The History of Padwell
B.A. = Before Adeodatus, A.E.D. = After Elder Drakes
Old Padwell [??? B.A. - 377 A.E.D.]
The Fall [377 A.E.D.]
Xocrian Rule [377 - 459 A.E.D.]
Padwell’s Rebellion [459 - 494 A.E.D.]
Modern Day [494 A.E.D Onwards]
The Fall [377 A.E.D.]
Xocrian Rule [377 - 459 A.E.D.]
Padwell’s Rebellion [459 - 494 A.E.D.]
Modern Day [494 A.E.D Onwards]
Old Padwell[??? B.A. - 377 A.E.D.]
Padwell’s long-ago past.
Padwell has a mysterious history, although not intentionally so. Before the fall of Old Padwell, records were maintained orally rather than being written down; the priests of the Marsh King memorized poems and songs that preserved generations of history. When Xocrium’s conquest began, however, much of it was lost. Many priests were killed or isolated and prevented from passing on their knowledge to succeeding generations. What is known is that they and the people of High Heart both originated from the Sunflecked Reaches, and share close cultural ties to this day.
Also known, however, is that the Padwellans were not to be trifled with. Their swamp proved impassable to the Elder Drakes, who sank in the thick mud and got tangled in the choking branches of the trees. One remaining song chronicles the attempt of an Elder Drake king to burn away the forest and swamp, and tells of how the fog and water seemed to swallow the flames. Such legends, of course, must be regarded with skepticism, as it also stated that the Marsh King rose in the form of a massive heron to kill the Elder Drake. Some more conservative scholars theorize that the Elder Drake’s failure to conquer the marsh might have more to do with the sheer danger of the place and the people of Padwell, rather than the protection of their god. Still, it makes for an excellent story. |
Rulers of Old Padwell
Kings & Queens of Padwell before the Xocrian conquest.
A list of known rulers of Padwell that precede the Xocrian Conquest. Information on them may be expanded upon in the future in new history sections or legends.
Expand to read
Queen Taika Padwell (99 B.A - 91 A.E.D)
- Ruled from ??? B.A - 91 A.E.D
- Female
- Marsh King’s Blessed
Queen Suvi Padwell (29 - 117 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 91 - 117 A.E.D
- Female
Monarch Tuulikki Padwell (58 - 119 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 117 - 119 A.E.D
- Nonbinary
Queen Toini Padwell (93 - 163 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 119 - 163 A.E.D
- Female
Monarch Venla Padwell (127 - 197 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 163 - 197 A.E.D
- Nonbinary
Queen Ulla Padwell (159 - 219 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 197 - 219 A.E.D
- Female
King Voitto Padwell (204 - 296 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 219 - 296 A.E.D
- Male
Queen Merja Padwell (267 - 322 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 296 - 322 A.E.D
- Female
Monarch Ehecatl Padwell (302 - 368 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 322 - 368 A.E.D
- Nonbinary
Queen Adain Padwell (337 - 397 A.E.D)
- Ruled from 368 - 377 A.E.D (Queen of Padwell)
- Ruled from 377 - 389 A.E.D (Lady of Padwell, under Xocrian leadership)
- Female
- Last Queen of Old Padwell
The Fall of Old Padwell[377 A.E.D.]
Xocrium’s conquest of Padwell.
The last ruler of Old Padwell was Queen Adain. She was a good, though unremarkable leader, and had it not been for the interest that Xocrian King Eden Raine II took in her nation at the time, she would have been remembered for nothing more than that.
Eden believed that Padwell would be much better off as part of his nation; they were so small, after all, and had nothing but fetid marshland and deadly wildlife. Surely they would agree that things would be much better for them if they were united. The King was so certain of this that he sent a letter to Queen Adain, telling her that her country would be so much better off under his protection, and that she owed it to her people to swear Padwell to him.
To say that she and her country were infuriated by the offer would be an understatement. Queen Adain refused. The King did not take this very seriously, however, and sent several more letters trying to convince her to see things the way he did. But Padwell did not need an outsider’s rule; they had done quite well for themselves so far, and the Xocrian king’s insistence that they were incapable of ruling themselves properly was insulting.
The King decided to take a different approach, using bribery and blackmail to force marriages between the children of Xocrian nobility and members of the Aateli, hoping that the joining of families might make them more accepting of his rule.
This did little, however, to soften Padwellan resolve to stay independent, The King became impatient and ‘threw a temper tantrum’ - he sent large numbers of knights to attack Padwell’s border towns.
Padwell did not have the numbers or equipment to win a direct fight with a Xocrian army, but Adain was determined that they would try. This resulted in terrible casualties on most battles - the swamp itself claimed more knights than her soldiers did, water and sucking mud drowning them in their heavy armour.
The losses stunned Adain, and after only a year of fighting, she surrendered. Many in her court were shocked, and insisted she should keep fighting until the very end, but the Queen did not want to lose any more people.
The Xocrian king was happy that she had ‘finally seen reason’ and ‘rewarded’ her by naming her Lady of Padwell and giving her a seat in his court. It was small comfort for the subjugation of her people, but Adain was glad that she at least had some authority still and could use it to protect her citizens.
This changed when the King decided to split Padwell into two parts. He took away half of Adain’s lands and gave them to the Xocrian noble family, House Dauntless. Despite assurances that ‘nothing would change’ and that he only meant to make sure that ‘lands were evenly distributed’ this ruined any chance that Padwell might have come to accept an outsider’s rule.
When the Xocrians arrived in the new province they found themselves surrounded by hostile people. They were given bad directions, people refused to sell goods to them and hid deep in the swamps where no outsider could find them, and eventually the King was forced to name the Virtanens - a well-respected family in Old Padwell’s Aateli - as ‘go betweens’ for the Lord and Lady. They became the Province’s leaders in all but title.
With all of these changes in place, the King was convinced that he had secured a permanent new addition to Xocrium’s lands, and that peace had returned to his nation.
