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History
House l’Corren is the dominant military power in Couviere, ruling over the Duchy of Murnord. For centuries they have been the sword and shield of that Kingdom, but their reputation has suffered in recent years due to crushing defeats in the Thirty Years' War and the Tirian Crusade.
House l’Corren was founded by Sir Eduard Valetta l’Corren, in the earliest days following the Etharian' Empire's retreat to the east. Eduard Valetta l’Corren was a young Templar, who had been assigned to the Northern reaches of the Empire. When the then-Duke of House l’Valdan was ambushed by Tirian raiders, Sir Eduard, against the orders of his superiors, took a company of Cavalry and rescued the Duke from harm, slaughtering the raiding party in the process. Eduard was removed from the Templar order for his insubordination, but was raised to the nobility by the l’Valdan Duke, granted the Barony of Murnord. Baron Eduard and the Duke would remain lifelong friends, with Eduard marrying one of the Duke's young daughters, who would give him many sons and daughters of his own. At the age of 61, Eduard's tale would seem to repeat itself in reverse: When he heard that a small fortress of Templars was being beseiged by a great horde of Tirian savages, he took his entire army North and met the would-be-invaders in battle. Consumed with righteous fury he made a now-legendary stand in which he slew dozens of the attackers single-handedly, and turned the siege into a rout. For his part in saving the Fortress of Valetta from falling, the Templars posthumously readmitted him into their order, granting him the rank of honorary Lord Captain-Commander. He would go on to be canonized by the One Faith in just a few short years, forever known as Saint Eduard the Victor. The small watchtower he had rescued would eventually grow to become a great fortress, named Fortress Valetta in his honor.
Eduard's sons continued the family line, and for a time the l’Corren family prospered. After House l’Valdan consolidated its' power over the Kingdom of Couviere, the l’Correns became Dukes rather than Barons, and stood as the trusted right hand of the King…his mighty sword arm. Over the years they would build a reputation as one of the most formidable military powers in Creation's Edge, particularly noted for their highly skilled knights. Indeed, for the people of Couviere, it was the Knights of the Argent Legion that came to represent the ideals of knighthood. All of that was thrown into turmoil, however, when a particularly ambitious son of the Duke attempted to claim the Duchy as his own despite his elder brother being the rightful heir.
The internecine war between Duke Stephen l’Corren and his brother, Lord Randall l’Corren, lasted for nearly five years. Randall was supported (covertly) by assets provided by House l’Saigner, whom his wife was born to. Stephen, prideful and confident in his ability to put down the insurrection himself, refused the offers of House l’Valdan and House l’Faust to throw their military support behind him, a decision which he would later reverse when it became clear that he lacked the capability to easily crush Randall's forces. While Duke Stephen was eventually victorious (and the traitor and his wife executed), he ended up losing much face for needlessly prolonging the conflict. For the next several generations, the Dukes of House l’Corren rebuilt their infrastructure and military and worked to regain the trust of both their lieges and their people and were largely successful in that pursuit. When it was decided that Couviere would begin their great Northern Crusade, House l’Corren was ready, and eagerly joined the campaign alongside the Holy Orders.
For many years, the Crusade seemed to go well. House l’Corren and its' warriors (particularly its' Argent Legion) fought well against the Tirians, and along with the Templars pushed deep into Tirian territory. When the Thirty Years' war broke out, House l’Corren thought nothing of divided its' forces, and for the first several years of the War, they managed to hold their Rivanan counterparts to a standstill. Late in the war, however, they started to lose ground. Angered by this turn of events, King Robert l’Valdan recalled Lord High Marshall Andre l’Corren from the Tirian front, a commander who had enjoyed great success against the Tirians and made him Lord Constable of Couviere. At first the change renewed the spirits of the men fighting in the south, but then it all went wrong.
Andre l’Corren was accustomed to fighting the Tirians and there was probably no commander in all of Couviere and possibly the Edge who knew their tactics as well as he did. However, he was no longer fighting Tirians. When faced with the bold tactics and innovations of combined minds of Bryar and Alphard Haldis accompanied by their nephew Anton Tracano, the veteran general was quickly outmanoeuvred and overwhelmed. While the men of Couviere fought bravely but were pushed back to Hartswood where the ‘Silver Bull’ Cesare l’Corren was able to turn the tide and bring the Rivanan advance to a halt before with the help of the l’Fausts and others pushing them out of Couviere as a whole.
