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[WB] The Return World Building Thread

BennyQ

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THE RETURN
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@ScarlettRose

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(WORK IN PROGRESS)



THE ROLEPLAY META

BennyQ's Request Thread said:
Middle Ages: The Return
Pairing: Crusader Knight x Noblewoman
After years away on the First Crusade, a Frankish knight returns after its conclusion to his home in France. Once zealous and faithful, he returns home disillusioned, finding himself the heir/lord of his particular fief but having little desire to partake in any Christian rulership, after witnessing the atrocities out east by his own folk. Naturally, he is bound by duty and responsibility and is pressured by his family and council to take a wife. Perhaps there is a young noblewoman he has always had an eye for. Perhaps they were childhood friends, now separated by this disillusionment. The marriage could even be arranged, between him and a religious lady.​


Set within the fictionalized County of Northampton in the Kingdom of England, altered from real world events, yet taking place within the real world.

The RP takes place in 1100 AD. The Norman Conquest was consolidated in 1066 at the famous Battle of Hastings. The First Crusade, a pivotal moment in the life of Julien D'Vernon, occurred between 1095 AD and 1099 AD.

The D'Vernon family is a fictional family descended from a lesser lineage of Rollo the Viking, first Duke of Normandy, and later ancestor to the Norman Kings of England. D'Vernon is distantly related to the royal family as a bastard lineage of the House of Rollo.


CHARACTER LIST


Mains
Count Julien D’Vernon, son of Arnost D’Vernon the elder and Esther La Roche. Norman Knight and Crusader, 27 (28) years of age. Younger brother of Arnost D’Vernon the younger and Judith D’Vernon.
Countess Sibbe of Ravenbourne, daughter of Earl Sigegar and Cwenhild of Lancaster. Saxon heiress, 21 (22) years of age. Half-sister to Annis.

Their firstborn, Lady Emma D'Vernon, daughter of Julien D'Vernon and Sibbe of Ravenbourne.
Lady Estrid, natural daughter of Julien.

The Saxons
Earl Sigegar of Northampton, father of Sibbe and Annis. Saxon landowner and current Lord of Northampton. Deceased mid-1100 AD.
Lady Cwenhild of Lancaster, mother of Sibbe. Saxon. Deceased.
Annis, bastard daughter of Earl Sigegar and an unnamed peasant woman. Deceased early 1101 AD.
Lady Brona, wife to Monsieur Haralt D’Auffyre the elder. Saxon lady and sister to Earl Sigegar. Deceased mid-1100 AD.
Father Wulfgar, court chaplain of Ravenbourne. Saxon clergyman.
Kilij, the best of dogs.

The Norman-Franks
Seigneurie
Arnost D’Vernon the elder, father of Arnost the younger, Judith, and Julien. Norman Knight and minor landowner. Deceased.
Lady Esther La Roche, mother of Arnost the younger, Judith, and Julien. Daughter of Norman Seigneurie Fulke D’Cherbourg.
Lady Judith Mayeux (née D'Vernon), sister to Arnost and Julien, daughter and middle child of Lady Esther La Roche.
Monsieur Galfrid Mayeux, Chamberlain to the King, husband of Lady Judith.
Galfrid and Arnost, sons of Lady Judith and Galfrid Mayeux.
Monsieur Haralt D’Auffyre the Elder, father of Haralt D’Auffyre the younger and wed to Lady Brona. Norman knight and veteran of Hastings. Castellan and Steward of Ravenbourne.
Monsieur Haralt D’Auffyre the Younger, natural born son of Haralt D’Auffyre the elder and unnamed woman. Norman Knight.
Monsieur Bertin de Calmesnil, friend of Arnost the elder. Norman knight.
Monsieur Waleran de Cormeilles, friend of Arnost the elder. Norman knight.
Monsieur Tedri Le Cornu, friend of Arnost the elder. Norman knight.
Monsieur Emory Mayeux, friend of Arnost the elder. Norman knight.
Monsieur Ansfried D’Fucon, agent of William Rufus. Norman Knight.
Monsieur Anthoine La Vache, Norman Knight and Marshal of Northampton.
The Deveraux family, retainers and supporters of Haralt D’Auffyre the elder. Norman landowners of Northampton.
The Levesque family, retainers and supporters of Earl Sigegar. Norman landowners of Northampton.

The Court and Realm of Norman-Ruled England
William the Conqueror, King of England. Deceased 1087 AD.
William II Rufus, King of England. Deceased mid-1100 AD.
Henry I, Prince of England/King of England.
Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, Crusader.

