Redstone, Viscounty of
by Michael BerryArea:
392 square miles
Population:
AC 1000 - 2800
AC 1014 - 2429
Villages: (population values are given for AC 1000 and AC 1014)
Valmotin (120/110): is a small settlement close to the Viscounts tower
Maltid (560/500): is the largest village of the Viscounty located on the Red River
Sagen (100/85): is a farming village in the hills south of Redstone Tower
Trivas (90/75); is a mining village west of the Viscounts’ tower.
Solden (120/100): is a ranching town in the northwestern part of Redstone.
Ethnic groups:
AC1000 - Alphatian 50%, Hattian 30%, Kerendian 12%, Thyatian 6%, Others 2%
AC 1014 - Alphatian 40%, Hattian 25%, Kerendian 25%, Thyatian 7%, Erewan Elf 2%, Other 1%
Languages: Thyatian common, Alphatian
Ruler:
AC 1000 - Arbana Jerbat (born 939, M9, 2nd Circle Air Elementalist, AL - Chaotic)
AC 1014 - Ansel Widefarer (born 737, EW10, 2nd Circle Cryptomancer, AL - Lawful)
House:
AC 1000 - Silverston
AC 1014 - Erewan
Military:
Redstone maintains a full time force of 40 level 2 Fighters that enforce the laws of Glantri and Redstone within the borders of the dominion. They are equipped with riding horses, chain mail with swords and bows. The Redstone Regiment as they are known as is based out of a small red sandstone keep, Ft. Skit I Allt, located in the southwest of the dominion. Regular scouting missions are sent out of the borders of Redstone into the mountains to located and ambush any humanoid raiding parties. The Redstone Regiment saw action in the Great War against Thar and served effectively in the Silver Sierra mountains south of Wylon covering the flank of General Lucious Vicious’s Thyatin army fighting in the lowlands of the SSPF between Wylon and Caurenze.
Food:
Deficient. Food imported through the Silver Sierra Free Province.
Trails:
As Redstone is a remote dominion tucked against the Silver Sierra Mountains there are no trails of note passing through Redstone. A poor quality trail leads from Maltid to the village of Rocca Silvestre in the Silver Sierra FP (SSFP) and from there to Caurenze, Blackhill and the rest of Glantri. Various poor quality trails connect the major villages of the dominion and there exist a few trails leading to mining communities in the Silver Sierras west and south of Redstone.
Economics:
Hemmed in between the Silver Sierra and Kurish Massif mountain ranges the climate dominion of Redstone is rather dry and does not produce agriculture beyond mere sustenance levels. Food is imported into Redstone from the more agricultural productive SSFP. The wealth of the dominion comes from livestock and from mining. Goat and lamb herds are often in the hills of Redstone and are taken to market at Maltid and ferried down river to Orregiano. Red sandstone is the primary resource of the dominion and is exported to many regional locations for use in construction. Most all buildings in Redstone are constructed of sandstone as well as many of those in the SSFP. Mining from the neighboring SSFP and the Two Volcanoes Free Province to the north are often collected at Redstone and from there moved to Caurenze, Blackhill and the rest of Glantri. Redstone often serves as the base and supplier for many of the mining camps and settlements in the mountains of the southwest of Glantri.
Redstone Monthly Financial Ledger (figures from AC1000)
Main resources: 1 animal, 1 mineral
5 hexes: hills; rural; pop. 1400; tax 140 dc
2 hexes: hills, river; rural; pop. 840; tax 84 dc
Redstone: village; pop. 560; tax 56 dc
Total population: 2800 rural
Tax Income: 280 dc
Resource Income: 1400 dc
Standard Income: 2240 dc
Council Tax: 784 dc
Net Cash: 896 dc
Overhead (45%): 403 dc
Available Cash: 493 dc
With 20160 XP/year, in 10 years the Viscount could gain 201,600 XP.
Alternate: 3360 XP/year.
History:
Viscounts of Redstone
Arden 829-847
Gisel 847-858
Ernest Theski 858-859
Robert of Haaskinz 859-880
Wenzel Capostria 880-883
Philipe Capostria 883-906
Louis Capostria 906-928
Charles Newbute 928-940
Peter Newbute 940-944
Maria Lamoza 944-956
Gabriel Bon 956-963
Charlotte Aposan 963-964
Jan Aposan 964-984
John Beaumarys-Moorkroft 984-987
Emeth Urbaal 987-997
Arbana Jerbat 997-1008
Ansel Widefarer 1008-
The region of the upper Red River valley was sparsely settled by the Flaem or the Belcadiz prior to the arrival of the Thyatian settlers in AC 730 and was settled by ethnic Hattians and Kerendians of the main Thyatian group of settlers. When the nearby Hattian lands were given to the Alphatians in exchange for lands and titles in the north, few Hattians left with their nobles. Few Alphatians moved to Redstone themselves as part of the arrangement, many deciding to remain closer to Blackhill and civilization. When the republic of Glantri was established the Alphatian general Arden was chosen by the Alphatian leader and Council member Vortnam as the first Viscount of Redstone.
Arden ruled Redstone for nearly 20 years before passing away and was succeeded by his son Gisel. Who in turned ruled for 11 years before dying heirless. As there was no heir and the Light of Rad had not yet come to pass it fell to the council to select the next Viscount of Redstone. Though not yet formally passed the ruling Council was well aware of what was coming and that the Light of Rad was to put political power in the hands of the wizards so only wizards were considered for the open Viscounty.
