Border Barons

the Lechlan Wall

Border Barons is a term in Lechlan for both the nobles and their lands that stand on the western border of Lechlan. Their purpose is to be a line of protection against the chaos of civil wars in the Heartlands, keeping Lechlan peaceful. To achieve this the the Four Families, provide grants to these noble houses, funding their armies.

Seeing the decline of the United Kingdoms of Novyum, the Four Families had the insight to offer lands and titles to any knight across the Northern Reach who wished to establish themselves in Lechlan. Many third and fourth sons of noble houses, looking to establish themselves took the call, and the Border Barons were created. A century on since the beginning of the Novyum Civil War and peace has been maintained thanks to this wall of baronial estates protecting Lechlan from the wars across their borders in the Eastern Petty Kingdoms.

The barons are expected to maintain their own estates and lands through their own resources, often farming. Their first priority is always to hold the borders of Lechlan free from threats. Feeding and housing permanent soldiers is expensive however, and each baron is given annual grants to pay for maintaining these fighting forces. These funds wax and wane over time as local threats shift, and many barons have come to exaggerate the dangers on their borders to increase the coins flowing their way. However, the Four Families take their land's security very seriously and barons that have been found pocketing the coin they receive rather than pay for the soldiers can expect severe punishment, primarily as public execution.

Outside of the uses of grant money from the Four Families, Lechlan law give these barons unprecedented control over their lands. Other than the barons along the main trade roads, many live in their small lands as kings, subject only to the decrees of the Four Families. The remote barons often only follow these decrees to ensure the funds continue to flow for their own personal armies.

the roughly one hundred square miles of land granted to each established the thirteen Border Baronal estates. The lines drawn for each barony are, by Lechlan law, never to change, in order to keep these barons from expanding or fighting among themselves. That said, many of the barons extend their influence beyond their lands by other means. Nearby villages may fall into heavy-handed trade agreements under fear of the barons armed forces. Largely this is extended into the Petty Kingdoms region rather than within Lechlan to keep these dealings out of the sight of the Four Families, who care little what happens beyond the borders.