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Kinshra

The Kinshra, colloquially known as "Black Knights", are a group of knights based in the Asgarnia region of Gielinor. They can be seen as antagonists, anti-heroes, anti-villains, misunderstood, or a combination of all of the above, and are a group that have contributed significantly to the history of Falador and Asgarnia as a whole. Known to be a Zamorakian order, they stand in stark contrast to the "White" knights of Falador, and are bitter rivals.

On World 42, they have been an incredibly long-lasting RolePlay Clan; and have contributed significantly to In-Character happenings and events over the last several years.

The history listed here is that of the clan founded by Gantheon as his character Xandres Zarco; as such, some of the information should be taken with a grain of salt, as changes to the official RuneScape Canon have later invalidated parts of the history as it happened. It is retold here in its edited form, and should therefore be understood to be still under scrutiny.

Pre-Roleplay History[]

Pre-Asgarnia and the Fourth Age[]

The Kinshra have evidently existed since the late Fourth Age, although details regarding their pre-Asgarnian history and structure remain vague. The exact date of their founding remains unknown, although given the intensity of their rivalry with the White Knights by the beginning of the Fifth Age, they had presumably existed long enough to be well-established. The Kinshra order was created by wealthy merchants, bankers, and businessmen that had earned fortunes and gained political power in those human nations that existed at the time. Given that both Asgarnia and Kandarin did not officially exist during the late Fourth Age, the majority of the founders probably came from Misthalin. The Kinshra were likely created to protect the interests of these wealthy elite, although whether they were originally created as an all-Zamorakian order is unknown. It is assumed that many Kinshra turned to Zamorak after the Saradominist Establishment of the White Knights forced them out of Falador. By the Fifth Age, the Kinshra had developed a strong rivalry with the Saradominist White Knights, an offshoot of the Temple Knight order. The Temple Knights, an ancient order that had existed since the Third Age, gave considerable support to White Knights. This put the Kinshra at a distinct disadvantage.

The Founding of Asgarnia[]

In the early Fifth Age, a tribal leader known as Raddallin entered what is now Asgarnia with a large number of civilian followers. Although the region already possessed several small settlements, most, with the exception of Port Lina, were relatively small and reclusive. Raddallin evidently hoped to expand humanity's control over the area. However, to do this, he needed a military. Raddallin found support in the White Knight and Kinshra orders. Despite the groups' extremely differing views and intense rivalry, they both came to the understanding that they could benefit by supporting Raddallin's movement. The two agreed to support him, although they attempted to avoid involvement with each other whenever possible. Under the Kinshra and White Knights' military power, many of the region's native races were forced to migrate. Goblins, giants, hobgoblins, and dwarves were amongst those moved out of the area, some diplomatically and others through open combat. Despite their successes, however, the orders' rivalry only grew. By the Year 8, Asgarnia had been officially established as a nation. Falador, a small community near the region's modern centre, was made the nation's capital and the home of both the Kinshra and White Knights. The White Knights' Castle was built over the course of several years, and the city's borders were fortified with stone walls. Under the protection and political ability of the Kinshra and White Knights, the city rapidly grew, and by the mid-Fifth Age had become as politically important as Kandarin, Misthalin, and Crandor. The Kinshra, as a result, became extremely wealthy and influential in both Asgarnia and internationally. 

Struggle for Supremacy[]

Kishra second entrance

Kinshra, oorah.

As Asgarnia grew, so did the Kinshra and their influence. The Kinshra, from the founding of Asgarnia, were extremely powerful within its government, and their interests were reflected in many of the nation's actions. However, as King Vallance, the son of King Raddallin, became old and fell ill during his rule, the White Knights used the situation to their advantage in order to gain political supremacy in Asgarnia. At some point, King Vallance became unable to rule in public, and the White Knights came to govern in his place.

The Kinshra's political power was taken from them soon after, and they were declared to no longer have power and authority in the kingdom. This situation forced the Kinshra out of Falador and into an open war against Falador and the White Knights, of which one of the greatest conflicts was the Siege of Falador in the War of 164. The Kinshra now are plotting in their fortress on Ice Mountain, and they have made an attempt to conquer Falador using an Invincibility potion (though this is thwarted in the quest Black Knight's Fortress) and smuggled pests from the Void (which led to an investigation by the Temple Knights and the Void Knights). There is little else known about their operations, however, the number of Black Knights seems to vastly outnumber the White Knights, and their range of influence stretches further as well.

The Xandren Era[]

This period of time extends from the uprising of Baron Xandres Zarco to the end of the Argrevian Empire and the deaths of most of his surviving supporters.

Leadership Through the Ages[]

This record of leaders is told in Chronological order, in terms of Supremacy; as such, Baron Erus' second and third terms are not listed, and Baroness Keltsun, although she ruled alongside Xandres, is only listed in her solo tenure.

Baron Xandres Zarco[]

  • Xandres Zarco is the first leader of his Order of Kinshra Knights; they are, technically, a splinter cell formed by Xandres as he had grown tired of the inaction of Daquarius and the Council of Lords
  • Xandres is known for being a man of action, as well as being smart and cautious.
  • Xandres is known for having a Baroness, Keltsun, and is the only Kinshra leader to have been married during his tenure.
  • Formerly a warrior of Daquarius, Xandres was named as the Baron of Ice Mountain; four other Kinshra leaders after him would hold this title

Baron Atrum Erus[]

Grandmaster Simmons
  • Atrum is known as a calm, wise Baron.
  • Atrum has the most experience leading the Kinshra out of any other Baron.
  • Retook the leadership mantle on more than one occasion.
  • It was a little-known secret that Atrum was a shade.

Baron Baelon Wickslay[]

Baron Atrum Erus I
  • Baelon Wickslay was known for his short fuse, and title; the Lion of the Kinshra.
  • Baelon was the first 'Lord Hand' to the Baron (then Atrum), in the Kinshra's history. This position lead to his time as Baron.
  • Throughout his own time as Baron, Baelon maintained that he was only such until Atrum returned, citing that he should only be known by his title.
     

Lord Kaeso Del'Vair[]

Lord Kaeso Del'Vair


  • Del'Vair, a mere Knight, was known for his brief rule and reassertion of the authority of the Council of Lords.
  • Styled himself "Lord Exile" of the Kinshra and Burthorpe.
  • Del'Vair was the Lord of the Kinshra faction "The Black Regiment".
  • He was the first Kinshra leader in the Xandren line to be from outside the Asgarnian North and therefore the Kinshra aristocracy; as a result, he took the title of "Lord".

Baroness Keltsun[]

  • The wife of Baron Xandres, Kelstun ruled jointly with him during his reign.
  • Known for her bold proclamations, including that she was the daughter of Lord Sulla, Keltsun often made decisions rashly, something that would marr her reputation.
  • Keltsun took power from Del'Vair at the support of Wickslay.
  • Her short and damaging reign concluded the Civil War that had ravaged the Kinshra, and led into Atrum Erus' second term.

Grandmaster Carter Simmons[]

  • Carter became the first leader since the Dark Age to rule over a totally unified Kinshra.
  • To legitimize his position in Asgarnia and international affairs, Simmons took the title of "Grandmaster" to conform with other knightly orders.
  • Carter is considered to be calmer than his predecessors, but with a fiery edge if challenged.
  • The Kinshra saw their last major expansion under his reign, and the Xandren line would only lose territory after his death.
  • He is noted for having returned from an apparent demise at the hands of Alson Farady.

