Haerford
Culture
The Harnigan people are a people of contrasts. They can be both harsh and blunt, but also incredibly vibrant souls with a love of hard work and life. They are in fact commonly stereotyped as blunt brutes swinging black stones at each other, but this isn't entirely true. However yes, it has to be admitted that their province has some of the harshest legal punishments in the kingdom, and they aren't entirely "hated" by the people at large. Rule breakers cause problems for everyone, and make the entire system collapse, and so measures must be taken to punish rule breakers. This has led to a sort of grim black comedy amongst the Harnigans in where the phrase "As likely as an empty Gallows" is a phrase meaning: something that is impossible or incredibly improbable (due to how often the gallows are filled with the swinging corpses of criminals, mutants, and witches). However it should be said that many Ashfeldian people agree that Harnigan women are some of the most passionate in the land, if also the most fiery. More than one unfortunate drunkard has seen themselves tossed half naked and bruised out the tavern by a rather upset Harnigan maiden.
Harnigans are a people of work, for they have to be to support the armies of the kingdom, though now more just the provisonal army due to the civil war. Being one of the direct links to Northern trade, and some of the most rich mineral wealth, Haerford has always been a rather rich province. It is also considered a melting pot of cultures as many cultural "ticks" have been picked up by the Harnigans. Neunians, Elves from Iadith, and even the usually dreaded Northmen of Aldinnheimr have traded and even lived amongst the people of Haerford. These Aldinnians especially have mixed in with the Harnigans, leading some to joke that the Harnigans are more barbarian than Ashefeldian, though the noble Harnigan women do find it rather "in fashion" to have a strapping young Northman as a "consort". Regardless, this melting pot effect has led to Haerford to be dripping with culture, which gives them all the more reason to fight for their home. Weather it be the small rebel groups trying to overthrow the Duke and institute a more "relaxed" form of role, or those who know that while their Duke is a harsh man, they'd rather die then let some Armorian take their land from their hands.
History
The people of Haerford have history as one of the most warlike tribes. Their land was made up of many different tribes, until the Wulinkarn tribe would conquer the tribes scattered across the land. They would marry with the men and women of the conquered tribes, and from this the beginning of the now modern Harnigans were born. The Wulinkarn tribe was the second but one of the most stubborn tribes to submit to Heymon, for they had wanted to be left alone to war with the Neunian tribes to their north as well as the Faethill Elves. However, it is said that their warchief, one Agiwulf, was not some blind berserker. When Heymon approached Agiwulf, it is said that Heymon approached with not axe, but with word, and though Agiwulf was stubborn, the benefits Heymon highlighted to cooperation were too great, and so Agiwulf accepted, and beat his tribe into submission if any protested the new All-Ruler Heymon.
When Heymon disappeared, the now christened province of Haerford was quick to petition their finest nobles to take the mantle of ruling. To their shock they actually won, and established a long dynasty that ruled Ashenfeld for over 400 years before being outmaneuvered by a Coltherstone noble dynasty, a slight some Harnigans have not forgotten. However the event that marked this province was when strange black comets catapulted from the heavens into the land and mountains. These comets miraculously revealed rich mineral deposits that quickly turned the province into the industrial and mineral powerhouse of the Kingdom around the year 1785. but it showed the Harnigans the Blackstone. The Blackstone was a mineral that could be refined into an incredibly dense metal, only outmatched by Dwarven Metal (though only barely), and became a status symbol for the wealthiest and most competent military commanders
Being on the border of Neundorf, Haerford is no stranger to conflict. With scattered orc tribes everywhere, and the occasional Neundorf skirmish, not to mention what other nefarious monsters may exist in the realm, such drastic circumstances required an iron fisted approach. In truth the "harsh" way of running isn't a new development in Haerford's history, but it has only gotten worse as time has progressed. Dissent is forcefully discouraged, and it has to be for uprisings and rebellions have plagued the province for a long time, for it seems the Wulinkarn blood still runs hot. However Bruce the Bastard, managing to become Duke of the province through a long series of political marriages and maneuverings, has made sure to bolster the security of his province from threats without, and within. With the civil war raging in Ashenfeld, some whisper that Bruce has gone mad, as he burns his way to his fathers throne, pillaging and ravaging any village that dares earn his ire. The walls around the castle now hang with the bodies of those that have wronged the duke, a grisly warning to all his enemies indeed...
Foreign Relations
"You know, those Harnigan Noble Ladies might be on to something. I used to be terrified of the idea of those Northmen raiders hitting our costal town, but after getting to the big city once to drop off some supplies i lucked upon, well...I wouldn't be opposed to a handsome blond lad carrying me off for an evening if you feel me" -Amber Barnes, recently widowed Butchers Wife in Coltherstone
"Let those prissy wankers from Aramoor call us barbarians. They just jealous that their sod of a king probbaly can't tell which way his obese horse is supposed to face" -Anthony Cook, Haerford Soldier
"Those Harnigan women know how to grieve alight. Light, what i would give to have a wife that'd grieve like that for me" - Lady Berta Rothenstein, Knight of Neundorf
"Blood thirsty sods, the lot of them. Only beaten out by those fuckin psychopaths in Catrthland, though that ain't saying much. My advice: Keep ya hands to yourself, keep ya mouth shut unless spoken to, and do whatever business ya need to do and get the hell out of that fuckin place. They'll watch you swing for wearing a bloody smile, the muppets" -Carter Holmes, River Trader from Murton
Having a reputation as a harsh people does little to make friends, and for the most part Haerford stands alone, although Cartland do at least have a tiny amount of respect for the Harnigans as people "almost on the right track". With Neundorf the relations with Haerford are complicated, having done many skirmishes against one another in the past, but the Neunians make for good trade partners, and have some damn good booze, so the Harnigans don't give them too much trouble.
Capital
Haerford
Main Exports
Steel, Gold, Silver, Iron, Coal, Trade Goods
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Demonym
Harnigans, Fordenlanders
Parent Organization
Notable Members