On the outside that was what it appeared; but behind closed doors in Padwell and Virtanen, resentment still simmered. Direct resistance had failed; they would have to play the long game.
Eden believed that Padwell would be much better off as part of his nation; they were so small, after all, and had nothing but fetid marshland and deadly wildlife. Surely they would agree that things would be much better for them if they were united. The King was so certain of this that he sent a letter to Queen Adain, telling her that her country would be so much better off under his protection, and that she owed it to her people to swear Padwell to him.
To say that she and her country were infuriated by the offer would be an understatement. Queen Adain refused. The King did not take this very seriously, however, and sent several more letters trying to convince her to see things the way he did. But Padwell did not need an outsider’s rule; they had done quite well for themselves so far, and the Xocrian king’s insistence that they were incapable of ruling themselves properly was insulting.
The King decided to take a different approach, using bribery and blackmail to force marriages between the children of Xocrian nobility and members of the Aateli, hoping that the joining of families might make them more accepting of his rule.
This did little, however, to soften Padwellan resolve to stay independent, The King became impatient and ‘threw a temper tantrum’ - he sent large numbers of knights to attack Padwell’s border towns.
Padwell did not have the numbers or equipment to win a direct fight with a Xocrian army, but Adain was determined that they would try. This resulted in terrible casualties on most battles - the swamp itself claimed more knights than her soldiers did, water and sucking mud drowning them in their heavy armour.
The losses stunned Adain, and after only a year of fighting, she surrendered. Many in her court were shocked, and insisted she should keep fighting until the very end, but the Queen did not want to lose any more people.
The Xocrian king was happy that she had ‘finally seen reason’ and ‘rewarded’ her by naming her Lady of Padwell and giving her a seat in his court. It was small comfort for the subjugation of her people, but Adain was glad that she at least had some authority still and could use it to protect her citizens.
This changed when the King decided to split Padwell into two parts. He took away half of Adain’s lands and gave them to the Xocrian noble family, House Dauntless. Despite assurances that ‘nothing would change’ and that he only meant to make sure that ‘lands were evenly distributed’ this ruined any chance that Padwell might have come to accept an outsider’s rule.
When the Xocrians arrived in the new province they found themselves surrounded by hostile people. They were given bad directions, people refused to sell goods to them and hid deep in the swamps where no outsider could find them, and eventually the King was forced to name the Virtanens - a well-respected family in Old Padwell’s Aateli - as ‘go betweens’ for the Lord and Lady. They became the Province’s leaders in all but title.
With all of these changes in place, the King was convinced that he had secured a permanent new addition to Xocrium’s lands, and that peace had returned to his nation.
On the outside that was what it appeared; but behind closed doors in Padwell and Virtanen, resentment still simmered. Direct resistance had failed; they would have to play the long game.
Xocrian Rule[377 - 459 A.E.D.]
Events in Padwell during Xocrium’s rule.
There were three - technically four - rulers of the province of Padwell before the rebellion began in 459 A.E.D. These were the former Queen Adain, ruling from 377 to 387; her son Cipac, ruling from 387 to 432; and Eija, ruling from 433 to 450.
Life under Xocrium was not all bad. While the lack of autonomy and the need to pay taxes to a foreign king grated on their pride, Padwell gained greater access to the materials and food of their conquerors. Many of the largest buildings in modern Padwell were constructed during this period.
But the introduction of new building materials and different food is probably not enough to equal the less… pleasant changes introduced by Xocrium. Not only did they split Padwell in half and hand part of it over to an outsider, they taxed them for protection that was not provided; the swamps were too difficult for their knights to patrol, often resulting in them getting lost or killed by the creatures of the marsh. Members of the Order of the Phoenix, a priesthood devoted to the Xocrian’s god, attempted to spread their worship to Padwell and Virtanen. Their efforts met with little success but angered and annoyed the people.
Worst of all, an organization known as the Division of Feathers was founded specifically to suppress anti-Xocrian sentiment in Padwell. Those who expressed any open distaste for their conquerors would often be killed - or vanished entirely. Some families were entirely destroyed by these disappearances, and any Padwellan today can name at least one relative who mysteriously disappeared thanks to the Division.
Lady Adain stepped down in 387 A.E.D; she had been increasingly unpopular after Padwell was taken over and decided to retire early, disheartened by her failures. Her son, Cipac, took over from her; at the time he was not well-thought of either.
Cipac had seemingly embraced Xocrian culture; he renovated the Padwell family home to better match their style, and went on countless hunting trips with their nobility. He made many friends among their number and was viewed as a traitor by his own people. Despite all this, modern Padwell views Cipac as a hero, for this was not all of what he did.
He used his connections in Xocrium to start vast building projects in the countryside, expanding and improving upon the villages and cities he ruled over, and most importantly started the Hunters of Padwell. After their conquest, of course, Padwell was no longer able to have an independent army; but Cipac simply loved the trophy hunts of the Xocrian nobility so much that he created an association for it within Padwell.
The Hunters recruited from across the province and trained their members in how to move silently through the swamps, to use darts and bows to hunt, and all the intricacies of the deadly and edible plants that called the swamps of Padwell home. Cipac’s pro-Xocrian persona made it so that no one - not even the Hunters or his own people - realized that he was training an army until after the rebellion itself. The skills the Hunters possessed would be vital in ensuring that when the time came, they were able to hold their own.
He also arranged for the marriage of the only child of the Virtanen family, Arhippa, to marry his granddaughter and heir, Eija. Much of the Virtanen family had ‘died of sickness’ a few years earlier after the Xocrians became concerned that they were planning a revolt, leaving Arhippa and his father the sole survivors. Despite the fact that this would reunite the old kingdom of Padwell in all but name, few people realized it at the time.
Lord Cipac died despised by his people in 432 A.E.D at the age of 72. He’d been injured in a hunting accident and died of infection at his family home.
