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Welcome to James Kemp's Wiki
This is a collaborative web platform that allows people to edit1) the web pages to provide additional content for some of the stories I have written and the roleplaying games that I am involved in, whether as a player or GM.
There are several namespaces operating slightly different wiki subjects. These are, in no particular order:
- Skyss - Story Background - a fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2016.
- Perfects - background for the near future story and some police roleplaying that I ran in that universe
- Theocracy of Daprav - A D&D campaign that I ran with Glasgow University Games Society around 2002-3.
- Jim Wallman's Universe - a roleplaying by e-mail campaign that I play in, this is an unofficial wiki and none of it is canon unless Jim says it is.
- Interstellar Freelance Unlimited - subset of the Universe pages covering the activities of a mercenary company that we are currently roleplaying every Full Moon.
- Earth Imperium pages. These cover the activities of the Government of the Solar republic (aka Earth Empire) in Jim's Humanity Will Prevail campaign, including the Earth Imperium News Items.
- Free Worlds Alliance - covering the activities of another emerging polity in the Humanity Will Prevail campaign. Mostly contributed by Eric Moroney.
- Universe Background - page collecting the various bits of background info that have come up in various e-mail discussions for the campaigns set in Jim Wallman's Universe.
- Master map of the Universe (6Mb PDF, as at 3212).
- Delta Green - some roleplaying campaigns about horror and conspiracy. The main one was set in Berlin in 1953.
- Free games rules - a collection of free rules for wargames and other sorts of face to face games that I have designed or run.
- Wargames rules - I'm not just a player of games, I also do rules for them from time to time as well as one-off games. A primary outlet for this is through Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Other free rules - at the moment just those for the 1689 (Orange or Lemon? and Bonnie Dundee, respectively about the debates in the Scots Parliament and then the military campaign of Viscount Dundee during 1689) and The Other Side of the COIN (about what makes people become insurgents). All games that I have have produced for Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Background for a near future universe where I have written some fiction and also run some roleplaying games in.
Comments and complaints to me at webmaster@full-moon.info please.
James Kemp
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Grand Duchy of Dael Riata
Dael Riata is a poor land sandwiched between mountains to its North and East, and the Sea on the West. To the south sits the related but way more prosperous Kingdom of Bernicia. Riven by centuries of internecine warfare between tribes with a culture of raiding and blood feuds the Daels are impoverished. Many of their towns (all of the successful ones) are fortified, and fortlets and castles abound between the hills and lakes. The capital is Dalreoch.
A seafaring people loosely linked to the Skyssians based on a collection of Islands and the nearby coastal lands to the East of Skyss. Unlike Skyss they're riven by factions and internecine warfare, which is why they haven't banded together to be a greater power in the world. Many Daels leave the area and seek their fortune elsewhere, and it is common to find little groups of Daels onboard a Skyssian ship, or in an enclave somewhere in a civilised town in another country.
Geography
The primary industries of Dael Riata are inshore fisheries, there are substantial islands off the west coast, paradoxically called the Easter Isles. This name harks back to the days when there was no difference between the Daels and the Skyss, and both nations sailed where they pleased. Skyss and it's isles are the Western Isles. As well as fisheries lots of oats and barley are grown, along with sheep and shaggy brown cattle with wide horns.
As well as exporting people as skilled sailors and mercenaries there is a small shipbuilding industry from the two major ports Dalreoch and dalmuir on the west coast. Large forests dominate the hills and mountains, and they provide good quality timber for ship-building. The Daels are reknowned ship-builders, possibly more accomplished than the Skyssians. Dael ships are fast, sleek, and have strong hulls able to withstand the ice often found in the waters off their Northern Cape.
People
Dael Riata is ruled by a hereditary monarch, which has been in the hands of the Ranald family for almost three hundred years, before that there was a two decade inter-regnum filled by a very bloody civil war and an intervention by the King of Bernicia which united the Dael Riatan's against the Bernicians. Originally the Riata dynasty founded the Kingdom, but the crown passed out of their hands to the Ruary dynasty, which died out (although one of their cadet branches, the Gilruary, still exist).
