Topic: Twelve Highlanders and a Bagpipe OOC

[Balian]

A Wee Joke

One day Manius bought a fine bottle of whiskey, and while walking home, he fell. As he got up from the ground, he felt something wet on his kilt. So he looked up to the sky and cried out:

"Oh Lord! Please! I beg of you! Let it be blood!"

OOC Info

OOC Info

First of all, I should be clear and say that though this RP will take place in the real world, I am taking very large liberties and changing quite a few things in order to explore the story that has been playing around in my head for weeks. I love Scottish and English history, but I do not want to replay it or be limited by it. I desire the creative freedom given by a fantasy world (excluding magic, dragons, and other such things) mixed with the reality and fascinating history of our own world. So I suppose I will categorize this historical fiction, with a much stronger emphasis on the fiction then the history.

To enable someone with minimal historical knowledge to more easily step into the RP I have in mind, I'm going to clean out a 100 year period of Scottish, English, Irish, Welsh, and Norwegian history and replaced it with things that will better serve the story and make the world feel more like our own. I have plans to add more countries to this list, such as France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, etc. as needed. I have also simplified, in particular, Scotland feudal system. That being said, I am going to pull in elements from real history, events that did happen at some point or another, and pull them into the fold. They may be a few hundred years early or late and will be tweaked to better serve our story and characters, but I'll do this in hopes of making the RP feel more realistic. That and there is some EXTREMELY interesting things that actually happened way back when that a lot of people know nothing about. If you ever want to know the inspiration for anything that has happened in the lore below or will happen in the story, please ask.

It should also be noted that you do not have to read everyone below before starting the RP. Much of it is just for your reference as needed.

Lastly, I am only looking for one partner. Given that we will both be playing two main characters each, and a unknown number of side characters, I’m not sure I will have the time to keep up multiple RPs. Please PM me if you are interested with your version of the two female characters and if there are multiple people interested, I’ll consider multiple RPs.

As of right now, for your enjoyment and surprise, I've elected to keep most of the story a secret. If you want some idea of what kind of story is to come, I'll just say this: Expect the unexpected and expect the worst. The start of the story I have planned currently will enable us to choose just about any direction for the story we like. That being said, I don't want to spoil anything. :)

The Rules

1. No anime or cartoons for your characters appearances. I just can't do it. Sorry.

2. Half-decent grammar. My grammar isn't perfect and I don't expect yours to be either, but please try.

3. Minimum of 3 paragraphs for each storyline, even if they are short ones. I'll do my best to give you as much as I can, but often I'll only be able to conjure up as much as your post will allow me.

4. You don't need to respond every day. I realize that this RP is essentially two RPs tied into one. Just try to post once a week at a minimum. More is encouraged, but I can get very busy too.

5. OOC communication is encouraged as well. Friendly conversation is nice, but at the very least, we can use it to keep each other informed on when we will be posted next or if we will be unable to for whatever the reason may be.

6. Keeping things as realistic as possible is a must for me. So if I write something up that you think isn't possible, and vice versa, we should let each other know. Please don't let my Scotsman piss fire, fart thunder, and devour a pig in a single bite.

7. Enjoy yourself! The whole point of this is to explore and enjoy a new story and characters. If you start to get bored, please tell me and I will do everything in my power to change that.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Twelve highlanders and a bagpipe make a rebellion."
- Scottish Proverb

A saying often joked about among Englishmen, but known to be brutally true by all Scots. For hundreds of years, the English have occupied Scotland and the Scots have driven them out, only to see them return again and again. Many of the Scottish clans yearn for a free Scotland, others seek the security and power of the English, while ever more simply want to live and be left alone. Put five Scots in a room and you will have five different opinions on what the fate of Scotland should be. Never has the country been more divided. Between fighting the English, Vikings, and each other, the Scots have been steeped in enough blood to drown the whole country.

