Barony of Axewood
Overview
Located on the western bank of the Sheldomar River in the northeastern part of the kingdom, the Barony of Axewood includes the portion of the Axewood west of the great river, and some open land south to the border of the Duchy of Dorlin. ln ancient days, the forest was much more expansive, its verges reaching nearly to the outskirts of Niole Dra. However, prodigious logging of the wood by the Keoish slowly consumed the timberland. Such activity was eventually banned when the Duke of Ulek assumed a seat in council, leaving the forest with the name it ironically bears to this day. The portion of the forest east of the Sheldomar within Ulek is entirely sylvan, home to many spriggans, treants, and unicorns. This is only somewhat less true of the western half of the forest in Keoland, where more elves makes their homes beneath the boughs and humans interact with the peripheries of wood by foraging and hunting sparingly, under the supervision of a local council. The current Baron of Axewood is Anladon II, a half-elven lord who once owed fealty to the Duke of Ulek, which makes him one of the rare non-human members of the Council of Niole Dra outside of the Good Hills Union. The Barony of Axewood sports the kingdom’s largest elven population outside the Dreadwood, including many half-elves. The Baron withdrew his small northeastern barony from the Duchy of Ulek when the latter separated from the Keoish Throne in 461 CY. Recent relations between the Baron and Ulek, however, are very good. Anladon is very old, even for a half-elf, and is generally deemed a font of historical knowledge in the kingdom. His experience and memories date back to before the dissolution of Keoland’s brief empire in the last century. As a young man he took part in the defense of Hookhill against the Knights of the Hart at the tail end of the Short War and later participated in the ill-fated invasion of Geoff in 450 CY with Prince Luschan (who died on the battlefield). Anladon and Temend I Sedenna are strong and fast friends, and the monarch an often be found in retreat here in Axewood. Anladon is one of the king’s closest confidants, a fact which needles the Archmage Lashton and the king’s brother both, for they fear the baron advises the king at cross-purposes to their own.
Type
Geopolitical, Barony
Capital
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Parent Organization
Comments