, and Yusuf would swear she could sleep on a bed of gravel with no complaint), and they settle. Yusuf joins Quynh to fetch water, Andromache tends to the horses and Nicolò starts their fire and starts to prepare their food. It is a well-worn, familiar routine, each night in the wilderness the same as the one before.

Quynh is busy telling him about the time Andromache got herself in a spot of bother with some Gauls in Armorica when they get back to camp, and Yusuf is trying very hard not to trip over he chokes on his own laughter. Andromache scowls, and if the light were better, Yusuf would wager he saw the slightest embarrassed flush on her stoic cheeks.

“Not that one again,” she grumbles, removing her horse’s saddle and blanket. Quynh grins, something sharp-fanged and delightfully wicked.

“You just hate it because it ends with you in a pig sty!” she says. Yusuf wheezes helplessly.

That is when Nicolò sneezes.

Yusuf stops laughing immediately, sets down their filled waterskins and puts his hands on his hips.

“I told you to wear your cloak!” he grumbles. Nicolò has the cheek to roll his eyes, even as he wipes his nose on the back of his hand.

“I am fine,” he retorts, turning back to the fire. He sneezes again.

“God give me strength,” Yusuf mutters, raises his eyes to the heavens and waving his hands beseechingly. He stomps over to their pile of saddlebags and begins rummaging, but he soon stops.

“Nicolò,” he asks, “where is your cloak?”

They all see the way Nicolò’s shoulders tense, creeping up guiltily by his ears.

“Come to think of it,” Quynh says, pursing her lips, “I have not seen it since the village we passed through two days ago.”

Yusuf levels Nicolò with a long glare. “Nico?”

Nicolò rubs the back of his neck. “I think… I think I forgot it. At the inn.”

Andromache guffaws. Yusuf groans. Nicolò is usually so meticulous, but in fairness they had beaten a rather hasty retreat after Andromache got into a fight with a merchant over the treatment of his horses, so it is entirely likely it was simply lost in the whirlwind madness.

“We might not see another settlement until Karakorum itself,” Andromache says, drumming her fingers on her knee. “And it will only get colder the further up we go.”

Yusuf sighs, getting to his feet and fumbling with the clasp of his own cloak. He throws it over Nicolò’s shoulders and sits heavily beside him.

“Do not be stupid, Yusuf,” Nicolò says, shrugging the cloak off. “You need it!”

Yusuf waves him away, dismissive. That causes Nicolò to scowl.

“Well, if neither of you wants it…” says Quynh edging around the fire with a sly look.

“Leave it!” the two men snap in unison, and she darts back, hands raised defensively even as she laughs.

“Share it, you idiots,” Andromache snaps, shaking her head. “We’ll turn one of the spare blankets into a new cloak tomorrow.”

Yusuf and Nicolò both look at her, and then at each other.

“That… seems wise,” Nicolò concedes, and Yusuf muffles a snort of laughter.

They end the evening beneath the same cloak, huddled close together. There is, Yusuf muses archly, little difference with the night before.

--

Geneva, August 2022

The clouds roll in from almost nowhere, spilling down from the mountains. They don’t herald rain, but they cover the sun and an uncharacteristic chill shrouds the city. They’ve been scouting out potential new safehouses – it’s good to add to the rotation, and it’s time Nile got a few under any of her various shiny new aliases. The prices are eye-watering, but there’s always something to be found somewhere, especially further outside the city.

There’s a slight bite to the air now, just enough to cause some goosebumps. Nile tugs on the cardigan she’d draped over her shoulders that morning, covering her bare arms. Andy does absolutely nothing, because she refuses to let the whims of Mother Nature bother her overmuch. Nicky untie the hoodie from around his waist – unfashionable, as always – and zips it up, sticking his hands in its pockets.

Joe sneezes.

Nicky looks at him, in his optimistic breezy linen shirt and shorts, and raises his eyebrows. He doesn’t even need to say anything as Joe scowls at him.

“It was sunny until a moment ago!” he protests the unspoken accusation.

“Yeah, but the weather lady said it would get cloudy!” Nile pipes up, withering slightly under Joe’s glare.

“Should’ve paid more attention,” is all Andy says with a flippant smirk.