In the year of our Lord, 1185 AD, Scotland is once again heavily under England's thumb. King Henry the Puppeteer, the King of England, has a very firm grip on Scottish politics. It is very well known that King Marcus Campbell, the King of Scotland, is king in name only. The will of King Henry is executed by his puppet Marcus, whose arm is twisted due to his son and heir being held in the Tower of London. Many clans in Scotland are outraged by this, but can do nothing. Some are angered because their prince is in prison and others because they believe their king to be unfit to rule.

Now in Edinburgh, a meeting has been called by King Marcus. His grace King Henry of England, in the hope of establishing peace with Scotland, has offered up his youngest daughter to marry an important Scotsman. Every clan chieftain and their most eligible bachelor, whether it be themselves, their sons, or other relation, has been ordered to attend by their king. None will refuse such an opportunity.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Important Factions

The Kingdom of England

Leader: King Henry the Puppeteer
Heir: Prince Edward
Lands: England, Wales, and Southern Ireland.
Seat of Power: London, England
Allies: The Kingdom of Hordaland
Vassals: The Kingdom of Wales, Southern Ireland.
Bio:
England, under the stern rule of King Henry, has thrived for the past decade. While in the middle of a economical renaissance, King Henry used this surge of new found wealth to expand England's borders into all of Wales and most of Ireland, with only one northern province still holding out. In the mean time, King Henry has set his sights on making himself the King of Britannia. This left the Kingdom of Scotland as his final obstacle. In the past, when conquering Wales and Southern Ireland, he had used England's military might to achieve his ends. But in Scotland, it would seem he is utilizing far more manipulative measures. With the Prince of Scotland as his prisoner, his will is executed there with little protest from King Marcus. His next move, to marry his youngest daughter to an eligible Scotsman, has confused many. Both Scots and English alike.

Vassal Kingdoms

The Kingdom of Wales

Map of Wales

Leader: King Rhodri the Betrayer
Heir: Prince Gruffud
Lands: Deheubarth, Powys, Gwynedd.
Seat of Power: Carmarthen, Deheubarth
Allies: The Kingdom of England
Bio:Before being conquered by King Henry, Wales was broken up in six petty kingdoms, all ruled independently. Years of in-fighting between these kingdoms, and with the help of King Rhodri of Deheubarth (the most western Welsh kingdom), made it very easy for King Henry to swoop in and crush them one by one. With Wales united, King Rhodri rules over most of Wales now for King Henry as a vassal. Other pieces were split among the English nobility, to appease them for the taxes King Henry raised for his next conquest, Ireland.

The Kingdom of Southern Ireland

Map of Ireland

Leader: King Brian Boru
Heir: Prince Brian McBrian II
Lands: Leinster, Munster, Meath, Connacht.
Seat of Power: Dublin, Leinster.
Allies: The Kingdom of England
Bio: After conquering Wales, King Henry quickly set his sights on Ireland. Like Wales, the Irish had fought many wars among themselves. And like in Wales, one among them betrayed the rest to side with England. The King of Leinster, King Brian, very quickly swore fealty after hearing about the elevation of King Rhodri in Wales. Together, they conquered Munster, Meath, and Connacht. With the cost of the war growing too much, King Henry withdrew most of his troops and left King Brian to finish the conquest of Ulster, promising to make him the King of Ireland should he succeed. As a vassal to England, of course, but still more power than the man had ever known. However, this conquest has proven difficult, with the solo kingdom of Ulster having held out for the last three years.

The Kingdom of Scotland

There are hundreds of clans in Scotland, but most have sworn loyalty to or are politically affiliated with one of the three largest: Clan MacKenzie, Clan Campbell, and Clan Douglas. All three have had a member of their clan sit on the throne of Scotland in years past, giving them all a claim to it, should they decide to press it.

Clan Campbell (Destroyed)

Clan Chieftain: None
Heir: None
Seat of Power: Edinburgh, central Scotland
Clan Tartan:

Campbell Kilt Tartan

Clan Motto: Ne Obliviscaris (Forget Not)
Bio: Campbell lands are in central Scotland, enabling them to stand in the middle of the blood feud between the MacKenzies of the north and the Douglases of the south. They managed to avoid taking a side in the wars of the past, earning them the dislike of the MacKenzies and Douglases alike, who both think them to be cowards.

