Campaign Design - Regions: The Freeholds

The Freeholds
The Freeholds are a collection of nine kingdoms that are part of the Rhadynnic Sky Empire and occupy the strategic and magic-filled region between the Heulwen and Galation Seas. Although relatively near the island kingdoms that are home to the Rhadynnic Great Houses, the Freeholds are distinct by language, by culture, and by tradition.

The most obvious difference between the Freeholds and the rest of the Rhadynnic Sky Empire is that the native language of their inhabitants is not Rhadynnic, but rather Sorglish. In a similar vein, just as the common language spoken in the Freeholds is descendants resulting from a blend of Enslaic, Rhadynnic, and Rodharic, so are the laws and customs of the region a distinctively unique blend of the three, a fact that often confuses travelers from the rest of the Sky Empire who assume that they are the same as those they are used to.

The most critical distinction between the Freeholds and most of the other territories of the Sky Empire is that none of the Freeholds are beholden to any of the Great Houses, but instead owe allegiance directly to the Carnelian Throne. While taking steps to ensure his son's election, Cearnach II sought to assuage the concerns of the other Great Houses and promised that House Llud would not arrogate too much power to itself by annexing the Freeholds, which were then independent but allied countries, during his reign, and guaranteed that they would never become fiefdoms under the control of his House. Instead, when Cearnach III ascended to become High King, he brought the Freeholds into the Sky Empire as vassals owing allegiance directly to the High King, and not to House Llud or any of the other Great Houses.

The consequence of this long ago power play by High King Cearnach III is that the Freeholds are not under the authority of any of the Rhadynnic Great Houses. Since the fall of House Llud and the resulting Wars of Succession, the Freeholds have been nominally part of the Rhadynnic Sky Empire, but as there has not been an occupant of the Carnelian Throne in more than a hundred years, they have gone their own way for the most part. In the last forty years, the Freeholds have, with some slight nudging by the Collegium, begun to formally work together after the reinvigoration of the High Council, but this is a recent development that may or may not turn out to be permanent.

Money in the Freeholds

Kingdoms
Cadfor
Cenith
Eidling
Ersav
Gwenarth
Medwyr
Melin
Nuthralia
Pen-Loring

Politics
Nobility and Offices

Organizations
The High Council
Urdd Crefft
Warders of the Council

Cities
Cearaden
Celliwig
Donega
Dulyn
Dunnum
Seland

Islands
Misty Isles
Ynys Mon

Mountain Ranges
Crespor Mountains
Ffin Mountains
Hartz Mountains
Nimlau Mountains
Steinig Mountains

Hills
Hills of Brann-Galedd

Forests
Llaithcoed Forest
Rhyfedd Forest
Thornwood

Rivers
Cruth River
Gjol River
Glasrehdeg River
Glein River
Pale River
Pencarn River
Tinnsaker River

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