Eija was far more respected than her grandfather had been, and one of her first actions and the new Lady of Padwell was to return the family home to the traditional styles of architecture. She maintained her father’s beloved Hunters and began the long and difficult process of building up trust in the family once more. When Arhippa’s father died, the couple and their children became the dual leaders of both Virtanen and Padwell.
Secretly, she also began to create ties and relations with the people of the Land of Rivers, the Moonvipers, and the Sundrakes. None of their communications outright spoke of the possibility of a rebellion and support for it, but that was the purpose of the messages.
She and Arhippa quickly regained the adoration of their people through their increased respect for tradition and their lack of deference for the Xocrians.
But all of their efforts, secret for most of their rule, to prepare Padwell for rebellion began to get some attention from Xocrium’s leadership. Queen Avelot arranged for a visit, bringing with her a large entourage of knights, and while it is uncertain what transpired exactly, when she left both Arhippa and Eija were dead.
On the way back to Xocrium, much of her company died. Some simply vanished into the swamp; others became violently ill, and yet more simply died in their sleep.
Life under Xocrium was not all bad. While the lack of autonomy and the need to pay taxes to a foreign king grated on their pride, Padwell gained greater access to the materials and food of their conquerors. Many of the largest buildings in modern Padwell were constructed during this period.
But the introduction of new building materials and different food is probably not enough to equal the less… pleasant changes introduced by Xocrium. Not only did they split Padwell in half and hand part of it over to an outsider, they taxed them for protection that was not provided; the swamps were too difficult for their knights to patrol, often resulting in them getting lost or killed by the creatures of the marsh. Members of the Order of the Phoenix, a priesthood devoted to the Xocrian’s god, attempted to spread their worship to Padwell and Virtanen. Their efforts met with little success but angered and annoyed the people.
Worst of all, an organization known as the Division of Feathers was founded specifically to suppress anti-Xocrian sentiment in Padwell. Those who expressed any open distaste for their conquerors would often be killed - or vanished entirely. Some families were entirely destroyed by these disappearances, and any Padwellan today can name at least one relative who mysteriously disappeared thanks to the Division.
Lady Adain stepped down in 387 A.E.D; she had been increasingly unpopular after Padwell was taken over and decided to retire early, disheartened by her failures. Her son, Cipac, took over from her; at the time he was not well-thought of either.
Cipac had seemingly embraced Xocrian culture; he renovated the Padwell family home to better match their style, and went on countless hunting trips with their nobility. He made many friends among their number and was viewed as a traitor by his own people. Despite all this, modern Padwell views Cipac as a hero, for this was not all of what he did.
He used his connections in Xocrium to start vast building projects in the countryside, expanding and improving upon the villages and cities he ruled over, and most importantly started the Hunters of Padwell. After their conquest, of course, Padwell was no longer able to have an independent army; but Cipac simply loved the trophy hunts of the Xocrian nobility so much that he created an association for it within Padwell.
The Hunters recruited from across the province and trained their members in how to move silently through the swamps, to use darts and bows to hunt, and all the intricacies of the deadly and edible plants that called the swamps of Padwell home. Cipac’s pro-Xocrian persona made it so that no one - not even the Hunters or his own people - realized that he was training an army until after the rebellion itself. The skills the Hunters possessed would be vital in ensuring that when the time came, they were able to hold their own.
He also arranged for the marriage of the only child of the Virtanen family, Arhippa, to marry his granddaughter and heir, Eija. Much of the Virtanen family had ‘died of sickness’ a few years earlier after the Xocrians became concerned that they were planning a revolt, leaving Arhippa and his father the sole survivors. Despite the fact that this would reunite the old kingdom of Padwell in all but name, few people realized it at the time.
Lord Cipac died despised by his people in 432 A.E.D at the age of 72. He’d been injured in a hunting accident and died of infection at his family home.
Eija was far more respected than her grandfather had been, and one of her first actions and the new Lady of Padwell was to return the family home to the traditional styles of architecture. She maintained her father’s beloved Hunters and began the long and difficult process of building up trust in the family once more. When Arhippa’s father died, the couple and their children became the dual leaders of both Virtanen and Padwell.
Secretly, she also began to create ties and relations with the people of the Land of Rivers, the Moonvipers, and the Sundrakes. None of their communications outright spoke of the possibility of a rebellion and support for it, but that was the purpose of the messages.
She and Arhippa quickly regained the adoration of their people through their increased respect for tradition and their lack of deference for the Xocrians.
But all of their efforts, secret for most of their rule, to prepare Padwell for rebellion began to get some attention from Xocrium’s leadership. Queen Avelot arranged for a visit, bringing with her a large entourage of knights, and while it is uncertain what transpired exactly, when she left both Arhippa and Eija were dead.
On the way back to Xocrium, much of her company died. Some simply vanished into the swamp; others became violently ill, and yet more simply died in their sleep.
Padwell’s Rebellion[459 - 494 A.E.D.]
Events of Padwell’s war of independence against Xocrium.
Following the mysterious deaths of his parents, the twelve-year-old Maddox inherited leadership of Padwell. Both commoners and members of the nobility viewed the circumstances of the last Lord and Lady’s deaths to be suspicious and tensions between them and the rest of Padwell grew in the months that followed.
These tensions were relieved by the death of the Xocrian Queen only a short time later from what appeared to be poison. It was easier to dismiss the nature of the passing of the previous leaders if they were not the sole targets of foul play, after all.
Lady Itencualac, a close friend of Maddox’s parents, returned in the aftermath of the Queen’s death and helped bring stability to both the government of Padwell and the mourning family. She had been on a hunting trip following the death of the Lord and Lady.
Itencualac was both a fierce warrior and strong believer that Padwell should return to its status as an independent kingdom - by force, if necessary. She raised Maddox and his siblings with that in mind, and the young Lord idolized her. Tuonetar, on the other hand, did not get along with the regent as well as her siblings; why invite the wrath of Xocrium upon them? Things were good just as they were, and she did not want the same thing that had happened to her parents to befall her brother.
