• This allows characters from Celtic, Welsh, Scot, etc. backgrounds, as there could easily have been several dozen people from that particular region. These people stayed with the English and have remained associated with Whiteland, but have retained a measure of cultural identity over the years.
• While over a thousand knights, nobility & men-at-arms were taken, the number of serfs, servants & lower-class people was nowhere near the normal proportion to them (several thousand were taken, but not the 20-to-1 ratio that existed - more like 8-to-1). This sudden imbalance in the nobility / serf populations prompted some class equality, but it was the need to mobilize nearly the entire population that did much to erode the serf - freeman separation. A secondary and more long-term effect was the ability to eat anything. Over the centuries, a lord's ability to starve his serfs into submission dwindled to nearly nothing, prompting a transition to a large freeman class.

Amesbury traveled north and west to the sea, then moved along the coast and encountered both native tribes and other humans, most notably the arabs of Al'Rakseem. After an initial period of shock and distrust, friendly relations were established and mutual defense treaties were set up to defend against the violence in the south and east.

A year later Lord Amesbury died under mysterious circumstances and the arabs were blamed. His son led a vicious counterattack and retreat to the east, where they found an ancient volcano wrapped in clouds and capped in snow. They named the place Whiteland and settled in the eastern valleys. Their capitol was New Wilsford, which has changed over time to Wallsford.

It was not a pleasant first few years. The human ability to eat anything saved them from starvation many times over the years, given the harsh climate and lack of an agricultural base. There were orks to the south, skaven to the south and west and a few draconics in the mountains - centered around an ancient volcano - and few of them were friendly. A combined ork and skaven army had captured the nearby elven fortress and they were suspicious for decades, rooting out holdouts and spies.

It wasn't for about 30 years that the mutual distrust ebbed to a point that relations were formalized between Whiteland and Northpoint, and the kingdoms recognized each other. Over the following centuries, the humans expanded into the vast uninhabited regions of the north. They eventually settled the entirety of the Whitecap Mountains and the lands southward, gradually pushing the natives south.

The Land
The north country is harsh, rocky and dangerous, with mountains, wind and foul weather coming in from the north. There are major gem deposits in the highlands, however, insuring a steady stream of adventurers, prospectors and thieves. The mountains protect the southern lands from the worst of the weather, allowing significant farming in the short summers. Herds of goats and sheep roam the foothills.

Government
A steriotypical medieval feudal kingdom, with a royal family, the nobility, the clergy, the knighthood and the merchants making up about 8% of the population, and the working class making up the rest. There is a higher percentage of knights than hirtoracally existed, in part due to increased food availability and in part from the hostility of the world - they need more fighters to survive. There are forts and castles dotting the landscape, especially in the south-central region where raiding parties from Mopoti and Ulmar strike.

The capitol of Wallsford is a city of about 6,000 and mostly (80%) human. It is also heavily fortified and only been taken by force of arms once.

Languages
The primary language is English, with the clergy learning Latin and the nobility knowing French. A number of the eastern valleys retain their languages, so pockets of Welsh, Gaelic, Spanish and Portugese exist, and in addition the namy dialects (Norman, Saxon, etc) remain distinct.

Culture
Primarily medieval English from around 1200-1300, with a sprinkling of up-to-Renaissance ideas, technologies and concepts. The communities have a high degree of cultural isolation. Small towns retain their traditions, habits, languages, foods and types of clothing for the most part.

Religion
Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion of Whiteland, which has changed over the millennia to the worship of Adi, "The One". The other Old Gods are regarded as archangels and are given appropriate respect. Latin is the official language and most priests are literate.

1200 years ago, a religious movement arose in the south that brought up the question of the continued separation from Rome and the need to appoint a new Heir of St. Peter. Up to this time, no new saints had been formally cannonized (due to hte lack of cardinals) and the priesthood was stagnating - running on rote and memorization - becoming increasingly out of touch with the new society. The movement to appoint a new pope increased in intensity and resulted in a kingdom-wide religious conflict. Families were torn apart, brother fought brother, cats and dogs living together. No, wait. Wrong movie. Anyway, it was bad.

Roman Catholicism is the result. About a third of the kingdom moved south and crossed the Runmal River, founding the kingdom of Amesbury. Many of the nobility broke their feudal oaths to join them, and the bad blood has yet to settle. The catholics of Amesbury have elected a college of cardinals, who in turn have appointed a "Standing Pope" - indicating a belief that they will someday be reunited with the curch of Rome.