Hills of Isenfeld

The people of Isenfeld were no strangers to war. They have known it, since their very birth. From fighting off raids by lords, to combating the malicious Jatu tribes, they have a completely different mentality then the heartlanders near Sarleon.

The county is best known for its hills. For either their beauty, or for their danger.




"bein dôl", the words of Linthir the Noldor bard, meaning "beautiful hills"
"Ölüm dağlara", the nickname of Isenfeld by the Jatu, "Hills of death"

Another one of Isenfeld's famous sights is the Isen river



As of the end of the war, the previous fortifications built by past owners have been mostly rendered unusable, with the stone used to rebuild all the holdfasts and villages destroyed by the attackers.

The county is one of the most populous in the East, boasting numerous villages and small towns.

Count Everard Amelion is the new lord, and has set up his home in the market town of Troughbren, settling himself in the holdfast at the center of the town. Trade has greatly increased in the town, due to Amelion's connections to the Marleons and Laria trade guilds, and caravans travel through the county everyday.

Amelion plans to proselytize the word of Astraea to the entire county, and start a new following to the Goddess in the East.

Baronies (represented by Manors)
#1. Troughbren, ruled by Count Amelion
#2. Kwynn, ruled by Count Amelion
#3. Amere, ruled by Count Amelion

The sun had already gone done, and Everard sat at his desk, hard at work doing the day-to-day tasks needed to maintain the county.

He maintained a solemn face, merely an hour ago he had presided over the funerals of some of his soldiers. Such was life in these times. During an engagement with a notorious outlaw and his band of ruffians he lost nine men. Thankfully, the outlaw was in custody and will be hanged at sunrise. Hopefully that will deliver a sense of justice to the families of the deceased.

As he was working, a guard bearing the Amelion colours came in the room.

"Milord! Two letters have arrived for you. One from Count Simon Lane, and the other from Countess Tysha!"

"Thank you." Everard replied gruffly.

He read the letter from Tysha and scowled. She was about to get a lot of people killed.

He then read the letter from Simon Lane, and began to draft a response. He also jotted down notes to set up a proper retinue of people to journey to his lands

A beautiful sunrise over Isenfeld...


Count Everard Amelion stood on the balcony in his Estate. As the sun rose, he watched numerous riders ride off into the county. Last night, during a feast, he had received the pledges of fealty from his vassals, and their vassals as well. It was something that he had decided to cement his lordship of Isenfeld. To make it even more inconvenient to plot an insurrection, Everard demanded oaths from every noble in the county recognizing him and his heirs as the rightful rulers of Isenfeld, ones recorded by Everard’s personal scribe. Although the many new nobles of Isenfeld were hand-picked by Everard for the piety and personal traits he had encountered in the noble wars, men are corruptible.

Spoiler:

A page from the official armorial of Isenfeld

Count Everard looked to the new armorial that the Chancellor had made up for him, detailing all the new nobles and their heraldries. There were about two hundred nobles to browse through, the chancellor certainly worked fast. Count Everard had organized it that every town of five hundred or more was the seat of a barony, and every village of one hundred or more was the seat of a landed knight. There were also many free knights that needed sponsors and lords in the Western Lands, whom Everard allowed come to the county to serve, helping provide a greater sense of security to the peasants and establishing a haven for Astraean nobles. A notable free knight who had come to serve him was the famed “Grey Archer” of Mistmire, Sir William Malone. A quiet one, but he was supposedly an amazing archer.

Spoiler:

An artist's representation of Isenfeld peasants at work

The county of Isenfeld was one of the most populated ones. Count Everard had for several weeks directly administrated most of the county leading to many sleepless nights. He had only this week returned the last of the populace to feudalism. He decided to reorganize the county into ten separate and distinct baronies. He drew and marked the borders, and with the help of local village elders, made comprehensive borders according to landmarks, natural and man-made. Everard didn’t want border disputes to tear apart his county, and divide his vassals. The people of Isenfeld, although having appreciated their freedom, didn’t grumble too much at being put back under serfdom, gladly accepting the protection of nobles to the dangers of bandits and rogue knights.
As it stood now, the county of Isenfeld’s baronies were more like Baronetcies. The barons lorded over walled towns and holdfasts, compared to the barons of the west, who held castles and fortresses. That didn’t stop the new barons from feeling proud though. Every single noble had sworn their oaths with pride, most, if not all of the new nobles had been unlanded or otherwise not in the line of immediate succession.  Count Everard counted on a migration of families to come to Isenfeld in the next week or so.