Joe simply folds his arms petulantly and stomps on ahead, attempting to brave the sudden chill. He doesn’t last long before he’s rubbing his arms, and the walk back to the hotel is thirty minutes.

Nicky sighs, and unzips his hoodie again. He drapes it over Joe’s shoulders, completely ignoring Joe’s pout.

“I don’t need it!” he says, about to shrug it off and hand it back like a stubborn fool. Nicky levels him with another long, hard look, and Joe meekly puts it on properly. He allows Nicky to adjust it fastidiously and zip it up, his resigned façade cracking entirely when Nicky plants the most fleeting of kisses on the tip of his nose.

“Oh my God,” Nile says. “That’s so adorable it’s disgusting.”

[bridgeportbritt]

The Goths got away with many proclamations, laws, and raises in taxation in the years they had ruled over the land. While they bled their citizens dry, they used the funds to live a lavish life that starkly contrasted that of the everyday Pendite. Beautiful clothes, handmade furniture, the best ingredients for the most luxurious meals. But most of all to fund their army and prepare to conquer more land. The Goths had ambitious dreams of creating one of the most powerful nations in the world. By force. So, they thought little of how their own citizens viewed them. Just as they did the rest of the world. They especially never even considered that the poor, downtrodden Pendites would revolt against them. How could they when they barely had enough to survive?

But, the Goths underestimated the people of Pendula View. Each day, the revolution grew as more and more villages joined. Farmers, carpenters and bards alike became soldiers training to fight. Old laws like how to dress and curfews were broken. Soon, the refusal of goods and services like crops and housekeeping, and even taxes. It was getting harder to suppress what was happening and The Goths were running out of ideas.

Lord Crumplebottom: All I want to know is how I can protect my family. I'm sure it won't be long until the rebels target the wealthy.

Mortimer: Bah! I wouldn't be concerned about that. I have yet to see them even think about such a thing!

Lord Crumplebottom: But they are preparing, so we must be prepared! Your soldiers can only make them fear you so much. It's becoming less effective. Plus, you can't contain them all!

Lord Landgraab: And why not?

Lord Crumplebottom: Because not every poor is a rebel. Some are our farmers and maids and still want to work! We can't keep them from their service. Do you expect us to tend to the crops, chores and the children?

Lord Landgraab: Needn't you worry about my soldiers. They have strict orders and can identify who is and is not apart of this abomination. What we need to focus on is funding more weapons.

Mortimer: More? But we've just acquired a large shipment from Vernick and Viridis! Not to mention Druzar. We cannot ask for more aid. I'm afraid our enemy countries might catch on and begin aiding to the rebels. I'm sure Whitmore, Armorica, Trenton and Pierreland would all love to see us fall.

Lord Landgraab: Afraid? Since when are you afraid, Morty? We must show strength at a time like this! We can't finally start our plan to conquer other nations if all our weapons are tied up in some civil war! Certainly, you can use your connections with Druzar to ask for more.

Mortimer: Absolutely not. My sister may be the Queen, but the more I use her, the weaker I and Pendula View looks in her eyes. And therefore, in the King's. We need to be strategic about using them to our advantage.

Lord Crumplebottom: Did you say civil war? I knew we never should've gotten into this mess in the first place. You've pushed the peasants too far! My poor wife has just been beside herself worrying that the maid will leave her for the rebellion.

Footsteps approaching

Bella angry: That's enough!

The men all gasp

Bella angry: To think men the likes of you help lead this country! You sound no better than a woman with your whining and your inability to come to a resolution.

Lord Crumplebottom nervous: Y- Your Almighty Excellency, I-

Bella: I don't want to hear it! If your wife or others of the ton are so concerned about their help, do something regarding it! I don't care if you have to trap them on your property!

Lord Landgraab nervous: Your Almighty Excellency, there's no need-

Bella: Oh, there is indeed no need! No need for a general to ever question his King! If Mortimer says no more aid, then that is final. Make it work with what you have.

Lord Landgraab: Yes, Your Almighty Excellency.

Bella: You men have one duty and that is to support my husband wholeheartedly! Especially with the ton. All this bickering is nonsensical and is of no use. We must act.

Mortimer: Thank you, my love. What would you suggest?