The end of the Thirty Years War, saw Cesare as duke of Murnord while Andre reclaimed his post in the north, though, broken by his failures in the war, he found himself outmatched by the Tirian’s new leader, Elsanna, who overran his forces and penned them up in the fortress of Valetta along with the bulk of the Templars in the northern portion of Couviere. The siege would be broken, but not before Andre chose to fall on his sword rather than face the continued shame of his losses.
Still, hope did not flee the duchy. Duke Cesare, who helped lift the siege remained popular, and his son Gabriel was heralded as a hero for his deeds at Valetta. In the years that followed, the l’Correns would face the Elsanna again, first at the prolonged conflict at Avondil, and then at the second siege of Valetta. While Gabriel and his brother Michael, Murnord’s heir, would have a major role to play in bringing down Cardinal Ramius and seeing King Jean-Paul, their brother-in-law, survive to sit on Couviere’s throne. While the house is still rebuilding its strength, it’s far from broken, with the Duke remaining popular and his children forging ties to some of the greatest houses of the Edge.
Overview
Province: The Duchy of Murnord
Towns: The community from which the Duchy derives its' name is a large town, standing at a major crossroads in the southern portion of the Duchy. Over the centuries it has become a sprawling affair, but the Town of Murnord still has its "center" which is a walled-in, heavily fortified area, at the center of which stands Northwatch Hall, the seat of House l’Corren. The town is a bustling one, and famed for producing excellent smiths. Winters here can be harsh, however, to the point of nearly shutting the town down when the heavy snows come. The town is also home to a large cathedral of the One Faith, and many of the folk of Couviere travel to see it in the warmer months.
A scattering of many small towns and communities spreads across the landscape of Murnord, with many of them being communities of woodcutters, miners, or hunters.
Fortifications: Northwatch Hall, despite its' name, is a heavily-fortified castle that stands in the center of Murnord. It has been the seat of House l’Corren since they were a mere Barony, but has been added on-to and built-up over the centuries to become a formidable fortification. No one has ever successfully besieged Northwatch Hall from outside, though it was nearly undone by treachery in the past. The castle is an austere, almost forbidding place, with trappings of the One Faith being nearly the only decoration throughout most of it, though the Great Hall stands in contrast, bearing many works of art and a very fine collection of tapestries.
The Duchy of Murnord also has a system of watchtowers along its' major roads, keeping watch over travelers and allowing for rapid passage of messages to locations along those roads as relay riders stand ready at all hours.
Fortress Valetta, while not under control of House l’Corren, rests in the northernmost portions of the Duchy. House l’Corren's long-held ties to the Holy Orders means there is much traffic and communication between the Fortress and the Duchy beyond.
Terrain: Occupying much of the northern reaches of Couviere, The Duchy of Murnord bears thick, temperate pine forests in the south (where the seat of the Duchy resides), and rises to rolling forested hills as it spreads northward, until the elevation increases sharply into the northern mountains. Major roads link the Town of Murnord to Fortress Valetta, Rovilon, and other major trade hubs (as well as to their iron and coal mines).
House l’Corren has two Counties under its' domain, as well as an independent Barony. The Counties within the Duchy of Murnord tend to be larger than normal geographically speaking, but with smaller-than-normal populations.
The Argent Legion: The Argent Legion is House l’Corren's elite cavalry. It is built around a core of the most highly-trained and experienced Knights, supported by skirmishers and horse-archers (lighter cavalry). They are renowned for their exceptional mobility, perseverance, and skill, as well as their honor and gallantry. When House l’Corren suffered its' first major defeat by House Haldis in the Thirty Years' War, the Argent Legion were the only warriors on the field that managed to kill as many of House Haldis' attackers as they lost in their own men. A later engagement saw the Haldis Cavalry receive a counter-charge from the Argent Legion, which resulted in some of the bloodiest fighting of the entire War, inflicting considerable losses on both sides, even if the Argent Legion was ultimately forced to withdraw due to a lack of support on its' flanks. While House l’Corren as a whole has had its' reputation tarnished by the defeats in the Thirty Years' war and Tirian Crusade, the Argent Legion remains a feared and respected unit known throughout Creation's Edge, even if they have had to institute considerable rebuilding since the War.
