The Silvercrest Family

The Alderworth Kingdom was established some thousand years ago, after the several warring tribes that occupied the area were finally united by Varkonos Silvercrest during the Unification Wars of 2310 SE. Varknosos’ exceptional leadership, wisdom, and benevolence soon led the nascent country to a golden age of prosperity and peace. The new royal family was deeply loved by their subjects for their fair governance and their active involvement in the daily lives of the common folk.

However, as generations passed, the later descendants of House Silvercrest began to stray from the principles that had earned their ancestors respect. Enticed by the allure of wealth and the arcane secrets of old, they grew increasingly isolated from their people. The lavish lifestyle of the royal court became a stark contrast to the growing hardships faced by the populace. Some even say that the dark influence of Ker Nethalas, especially felt in the royal palace–which was built directly atop the tower of a powerful necromancer–was the initial seed that led the family astray, but most realize that with absolute power and time comes complacency and injustice.

Corruption seeped into the heart of the dynasty as the royal family indulged in excesses and dark dealings. Advisors and courtiers, driven by personal gain, manipulated the naive and arrogant monarchs. The palace, once a symbol of unity, soon transformed into a fortress of greed and secrecy, which led the family to become obsessed with maintaining their power, resorting to oppressive measures and heavy taxation to fund their luxurious habits and secretive pursuits.

Jeoff Silvercrest is the current king of the Alderworth Kingdom, and he has, unfortunately, not only continued the family’s most recent trends, but exacerbated them. Some of his many descendants–spawned from the multiple queens that have held the dubious honor of wearing the crown, mostly due to the fact that they mysteriously keep dying–have attempted to regain some of the family’s lost glory, mostly through dubious methods, though, such as finding the Midnight Throne, or funding explorations to the most dangerous areas of Iskandria (while they remain safely back in Veldonia, of course). The vast majority, though, live a life of eternal excess and debauchery, a practice that the rest of nobles have quickly implemented as well. The nobility’s thirst for new ways of entertainment has led to all sorts of macabre consequences, to the point where many of the different churches’ officials have had to intervene several times to appease the masses.

Most scholars, especially those from other nations, see the Silvercrest’s decadence as a clear sign of the dynasty’s impending demise. The unrest in the country keeps spreading, and eventually the people’s cries for justice will breach even the tall walls of the royal palace. Only time will tell if something better will come after.