Barony of Esswald

The Barony of Esswald is the easternmost region of the Foxdale County. In times of peace, the regional capital, Esswald serves as a major trade port that conducts business between Foxdale County and the eastern lands of Murgoth and the Talic Empire. In times of war, the barony becomes a formidable defensive position situated behind where Avolenth's Spine meets The Crystal Waves. Offensively, naval operations can be conducted out of Esswald's ports.

Currently, the Barony of Esswald, as well as the city by the same name, has been under the governance of Lord Emmett Saxton since 311 OA when he overthrew and executed the previous baron and man for whom he served as Captain of the Guard, Lord Janok Abidova. The High Council of Foxdale initially did not take well to this and employed the Fist of Tempus to dispatch the usurper. They quickly recalled The Fist after sizable shipments of coin arrived from Esswald, and in 312 OA the Council officially granted Emmett Saxton the title of Baron of Esswald. Thirty years later, coin continues to flow into the Council's coffers.

The Barony of Esswald

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Geography

Avolenth's Spine

The northernmost mountains of Avolenth's Spine are found bordering the Barony of Esswald and the Murgoth Desert. Like the rest of the range, the mountains here have surprising few trees and vegetation in general – a remnant of the power of the long-dead great wrym for which the mountains are named. Here, gnoll and goblin tribes are commonly found at war competing for land and resources. In recent months however, hobgoblin warlords from the southern reaches of the range have been organizing the goblins into militarized war parties and conducting raids and attacks in the interior of Foxdale County. The motivation behind this are unclear, though rumors speak of a giant with the head of a dragon leading this force. The gnolls have taken this opportunity to expand further south into the mountains largely unopposed.

The Crystal Waves

The Crystal Waves is a vast ocean that encompasses the northern latitudes. The water along the coastline here is deep and cold, making docking of large ships an easy feat. Settlements along its coast enjoy a robust shipping trade most months of the year, though trade with Awira to the north becomes difficult and commonly impossible in the winter as icebergs begin drifting south and the ocean itself begins to freeze over. Trade with the Murgothi cities and the Talic Empire remains possible to some degree throughout the year.

Murgoth Desert

On the eastern side of the Spine, beyond the borders of the barony, the Murgoth Desert expands as a seemingly endless wasteland of sand and wind. It will be hundreds of miles before the cities that make up the Murgothi Confederacy begin to appear. Only the daring or foolhardy would attempt to make their way to civilization by land here. Even with sufficient supplies, lack of roads and the heavy winds kicking up walls of sand make it nearly impossible to keep one's bearing. Those wishing to travel to Murgothi cities instead pay merchant vessels to transport them by sea.

Sapphire Lake

So named for its deep blue waters, Sapphire Lake lies in the middle of the Lotus River. Over a dozen small fishing villages make their living here with the inhabitants either foraging in the forest or fishing the lake. Perhaps the lake's most notable claim is the presence of the Sapphire Lake trout, considered a delicacy ever since King Marcus Blackwood I visited and explored the region in 183 OA. While few lords and nobles travel to the lake itself, many continue to either travel to Esswald to dine on the fish or place an order through a trusted merchant to bring them a supply. Due to the difficulty in transporting and keeping fish fresh over long distances, few merchants accept such a task, and those who do commonly charge five to ten gold per fish, a hundred times what one would expect to pay the fishermen directly.

Stellik Forest

The oak forest is as dense as it is old. Evidence of an ancient civilizations can be found throughout, the most prominent of which are the ruins of Sündri Fol. Small streams originating from countless natural springs wind their way through the trees and hills before emptying in the Inamera and Lotus rivers. Fog covers the forest floor throughout the day, only condensing once night falls and the temperature drops. Rarely does enough light penetrate the canopy to warm the ground and evaporate the mist. The little light that does make it through gives off a soft, blue glow. Rumors of ghostly or otherwise ethereal creatures haunting the deeps parts of the forest are common and few people venture more than couple miles in. Those who enter the forest tell of how unnaturally quiet it seemed, though this is mostly their anxiety getting the better of them.