Argent Legion: Breakdown of Professional soldiers. The rest of the Legion, 3800 are filled by Levies and are Legionaries and Archers broken down into Centuries of 100 men.
50 Knights (The Argent Legion)
150 Heavy Cavalry (50 are Non-Argent Legion Knights)
50 Cavalry Archers
100 Light Cavalry
300 Legionnaires (Three Centuries of 100)
150 Men at Arms (The Prime Centuries)
300 Archers (Three Centuries of 100)
50 Engineers
50 Scout-Rangers
Total Professional Soldiers: 1200
Peasant Levies: 3800 at full strength, primarily Legionnaires and Archers, broken into multiple cohorts of 100
The Militant Orders: While the Templars and Reliants technically answer to the church, House l’Corren has long had very strong ties to the Militant Orders, and with Fortress Valetta within their Duchy, they tend to have more Holy Knights within their Duchy than any other (on a per-capita basis). Not to mention that a great many nobles of House l’Corren seek to be named to the Holy Orders. In any case, while they cannot order these knights into battle, there is little doubt by either party involved that the Crusaders would come to the defense of the Duchy of Murnord in the event of invasion, giving them what amounts to a very, VERY potent garrison force…and even better one that they don't have to pay for (for the most part).
Armies of the North Aside from its' renowned cavalry forces, House l’Corren fields well-rounded military forces. Their infantry has been well-seasoned by the Thirty Years' War and the Northern Crusade, and they also field highly experienced siege engineers. Their garrison forces are also at least a notch above the standard soldier (even when not including the Holy Orders among them).
Iron, Coal, and Timber are the Duchy of Murnord's chief exports, and House l’Corren makes plenty of profit selling them to the other Duchies of Couviere. Additionally, House l’Corren makes coin charging other houses to train their military forces, though this source of revenue has slacked somewhat following their somewhat recent defeats. Finally, House l’Corren charges modest tolls to pilgrims coming to view the Cathedral at Murnord. While half of these tolls is granted to the Church, the other half goes right into House l’Corren's pocket (so to speak).
The Duchy of Murnord has lesser interests in furs and pelts, as well as a few ice-wine vinyards in the southernmost reaches of the Duchy.
Allen l’Corren 1795-1840 m. Isolde l’Corren (nee ???) 1795-1824
- their children:
- Cesare l’Corren, Duke of Murnord 1815 m. Florencia l’Coren (nee t’Fleur)
- their children:
- Louisa l’Valdan, Queen of Couviere 1834 m. Jean-Paul l’Valdan 1832
- Michael l’Corren 1842 (true twin) m. Bella l’Corren (nee Callidus)
- their child:
- Bryon Eduard l'Corren 1867
- Gabriel l’Saigner (nee l'Corren) 1842 (true twin) m. Alina l'Saigner
- Ada l’Corren 1844
- Gwendolyn t’Syncarre (nee l’Corren) 1845 m. Joffrey t’Synclarre 1831
- Peter l’Corren 1816 m. Avelina l’Corren (nee t’Ressuex)
- their children:
- Simone l’Corren 1838
- Unnamed l’Corren 1842
- Jeanne t’Cordova (nee l’Corren) 1818 m. Stephan t’Cordova 1815
- Angela Tracano (nee l’Corren) 1820 m. Armand Tracano 1817-1853
- Geralt l’Corren 1822 m, Vivienne l’Corren (nee t’Cadri) 1824
- their children:
- Maeve l’Corren 1846
- Unnamed l’Corren 1848
- Unnamed l’Corren 1850
- Unnamed l’Corren 1852, twin
- Unnamed l’Corren 1852, twin
- Annalise t’Tremaine (nee l’Corren) 1824 m. Benjamin t'Tremaine 1812
Andre l’Corren 1800-1862, died by his own hand. m. Rachelle l’Corren (nee l’Valdan) 1800-1864
- their children:
- Blaise l’Corren 1822-1861, died fighting Tirian Tribesmen m. Arlana l’Corren (nee t’Carriex) 1824-1861, died at the First Siege of Valetta
- their child:
- Jarmon l’Corren 1842-1861, died defending his father from Tirian Tribesmen
- Aelleria l’Corren 1824-1842, died leading a raid into Rivana in the Thirty Years War
- Catherine t’Synclarre (nee l’Corren) 1832-1862, died at the First Siege of Valetta m. Joffrey t’Synclarre 1831
- Lynette l’Corren 1834-1859, a famous Paladin died slaying a bandit chieftain
Carriane Carling (nee l’Corren) 1801, Abbess of Saint Martha’s on the Mountain m. Edwyn Carling 1798-1832
Warren l’Corren 1804 m. Karine l’Corren (nee t’Artan) 1805
- their children:
- Unnamed l’Corren 1826
- Unnamed l’Corren 1829
- Edwina l’Faust (nee l’Corren) 1834 m. Carey l’Faust
- Samuel l’Corren 1839
Personality Quirks:
Devout - l’Correns are well-known as pious folk, with strong ties to the Church. For the most part, they really do "walk the walk" when it comes to faith.