Baron Tyranus Zarco[]

  • The elder brother of Xandres, who had been mostly concerned with affairs of state.
  • Tyranus was the oldest leader ever, at almost 65 years of age.
  • His reign marked what would be the end of the New Order, and he is considered by some to be its last leader.

Dread Lord Deracot[]

  • A sociopath with a thirst for blood, Deracot's brutal reigns were as temperamental as he.
  • His death was reported and confirmed on more than one occasion, leading to speculation as to whether or not it was indeed the same Deracot who rose up each time, or merely a pretender.
  • Serving as the Viceroy of Remus Blackwell and his Dark Council, Deracot enjoyed privileges often outside his rank before and even after ascending to the Lordship.
  • Deracot's determination to preserve the Kinshra would eventually lead to its downfall .

Lady Vallen and Lord Donovan[]

  • Captain's under Deracot; Kael Donovan and Alena Vallen were among the few chosen to survive the collapse of the New Order.
  • Took control of the shattered husk of the Kinshra following Deracot's disappearance.
  • Their inexperience and the loss of high ranking officers lead to their demise.

History[]

A Call to Arms[]

For years, the Kinshra had sat idly under the cautious rule of Lord Daquarius. Some were content with this; others demanded action. A young nobleman and commander in the Kinshra, Xandres Zarco was one of this latter group. He had long become discontent with Daquarius' course of action, and had secretly formed a group of other high ranking officers that agreed with him. As the Baron of Ice Mountain, Xandres was uniquely placed to claim legal ownership of the Northernmost Kinshra Dominion, and when the time came and his party strong enough, he did just that. Xandres and his followers broke away from Daquarius, declaring themselves independent of his rule, and electing Xandres to the position of Lordship enjoyed by Daquarius. Many Kinshra, seeing this show of force, would flock to Xandres' side, while other rebel Barons of the North and commanders in Daquarius force would form their own groups in the same style as Xandres. A new era had begun.

The Time of Baron Xandres and Baroness Keltsun[]

With his army won and his position secured, Xandres fulfilled his promise of action. Marching forth from Ice Mountain, the Kinshra won lightning victories against the aging Asgarnian military and other lesser lords who had taken power for themselves. Securing the Northern territories first, Xandres moved on to claim Taverley and the Kinshra strongholds therin, then marched South to Rimmington. Now seen as a legitimate power player, Xandres used his influence to sway many of the smaller Renegade Kinshra factions to his side, along with other Lords and would-be Kings across Asgarnia and Misthalin. It was at this time that he took a wife, Keltsun, and a pupil, Atrum Erus. Xandres moved his command from the front lines to well within his dominion, focusing on fortifying his new Empire and giving command of the soldiers to his lieutenant, Baelon Wickslay. The Domination of Kinshra was unstoppable.

Keltsun, a native Kandar, sought to claim her homeland, and so Xandres obliged with a massive invasion force that swept across Northern Kandarin and into Ardougne with lightning speed. An alliance with Eden Syvian of Yanille allowed Xandres to fight without the danger of additional Kandar interference. However, this strain on their forces still proved to much, with rebellions in Misthalin and Asgarnia weighing on the already difficult task of containing the strong-willed Kandars. Xandres decided to withdraw his main army, instead leaving small detachments to control strategic Baronies throughout the region, Baronies that would last well into the reign of Grandmaster Simmons years later.

With his Empire secured and his order's position as the dominant force established, Xandres withdrew from the Lordship, giving the title to his student Atrum Erus, and retiring to Misthalin, where he lived out the remainder of his life in relative peace and quiet. The old Baron was proclaimed a hero and a legend to the Kinshra, and this title would last on for many years, outliving the old soldier and carrying his name on into history.

Alson

Lord Alson Farady

The First Era of Baron Erus[]

Upon the vacation of Xandres, many of his commanders would attempt to gain the power he had held. These attempts were met with a will so potent and threatening that it would inspire an entire generation of Kinshra to come: Atrum Erus had taken the reigns. It was about this time that the Kinshra claimed the ruined city-state of Burthrope, and began to consolidate power. The previous lord Baelon Wickslay had left along with Keltsun and Xandres, leaving an up and coming Kinshra star, Octavian Vire, to take his place beside his counterpart, Seri Mo'da. The two ruled under the Baron with an iron fist, and it was during this time that such warriors as Alson Farady, Carter Simmons and Ryan Arkon were brought into the order. Kinshra provinces extended across the city-state of Burthrope-Taverley, across the north of Asgarnia and into the areas of Rimmington and Southern Misthalin. Territory's and provinces stretched far and wide, and the Kinshra reigned as the only true nation of Gielinor for some time. The Misthalin provinces were later turned over to monarch Joseph Adalhard, an action which would later be regretted.

This is often regarded as the Kinshra's 'Golden Age,' but as all great nations, it was not to last. In that time, many mercenary groups had formed within the ruins of Asgarnia, and it were these that challenged the Kinshra. After a severe amount of attacks which weakened the Kinshra to the breaking point, a new power in the region from the city-state of Falador marched into the Kinshra capitol of Burthrope and forced them out. Falador had been claimed by the Kinshra for a short period of time during the empire, and the lord who had risen after the Kinshra occupation held a terrible grudge against the knights. Beaten, and in need of support, the Kinshra retreated to Taverley, their only remaining province. It was here that King Ehrick Commodus Elderon of Varrock offered to ally with the wounded warriors, who graciously accepted. The Kinshra of that time took a back-seat, assisting Ehrick in protecting his city from rebel invaders, and in this time it was that the Supreme Elite Knight Carter Simmons rose to power, alongside the Lords Alson Farady and Ryan Arkon. With these superior commanders, the Kinshra marched in force back to Burthrope, claiming the region along with their lost territory before setting sights on the grand prize: Falador. 

Seri

Seri Mo'da, triumphant at Falador

Lord Octavian Vire at this time left for parts unknown, allowing Lord Mo'da to take his place as the reigning lordly power. However, with no support from Simmons, who was well respected within the Kinshra, Mo'da had to accomplish his feats alone.

Luckily, Falador of that time was weak and broken, and Seri marched into its citadel without opposition, claiming the city for nearly two weeks. Whatever was done there, the Kinshra were soon expunged, and retreated back to Burthorpe. Not long after, Baelon Wickslay returned to the Kinshra's ranks, proclaiming himself the Lord Hand and above all others besides the Baron. This caused much strife within the ranks, and the eventual disappearence into the massive network of tunnels under Taverley of Baron Erus and the downfall of the Kinshra Empire.

The Kinshra Civil War[]

With the Baron disappeared, the strained peace between the lords finally snapped. Mo'da and Wickslay established themselves on one side as the Kinshra began to break apart, while Farady and Simmons established themselves on the other. Arkon left with Atrum, but as tensions mounted alliances splintered, and soon Simmons, who still maintained a large following, publically insulted a pupil of Farady, Kaeso Del'Vair. Angered, Farady demoted Simmons to the rank of squire, and left him in the care of Simmons' lieutenant Adalaine Arkon, cousin to Ryan. For causes unkown, Simmons appeared to go mad in this time, and lead an open protest against the other lords. For his crimes, Simmons was killed by Farady. Unfortunately for Farady, Simmon's death created a martyr, which lead to the downfall of the Old Kinshra. The war dragged on for months, until eventually there was a coupe against the reigning powers, and the new-formed Council of Lords elected, after much debate, debacle and debauchery (as many Knights would refer to it as), Kaeso Del'Vair, the Exile Lord of Burthorpe, a recent attainee of Lordship within the Order, their new temporary Baron. After his triumph, he styled himself 'The Exile Lord' of the Kinshra. However, his reign was not to be a long one. Accompanied by her husband, Baroness Keltsun soon reappeared, bouncing onto the scene with ambition on her mind. With the aid of the Lord Seri Mo'da and Baelon Wickslay, Mo'da angered at his non-election, Del'Vair and his supporters, along with his mentor, Lord Alson Farady the Eunuch, were denounced and all but thrown out, after being offered the ability to retain their status as were before the Del'Vair's rise.  There was a split in the order - Kaeso and his supporters leaving, and vowing to reclaim their lost possession. Seri and Baelon, beneath Keltsun, attempted to reestablish the Kinshra as a dominant Military force. This, however, was a lot less successful than Seri's takeover of Falador - They could not simply walk their way to prestige, and so it failed. The Kinshra descended into chaos, and eventually the order entered their first "Dark Age."