Bella: Well... as always, I try not to waste a frown on political matters and save that for you men. But it's obvious that what we're doing now isn't working. We can't just sit back and watch them form an army against us. If they want war, we have to give it to them.

Lord Landgraab: But, Your Almighty Excellency, our army is almost ready to move on Sulani. We shouldn't halt our plans for-

Bella: Good, if they're near ready than this will be perfect training. Take out the rebels, then get the army ready to march on Sulani.

Mortimer: A brilliant idea from a brilliant woman.

Bella: You lot make it so much harder than it is. Now, I must get to my stroll. All this thinking is simply not good for a woman! Good day, Gentlemen.

beginning | previous | next

Thanks for being apart of SimDonia history! @housekonig @royalmedani @trentonsimblr @whitmoreroyals @officalroyalsofpierreland @armoricaroyalty

[the-lancasters]

Norrington Palace, Windenburg

Previous| Beginning  | Next

Transcript under the cut

Katherine: Your Royal Highness?

Margaret - Come in Katherine.

Katherine – The briefing has come through for next week's service of remembrance - you will be seated next to Robert at the end of the front row. Transport has now been confirmed as an SUV with police escort.

Margaret - Are you going in advance or riding with me?

Katherine - I’ll be with you this time - Sarah said she will cover the advance as she will be there anyway. No point in another person going ahead.

Margaret - Perfect.

Was there something else?

Katherine - It's just…..

Margaret - Spit it out Katherine, I'm supposed to be getting ready for the Beauman show this afternoon. Vivi and I are the guests of honour.

Katherine - Well that's what I wanted to talk about. You both are making quite a splash in the media right now

Margaret -  I saw we were on the front page of the Illyrian Post this morning - Its a good shot.

Katherine - Yes, it's been very positive here. But in Armorica? For at least two weeks questions have been swirling about her whereabouts and i’ve seen many comments that are angry that she has deserted her family when things got tough. For some reason the royal family hadn’t publicised that Vivi was on holiday. The press was pretty surprised when she popped up here.

Margaret - Why is the media strategy of the St.Fleurs relevant to me?

Katherine - The coverage you both are getting at Fashion week might draw the wrong sort of attention to Vivi and cause some backlash for her. Are you sure she should be seen at these kinds of frivolous events given the circumstances back home?

Margaret - We are just having fun! It's totally harmless and for a good cause, why would anyone have an issue with that?

[officalroyalsofpierreland]

Is Prince Oliver Engaged? What's Crown Princess Rosalind  Hiding? This week's edition of Highlander

Highlander photographers may have spotted a new piece of bling on a certain finger worn by Madame Hortense of Francesim. The ring was glimpsed as Madame Hortense was seen conversing with someone as she watched her beau review his own regiment, The Houshold Cavalry, on behalf of his father. Meanwhile, Armorica's Crown Princess seems to be suspiciously quiet after news leaked about her significant other. Is the Crown Princess covering up her girlfriend's allegledly murderous past?

@armoricaroyalty @empiredesimparte

[thegrapeandthefig]

Possibly stupid questions but 1. are bretons indigenous peoples? and 2. Did bretons have their own deities and do we still know anything about them?

I wouldn't use the term indigenous. As far as I know we're classified as a minority group with a severely endangered language despite the (local) efforts to promote its use.

And there were local celtic gods in Armorica before the Roman annexation but we know quite little about them. Some were syncretized with the (Greco-but-mostly)Roman pantheon which was quite common in that area. And then Christianity is said to have taken off during the 4th century onwards.

That said, the arrival of Breton settlers in the area from the British Isles (Cornwall and Wales in particular) isn't dated until late Antiquity/Early Middle Ages and our folk tales and mythology does reflect that heritage, with a ton of fairy-folk types of spirits with a layer of Catholicism.

