Bretonnia

“Repanse, Repanse, rid the land of these foul foes, for they do offend me with their presence!” On the western coast of the Old World there exists a land of men whose Knights are amongst the most feared and respected of those who fight for the Forces of Order. Bretonnia is a realm of dukedoms founded upon the heroic ideals of valour, honour and chivalry, whose righteous warriors strive to sweep aside evil on the field of battle in the name of the Lady of the Lake, and for the glory of duke and king. It is said that in the darkest times of the most bitter struggles, the world’s greatest heroes and heroines are born. Many years ago, vast Chaos hordes sailed in from beyond the Sea of Claws to mercilessly lay waste to Bretonnia. The raiders besieged Couronne and marauded throughout the countryside, hacking down the great Knights bravely opposing them as they went. It was amid the smoking ruins of a small village in neighbouring Lyonesse left in their wake, that the miraculous rise of a humble shepherdess rekindled the broken spirits of Bretonnia’s battered Knights, coalescing them into the legendary war host known as ‘Chevaliers de Lyonesse’. The shepherdess’ name was Repanse, a peasant who had received a vision from the Lady of the Lake, beseeching her to rid the land of its foul foes. Though no more than seventeen years of age, Repanse’s deep piety compelled her to don the armour of a slain Knight, grab the reins of a rider-less warhorse, and appropriate a sword taken from her village’s grail chapel. Charging out against the ensuing Chaos hordes, her sheer courage inspired the downtrodden Knights to follow. Repanse went on to behead the ruinous Chaos Lord of the invading forces herself, proving beyond measure that the Lady favoured her, and in the process securing her status as a living saint of miraculous longevity. As the Forces of Destruction continue to terrorise the Old World and beyond, the Lady has seen fit to invoke her saintly champion Repanse once more; in her name, the Damoiselle de Guerre shall ride out to trample evil under the hooves of her mighty warhorse wherever she may find it!

Bordeleaux is one of the founding dukedoms of Bretonnia, occupying the western coastal region just south of cursed Mousillon. The current duke is the courageous yet stern Alberic, known for his strict adherence to the rules of chivalry and the preservation of the natural order. Knights trained under Alberic are among the very best Bretonnia has to offer, showing almost suicidal levels of bravery on the battlefield – never shrinking from an opponent, no matter their size or reputation. Duke Alberic’s coat of arms bears the distinctive Trident of Manann, the Sea God, who watches over Bordeleaux’s coastlines and vies with the Lady of the Lake for the affections of its people, such is his importance in the region. Certainly, along the sea routes and among sea-borne traders, Manann is considered the more popular patron-god. Legend has it that Alberic’s ancestor, Duke Marcus – one of the original Companions of Gilles the Uniter – himself fought alongside the temperamental sea god; apparently, the pair expelled raiders from Bordeleaux’s coastlines together, restoring peace and allowing trade to flourish once again unhindered. Duke Alberic's bravery and strict self-discipline is well known, and naturally he expects his Knights to reach the same high personal standards, even going so far to dismiss and expel those who err or fail to meet them. This means that Alberic has the smallest Ducal household in the Kingdom, but one that is nevertheless a force to be reckoned with and containing some of Bretonnia’s greatest Knights. Unfortunately, circumstance has thus far prevented Alberic from achieving his life’s ambition – to embark upon a Grail Quest. For this to happen, a suitable successor must be found so that Bordeleaux may continue to flourish in his absence. Despite his advancing years, the Duke remains hopeful that a candidate may yet emerge, enabling him to leave his ancestral seat and search for the holy chalice of legend in the Lady’s blessed name!

The Lady of the Lake is the principle Bretonnian deity, said to embody the pure, noble, courageous spirit for which the kingdom is known. Her earthly representative is the Fay Enchantress, who watches over Bretonnia from her tower in Carcassonne and upon whose wise counsel King Louen depends. In fact, during times of dynastic crisis, the Enchantress is empowered to choose the next Royarch from amongst the dukes and has, on at least one prior occasion, stripped a tyrannical or cruel ruler of his throne and commanded his own Knights to forcibly expel the oppressor from the Kingdom! Whilst undoubtedly ancient – some say thousands of years old even – the Enchantress appears to all as a beautiful young woman and is reincarnated instantly as soon as her host body wears out. Although undoubtedly a fearsome sorceress more than capable of defeating her enemies by herself, the Fay Enchantress is served by her loyal body of Grail Knights, whose lives are sworn to protect her person and obey any and all commands. She is also served by the Damsels and Prophetesses of the Lady, who are called into her service as children and become her acolytes, eventually having not insignificant magical powers of their own. The Enchantress is the one who rouses the usually competitive Dukedoms of Bretonnia into united action when the kingdom is threatened by evil forces from without. It has even been known, at times of mortal peril, for her to ride into battle ahead of an army of her fiercely-loyal Grail Knights. On the battlefield, she uses magic to both protect Bretonnian forces from attack or weaken and strike down the foe – sometimes with a single, furious stare!

King Louen Leoncoeur – ‘the Lionhearted’ – is the current King of Bretonnia, having ascended to the throne following a unanimous vote of his peers and with the consent of the Fay Enchantress, the earthly representative of the blessed Lady of the Lake. It is this approval that means the most to Louen, for in years past he completed a Grail Quest, expelling evil from Bretonnian lands before supping from the mystical chalice and receiving the Lady’s blessing. From his capital at Couronne, the King rules wisely and with an even-hand when dealing with Knight or noble alike. Fairness in all matters is his watchword, never allowing the law as written to compromise its noble intent, never refusing anyone – peasants excepted of course – a hearing in his presence to air grievances of which he must be the judge. So great is Louen’s statecraft and mastery of diplomacy that many consider him to be not just the natural successor of Gilles the Uniter, but believe he is descended from the same noble bloodline. On the battlefield, Louen is a deadly adversary, a natural general, and the Lady’s chosen champion – leading the Knights of Bretonnia into the fray upon his noble Hippogryph, Beaquis, and smiting evil wherever he finds it. Somehow, the King has halted the aging process, appearing to be a much younger man than his birth records belie; maybe it is the Lady’s favour, her eternal blessings – or even her ethereal kiss – that enables Louen to hold back the advancing years and continue to lead his kingdom to glory? For glory is at hand – the time has come for Bretonnians to rally under King Louen’s banner and, with the blessing of the Lady and the protection of the Fay Enchantress, march on dark, corrupted Mousillon and bring it back under control once and for all!