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Bissel

Bissel, properly known as the March of Bissel, is a political state of the Flanaess.  

Overview

Bissel is at the northernmost reach of the great Sheldomar Valley, on a broad plain bounded by the Barrier Peaks on the west and northwest, the Fals River on the northeast, and the Lorridges on the east. The irregular southern border lies about thirty miles north of Hookhill in Gran March. The northeastern edge of the Dim Forest is claimed and settled by Bisselite woodsmen. Spring flash floods along the Realstream in the west form the only major annual weather problem. Bissel has a temperate if rather dry climate, with the far west getting most of the rain. Its wildlife is greatly varied, and monsters often come down from the nearby mountains. A constant stream of caravans, messengers, and patrols moves along the country’s two major highways: Watchtower Road, running from the capital, Thornward, to Hookhill near the Lorridges, and Fals Road, from Thornward to Mitrik along the Fals River.   Thornward is a sprawling, heavily fortified city with a population of about eleven thousand, surrounded by numerous army camps. The caravan and river traffic through Thornward is of staggering size; items are often available here that are found only in much larger cities. The atmosphere in the city is tense and political intrigue is thick, but mercantile activity is nonstop; the city is brightly lit all hours of the night to keep trade moving.  

History

Bissel has long been the gateway between three worlds (the Baklunish West, the Sheldomar Valley, and the rest of the Flanaess), and as a result has been repeatedly invaded, conquered, and settled by a variety of Oeridian, Suloise, and Baklunish peoples. Some present-day villages and trade routes were established before the ancient Baklunish-Suloise Wars. The area shows the influences of many cultures, but the inhabitants tend to be untrusting of foreigners and keep to themselves. The land was eventually brought into Keoland (c. 302 CY), its troublesome peoples forcibly subdued by the Knights of the March. Keoish forces invaded Ket and Veluna from Thornward through 350–360 CY. After suffering defeats in Ket during the Short War, Keoland pulled back and made Bissel the “Littlemark,” the kingdom’s northernmost domain.   Thornward, now a town of respectable size, was established as its capital to check Ketite expansion south and east of Bramblewood Gap; it grew into a major trade center between Baklunish west and Oeridian/Suloise east. Bissel also profited greatly from trade between Keoland and Furyondy through the Fals River Pass, and Mitrik became the destination of much overland and river traffic. Knights of the Watch have had much influence here over the last 190 years, serving in the margrave’s court and armies.   Bissel was conquered by the combined forces of Furyondy and Veluna in 438 CY, which ended Keoish influence in western Veluna. The throne in Chendl kept Bissel’s office of the margrave, but replaced the ruling family with nobles sympathetic to the affairs of the east. Distance from the Furyondian capital left Bissel practically independent, a state of existence that was made official with great celebration in 477 CY, after Margrave Rollo and his personal guard courageously defended the visiting King Hugh III of Furyondy from a small army of jebli. A grateful king declared Bissel a “march palatine” within days of his daring rescue.   At this time, there was a change in government in Ket, and a conservative-militant faction with strong ties to the military came to power. This group whipped up war fever with tales of Keoland’s invasion in the mid–300s. Ket attacked Thornward and besieged it for a year (499 CY), then continued to raid into Bissel and Veluna off and on for the next decades. Bissel withstood the attacks and remained independent, with the considerable support of Keoland, Furyondy, and Veluna.   The lure of fighting, political instability, and wealthy merchant lords led to an influx in adventurers, spies and mercenaries.  

Geography

Political subdivisions

Royal lands:
  • Province of Thornward
  Baronies:   Townships:

Settlements

Cities

  • Thornward
 

Towns and Villages

  • Avernand
  • Beruak
  • Caelmet
  • Calpius
  • Claebe
  • Clunther
  • Dimashq
  • Dimhaven (Elves)
  • Dountham
  • Ebbernant
  • Ellis
  • Falsford
  • Fyrkohl
  • Grimahl's Hill (Dwarves)
  • Lionmarch
  • Mahiro
  • Mistyvale
  • Nadagiri
  • Padstow
  • Pellak
  • Rabechel
  • Rashvar
  • Saltrenhill
  • Sareden
  • Shaeja
  • Siheftorm
  • Stahj
  • Thawr
  • Truelight
  • Vigilance
  • Wood's Edge
  • Wrekin

Notable locations

 
  • Brierden Keep
  • Castle Oversight
  • Castle Oversight
  • Monastery of Serene Thought
  • Monastery of Serene Thought
  • Old Border Towers (ruined)
  • Old Border Towers (ruined)
  • Peacekeep
  • Peacekeep
  • Valiserat Keep
  • Valiserat Keep

    • Demography and Population

    123,880 — Human 82% (OSB), Dwarf 10% (Mountain 57%, Hill 43%), Elf 2% (Wood), Halfling 2% (Stout), Gnome 2%, Half-elf 1%, Other 1%
    Type
    Geopolitical, Marquisate
    Capital
    Thornward
    Demonym
    Bisselite
    Government System
    Monarchy, Elective
    Power Structure
    Feudal state
    Currency
    [Modified Keoland] Griffon (pp), Lion (gp), Eagle (ep), Stag (sp), Roc (cp)
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    Organization
    World
    Greyhawk
    Category
    Nations in Atlas Greyhawkania
    Author
    TealsTracks
    Publication Date
    18 May, 2021
    Creation Date
    18 May, 2021
    Last Update Date
    21 May, 2022
    Visibility
    Public
    Views
    311
    Favorites
    Comments
    0
    Work In Progress

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