Welcome to the world of Kingfountain!
For centuries, the rulers of Ceredigion, Occitania, and Brugia have battled and intrigued against each other to enlarge their borders at the expense of their neighbors. Within the fractious kingdoms are scheming dukes, princesses, and nobles who vie with each other for power and position. Disloyalty is deadly. For if one betrays the king and is found guilty at the Assizes, the punishment is swift and perilous. Those who defy the customs and morals are executed by being bound in a boat and put into the river by the Sanctuary of Our Lady and then plummet to their deaths at the base of its massive waterfall.
The fortress in North Cumbria, a land of huge mountains and massive waterfalls, as well as the mysterious ice floes that form the river leading to Kingfountain. Only the locals know about the secret ice caves hidden in the vast wintry glacier known as Helvellyn.
The capital of the Kingdom of Atabyrion. The cunning rulers of this kingdom have a history of meddling in the affairs of others. But the kingdom is but a shadow of its former self and there are rumors of ruins buried deep beneath the sea.
The capital of Ceredigion and seat of the Argentine dynasty. The castle is situated on a hill overlooking a huge river and the city below. Amidst the rushing waters is the island sanctuary of Our Lady where commoners and nobles alike toss coins into the fountains to receive answers to their petitions.
An independent duchy in Occitania that shares borders with Westmarch. The reclusive rulers have long kept to the shadows as if guarding secrets they wish none other to know.
The seat of power in the Duchy of Westmarch. This land once belonged to the rulers of Occitania but was forfeit after the calamitous Battle of Azinkeep. The house symbol is a field of blue with three buck heads.
These are rare individuals, a scant few throughout each kingdom, who have mastered a craft so well that the Fountain blesses them with special powers beyond the ability of others.
The brave men who serve the nobles they have sworn allegiance to, be they dukes, earls, or even kings. As young children, boys are often sent in wardship to the household of another noble to spend days in the training yard with swords and staves.
Everyone knows about the Poisoner School in Pisan. But only a king can afford the cost to send a subject there to be trained in their deadly and mysterious arts.
One of the religious orders of the realm, who under the authority of the Deconeus of the sanctuary, manage the grounds which often protect both the honest and the dishonest.
The spy service of the Argentine family. One of the noble families is called to lead it. You never know if the baker down the street or the man standing in the shadows of the sanctuary is working for them.
The magic of the world of Kingfountain centers around the mystical energy of moving water. It is called the Fountain. Rivers and waterfalls are especially sacred. Every town, castle, and sanctuary has a fountain built to represent the omnipresent and powerful source of the magic. When one seeks a blessing from the Fountain, one stands at the edge, coin in hand, and a silent prayer is offered. The coin is then tossed into the water. If the gift is accepted, the coin will miraculously disappear.
Some individuals are so attuned to the Fountain’s will, so practiced in a craft, that they become attuned to the Fountain’s magic, which begins to fill up a reservoir of energy inside of them which can be used to a specific end. But if one uses too much of the power, it can cause unconsciousness…even death. Famous Fountain-blessed individuals have included skills in archery, cooking, music, weaponry, and oration. Only one child in ten thousand exhibits such tendencies, which usually reveal themselves between childhood and adulthood.
The legends of the Fountain-blessed are known throughout the world. One of the most famous was an Occitanian peasant girl who rose to fame in times past and helped liberate Occitania from Ceredigion authority.
Also known as the Queen’s Poisoner. A loyal subject of King Eredur of Ceredigion who was instrumental in him reclaiming his throne. She was gone from Kingfountain when the king died. Some even say he was poisoned.
Member of the Espion, the king’s spy service. He was born and raised in Genevar, the main trading nation, and has an appetite for delicious food and unhealthy gossip.
Granddaughter of Duke Stiev Horwath of Dundrennan. Owen’s best friend. Utterly fearless.
The youngest son of the Duke of Westmarch, sent to live as hostage to King Severn Argentine. Books 1-3 of Kingfountain tell his story from his childhood to his perilous career.
The ruler of Kingfountain, brother of Eredur. Some say he killed his two nephews to claim his throne. His reign has been filled with turmoil, backstabbing, and executions. A fierce battle commander and a tortured soul who lost his wife and son not long after gaining the throne.
the first king to rule the land of Ceredigion. His court was called “Kingfountain” and he ruled in wisdom and justice, honoring a code of chivalry called Virtus.
event of court justice called by the king to pass judgment on those under suspicion of treason. One of the nobles of the realm is appointed to lead the event and other peers of the realm hear the evidence. The verdict is brought to the king for punishment.
the battle where Severn Argentine defeated an invasion of Ceredigion by a rival against the odds and secured his grip on the throne of Kingfountain.
a famous battle between the kingdoms of Ceredigion and Occitania that toppled the balance of power and put Occitanian lands into the power of Kingfountain. The defeat has been lamented since.
the religious caretaker of any sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of the Fountain.