Spoiler:

A few of the nobles at Everard's court

Everard also now had a court that he could rely on. The barons were all skilled in various ways. His top two advisors at this point though were Archdeacon Diego, and his old friend Baron Renard Taillon. Renard was going to serve as his Marshal, and Diego his Spiritual Advisor. Baron Renard would be a valuable aid in commanding the forces of Isenfeld, and was decent at drilling the levies into shape.

Spoiler:

Diego's new home

Until the time came, when there was a suitable home for a bishop, the spiritual matters of the county were to be handled by Archdeacon Diego Salcedo. He was given his own barony, and was also made Lord Spiritual in Count Everard’s court. Diego was a good Archdeacon, he wasn’t as worldly as some other characters in the church, and Everard was thankful that the Venerable Judicator honored his request for him. Diego was also a caring man, and Everard had trust that he would help guide those in the county, affected by the devastation. He and Diego had also discussed passing out free bread at masses, to not only feed the hungry, but attract new followers. Count Everard knew that this appointment would only mark the beginning of a long and close relationship with the church of Astraea.

The religious make-up of Isenfeld was always split up between the numerous Gods of the Pendorian Pantheon, with only secular guidance by the Silvermist Rangers. Count Everard had made the nobles promise to put up shrines to Astraea in their lands, and expected the veneration of Goddess Astraea to rise in the coming months. The polytheism of the native Pendorians would not prohibit them to worshipping the Goddess, and should not incite them.

Spoiler:

Happy Peasants

Count Everard, in the eyes of the people, was a Godsend. He was a spiritual man, and they knew he wasn’t a quarrelsome noble would bring war upon them, or a greedy one who would suck them dry. He followed a moral code, and ensured their safety.

Spoiler:

Some of Everard's finest footmen

At the start of the month, Everard had only a few hundred men to guard the vast county. Now, he had over a thousand men who would fight in his name, and for their homes. Everard made sure to instill discipline in them, and their presence was so large, bandit reports were non-existent. Patrols of men could be seen from any point in the county, and the armed presence was noted by many in the surrounding counties.

Everard was angered by the reports at the Steppe. He wasn't able to help, and barely two hundred of the over thirty-five hundred men that had went off came back. He knew that the majority of the forces in the Steppes were only levies, and it pained him that so many had died. The battle may have been a victory, but it was a bitter one, and it left many in the Steppe weeping.

Everard was glad to hear the reports of safe roads in the county from the grateful traders of the Eastern Pendor Trading Company. He had set many men to guarding the caravans of the Eastern Pendor company. He had seen more caravans pass through the caravan this week than almost the whole month put together. With nine hundred men guarding the trade routes, plus open borders to any and all traders, Isenfeld had earned itself a name as a safe haven for traders.

Spoiler:

Emerging class of traders at Isenfeld Summer fair

The people of Isenfeld, thanks to the guidance of the Silvermist in the last few years, had an emerging artisan and trader class that grew in the towns of the county. Count Everard wished to foster it, not squash it like many lords would. Instead of increasing his own wealth of the county by exploiting them through taxes, he let them off with normal taxes. His merchant connections with the Holmgang league did help to bring more money to the county, the goods of the artisans here were cheaper than in the cities, where guilds were properly established. Count Everard thought of perhaps organizing a guild in Isenfeld, or perhaps attaching it to the Marleons guild.

History of the Amelion Dynasty

The House of Amelion, although having never held a title over Baron until now, has been an old and politically important family in the history of the Kingdoms of Pendor and Sarleon.

The house first came into existence during the violent founding of Pendor. Records indicate that the house served as warriors under King Cavalas, and was rewarded with lands, specifically one town on the slopes of a mountain near Mistmire. This town is the origin of the name Amelion.

In the 82nd year after the founding of Pendor, Sir Lathon, head of the house of Amelion at that point, was one of the founding members of the Knights of the Lion, and a personal friend of Sir Roderick the Red. The Knights of the Lion grew to be one of the largest and most renowned order of knights.

All male members of the house of Amelion from that point onwards were trained and bred for membership in the Knights of the Lion. The artwork and records within the holdfast attest to many courageous deeds being undertaken.