Under the order of King Henry of England, every member of the Campbell royal family from King Marcus to even his distant cousin, has been killed. Clan Campbell is now more. Among Scots formerly loyal to Clan Campbell, and to some loyal to Clan MacKenzie, Clan Campbell's words have become before a reminder of the once proud clan and as a battlecry.

Ne Obliviscaris - FORGET NOT

Clan MacKenzie

Clan Chieftain:  Laird Fergus Malcolm MacLeod MacKenzie
Heir: None
Seat of Power: Inverness, northern Scotland
Clan Tartan:

MacKenzie Kilt Tartan

Clan Motto: Luceo non uro (I shine not burn)
Bio: The MacKenzies of the north control almost the whole of the Highlands and are fiercely in favor of Scottish independence. Having been openly against the English in every war and occupation, they earned the full wrath and ill treatment of England. Because of this, they hate the English passionately. The only people they hate more are those they have branded traitors. That being any Scotsman who have openly supported the English. Clan Douglas are their rivals, and they are the power in the highlands, concentrated in Inverness.

On the Ides of March, MacKenzie Clan Chieftain Malcolm and his son Manius were murdered. Therefore, leadership of the clan passed to Malcolm's nephew Fergus.

Clan Douglas

Clan Chieftain: Laird Angus Douglas
Heir: Henry Douglas
Seat of Power: Dumfries, southern Scotland
Clan Tartan:

Douglas Kilt Tartan

Clan Motto: Jamais arrière (Never behind)
Bio: They share a border with England, but that isn't all they share. Their political ties with the English run deep and they aren't very secretive about it. This has fueled their rivalry with Clan MacKenzie of the north. Due to possessing the most fertile land in Scotland, they are among the wealthiest clans in Scotland. That and their many holdings in England.

Clan MacLeod

Clan Chieftain: Laird Fergus Malcolm MacLeod MacKenzie
Heir: None
Seat of Power: Dunvegan Castle, Isle of the Skye (Northern western Scotland)
Clan Tartan:

MacLeod Kilt Tartan

Clan Motto: Hold fast
Bio: Clan MacLeod is linked by blood to Clan MacKenzie. Freya MacKenzie, the only sibling of Malcolm MacKenzie, was married to Neil MacLeod and together they had two sons, William and Fergus. Neil was drawn and quartered by the English for ‘inciting a rebellion’ when his boys were just becoming men. However, his family will say he was only practicing his bagpipe. Either way, that left his eldest son William as clan chieftain at the age 18. Neil's youngest son, Fergus, ran away the day after his father's death, but eventually returned 10 years later. When he did, he was welcomed home with open arms, but the Fergus who returned was a stranger to everyone he had left behind.

On the Ides of March, Laird William was murdered and Fergus became the new clan chieftain. Though after the Blood Skye, not many of the clan remain, almost slain to the last child.

The Kingdom of Ulster

Map of Ireland

Leader: King Ros mac Imchad
Heir: None.
Lands: Ulster
Seat of Power: Dunluce, Ulster
Allies: None
Bio: Ulster is the last independent kingdom in Ireland. Having managed to stay out of most of the Irish Civil Wars, Ulster's army was at full strength when King Brian's battered army invaded. Even outnumbered, King Ros managed to win several costly battles to force King Brian to retreat and gather more men before renewing his invasion.

The Kingdom of Norway

Norway, for the last five years, has fallen into a very bloody civil war. After the death of King Harald I, several Earls and Dukes rebelled against the dead king's son, Harald II, and established many petty kingdoms and earldoms under their own rule. Over those five years, power was consolidated into two petty kingdoms and one earldom.

Map of Norway

(For use as reference of how the kingdoms are broken up. The sections (Vestfold, Hordaland, Halogaland, etc.) are broken up in more detail in the Kingdom/Earldom profiles below.)