Itencualac stepped down in the year 455 A.E.D, on Maddox’s seventeenth birthday, confident in the young man’s capabilities to lead Padwell back onto the right path. She would remain a major player in Padwellan politics even after Maddox assumed his full authority over its lands.
Maddox was less aggressive than Lady Intencualac had been, and, valuing his sister’s advice, instead set out with the intention of gaining the favour of the Xocrian leaders and earning Padwell’s freedom without bloodshed.
These efforts were unsuccessful. All of his attempts to earn Queen Andreas’ trust and approval were useless; she had no interest in granting Padwell its freedom, and after she threatened to have him killed if he asked again, Maddox knew that he would have to take more drastic actions.
These tensions were relieved by the death of the Xocrian Queen only a short time later from what appeared to be poison. It was easier to dismiss the nature of the passing of the previous leaders if they were not the sole targets of foul play, after all.
Lady Itencualac, a close friend of Maddox’s parents, returned in the aftermath of the Queen’s death and helped bring stability to both the government of Padwell and the mourning family. She had been on a hunting trip following the death of the Lord and Lady.
Itencualac was both a fierce warrior and strong believer that Padwell should return to its status as an independent kingdom - by force, if necessary. She raised Maddox and his siblings with that in mind, and the young Lord idolized her. Tuonetar, on the other hand, did not get along with the regent as well as her siblings; why invite the wrath of Xocrium upon them? Things were good just as they were, and she did not want the same thing that had happened to her parents to befall her brother.
Itencualac stepped down in the year 455 A.E.D, on Maddox’s seventeenth birthday, confident in the young man’s capabilities to lead Padwell back onto the right path. She would remain a major player in Padwellan politics even after Maddox assumed his full authority over its lands.
Maddox was less aggressive than Lady Intencualac had been, and, valuing his sister’s advice, instead set out with the intention of gaining the favour of the Xocrian leaders and earning Padwell’s freedom without bloodshed.
These efforts were unsuccessful. All of his attempts to earn Queen Andreas’ trust and approval were useless; she had no interest in granting Padwell its freedom, and after she threatened to have him killed if he asked again, Maddox knew that he would have to take more drastic actions.
He left the capital of Xocrium immediately, returning to his family home to prepare. The Queen had already begun sending more soldiers and guards into Padwell, perhaps foreseeing what Maddox was about to do, but the people immediately began to revolt. Tensions were at a peak, and all Maddox had to do was say the word, and the citizens would be by his side.
Apologizing to his sister, he gave the order, declaring himself the King of Padwell. What followed was the expulsion of the Xocrian soldiers from Padwell; they were unused to fighting in the marshes and many simply got stuck in the mud and drowned. The attacks were too quick and brutal for there to be any real chance for resistance, and soon enough they had pushed them back into Xocrium.
Maddox’s actions in 459 A.E.D made it clear to Xocrium and Queen Andreas that he was no longer willing to sit idly by and wait for her approval. Surprisingly enough, however, there would be no more fighting - aside from small border clashes - funtil the next year.
Maddox had moved into Entrenchias, a ruined fortress on the Xocrian side of the border, along with a portion of his army. He hoped to cause enough trouble for them that they would recognize Padwell as independent, and, hopefully, avoid a prolonged war.
Andreas’ group of spies, the Division, reported quickly to her that he had moved out of the shelter of the swamps. She took advantage of his vulnerability and brought the full force of her army to bear against him. The warriors of Padwell were skilled with guerrilla tactics and fighting in the swampland, not on dry land defending a fortress against an overwhelming number of assailants.
The Padwellan soldiers put up a good fight, but inevitably the gate was breached and the Xocrian soldiers streamed in. What followed was a chaotic, close-quarters battle where a fire was - depending on who you ask - either accidentally or deliberately set and quickly engulfed the ruins in a torrent of flame. Whatever the cause of the blaze, the chaos that followed allowed a large portion of Maddox’s army to retreat to the safety of the marshes… but not their king.
He and Andreas were seen fighting near the heart of the fire, and accounts of survivors say that ‘the Queen drove her sword into his head just as the wall collapsed underneath them’. Their bodies were never recovered from the flames.
With the deaths of the leaders of Xocrium and Padwell, most believed that the war and the rebellion was over, but it was only just getting started.
Tuonetar was named Queen after her brother’s death. She had not been very enthusiastic about the rebellion before, but to everyone’s shock she took charge and saved the demoralized soldiers and citizens of Padwell from splintering and giving up after Maddox’s death. Sure, she hadn’t cared before, but she would not let her brother die for nothing.
When the new leaders of Xocrium, King Gerald and his fiancé Crescens Starla, sent word to her, expecting that Tuonetar would be glad to end the fighting, she sent back a curt refusal and a promise to fulfill her brother’s dream.
Tuonetar knew better than to try to fight Xocrium on their terms. They couldn’t win a battle on open, dry land against armoured knights - so they wouldn’t fight those kind of battles. She organized groups of border-guards, lightly armoured and armed with arrows and darts tipped in the deadly poisons that Padwell’s marshes were so famous for. Civilians near the borders were incentivized to deepen the surrounding marsh and grow deadly and annoying plants to hinder invaders.
In the span of a few months the already difficult terrain of Padwell was now made nearly impassable for Xocrian knights; horses couldn’t pass through the sudden drops in the water, and heavy armour and boats larger than a canoe would simply get tangled in the thorny vines that had infested the trees. Those who, despite it all, managed to get past that were often so disoriented that they did not notice the soldiers in the trees above them until it was too late.
