Land of Faithful

Give the clerics a finger, they'll bite off your whole arm and thank god for it.

Who owns and rules the Misty Falls and lands around them? Why, the Ardenian Emperor of course! That is what the Church of Three Prophets always says with a smile, while the unwanted imperial envoys are being escorted away under armed guard. A good example of what happens when you are willing to wait a few centuries.
While nominally an imperial land, the Land of Faithful holds special spiritual importance to the church due to the Misty Falls. And while church is always happy to extend a helping help to the emperor, they would seldom do it for long without return favours - most importantly concerning their special rights and autonomies. To the point where this region is really more of a vassal state, run in all but the name by the church.

Geography

Now covering a fair half a thousand square miles of land, the region consists mostly of plains interrupted by countless rivers and streams. It is covered by extremely lush vegetation all year round, generally attributed to the Misty Falls themselves or the Gracious Wind they bring.

Ecosystem

Due to the sacred nature of the land and its unnatural beauty, most of it remains rather unspoiled by the local population. Some would even say "untouched by human hand", although that is definitely not true. There are some farms and plantations in the region, but they are very strictly regulated and generally keep the effect on the area to the minimum. Many rare minerals and jewels can be found in the open, supporting the local crafts.
Most of local animals are also unusually trusting and open to humans. That is likely to do with a complete ban on spilling blood in the region. The wild animals really are not so wild there, although they are not fully domesticated either.

History

The Land of Faithful has first started as a specially designated area just under the Misty Falls, granted to the Church of Three Prophets by a grateful emperor. Soon after, they got rights to exert a special tax on pilgrims. Then a portion of all taxes originating in the area, and responsibility to look after the order. Then replacing the secular laws with canon law. All the while other edicts changed how the land is defined: moving a border hundred meters here, two hundred there, half a kilometer everywhere.
It was a slow process, but the empire had nowhere to rush - and neither did the church. Speaking of which, over decades and centuries the church officials have amassed a tremendous wealth. A big part of that wealth was invested into their new homeland: attracting a loyal population, building a strong economy and forming their own little army. The region has seen its ups and downs as church balanced the interests of state with that of its own, but never in its history was the Land of Faithful attacked or pillaged.