[bdslab]

Thinking about “resolute Gauls” again cause like- literally picture any scene where they talk about themselves and it just does NOT have the impact indomitable does like come ON “Why do you keep complaining about them using resolute I thought the characters almost never say it” it’s the one used AT THE START OF EVERY ALBUM and they don’t have a consistent alternative used when the characters say the line I also still honestly feel like “resolute” misses the point of the series kind of significantly. A story that’s written just after WWII by a Jewish man who had to flee his homeland about a group of people who have the power to NEVER be taken down by an invading army? “Resolute” is firm and loyal and stubborn; but it’s not infallible. “Indomitable”, “irreducible” those words mean that no matter WHAT you do you can’t take them down, they can’t be beaten. THAT’s the point. That there’s some little village in Armorica that will NEVER be conquered It’s not really about how hard and steadfast they are against the invasion. Just look at them! Fighting back is more of a daily chore and form of entertainment than anything else. It’s about “hey Caesar you’ll never get us all and you can’t stop us from living our way of life” sometimes it’s even “we’ll even mock you on your home turf to remind you that we’re still here.” That’s really the point, that they’re still there and they’re never going away. Sure you can describe people who act that way and hold that mindset as “resolute” in real life. But in real life we don’t have magic potions. Real life isn’t a world where the little guy really and truly could be indomitable against the entire Roman army.

[trentonsimblr]

Which nations have treaties with each other? What are the conditions? How did these arrangements come about?

Awesome question! I’m sure Trenton has some treaties with other simblrs floating around out there probably Whitmore @whitmoreroyals , Simdonia @bridgeportbritt , the one country from @atreanroyals and maybe with Audicia @ardeney-sims and Armorica @armoricaroyalty ? There’s probably others that I can’t remember off hand. I’m now thinking of making a page for all collab related treaties/alliances and such. With the details that you’re asking about. Ooo! And maybe a submission form for future treaties/alliances!

Within my little continent there’s a bunch.

Grateron and Druzar have a long standing treaty/alliance. Basically Grateron will provide navel support when needed and Druzar won’t invade Grateron 🤣

Trenton and Irenda have been allies forever. I can’t really trace it back to any specific events/need. I’ll say that at some point in time the king of Trenton and the king of Irenda became buddies and it all started there. There’s been the occasional marriage between the two countries (Elizabeth and Nathanael being the most recent) but I promise there’s no modern day wreaths happening (though there’s a few in all of my royal families ancestry). The biggest benefit that everyone east of Druzar gets from the alliance is that Druzar has never been able to take Trenton or Irenda during past wars.

Slavell has a bunch of trade treaties with Druzar, Trenton, Grateron, etc. it’s mainly to support the country but also to keep a positive relationship with their neighbors.

The biggest one I can think of is the one Elizabeth (Trenton) made with Kristopher (Druzar) related to trade. Kristopher’s stipulation was the marriage between Ryland and Eleanor. I never worked out the details but I do know Druzar got the better end of the deal even though Kristopher doesn’t think so.

[armoricaroyalty]

𝔓𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔄𝔯𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔖𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔫𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℌ𝔢𝔦𝔯𝔰 [2/4]

...the idyll of the 1980's was broken in 1987 with the tragic and sudden deaths of Crown Princess Thérèse and her husband Salim, Duke of Arbor. Just ten years after Everard III had changed the succession laws to guarantee that the crown would pass to his favored heirs, his work was undone in a fiery plane crash, an act of god which forced his introverted grandson into the spotlight. The 1990 investiture portrait of Everard and Andre reflects the tempramental differences between grandfather and grandson, capturing the new Crown Prince's retiring nature...the 77-year-old King adopts a macho posture, holding a hunting rifle in tribute to his deceased daughter, an avid hunter and outdoorswoman, but the 28-year-old Crown Prince stands in his shadow, his hands behind his back, an uncertain expression on his face... Arthur Farrier. “The Succession in Oils: A Century of Royal Armorican Portraiture.” In Overview of Meritrean Portraiture, 1900 - 2050, edited by H. L. Orville, 159 - 197. Allard University Presss, 2061.

[queenoftheblackpuddle]

Some of Shy's adventures in the village of Armorica;

Learning that houses are not first-come first-serve, aka they belong to people and you can't just find one you like and decide to sleep there

Being courted by a "defecting" Roman soldier while oblivious of her best friends being both pissed off and extremely jealous. He turned out to be a huge loser, anyway, and she put his head through a wall for talking badly about them

Creating various herbal remedies and concoctions and having Asterix be her guinea pig for it; she's turned him into an actual guinea pig at least once

Carrying her tiny friend while her large friend carries her

Barging into Asterix and Obelix's house at ungodly hours of the morning because she doesn't "get" knocking on doors

Cleopatra braided her hair once and she loved it

Casually telling people that she's never been courted properly before, except by a "very persistent chipmunk", and NEVER elaborating further

Was once taken prisoner by Rome as a gift to Caesar because of her pretty singing voice...it ended poorly for all involved. She got a very long 3-way cuddle sesh for her trouble

[housekonig]

Which nations have treaties with each other? What are the conditions? How did these arrangements come about?

