Houndwich

Ruling house: House Barkann

Ruling great house: House Gha'ard

Other houses: House Scalbie (Minor), various Nascent Houses of uncertain loyalty

Population: Approximately 45,000, mostly located in the capital of Houndhal and scattered settlements. The population was once significantly higher before the loss of their coastal port and the famine that followed. Most residents are humans, dwarves, halflings, and half-orcs, though other races are not uncommon.

Notable features:
Houndhal – The capital of Houndwich. Though walled and defensible, the city has clearly suffered from years of economic decline. The noble district remains intact, while the lower tiers rot in disrepair. It is a place of hierarchy carved in stone, with each ring of the city descending further into hardship.

The Ruins of Sunshelter – Once the lifeblood of Houndwich’s economy, Sunshelter was a thriving port before a cataclysmic storm reduced it to rubble. Some say the storm was divine punishment for hidden sins. Others claim it was the work of the League of Iamel-Zed, whose Fey rulers despised Houndwich's trade dominance. Now, only broken docks and salt-choked ruins remain, haunted by wind and rumor.

The Withered Shore – South of Sunshelter lies this bleak coastal stretch. Ravaged by famine and flood, it is now home to decaying fishing villages and half-drowned fields. The land here grows little, and what it yields is often hoarded by overseers or stolen by the desperate.

The Brair-Wild- The deadly jungle that surrounds much of this and the neighboring provinces. It is said to hide no end of deadly beasts, ancient ruins and strange magics.

Culture:
Houndwich is a province defined by defined by its loss. Its people once thrived on coastal trade, but the loss of Sunshelter plunged the province into stagnation. As starvation crept inland, the ruling houses became increasingly authoritarian. Serfs were conscripted to dig irrigation trenches, patrol ruined coastlines, and guard grain stores. Many died in service, while others simply disappeared.

The nobles of House Barkann rule from stone halls above the city, speaking only in High Speak and enforcing their will through edict and blade. Barkann sees itself as the last bastion of strength in a failing province. Their soldiers maintain curfews, suppress gatherings, and ration food by family name. Any talk of reform is stamped out quickly.

House Scalbie, while a Minor House, holds growing sway among the people. Known for their belief in omens and ancestral signs, they maintain a network of shrines and charm-marked stones throughout their lands. Many dismissed them for generations, but after their warning about Sunshelter’s fall was ignored, their reputation has only grown. Though still mocked in noble circles, their words are heeded by commoners, and their counsel quietly sought by those in power.

The province’s Nascent Houses, small landholding nobles of modest means, struggle to maintain control of their holdings. Some turn to House Gha'ard for aid, offering levies or political favors in exchange for protection. Others drift into obscurity, their bloodlines fading into myth and their holdings consumed by Barkann's slow consolidation.

History:
Houndwich’s early years were defined by the success of Sunshelter Port. A vital link between the inland trade routes and the sea, the port elevated local houses and brought prosperity to the land. House Barkann rose alongside it, gaining power through efficient administration and military support to House Gha'ard.

That all changed with the storm. Sunshelter was obliterated in a single day, and no effort to rebuild ever succeeded. Famine followed, claiming thousands. Those who survived were often marked forever by the desperation that gripped the land. Barkann grew harsher, rationing food to allies and cracking down on unrest. Scalbie gained traction by offering hope and prophecy, no matter how strange their rituals might seem.

Today, Houndwich is a shadow of its former self. Trade is nearly nonexistent, with the few boats that do still bring goods coming from Moonband and House Nacioun. The fields grow sparse. The people are hungry, and many believe the province is cursed. But there are still those who endure. And though the nobles claim to rule unchallenged, the whisper of rebellion is never far from the lips of the starving