Ernest Theski a Hattian wizard was chosen by the Council to be the next Viscount of Redstone and soon after the Light of Rad does pass the Council sparking a civil war. As Alexius Glantri, a mundaner himself, joined the rebel side his dominion becomes open to a noble wizard to take thus triggering a domino effect of open dominions. Even though he had only been Viscount of Redstone for a year Ernest decided to compete in the Awards Festival and wins the now open Vicountry of Redstone open to competition from nobles holding the title of Baron. The Thyatian Robert of Haaskinz, Baron of Egorn, wins the title of Viscount of Redstone.
Robert ruled Redstone for over 20 years setting the path that Redstone would follow for the next 150 years of being a sleepy out of the way dominion and sufficiently out of the way from the constant sparring between Caurenze and Blackhill to the north. The next 150 years passed quietly in Redstone as rulers changed life still remained the same. The only event of note was a large Orc raid in AC 913 that overwhelmed the local defense forces of the Viscount and required the Grand Army to send a division to help defeat the Orcs. Life remained the same in sleep Redstone until the Great War with Alphatia came and left no corner of Glantri untouched.
Long the Air Wizards of Alphatia watched closely Glantri and its majority Fire Wizards of the Flaem. Over the many years of Glantrian history spies had been placed in Glantri, using the Alphatian minority in Glantri as cover. Arbana Jerbat was one of the few to penetrate the nobility of Glantri and just prior to the events leading to the war between Glantri and Alphatia she became the Viscount of Redstone. Once war was declared Redstone, as all Glantri, answered the call for the massive expansion of the Grand Army of Glantri and many Redstoners answered the call as the vast majority felt themselves Glantrian of Alphatian ancestry and felt the need to prove their loyalty to their country. Enough Redstoners enlisted to form 2 separate Banners which were then grouped together in the 49th Glantrian Army Division which became part of Carnelia’s 4th Army and was based and underwent training at Ft. Monteleone. Jerbat herself left the dominion in the hands of her Spokesman and relocated the Capital where she assisted Prince Volospin all while reporting back to Alphatia on the preparations and moves of Glantri.
While all eyes were far to the east are preparations were made to fight Alphatia, the Orc King Thar saw the opportunity to strike at a relatively unprepared Glantri. While Glantri had mobilized for war, expanding to 60 divisions from its pre-war 8, all 3 Army groups were located in the east protecting the direct approaches to Glantri from (and over) the Khanates of Ethengar leaving Glantri west of the Vesubian River dangerously unprotected. Thar launched a attach on Glantri in the summer of 1007 that quickly and bloodily overran the few Army troops around Huledain, the Southern Hills Free Province, and sadly the entire Principality of Blackhill. While Thar turned his attention north towards Glantri City strong forces attempted to reach Redstone and Caurenze but were halted between Caurenze and Blackhiill and between Redstone and Wylon by the bravery of hastily drafted forces from the area including Redstone.
Jerbat herselfwas finally caught in the act of passing information to Alphatia in early 1007 and was locked away deep in the Tower of Sighs. After a year of vicious and unspeakable tortures and interrogations she was finally sentenced by the Council of Princes to death by Black Pudding exposure. The Council declared her missing and presumed dead in 1008 and put Redstone up for an Awards Festival. The Erewan Elf war hero Ansel Widefarer, the Baron of Goriidel and the famed ‘Torch of Aasla’, won the Council vote over Alphatian and Flaemish barons and became the newest Viscount of Redstone.
Widefarer arrived in the midst of the Great Plague which ravaged Glantri but no areas more so than the war raved southwest of Glantri. Redstone was swamped with refugees and the lack of proper food, medical care, and often basic sanitation took a heavy toll on Redstone killing nearly half of those within Redstone. Slowly however the plague burned itself out and late in 1008 the humanoids began to withdraw out of Redstone’s immediate vicinity and the Viscount and his advisors were able to take stock of what he had and start rebuilding in Redstone.
The years since the Great War have been a good time for the people of Redstone. Even though the death toll in Redstone was calculated at 1,143 the influx of refugees during the war, and since its end has made the relative population decline smaller than many other dominions in Glantri. Since there was very little physical damage to Redstone life has quickly been able to resume a sense of normality which is a sleepy peaceful existence that after the events of the last decade, those of Redstone have come to appreciate much more than they might have before.
Notable sites:
The tower of Redstone is famed for its unique red sandstone construction. A 5 story drum tower nearly 100 feet in height it was constructed on the specifications of Robert of Haaskinz for defense yet incorporating beauty into its design and was overseen by the famed architect Fransesco Di Giacoma. The outer wall of the tower itself is a work of art with a long standing tradition of artists petioning the Viscount for permission to carve their works into the walls of the tower.
The farms of Sagen are renowned throughout Glantri for their numerous Pumpkin patches. The largest and most tasteful Pumpkins in all Glantri are grown around this village and are exported throughout Glantri. Pumpkins are thought to be ward against the ghosts and spirits and are especially popular export items to Klantyre and Boldavia which are too cold for Pumpkins to be grown.
Rodham Lake is a new public area for Redstone created by the current Viscount, Ansel Widefarer. Once a lake that merely offered locals a chance to fish as a means to supplement their diets, the Viscount made the surrounding area a public park area for all residents of Redstone and brought in some specialists from Erewan that planted and facilitated the growth of a large number of maples around the lake. Among the youth of Redstone it is considered good luck to propose to ones sweetheart at Rodham Lake, and even better luck to have a child conceived there.
Coat of Arms:
Useful links:
Nobility during the years by Harri Mäki
The Economy of Glantri by Aleksei Andrievski
The Great War 1004-1009 and Ansel Widefarer by Michael Berry