Kingdom of Illcara -- Background and History

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nerolarp.com/wiki/index.php?title=Illcara

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Illcara has an official population of 310,000 to 400,000 Sentient Citizens, not including other living beings and non-citizens (pre-war / ideal). Keplar hosts 5,000 additional Gypsies and allies.

It possesses a standing army of an absolute minimum of 6600, with the ability to call to arms up to 155,000 men at arms (pre-war / ideal).

Illcara is 44,000 sq mi in area, at least 30,000 of which is useful farmable/livable land

It is ruled in modern times by an Oligarchy, a Triumvirate Council of the three royal houses.

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The average population distribution of citizens is 57% Human, 18% Elf, 6% Gypsy, 6% Dwarf, 6% Hobling, and all manner of other sentients.

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Timeline
Evendarrian Standard Reckoning

328 - Founding of Illcara

328 - Founders create Oligarchy; Micos Sylune, Gregory Talia, Zanka Lundor

350 - Zanka Lundor crowned first King

455 - Attempted coup

459 - Peter I crowned King

472 - King Peter I the Enslaver dies his natural death (returns in undeath), Peter II crowned King

507 - King Peter II dies in his throne room battling the Vampires of his father; Peter III crowned King

522 - King Peter III dies his natural death (recently discovered to have returned in undeath); Illcara falls to the Vampire-led Undead

532 - Official final evacuation of noncombatants; operations continue against the Undead, though the war is officially lost

599 - Queen Sylune crowned by 3-House Oligarchy operating out of Menka (The Last Stand) and Evendarr; with Evendarrian allies and an interested Dragon Patron, the reclamation of Illcara prepares to embark

604 - Tycho the Gypsy Vampire Leader and King Peter III The Dead are slain; the Keplar gypsies are freed and granted sanctuary; the majority force and leadership of the Undead are dispersed and defeated; Princes Drugas Talia, Amras Sylune, and Magnus Lundor reassume control as the Triumvirate Olligarchy

605 - Prince Amras Sylune is lost, along with one aspect of the Dragon who recently championed the kingdom, General Hesiod Sylune is crowned Prince in his stead

606 - Magnus Lundor assumes the throne as King under various pressures and rules with the Princes

607 - General Hesiod Sylune willingly abdicates, crowning Elise Sylune Princess as lineage demanded; The schism amongst Illcaran forces comes to war, Duke Ephias Lundor takes a batallion against the Princes and disappears; King Magnus Lundor is suspected to be lost to the Undead and used in their scheme; Aurelius Lundor, last of the House, is crowned Prince

609 - Illcara officially ratifies and signs the Accords of Avalon, having been under occupation when they were first signed; Illcara City and Willowbrook fall to the Undead, the Vampire forces take power; evacuation to Evendarr begins again

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Keplar Gypsy Packet :: Draft 1.0

Kumpaniyi Keplar
(Gypsy Culture; Illcara, Avalon, Tyrra)

Population: appx. 5000
Location: Golden Hills - Keplar Mountains
Dialect: smattering of national/romanian, nearby lingo, and White Wolf clan ravnos vampire culture, primarily romanian accented, some combined original accent with romanian and common, variable
Encouraged skills: Evaluate Item, Gypsy Curse x2

