The Kingdom of Corona
From a window within the tall keep, a brunette princess looks out unto the city with a smile. On her shoulder is a chameleon just as content.
"Corona, my home. I may have spent my first eighteen years away from it, but the people have come to accept me for who I am. And what I can do."
The young woman focused a bit and her hair started to turn blond and grow a bit before she relaxed, causing it to change back.
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but power like mine doesn't simply go away. I guess Gothel was wrong about it. Well maybe she would've been right if I didn't practice light magic. Biggest thing Corona's famous for are the orders of light mages. Well that and my birthday lantern show."
She turns to a man leaning against the doorway with a cocky, yet heartfelt smile on his face. He crosses the room over toward her. They embrace and kiss gently.
"Eugene and I have worked hard to get to where we are now. He helped bring some of the ruffians under our control, but most importantly, he's been learning matters of state. Still though he said that he's fine with me doing most of the ruling."
The sound of scampering footfals from the courtyard ruin the moment. The husband and wife look out to see badly injured soldiers limping back. Knights dismounted to help the injured toward the light mages. The captain comes to inspect the goods they were guarding and becomes grim at the sight of his injured men. Any good feelings the captain has dies further at the sight of the second wagon. A white tarp is coving the bodies of those who gave their lives protecting the goods. He sighs but looks to the couple looking at them. He only gives a somber shake of his head.
"Not everything is good. Some ruffians have joined us, but more are like the Stabingtons. There are bandits who've been taking over entire villages for gold, food, and power. It is our people who suffer for it."
The princess' face becomes determined. She turns away from the window and marches to her room, her husband close behind her. As she moves her hair once more becomes blond and continues to lengthen. Having reached her room, she opens her closet and pulls out a frying pan. Yet it is no ordinary frying pan but something more. Carved into the rod iron are holy symbols of light and power, with spikes jutting out from it at points. At her touch the symbols glow with holy light.
"No more," she says.
*Cut to black*
The same princess is now armored atop her horse and friend Maximus. Her long golden hair braided for convenience with a spiked ball at the end of it, and her holy frying pan in hand. The soldiers part way for her stamping their halberds into the ground with Eugene by her side decked out in armor with a grim expression matching her own.
She stopped at the fore of the army and turned to them. "Now, we stand! We fight those who dare to threaten our homes and those of the villages. Follow me and we will drive these thugs from our lands." She looks at some of her own thuggish looking men, "No offence guys."
"None taken princess," the ruffian leader says polishing his hook.
She turns back to the advancing enemies. "I promise you all, we will win. And when I make a promise, I never break it."
Horns blow in the distance. Across from the well-disciplined lines of Corona soldiers comes a mish mash of men eager to spill blood. They whoop at the sight of the army, making japes as them and one another in assured victory.
"Ever," the princess utters to herself. The sound of creaking tells her that the trebuchets are in place. "FIRE!"
At the princess' command, the artillery launches their payload into the disorganized mobs opposite them. The boulders smash into their lines causing cries of fear and pain. The especially large thug, most likely the leader, bellows at his men and charges. The mobs of men follow suite under sustained bombardment.
Eugene turned to the men behind him. "Fire at will!"
Crossbowmen and archers unleashed arrows and bolts over the heads of the men in front of them. More bandits fall to the increased pressure as their own archers respond in kind. The returned fire kills some of the Coronians, but the mages of light bathe their light magic around the wounded. The magic knits wounds together and the men rise ready to fight. The mobs get closer and the halberdiers drop their weapons towards them.
The lines clash as soldiers and thugs trade blows. Some men are batted away by great weapons or driven back by the wall of halberds. The princess gallops forward, pan raised high. Her charge is accompanied by other knights with just as holy weapons, plate armor shining. Large constructs of golden armor powered by light magic dwarf the rabble as their large weapons send the enemy flying, their light mage handlers kept safe from the frontlines. Her pan's clang means one less foe to fear, she uses the spiked ball in her braid to fell more enemies as Eugene duels their leader.
The leader manages to knock Eugene to the ground. He raises his mace to bash the married man's head in, but a horse whiney distracts him as the maiden slams her frying pan into his face with a loud *Clang*
*Cut to black*
A flag is stamped into the ground. The banner of the golden sun on a purple cloth waves in the wind. Eugene smiles as he turns to his wife. She's using her power to heal the wounded and the villagers. Her song only adds to her beauty.
"I am Rapunzel. Princess of Corona. And I will be the light in these dark times to come.
Overview—Since its founding, Corona has been a center of order and unity amongst its people. The location of Corona itself it one of the most strategically sound places in all the lands with the only options to attack being the long bridge or naval assault. Due to the difficulty in attacking, the city has rarely been besieged and the people prosper because of this sense of security and faith in the royal family of Corona. Under the Church of Light the citizens of Corona have come to understand light magic more than any other faction they have yet to encounter. Their knights of Light have armor and weapons blessed by light magic. Corona's festivals may be slightly costly, but always brings great joy to all (public order). Corona has good diplomatic relations with Arendelle. They have superior spear/pike infantry, strong heavy cavalry and some infantry in the form of knights, and have access to wizards of light, knight of light and light constructs. Lacking in good basic infantry, range, or light cavalry.
Faction Leader—King of Corona
Faction Hero—Rapunzel's parents may still be alive but her connections and growing experience have caused her parents to have made her stand out among other nobles. Her healing hair has garnered support from the Church of Light as per her moniker and trait Lady of Light. Her healing power grants regeneration for herself and nearby heroes and units in a healing aura. She can use her hair to slow nearby enemies or break an enemy's charge. She's married to Eugene, who serves as an agent, and both gain a bonus when fighting together.
Light magic—Of all the known magics of the world, light is often considered holy in most cultures. Figures of light are angelic in appearance. Light is used for protection, healing, slaying of undead/evil, and guidance.
Unit spotlight: Knights of Light-The order of Light goes back to the very founding of many kingdoms present today. In fact, many knightly deeds and duties of all kingdoms are based on these first few knights. Clad in heavy armor and wielding weapons blessed by light magic they charge into battle full of faith and skill to do the Light's work. Their choice of weapons is not limited to the sword and lance, but many weapons. Maces, hammers, and axes are held in two hands to great effect against enemy armor. A knight on horse holding a flail staring down an enemy is a death sentence. Whether on horseback or dismounted these knights are both respected and feared.
Unit spotlight: Light Constructs-Long ago a light mage set out to avenge his slaughtered family but did not have the physical strength to deal with them. To rectify this, he imbued a suit of plate mail with light magic to give the armor life. The metal absorbed the holy energies and grew to stand eight meters tall and took on an angelic design. The mage and construct smashed the murderers and he spread the secret to the construct's creation to only a select few. Today the highest honor a light mage or light priest can achieve is to be bestowed the secret of their creation. On their own a construct is a living weapon that seeks righteous fury against whomever their creator sees as a threat. However, they must be careful for if their creator is felled in battle they disperse shortly after.