The Kingdom of Valcarré is a small but proud knightly kingdom, defined by chivalry, noble virtue, and martial tradition. Ruled by a hereditary monarchy supported by powerful high nobles, Valcarré places immense cultural importance on honor, loyalty, piety, and the defense of the realm. Knights are celebrated as the ideal citizen-soldiers, and tales of valor, sacrifice, and righteous warfare are woven deeply into the national identity.
Despite its lofty ideals, Valcarré is a land of stark social contrast. The high nobility live in fortified splendor, educated in courtly manners and the martial arts, while the peasantry bears the weight of labor, taxation, and conscription. Though protected by the knightly class, common folk rarely benefit from the virtues so loudly praised by their lords. This disparity is widely accepted as the natural order, reinforced by tradition and law. The peasant class is kept distracted with Monthly tournaments with jousting, duels, recitals and other competitions hosted for all to view at different locations in the kingdom.
Valcarré is a militaristic and defensive kingdom, its borders marked by watchtowers, curtain walls, and sprawling castles built to withstand prolonged siege. The realm maintains a standing force of knights, men-at-arms, and levy soldiers, ever vigilant against invasion. Warfare is ritualized and codified, bound by strict codes of conduct for the nobility, though such rules seldom apply to the lower classes.
The land itself is practical and productive: broad stretches of arable farmland sustain the population, while stone quarries provide the materials for Valcarré’s massive limestone architecture. Small forests dot the countryside, supplying timber and hunting grounds reserved largely for noble use. Villages cluster around keeps, abbeys, and market towns, all overshadowed by the ever-present silhouette of castles on the horizon.
The kingdom’s succession laws forbid women from inheriting the crown directly. With the death of King Aldric III and no surviving male heirs, Valcarré has entered a fragile regency period ruled by his widow. Every noble house watches closely, calculating marriages, alliances, and betrayals.
Aside from the succession crisis, The Kingdom of Valcarré faces veiled threats to the south from @The Mortarchate of Ashur-Rem. A sense of distrust is growing between the two nations and signs of a build up of forces on the southern border hint at schemes from Ashur-Rem to take advantage of the fragile politics within the Kingdom of Valcarré.
The Ruling noble house of The Kingdom the house is in a state of flux with @Queen-Regent Eleanor Valcarré stalling the marriage offers for her daughters whilst secretly plotting to change the laws to allow her eldest daughter @Princess Isolde Valcarré rule as Queen in her own right. The two younger daughters @Princess Maerwen Valcarré and @Princess Aveline Valcarré have shown little interest in marrying or taking the throne for themselves, although Maerwen has made it clear she favours Aveline marrying and becoming queen as she doesn't want to be ruled over by Isolde.
Whilst the other noble houses in the Kingdom remain steadfastly loyal to House Valcarré, there are ongoing plots and counterplots throughout the kingdom for placing the next king.
House Montreve is one of the most formidable and tradition-bound noble houses in the Kingdom of Valcarré. Tasked with guarding the Eastern border—lands most vulnerable to invasion, raiding, and unrest—the Montreve legacy is inseparable from war, vigilance, and sacrifice. For generations, their banners have flown over their border fortress and hardened garrisons, and their name is spoken with respect by knights and soldiers across the realm.
Unlike more courtly houses, Montreve power does not stem from intrigue or wealth alone, but from steel, discipline, and the loyalty of the kingdom’s military class. They are widely regarded as the shield of Valcarré.
House Montreve openly supports the marriage of their eldest son to Princess Isolde, arguing that Valcarré’s uncertain future demands a king forged by battle rather than courtly charm. Their claim is framed not as ambition, but as duty: a realm beset by threats must be ruled by one who understands war.
This position has earned them strong backing among generals, veteran knights, and border lords—while alienating more diplomatic or reform-minded factions. Montreve insists they do not seek power for its own sake, but few doubt that such a marriage would place them at the heart of the kingdom’s rule. House Montreve is closely linked with @The Order of Tempus
Current House Head - @Lord Armand de Montreve
Masters of the Solice Mountain's rich quarries and mines and controllers of Vieumont and Rochegarde Keep. House Rochegarde balances immense wealth with their deep-rooted rural heritage. They are often sought for their pragmatic counsel and voice of reason during times of crisis. Current House Head - @Lord Gyldrin Rochegarde
A powerful noble house whose influence stems not from military might, but from their control over the kingdom's agricultural abundance, particularly their renowned wines. They rule through economic leverage, obligation, and the careful cultivation of favor among the populace and other houses. House Bellemere rarely advances open claims to the throne. Instead, they support stability through balance, subtly backing whichever succession outcome best preserves peace—and their interests.
They are widely believed to be quietly evaluating all royal marriage candidates, ensuring that whoever ascends will never rule without Bellemere’s goodwill but are also putting forward the hand of Remy Bellemere to marry one of the Princesses of House Valcarre.
Current House Head - @Lord Thibault Bellemere
House Clairvaux stands apart from Valcarré’s courtly nobility. Where other houses cultivate fields or parade knights, Clairvaux guards the wild edge of the kingdom—the Silverwood Frontier, a dense and dangerous forest borderland riddled with old paths, forgotten ruins, bandits, and worse.
They are wardens first and nobles second. Generations of hunting, skirmishing, and shadow-war along the frontier have shaped Clairvaux into something feared and half-whispered about at court. They are loyal to Valcarré—but only so long as Valcarré proves worth defending. They also serve as the protectors of the main trade route between The Kingdom of Valcarre and the nations further north. Among common folk of the frontier, Clairvaux is respected as protectors. Among nobles, they are regarded as dangerous pragmatists who know too many secrets.
The Bastard Heir (Secret) - House Clairvaux has raised @Lucien Vale the bastard son of the late King of Valcarré, spirited away in infancy and fostered in secrecy within the Silverwood. House Clairvaux waits patiently for the realm to fracture badly enough that a hidden, hardened king becomes preferable to a groomed court prince.
Current House Head - @Lord Ercan Clairvaux