The Return of Baron Erus, and the Lords Farady and Del'Vair[]

The Keltsun-Wickslay-Mo'da administration, despite their efforts, failed miserably, and the Kinshra's power had dissipated immensely. However, hope was on the horizon, when the Lords Del'Vair, Farady and Arkon returned alongside the newly styled Baron of the Kinshra, Atrum Erus I, to establish his second Era. Quickly, the Kinshra realised their mistake, and abandoned Keltsun, who was forever absent. Seri, not being pleased, left several months into the second Erus administration. Mo'da is believed to have perished at some point, as no trace of him has been found. The new Kinshra also saw the return of Octavian Vire, along with Adalaine Arkon who was promoted to Lordship.

New table

The Kinshra prospered for a time, claiming the barest hint of their former territories and establishing themselves once again. Yet, as a full return seemed on the horizon, a bitter war began between the Kinshra and the reborn Sicarius Coven, the likes of which the Kinshra had not faced in years, nor were they prepared. The war lasted for a great length of time, and it created a rift in the Kinshra, as the inaction of the Lords and the deaths of hundreds of knights resulted in the collapse of the infrastructure. The Baron, once again vanishing, would rarely be seen from this point onwards, becoming as elusive as Drakan himself. Vire and Farady, fed up with the aftermath, left the Kinshra with a small force and set up a Kinshra branch in Kandarin, though at Vire's urgings they remained loyal to Baron Erus. The Kinshra passed into their greatest 'Dark Age' at the end of the war, vanishing utterly from the map. Eventually, the distant Westward Kinshra Diarchy crumbled, leaving the Kinshra a greater ruin than ever. After some time, Baron Erus and Lord Arkon returned to the open circle, Wickslay holed up in his wing of the fortress, not to be heard from for a suspiciously long time. In Misthalin, the Worshipper Wars had reduced the country to a smoking ruin, and although weak, the Kinshra lended what support they had to the Worshipper cause, for no other reason than to retrieve the disgraced King Ehrick, at the decision of the Del'Vair.

Not long after their return, a splinter cell appeared in the Kinshra, aided indirectly by Lord Farady, though he quickly conceded his forces to Atrum at the urgings of Kaeso Del'vair. Shortly after this, at the whim of Atrum Erus, Lord Del'Vair split the role of the Lord Hand. He passed the title on to the Lord Arkon, and he himself became the Kinshra's First, and last, Lord Commander of the Armed Forces. Erus sooned returned, and it was also in this time that the War-Lord Deracot, a loyalist and previous honor guard to Baron Erus, became a commander within the ranks. The Kinshra had begun again.

The Kinshra and the Varisian Dynasty[]

Under Erus-Arkon-Del'Vair, the Kinshra grew enough military strength to pose a threat to the Varisian Administration of Asgarnia, which resulted in the signing of the Asgarnian Accord, to avoid a war. This granted the Kinshra massive amounts of power within Asgarnia, although a short month into the treaty Varis vacated the throne, allowing Kandarin to take brief control of Asgarnia and bring about the election of a new ruler. Del'Vair, who had personal alliances with Crown Prince and the Grandmaster of the White Knights, was deemed a traitor and hunted down by Deracot. Though this hunt was unsuccessful, and almost ended up in Deracot's death at the hands of Del'Vair, the Lord Kaeso, as the evidence suggested at the time, committed suicide, disappearing completely, and Deracot proceeded to erase all traces of Del'Vair before being appointed the reigning military commander. The Asgarnian Accord was rendered void, and the Kinshra forced to once more  retreat into hiding. Lord Adalaine Arkon, in a fit of madness, burned their fortress, forcing the Kinshra into the network of tunnels under Taverley and without the ability to aid their so-called 'Rebels' holding Port Sarim. In a week, the Kinshra had relapsed into their broken state.

The Kinshra and the Adalhard Administration[]

Shortly after the coronation of King Joseph Adalhard , the Kinshra were called upon to return to Asgarnia. Initially refusing, they were all but forced to cooperate under a new treaty with King Joseph and his Department of Domestics, headed by his cousin, Arthos Adalhard. After some early squabbling and infighting, the Kinshra settled into their new position. Some remained sour, but as a whole the Kinshra were largely content. That isn't to say they were happy, but the Kinshra were satisfied with how things had shaped. Lord Farady made a brief return in this time, taking the Kinshra's seat on the Asgarnian council. However, after a dispute with Lord Ryan Arkon, in which Farady accused him of treachery and treason, later found baseless in the Asgarnian Courts by the Red Justiciar and a panel of Jurors, he was branded a traitor to the Kinshra, and fled.

Kinshra throne

The peace in Asgarnia was not to last, however, as many Kinshra became bored with their new station within society. Several regiments, assisted by men of Asgarnia, helped to spark rebellion in the increasing population of neglected citizens. Adalhard was growing increasingly paranoid, and his running of the country had all but vanished. Within a short few weeks, a full-scale war had broken out in Southern Asgarnia, with the Kinshra/Asgarnian "Loyalists" leading the charge. The Kinshra were put to blame at first, but after some initial fighting revealed that it wasn't all them, they retreated into their fortresses and bases scattered across Asgarnia. While openly pledging support, the slow decline in open leadership from Baron Erus allowed his lieutenant, Deracot, to assume military control. Lord Hand Arkon remained as the Baron's chief advisor and his second, however the time away from the order and the large support he provided Adalhard slowly distanced him from the reclusive Kinshra. Arkon's own men provided support in the war, which swiftly took a turn for the worst, laying waste to all of Southern Asgarnia. As Asgarnian numbers dwindled, Commander Deracot finally sent in a regiment of Kinshra soldiers to assist in the fight. Sadly, the war continued on its downward slope, and the Kinshra soon retreated to the safety of their bases. Eventually the war ended, and the Kinshra, sick of the madness, declared their independence from Asgarnia, claiming the Northern part of the country as their own.

(Holy Asgarnian Empire - See: 6. Kinshra Involvement.)

Black and Red[]

Kaeso

Kaeso Del'Vair, returned.

