The world was changing dramatically: The power of the Nexus was strong and had given rise to the power of the Deities in the form of Kalarin, Tremalian and Malice. Guilds had formed: The Battered Shield, The Colleges and the Groves were leading the Guildic world although no real power structure had formed. The powerhouse families at the time had become accustomed to power and ruling in a very feudal way, but now the land was governed as one and the power of magic and the guildic communities were on the rise. More than that the families saw a growing problem with the commonfolk who now had the ability to join guilds and become “special”; effectively wielding the same social power that the nobility had held previously.
The world of global politics had, until recently, been a thing of uncertainty to the Lionsgold but now it was apparent that it might be the way forward. Seeing that their power over the Basin would crumble quickly, that the people and the Basin would fall apart as a result of this, they implemented huge changes to the Royal Basin over several generations. They created borders and areas of the country that needed governors, they raised in rank individuals that served them to the role of governors which gave that individual’s name power. Effectively, they created lesser noble families and seeded the concept of Dukes through knights to rule the land. However the other Big Houses also ruled lands and they followed suit to give their own followers power.
Along with the ranks came responsibilities to the smallfolk, the governance of resource and to the government of the country in the way of raising armed forces and the like. This also allowed the Lionsgold to dilute other nobility through what would eventually become Duchies and subsidiary areas that were under their control in an effort to keep the power of other houses off kilter. More than that the division of the land was strategically prepared by the Lionsgold, records showing that surveys (as were in those days) were undertaken to find areas of good mineral deposits by members of the family. It is likely that the other powers of the day were unaware of these efforts because those that proved fruitful came under Lionsgold control through the “fair division of land agreement”.
They tried this with other natural resources but came up against the Natheron Family who until this point had been content to remain in the background of politics. At some point near the beginning of the Pantheonic Wars the Lionsgold attempted to seize control of the Makas Woodland which is now vanished and would be within the confines of The Bitter Vale. According to a legend, which is not widely reported by the Lionsgold, they were welcomed into the home of Lord Oppenhart Winter and given leave to explore the Forest. When Lord Oppenhart discovered that they were attempting to exploit the land he attempted to force them to leave. The Lionsgold betrayed and attempted to murder their hosts which led to a powerful Wyld curse falling onto the area and swallowing the Winter family into history.
The repercussions of their actions were manifold: Whilst the Winter family slipped from history for a time, the actions of the Lionsgold were seen by the Gillieabad and the Natherons that served them. The Lionsgold were quick to point to the Dasmamacas family who, affiliated to the Lionsgold as they were, had been the direct family responsible for the action against the Natheron’s vassals. All the Natheron knew at the time was what the Gillieabad whispered to them but they lay a powerful rite of enmity onto the land that had been gifted to the Dasmamacas and barred any of the Lionsgold allegiance from land that was under the protection of the Groves and the Wyld.
This led to a diminished presence of the Natheron family in the Courts but they did send Kriaaj of Eaihain and Marek of Liaharn (who were of what is now the Yuirfarvallen of Rhygahrea) to serve them there. This was seen as a hugely unorthodox and insulting action. Not only were the Yuirfarvallen of that age a part of the Royal Basin in Harthalia they were agitating against Basanic control in actions that were just shy of warfare. However they were loyal to the Natherons and were accepted under the articles of law.
With access to Wyld areas restricted, the Lionsgold machine looked to the larger towns which were acting as reservoirs for, say, cattle and wheat, and would either turn them into larger cities or just build a settlement to become a city that would control the townships. These developments led to the need for more and more names to be given power and to raise families to positions of responsibility and power. The Lionsgold hold on the people began to spread as names like Draygal, Shadowmane, Meadowcroft, Waldrum, Pinwheel, Slowfmort, Kinsgword and Reaver were spoken with reverence by the smallfolk as change rang out.
More information follows in The Rise of Faithstocracy
Holly Goodall
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