So far, I only have one official with Armorica and it's a trade agreement that enables open ports between the countries and was later amended to include visa-free travel between the two.

It was made possible because of location, both country's shipping/port economies, and years of cultural ties since one of Vernick's more famous consorts, Queen Violet, was an Armorican heiress.

There was even a state visit in the 90s to solidify the treaty!

I'm hoping to make more once I figure out where Vernick is on a map and can best determine who natural allies would be.

As always, thanks for the ask!

[liminalpsych]

Geoffrey of Monmouth: They attacked with several thousand men, and the other side had multiple thousands of men, and all but a few hundred were slain on both sides, so another person went and raised some more thousands of men from the other side of the island, and...

Me: ...you have written this sort of battle multiple times for every few generations or so. How are there any people left in Britain at all??

Geoffrey of Monmouth, blithely: "Maximianus had finally gathered up such a great host of men that he believed he would be able to subjugate all of Gaul. However, he put aside his warlike spirit for a time until the realm he had already captured was secure and he was able to repopulate it with Britons. And so he made an edict that one hundred thousand common men from the island of Britain should be mustered and report to him. Furthermore, he demanded thirty thousand soldiers as protection for those who were to remain in Armorica. Once he had done these things, he distributed these men all throughout the lands of the realm of Armorica, thus creating a second Britain..."

Me: ...HOW many?? What even was the population of Britain in the... *checks notes* 4th century?

Wikipedia: "At the end of the fourth century, it had an estimated population of 3.6 million, of whom 125,000 consisted of the Roman army and their families and dependents. The urban population of Roman Britain was about 240,000 people at the end of the fourth century."

...Oh, okay then. I guess.

The numbers I've found so far in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of Britain", starting a bit after the Trojans settled the island. Listing these out helped me realize that it isn't quite as ridiculous as the first impression I had, but still. (I got a little distracted and just started summarizing everything I was reading. Oh well.)

Gwendolyn musters "all the youth of that realm" (Cornwall) in war against her husband Locrinus because he starts cheating on her openly. Their armies clash. He doesn't say how many die in this one, just Locrinus who got hit by an arrow.

We get a few generations without much war. Maybe enough time to repopulate. King Ebraucus did his best to contribute to repopulation, as he had twenty sons and thirty daughters (with twenty wives). But most of them went off to Italy or Germany. (The sons led a fleet into Germany to conquer some of it.)

A few more generations pass, during which we get a random necromancer king after multiple books of nothing more fantastical than an oracular dream. He also makes wings and tries to fly? And taught necromancy throughout the kingdom? I am very confused by this part.

Then we get the King Lear story, only it's spelled Leir here, before Shakespeare's version. Lots of political and family drama. Another war, with a Gaulish army taking back Britain for Leir and his youngest daughter Cordelia. 15 years later, Cordelia's nephews are mad about a woman ruling the land, they muster up armies, more war, they divide the kingdom up between the two of them after winning. Two years after that, the nephews go to war with each other.

A bunch of generations pass. Another war between two brothers (this seems to be a theme). One brought over an army from Gaul again (I guess Gaul just really likes to support internal war in Britain), the whole army gets killed along with the one brother, mom gets upset and kills the other brother, the kingdom splits into five kings "who wage constant war on one another".

Eventually Dunwallo of Cornwall wins and becomes high king for the rest of his life. Then his sons fight over the crown after some fits and starts. "Fifteen thousand died in battle that day, and less than a thousand of the survivors escaped without a wound." The battle was between Norsemen and Britons, so it wasn't just Britons who died in this one. Later on, the one brother comes back from Gaul (of course) with an army (again), but mom interrupts and gets them to make peace with one another. Still, they've got these perfectly good armies all ready to go, so they decide to conquer Gaul, which they do over the course of a year and then push on to conquer Italy too, because why not? "At long last, after thousands of men had fallen dead on either side, the brothers were granted the victory."