Their new territory secure, the newly annointed Lord Deracot declared the state the Crimson Kinshra, an army adorned with the "Blood Flag" of pure red. Not long after, a shock came to the Kinshra in the form of Kaeso Del'Vair, apparently alive after his presumed death. He and his own Kinshra, what was left of the Black Regiment, came demanding an alliance to take down the Adalhard. After some initial debate and bickering and what looked to be a perminant division in the Kinshra, a second, even greater shock came to their ranks: Carter Simmons, also back from the dead. He declared the Kinshra one state of black and red, and united the two forces under a council and common banner. Niether Kaeso nor Deracot challenged his ruling, and it was there that an alliance to bring down the Asgarnian Empire began. The alliance's first target was Princess Julia, daughter of Emperor Adalhard, who was kidnapped by Deracot for the purposes of ransoming her off to the Emperor in exchange for his throne. Things got messy, however, when Kesare became involved, taking the Princess herself, leaving Deracot to fend off an attack within the Kinshra tunnels by Asgarnian and Kandar forces. During the fray, it was discovered that Deracot's leftenant, Ava Von Adler, had been taken prisoner. Furious, Deracot attempted but failed several times to get her back, until at last a chance came. The Adalhard was reported dead, and Ava was returned to him on condition that the Princess be allowed to come back to her family. Little did the Kinshra know that in fact, the Emperor was alive the whole time, and they had been cruely tricked. Deracot himself was shamed, and the war between the Kinshra and Asgarnia would only drag on with no clear end in sight, niether side making any real progress. Shortly after, Emperor Joseph Adalhard abdicated, seemingly voluntarily. In his stead Raine Adalhard ascended. In this time, the Princess, Julia, vanished, presumably in Sicarius hands. It was also discovered that Deracot’s Lieutenant, Ava, was pregnant with the child of Felix Adalhard, he who shamed Deracot and faked the death of the Emperor. To worsen the matter further, Ava presented plans in which she would usurp the throne (in the name of the Kinshra, and de facto beneath Deracot), but this only resulted in herself being deemed a traitor by Deracot, and the decree that her child would be killed upon its birth. Due to all of this, and more, Raine was soon thrown down and replaced with the Grand Marshal of the White Knights, Richard Grosvenor. His immediate response to the turmoil within the Kingdom was to strip every last Noble of their titles and lands, and rights to be there. He demanded renewed fealty from all of those who wished to retain their holdings. With this announcement, the Lord Deracot and the Lord Del'Vair saw an opening for the Kinshra. They went to King Richard I, with a squadron of Knights, in attempt to plea for the rights of the Kinshra, to ascend their position in Asgarnia and be the first of the Knightly Orders to recognise the new King and take advantage of the scenario. Their backup plan was to kill this new King, who went back with the Kinshra to the Varisian Dynasty, and the signing of the Asgarnian Accord. This situation, however, soon got out of hand, Richard not trusting the Kinshra and playing Kaeso and Deracot against each other. Kaeso Del'Vair was slain in One on One combat by Lord Deracot, the rapier not being his weapon of choice, and Deracot outmatching him. Deracot then knelt to receive his Knighthood, and then King Richard I pulled a terrible stroke. Deracot's head slipped from his body moments later, and the two Kinshra Lords lay on the ground, unquestionably dead. News would reach the Kinshra shortly after, from the Knights who travelled to Falador with the two Lords, and fled before they fell victim to Richard's underhand tactics. Lord Kesare Namine, promoted to Kaeso's position within the Black Regiment, soon left the Kinshra dungeons, in search of Kaeso's son, Ormond Del'Vair. Of course, as so often happens within the Kinshra, someone always benefits.

The Reign of Grandmaster Carter Simmons[]

A warrior by trade, a Lord by profession, Carter Simmons had been on the fast-track for Lordship until his demise at the hands of Lord Alson Farady. Of course, death never seems to stop a Kinshra. Since his return, Carter had begun to reamass his following, taking power from those who were subservient to Baron Erus, the most feared, but also most absent, leader of the Kinshra, who had long ago vanished into the deepest levels of their secret base. Even Lord Deracot was afraid of Carter, and once he and his compatriot Del'Vair were dead, it was a simple matter to manipulate Lady Kesare into becoming totally under his power. With the only other lord, Ryan Arkon, an old friend of Carter's but a mere drunkard, he had in a spectacularly short amount of time taken total de facto control of the Kinshra. He thus named himself Grandmaster of the Order, becoming their supreme commander without any assassination, coupe's, or excessive need of underhanded tactics. And of course, Carter was here to stay.

His official reign as Grandmaster began with massive recruitment amongst the various citizens of Asgarnia and Misthalin, the total Kinshra count rising higher than it had since the Golden Age. Espionage across the various kingdoms brought money and information, and soon Carter had a surplus of soldiers and supplies at his disposal. Rekindiling the alliance with Misthlain was the next logical step, and after showing his support of the Kinshra's old friend during an invasion, he was granted Misthalinite soldiers, as well as Al Kharid's promise to not get involved. But just when it looked like he would strike, it all vanished without a trace.

Not a single Kinshra was seen or heard from, and unlike when their numbers were low and there were many obvious signs of destruction, nothing seemed out of the ordinary this time. The Kinshra had simply vanished.

When Queen Hayley Spears took power as Monarch of Asgarnia, it was revealed that the Kinshra had formed an alliance with Misthalin to destroy the kingdom, and were at that very momment poised to strike with an army of a size not seen since the Golden Age. However, Hayley and the Temple Knights also had an alliance with the Kinshra, and it was by the grace of the gods that a messenger managed to inform the Kinshra advance that their ally had taken the throne, bringing their initial plan of the demise of New Asgarnia to a brilliant close. Carter himself congradulated his war-time ally in person, making his first official appearence since his return. As promised, the Kinshra were left alone in their Nothern kingdom, also gaining an area of land on the Western shore upon which the Grandmaster founded the town of New Kinsport, essentially a retirement community for those soldiers who wished to settle down.

Zamorakian Triumph[]

It wasn't long after the completion of the fortress city of New Kinsport that Queen Hayley abdicated, naming the figurehead (If not necessarily real) Sir Amik Varze her successor. This sparked a civil war within Asgarnia, with the various rulers each trying to grab power from one another. Many were killed, and the Kinshra retreated into their safe territories to watch the carnage, bemused. Eventually, the battle lines were drawn, peace was declared, and the Kinshra stepped back out into the light to prepare war against their new adversary.

Except, as it happened, their adversary was an (apparent) advocat of the Kinshra. A 'Zamorakian' King of Asgarnia, ruler of the South and Burthorpe, friend of the Sicarius and Worshippers alike, Straton Ryder declared the Kinshra a reconciled Asgarnian force and friends of his nation. The White Knights were all but banished from the country, and for several months afterwards the Kinshra reigned supreme. They were not, however, as safe as they had thought.

The Fall of New Asgarnia (Again)[]

Straton had made many poor decisions during his reign, one of them being the allowance of the Worshippers of the Dragonkin into his kingdom (it was not known at the time that Straton was actually one of their kind). Worse still, his alliance with the Sicarius (who had control over Burthorpe) went south when the Ryder Clan (Whom Straton had betrayed) brought the fist of Kandarin down upon his Northern Allies. Rebellions within his own kingdom and multiple attempted assassinations prompted many of his supporters to abandon Straton, leaving the Worshippers to murder their puppet King and take over Southern Asgarnia themselves.

As for the Kinshra, they quietly slunk away from the 'Zamorakian' King when they noticed the degeneration of the situation. Taking hold of what remained of this collapsing 'New Asgarnia' (That being everything East of the Wall and North of Worshipper Territory excluding independent Falador) Grandmaster Simmons acted quickly, restructuring the fragmented kingdom into the Imperial Remnant, and sealing up the borders of his tiny nation. Burthrorpe became Monvallis, Southern Asgarnia became a land of death, and the Kinshra once more disappeared under the surface, retreating to their fortresses and concerning themselves with their own people.

