Warin
The Axeholm System was much like the Bloom System. It was almost as large as Bloom with just over five billion people calling the world home.
The System was inhabited by the world of Axeholm itself, but also the world of Grimm Field which hosted another two billion, and the minor world of Arch Outpost. The System was defended by the large Tatter Bourne Station, and defended the route along the northern Fabian Gateway network to Bloom to the north and Seahold to the south.
Like Bloom, the world of Axeholm was once a world settled by the Tutha before the Fabian Conquests when it became one of the main Fabian worlds in Drala. It had also fallen to the Furse, and remained a strong Furse world within the Commonwealth of Drala.
Axeholm was one of the Eight Systems, eight powerful systems once conquered by the Furse and who held great power in the Commonwealth. Although the Bloom System was sometimes counted as a ninth member of that alliance, the world of Axeholm was firmly part of it but the world of Grimm Field played both sides.
Warin knew much about the Axeholm System. It had a long and bloody history, which often involved his own ancestors and the kingdom of Umbria. Axeholm had given rise to it’s own kingdom. The Kingdom of Winta was named for the clan which had conquered it when Warin’s own Ancestors had conquered Skyhold. It was also known as the Kingdom of the Axe, and when it was not fighting the Kingdom of Umbria, it was fighting the Kingdom of Furia, Kingdom of Warrick, Kingdom of Bastion, other powerful systems.
Axeholm was a system caught in the middle of many powerful systems and factions, and when they were not down trodden they were powerful.
System-lord Bloodworth like the System-lord of Bloom had invited Warin to a feast on his arrival to the system. Warin had accepted the offer as his crew went about their normal duties selling and trading with the locals. Gathering supplies and intelligence.
System-lord Bloodworth was young where the System-lord of Bloom had been old. He was only a few years older than Warin, of an age with his notable guest who Warin met when they arrived at the lords great estate. A large structure built by the Fabians.
Thane Payton Underwood, elected Thane of the Eight System. Leading figure of the northern Furse worlds of the Commonwealth, and main opponent to King Oswald Gisking. Warin had knew that the man had been young, but he was surprised by how young the man had been. Twenty seven years old and one of the most powerful figures in the Commonwealth of Drala.
Warin had admired the Thane of the Eight Systems before he had met him. He found that Payton was a charming as he had expected. Good natured and cheerful. The Thane asked Warin of his journey south along the Fabian Gateway. Asked of his family, and made gentle talk. It was System-lord Bloodworth who spoke of the Fabian Order of Drala, and spoke in disdain, while the Thane just sat there. He spoke with those who accompanied Warin. Rank and title didn’t matter, and he seemed to have been taken with Ozma, although she was old enough to be his own mother or grandmother.
Throughout the night they spoke and enjoyed drinks but the talk never strayed too far into politics, which Warin was thankful for.
“We shall see you at the wedding to the king,” Thane Underwood said, although it was not a question. It was no secret that that was where Warin and his small fleet was heading.
