The Border Estates (old)

[Maeve]

Geography

The Border Estates are in the Howling Ice Mountains. This is the mountain range splitting the West Terra continent into the Western Kingdom and Terra Incognita. To the North it contains the vasselstate Khan, a gnomish tribe, and to the south there is rumored to be a dwarven vasselstate, though they seldom surface. In the northwest the mountainrange borders T'aquar, and of course the very tip of the Bois Noire swamps.

In the middle a large pass known as the Fire Canyon connects the two parts of the continents, with World's Mouth on the one side, and Dragonkeep on the other. Because of its strategic importance the Western Kingdom keeps firm control over the Fire Canyon and both exits, with the help of their vasselstate Khan, whose warriors protect travellers from bandits.

The Howling Ice Mountains are rough and covered with eternal snow on their peeks. Winters are long. Summers are short. Passing the entire range at any other place than the Fire Canyon is virtually impossible unless with extremely experienced gnomish guides.

Pax is located at the lower part of the mountain range, in the Northwest, reasonably near T'aquar, in a valley that 10,000 yahren ago was cut out by a river that now is a mere five feet across and not very deep with many rocks in its path that cause the water to stir, and have several smaller waterfalls.

There are five Border Estates.

The Estate of Brie
Leader: Baron Sebastian Beauvais, no known relatives. Lord Beauvais is recently appointed to replace a deceased baron.
residence: Brie Manor
Area: The Estate is located against the Howling Ice Mountains, considerably west of Kings Court, and somewhat north of World's Mouth. Brie is the village that was all but destroyed in the Orcish War, with the king making a last stance there amidst the halflings. Brie Manor is not in the village namesake but somewhat further to the west were hills slowly become mountains. It is typical farming country with soft rolling hills. The area has suffered from both the war and the floods but still has an important trading card: the remaining grain! There might also be other food items that can be cleverly turned to profit.


Hulmnoy
Leader: Lord Jordan Magnifius, Baron of Hulmnoy, with three daughters, wife is deceased.
residence Hulmnoy Manor
Area: The estate borders West of Brie, being actually IN the mountainrange. It is stuck between Brie and Dragonskeep so to speak, and on its North borders it suffers the existance of Pax Balthasar. This area is full of rugged farmers who hold cattle mostly.

Killem'toh
Leader Lord Da'ran ye Rafael, Baron of Killem'toh , wife Kira Songwind, two achadhiel sons. Lord Da'ran is a far cousin of the King, three times removed.
residence: Klyth Manor
Area: To the North of Hulmnoy, also in the mountainrange itself. Besides Hulmnoy it also shares Borders with Taquar and Bois Noir. Pax is on its south border.

Murrelbuck
Leader: Lady Magdalena yea Catherine, Baroness of Murrelbuck, no husband or children. Inherited from her grandfather, lord Rancor. Has lovingly taken in Baron Kriesbon and his daughter Cerise after they were force to flee from Kriesbon Manor near Kings Court.
residence: Buck Manor
Area: To the North of Brie, and bordering on Killem'toh and T'aquar. Murrelbuck too has some of the rolling hills that typifies the Estate of Brie, but is also partially covered by forest close to Taquar. Harbors many halflinghs, adhiel and achadhiel.

Foreno
Leader: Lord Maurice Sanguine, three sons, two daughters, now onto his third wife Kathrine of whom he has not yet begat any children.
residence: Foreno manor
Area:To the south of Hulmnoy, which means also south of the Fire Canyon and to the west of World's Mouth.

Pax
see the description of Pax. Pax is a new and independent town in the middle of Border Country. The Barons feel some hostility towards the fact that it puts a legion of Balthasar in their midst, however they also feel strongly for its inhabitants, many of rebels sympathisizing with the plight of pagans.

Khan is south of H and guards the Fire Canyon controlled by World's Mouth. It is inhabited by a tribe of nomad gnomes.

Dragonskeep originally was one of the Border Estates and it is still considered part of the area, but because of the political and strategical importance of the ford, and the loyalist stance of the Drakedoder family the Barons are somewhat estranged from the Count (who technically is of higher rank than them anyway).

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Flora
In the small valley where Pax lies there is a small forest with oak trees, but higher up on the mountains only pine trees remained. Going even higher even the pine trees stopped growing. In the forest a wide array of berries can be found, whereas in the meadows it is the herbs that scent the air.

Fauna
Eagles, bears, wolves are the biggest creatures, where as smaller birds of pray are common as well. There is deer, and rabbit, in the forest in the valleys, and higher up one can find wild goats. It is rumored that there are fae living in valleys.

Races
Apart from the collection of strangers that recently arrived in Pax, in the surroundings one can find gnomes, elves, orcs and even dragons, not all of whom have peaceful relations with their neighbors. There might also be more obscure races that you'll need to find out about IC.