Yeomanry The Yeomanry
His Steadfastness Crispin Redwell, the Freeholder, Spokesman for the Yeomanry League
Capital: Loftwick (6,000)
Population: 100,000
Demi-humans: High Elves (2,000),
Dwarves, Halflings
Humanoids: Few (many in mountains)
Resources: foodstuffs, cloth, silver, gems (II)
The peoples who settled the territory west of the Javan River, north of the Hool Marshes and below the Jotens were mixed tribes of Flannae-Suel. Some Oeridians also came into the area, accepted by the original settlers as long as the newcomers did not infringe the lands or rights of those already there. These peoples developed the habit of holding annual meetings of all the tribes in the region, where disputes were settled and arrrangements of all sorts made. All warriors were treated equally, but each tribe appointed one spokesman for each dozen. Eventually, as numbers grew, this became one for every 12 dozen, with the 12 spokesmen electing a 13th to speak for all. This democratic tradition persisted when the region came under Keoish rule. Despite its isolated position, considerable commerce was carried on between the kingdom proper and the Yeomanry, for the latter area was very rich. Although they exploited them, the Keoish also brought many benefits to the inhabitants of the land. The Keoish monarch, regarding the yeomen as persons of gentle birth and their appointed spokesmen as lesser nobility, gave the region a voice in council (and exposure to the affairs of the world beyond the boundaries of the Yeomanry). Many thousands of yeomen served in the Keoish military for decades, but when the kingdom began its wars of conquest, the freemen of the territory revolted and closed their frontier to Keoish rule forever. The move was successful primarily because the kingdom was beset with rebellion everywhere, but the result was the founding of a state ruled by all of its warriors through election! All those bearing arms, those who have borne them in the past, and artisans and craftsmen are now entitled to elect spokesmen.
The Freeholder must be elected from one of the several score of greater landowners, the council of Common Grosspokesmen. He conducts government affairs and directs the Free Captains of the Battles. The soldiers of the Yeomanry are mostly spearmen and crossbowmen. The mountaineers provide heavy, pole armed troops and light slingers. The greater freeholders furnish the small cavalry contingents. Demi-humans are enlisted in time of need, for they too are electors of the land. Elvish spear and bow units, dwarvish mailed foot, and halfling light troops are brought to the field when the army of the Yeomanry sallies forth.
The Living Greyhawk Gazetter (LGG) is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Setting is 591CYProper Name: The Yeomanry League
Ruler: His Steadfastness, Marius Lindon the Freeholder, Spokesman for the Yeomanry League (NG male human Rgr10)
Government: Independent democratic republic governed by an elected Freeholder (who conducts diplomacy, negotiates treaties, and commands the military) and Council of Common Grosspokesmen (a parliament handling legislative affairs suffrage exists for all adult citizens (human and nonhuman, male and female) who have military service or are gainfully employed in the realm
Capital: Loftwick
Major Towns: Farvale (pop. 4,400), Loftwick (pop. 8,400), Longspear (pop. 7,700), North Reach (pop, 3,700), Westburn (pop. 2,500)
Provinces: Five high districts (towns governing large domains), thirty-one low districts (rural areas with scattered villages)
Resources: Foodstuffs, cloth, silver, gems (II)
Coinage: Freegold (gp), halfgold (ep), silver (sp), common (cp)Population: 305,900—Human 79% (SOf), Halfling 9% (stout), Elf 5% (high), Dwarf 3% (hill), Gnome 2%, Half-elf 1%, Half-orc 1%
Languages: Common, Keolandish, Halfling, Elven
Alignments: LG*, LN, CG, NGReligions: Phaulkon, Heironeous, Allitur, Fortubo, Fharlanghn, Trithereon, Zilchus, Delleb, Joramy, Norebo, Kord, halfling pantheon, dwarf pantheon
Allies: Keoland (weak), Sterich (weak), Knights of the Watch (weak)
Enemies: Scarlet Brotherhood; many giants and nonhumans in Hellfurnaces, Crystalmists, Jotens, Tors, and Hool Marshes; Iuz
Early in the history of this land, the Flan-Suel race that settled here had a strong democratic tradition of government. The warriors of all the tribes in the land elected spokesmen who themselves elected a single spokesman who would convene tribal meetings and negotiations. This democratic tradition persisted under a moderately lengthy period of Keolandish rule, since the Keolanders had the wisdom to listen to those they had conquered.
