Caercas
A province of Roesone. Location of the Capital Rockwell.
Caercas is the center of Roesone in many ways. It is the largest and most densely settled province of the realm, and it is home to Rockwell, the capital of Roesone. Caercas was the original holding of Daen Roesone, and even during the years in which most of this land was empty, several settlements and freesteads could still be found in this area.
The word "Caercas" is Old Andu for "Highcastle." The province takes its name from a large hill over looking the Spider River's plain. The hilltop is now home to the castle Blacktower, the home of House Roesone and the chief defense of Rockwell. The new castle shares the hilltop with the ruins of several older fortifications. It's said that there are caves and vaults underneath Blacktower that are still unexplored by the baron's men. Caereas is the royal province, held directly by the baron without any vassal lords. However, the Castellan of Rockwell administers the area and looks after local matters.
towns
towns
Rockwell is the largest town in all of Roesone, with a population of nearly 8,000 people. This is the farthest point at which the Spider River is navigable to oceangoing vessels, and many docks and wharves line the riverfront. The meat, produce, wool, and leather of the local farmstead find their way to market here. Rockwell is also home to some of the more specialized occupations not found elsewhere in Roesone, such as scribes, bookmakers, glaziers and glassblowers, jewelers, and others. Rockwell is administered by a lord mayor, Michael Agnelie, who reports to the castellan of the castle.
In the eastern part of Caercas stands the cross roads town of Harviel. This town is famous as the site of Daen Roesone's greatest victory over the forces of Diemed. In 1575 MR, Roesone had been pushed out of Caercas by a mighty Dieman army, but the canny old baron turned and stood his ground here, catching the Diems by surprise. Low barrows mark the resting place of the 2,000 soldiers slain in the battle. The locals claim that once a year, on the anniversary of the battle, the ghosts of the slain rise and reenact their last fight.
Near the Duerlin border stands the small town of Greatbridge. Six hundred years ago, Avonlaean engineers attempted to bridge the Spider River, and the town grew up around the construction camp. The effort was abandoned 20 years later after spring flooding proved to be too great an obstacle. A line of stone piers marks the spot where the bridge was to be built.
the castellan
the castellan
Although Caercas is technically under the direct rule of the baron, in practice the leaders of Roesone have had too much to do to worry about administrating one province. This duty usually fell on the shoulders of the castellan, the highest ranking servant of the baron. Morghan Roesone made the position hereditary to reward Castellan Noelon, and the Noelon family has held the position since, The current castellan is Traese Noelon, a quiet and competent man who believes that when he's doing his job right, people ought to forget that he's there. Traese is troubled by a pair of rebellious and unruly sons who have made a career of dragging the family name through the mud.
blacktower castle
blacktower castle
Rising high above the walls of the barony's capital is the castle Blacktower, an impressive keep that sits on a tall crag overlooking the city. Blacktower Castle is a very solid fortification, grounded on good hard rock and well defended by its rocky mount. The castle gains its name from the stone of the keep, a local variety of black granite which was quarried in nearby Ghoried.
