The Barony of Maelfasan

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Formal Name: Barony of Maelfasan
Ruler:  Baron Aemos Maelfasan
Motto: "Man, first, foremost, forever!"
Government:  Feudal within Divine Empire
Capital: Maelfasan
Major Settlements: Hestea & Gramt
Resources: Farming & Trade
Population: 381,600 (7% urban) ~   99% human, 1% other  
Languages: Common
Common Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Major Religions: Bralm (LN)
Allies:  None
Enemies Non-Humans
 

At the time of the Wars of Liberation a human called Maelfasan led a revolt against the Dwarves of the Shield Wall. They had dominated central Western Warlderia in the area that is now Maelfasan and the Iron March. He was ruthless and merciless in his war inflicting great suffering on the Dwarves and their loyal human followers. He left no room for neutrality and he waged pitiless conflict against all that were not with him in his Crusade. Repeatedly the Dwarves smashed his rebellion and drove his men before them but always at a price in Dwarven blood. Again and again he fought and refused to give in till in exasperation the Dwarves withdrew beyond their Shield Wall abandoning their human followers to ‘Maelfasan Mercy’. Only the personal intervention of Kaegor prevented a bloodbath of humans who fought with the Dwarves, proven or otherwise. They were settled in the Iron March while Maelfasan was made lord of the central lands.

The last great Dwarven Offensive took place in what is now the Autirre Desert where they sought to smash the humans who now threatened the Shield Wall. In a devastating battle the Dwarves were victories but at a horrific price with the area blasted in to a magical desert and the Dwarven Host deeply wounded. They sued for peace and have remained unhindered beyond the Shield Wall ever since.  Maelfasan was made a Duke and his successors ruled a wide and wealthy area. With the decadence of Kaegor XIII and the rebellion of, soon to be Emperor, Innocence the family remained loyal and fought hard for the Old Kaegorian regime to the bitter end. After the final defeat the Dukedom was split up and a rump Barony all that remained.

The old bloods of the Maelfasan family are bitter to this day for their lost glory and the present Baron, Aemos, has no love for the Divine Emperor and the upstarts he promoted. The Barony is an agricultural region with strong militias and frequent temples to Bralm, goddess of goddess of Insects and Industriousness. It is very ordered and structured with Baronial Wardens travelling province dispensing justice and above all keeping the peace. Baron Amos has seven sons, all of a martial disposition, and his charge is a golden bee on a green field. The main settlement is Maelfasan which straddles some prosperous trade routes and is unsurprisingly a very ordered settlement.  

The Men of Maelfasan have been busy recently with brigades successfully fighting in Everwatch, Harmonias and Aelfshaw. Some say they have acted illegally and recently a Divine Legion was sent to arrest Baron Amos, they tried to forcibly do so. Unfortunately the force was beaten, routed and fled back out of the Barony. Since then an uneasy truce has developed between the nobles of the Capital and the Baron.

Settlements

Maelfasan (Large City): Alignment: LN, Population: 13,500, (99% human, 1% other). Authority figures: Baron Aemos Maelfasan (human, male, noble), High Priest Labaorus of Bralm (human, female, cleric).

The largest and wealthiest settlement in the Barony and the seat of power that boasts an impressive hive-cathedral to Bralm.

The Fields of Order are where the youth of the Barony are taught the martial arts. For them combat is not a matter of personal glory but rather of the victory of the whole body. The unit is as weak as its weakest part and to be that is a shameful thing. A soldier of Maelfasan knows he can trust his comrades and that they would die before they betrayed him. The brigades may retire from the field of conflict but to flee is unheard of.  Critics say they lack soul and that they are without honour, though rarely to their faces. For an army that fails to worship any war god, the men of Maelfasan are highly effective.

Hestea (Small City): Alignment: LN, Population: 6,750, (96% human, 4% other). Authority figures: Lord Berefol Maelfasan (human, male, noble), Priest Fergos of Bralm (human, female, cleric).

An agricultural centre for the numerous farms on the Barony that sell much of their produce to the capital and other more populous settlements to the east. Very much a trade centre and as such a bit more mixed than other areas of the Barony.

Gerian (Small Town): Alignment: TN, Population: 650 (97% human, 3% other). Authority figures: Sheeva (human, female, rogue), Mistress Sandros (human, female, wizard).

This small town sits on the edge of the Autirre Desert, a magically despoiled wasteland left over from Higher and Liberation Wars. Many an adventuring party has set off in to the wastes and fewer still have returned. Gerian does a good trade in booty and the likes from the successful few. The town is birth place of  the famed wizard Arralun the Great.

Rint (Small Town): Alignment: LN, Population: 950  (97% human, 3% other). Authority figures: Phelan Riordan (human, male, fighter), Priest Tadgh of Bralm (human, female, cleric).

Pilgesh (Hamlet): Alignment: CN, Population 310 (90& human, 10% other). Authority figure: Aenus McAll (human, male, rogue)

This dot of a settlement would hardly register apart from its location next to some fine adventuring ruins. A shabby place steeped in crime and dubious practices. It was also a location visited by Galsitan and the Everwatch Heroes.

The Autirre Desert

A magically devastated area of the Barony of Maelfasan that also is the source of some of the greatest magic users, such as Arralun the Great. The Baron would like nothing more than to cure the blight that hangs over the desert but that is highly unlikely. Sometimes twisted things will slither out of the Autirre but they rarely ever slither back in. Bandits and other fugitives sometimes go in to the desert but again, rarely return as it is home to all sorts of twisted magical creatures.


 

 


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