Next generation, there's more war, though Geoffrey doesn't say how many people died this time. But we do get 30 ships of Basques from Spain as refugees, and the king sends them off to a not-yet-peopled Ireland (supposedly). So that probably helped with some repopulation.

A couple more generations pass. "In his days it happened that a certain king of Moray attacked Northumbria with a great force and began to ravage the countryside. Morvidus, assembling all the young warriors that he could, rushed forth and met him in battle. Morvidus by himself was a greater force in battle than the most part of the army that he led forth. And after he obtained the victory, no living man escaped death at his hands. Morvidus commanded that the prisoners be brought before him one by one, and he entertained his cruelty by slaying each one personally. When fatigue finally forced him to pause, he ordered the men who were left to have their hearts torn out and their carcasses burned." And then a sea monster comes out of the sea and is devouring the people who live by the shore, so Morvidus decides to fight it and gets eaten.

More war a couple generations later, but apparently not exciting enough for Geoffrey to describe. And then we skip over... thirty-one kings. Geoffrey lists them in order but doesn't really add any details except an occasional sentence for one or another.

Which brings us to Book Four, the "dealing with Rome" book. We get a gory play-by-play of a battle with Julius Caesar. Lots of people die (numbers aren't specified), Caesar gets kicked out. He comes back a couple years later. The king has "mustered all of the island’s young men and built a barracks near the shore where they would await the enemies’ arrival." All the young men of Briton? Cool. They win, though, after sinking a bunch of ships before they land, so they don't necessarily lose a ton of people. But then the Britons go back to in-fighting, one of them asks Caesar to come back and help. One guy takes 5,000 men and waits in a forest to ambush the vanguard, while the full remaining armies fight, implying that there are probably significantly more than 5,000 men in the armies. Where are they getting all these people? "The troops rushed together and much blood was spilled. On both sides, the wounded fell like the leaves of a tree in autumn."

Two or three kings later, another battle with Rome. And then another one.

Next king, the Picts attack along with Scythian allies. They "lay that region [northern Britain / Alban] waste". More battle, but the surviving invaders get to settle in an unoccupied part of the island.

A few kings later, more war with Rome again. "As soon as he had assembled the fleet, he gathered together a mighty force consisting of many young men of the land", more war, then Rome sends over three legions because their guy kind of went rogue. New guy wins the kingdom in battle, and then "inflicted great slaughter upon those Britons who had abandoned the Roman state and supported Carausius". So the Britons set up the Duke of Cornwall as their king instead and go to battle again. "Many thousands fell." A lot of them were Romans, but still.

Then more internal strife, the former Duke of Cornwall who became king gets killed in battle.

20 years later or so, a bunch of exiled Romans get the current king to go do battle for them in Rome. So he takes a British army and goes and conquers Rome. Like you do.

Back home, another rebellion.

"One hundred thousand common men from the island of Britain should be mustered and report to him. Furthermore, he demanded thirty thousand soldiers as protection for those who were to remain in Armorica. Once he had done these things, he distributed these men all throughout the lands of the realm of Armorica, thus creating a second Britain". Eeesh. He gives Armorica (a part of ... Gaul? I think?) to his rival-turned-ally, Conan. Conan fights off a whole bunch of Gauls and Aquitanians. After winning, Conan wants to give all of his men wives (like you do), but doesn't want them to go wholly native or "intermingle with the women of Gaul", so he asks for women from Britain. And the guy back in Britain "selected the daughters of noblemen from throughout the various provinces of Britain, to the number of eleven thousand, to which he added forty thousand women of lesser birth" and sends them over... except the entire fleet sinks. Whoops.

And then, the Huns (?? like Mongolian Huns? Really? Did they actually make it that far west? EDIT after looking it up: No, no they did not) and Picts join forces when they realize Britain doesn't have any armed men anymore, since they're all in Gaul and surrounding areas trying to conquer stuff. "They completely slaughtered the peasantry. As was mentioned above, Maximianus had taken away all the young warriors who could be found; only unarmed and infirm farmers remained behind." Maximianus sends men back to Britain, they repel the invaders who flee to Ireland, and meanwhile Maximianus and most of his remaining Britons get killed or scattered back in Rome.