Code of Honor - Honor and duty are serious business for most of the l’Corren. Chivalry in particular is practiced by the vast majority of the family, but even those that do not tend to embrace at least certain aspects of it in their daily lives. They usually adhere rigidly to the accepted "rules of warfare" and get very angry when others don't.
Dignified - l’Correns are usually exceptionally polite and well-mannered, even to their enemies.
Skill Quirks:
Talented: Polearms - The Knightly arts are extremely highly-prized in House l’Corren, and they produce some of the most skilled lancers in the Edge, both on the Tourney Field and the battlefield. (Skill Quirk: Polearms)
Born In The Saddle - House l’Corren produces a breed of very fine war-horse in abundance, and with its' emphasis on the skills of Knighthood, many of the finest horse(wo)men originate in l’Corren lands.
Military Genius - More l’Correns have served as the Royal Marshall of Couviere than any other family by a wide margin. There is a reason for this. l’Corren commanders tend to blend the inspirational and tactical qualities of battlefield leadership in equal measure.
Religious Education: With the Grand Cathedral of Murnord literally right next door to their family seat, l’Correns have ready access to the type of education that only the Church of the One Faith can provide.
Social Quirks:
Culture
Religion: House l’Corren is renowned for its' unshakeable devotion to the Faith of the One. No House in the Edge has sent more sons to the Holy Orders, and it is tradition that the third child (regardless of gender) of every noble family is sent to Sanctum to either join the Clergy or the Holy Orders. Noble and Commoner alike tend to be pious and devout, at least outwardly.
Inheritance: House l’Corren is traditionally patriarchal, though this is not iron-clad. Additionally, having achieved Knighthood is generally seen as a requirement for inheriting within House l’Corren, though the head of the house can waive that requirement in extreme circumstances. Women can inherit if no sons are available, though the Knighthood requirement is usually not waived for them. Perhaps paradoxically, this means that House l’Corren and their vassals actually field more female knights than any other House of the Edge.
Nobles: Nobles of House l’Corren tend towards military pursuits, particularly Knighthood, which is considered the most honorable of all professions. They tend to be an odd combination of pride and humility, believing themselves the truest representation of Knighthood in the Edge while clinging tightly to their devotion to the One Faith. If not Knighthood, then the second-most-honored profession for Nobles in the lands of House l’Corren is becoming part of the Clergy of the One Faith. Nearly every noble Household has at least one son or daughter that is either a clergyman or a member of one of the Militant Orders. Nobles of House l’Corren can be implacable foes, and they have been known to carry grudges across generations. They do, however, tend to be very honorable in their dealings, and respect those that show the same in return. Nobles of House l’Corren also tend towards being extremely polite and courteous, at least until offered insult or disrespect, when they can go from polite and courteous to fiery-tempered in the blink of an eye.
Commoners: The Common folk of Murnord are as a whole industrious and pious folk. Much of their toil is of course geared towards supporting House l’Corren's military might, and their rulers have fostered a certain sense of pride and community within their smallfolk by regularly highlighting their contributions. Hedge Knights are highly respected in the lands of House l’Corren, and many a common lad tries very hard to attract the attention of a patron that they might join their ranks. To a lesser extent, all manner of professional men-at-arms are appreciated, and in families of any particularly large size it is unusual to not have at least one or two yeomen warriors amongst them. Joining the lay clergy is also a fine and honorable pursuit amongst the common folk, even more so if they achieve entry to the ordained clergy.
Sigil: Parted per bend azure and argent, base dexter horse rampant toward sinister azure, chief sinister sun argent.