The Kingdom of Hordaland

Leader: King Harald II
Heir: Prince Harald III
Lands: Sogn, Hordaland, Rogaland, and Agder.
Seat of Power: Bergen, Hordaland
Allies: The Kingdom of England
Bio: Bergen was once the capital of the united Kingdom of Norway under the rule of King Harald I, a strong and confident leader. But upon his death, and the succession of his weak son King Harald II, many earls and dukes rebelled against the crown. This left Bergen a shell of its former glory, and with Oslo to the south's rise to prominence as a trading center, Bergen has lost much of its former wealth. Weaken by many battles attempting to reunite the Kingdom of Norway, King Harald's armies are weakened and have retreated entirely into his lands. However, he recently became allied with the Kingdom of England and expect a stipend of gold from King Henry the Puppeteer to raise his armies anew and unite his Kingdom. The only thing he must do in exchange is make his son, Prince Harald III, a ward of King Henry and send him to be his guest in London until the debt is repaid.

The Kingdom of Halogaland

Leader: King Egel Magnusson
Heir: Prince Eirik Magnusson (Egel's younger brother)
Lands: Halogaland.
Seat of Power: Trondheim, Halogaland
Allies: None.
Bio: After the death of King Harald I, Duke Egel was among the first to rebel and name himself King Egel of Halogaland. After some costly battles with King Harald II's armies, King Egel managed to bring the war to a standstill. Though still in open conflict, neither side has made advances into the other's land, for now. Through all the fighting, King Egel never managed to expand his lands, only retain the lands he held as duke despite trying to invade the lands of those still loyal to King Harald II.

The Earldom of Vestfold

Leader: Earl Arne Gunvald
Heir: Hakkon Gunvald
Lands: Geirstad, Vestfold, Vingulmarken, and Alvheim
Seat of Power: Oslo, Vestfold
Allies: None.
Bio: As the different earldoms and dukedoms of Norway broke away, Earl Arne was among the last, but could not deny the opportunity. In the first year of the rebellion, Earl Arne managed to conquer the Earldoms of Vingulmarken and Alvheim from other rebellious earls. In the last year, with his armies now under the command of his son Hakkon, he won a series of victories against King Harald II to win the lands of Geirstad from him. With the capital of his Earldom, Oslo, becoming the most important trading center in Norway, Earl Arne has become richer than both King Harald II and King Egel. Though retaining his title as simply Earl for now, Earl Arne is arguably just as powerful as the two kings he contends against.

It is also well known that Earl Arne and his family still worship the old gods of the vikings and are not Christian as King Harald and King Egel are.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storylines:

Prologue - Southern Diplomacy

Southern Diplomacy

Manius and Eleanor

Now in Edinburgh, a meeting has been called by King Marcus. His grace King Henry of England, in the hope of establishing peace with Scotland, has offered up his youngest daughter to marry an important Scotsman. Every clan chieftain and their most eligible bachelor, whether it be themselves, their sons, or other relation, has been ordered to attend by their king. None will refuse such an opportunity.

Prologue – The Tranquility of the Highlands

The Tranquility of the Highlands

Fergus and Simone

At Dunvegan Castle, the seat of Clan MacLeod, life carries on as it always has. William MacLeod of MacLeod has gone south to Edinburgh, along with every other clan chieftain, leaving his younger brother Fergus to oversee his lands while he is gone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Characters

The characters above will be the main characters and we will explore the story through them, but there will also be a need for many side characters who will play important roles through out the story. How we will split them between us we can decide later, but in the interest of creating more detail for our world to be reference later, below are some of the most important characters to our story.

