Major houses
From Wod
Contents |
The Major Ruling houses of Valhain
The Duchy of Arandale
Nestled along the banks of the Starfall river, atop a small "mountain" that forces the river to flow around it, the Duchy of Arandale is a formidable sight. The original king of Valhain, Aran the First, built the first tower atop the rocky hill and declared it his capital. Subsequent rulers have expanded on that single tower, turning it into the center of a massive fortress. Protected on three sides by the Starfall river itself, Arandale is only approachable from the east. What was originally a small town cradled protectively by the keep has become the center of a larger city. The capital is divided into "Upper" and "Lower" Arandale, depending on being either at the top of the mountain, inside the original walls of the city, or being at the bottom of the mountain. Master craftsmen have their shops in Lower Arandale. They turn the raw minerals flowing down from the south into finished goods that are then shipped to Exeter, then on to more distant markets. Arandale is heavily supported by the Duchy of Exeter, allowing it to remain the political and military center of the kingdom. Valhain keeps a sizable portion of the King's Army stationed at Arandale. In theory they are held ready to answer the needs of the nation, but in practice it is a highly-sought-after posting in the army. Easy access to the town (and it's bars) keeps the army more sedate than it's officers would like.
The Duchy of Exeter
Situated on the trade route leading east / west through central Arandale, the Duchy of Exeter is widely considered to be the economic heart of Valhain. The duchy itself is a rolling "plains" area of the valley. Since there is no defensible terrain the founding dynasty of Valhain decided to build their capital to the south. Exeter has a very modest wall surrounding the city. With the main trade road rolling through the hills south of town, Exeter has become a popular rest stop and trade center for the caravans. Frequently caravans handled by either the Al-Ludie or Volk will transfer goods to a caravan from the other country. This cuts into their profits, but is often seen as being safer. With taxes from the trade and sale of goods in the duchy, Exeter is extremely wealthy by Valhain standards. Only an ancient treaty requiring Exeter to help fund the Duchy of Arandale prevents this region from claiming supremecy over the other noble houses in Arandale proper.
The Duchy of Fairfax
The duchy of Fairfax is in Wayfarer's retreat. A small duchy mostly concerned with agriculture, Fairfax has been known to be somewhat insular.
The Duchy of Westgate
Holding the mountain passes that divide Valhain from their neighbors, Westgate is a critical piece of Valhain's defense. Westgate is the most militant duchy in Valhain. Most of the miners and farmers that work the surrounding areas are hard-bitten veterans of at least one militia action. Westgate has first access to the lands of Al-Ludie, which means it is the duchy that gains the taxes brought in by the Al-Ludie merchants. Almost every coin earned by the dukes for the last several hundred years have been re-invested in fortifications, guards, and patrols to ensure the safety of Valhain. Since the War of Fire the population in Westgate has fallen off quite sharply, leaving the King's chosen steward unable to meet all the military and police needs of the duchy. No organized groups of enemies have appeared as yet, but the steward's missives to his master have been becoming more concerned with each passing day..
The Duchy of Leffar
A close cousin to Westgate, the Duchy of Leffar is similar in many ways. It is heavily fortified and draws much of it's wealth from trade and mining. Since it is on the eastern side of the Skyreach Mountains, Leffar's Gate is blessed with significantly more rainfall. The relative safety of the valley, coupled with it's ability to provide for a larger population, has left the Duchy of Leffar almost as populous and rich as Exeter. Leffar's line continues to hold the main fortifications at the eastern edge of the valley. With King Peter's drive to rebuild and repair the fortifications protecting Arandale and Leffar's Gate from an eastern attack the local economy has improved greatly in recent years. The Duchy of Leffar has taken in many of the peasants who have fled from Westgate. With the orcish invasion to the east, Leffar has been inundated with refugees from Hain and Volk. The Duke's policy was to keep the impoverished refugees out of Valhain, fearing they would turn to banditry. Now, the passes to the east are thick with poor settlements thrown together by even poorer refugees.
The Duchy of Leveson
Leveson is in Harvale, the southmost province. The highest, coldest, and arguably the most remote corner of Valhain, Harvale is barely more than desolate soil smeared over frozen rock. If it wasn't for the rich deposits of minerals and gems held in the mountainous region, Harvale would most likely not be heavily settled. As it is, the "settlement" of Harvale tends to be a migrant thing. Once the passes open in the spring a rush of miners and other workers surge into the valley. As the snows begin in the fall those same workers leave the duchy for warmer pastures. The Starfall river flows into Harvale from a pair of heavy falls at the southern end of the valley. The Duke's keep is situated between the two frigid rivers. The majority of Harvale is devoid of anything resembling cover. There are no trees, no great hills, barely anything taller than two or three feet along the valley floor. This causes some truly frightening winds when storms fall into the valley.
The current Duke is very isolated, preferring to stay at his keep year-round. His wife and children, however, don't enjoy Harvale winters. This has lead to some stress in their family..