Tuonetar did not stop at this. She recalled hearing that her parents had made allies among the Sundrakes and Moonvipers and did not hesitate to send missives to them, asking for aid and offering a golden opportunity to avenge their fallen family and friends that the Xocrians had killed. She also personally travelled to High Heart to speak with the hill tribes’ Empress and, after some difficult negotiations, even gained the alliance of their griffon-riders.
In the later months of 460 further tragedy struck the family; Tuonetar’s husband, Nicholas Valor - the son of a major Xocrian noble family - died during a border skirmish. The records do not state which one.
The new Queen of Padwell did not fight herself - she knew that they would not survive losing another leader - but her brother, the sixteen-year-old Prince Ohtli, led a group of the border guards personally.
Ohtli’s small group, known as the Redwings, saw a great many successes against encroaching Xocrian knights, and he would become a hero to the people of Padwell - and a terrifying figure to Xocrium.
Things went well until, in late 462, the Redwings were lured into a trap. The Xocrians baited them with what appeared to be a vulnerable patrol, only to lead them into a well-prepared group of knights. They managed to do a great deal of damage to their attackers and most of them got away, but the knights managed to capture Ohtli and his second-in-command and lover, Toivo Aalto.
They were taken deep into Xocrian territory before an effort could be made to rescue them. The Queen wanted to use Ohtli as a rival figurehead; she knew the people of Padwell respected their ruling family greatly. If a Prince as respected as Ohtli were to declare support for Xocrium, well, that might create enough division and confusion that they would be able to break through their defenses and put an end to the rebellion.
Ohtli was not interested and remained loyal to his family despite the Queen’s promises and threats. In the winter of 463 he and Toivo managed to escape from Xocrian custody and nearly managed to make it back to Padwell. They were recognized by a peasant and their pursuers caught up with them.
Toivo was badly injured in the ensuing fight, but they managed to briefly break away from their attackers. Many - including Toivo himself - believe that the Prince could have made it home had he not refused to abandon his friend, but alas he remained with him the whole time.
When their pursuers caught up with them again Toivo wanted to draw them away, so that Ohtli could escape, but he knocked his friend out and rode off in the opposite direction.
Toivo woke up in the middle of the night, alone. He could not find Ohtli and, with a heavy heart, headed in the direction of home. He was found by a griffon rider from High Heart a few days later, feverish and barely able to stand.
Ohtli had been recaptured and brought back to imprisonment. After refusing to follow along with the Queen’s plan one final time he was executed; they did not want to risk him trying to escape again.
When news reached Padwell of the Prince’s death, the people were devastated, Tuonetar not least among them. Toivo went to her and demanded that he be held responsible for Ohtli’s death; he should have been the one to die, not him, but the Queen refused. She told him to stop being dramatic, and that if he really wanted to pay back her brother for his sacrifice, then he should keep fighting.
Toivo visited the Queen multiple times while recovering from his injuries, but each time she told him the same. When he was strong enough, he left the capital and returned to the Redwings, who had fallen into disarray without their leaders.
Using the hard lessons he had learned from his capture and time in Xocrian custody, he reformed the Redwings with new tactics that would, with any luck, ensure that they would not fall prey to another ambush. They became deadlier and more feared as the war went on.
Few battles occurred after 470, and while peace was only declared in 494, the war had, in reality, ended decades earlier. The only major loss during those last few decades of fighting was the death of the Empress of High Heart, Mäki Lumimyrsky of Höyhen, in 489. She was killed by knights while helping patrol the border.
Apologizing to his sister, he gave the order, declaring himself the King of Padwell. What followed was the expulsion of the Xocrian soldiers from Padwell; they were unused to fighting in the marshes and many simply got stuck in the mud and drowned. The attacks were too quick and brutal for there to be any real chance for resistance, and soon enough they had pushed them back into Xocrium.
Maddox’s actions in 459 A.E.D made it clear to Xocrium and Queen Andreas that he was no longer willing to sit idly by and wait for her approval. Surprisingly enough, however, there would be no more fighting - aside from small border clashes - funtil the next year.
Maddox had moved into Entrenchias, a ruined fortress on the Xocrian side of the border, along with a portion of his army. He hoped to cause enough trouble for them that they would recognize Padwell as independent, and, hopefully, avoid a prolonged war.
Andreas’ group of spies, the Division, reported quickly to her that he had moved out of the shelter of the swamps. She took advantage of his vulnerability and brought the full force of her army to bear against him. The warriors of Padwell were skilled with guerrilla tactics and fighting in the swampland, not on dry land defending a fortress against an overwhelming number of assailants.
The Padwellan soldiers put up a good fight, but inevitably the gate was breached and the Xocrian soldiers streamed in. What followed was a chaotic, close-quarters battle where a fire was - depending on who you ask - either accidentally or deliberately set and quickly engulfed the ruins in a torrent of flame. Whatever the cause of the blaze, the chaos that followed allowed a large portion of Maddox’s army to retreat to the safety of the marshes… but not their king.
He and Andreas were seen fighting near the heart of the fire, and accounts of survivors say that ‘the Queen drove her sword into his head just as the wall collapsed underneath them’. Their bodies were never recovered from the flames.
With the deaths of the leaders of Xocrium and Padwell, most believed that the war and the rebellion was over, but it was only just getting started.
Tuonetar was named Queen after her brother’s death. She had not been very enthusiastic about the rebellion before, but to everyone’s shock she took charge and saved the demoralized soldiers and citizens of Padwell from splintering and giving up after Maddox’s death. Sure, she hadn’t cared before, but she would not let her brother die for nothing.
When the new leaders of Xocrium, King Gerald and his fiancé Crescens Starla, sent word to her, expecting that Tuonetar would be glad to end the fighting, she sent back a curt refusal and a promise to fulfill her brother’s dream.
Tuonetar knew better than to try to fight Xocrium on their terms. They couldn’t win a battle on open, dry land against armoured knights - so they wouldn’t fight those kind of battles. She organized groups of border-guards, lightly armoured and armed with arrows and darts tipped in the deadly poisons that Padwell’s marshes were so famous for. Civilians near the borders were incentivized to deepen the surrounding marsh and grow deadly and annoying plants to hinder invaders.