Natural Resources

The Barony of Esswald doesn't have the gold and silver mines of the southern portion of Foxdale County, nor the iron mines of the west. Instead Esswaldians and the surrounding inhabitants established the area by farming the vast fields between the Inamera River and Avolenth's Spine, fishing in the bountiful rivers and Sapphire Lake, or herding sheep and goats in the hills west of Esswald. The northwestern hills near Inkcross are actively mined for coal. During the rainy season, coal runs off into the Ink Creek making patterns of ink-like streams.

Major Settlements

Esswald

The largest settlement in the region, Esswald has just 9,000 permanent residents though few would guess as much. Most days an additional 8,000 people – mainly merchants from the local Dausian counties, the Murgoth Desert and the Talic Empire – fill the streets, markets, and ports. In recent decades, the wealthy travel to Esswald to purchase good that, while still illegal in Foxdale County, can be purchased at these markets after paying the correct authorities, specifically the guards patrolling the market, administrators that represent Lord Saxton, and even the merchants themselves allegedly for putting themselves at risk of selling these goods. The ports are always busy with large merchant vessels docking and departing each day. Captains of foreign vessels pay both docking fees and tariffs on any goods they bring to market here. Domestic ships pay only the docking fee in order to operate here. In additions to the bustling ports, the 1,500 mile Great Western Road comes to an end in the city of Esswald. Caravan merchants unpack the remainder of their goods here and sell as much as they can, often at a loss. They then stock up on good they noticed were selling well along the road and begin their journey back.

Inkcross

Inkcross is a small farming town and an even smaller trade hub of roughly 750 people that supplies the mining villages in the hills to the southeast. It is located along The Great Western Road where it crosses the Ink River. There are several inns and stables here that house merchants and their pack animals. From here, it is either a long one-day journey to Esswald, or a more comfortable two-day journey by stopping at the Tower's Shadow Inn.

Riverthorn

A day's journey south of Esswald, on the southern bank of the Lotus River where it flows into the Inamera River, lies the town of Riverthorn. This town of 900 has cleared out a spot in the forest and works fields in the area. Fishing is also a common means of making a living. north of the opposite bank of the Lotus River, the fields flood after heavy rains, making for bountiful rice harvests. Farmers in these fields live in houses built on elevated stone and wooden platforms. Travel in this area during and after rain can be quite difficult as the fields and road turn to mud.

Other Points of Interest

Dune's End

Founded at the base of Avolenth's Spine in 232 OA and completed in 240 OA, Dune's End Castle serves as the easternmost garrison in Foxdale County. For the first 58 years since its founding, troops stationed here were deployed to fend off Murgothi raiders from the east. In 290 OA, the Murgothi Confederacy began its invasion of The Kingdom of Ocila by attempting to move its army through the Barony of Esswald. Dune's End withstood a seven-month siege, ultimately forcing the Murgothi forces to withdraw and attack the Kingdom from the south where they would encounter King Marcus Blackwood III's army in the infamous Battle of Fairrise Plains.

Tower's Shadow Inn

Sitting at the base of an crumbling watch tower and lighthouse is an inn – the last one of any significance before reaching Esswald. These days it is owned by a the jovial dwarf, Zugo Silverbeard who bought it from its previous owner in 332 OA. The inn has 30 beds and the stable attached to it has enough room for the same number of horses. A handful of barmaids and stable-hands busily run around cleaning and serving weary travelers the best meal and drink they've had in weeks.

Ruins of Sündri Fol

Two-thousand year old stone building, pillars and other structures stand in the middle of the Stellik Forest, arranged in a series of 11 concentric circles. In the center, a stone with what scholars believe to be a druidic script stands surrounded by a spring bubbling up warm water – a strange occurrence considering the lack of geothermal activity in the area. Two pieces of evidence lead researcher to believe that Sündri Fol was built and inhabited by a race of forest giants. The first is the size of the doorways – much larger than those built by humans or elves for homes. The second was a stone that was unearthed on the outskirts of the ruin with words Sündri Fol written in an ancient Giant script. While ancient Giant is not well studied, scholars do not believe it mean anything in Giant, further adding to the mystery of this long-abandoned settlement. Stranger still is that no remains of its past inhabitants nor any site that might have been used as a graveyard, have ever been found.

Maps

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  The Barony of Esswald

  Created using Wonderdraft by me.

Type

Region

Location under

Foxdale County

Included Locations

• Esswald
• Riverthorn

Owner/Ruler

Emmett Saxton