the mystical source of the Fountain’s power. According to legends the world started out submerged beneath the mighty waters and through the great magics of the Wizrs, boundaries were established where land could rise and be inhabited by the human race. It is also supposed to be the destination of souls following death. The Afterlife.
a prophecy given by the Wizr Myrddin centuries before that King Andrew would eventually be slain but that a descendant would rise up and defend Kingfountain from attack from seven other kings.
the formal spy network of the kingdom of Ceredigion. They have agents stationed throughout the realms who provide information to the Master of the Espion who advises the king.
the legendary sword that Andrew pulled from a sanctuary fountain possessing magical powers. Combined with the power of the Raven Scabbard, the holder of both are nearly invincible.
someone who is gifted with the ability to harness the Fountain’s power. This comes from their studied practice of a certain art or craft which they have practiced relentlessly and with great interest. As a result of their dedication, they acquire a special gift from the Fountain which drains their energy when they use it. Expending all of their stores of Fountain magic will produce unconsciousness and can be fatal.
the royal prison within the palace of Kingfountain in Ceredigion. History is replete with examples of inmates who plunged to their death trying to escape.
an artifact from King Andrew’s era – the crown of power giving one the right to rule Kingfountain. The ruler becomes so connected to his stewardship over the land that even the weather can alter to match his moods.
the royal palace of Ceredigion, founded on a protected hill and next to a massive waterfall. A bridge connects the palace with the Sanctuary of Our Lady and the rest of the city.
a legendary kingdom during the time of King Andrew that forsook its dedication to the Fountain and corrupted its practices. The kingdom is no more; it was drowned in a great flood.
the maid Genette, a simple Occitanian peasant girl, who became the most famous Fountain-blessed of her century when she sought out the exiled prince of Occitanian and helped him be crowned king at the sanctuary of Ranz. She was eventually captured, handed over to the officers of Ceredigion, and put to death in the mountains of the North.
a reference to the greatest power of the Fountain, the ability to see the past, present, or future. It is the most rare of all the gifts of the Fountain.
the most famous Wizr of all, the advisor and mentor of King Andrew, said to be immortal. In order to defeat King Andrew, Myrddin was tricked into a cave of stones despite his ability to see the future, and trapped behind a massive boulder.
a mythological creature from ancient legend, a water sprite without a human soul. Thought to be benevolent spirits who seek to help the mortal world.
the magic and mercy of the Fountain is represented in the incarnation of a noble lady. Some believe she is an actual entity while others believe she is merely symbolic. Statues to her are built to honor her sanctuaries. People who seek favors from the Fountain will toss coins into her pools while making wishes, praying that she intercedes on their behalf.
the trained and cunning practitioners of the diplomacy of poison. These are highly trained individuals in language, customs, the martial arts, and the fatal properties of dangerous herbs. Training to become a poisoner can take up to two years and is done at the famous poisoner school at the island kingdom of Pisan. Only the very wealthy can afford to send their chosen servants to this prestigious school. The difference between having a poisoner in one’s employ and not is a matter of life and death.
an artifact from the Deep Fathoms that has extraordinary healing powers. It heals whoever wears or touches it. It was one of the artifacts originally given to King Andrew by the Lady of the Fountain along with the sword Firebos.
the groundskeeper of the sanctuaries of the kingdoms.
the original name of the game Wizr, founded in the East Kingdom of Chandigarl. It is also the name of the Knight piece directly next to the King’s piece on the board.
an artifact of the Deep Fathoms that can cause a violent storm wherever water is poured from it.
a mythological creature from ancient legend, a water sprite without a human soul. Thought to be malevolent spirits who seek to destroy mortals by luring to their deaths.
a private room away from the noise and commotion of a manor or castle. A place for conversation, study, or privacy.
the private lair of the Master of the Espion. It leads to the secret tunnels that exist between the walls of the palace.
the magical power of the kingdom that can only be channeled or harnessed by individuals who have shown an aptitude for it. Power in the magic normally begins to manifest itself in a person around the age of twelve but it has happened sooner or later.
the name of the original kingdom of King Andrew and his court, Kingfountain. The exact location of this place is unknown to scholars.
the code of chivalry practiced by the knights of King Andrew. It includes the qualities of virtue, prudence, justice, self-control, and courage.
a practice of ancient origin done in the sanctuaries throughout the realm. Newborn children are brought to the sanctuary and the deconeus pours water on the child. It was devised as a test to ensure the child was mortal and not a kind of water sprite. The water rite is then recorded in the histories of the sanctuary as a proof the event took place and as the formal birth record.
a derivative title adopted from the Chandigarli term ‘Vizier’. These were once incredibly powerful persons who were skilled with magic from the Fountain. They are considered mythological persons. It is also the title of a game that was inherited from the East Kingdoms, a game of strategy done on a tile board consisting of the various participants in the royal court. The game is named after the most powerful piece, the King’s Wizr which can move in unlimited spaces in any direction.