The current monarch is Alasdair V, Grand Duke of Reoch. He succeeded to the throne as a baby when his mother, Queen Caoimhe, was forced to abdicate by a coalition of nobles. The main nobles of Dael Riata are:
- The Ranalds, Grand Dukes of Reoch & Kings of Dael Riata
- The Ahearns, Earls of Suddal, known colloquially as the Horse Lords.
- The Giluilleams, Earls of Dalry, and relative newcomers to Dal Riata.
- The Aonghus, Earls of Beatham.
- The Riata, Earls of Glasholm, the founders of the Kingdom of Dael Riata.
- The Gilriatas, Earls of Dalcot, a cadet branch of Riata that now surpasses them.
- The Sithechs, Earls of Aifric, the Old Wolves.
- The Suibhnes, Earls of Douglas, famed for their hospitality and generosity.
- The Sioltachs, Earls of Duff, shipbuilding masters.
- The Gilruarys, Earls of Dalmuir, the second port of Dael Riata.
- The Murchadhs, Earls of Uisdean, notorious raiders and self-proclaimed Sea Kings.
- The Gilranalds, Earls of Norpen. A cadet branch of Ranald installed on the Northern most islands as a foil to the Muchardhs.
- The Alpins, Earls of Ardmor. Guardians of the great forest in the North.
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Aodh MacAodh
Aodh is the proprietor of the water_gate in Dalreoch. As well as purveying fine wines, ales of the best, and delicacies from across the known world, he is also reputed to be a spy, assassin and smuggler. Born in 739 in Dalreoch, the son of Earsaid MacAodh.
Stories
They are in the story
- First appears - in Arrivals, a short story in the 'Heirs' outline.
- Function: a point of view character to show some of the background of what is going on in the city around the events involving the nobility.
Description
Aodh is a flame haired man with a pale complexion, he's solid but not fat and a little taller than average. In the right clothes he can pass as a noble. Equally he blends in well in a range of circumstances, and is able to speak several languages and pitch both low-born and noble and everywhere in between.
Relationships
People
Notable people
- gilruary - The Gilruary clan often use The Water Gate when they stay in Dalreoch, and the MacAodh are a client sept of the Gilruary.
Places
Iain Alpin
Iain Alpin (born 735) is the commander of the King's Life Guard.
He has served in the Life Guard since he was 17, having first served Queen Caoimhe. Originally appointed because of his father’s connections he took the oath of service seriously and has refused to be swayed by political considerations. When his father deposed the Queen he took up arms against him. There were several battles in the civil war, and Iain Alpin was in all of them. He fought valiantly, and dsitinguished himself both as a brave and fearless fighter, but also as highly skilled and disciplined. More than one heir of the great nobles met their end at his hands. Eventually Iain followed when the Queen went out of Dael Riata to Berenicia, and helped her find what she had hoped would be safety and solidarity from her cousin.
He continued to serve her until the Berenician Queen had her and her attendants arrested. Iain spent almost ten years in Berenicia before returning to Dalreoch. Out of favour with his father he didn’t hold much hope for being restored to his position, but the young King personally intervened and said he needed loyal servants that could be relied on. Rumours suggested that his father’s enemies manoeuvred events so that the King would look favourably on him. Either way he re-entered the Life Guard in 766, and became its commander in 569 when the King asserted his adulthood and right to rule without a regent. Iain rallied several other members of the Life Guard to support the King against the nobles, and refused to let the erstwhile regents interfere in the King’s in person proclamation of his personal rule in the Gallows Market in Dalreoch.
Stories
They are in the story
- First appears - in Heirs when Lady Elizabeth Wallis arrives in Dalreoch.
- Function: commander of the King's Life Guard, part of the reception party.
