Valmere

Structure

Ruled by House Redgard, though during times of war the house will often cede management of the province to Hearth.

Assets

Valmere possess the second largest amount of arable land in the Kingdoms, though most of it is best utilized for grazing. House Redgard also receives a percentage of all tithes collected by the holy city of Hearth.

History

Located in the heart of the Kingdoms, Valmere was the first officially recognized providence, established in 71 of the Age of Flame shortly after the War of Faltering Flame. It spans a series of vast plains and meadows, bordered on the north and east by the Gray Spine mountain range. Valmere is also the most populous of the provinces, requiring frequent shipments of grain from Grenesse to feed its often cramped population. That isn’t to say Valmere is completely barren, quite the contrary, the meadows and plains serve as excellent grazing grounds for herds of goats, sheep, and other livestock. The primary drain on Valmere’s resources is the nearby city of Hearth, which isn’t officially recognized as a part of the province, though it functions as its provincial government when House Redgard is otherwise disposed. In exchange for access to the province’s resources, Hearth pays a certain percentage of its tithes to Valmere, ensuring the territory never starves or goes bankrupt.
Typically, when House Redgard declares a push northward against the Unsidhe, the denizens of Valmere are the first to answer. The provinces capital of Celestia’s Fall becomes a hub for training and mobilization of troops. From the provincial capital most of these troops will take the D&W railroad to Vance and beyond.
There is also the city of Eastcliffe, appropriately located on the eastern border of Valmere, next to the Grey Spine Mountains. It lies on the only natural pass between the Krel Freeholds and Valmere and protects the gate from stray thralls and ambitious clans bent on conquest. An ancient order, known as the Knights of Eastcliffe watch over this pass, sworn generation after generation to keep the forces of the Unsidhe at bay.

Demography and Population

Life in Valmere can be difficult. Though the relative proximity to the Great Beacon ensures that all but the most extremely depressed and weak-willed are immune to the effects of the Siren. It is this guarantee of safety, along with pilgrims seeking to pay their respects to the Rona, and tithes of men and material being paid to Hearth and Celestia’s Fall during times of war that ensure Valmere is always overflowing with people. Still, the province rarely starves, typically in times of crop failure. Most native Valmerians will spend their entire lives within their home providence, never straying too far from the Great Beacon, for fear that their mental fortitude may not be sufficiently honed to survive the less protected regions of the Kingdoms. Most work as shepherds, though in recent times many have turned to factory work, weaving wool into textiles and producing armaments for the armies of House Redgard and the Knights of Eastcliffe.

Imports: Metals, Lumber, Grain, Stone Exports: Manufactured Goods, Textiles, Livestock

Type

Geopolitical, Province

Demonym

Valmerian

Parent Organization

House Redgard