High Kingdom of Laccini – Necrourgists and Knights

Not all evil in the Sea of Stars is world threatening, some is just driven by petty ambition and greed.  One such place is:

High Kingdom of Laccini

Laccini was until a hundred years ago three small rival kingdoms, Laccini, Doras and Usi’Tal that shared a single island.  The balance of power was tipped by the discovery of a major gold vein in the Upland Mountains controlled by Laccini.  Korash “the Tyrant” made a deal with the Jet Dwarves, letting them mine the gold in exchange for a share of the metal and the provision of the best possible dwarven-made equipment for his knights.  With the gold he hired experts to train his army and bought the service of wizards.

Doras and Usi’Tal realized the danger too late by the time they allied Laccini had already begun to move.  The military of Usi’Tal was crushed by the army of Laccini, spearhead by the knights of the new Order of Gold, before Dorasian reinforcements could arrive.  It took seven bloody years of inconclusive battles and grinding sieges before Korash dominated his enemies completely and the last castle of Doras surrendered.  Laccinian attempts to expand beyond the island were rebuffed, primarily by the forces of Taren Kost, so the High Kingdom settled down to build up its military to a point where it could challenge its rivals.

Thirty odd years after the conquest, Korash died at the age of seventy and his sons and grandsons went to war over who should take the throne.  Eight years of brutal civil war ended with Maracon “the Iron” seizing the throne and executing the majority of his rivals.  The current ruler of Laccini is Maracon IV “the Ship Builder” who is attempting to realize Korash’s dream of expansion beyond Laccini.  If the gold mines that finance Maracon’s treasury were not almost entirely played out, the Laccini would be a more credible threat.

The capital of Laccini is Castle Drum built around Castle Drum itself, an ancient fortification that pre-dates the Sundering.  The Chapel of Castle Drum itself serves as the primary chapter house of the Knights of Gold, an order of knights devoted to the Laccinian Crown.  The city is home to the School of Magical Philosophy overseen by Casru Shadowson, High Necrourgist of Laccini.

Laccini was created to fill the villain role in an adventure I was running  and since then it evolved into a minor rival and threat to Taren Kost and an example of the sort of ‘small evils’ that exist in the Sea of Stars.

Necrourgist also deserves a brief explination.  -mancy is a suffix that means ‘divination by means of.’  So, Necromancy is using the dead to learn the secrets of the future not the creation of undead, the magic of death or any of the things gaming has taught us it means.   That is why I use Necrourgist in my campaigns.  Yes, pedantic I know but it makes me happy.