Main Characters

Eleanor

Name: Princess Eleanor of England
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Clan/Nation: Kingdom of England
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Very little is known about the youngest daughter of King Henry of England. From a very young age Eleanor was tucked away for "safe keeping" to wait patiently until it was time to serve her useful purpose to England. While the other royal children grew up accustomed to the ways of the royal court, Eleanor (or Nora to those closest to her) was entrusted to the care of her uncle far to the south. With so little known about the young princess rumors had begun to spread like wild fire... Was she bastard? Or perhaps an unfortunate cursed with illness and deformity? But as most rumors thrive of falsities, these were no different. She was a very curius child who grew to have an insatiable desire to learn. Quiet and reserved when appropriate, Nora is always observing the people and things that surround her; there is very little that goes unnoitced. Despite her father's reputation, those closet to the princess will be the first to relay that it would be impossible to find even a sliver of creulty within her fair young soul; but to always be prepared to have your witts and judgements challenged.

Fergus

Name: Laird Fergus Malcolm MacLeod MacKenzie
Gender Male
Age: 26
Clan: Clan MacKenzie and Clan MacLeod
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: When he was 13 years old, Fergus’ father Neil MacLeod was executed brutally by the English. The next day, Fergus stole as much gold as he could carry and ran away. Everyone thought he was dead until he returned twelve years later with ten times the amount of gold he had stolen. Along with the gold, he brought with him many things from around the world. A few of the items include a Viking sword, a necklace bearing the Egyption anhk made of silver (always worn around his neck), and a foreign french beauty. The only thing that he returned with that he had taken with him was his kilt, which had been patched up far too many times. Because of all this, Fergus is an enigma to his people. He looks like Scotsman, dresses like one, and talks like one, but none can get rid of the feeling that he isn’t. He’s been home for little over a year now and he hasn’t spoken once about where he went, what he did, and why he returned. Not even to his mother and brother.

Simone

Name: Simone 'Angelique' Dupont
Gender Female
Age: 24
Clan/Nation: France
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: The bastard daughter of noble and his slave; Simone's childhood was the furthest thing from regal. After the death of her mother by the tender hands of her "father", she ran away. Several days later the body of  the  Marquis was found dead at his breakfast table. From there a young Simone found her way to Paris and with little in the way of choice, adapted her skills to the street. Her life from then on traveled a myriad of different ways, forming the fiercely bold and seductive woman she is today. Upon meeting a charming yet mysterious Scotsman her patron wanted dead, her life took a sudden turn and now she finds her self among the moors and rocky hills of Scotland confronted with a sense of freedom she hadn't known was possible.

Hakkon

Name: Hakkon Gunvald
Gender Male
Age: 26
Clan/Nation: The Earldom of Vestfold
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Hakkon is the eldest child and only son of Earl Arne Gunvald. Earl Arne in recent years, thanks to the chaos brought on by the civil war in Norway, has become one of the most powerful men in the country. His Earldom is currently the largest petty earldom in Norway, surpassed only in size by two petty kingdoms to the north. Hakkon, an upcoming warrior who has led men into battle for his father, is a young viking in every sense of the word. He loves to drink, fuck, and fight, though not necessarily in that order. Regardless, he is very good at all three.

Side Characters

The King of England

Name: King Henry the Puppeteer
Gender Male
Age: 46
Clan/Nation: Kingdom of England
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Cunning, ruthless, and very effective at achieving his ends, King Henry has earned himself a reputation as a man willing to do anything to increase his influence and power. Due to his methods, Pope Alexander III threatened to excommunicate him, but the Pope died before executing this threat and his successor decided to turn a blind eye. For the last five years, he has held Prince Marcus Campbell II of Scotland as his 'guest' in order to bend the country to his will. This is but one of his methods used to subdue the Scottish, as he uses similar means to control the Welsh and the Irish. Because of this, he has earned himself the title, "The Puppetter'. Since he allows people to call him this, one can guess that he enjoys the nickname.

He has one son and three daughters.

Clan Chieftain of Clan Douglas

Name: Laird Angus Douglas (Nicknamed 'The Black Douglas')
Gender Male
Age: 55
Clan/Nation: Clan Douglas
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: A very schrewed and cold man, Angus is most well known for being the richest man in Scotland. His holdings in Scotland and England have made him rich, but his not-so-secret alliance with King Hentry of England has made him even richer. His ambition is endless.

