Before the Purge, Falkirk Castle stood on the highest peek in Scelt.
Falkirk Clan HoldingsMost of the Clan Blood live in these, although Blood and Landen from Septs, ally Clans and alliances make up the rest of the numbers. Before the Purge, these places were fully inhabited.
1 Falkirk Firth - western coast estuary, a seasonal port, 300 souls during its fishing season, around 75 year round. 2 Bannockburn - an armed camp situated near Keppoch useful for both defending and raiding, usually 50 or so men. 3 Loch Arisaig - a tiny heated lake exposed during the Purge, 100 souls during the winter, about 30 year round. 4 Auld Garde - an armed camp situated near Falkirk Firth useful for defending the coast, usually 50 or so men, although it can host the full Clan if needed. 5 Keppoch Glen - a farming community near Killan lands, walled, 150 souls normally, about double that for Spring Planting and Fall Harvest. |
Clan Falkirk is an ancient Highland Clan located in the south-western portion of Kilvary Province, within Glencoe District. Their land is in the most rugged and fierce mountain range in all of Scelt. They are bordered by the ocean on the west, the lowlands north of them, Clan Killan's slightly less rugged land land to the east, and the southern lowlands along the Tramore Province border.
Officially, their land is under the care and guidance of Queen Honora Devlin, who holds Kilvary Province, and Warlord Prince Liam Devlin (Honora's adopted father) who has been permitted to run Glencoe District. The Warlord Prince is also the Laird of Devlin Clan, making him a political power. The Clan Castle was located on a high plateau. It contained an ancient Temple, complete with a Gate, a central high tower and walls. However, a Black Jewelled Warlord-Prince went mad during the Purge and leveled the entire mountain top (and a few neighboring peaks as well). While greatly increasing the arable land, only the catacombs remain of the ancient edifice. The Clan Keep is on the surviving high plateau that includes several water falls, a tiny lake, and a year-round river. The Falkirk river, as it emerges from the mountain's heart, has carved out the caves the Clan leadership currently call home. The top of the plateau is used for grazing tough, hardy goats and scrawny cattle. Sometimes it grows even tougher, hardier crops. The black jeweled Warlord-Prince Cumhal Falkirk who went mad during the Purge is claimed as a relative by all Fallkirk clansmen, Landen and Blood alike. Given the myths about him, it could even be true. The Clan is quite, quite territorial and possessive. They have three central villages scattered along the mountain ridges, two military camps between Tramore and Kilvary, and a rugged little port from which they both fish year round and ship livestock every fall. The bulk of the Blood live in these areas, with most Jewel-ed blood calling Falkirk Keep home. The Landen live in smaller, scattered communities throughout the mountain range. Some of their communities are nomadic, leaving villages in the highest peaks virtually uninhabited in winter. The port, Falkirk Firth, contains a healthy population of Blood and Landen, although its population varies greatly throughout the year. Clan Falkirk is continuously at odds with low land Queens being assigned as village Queens within their demesne. Unless the Queen Bonds and marries a Falkirk man, or is descended from one, she can expect subtle resistance from the locals and overt opposition from the Clan Laird and Falkirk Queens. A Killan Queen is acceptable if she Bonds a Falkirk man; they are, after all, Highlanders as well. "We take care of our own." Plots! Spoilers! Honora Devlin and the Devlin Clan are a thorn in the side of Yseult, the Falkirk Clan Queen. The tragic romance and sweet nature of Province Queen Honora have made the Falkirks determined to win an alliance with her, in the only way that matters: by Blood. This determination means that outright violence against the Warlord-Prince Liam Devlin is out of the question. They must find another way to change the District of Glencoe's ruler ... only so far no Falkirk Queen is ready to give up the Highlands for a District (or even Province) seat. As of 190 AP, just after Territory Queen Loreniel Killan executed the entire Court of Eirne Sheane in a blinding fit of Sapphire rage, the Falkirk Queen has headed to the Territory Court to discover the truth about the mercenaries currently hiding in the Highlands, the Territory Queen's actions being justified, and to forge the first link in a plan to bring security to the Highlands. The Clan Laird is also on his way to the Territory Court, and he is less diplomatically inclined. He is furious at near continuous lowland raids, and the burning of their port city, Falkirk Firth by mercenaries. Rumors that they were allowed by Killan Clan in order to buy support for Queen Loreniel have strained relations between Clans in recent years; now the Court claims the Outlawed Sheanes to be responsible. He wants a first hand look at the memory Crystal, and the Queen. He plans on a violent retribution once the truth is discovered. The Clan Laird is, however, overstepping his traditional authority; his role is protection and management of hearth and home. War, true war, must come from the Court of the Clan Queen, Yseult. His daughter. So both ride together, her presence an excuse for his army. In order to divert unnecessary bloodshed, Queen Yseult has extracted two oaths from her father. That he won't make war on a Clansman, and that he will both examine and research the contents of the memory Crystal. Ysuelt has no intention of letting her small clan attempt war on either the Territory Court or a massive lowland Clan like the Sheanes. In furtherance of her goals, she has stuffed her Court with intelligent, handsome, and driven men who have not yet Bonded to a Queen. Her immediate goal is to stay at Loreniel's Court, cycling eligible males through her Court, until one Bonds to the Killan Queen. After the immediate crisis of averting Clan War is over, she will turn her attention to Honora and ousting the Warlord Prince who thinks he can tell her what to do, just because he is a Clan Laird. |