Description
Iain Alpin is slightly taller than average, but not excessively so. His skin is pale, to the point of looking anaemic, and he has black hair with blue eyes flecked with gold. He is usually clean shaven, albeit with a notable shadow for most of the day. He wears his hair long, usually braided and tucked into his helmet. His profession means he is muscular, and broad. Most of the time he is in armour, and carrying sword and shield. The Life Guard work in shifts, and train hard and take part in tournaments between duties protecting the King. Like all of the members of the Life Guard his armour is highly polished, and they have coloured horsehair plumes on top of their helmets according to their division. As the commander he has a side to side semi-circular brush of green hairs to match the colour of the King’s banner. His helmet and cuirasse is enamelled in the same green with gold patterns inlaid around it. Iain is agile, his muscle isn’t bulky, it’s enough to enable him to wear armour all day and fight for as long as needed. When not in armour he is a proficient dancer, skilled in even the most difficult dances of the day. He can also play the pipes, having learned in captivity with Queen Caoimhe. She enjoyed dancing, and her attendants used to take turns entertaining her with the dances that were popular at court, and playing instruments to ensure there was music to accompany the dancers. Out of armour he tends to wear the current court fashion cut in green silk and edged with gold lace. Like all of the other members of the Life Guard he is unmarried. Now, at the age of 39 he is one of the longest serving members of the Life Guard.
Relationships
People
Notable people
- recent_history - Iain was the one that killed Domnhall and Fearchar Murchadh at Caer Suibhne
Places
The Alpins
The Alpins are Earls of Ardmor
The ancestral home is Caer Alpin which is in the north of the mainland of Dael Riata. It lies on a rocky outcrop on the coast where the river Ard meets the inner sea.
Titles
The current (7th) Earl is Sean Alpin.
He is 72 years old (born 702), and is currently a widower. He was married to Ealasaid Riata, the sister of the 19th Duke of Glasholm, for thirty-four years before she died when the old Queen was captured at the start of the civil war (in 754). He has four surviving children and a number of grandchildren.
- Bhaltair (43, born 731) Heir. He has one surviving child of his own, and was married to Raonaid Murchadh, the third sister of the fifth Earl. She died in childbirth giving birth to his daughter Raonaid (15, born 759). She is not yet betrothed.
- Iain (39, born 735) third son, distinguished himself in battle. Currently commander of the King's Lifeguard. Currently disowned by his father for having changed sides.
- Eilidh (35, born 739), married to Bhaltair Gilranald while the Earl was the regent in the immediate aftermath of the civil war.
- Earsaid (32, born 741). Earsaid wasn't suited to warfare, and preferred his books. When he left for university in 757 he never returned to the north. Currently Earsaid Alpin is the reader of naval engineering and the favourite candidate for the Chair to be established at the university if the Estates approve the Charter.
Size & Wealth
Caer Alpin is unusual in the seats of the great nobles in that it isn't in the main town/city of their realm. The main town is the port Nordhaven, sited on the north coast of the mainland of Dael Riata. It has a population of about 6,000 and is a ready stopover and resting place for those venturing from the inner sea round the cape to the open ocean to the East of Dael Riata.
There are silver and gold deposits in the mountains, lots of sheep on the hills and a steady income from farming the land, and passing trade from the East. By far the bulk of the population are involved in rural activities, there are villages every couple of miles over most of the coastal areas and up the river Ard until the mountains proper. Overall there are about 50,000 people in Ardmor.
Recent History
The Earl is the oldest of the great nobles. He remembers the reign of Alasdair IV (specifically the turmoil in the regency and its immediate aftermath that spanned the first twelve years of his life, and the old King's death at the hands of nobles of Bernicia when he attempted to march south to claim that throne on the death of his brother in law Harold VIII of Bernicia. The Earl was with the army and was lucky to have been in the rear when the ambush was sprung. Many of the great nobles fell that day, as well as the smaller folk that made up the army.
Queen Caoimhe was nine when her father died, and as one of the few surviving great nobles the Earl was part of the council of regents. There was discussion then about the succession, and securing the throne with the Queen's marriage to one of the great nobles, but none could agree who it should be. The Earl aligned with the fourth Earl of Uisdean and the 7th Earl of Beatham to maintain stability. His wife acted as Matron and looked after the Queen's welfare. This worked until the Queen grew old enough to assert her own authority and became enamoured by a suspicious Skyssian merchant. Shortly after she gave birth to the young King Caoimhe confided in Ealasaid that she wanted to marry the Skyssian and make him prince consort.
