Duchy of Ossentum
Once known as Ossentox, the duchy is home to the Hekate family, the rivals to the Medois. This encompasses a medium-sized portion of the western mountains of the same name and lowlands including a stretch of the Sharron river. Their warriors are well-known for serving in the Knights and devoting their life to the house, and they are known around the kingdom for their fanaticism. The area is hard to navigate and foreigners to the duchy usually have to be guided through the ravines and steep paths. Glades and forest dot much of the mountain and cover most of the lowlands. Its trees are known for being tall and sturdy and regenerative, owing to much of the wealth of the province. There have been many disputes between them and the more secular merchants of Molierre where barons and nobles have refused to sell lumber to them even after being promised large amounts of gold.
Despite the rough living of the area, it is abundant in wildlife. The forests are home to wooly foxes, muskrats, vicious spear wolves, and the most important Long Nosed Oxen. The oxen was traditionally the sigil of many families of the region and anyone would recognize the animal as the symbol of the west. It is a quite large pack herbivore that is adept at navigating the steep crags and glades of Ossentum in search of truffles and other root vegetables. Its pelt is thick and its attitude, while quite docile throughout the year, incredibly hostile once mating season arrives in early fall. They rut during this time and their feet exude an odorous musk of pheromones which can be used for perfumes though which in its base form is quite repulsive to even the hardiest of ox herders. The animal can also be heard roaring loudly throughout the forests and trees are fell by them in incredible shows of strength to attract mates. Smart forresters know to carefully follow ruts in the woods to waters and glades, though this has to be done with extreme care as they will attack most of everything (even spear wolves will avoid them during this season). Herders will castrate males to prevent having to deal with this and actually resort to sending out the calves in fall to reproduce and naturally come back to nest.
Herkat is the capital of the province and its vistas are astounding. The city encompasses one of the taller mountains of the region and is thus dubbed “The Hidden City.” Many parts are actually dug into the stone and stairs are carved at the sides of the cliffs to navigate. In most cases bridges are erected with lumber from the province, but the bridges to the main castle are cut from the mountain itself. Goods are hauled up by cranes from the bottoms of the ravines in Ossentum and smaller versions are used by common people to easily get around. Many foreigners eye crane-handlers with disdain and mistake them for lowly, unpaid workers but they are in fact regarded with a lot of respect by the locals. If something were to go wrong while handling the cranes lives could be at stake, and in the best of cases goods lost. Some dukes in the past (including Hekate’s own sons) have worked as crane-handlers to practice humility and responsibility as young boys, and this extends to much of the populace as a rite of passage.
The people of Ossentum are a hardy and proud stock of great stature. While people and rulers must lie in politics, there is still a common belief that rulers of Ossentum as well as its people are honest and trustworthy if a bit too blunt and curt. They are not an easy people to deal with as they seldom budge from their positions and beliefs, but they will stick to an agreement once decided upon. Their people are known around the lands as fierce warriors and many offer their lives to the Sovarix, but due to low abundance of crops their population suffers at times of war unless sustained by other regions of Elliaster. With that said, they are still quite self-sustaining and there have been times in history where they have outlasted fierce sieges.
Defences
50,000-70,000 Footmen (10,000-20,000 as Heavy Infantry)
5,000-10,000 Cavalry (1,000 Heavy Cavalry)
Geography
Mountainous forests.
Related Ethnicities
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Comments