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The Kingdom of
Salem
"To all things there is an end,
To all things a beginning seems
Let God justify the ways of Man
And Deny not a Man who strives towards his dreams."
- Creed of the Salemites
"In front of you, as you approach a Sanctuary, weary from the travels that have brought you to this new land, stands a young man, his age is indiscernible, for the energy of youth plays on his smile, but a whisper of experience pervades the air around him. He bows to you, formal in such a primitive land, and you know he has not been here all of his life
Introductions are made, inquiries into the travels are entertained, as the Sun sets and the humid air around you softens and welcomes you to the realm. Finally, after much talk, the young man leads you into the Sanctuary, a beautifully crafted building in the midst of all the Nature that surrounds you. Through the first door you follow the Paladin, past a glass encased room with no entrance- you will come to find that many rooms here have no entrance!
Beside this room is the opening to the Sanctuary. As you walk through, on your left, you notice another room, encased in reflective mirrors which shine as if they are cleaned hourly. Stopping, you feel a rush or peace and tranquility: This is the Sanctuary at Salem... and this is only the beginning"
- From Archives, "A Scribe's Journey Through Salem"
In a land not far from Rhydin, where war is a distant memory and friendship is the key to every door, lies the Kingdom of Salem. Salem has never been populated by more than the small towns and villages that lay throughout the countryside, surrounding the main castle, WindSong, which lays in the center at the highest point in the land. Only the beautiful scenery and the relaxed atmosphere offer enticement to the wanderer and interest to the journeyman.
Most Rhydin folk have never heard of Salem, fewer know the story of the land and only a small handful of sages and scribes remember the times before the Judgement came and only those few know the truth and the tragedy behind the epic battle that ensued. Those are stories and many more are found in the Archives, however, for the sages and scribes who wish to study more of this small kingdom's history.
As an overview, Salem was founded nearly two thousand years ago, by the very first Knight of Salem, Seth Christian. A recent Jewish convert to the then upstart Christianity, this brave soldier travelled the lands with his wife, a mage, in search of wrong. He was never famous, his victories were small indeed, but his good works were rewarded towards the end of his time, when he saved the life of an ailing leader of a small tribe located near what is now the city of Salem.
With no sons, the King gave the tribe and the small area around it to Seth. After several years of service, the Knight died, leaving behind a son, Michael. And so the legacy became an inheritance, with each son learning from his father the rite of Knighthood and in turn becoming Lord SoulWind, the Knight of Salem. Throughout the centuries, the Kings of Salem united the tribes of the land, building castles and churches, establishing order and religion in a world where none existed- such was the sole duty of the Knight of Salem, to serve God.
A Millenium ago, Joshua Christian came to rule Salem, although his heart lay in the adventures he made to other lands. With his wife, Lady Elaine, he journeyed to far off lands, seeking to right wrongs. Like most before him, he never acheived fame and glory, as his works were small and timely heroics, touching the lives of only those he saved. Somewhere along the line, Lady Elaine became pregnant, although the continued their journeys, eventually reaching the Castle of Dracula, who had risen again to terrorize the lands.
Joshua was killed in the ensuing battle, but his wife, Lady Elaine, escaped. Nothing more was heard for a thousand years. Then, one day, in the Sanctuary at Salem, the Lady appeared holding a small child of one year. It was her son, named after his father: Joshua Christian. His story can be found in the Archives. Later on, she returned with another child, Thomas Christian. And so, after a thousand years of anarchy, Salem again had a leader... sort of.
Four years passed in quiet, as an elder clergyman raised the boys. Then a man appeared and began to train the two, teaching them the ways of the Knight. An old Mage of the Woodlands, Alution, took Thomas at times, teaching him the Arcane Arts while Joshua delved more into the Knighthood. Derek Larson met Joshua later on and the two became close friends, sparring and learning from each other with great enthusiasm. Iris, Lady HeartsCry, made her prescence know then, just as Elizabeth Triex met Joshua and the sad tragedy of their love began.
Years of peace ensued, other stories shall tell you of those days, for now I will suffice to say that there was no happier land at the time. All things end, as we know, and then the true story of Salem begins. For two thousand years, quiet and remote, the land has remained without legend or myth. Now, however, the time is upon Salem, when its legends shall be known.
Josha was accused of treachery by some and He left Salem to a private retreat on some other plain of exsitence. Due to this Salem was left leaderless for a time. At the same time, the DeMaxx family was having there own problems. In the end, one young kender mage named Jade Lockpicker ended up with the responsiblity of keeping Salem from falling apart. The story of this mage is in the archives for those who would wish to read them.
You are our guest here, this place is yours to explore, so you may look into the history of Salem or you may venture to the Sanctuary to pray. Visit WindSong Castle and the surrounding villages, stay a while at the Inn near the border with Rhydin, chat with the folks in one of our three largest towns, Salem, Logres or Souls Front- do whatever you can think of... as long as it's within our laws, of course. You may find information on Salem†Eternal, as well as an application.
Questions
or comments? Want to know more than what you find here? Want in
on the storylines we develop, have a good idea or just want to
talk? Send someone after me (unarmed please) with a letter or
look for me here.
(†) Places of Interest (†)
((Note: To go to these links, please click on the icon...))
The Archives of Salem- This repository of knowledge houses
journals, books and histories that are related to Salem and the
men and women who have lived here. There are also maps and
drawings of places within Salem, some of them never seen before
and others are the only existing copies known. Browse around to
your heart's content...
(†) Scrolls for your Viewing (†)
Guild Application-
This is the Application to join
Salem†Eternal, the guild which protects the Kingdom of
Salem. S†E accepts all alignments and ideals, so long as you
agree to work with us and to hold up our unified goals of
friendship and involvement.