It was with great regret that the Earl acted, but it was necessary to ensure the integrity of the kingdom. In the years that followed the Earl spent most of it either as regent, or as an adviser to the regent. He has made a number of unpopular decisions, but each for the good of the kingdom. He knows that he was unpopular, but that is a price he has been happy to pay, because the young King is all the stronger for it, and has been well tuaght, and well advised. He won't make the mistakes his mother or his grandfather made.
Still, it would be nice if he showed some appreciation for the sacrifices that the Earl made on the young King's behalf.
Allies, Friends & Lords
- Bhaltair Gilranald - the Earl is your son-in-law, and you worked closely together when he was regent to carry on your good work. You taught him well (his father was killed fighting alongside the old King).
- riata your wife was the 10th Earl's Aunt, and she kept in close touch. The new
Enemies & Feuds
Alasdair V, King of Dael Riata
Alasdair Ranald is the King of Dael Riata, and the fifth of that name. His mother was the only child of Alasdair IV (reigned 700-739), and his father was a Skyssian merchant who spent some time in Dael Riata before escaping.
Titles
Alasdair Ranald holds several titles, including Grand Duke of Reoch, King of Dael Riata, and as such all the Earls of the Kingdom are expected to swear loyalty to him. He is a great grandson of King Harold VII of Bernicia (reigned 687-711, his grandmother was the second child. Alasdair V has a strong claim to the throne of Bernicia should the current Queen (Eleanor I - born 706, reigning since 756) die.
He is 20 years old (born 754), and is currently engaged to be married to Lady Elizabeth Wallis. She is the heir to the Earl of Stylet, the current secretary to the aging, and childless, Queen of Bernicia.
Size & Wealth
The Grand Duchy of Reoch is the largest realm within Dael Riata and it has some of the most fertile farmland. On top of that there are royal duties paid on trade that passes through the main ports. The capital is Dalreoch, the biggest city in the realm, with a population of around 25,000 and a flourishing trade network. It even has its own university.
Recent History
He has been King since he was three months old, and asserted his adulthood at the age of 15, having been through four regents in the time since his mother was forced to abdicate.
Since breaking free from the last of the regents (his second cousin Bhaltair Gilranald, Earl of Norpen, with whom he has a strong bond) Alasdair V has pacified the country and resolved the failure of fifth Earl of Uisdean to swear allegiance. The current, seventh, Earl of Uisdean has sworn an oath of allegiance, under duress as he claimed, after the threat of losing the family lands and extirpation being made.
Domnhall Murchadh and his brother Fearchar met the King and his Steward for a negotiation over dinner at Caer Suibhne, a neutral ground. The rules of hospitality were in force, and the Earl of Douglas was their host. After dinner the Suibhne family left the two parties to negotiate. Raised voices were heard, and the clash of steel. When the Earl of Douglas entered the great hall he found the King's Steward cleaning his sword, the King staunching blood from a wound to his face, and both of the Murchadh brothers dead on the floor, their drawn swords next to them. Alasdair V asserted that they'd tried to kill him, and only his Steward's swift defence had saved his life.
Allies, Friends & Lords
- Bhaltair Gilranald - A cadet branch and very loyal, although some have questions around how the previous Earl, Bhaltair, conducted himself as Regent. Alasdair himself is fiercely protective of his elder cousin, and claims that were it not for his regency then the kingdom wouldn't be in such a healthy state.
- ahearn - The Horse Lords are the strongest supporters of the King outside of the Ranald family.
- All the Earls have formally sworn allegiance to the King, and none are currently under arms within Dael Riata.
Enemies & Feuds
- The Murchadhs - the Earls of Uisdean raised rebellion against his rule, and allegedly made a direct attempt on his life. Alasdair V threatened the current Earl of Uisdean, Diarmad Murchadh, with extirpation and loss of the ancestral lands if he didn't swear allegiance.
- The King doesn't trust aonghus or The Alpins because both were allied with Murchadh during the civil wars that followed his mother being deposed.