The Republic of Asgarnia[]

The Worshipper Occupation lasted for longer than many would admit, with the Kinshra doing their best to smuggle people from the South into the Imperial Remnant of the North. In that time, Grandmaster Carter Simmons retreated into the background, allowing his viceroy Lord Ombra to slowly assume command. Eventually, Simmons would disappear completely, allowing Ombra to assume defacto rule of the Kinshra. With the order under his thumb, Ombra sat back and waited. Soon, the Occupation ended, and from it a shaky nation arose known as Sarimia, ruled by the rich and inhabited by the poor and the oppressed. The Kinshra, known for what they had done during the occupation, used that sympathy to gain the support of the Governor of Sarim. Once their troops had filtered into the city, the Kinshra struck, opening the gates of New Kinsport to reveal the new Imperial Navy, which swept forth and, with the Imperial Army, took all but the small region of Rimmington in the South, which became occupied by terrorists. Negotiations then went underway to unite Asgarnia under the banner of a Republic, which in its early stages encompased the former Imperial Remnant and the South. Alas, unification proved impossible when it was proven that the various factions could not come to an agreement. The Kinshra would eventually retreat to the North once again, and the Republic would fall, eventually becoming the Kingdom of Anglia, ending the years of civil war and political strife that had encompased Asgarnia for the past decades. One thing was missing, however: Anglia lacked nearly three quarters of its populace.

To Myth and Legend[]

Days went by, and not a sight nor a sound was heard of the Kinshra. The Anglians waited with baited breath as their ships approached the Kinshra's city of New Kinsport, and as they moved in and resettled the lands left from the collapsed Republic. The days turned to weeks, and the weeks into months, until finally a year had passed without a peep from the Kinshra. The rest of Gielinor began to lose interest, determining that the once feared and proud order was at last gone for good. The Anglians did not submit so easily, but as time wore on, they too began to believe the Kinshra had at long last fallen. The years ticked on, and the Order- already legendary- began its ascension to Modern Myth, passing into flights of fancy and whispered campfire tales. Parents now told their children the stories of "The Woodsman and the Kinshra" and "The Black Knight of Cherrytree Lane", and jokes were passed without fear of their watchfull eyes. The people forgot, and the Kinshra became just another bad memory of the past, something to be laughed at in retrospect. Even the people of the Blackwood Province, who had spent so long under their watchful eye, began to relax. The Kinshra were gone for good.

Or so everyone thought.

The Country, the King, and the Crown[]

When Corvus Grey, second king of Anglia, was forced out of office by his lieutenants and King Edward I was crowned, a small number of unexpected guests arrived at the afterparty. Six Kinshra, not enough to be considered a threat, but enough to shock the attendees of the corrination, arrived in Burthrope as if nothing had changed- as if they still owned the place and merely allowed the Anglians to live there. Needless to say, some guests were speechless, some terrified, others disgusted- and a handful, pleasently amused. The new Baron, Tyranus Zarco, offered King Edward the chance to enter the world of the Kinshra as it had been built in secret for so many years. He was not prepared for what he found.

Beneath his country of Anglia had long grown a monstrous threat. Built over the course of two hundred years and guided by the successors to the first Council of Lords- the wealthy businessmen and land owners who had first created the Knightly Order- the Kinshra had constructed a massive army in a network of tunnels and caverns stretching across the whole Asgarnian countryside and extending outwards into mountains and sea. It was a feat that spoke of their legendary engineering skills, which did little to reassure the young king of the claimed passiveness of this army. Tyranus insisted however that the Kinshra meant no harm to him or his Kingdom, and introduced Edward to Remus Blackwell, the former Chancellor of Asgarnia. Remus revealed that he was in fact a member of the Kinshra's Council of Lords, and had bade Tyranus invite the young King to their hall to assure him of their good intentions- and to warn him.

King Edward left the realm of Kinshra with the promise that his country would be safe, but that promise came with a price. Blackwell had told Edward that the Kinshra had been preparing for the return of the Gods long before the death of Guthix, at the behest of a being that he referred to as Malum. A benevolent entity, according to Blackwell, Malum sought the protection of Gielinor by giving mortals the tools to fight against the onslaught of the Gods and their armies. What Blackwell failed to mention, however, is that Malum had done this with the promise that the Kinshra would rule Gielinor, and at the price of enslavement for the rest. To this end, agents and bases had been established in public and in secret across Gielinor, poised to strike at the command of Remus and his Dark Council. Unawares, Edward's newfound alliance with the Kinshra assisted in his conquering of Kandarin and establishment of his Empire Argrevia- all the while assisting in their slow infiltration of the globe.

Their victory seemed inevitable.

An Empire Lost[]

During the twilight years of the New Order, a member of the Del'vair family, Ormond, rose to secret prominence within the Kinshra. Keeping his allegiance a secret, he came under the tutelage of a member of the Dark Council who went by the pseudonym "Typhus," and there became one of the few privy to the whole of their plan. Taking on the moniker of "Lord Venice," Ormond was admitted to the council at the behest of Typhus, and there the two began to plot the downfall of the Council, the Kinshra, and the all-encompassing Brotherhood of Shadows which so devoutly followed the whims of the beast Malum. On the eve of battle, Typhus, Venice and their followers rallied across the secret Empire, and before anyone knew what they were doing, struck a fatal blow to their enemy. In bases and fortresses across the world, battles sparked, causing a wave of unchecked violence which was quickly silenced by many governments and blamed on God-centred terrorism by others. In Kinsport, the heart of that terrible Imperium, Typhus and Ormond confronted the Dark Council, and slew many of them before the entire port began to be consumed by the rift in space which had given them so much of their power. Fleeing in his airship, Blackwell thought himself safe until he was mortally wounded by none other than Deracot, who had been serving as his loyal Viceroy since his apparent demise years earlier. Its leadership destroyed, its bases crippled and its plans foiled, the Dark Council and its plans for world domination died poetically as New Kinsport collapsed into the sea, destroying the massive caverns beneath and putting an end to the long-held dream of Kinshra Imperium, and denying the ancient whims of that terrible monster, Malum. The survivors disappeared into the night; some, led by Deracot, retreated to the North and the mighty fortress thereof, while others, many of them civilians, escaped to found a new home in the Southern Sea. The surviving members of the Dark Council, most notably Lord Syn, fled and regrouped, securing what assets of the Brotherhood and the Kinshra remained. Ormond returned to Argrevia, satisfied that he had protected his people, while Typhus vanished as quietly as he had come. In one, short evening, any hope that the Kinshra had had was gone forever.

The End of an Era[]

The Kinshra as led by Deracot attempted a lurching revival. In its death-throws it reached out to former leaders and allies such as Atrum Erus, but was unable to get a solid footing underneath. The slowly worsening Deracot began to lose all semblance of his sanity, killing his men on a whim and throwing what little siege power he had into failed campaigns of half-hearted glory against Asgarnia and Misthalin. After his invasion of Varrock was stopped almost before it began, the self-styled Dread Lord vanished, leaving a pair of Captain's, Kael Donovan and Alena Vallen, in his stead. This would be a short reign, as more Kinshra deserters became self-styled Lords in their own right, until eventually the Army of Xandres simply collapsed. It would be some time before the Kinshra had unity again.

The Factional Era[]

This era marks the time from the end of the last Xandren Knights to the current day, where many of the older Kinshra Houses began to re-consolidate power, and numerous violent campaigns were led into Asgarnia and beyond. Since many groups existed in this time, it is difficult to pin down a definitive 'order of succession', and as such it is told roughly in chronological order from a group's founding to their dissolution.