The Picts, Huns, Scots, Danes, and Norsemen invade again, led by the same kings as before, because Britain had more internal strife and was vulnerable. They kill a whole bunch of people until Rome sends a legion, which drives the invaders out. Then Rome is all, "Hey, we're not doing this again, grow up and defend yourselves", and leaves, so the Britons gather anyone who's remaining and get them armed and trained. At least at this point, Geoffrey acknowledges that there aren't really any more armed forces or young men in Britain. Still, that didn't work; as soon as the Romans leave, the invaders come back and succeed this time, and kill even more people. Rome still refuses to send aid. So they go to "second Britain" / Armorica and ask for aid, and get a general with two thousand men, who is made king in a section of Britain, has three sons, and then gets stabbed to death by a Pict in his service while in the forest.

Which brings us at last to the start of Arthur's story, with Vortigern and Uther Pendragon, and I'm going to pause my reading here, because the horses need to be fed before it gets dark.

[bridgeportbritt]

The rebellion soldiers were doing wonders at defense. Keeping the Royal Army at bay while the citizens continued to refuse the wealthy their labor was working. The plan was ultimately to hold long enough for The Goths to back down on their laws giving the citizens more freedom and wealth. The ideal plan that would never materialize. As the war waged on, it became clear that The Goths would never back down. They would just continue to send their troops to fight the rebels, hoping to squash the entire movement. Even though, each time it was them who was retreating. The rebellions soldiers were fighting for more than just their lives, but for the people - for everyone. That heart kept them going.

But they knew war couldn't last forever. Especially with how much it drained on their already limited resources. Luckily, the rebels aren't the only ones hoping to see The Goths go down...

Bob: I'm proud of how far we've come, William. New recruits are joining every day, and the movement moves on. But I have to admit, I'm getting worried about how long we can keep this up. We need more supplies. Weapons, armor, horses.

William: We've fought well. We've held our position and defended our lands. I'm aware of the supply issue and I believe we can take care of it.

Bob: How so?

William: Men, we're not the only ones who have believed we've fought well. Neighboring countries have taken notice.

Bob surprised: Really?

William: Yes, they've made contact with our villages near the ocean. Whitmore, Trenton, Armorica and Pierreland want to send us aid. Everything from weapons for our soldiers to relief for our people.

Bob: Watcher. This is great, William. We might actually be able to stand our ground here.

William: Yes, this is exactly what we need. But we can no longer simply stand our ground. This aid and the strength of our growing army is all we need to not just take on the Goths. But take them out.

Thanks for letting me mention your countries again @whitmoreroyals @trentonsimblr @armoricaroyalty and @officalroyalsofpierreland!

[the-lancasters]

Everton House, Windenburg

@armoricaroyalty ~Material girl starts playing~ 👗👙👛👠💄

Previous| Beginning  | Next

Transcript under the cut

Margaret - You up for lunch at Queen Catherine park? There is this amazing restaurant there that overlooks the lake

Vivi - That sounds fancy - but I didn’t bring any of my proper clothes. 

Margaret - Any sort of dress would be okay - or dressy pants if that's a style you prefer.

Vivi - When I left Armorica I was in a rush and wasn’t exactly thinking about fine dining. 

Margaret - Well that means we are going to have to change our plans

Vivi - Oh that's not what I meant, You should still go-

Margaret - I'm not going by myself to lunch! No - we clearly have a new mission. One that is very near and dear to my heart

Vivi – And what’s that?

Margaret - Shopping

--

Vivi - Margaret, I don’t think they are open

Margaret - Don’t be silly - of course they aren't open, I called ahead. Whenever I feel the need to refresh my wardrobe, they are always so accommodating.

Vivi - Really? I thought that they only did that for, like, celebrities.

Margaret - Vivi. What do you think royalty is?

--

Johan: You Royal Highness, welcome back. I have set aside some pieces from the new collection that I think will look perfect on you.

Margaret - Thank you Johan but we have a different mission today.

This is my good friend the Duchess of Laye, and she is in desperate need of some new clothes. We just had to come and see you immediately.