SlothfulChronicler

In the year 556 of the Runtallian Calendar, a war broke out in the eastern frontier of the Kingdom of Runtallia between the eastern overlord, Duke Gaverone Walruse of Regalia, and the barbarian chief-thane known as Dariun Drunzelle of the Shiradonii tribe, one of the Four Great Tribes of Norsmund, a nation that borders the Kingdom, deemed to be the land of brutes and savages. As the Duke of Regalia marches with his army to defend the disputed land of Kurlon, the barbarians have taken such an opportune moment to launch another incursion near the eastern border of Regalia near the town of Flendle, with the intention of dividing his army. However, despite accepting the town and the surrounding local lords' territories as lost cause in the war in favor of Kurlon– a newly discovered territory bountiful with veins of iron and other minerals– the Duke tasks his third son, Lord Velmund Walruse, along with his retinue, the Order of the Raven Knights, to fend off the attack. 

Now faced with the plight of defending the border town against a 5,000-strong Norsmundi army with his few yet skilled knights, along with an ill-equipped and undermanned militia, Lord Velmund has no choice but to fulfill his duty as a noble, relying upon his wits and his few but capable retainers to survive his first battle at the tender age of sixteen summers and winters. Contrary to his timid, youthful, and innocent appearance, however, lies his sly and scheming nature, evident by his fondness of dark magical arts specializing in illusion spells. Nevertheless, he himself has no idea of what he is capable of, and what he is destined to become.

Meanwhile, further east at the frontier with Norsmund, a plot hatches to ensnare the Duke within the clutches of his treacherous vassals. Not only his life is threatened by these schemes, but his sons Theo and Varus as well. With this scheme put into motion, the Duke and Velmund's siblings, Varus and Theo, would taste fate's twisted humor, with the former meeting his demise in a blaze of glory amidst the field of battle, and the latter two vanishing in incidents shrouded by mysteries. With the death of the patriarch of Regalia and his heirs' disappearance, the young lord who was initially third in line for the succession of the ducal seat became its temporary occupant. And thus, the tale of him and his court begins…

CHAPTER RELEASE:

January 1st at 12:00 UTC

Lord Raven's Court

<p>During the times of antiquity prior to the fall of the Ancient Empire and the Old Empire, despite being both economic and military rivals, a single coinage system was established between the two behemoth nations to replace the old barter system– a system of trade that utilizes the direct exchange of goods or services without a permanent medium. This coinage system is known as the 'Common Currency.' After the demise of the two empires, however, countries began minting their coins and promoting their own currencies, thus complicating the international trade with the fluctuating monetary value for foreign exchange, which caused a lot of wars to sprout as a result. </p>

<p>According to the 'Treaty of Drakenshire,' an agreement scribed in the capital city of Neruland Isle– presumed as arguably the richest nation in the entire continent for almost monopolizing the Great Neutomian Sea trade route with its strong navy– which was later on formally signed by all the sovereigns of every continental powers, with the exception of the isolationist and warmongering nation of Norsmund. The treaty indicates a new type of common currency, known as the 'Neutomian Coinage System,' which was unmistakably based upon its pre-existing counterpart. Furthermore, the treaty proclaims the new monetary system to be recognized and be adopted as the single-most accepted currency throughout the entire continent, thus ensuring a fair and efficient method of trade regardless of borders. Furthermore, all minting facilities in the continent are required to distribute and manufacture the identical sets of coins: copper, silver, gold and royal golden. The value of each coin increases in the same order multiplied by 100. For instance, for a hundred copper coins are worth one silver, and for a hundred silver coins amount to one gold. The most commonly used coin among the four are silvers, which flood the market and are regularly spent by commoners and merchants alike in a daily basis, while coppers are mostly for petty change. On the other hand, gold coins are primarily reserved for the nobility and those with higher status, with the royal golden coins being almost limited to royalties and great nobles.</p>

Information for Public Disclosure: Neutomian Coinage System