The Kingdom - The Land of Ramgis

The Blessed Ramgis, the greatest champion ever seen in all the lands of the world, carried the immense triumph of forging the ever-disparate race of Man into a unified realm, now known only as the Kingdom, which existed from Ramgis' day forth in spirit even if not yet in name: through wars and invasions; through plague and hunger; through subversion and betrayal.

Yet when Ramgis first appeared in the lands, the race of Man was everywhere beset by the Goblin hordes, their cousins the Orcs and fouler things besides. Man, and Dwarf his ally, was spread thin through the known lands. At that time, self-centred Man often would come to blows with those that would be his friends, selfish urges and petty differences driving Man from Man, from Elf, from Dwarf, even from Halfling. It was Ramgis that ended this foolishness and taught Man the spirit of unity, then blooded it in the cauldron of war. The simply-armed but determined Humans, strengthened by their combined power and by fierce loyalty to Ramgis the Mentor, drove the green pestilence from their realms and built the future Kingdom upon their innumerable carcasses.

The technologically ingenious race of Dwarves taught the Human tribes the secrets of metallurgy and swordmaking, and as a result of trade and further Dwarf encouragement, Man, from humble roots by comparison with the skill of the Elves and the craft of the Dwarves, began to grow in strength and ambition, dominating the bulk of the known lands.

Today the Kingdom is the largest and most powerful of all the lands of Man. It stretches from the Bronze Mountains and the borders of Bretagne in the south to the Grey Forest and the land of Bolshov in the north. Westwards the Sea of Storms bound it with its raging coastlines. To the east the borders lie upon the foothills of the World’s Spine mountain range.

Within the Kingdom’s boundaries lie grim, dark forests, mighty rivers and tall, forbidding mountains. In many places the nominal territory of the Kingdom on the maps of the Altschlag scribes conceals vast swathes of lawless plains, woodlands and crags, in which Mankind's foes may lurk, trapping the unwary adventurer or traveller. The trade routes and other arteries often lead under the boughs of unfriendly forests from which Beastman eyes may watch, or across the defenceless plains where bands of highwaymen and other outlaws ride to extort and pillage from the unfortunate. All too many caravans disappear on the roads in these times, or are found burned and deserted by the roadside by those who follow behind. The real strength of the Kingdom lies in her cities and the lesser towns and farms that lie under their protection, though it is not unknown for even this to fail.

Mankind has grown and prospered greatly since the decline of the Dwarves and Elves. From small beginnings Men have raised mighty nations the greatest of these being the Kingdom. A land that lies upon the dawn of a new age of discovery and exploration, and sets itself the task of building Mankind's lands anew from the ashes of the Great Incursion of Havoc. However, the growth and even survival of the Kingdom is by no means certain, for there are yet many perils that threaten its future, not least of which is the ever-present shadow of Havoc.

Such evils must be faced and somehow overcome if Mankind is to flourish, but for this to happen Man does not only need the strength of its armies. Some speak of hidden covens of insidious cultists and witches inside the Kingdom itself - despicable wretches who would trade the freedom of Man and their own souls for a brief taste of power and the ruin of their fellows. Even now, it is said, they communicate with the foulness they would seek to bring upon the Kingdom by infernal means, and plot endlessly the destruction of the world. So it is that all honest Men must be vigilant, for the enemy within is more dangerous than the one without: though his numbers be smaller, his influence is spread over all the lands, often corrupting the unwary and deceiving the righteous. Few now sleep without a sword by their beds, awaiting the time when the enemies of the world will arise once more.