Phehemony is an Earth like shadow with Amber like
physics; gunpowder works (but hasn't been discovered yet). The internal combustion engine both hasn't been discovered and doesn't work; neither do
electrical or electronic devices. Science is still in its infancy, approximating
16th Century Europe, although with no unified repressive religions there is
nothing to stifle its adoption, other than the inherent instability caused by the
Feudal Representative Monachy with which the main continent is governed.
Unlike Earth, Phehemony has two contintents, Pharos and Nichan (as yet
undiscovered). Pharos is about three times the size of Nichan and accounts for
65% of the landmass. The rest of the landmass not accounted for by Nichan, is
distributed amongst numerous island chains.
60% of Phehemony's surface is water, 30% land, and 10% Ice. It has a time ratio
of 1.5:1 to Amber. There are 5 known languages, the commonist bearing a striking
similarity to that spoken by Bedowin on Earth.
Fleeing a Blood Feud with the Chanicut Sorcha's Father, Algavin Ballentine found a shadow called Phehemony. Hiring on as a Mercenary in the Kings Army, he worked his way up, eventually acquiring a Barony in the Ice Edge Mountains.
Whilst he could have had a more comfortable Barony in the more fertile and warmer southern region of the continent, he deliberately chose the Ice Edge Mountains, for over the years he'd arranged for those persecuted because of their shape shifting powers to escape there.
In the Kingdom in general Shape shifters are at best tolerated, and then only those with minor powers. In all regions except the Ice Edge Mountains Shape Shifters account for less than 5% of the population. In the Ice Edge Mountains it is nearly 70%, although to the casual observer they are no different than the population in the rest of the Kingdom.
It was at a winter ball that Algavin met Diedre. Whilst not love at first site, Dierdre became a regular visitor to Algavin's Mountain Castle and sometime in the second year of the relationship she became pregnant, giving birth 9 months later to a daughter, who she named Sorcha.
Diedre insisted her daughter was taught the basics of warfare, although culturally it is not usual for women to learn the arts of war (they may govern, hold title etc, but command of the army is left to a competant general). As Sorcha grew Diedre took longer and longer trips away, visiting relatives in Amber, although neither Sorcha or Algavin ever accompanied her, and neither learnt of Amber's location. It was from one of these visits when Sorcha was 15 that she never returned.
As an only child it was always expected that Sorcha would inherit her father's title, for there is no preclusion on title and lands passing to the eldest child if it is female, and thus Sorcha's education and upbringing reflected this. She was taught to ride, manage a houshold, deal with disputes, and deal with neighbouring Barons, Earls, Dukes, and the King.
About 12 months after her mother's disappearance
the Kingdom erupted into civil war. Sorcha's father increased his border
garrisons and refused to favour any faction. Any who wished to pass through his
lands did so under flag of truce and escort. Those who transgressed were dealt
with sharply.
Fate, however, had other ideas and was about to deal a twisted blow. For 3 months
the civil war raged and the Ice Edge Earldom, for Sorcha's father had been
further rewarded for his years of service, remained neutral.
Then with no warning the Earldom was attacked, not by one of the factions with
their human troops, but by demons from out of the Ice Wastes. Had Algavin's
troops been normal the Ice Demon War would have been over before it began. For
nearly a month they fought unaided until Algavin managed to elicit help from his
near neighbours. By this time the Demons were raging far and wide and more of
the factions began to unite behind Algavin's banner.
As the summer approached Algavin decided to take the fight to the enemy, for his
scouts had located the Ice Gate from which they all appeared to emerge. As
Algavin left on that fateful day Sorcha somehow knew that he would not return
alive.
When the remnants of the army returned nearly three weeks later, it was a site many, including Sorcha, had feared. Whilst victorous, less than 10% of the army remained, and most of those were loyal to the Ballentines. Of the Barons, Earls and Dukes, all bar a handful had died.
As the Kingdom mourned, a conclave of Lords,
attended by whatever representative each faction could muster was held. After a
week of squabbling no consensus as to the next regent had been reached and it looked
as if the Kingdom would be plunged into civil war once more. Sorcha, taking her
fathers line, remained neutral, although Chroniclers have since speculated that,
had the Kingdom been plunged into civil war once more, she would have headed an
army 70% bigger than any other faction.
Then from one of the minor nobles a radical suggestion came, why not elect
Sorcha Ballentine as Queen. The chamber erupted and nobles stormed out. Three
days later she was crowned.
For 11 years Sorcha Ballentine has ruled in peace, with but one tragedy. 5 years after the coronation a relationship developed between her and the young noble who had proposed the radical solution. 3 days before their wedding, disaster struck and the groom died died in mysterious circumstances.
Now war and turmoil appear to once more be visited on the Kingdom. 2 weeks ago came reports of widespread natural disasters, and worst yet reports that the Ice Demons were back.
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