The Keplar Gypsies live now in their own "reservation" within the Kingdom of Illcara in southeastern AValon. They have lived nestled peacefully in their protectorate high up in the mountains since being granted the land in 604ER (274IY). They live under the guidance of Bandoleer, Mac "Mac Daddy" Keplar, and Baro, Theodar "Theo" Keplar Starlin, where their uncharacteristically permanent gypsy haven and free marketplace has brought them to near-self-sufficience while still granting them the sheltering protection of Illcara where they are welcome and freely travel. Many gypsies follow the wanderlust in their blood, but Keplars are always welcome to return to the permanent settlement, as too are any gypsies welcome to visit the locale for vacation, trade, or as a hideout from Gajo law.
Keplars are fierce hagglers and skilled traders, with few qualms regarding material possessions. Trade with Keplars, while very good for surrounding areas, comes with its dangers (and thefts). Among other appreciations of the culture as a whole is the silver blade. Historically-rooted superstition hails the argent weapon as key in warding off many evils (not the least of which are lycanthropes and undead), and as such any Keplar who can afford (or liberate) a silvered weapon will carry one.
To a Keplar, blood is not what binds the clan, but a common plight and history, and gypsies from all corners of the earth are welcomed into the clan. You see, back in the years of King Peter the Enslaver (some 150 years ago), people were bought and traded for evil experiments as the mad king descended into darkness. Gypsies were the cheapest to acquire, due to prevalence and a stubbornly strong will, so they quickly became the bulk of the king's slaves and test subjects - and the most heavily oppressed. In time gypsies were almost exclusive amongst the slaves still alive - and King Peter grew fond of torturing them and breaking the strong bonds of familia that strengthen the nomadic folk even in times of opression. They came to call themselves Keplar after the first gypsy to completely resist King Peter's corruption, who gave his life for the gypsy cause. They were an amalgam of individuals taken from clans across Avalon (mostly within Illcara or the Evendarrian border, but including many travellers from afar), a new clan born in a common goal. The Keplar stayed in varying levels of opression by King Peter and his descendants until Tycho Keplar led his brethren down a dark path to freedom. Tycho had made deals with the force of Vampires that would conquer the kingdom. Eager to liberate his familia, Tycho quickly agreed to take on the position of Vampire Lord and the Vampire Wars of Illcara began. Fueled by the freed gypsy slaves unified into their new clan, the Vampires toppled the government of Illcara, forcing its people from their lands and allowing the Keplar to roam free anywhere in the kingdom, protected by their undead leader. Tycho Keplar was slain during the reclaimation of Illcara in 604, and the Keplar clan was granted their own land by the new leaders and knights of Illcara, eager to keep them from joining the undead ranks themselves. Tycho's son, freed from what necromantic influence his father held over him, took to guiding his people. Today that sentiment holds strong as the unassailable mountain hideout of the gypsies remains even through the Second Undead Occupation, its warriors repelling any invasions with swift flashes of silver across narrow mountain pass blockades and its tradesmen guiding visiting gypsies and illcaran resistance troops through secret passages to the safe haven. Keplar can now be found spreading out acrodd Avalon, some having fled the undead, and their numbers swelling as they take in any lost and wayward kin into their own brotherhood.
Keplars hold a bond of kinship with any brought into the arms of their clan in some ways almost stronger than one of blood, with expectations to match for those who joined not by birth but by willful act. Understandably, they detest slavery as much as any gypsy could, though their years in oppression could again lead them to consider implementing lesser forms of slavery simply to escape or destroy such conditions, should desperate times call for such (including necromancy and charm magic).




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Keplar Culture Packet written and copyright NERO West Tennessee, Davydd Contarino, 2008-2011

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Illcaran Founding & Year

Illcara was founded in approximately Evendarr 330 (historians attribute this nice conveniently round number to an error caused by lost texts in the First Vampire War combined with prevalent use of ER/YR). The Illcaran Year can be calculated as Evendarr -330 or Real-life Common Era -1730.

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Shields of the Illcaran Military

Commoners / Soldiers:

Teardrop or rarely Kite
Black/Blue Halved, Black, Blue
Emblazoned blank, principality, kingdom general, or Sylune

Knights:

Kite or rarely Teardrop/Other
Quartered (usually) or Halved in kingdom colors
Emblazoned & Colored by Principality, Duchy, Barony, and often personal sigil

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Royal Illcaran Seal
(Purple / Black / Blue)
< Sword (or Scepter) through a Silver Chalice within a Gold Crown >


Sylune Principality Crest
(Blue / Purple)



Lundor Principality Crest
(Red / Yellow or Gold)



Talia Principality Crest
(Black / Silver)