In the span of a few months the already difficult terrain of Padwell was now made nearly impassable for Xocrian knights; horses couldn’t pass through the sudden drops in the water, and heavy armour and boats larger than a canoe would simply get tangled in the thorny vines that had infested the trees. Those who, despite it all, managed to get past that were often so disoriented that they did not notice the soldiers in the trees above them until it was too late.
Tuonetar did not stop at this. She recalled hearing that her parents had made allies among the Sundrakes and Moonvipers and did not hesitate to send missives to them, asking for aid and offering a golden opportunity to avenge their fallen family and friends that the Xocrians had killed. She also personally travelled to High Heart to speak with the hill tribes’ Empress and, after some difficult negotiations, even gained the alliance of their griffon-riders.
In the later months of 460 further tragedy struck the family; Tuonetar’s husband, Nicholas Valor - the son of a major Xocrian noble family - died during a border skirmish. The records do not state which one.
The new Queen of Padwell did not fight herself - she knew that they would not survive losing another leader - but her brother, the sixteen-year-old Prince Ohtli, led a group of the border guards personally.
Ohtli’s small group, known as the Redwings, saw a great many successes against encroaching Xocrian knights, and he would become a hero to the people of Padwell - and a terrifying figure to Xocrium.
Things went well until, in late 462, the Redwings were lured into a trap. The Xocrians baited them with what appeared to be a vulnerable patrol, only to lead them into a well-prepared group of knights. They managed to do a great deal of damage to their attackers and most of them got away, but the knights managed to capture Ohtli and his second-in-command and lover, Toivo Aalto.
They were taken deep into Xocrian territory before an effort could be made to rescue them. The Queen wanted to use Ohtli as a rival figurehead; she knew the people of Padwell respected their ruling family greatly. If a Prince as respected as Ohtli were to declare support for Xocrium, well, that might create enough division and confusion that they would be able to break through their defenses and put an end to the rebellion.
Ohtli was not interested and remained loyal to his family despite the Queen’s promises and threats. In the winter of 463 he and Toivo managed to escape from Xocrian custody and nearly managed to make it back to Padwell. They were recognized by a peasant and their pursuers caught up with them.
Toivo was badly injured in the ensuing fight, but they managed to briefly break away from their attackers. Many - including Toivo himself - believe that the Prince could have made it home had he not refused to abandon his friend, but alas he remained with him the whole time.
When their pursuers caught up with them again Toivo wanted to draw them away, so that Ohtli could escape, but he knocked his friend out and rode off in the opposite direction.
Toivo woke up in the middle of the night, alone. He could not find Ohtli and, with a heavy heart, headed in the direction of home. He was found by a griffon rider from High Heart a few days later, feverish and barely able to stand.
Ohtli had been recaptured and brought back to imprisonment. After refusing to follow along with the Queen’s plan one final time he was executed; they did not want to risk him trying to escape again.
When news reached Padwell of the Prince’s death, the people were devastated, Tuonetar not least among them. Toivo went to her and demanded that he be held responsible for Ohtli’s death; he should have been the one to die, not him, but the Queen refused. She told him to stop being dramatic, and that if he really wanted to pay back her brother for his sacrifice, then he should keep fighting.
Toivo visited the Queen multiple times while recovering from his injuries, but each time she told him the same. When he was strong enough, he left the capital and returned to the Redwings, who had fallen into disarray without their leaders.
Using the hard lessons he had learned from his capture and time in Xocrian custody, he reformed the Redwings with new tactics that would, with any luck, ensure that they would not fall prey to another ambush. They became deadlier and more feared as the war went on.
Few battles occurred after 470, and while peace was only declared in 494, the war had, in reality, ended decades earlier. The only major loss during those last few decades of fighting was the death of the Empress of High Heart, Mäki Lumimyrsky of Höyhen, in 489. She was killed by knights while helping patrol the border.
Modern Day[494 A.E.D. Onwards]
Recent events in Padwell.
Padwell has had time to rebuild in the years following the rebellion against Xocrium and regaining their independence. Queen Tuonetar has channelled all of her personal resources into healing the wounds of that conflict, and those caused by generations of Xocrian rule, sponsoring public education, agriculture, those researching their pre-Conquest culture and history, and the literal reconstruction of damaged towns and cities.
Her most personal endeavour, however, was rebuilding her family. Xocrium claimed her parents and brothers, leaving Tuonetar the last member of the Padwell family, excluding her two children, Princess Aava and Prince Percy. She remarried in 463 A.E.D, partnering with Valterri Coyol and having two more children; Princess Adain in late 463, and Princess Eleuia in 464. Tuonetar became a grandmother in 484 when Percy had his first child, Ada Padwell; her birth was celebrated by both the family and kingdom as a whole. As the years passed and more of her children got married, she would end up with a total of seventeen grandchildren. This, coupled with her great personal efforts to make life for the people of her kingdom as pleasant as possible, would earn her the title of the ‘Grandmother of Padwell’. Despite these successes, however, Padwell is still a young country with few concrete allies, and many fear that when Xocrium inevitably attempts to reconquer them, they may not be able to resist a second time. Tuonetar assures her people that she is doing everything in her power to prepare the kingdom to defend against future attacks, although she won’t say just what those preparations are just yet. |
A portrait of Queen Tuonetar, the current ruler of Padwell. Art by J-Haskell. |
The Battle of Fallingstar[503 - 504 A.E.D.]
Padwell supports its ally in the north.
Events described below were part of an official RoS story event, The Last Stand of Fallingstar, which ran from December 2020 - January 2021.
The most recent action against Xocrium was the Battle of Fallingstar, a conflict between a Land of Rivers city who had been facing constant raids by knights for generations, and a group of Xocrians sent to destroy its defenders once and for all.