Knighted members of the house are allowed some modification of the family arms with the heir adding a white border to his shield by tradition.
Saint Eduard Valetta l’Corren, The Victor: The founder of the current l’Corren line. Sir Eduard was said to be a Templar of unmatched skill and charisma, and claimed descent from the original warriors that had fought along The One during his earthly tenure. It is said that in his last battle at the ripe old age of 61, he was possessed with a holy fervor that allowed him to slay nearly three-dozen invaders from the north, rallying his nearly-broken men and turning what seemed like certain defeat into a grand victory. He promptly knighted his youngest son, who had served as his squire during the battle, thanked his men for their service and sacrifice, and then fell dead on the spot. He was canonized by the Church of the One Faith just six years after his death, and most Knights of House l’Corren and even some in lands beyond Couviere carry medallions, coins, or other trinkets honoring Saint Eduard to this day. The Fortress of Valetta in the north is named after him, and a memorial to him rests within the Fortress courtyard, supposedly marking the very spot he fell.
The Snow Peddler: A folk tale among the people of the northern reaches of Couviere, the Snow Peddler is an odd fellow that appears after the first snows of winter, and offers to sell those he comes across a bucket of tightly-packed snow. If the buyer agrees and pays a "fair price" (always expensive enough to feel like a real sacrifice, but not always in coin) for the bucket of snow, then they will have a mild winter, or at least will suffer no great ills during the winter to come. If the buyer refuses, then the winter will be harsh and misfortune will likely strike. Legend claims that if one buys the bucket of snow, and uses the melted snow to brew teas, they enhance the invigorating and healing properties of the tea itself. Of course, this has led to a good number of charlatans posing as the Snow Peddler popping up every winter, trying to bilk the gullible and overly cautious out of hard-earned coin. There is no uncertainty, however, that many of these pretenders have been found dead later on, often in drastically humiliating or horrifying circumstances, and usually having perished from exposure. Whether it is the Snow Peddler extracting vengeance for sullying his "good name" or cheated patrons exacting vengeance of their own remains a matter of much debate among the smallfolk.
The Goblyn in Winter: There are many Goblyn sightings in the lands of House l’Corren, and they tend to rise sharply in winter months. Most people in other provinces and kingdoms that hear of it dismiss it as the somewhat isolated folk of the north going a little stir crazy when cooped up by heavy snows. Those that give the rumors more credence, however, begin to wonder if somewhere in the Duchy of Murnord might lie an entrance to the fabled Maze of the Goblyn Lord.
A Reputation Reborn: Twin defeats in both the northern crusade against the Tirian Tribes and the Thirty Years' War with Rivana had significantly diminished the house's reputation. However the deeds of Duke Cesare and his twin sons during the Cardinal's Gambit to say nothing of the Duke's eldest daughter becoming queen has done much to restore the kingdom's faith in their warrior house.
Rebuilding: With the crusade in a lull, the l'Corren have a chance to rebuild the north's defenses and replenish the losses in their ranks. However with the Ice Queen having survived the battle of Three Crowns, the question is, how long will it be until the Tirians return?
TBD
House Relations
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House l’Valdan : They are our liege lords and we have served them faithfully for centuries. Our recent disgraces have understandably displeased them, however. We must again earn their trust and confidence, though at least we have the comfort of knowing the future Queen was born from our line. |
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House l’Saigner : Blackguards, spies, and liars. Trust them to be good at what they do, and no further. Still, it would be a lie to say they are not quite useful at times. Their recent closeness to the King is dismaying, however, and clearly they seek to supplant us at his right hand. Tread carefully when dealing with them, as they have worked against us in the past, despite being of the same kingdom. We have shunned marriage alliance with them for many decades due to this treachery. |
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House l’Faust : The wardens of the East are valuable trade partners and allies in war. While some might see their ties to the Etharian Empire as worrisome, they have never given us cause to doubt their loyalty to the Crown. Our relations are generally friendly, and there is a fair degree of intermarriage between our Houses. |
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House Haldis : They delivered the first of our two most recent disgraces, and even prior to that there had oft been much blood spilled between our two houses in times of war. In so many ways, they are our counterpart in Rivana, which makes us natural opponents. Still, their skill and strength cannot be denied, and perhaps if we cannot destroy them by force of arms, we might negate the threat they pose with diplomacy instead. |