The Heir of Clan Douglas

Name: Henry Douglas
Gender Male
Age: 27
Clan/Nation: Clan Douglas
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Henry is much like his father, save only having half his brains and double the recklessness. He is both cruel and cold. It is rumored that he already has four bastards, all the products of rape.

The Chieftain's Mother

Name: Freya MacKenzie MacLeod
Gender Female
Age: 47
Clan/Nation: Clan MacLeod, allied to Clan MacKenzie
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Mother of William and Fergus MacLeod and sister of Malcolm MacKenzie.

The Earl of Vestfold

Name: Earl Arne Gunvald
Gender Male
Age: 60
Clan/Nation: The Earldom of Vestfold
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: In recent years, Earl Arne has become the wealthiest man in Norway and certainly one of the most powerful. He was a close friend and loyal to the late King Harald I and was the last Earl to rebel against Harald's son, Harald II. The final straw was when King Harald II,
 a devout Christian, sternly cracked down on paganism. Still worshiping the old gods of Odin, Thor, and Freya, Arne chose his gods over loyalty to a king. As it turns out, his choice was a good one and his wealth and power grew ten fold. In his youth, he was a renowned warrior, a trait that has passed to his son, Hakkon.

Deceased Characters

Manius MacKenzie

Name: Manius MacKenzie
Gender Male
Age: 33
Clan: MacKenzie
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: He is arguably one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Scotland. For reasons unknown, he has yet to marry and the daughter of the King is the first time he has openly considered it. And a good thing too, as he needs children to pass on the MacKenzie name. He is infamous for being a very serious man who doesn't care much for conversation. Getting a sentence out of him would be considered something special indeed. Because of this, those who sneer at him behind his back have come to call him 'Manius the Mum'. However, none dare call him this to his face, for he is considered to be the greatest warrior in all of Scotland. Even by those of Clan Douglas, who hate him.
Cause of Death: Impaled in the back with a halberd by an English soldier while attempting to kill King Henry. Died gazing upon the woman he loved at first sight.

Malcolm MacKenzie

Name: Laird Malcolm MacKenzie
Gender Male
Age: 64
Clan/Nation: Clan MacKenzie
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Father of Manius MacKenzie, uncle of William and Fergus MacLeod, and older brother of Freya MacKenzie. Malcolm is a true Scottish laird and clan chieftain. He is both smart and politically astute, rare attributes amongst the Scottish due to poor education. Other than that, he known to desire an independent Scotland with a strong king, free of English influence. He thinks that he, or his son Manius, are the only men up to the task.
Cause of Death: Filled with bolts on the orders of King Henry. Given Malcolm was the clan chieftain of the most defiant Scottish clan, King Henry ordered Malcolm to be the first to die.

King Marcus Campbell

Name: King Marcus Campbell
Gender Male
Age: 56
Clan/Nation: Campbell/Kingdom of Scotland
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: King Marcus is known to be a weak and timid king. Even before King Henry of England pushed his way into Scottish politics, his reign was littered with poor and indecisive leadership.
Cause of Death: Beheaded by King Henry hours before he announced the betrothal of his daughter Elenor.

Prince Marcus Campbell

Name: Prince Marcus Campbell II
Gender Male
Age: 31
Clan/Nation: Campbell/Kingdom of Scotland
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: Currently held prisoner in the Tower of London by King Henry of England. He is notorious for being both gluttonous and stupid.
Cause of Death: Beheaded in the Tower of London the day before King Henry departed for Scotland.

William Neil MacKenzie MacLeod

Name: Laird William Neil MacKenzie MacLeod
Gender Male
Age: 29
Clan/Nation: Clan MacLeod, allied to Clan MacKenzie
Appearance:
Public Knowledge: He is older brother of Fergus MacLeod. When his father Laird Neil MacLeod was executed by the English, William became clan chieftain of Clan MacLeod and laird of Dunvegan Castle. He took to the job very well, despite his age, and earned the respect of his clan and other clan chieftains.
Cause of Death: Filled with so many bolts that his face was entirely unrecognizable.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------