HOUSE PRELDMAUNSTERGH OF MEKHOGHEDIAN

The noble house of Preldmaunstergh is the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Mekohedia, which rules over the wide plains south of the Ungoverned Lands and Greater Conoilith. Their original home in the riverside castle of Karrikferllen, the house now rules over the royal capital of Iandol as well, and the entire Mekohedian Kingdom, after Einna Preldmaunstergh married King Grolmid of Iandol in 1213 NC (New Chronology).

Structure

House Preldmaunstergh is the ruling house of Mekohedia; its patriarch, or matriarch, is therefore the King/Queen of Mekohedia. Usually the king's siblings or cousins rule the family castle of Karrikferllen as Lord of Karrikferllen, while he rules from Iandol. The eldest son, or daughter of the patriarch/matriarch is next in line as the ruler of Mekohedia, while their siblings have to make do with ruling Karrikferllen.

Assets

House Preldmaunstergh, having married into the House of Iandol, owns the Earldoms of Iandol and Karrikferllen, and by extension the capital of Iandol, and also the family home of Castler Karrikferllen, along with all its armies, people, crop and treasure. Due to Mekohedia being a feudal society, House Prelmaunstergh also commands its loyal knights, and their dwellings as well, although of course this land still belongs to their vassals.

History

Edmed Preldmaunstergh established himself and Karrikferllen Castle on the south bank of the Westerond river, the traditional home of House Preldmaunstergh. From there, they gained control over much of Southern Mekohedia, warring, allying and challenging their way through local warlords. In 1213 NC, House Preldmaunstergh came into contact with the Kingdom of Iandol, with which they married Einna Preldmaunstergh with Lord Grolmid. With this act the Kingdom of Mekohedia was formed.
Throughout their history, House Preldmaunstergh had a reputation for producing relentless and heroic warriors, knights, kings and ship captains. During the Great War, when Conoilithian and Mekohedian vessels clashed with Selevast's ships off the coast of the Travic Peninsula, it was Jorgen Preldmaunstergh, brother of King Almar Preldmaunstergh, who boarded the Karzonic flagship. 2 months later, it was King Almar Preldmaunstergh himself who spearheaded the Mekohedian cavalry charge outside Ankoria Roban. In 1142, Lord Inghen Preldmaunstergh personally cut his way through the enemy ranks during the siege of Olmar, even when his own troops began to flee behind him.
House Preldmaunstergh however had perhaps its greatest moments with King Almar again, when he annihilated the besieging orc and Karzonic forces during the siege of Iandol even though he was outnumbered 5 to 1, and also when he finally crushed the Karzonic Duchies by killing their Grand Duke in the field of combat at the Draconic Order's stronghold, and also slaying the leader of the Bhalkharaghi, along with his war elephants.
House Preldmaunstergh remains the royal family of the Kingdom of Mekohedia to this day.

Demography and Population

House Preldmaunstergh's assets are divided into individual fiefdoms, each one with a residential manor or castle. Cities are uncommon in Mekohedia, and the largest settlements are often fortified towns, of which there are few and far between. The majority of Preldmaunstergh's, and indeed Mekohedia's population is spread out in villages and small towns, with about 5 to 16 settlements in each fiefdom. Of course there are also rural farming communities, too small to be considered villages but too big to be called households.

Territories

Ever since House Preldmaunstergh unified with Iandol, they have had control over all the lands of Mekohedia. The 6 counties of Mekohedia, Westerwold, Redshire, Karrikferllen, Iandol and Riverwatch are all part of House Preldmaunstergh's territory, although they are given some degree of autonomy. House Preldmaunstergh also has a small port town near the coast of the Sea of Urirer, and at one point it also had control over some of the Karzonic Foothills and the Ungoverned Lands as well.

Military

The Kingdom of Mekohedia's tradition of extremely fast, skilled and powerful cavalry stems from House Preldmaunstergh, which used their legendary warhorses to great effect as shock cavalry during battles. Aside from lancers and knights, House Preldmaunstergh also excels in mounted archery, their missile cavalry playing a crucial role in wearing down the marauding Karzonic warlords. Most of these cavalrymen are volunteers and knights, although in desperate times people with some degree of riding skill are levied. However, much of House Preldmaunstergh's army is also made up of semi-trained foot soldiers, who are recruited much in the same way as the cavalry. Iandol's longbowmen also contributed to Preldmaunstergh's military might.

House Preldmaunstergh has no official standardised uniform or kit, although their riders will often be given green cloaks to distinguish themselves from other knights and horsemen. Most warriors who have shields are also encouraged to paint their shields green, yellow and/or white. Surcoats may also sometimes bear House Preldmaunstergh's colours, although when compared to their northern ally, Conoilith's Imperial Army, House Preldmaunstergh's forces are nothing more than a rabble of longbowmen, moderately or poorly equipped peasants and recruits and very skilled horsemen.

Foreign Relations

House Preldmaunstergh, and by extension the Kingdom of Mekohedia, has had a long and bitter rivalry with the Karzonic Duchies in the fells and valleys to the south, and also occasionally has skirmishes with the highlanders to the north-east, especially the MacTartchain clan. Their relations with the Ironfist Dwarves and the Farnorian Elves are friendly enough, although the Mekohedians and the Elves are always slightly distrustful of each other. House Preldmaunstergh's longest ally has always been the Kingdom of Iandol, and the Mekohedian Kingdom's most faithful and powerful ally is Conoilith to the north.

Infrastructure

To maintain contact with their assets all over Mekohedia, roads were built by House Preldmaunstergh, although these are usually nothing more than packed earth tracks.

Tenets of Faith

House Preldmaunstergh's values are honour, courage and talent. As a result many of their youths are taught the art of knighthood and chivalry from a young age.

Maunsterghis Dig Preldis Vir Sond, Falmar Og Droi (Masters of the horses we are, strong and free)

Founding Date

1080 NC

Type

Geopolitical, Great house

Training Level

Semi-trained

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Demonym

Preldmaunstergh

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Bartering is common, although a rudimentary currency of bronze, copper, gold and silver coins is also used.

Judicial Body

Often the king, and head of house, acts as the magistrate in many a hearing.

Neighboring Nations

• THE FARNORIAN ELVES
• THE KARZONIC DUCHIES