The town’s leader, Discite, had once fought alongside the Redwings in Padwell’s rebellion and called for aid from old friends there when it became clear just how dire of a situation her people were in.
Under the command of Toivo Aalto himself, a group of Redwings arrived in the city; two members of the royal family, Princess Coatli and Prince Xipil, as well as Ilta Sunstone Ad Astra, a healer. Over the course of the battle, two new Redwings were recruited; the Marsh-Blessed moonviper Anura Anguis Pyrrhic and a young man named Ceri.
In High Heart, the Empress Usva Kesätuuli of Ilma asked each Perhe to send some supplies or otherwise aid Fallingstar; Ukkonen sent two warriors, Aurinko Jade Ad Astra and Kieunta 'Zoom' Varislaulu to aid the city’s warriors.
The battle of Fallingstar began in earnest on December 1rst, 503 A.E.D. Padwell’s warriors and healers helped both within and outside the city, providing medical aid, fighting knights, and even raiding the Xocrian camp for supplies. The frigid weather and the dangerous fighting was a challenge, but they endured, and at the end of January they and the rest of the city’s defenders managed to force the Xocrian encampment to retreat, driving them south and back across the border.
In the weeks following, the Land of Rivers cities and towns of Fallingstar, Attero, Maiestas and Vincit created a formal alliance and formed the “Southern League”, a military and political organization determined to put a stop to Xocrian attacks. Whether or not they’ll succeed is to be seen, but Padwell will support them. It is uncertain what these events will mean for the future, but the victory in the Land of Rivers and the further strengthening of Padwell’s alliances with the moonvipers and Riverlanders who still defend themselves is a promising sign for any future conflicts that may or may not occur between them and Xocrium.
The town’s leader, Discite, had once fought alongside the Redwings in Padwell’s rebellion and called for aid from old friends there when it became clear just how dire of a situation her people were in.
Under the command of Toivo Aalto himself, a group of Redwings arrived in the city; two members of the royal family, Princess Coatli and Prince Xipil, as well as Ilta Sunstone Ad Astra, a healer. Over the course of the battle, two new Redwings were recruited; the Marsh-Blessed moonviper Anura Anguis Pyrrhic and a young man named Ceri.
In High Heart, the Empress Usva Kesätuuli of Ilma asked each Perhe to send some supplies or otherwise aid Fallingstar; Ukkonen sent two warriors, Aurinko Jade Ad Astra and Kieunta 'Zoom' Varislaulu to aid the city’s warriors.
The battle of Fallingstar began in earnest on December 1rst, 503 A.E.D. Padwell’s warriors and healers helped both within and outside the city, providing medical aid, fighting knights, and even raiding the Xocrian camp for supplies. The frigid weather and the dangerous fighting was a challenge, but they endured, and at the end of January they and the rest of the city’s defenders managed to force the Xocrian encampment to retreat, driving them south and back across the border.
In the weeks following, the Land of Rivers cities and towns of Fallingstar, Attero, Maiestas and Vincit created a formal alliance and formed the “Southern League”, a military and political organization determined to put a stop to Xocrian attacks. Whether or not they’ll succeed is to be seen, but Padwell will support them. It is uncertain what these events will mean for the future, but the victory in the Land of Rivers and the further strengthening of Padwell’s alliances with the moonvipers and Riverlanders who still defend themselves is a promising sign for any future conflicts that may or may not occur between them and Xocrium.
The Heron’s Ballad[506 - 507 A.E.D.]
The 506–507 Maddox theatre festival.
Events described below were part of an official RoS story event, The Heron’s Ballad, which ran from December 2023 - January 2024.
Through December 506 and into January 507, the city of Maddox hosted a large festival to celebrate Padwell’s beloved tradition of theatre. Queen Tuonetar Padwell sent invitations to powerful figures across the country and to foreign leaders with whom Padwell wished to curry favour, seeing it as an excellent opportunity for alliance-building.
On top of her regular duties as Queen and Aateli representative for Maddox, Tuonetar spent much of her spare time during the festival attending major performances and speaking with visitors. Her daughter and heir, Rutinas Aava Padwell, assisted her mother by taking up some of her usual duties, and making her own effort to form bonds with visiting dignitaries. Her husband Prince Rhys, also attended the festival, minding their children and putting on a charm offensive for anyone interesting he met.
The most anticipated performers at the festival were Xochipilli Heikkilä’s Flower Players, who were scheduled to put on the “Siege of the North” at the Prince Ohtli Hall early in 507, a play inspired by events in Dutoria the winter before. Xochi was a deeply respected playwright - famous for their tragic retelling of Prince Ohtli’s life and death, as well as the popular comedy the Joust. Major members of the Flower Players included the actors Pasha and Fabia Van Alphen, and their seamstress, Arvi Laine.
Maddox’s most notable visitors were Empress Usva Kesatuuli of Ilma, representative of High Heart’s people; Princess Caelia Concido, a Merosian ruler; Haffligiensis Ex Nihilo, a former Perigee member and now representative of the Southern League; Valdemar Greenbrier, a diplomat who represented Dutoria; Marin Daskalov, a pale-eyed representative of Ironbrook; and lastly, a trio of sundrakes who were at the heart of recent unrest in the Tyr Kingdom - Jasper, Asp Daybreak, and Moonstone.
The influx of foreign visitors had the Redwings set on edge. They feared not the guests themselves, but those with ill intent who might have slipped in along with them - put plainly, agents of Xocrium. To ensure that the festival would run smoothly and that everyone could enjoy it in safety, a number of major Redwings agents flocked to the city to bolster its security. These included Veera Nieminen, acting leader of the Redwings; Toivo Aalto, founder and now-retired leader of the order; Atl Mixcoatl, commander of the border patrol; and lastly, Eleuia Kangas, an experienced healer.