Leadership Through the Ages[]

Baron Samael Armons[]

Samael Portrait-0
  • Descendant of Samantha Armons, one of the original founders of the Kinshra.
  • Samael had some of the least experience of any Kinshra Commander, prior to becoming leader.
  • Taking over from the chaos left behind, Samael decreed that instead of recruiting more men, they should focus on improving the quality. The Kinshra as a result became one of the most well equipped military forces in Gielinor.
  • Samael helped found the Chaotic Council, and was one of the commanders in the battle against Tuska.
  • Samael rose to power on more than one occasion.
  • Samael was actually a parasitic spirit, who survived by possessing the bodies of others, a secret known by very few people.
  • He was assassinated by a group of rebel Kinshra and mercenaries lead by Councilor Jai-Leng, removed from his host body and stabbed with a holy sword, his death was kept secret with his former host pretending to be him, abdicating his position and kept prisoner.

Octavian the Redeemer[]

  • An Asgarnian expatriot and former military officer
  • The self-styled Prophet of Zamorak, Octavian founded his Order on a religious basis, worshipping the Kinshra and their leaders as Divine
  • Octavian helped to found the Zamorakian Confederation and the Chaotic Council, and led the Kinshra in the Occupation of Ardougne
  • Octavian was attacked almost immediately upon his return by his former ally Delrith, ostensibly under the directive of the nervous Barons and Lords whom he had overridden
  • A branch of Zamorakian worship is based around his teachings, Octavianism

Lord Khalian Maellus and Colonel Delrith[]

  • A pair of long-standing and well-respected Kinshra Commanders
  • Khalian was already of nobility, and as such came with his own reserve of soldiers and resources
  • Delrith had a vast amount of experience as a Kinshra Warlord, and so proved an excellent commander
  • Both these men marched under the banner of Lord Daquarius, leading the Invasion of Falador and Southern Asgarnia, a remarkably successful campaign
  • Khalian left following the war, and Delrith stepped down as ordered by the Council of Lords

Baron Richard Heidrich[]

  • A Kinshra noble and Asgarnian loyalist, Heydrich as a young man publically gained amnesty from Varis II of Asgarnia, allowing him remarkable freedom in the Asgarnian Government
  • Founding the political movement Asgarnia First, Heidrich used his influence to seed Kinshra agents and ideals throughout the blossoming Grey dynasty.
  • Following the Invasion of Falador, Heidrich became Prime Minister of Asgarnia, orchestrating the rebuilding of the nation in a manner reminiscent of the former Kinshra Empire
  • Completing the foundation for his future Kinshra Nation, Heidrich convinced the Council of Lords to accept a peace treaty, which would protect and legalize the Kinshra people and their religion, while putting him (as their duly elected leader) in a very prominent position within Asgarnia
  • In addition to his surface success, Richard Heidrich was also a member of the Davana Mages, a special caste of dark mystics formed initially by the Brotherhood of Shadows. By the time of his death, he was their last member
  • Heidrich reigned for many years, before his assassination by the upstart Zarco.

Baron Cyrus Zarco[]

  • A relative of Xandres Zarco, founder of the Xandren Knights, and descendant of Augustus Zarco, advisor to Lord Varzin.
  • Cyrus Zarco took power following the demise of Heidrich, whose assassination he orchestrated
  • Having a large powerbase amongst the various Lords and Barons, Zarco used his family's wealth and influence to amass an army at a time when Asgarnia was weak.
  • Ruling with his compatriots, Baron Tavian and Baroness Shadwell, Zarco came within sighting distance of his master plan, before his subordinates and the more unruly Kinshra fouled it up and got him killed.

Baron Jacelyn Corbin[]

  • A belligerent from an anti-Asgarnia House, Corbin was put in charge of the overgrown, leaderless blob of the Kinshra that existed following Cyrus Zarco's death.
  • His reign was largely ceremonial, with power being held by Lord Samael and his lieutenant Dartmoor.
  • Corbin was killed by Samael in a bid for power, with his death made to look like an assassination by a rogue faction.

Baron Kryos Jai-Leng[]

  • The Kinshra's first ally in the East, owner of a large Gunpowder business as well as providing mercenaries and slaves. His frequent large donations to the Kinshra order brought him a seat on the council.
  • Officially gained leadership after the previous Baron stepped down, but in actuality had had the previous Baron killed and replaced with a body double.

History[]

Tempora Mutantur[]

Of the many groups that rose up following the collapse of the Xandren line, perhaps the most significant was that of Lord Samael Armons. The child of an old Kinshra family, whose lineage traced back to the founding of the order itself, Samael managed to take hold of a sizable force of Kinshra, partly with the help of a group of Zamorakian mercenaries. Having gained command experience from campaigns in the Wilderness and Morytania, he decided that the quality of a solider outweighed a quantity of them. As a result, he led a campaign to recapture the Kinshra's mines beneath Ice Mountain, securing a wellspring of resources for the Kinshra war machine.

Lord Armons greatest challenge came with the arrival of the World Eater, Tuska. Though reluctant, the forces of the major beliefs at the time all gathered to defeat the beast. Though Samael did not command the Zamorakian forces, he did fight on the battlefield as well as directing the Kinshra forces. The Zamorakians put up a valiant effort, of which the Kinshra were the major players. Without them the World Eater would have surely succeeded (or so they claimed). Samael's skill and leadership granted him a place in the newly formed Zamorakian Confederation, sitting alongside other leaders. Samael himself hosted the first meeting at the Kinshra base, where decision was made to invade Western Ardougne.

Though the Confederacy's army hosted Zamorakians from across the world, a sizable portion of their forces came from the various Kinshra factions. On the battlefield, Samael met Octavian for the first time, a Kinshra commander with a small warband and an impressive drive. Following the conflict, and likely owing to Octavian's leadership in both war and faith, the majority of the Kinshra factions shed their commanders and pledged allegiance to the self-styled "First Knight". Samael accepted his new position with humility- if not necessarily happiness- deciding to bide his time until he could regain his former position.

The Unified Order[]

Though considered by many to have been a cult rather than a knightly order, The First and Holy Unified Order of Carter Simmons (More commonly the Unified Order) was founded far from Asgarnian soil by a man who regarded the Kinshra like one might regard a Godly Pantheon. Known only as Octavian, a name taken after Octavian Vire, the man who would later be called "the Redeemer" arrived in Taverley with less than a dozen men under his command and the most rudimentary of supplies. Hearing of the secret Zamorakian convention, Octavian attended as a representative of the Kinshra, where he met Lord Samael and Igneous Concedo, the latter of whom was impressed by the young man's daring. Gathering a small force from those Zamorakians in and around Taverley, Octavian marched with his fellow Zamorakians to Ardougne. There, in the massacre of that first battle, the Zamorakians and despondent Kinshra saw a man no more than thirty take on the forces of Ardougne with a fire not unlike Xandres long before him. On that day, his Order was formed.

Becoming an equal and friend of Igneous Concedo, Octavian and the Unified Order by extension became a founding member of the Zamorakian Confederation, earning a seat on the Chaotic Council. Leaving the siege of Ardougne early, Octavian took his growing force back to Asgarnia, where he quickly gained support from the populace. The Kinshra of the Redeemer was more heavily theological than past iterations, and also designed to be a platform of equals; indeed, Octavian took the title "First Knight" to emphasize his role as only one among equals. This charisma and power, however, would come with a price.

