Alt Tag

Name

Lord Steerpike, Earl of Groan

Lord Type

Scholar Lord

Domain Type

Outlands (Southern Region)

Primary Residence

Manor

Domain Features

Forge of Industry (Ships), Forge of Magitech (Airships), Versatile Woodlands, Forest Shepherds, University, Library, Great Library, Monster Breeders (Drakes), Witch Coven

Retinue

Broker, Marshal, Beast Tamer, Spymaster, Priestess, Bard

Boons

Favor of the Learned, Supreme Sorcerer, Saint

Magic

Holy Magic, Concealment Magic

Drawbacks

Cloak & Dagger, Shadows Gather, Compound Conspiracy, Spiteful Sabotage, Bloody Murder, End Times

The Land

The Isle of Groan is a heavily remote island located somewhere on the outskirts of the Southern region. The region is governed by the House of Groan, the isle's namesake. Given their isolated nature, Groan does not have a standing army, but instead fights off threats of pirates with a combination of their hardy ships, airships and drakes, all of which are directed by Marshal Burrich through the militia.

Backstory

Steerpike, the newly appointed Earl of Groan, came into his position through fairly unusual circumstances. Steerpike was a student at the University who came from lowly origins. Trying to get by, he took a job as a kitchen boy in the Groan Manor. While working there, a sudden and unexpected illness took hold of the Groan family, leading to the deaths of the Earl of Groan's wife and only son. Steerpike, who had some knowledge of healing magic, managed to miraculously heal the two remaining members of the House of Groan, the Earl and his young daughter. The miraculous healing earned the young Steerpike saintly status from the Church, but his reward from the Earl of Groan was far greater - he was adopted into the Groan family, and with no living male heir, Steerpike was denoted as the next Earl.

The previous Earl having now died of old age, Steerpike has ascended to lordly status and earldom. Something is rotten in the Isle of Groan however, and Steerpike has enemies all abound. The Church confirmed Steerpike's status as a Saint, but they always had a strained relationship with both the House of Groan, given the rumours abounding the previous Earl's supposed fraternization and acceptance of witches and druids. Lord Steerpike has supposedly retained his adoptive father's relationship with these "heretics". Steerpike's close relationship with the High Priestess of the land, who sees Steerpike's Holy Magic as a sign that he was chosen by God to be ruler of this land, has earned him some supporters within the Church, but there are still some members who see him as a heretic worthy of death.

The aristocracy can be even more outwardly hostile than the Church, as many resent Steerpike's status as an up-jumped commoner who finds himself now above them in hierarchy. There is a particularly hostile faction that seeks to appoint the late Earl of Groan's daughter, the only surviving member of the Groan bloodline, to the traditionally male-only position of Earl.

Steerpike has the support, however, of the University, which is a particularly powerful faction within Groan. Knowing he has many enemies around him, he largely keeps only the company of his inner retinue. His Spymaster and Bard particularly important to him, keeping him informed of any plots that may weaken his hold over Groan. Steerpike also has the benefit of his Concealment Magic, which he uses to prepare disguises ahead of time when venturing outside his manor.

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Pub: 16 May 2024 02:27 UTC

Views: 161