The Krel Freeholds

Structure

House Wintersbane technically oversees the Freeholds, though their approach to governance is loose. The leader of House Wintersbane serves as the "High King" of the territory, functioning as the final and highest arbiter of any clan disputes. None have attempted to overturn their rule, for reasons steeped heavily in Krel folklore and superstition.

Assets

Several large rivers that are good for catching salmon and trout. Large amber deposits in several ancient petrified trees scattered across the countryside.

History

The Krel Freeholds were established shortly after the Krel Wars in 45 of the Age of Flame, as per the treaty signed at the end of the war. In exchange for their loyalty to the Kingdoms, the Krel would be given access to the Great Beacon of Hearth, with which they can light their own Beacons and were given a parcel of rocky, vaguely tenable land to the east, separated from the newly created providence of Valmere by the Gray Spine mountain range. The Freeholds have since grown to encompass a territory larger than any one of the other providences, though it is far from a single unified territory. Clans are allowed to create their own villages and settlements as they please, and nothing prevents them from raiding and sacking one another, save a rare intervention from the High King of the territory. It is this tendency towards infighting and brutality towards one's fellow man that has earned the Freeholds a certain infamy across the entirety of the Kingdoms. It is also believed that all of the negative emotions generated from the endless war, slavery, and general hostility that causes such a large number of individuals living in the Freeholds to succumb to the Siren and become Thralls of the Song. It is for this reason that many believe that the Freeholds are an antiquated concession that does more harm than good, sending wandering groups of Thralls north and east towards Briar Glenn and Valmere respectively, along with groups of marauding mercenaries of bandits.
In recent years, some have attempted to tame this wild territory, House Duvall recently having married into Clan Broin in an attempt to insulate themselves from Krel invaders. An abhorent practice that many turn a blind eye to is the continued practice of slavery, a tradition still actively practiced by several clans involving the taking of captives from raids as property, though this is mostly internal. Still, progress is slow, and most Cieran lords would rather allow the Krels to do as they please rather than risk a unified coalition of the clans similar to what they faced during the Krel Wars. War with the Krels would also simply be unproductive, as it would detract from the war effort against the Unsidhe, which the Freeholds still supports with regiments of mercenaries and warriors aligned to the interest of the Kingdoms at large.

Demography and Population

Though the Krel Freeholds are frequently shown to be a place where life is nasty, brutish, and short, this is not always the case. While there is plenty of fighting, with clans constantly vying for control of different territories and raiding one another to ensure they've enough food for the harsh winters that plague the territory, quite a few people in the Freeholds manage to live fairly ordinary lives. Each clan is afforded a great deal of freedom in how they choose to operate, and the average citizen has a level of freedom unmatched in any other territory, save for the North Marches. Because of this, most Krels who remain in the Freeholds are fiercely proud of their independence and freedom, frequently bragging to outlanders about their lack of a strict social order or legal code. Still, many who are born in the Freeholds choose to leave behind the anarchy of their peers, in most cases opting to move to the North Marches, though many immigrate to Briar Glenn, Valmere, or Vance.

Imports: Foodstuffs, Manufactured Goods

Exports: Amber, Metals, Timber

Type

Geopolitical, Province

Alternative Names

"The Freeholds" "Krel Territories"

Demonym

Varies from settlement to settlement.

Subsidiary Organizations

• Clan Broin
• Clan Loinseach