The lords, fearing that Octavian would take their power, wanted nothing to do with his message of unity, and so sought help. Khalian, a Kinshra commander from the era of Xandres Zarco, raised an army one fated Midnight, striking at the fortress which Octavian used as his citadel. Slaughtering the officers and warriors within, those who renounced Octavian were spared and forced to lead to and assist in the massacre of Octavian's followers. The First Knight himself was eventually tracked down by one of his former lieutenants, a man called Delrith and himself a former student of Deracot. Delrith killed Octavian in cold blood, bringing an end to his dream of peace. The remnants of the Order went into hiding, and Octavian became a martyr to the people of Blackmarch; in attempting to stop what they feared, Khalian and the other Barons had perhaps created the very thing they sought to destroy. A power beyond themselves.

The Siege of Falador[]

Main Article: Invasion of Falador Commander Khalian was yet another Kinshra leader who had taken the position by force and once again would find himself thrust into chaos. Regarded initially as a usurper and the killer of a Prophet, Khalian's immediate jump to war helped to smooth over relations with the people of Blackmarch. It also helped that he publically supported the Lord Daquarius, an obvious favorite, and led his forces in the initial Siege of Falador, which was considered a moderate success.

Commander Delrith, who had actually betrayed Octavian in the first place, was sent down to command the invasion in the South. Unlike Khalian's more questionable and hard-fought gains, however, Delrith simply burned the South of the country to the ground. His forces slaughtered hundreds, crippled the Asgarnian economy, and brought back the spoils of war in the form of slaves and stolen resources. Though ultimately less popular than Khalian, Delrith was undoubtedly more successful, which is all that really mattered.

Following the retreat from Falador, Khalian was unceremoniously assassinated by his son, and his position formally taken over by Delrith. Not a man for politics, Delrith quietly stepped down, ceding control of the Kinshra's armies formally to their liege lords once again. This was, of course, all according to the machinations of the dark puppet masters, who had orchestrated Delrith and Khalian's rise in the first place. As Octavianism and discontent among the Kinshra swelled, a calm hand emerged to ease the rising tide...

A Peace of Lies[]

Baron Richard Heidrich, a descendant of Varzin's lesser compatriots, deemed that it was time for his family to dominate Asgarnia and the Kinshra. When his father's sudden death placed the twenty-something in control of his House, Heidrich immediately went to the Asgarnian King Varis II, seeking amnesty for his crimes in exchange for the warlord Deracot. Varis accepted, and Heidrich earned a place in his court, riding out the KInshra's strife in the safety of Falador. In that time, he began to formulate the Plan.

The Kinshra Houses were in such complete conflict by the time of the Invasion of Falador, it's any wonder the Invasion proceeded at all. It was then that Heidrich approached the Elder Houses, presenting his case for a new kind of warfare with Asgarnia. The petty nobles, initially mistrustful, quickly came around as Heidrich's peacekeeping force Asgarnia First began to cut a swath in the Kinshra ranks. As the army retreated back into Blackmarch, Heidrich returned to Falador with assurances that the forces of the Kinshra would be turned over solely to him and his family. As the nation reeled from the conflict, Heidrich and his followers provided a steady hand and a calm word, bringing stability to a nation on the brink. All the while, the clever Kinshra Lord injected his people's thoughts and attitudes, their culture and heritage, and most importantly the structure of Kinshra society into the slowly healing Asgarnia, creating something altogether different than the nation which preceded it. Serving as Asgarnian Prime Minister at the same time the Lord's Council swore unconditional support of his reign, Heidrich was perhaps the most powerful man in the entire nation, his spies and allies able to influence and manipulate every aspect of Asgarnian and Kinshra life. On the surface, of course, he was merely the kindly steward of the Grey family and the Kinshra's ambassador, slowly preparing the country for the coming dominion.

Heidrich's power did not come solely from his politics, however, for he carried with him a dark secret. King Leviticus of Asgarnia, while Heidrich served as his advisor and Lord Protector, discovered that the Asgarnian nobleman was in fact the leader of the Kinshra- but that was nothing compared to his true nature. In the days of the Brotherhood, a secret caste of Mages was formed, initially led by Kinshra nobleman Arkiel Phasmis, to serve as their Inquisition. This Order, the Davana, wielded unimaginably powerful magicks, powers which the King wished to learn. Reluctant at first, Heidrich began to teach the young man, unwittingly helping the Asgarnian Government and Grey family to slowly secure their hold on the nation... sealing the fate of the wise yet foolish Kinshra lord.

Under Queen Erysail, Heidrich desperately tried to backpeddle his mistakes, thinking that an allaince and armistice between the Kinshra and Asgarnia would serve to increase their dominance on the nation. A rash action, Heidrich earned the ire of the Kinshra's powerbase, specifically the powerful Zarco and Shadwell families, who began to plot his demise. As the more extremist members of the Kinshra began to swell in number, Heidrich quickly began to lose his control, avoiding his Barony in Blackmarch for a residence in Falador, where he continued to mentor and guide the generations of Greys. It would be, perhaps, his greatest mistake.

The Slow Burn[]

Polonius Zarco was the antithesis of his son in many ways: he was a calm, almost detached man, who valued scholarly research above the distasteful combat of lesser men, preferring to keep his assets to himself so as to avoid conflict whenever possible. Cyrus Zarco, on the other hand, was an over-emotional, self-important warmonger who wanted nothing more than to watch the whole bloody world burn- literally. So when his father signed Richard Heidrich's peace treaty, he vowed never to speak with him again, much to the chagrin of his elder sister Anastasia. The young Zarco vowed to end this peace, not more than a boy at the time, even if he had to march into Falador and kill the king himself.

As he grew up, he tempered, insofar as he learned the value of a good plan. His playmates, the sly Narcissa Shadwell and zealous Tavian of Tarbox, likewise shared his vision of an Asgarnia brought to its knees, and as they one-by-one received the power of their respective families, they began to plot. Their first and most obvious obstacle was Richard Heidrich, who though unpopular still wielded massive and widespread power, owing to the Council of Lord's reluctance to abandon long-held traditions. Their first move, then, would be to eliminate the bloated shell of a man that was all that remained of Baron Heidrich.

The Treaty of Thorns, which established the parameters by which the peace was maintained, ensured that the various Barons could not amass their forces on Asgarnian soil. Though a deliberate loophole, it was predicated on the notion that the Barons may have need of foreign campaigns, and so it was deemed acceptable by both sides. Coincidentally, it was not said what exactly they could and could not do once amassed. It was this loophole that the trio exploited, allowing them to begin building an army in the newly acquired Edgeville, which underwent a revitalization process into a war-camp.

Their plans in motion, Zarco returned to Blackmarch to secure the support of the other lords, while Tavian remained in Edgeville to oversee the completion of the Kinshra's war-machine. Shadwell, for her part, went to Falador, ordering the assassination of Heidrich under the guise of a diplomatic affair. Her spymaster, Vilhein, poisoned the old Baron, killing him within a matter of hours, just as Zarco was appointed the new Viceroy of the Lord's Council. As their armies swelled, and Asgarnia grew weak, their victory seemed inevitable...