Yeomanry warriors served in the Keolandish armies for decades, but at the height of Keoland's expansionism, the freemen of the Yeomanry revolted and closed their doors to Keolandish rule forever. This daring move was successful primarily because Keoland was over-extended dealing with other neighboring lands and a major internal revolt at the time. The result has been the creation of a state ruled by its warrior caste through their spokesmen.
During the Wars, the Yeomanry was willing to aid Furyondy against Iuz, but the giant troubles guaranteed that its forces had to stay within the nation's confines. Unlike the unfortunates of Geoff and the Sterish, the stout, well-trained and armed Yeomen fought off the giant/humanoid in cursions and this state remains a strong, powerful, and well-equipped armed camp.
All those who bear arms, have borne arms, or serve as artisans and craftsmen are allowed to elect spokesmen, but this amounts very nearly to universal suffrage.
Nearly all common men and women of the Yeomanry own at least leather armor, a hand weapon, and a bow of some kind, and many own polearms as well. Landowners equip their peasants with such armor and weapons and train them in self-defense militia as a matter of course. The Yeomanry is wealthy from trade, but does not import mercenaries to defend the vital silver and gem mines in its hills and the Jotens; it is proud to protect them itself in alliance with dwarves, strengthened by refugees from Sterich. The state is also notable for a small minority of high elves, who are important in commerce and trade and also form the core of a small but power ful group of mages centered around Loftwick.
Despite its wealth and strength, the Yeomanry does not seek political muscle in the Flanaess. Keoland is distrusted because of its historical ambitions on the land, and there is a powerful mood against sending aid to the north. People are aware that, had this happened during the Greyhawk Wars, the Yeomanry might have fallen to giants. The Yeomanry extends support directly only to the demihumans in the hills and mountains around its borders, and maintains its excellent armies of spearmen, crossbowmen, mountain troops, elvish spear and bow units, and dwarven mailed infantry.
Overview:The Yeomanry League, also known as the Yeoman Freehold, is situated in a valley between the Jotens and the Tors in the southwest corner of the greater Sheldomar Valley. The moderately sized realm is nearly surrounded by the Crystalmists and its spurs, though its eastern border with Keoland is generally regarded as the western bank of the Javan across from the county of Cryllor. Its border continues south to where the great river enters the Hool Marshes and the lands of the Sea Princes. The climate is hot nearly year round in the central valley, though the temperature moderates as one approaches the foothills, particularly in late fall and winter. The Yeomanry is a land populated largely by freemen farmers, who are mostly a Suel-Flan mix. With foodstuffs and cloth the major industries of the nation, the town of Longspear on the eastern border forms the major trading center for the country and the destination for most of its excess goods. Here, foreign visitors are usually welcomed, and much commerce is conducted, particularly with Keoland, the Yeomanry's nearest neighbor.
The Yeomanry is one of very few representative governments in Flanaess. Any citizen of majority who has carried a spear for the nation, either now or in the past, is eligible to elect spokesmen on his behalf from his community. In turn these spokesmen elect representatives, until one reaches the approximately one-hundred-member Council of Common Grosspokesmen. The council meets in the capital of Loftwick four times a year during the festival weeks to decide the affairs of the nation. These delegates act largely as a legislative body, and choose from among the greater landowners of the nation a citizen to act as Freeholder. The Freeholder is charged with being the chief administrator of the nation, and he also directs diplomacy and the heads the armies of the Yeomanry by leading the Free Captains of the Battles. The current Freeholder is Marius Lindon, a ranger from the eastern territories of the Yeomanry. He has held the office for scarcely two years, but was chosen for his expertise in dealing with the nonhuman invasions that have increased with frequency in recent years.