Notable Knights in the family included Sir Simon the deathbringer, who in a seemingly hopeless engagement between lion patrols and Vanskerries, managed to slay over fifty of them singlehandedly.

There was also the knight Sir Robert, famed for his martial triumphs and his famous love of the King's distant cousin Catherine, and his brother Sir Martin, who was quite known for his hatred of the Mystmountain tribes.

The family lands grew from having only the town of Amelion, to possessing several estates near Laria, and being the barons of some land between Janos and Ishkoman. The Amelion family was looked favorably upon by the lords of Avendor, and were often close advisers to them.

The year 198 however, was a tragedy for the family, and for all of Pendor. The Red Plague killed indiscriminately. Most of the family passed away, with only several men and women surviving in the town of Amelion. Their lands abroad were now forfeit in the chaos, as almost every lord in Pendor laid claim to the throne. The new head of the family, Sir Denis, was instrumental in winning over the Lord of Avendor to the cause of Duke Alfred of Sarleon. The tie between the family and the knights of the Lion were especially apparent in this period, as Sir Denis and his sons managed to serve as mediators. Sir Denis even showed his devotion to the kingdom and Lions, when he sacrificed his right to the now-conquered family lands in Laria to try and win the lord of Laria over.

Sir Denis however, lost his life in a major battle against General Oasar, and Duke Alfred was not able to take power until two years later in 204. His son Sir Henry served as a personal bodyguard to Duke Alfred, following the decimation of the order of the Griffon against the Jatu tribes.

The next hundred years for the house was marked with the deeds of its individual members trying to protect the new kingdom against all threats and enemies. Multiple records exist of knights from the family fighting in most major engagements.

However, in 298, the order of the Lion was outlawed, and its members banished from Pendor. Many Amelion knights went into hiding, with only an eight-year-old boy standing in as Lord of Amelion, with his mother as a regent. Many of the knights scattered from the kingdom of Sarleon, but none of them left Pendor, instead disguising themselves as Adventurers, and trying to support themselves.
In the 346th year after the founding however, King Ulric brought back the knights of the Lion, and as an extension, the knights of the lion from House Amelion. The knights set themselves back to guarding the king and serving the lord of Avendor, with undying loyalty.
The unification wars started in the 354th year after the founding. The two decades they took were filled with intrigues, tragedy, heroic deeds, and resulted in the unification of Pendor under a single king. However, this unification came at a cost to the house of Amelion. At the final siege of Sarleon, there were fifteen knights from the house of Amelion. All fought for King Ulric, and as a result, all died for King Ulric. It is said that Lord Lennard Amelion dueled Sir Darlion in the castle, and was run through. Almost every adult male of the house of Amelion was slain.

All that remained were vulture claimants, the weeping widows and daughters, and Lennard’s last son, Simon. It was ironic that Simon was now the leader of the house of Amelion, he was crippled during squire training one day, and wielded a cane in place of a sword. Although his body was not up to it, he put his mind to the task of rebuilding the house. Simon became the guildmaster of Avendor, using money to cement his family’s position and marrying off all the widows and daughters to secure alliances.

Simon also underwent a spiritual experience, and became Astraean. He reportedly had been taking a walk when he saw a vision of the Goddess Astraea, and immediately recognized her as the highest Goddess.

Simon had four children up to this point with his wife Margaret. He had Alan, Everard, Lydia, and Andre. Alan was the heir, until he died with most of Duke Brennus’s army. Everard took over the family’s affairs now that his father was older, and learned some decent stewardship, taking advice from everyone, and utilizing his practical training from the seminary.

Simon died a week before the Marleons charter was signed. He was surrounded by family, and now with the granting of Isenfeld to Everard, he was able to see Amelion restored in this new Pendor.
Everard’s two other siblings, Lydia and Andre, were quite fond of their big brother. Lydia was a conventional maiden, and served in the courts of Avendor with the Lord’s daughter as a handmaiden.

Andre on the other hand, was affected greatly by his brother Alan’s death. He tried to emulate him, and now as a full-fledged knight, he spent his time in the duchy of Avendor really, jousting at tournaments, getting into trouble. He wasn’t an amateur though, he fought with the skill of a Knight of the Lion, and hasn’t lost a tournament yet.  The order of the rose had approached him several times with the offer of membership, but Andre didn’t want to sit around and drink wine, he wanted to be out there, like a gallant knight of old.