While the first half of the festival passed happily and without significant issue, at the start of January, the Redwings worst fears were confirmed. They discovered that an acting troupe that had claimed to be Dutorian in origin - made up of Glyn Froste, Aitla Bauldry, and Wendel Feverfew - was little more than a front for Xocrian Division agents. Their mission in Maddox was nothing less than the assassination of Queen Tuonetar.
They were stopped before they could make their move, and though they evaded initial attempts to capture them, after several weeks of hard work, searching, and aborted confrontation, the Redwings were successfully able to apprehend all three before they could escape the capital.
The Redwings brought them to Kingscrest Command in Maddox. In their time as prisoners, the Division agents were kept in separate sections of the fort, and were neither treated with great cruelty nor significant kindness. Their wounds were tended to, and the Redwings questioned them on their motives, and on if there were other agents of Xocrium yet unknown within the capital.
After they had finished with their questioning, Padwell entered into negotiations with Xocrium to discuss an exchange of prisoners, using the Merosian city-state of Concido and Dutoria as intermediaries respectively. After several weeks of bargaining, it was arranged for the three Division agents to be traded for four Redwing captives; Onni Xochipepe, an original Redwing held captive for four decades, disaster relief agent Letti Ranta and the familiar Ozymandias, and the healer Völund Dogwood. The exchange was conducted in Acies Ferro in mid-March.
For Queen Tuonetar, the reception of the event was all she could have hoped for and more; her guests, both local and international, came away with a new appreciation for Padwellan culture, and were impressed with her country’s ability to put on a good show.
While no new trade agreements or alliances were signed within the span of the festival, no doubt other lands will have a touch more respect for the country in future dealings.
Many of Padwell’s most skilled performers received attention from foreign patrons, the Flower Players amongst them. While Xochipilli Heikkilä remained adamant that their troupe should not forget its roots, they are not wholly opposed to their plays being performed abroad… or the possibility of an international debut for their Flower Players.
For now, peace remains between Padwell and Xocrium… but both have been reminded of the bitter edge of their grievances against each other.
On top of her regular duties as Queen and Aateli representative for Maddox, Tuonetar spent much of her spare time during the festival attending major performances and speaking with visitors. Her daughter and heir, Rutinas Aava Padwell, assisted her mother by taking up some of her usual duties, and making her own effort to form bonds with visiting dignitaries. Her husband Prince Rhys, also attended the festival, minding their children and putting on a charm offensive for anyone interesting he met.
The most anticipated performers at the festival were Xochipilli Heikkilä’s Flower Players, who were scheduled to put on the “Siege of the North” at the Prince Ohtli Hall early in 507, a play inspired by events in Dutoria the winter before. Xochi was a deeply respected playwright - famous for their tragic retelling of Prince Ohtli’s life and death, as well as the popular comedy the Joust. Major members of the Flower Players included the actors Pasha and Fabia Van Alphen, and their seamstress, Arvi Laine.
Maddox’s most notable visitors were Empress Usva Kesatuuli of Ilma, representative of High Heart’s people; Princess Caelia Concido, a Merosian ruler; Haffligiensis Ex Nihilo, a former Perigee member and now representative of the Southern League; Valdemar Greenbrier, a diplomat who represented Dutoria; Marin Daskalov, a pale-eyed representative of Ironbrook; and lastly, a trio of sundrakes who were at the heart of recent unrest in the Tyr Kingdom - Jasper, Asp Daybreak, and Moonstone.
The influx of foreign visitors had the Redwings set on edge. They feared not the guests themselves, but those with ill intent who might have slipped in along with them - put plainly, agents of Xocrium. To ensure that the festival would run smoothly and that everyone could enjoy it in safety, a number of major Redwings agents flocked to the city to bolster its security. These included Veera Nieminen, acting leader of the Redwings; Toivo Aalto, founder and now-retired leader of the order; Atl Mixcoatl, commander of the border patrol; and lastly, Eleuia Kangas, an experienced healer.
While the first half of the festival passed happily and without significant issue, at the start of January, the Redwings worst fears were confirmed. They discovered that an acting troupe that had claimed to be Dutorian in origin - made up of Glyn Froste, Aitla Bauldry, and Wendel Feverfew - was little more than a front for Xocrian Division agents. Their mission in Maddox was nothing less than the assassination of Queen Tuonetar.
They were stopped before they could make their move, and though they evaded initial attempts to capture them, after several weeks of hard work, searching, and aborted confrontation, the Redwings were successfully able to apprehend all three before they could escape the capital.
The Redwings brought them to Kingscrest Command in Maddox. In their time as prisoners, the Division agents were kept in separate sections of the fort, and were neither treated with great cruelty nor significant kindness. Their wounds were tended to, and the Redwings questioned them on their motives, and on if there were other agents of Xocrium yet unknown within the capital.
After they had finished with their questioning, Padwell entered into negotiations with Xocrium to discuss an exchange of prisoners, using the Merosian city-state of Concido and Dutoria as intermediaries respectively. After several weeks of bargaining, it was arranged for the three Division agents to be traded for four Redwing captives; Onni Xochipepe, an original Redwing held captive for four decades, disaster relief agent Letti Ranta and the familiar Ozymandias, and the healer Völund Dogwood. The exchange was conducted in Acies Ferro in mid-March.
For Queen Tuonetar, the reception of the event was all she could have hoped for and more; her guests, both local and international, came away with a new appreciation for Padwellan culture, and were impressed with her country’s ability to put on a good show.
While no new trade agreements or alliances were signed within the span of the festival, no doubt other lands will have a touch more respect for the country in future dealings.
Many of Padwell’s most skilled performers received attention from foreign patrons, the Flower Players amongst them. While Xochipilli Heikkilä remained adamant that their troupe should not forget its roots, they are not wholly opposed to their plays being performed abroad… or the possibility of an international debut for their Flower Players.
For now, peace remains between Padwell and Xocrium… but both have been reminded of the bitter edge of their grievances against each other.