William Giffard, Prince-Bishop of Winchester.
Richard de Brionne, Count of Devon.
Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester.
Henri de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick.
Geoffrey de Mandeville, Earl of Essex.
William de Mandeville, son of Geoffrey de Mandeville.
Hugh d’Avranches, Earl of Chester.
Gilbert le Blount, Count of Suffolk.
Ranulf de Briquessart, Count of Cumberland.
Robert Fitzhamon, Baron of Gloucester.
William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey.
Walter Giffard, Count of Longueville, Earl of Buckingham.
Robert de Bellême, Count of Ponthieu, Earl of Shrewsbury.
Samson, Prince-Bishop of Worcester.
William de Conteville, Count of Mortain, Earl of Cornwall.
William de Evreux, Count of Evreux.
Eustace III, Count of Boulogne, Crusader.

Others
Rollo the Viking,
first Duke of Normandy, ancestor of William the Conqueror and the D'Vernons. Deceased c. 930 AD.
Seigneurie Warin Pithou, first husband to Lady Esther La Roche. Frankish merchant. Deceased.
Seigneurie Fulke D’Cherbourg, father of Esther, grandfather of Arnost the younger, Judith, and Julien. Norman minor landowner. Deceased.


FAMILY TREE

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THE BANNER OF RAVENBOURNE
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NOTABLE EVENTS


Chapter One was the meet and greet wedding opener, the first consummations and chapel despoiling. Various minor character introductions and interactions. Side romance between Lady Annis and Anthoine La Vache (henceforth abbreviated to A&A).

Chapter Two was the visit to Westminister, Prince Henry making passing filtrations on Lady Sibbe, A&A finding Estrid the bastard daughter of Julien D'Vernon, and of course Julien and Sibbe doing their usual despoiling. Lady Sibbe announces her pregnancy (conceived earlier in the year during Chapter One). It ended with Lady Sibbe’s father’s death and Lady Annis’ coecred betrothal to Haralt D'Auffyre the Elder.

Chapter Three is Christmas time 1100 AD. Julien's more traditional Norman sister, Lady Judith D'Vernon has come to visit. Budding conflict between her and Lady Sibbe over standards and morals. Lady Annis has also discovered her own pregnancy and is certainly not of her lawful husband's efforts. Duke Robert of Normanday also comes to visit, compelling Julien to join his fledging rebellion to take the crown of England for himself. Lady Annis later gives birth to a healthy baby boy, taken by her husband Haralt D'Auffyre the Elder to be his true son and heir. She later dies per complications of the ordeal. Lady Sibbe also gives birth to a child, a girl, Emma D'Vernon, and her husband is most disappointed.

Chapter Four is Spring/Summer of 1101AD. A brief reinvigoration of passion between Lady Sibbe and Lord Julien is cut short by the Lady's discovery of Julien's intent to join the forthcoming rebellion of Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy. Sibbe is left in Ravenbourne, pregnant with another child. Julien prepares his forces, before setting off ahead of his expedition to join with the Duke personally. However, the King is aware and has taken Julien captive preemptively. The Rebellion of Robert fails and Ravenbourne is put under siege, yet successfully holds out until winter. A blanket pardon to all rebels is soon granted for the sake of interal cohesion and peace.

Chapter Five (present). Lady Sibbe in 1104AD has traveled to London to visit her captive husband after some years apart...

OTHER NOTES


Red color coded dialogue indicates the Frankish (Old Norman, a variant of Old French) language is being spoken. Blue color coded dialogue indicates the Anglo-Saxon (or Middle English) language is being spoken.

The Norman nobility often spoke Frankish as their main tongue, with Anglo-Saxon being common among the people and other native Saxon lords who survived the Norman succession to power. Frankish, or French, died out around the late 15th century/early 16th century, clinging on in some places, giving way to the development of English as we know today (thanks Shakespeare). However, the mingling of the two languages (and throw in some Norse in those areas controlled by Danelaw in the centuries prior to the Norman conquest) led to many place names, titles, and other names having various nomenclature in these languages. For simplicity sake, I have used Anglo-Saxon Earl and Frankish Count interchangeably, both generally be equal in rank in the noble system of Europe, with Earl being common in England and Count being common across the continent. Sometimes, the French styling of certain words, such as monsieur, mademoiselle, comtesse, and so forth are employed.​
 
Last edited:
Update:
New family tree, thanks to @ScarlettRose
Updated chapter three synopsis.
Updated various character statuses (Death of Lady Annis, Birth of Emma D'Vernon)
 
Update: (@ScarlettRose)
Updated character lists and ages. Number in parenthesis is current age for the main characters.
Updated chapter summaries.
 
Update:
Chapter four complete and synopsis added.
Dynasty motto chosen, Rile Not The Raven.
@ScarlettRose (And for me as well) His name is goddamn Victorin Bellamare, goddamnit. No more forgetting! :p
 
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