A Violent Turnabout[]

Without warning, Vilhein and a small force went barreling through the Asgarnian lines, throwing both sides into utter chaos. Apparently having negotiated a deal with the Karamjans and other militants, Vilhein prematurely ignited the powder keg of the Triumvirate's war machine, leaving them no choice but to march to war unprepared. Zarco's last act was to order the death of Vilhein, before the disastrous battle at Giant's Hill claimed the lives of many of his men, and apparently his own. Shadwell was executed by her own men soon after, leaving Tavian to cower in fear as the other Barons and Lords scattered away from the obvious sinking ship.

Requiring a leader, and with Tavian nowhere in sight, the Council of Lord's held an emergency session, electing Jacelyn Corbin as the army's temporary leader. Corbin's position was, however, largely ceremonial, and the decision making process was largely left to Lord Samael and his lieutenant, Cortanis Dartmoor, who quickly defused the situation despite the protests of the Baron. A treaty was signed with Asgarnia, more concerned with rebel Burthrope, securing the Kinshra vast freedoms in the country in exchange for little of their own. A border was, for the first time, finalized between the two factions, deemed the 'Zarco LIne' in honor of the fallen Baron. As matters settled, however, questions began to arise as to the loyalty of the Baron Samael, with many documents and accounts coming to light that indicated he may be not quite what he seems. These accounts were quickly put down, however, and it wasn't before long that Corbin died under mysterious circumstances. With nowhere left to turn, the Lord's once more elected Armons, who adopted the proper title of Baron he had long since been denied.

Triumph of Samael[]

Captain Brian Peterson etc. etc. Southmage, a successful Kinshra warrior, disappeared from the records about the same time as the Lord Samael reemerged. In truth, Southmage had always been Samael Armons, having taken the identity of Southmage so as to avoid the politics of Kinshra high society. Using his true identity for much of the post-Xandren years, he once again picked up his disguise when evidence of certain unsavory parts of his past began to surface. Forming a 'Pact of Dragons' with a number of the younger knights, he used them and the Baron Corbin to dig up any incriminating material for the purposes of destroying it. Once done, however, he murdered Corbin and took back the Throne, immediately exiling his former allies as traitors to the Kinshra. Using the Pact as scapegoats for wars abroad, Samael unfortunately ran afoul of Eastern Warlord Jai-Leng, who harbored the survivors of the Pact for further use against the earstwhile Baron.

Nevertheless, Samael pushed ahead, turning on former Kinshra 'allies' in Burthrope in support of his new alliance with Asgarnia. The Burthrope forces were overwhelmed, and the region returned to Asgarnian control. At this point, Tavian returned from his hiding, along with a junior noble introducing himself as 'Trevial'; both pledged their support to Armons. Over the following months, a trickle of lesser warbands also pledged their support of Armons, increasing the size of his forces. In this group came Commander Skeat, Colonel Delrith's personal lieutenant and a warlord in his own right, and the Lord Amadaeus, an old soldier from the days of yore with a sizable force at his back.

Demise of Samael[]

Samaels lack of attention to the rebels who opposed him would cost him dearly, they spent months building up a force and gathering information about Samael, learning of his secret that he was in fact a parasitic spirit, surviving by possessing the bodies of various people and changing their identities to his own. He had possessed Jacob Southmage, and had lead him through the Kinshra ranks to Captain before ditching this persona in favour of his previous one. This allowed him to escape death but left him with a weakness to holy magic. Samael had also devoted his attention to an outpost in the mountains, during an earthquake a cave unveiled a hole from which wisps flew out, Samael had been stockpiling the energy and had made sure to keep the peace between the Kinshra and Asgarnia until it was depleted. His obsession over this outpost unfortunately lead to his demise.

The rebels knew of his obsession and had waited for the perfect time to strike, following tension from Forinthery many of the troops had been sent across the Wilderness border to increase defences and hold the line. The rebels used this opportunity and launched a fake attack against the outpost, Samael in retaliation sent the majority of the reserve forces to help defend the outpost, it was after this that the rebels stormed the Kinshra Fortress, blowing open the gates. A battle between the remaining Kinshra forces and the rebels occurred, Samael was exorcised from his body before being killed by Captain Ryder Steele. Councilor Leng took Jacob to the medical bay, and told the returning forces that he had helped fight off an attack by the rebels.

Leng had Jacob continue to pretend to Samael, however in the conflict he had lost the use of his legs so they also had to pretend he could still walk. Leng had him announce that the Kinshra Samael accused of murder, had actually been working for the Kinshra as spies, and had been instrumental in fending off the invasion. He also announced he was stepping down as Baron and would have Councilor Leng take his place, the Councilor, now Baron, took his position as Baron and announced that swift changes would be occurring.

Rise from the East[]

Kryos Jai-Leng surprised many when he became the baron, Samael was known to not be a fan of Councillor Leng, so to be chosen as his successor was a surprise. Baron Leng started his tenure by immediately increasing production at each mine, as well as working to gain increased financial support from Asgarnia. His first military act was to help capture a white knight fort that had been taken by renegade white knights, unhappy with Asgarnia's current alliance with the Kinshra. The leaders at this fort ended up committing suicide in a large explosion, rather than facing capture by the zamorakians. Leng was conspicuously absent for much of this time, only ever showing his face at the Zamorakian Councils. He even sent one of his captains, Aurabelle Zephyr to negotiate the release of the fort back to Asgarnia. Suspicions began to arise, there were many complaints from other members of the Kinshra which eventually culminated in a split amongst the Kinshra, with the most notable of the rebels being Commander William Skeat. What happened to those who rebelled isn't known, however the split had increased Asgarnia's resolve to keep the remaining Kinshra happy.

However Asgarnia had problems of their own, the hardliner Saradominists were against the increasing concessions being given to the Kinshra, the Baron's own munitions company was already given permission to build new docks and houses in Port Sarim. This resulted in the Battle of Lumbridge Victory Commemoration, a chance for the victors of the 1st great conflict of the sixth age to gloat. The baron had made a surprise appearance at the event, a bold move, considering the increasing amount of enemies that had a grudge against him. Hardline White Knights, Kinshra Deserters, Insane Cults. Even more surprising the Barons wife was present, Lillia Jai-Leng, one of the most powerful women in the Eastern Isles, surrounded by heavily armed bodyguards. The highlight of the event was the tourney, in which White Knights and Kinshra would slay creatures in front of judges for points. Unfortunately for the Kinshra, the White Knights were victorious, the event was a low point for the Kinshra and the Baron would likely have to face the wrath of the rest of the Kinshra.

Fortunately the Baron didn't have to face this wrath, after he collapsed to the ground shortly afterwards. The baron's wife took the Baron to seek immediate medical help. A day later she sent a message to the Kinshra informing them the Baron had died. It was initially thought to have been caused by high amounts of disappointment, but later turned out to be an incredibly potent poison. It was another blow to the Kinshra, an emergency council ended with Lord Treviel seizing control. The Kinshra were on a downhill slope, and only he could stop them.

Unbeknownst to everyone present, Kryos Jai-Leng was alive and well in his family home at Thalassia. He had originally financed the Kinshra so that he would have a foothold in the West should they retake Asgarnia. After learning Samael Armons was the Baron, his plans changed to have him killed once and for all. After spending some time in the West, he realised why his grandfather left all those years ago. He squeezed Asgarnia for as much gold as possible, even helping his wife scam investors with a bogus Port Sarim expansion. He even became bolder, authorising a transfer of the contents of the Kinshra coffers during the commemoration. His mercenaries from his company attacked the convoy, disguised the wealth as construction supplies for the expansion and escorted it to Port Sarim. He thought the Kinshra wouldn't put two and two together for some time, and the west wouldn't dare challenge the might of the East.

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