History:As the Suel migrated into the Sheldomar Valley, many of their number sought a peaceful existence. These people, primarily lowborn peasantry from the Suel Imperium, did not venture far from where they emerged into the Flanaess. They settled the high valleys between the Jotens and the Tors and mixed with the local Flan. These new lands, stretching all the way out to the Javan River, had been well explored by the Suel Imperium prior to the Twin Cataclysms. The explorers had established mining enclaves and scouting outposts decades before the onset of the final war, producing small but notable settlements such as Melkot in the Tors and Alran on the Jeklea Coast. For centuries, dissident individuals had escaped imperial eyes to the shores of Jeklea Bay after crossing the dormant Hellfurnaces, but these lands were not of great importance until the destruction of the empire.
In the century following the migrations, the humble folk who settled these lands were conquered and subjugated by a powerful Suel mage who mercilessly swept through their realm from the east. Lord Asberdies, as the tyrannical wizard was known, had emerged from the Dreadwood after the terrible destruction of his noble house, the infamous Malhel, some years earlier. Asberdies ruled the land and its people with cold blooded ruthlessness in a vain attempt to resurrect a vestige of the glory of the Sue Imperium. The tyrant was eventually cast down after years of dominion, during which his outrages ultimately grew unbearable. The yeoman farmers bandied together into small cadres of around a dozen fighters to overcome the forces of the mage in piecemeal fashion through relentless guerrilla strikes upon his forces. Asberdies was soon harried from his throne and realm by the insurgents, who successfully besieged his stronghold.
In the aftermath of securing their independence, these citizen-warriors realized that they had essentially formed the framework of a government. They elected their own spokesmen, who in turn chose leaders to direct the affairs of the realm. The Grosspokesmen, as these leaders would come to be called, established the office of Freeholder, who was essentially an administrator elected to run the government, military, and conduct foreign policy.
Almost two centuries later, in -96 CY, the leaders of the Yeomanry met with representatives of the expanding kingdom of Keoland to discuss their annexation into the latter. Its Grosspokesmen and Freeholder were welcomed as members of the Council of Niole Dra, treated as noble peers within the greater realm. Over the next four centuries, the Yeomanry contributed its well-trained warriors to support the efforts of the kingdom, primarily by securing its borders from invaders and marauders. They were instrumental in the efforts of King Tavish I to conquer the Pomarj and the southern lands that would become the Hold of the Sea Princes.
But this cooperation ended suddenly, during the reign of Tavish II, when the wars turned from defense to naked aggression. In 361 CY, the Yeomanry withdrew its forces from the Keoish armies and closed its borders in protest. It was over a century later that reconciliation between the two sides was finally achieved, when Tavish IV recognized an independent Yeomanry. Thereafter, the Yeomanry settled into a more peaceful existence that has lasted nearly to the present day.
Some dozen years ago, a cavernous bore was found at the foot of the Crystalmists in the western end of the realm. This tunnel, which supposedly pierces the range and leads to the Sea of Dust, has brought renewed (and unwanted) attention to the Yeomanry. This activity is concentrated on Dark Gate, a small town built near the site that enjoys a frontier economy, though it is a dozen miles from Westburn. In 590 CY, adventurers appeared in the town with armor and weapons made of a strange black metal that disintegrated within days. With tales of other great riches and wondrous magic just beyond the entrance to the passage, many have come to seek their fortune.
Freeholder Marius JLindon, elected in 589 CY, has paid little attention to these developments, concentrating on the "giant troubles" in the north. Raids from the Jotens in 590 CY threatened the city of Loftwick, and he has set about reinforcing its defenses lest in 591 his realm suffer the fate of Sterich and Geoff.
Conflicts and Intrigues:Wastrian clerics have appeared in the Hool Marshes since the mid-570s and are blamed for raids as far north as the Little Hills. Refugees from the Sea Princes are causing trouble for southern landholders. The Yeomanry has 2,500 mercenaries working for Keoland, but the Freeholder wants them recalled home. All thirty-eight inhabitants of a small village ten miles from Dark Gate disappeared two months ago, with no clues as to their abductors or current whereabouts.
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