Post by Ringulf on Apr 30, 2010 19:08:17 GMT -5
Marshwood Fief:
Marshwood Fief is located on the Eastern coast of Araluen just north of Caraway Fief and east of Norgate Fief. Its eastern border is of course the Narrow Sea. it's southern is the Namath River and it's northern is the Picta/Araluen border. The bight or bay to the east above the river is referred to as Marshwood bay and its main port is a deep-water port on the coast north of the river.
Castle Marshwood defends this port and town and is the capital of the fief. Directly to the south of the port of Marshwood is the river which is forked with one arm leading along the Caraway fiefs northern border and the northern fork moving through Marshwood to the bay.
In between the two forks is an extensive marsh. A delta plain which gives the fief it's name. The Baron of Marshwood: Baron Justin Jerradithian is charged with the defense and patrol of these marshes.
He does this with a unit of specially trained "Searangers" who are known as Marshwardens or simply Wardens. The Wardens report to both the Harbormaster and the Fiefs Ranger who is then answerable to the Baron.
The North fork of the river or the "Marshwood fork" as it is referred to is a bit more shallow and treacherous than the deeper fork on the Caraway side so most of the larger vessel traffic tends to use the south fork when simply heading out to sea. The north fork is passable however and it is recommended that a captain take on a pilot in Marshwood to negotiate the ever changing bars and other navigational hazards upriver to Edgeway, the westernmost point of the mashes and the end of navigable river by normal ships. From this point west, any movement of goods needs to be done by rivermen on special craft known as barges. Passengers and smaller cargoes can be shipped aboard the many Keelboats, scows and punts that ply the river from The Port of Marshwood to Edgway.
The trip along the river from Edgeway to the sea can be more hazardous but with a skilled pilot can be several hours faster due to the straighter course of the river and the downriver flow that moves eastward to the bay.
The Harbormaster's position is one of great importance and is held by an old retired pilot and sea captain by the name of Gurney Brewer He also has under his jurisdiction the ever rotating group of Pilots that form the Pilots guild.
The marshes are teeming with wildlife of all sorts and is very productive. In fact Marshwood's main export and cash crop is the fish, game and waterfowl that comes from the marshes and woodlands of the fief and is shipped from the port inland to Araluen and Norgate or by sea to other ports and countries.
One of the Fife's main concerns, however, is the large number of smugglers and river pirates that use the marshes for their clandestine operations.
The Wardens are kept very busy managing and patrolling the large body of legal hunters and fishermen as well as the many poachers and now the smugglers and pirates.
Very recently the former Ranger in charge of Marshwood fief and his apprentice were captured by a group of these criminals.
It is not known for certain what happened to the apprentice but the Ranger Donagal Mac Heath's body was found by a Warden laid out in a small flat boat, with a note to the Harbormaster to lay off or suffer the same consequences.
As was mentioned the north side of the river is sparsely populated with small ricks or towns and from the rivers edges change abruptly to hardwood forests for the majority changing to pine barrens and then to scrub and heath as one goes north toward the hills and mountains that form the northern border of the fief. "The Interior" as it is called is the area of good grazing land between the forests and the heaths to the north.
There is a smaller castle in the north west of the fief near the Norgate border nestled against the hills and mountains of Picta.
Castle Stoneheath is charged with the defense of the Northern and western borders and maintains a goodly sized contingent of soldiers for that purpose. It also houses the fiefs Battleschool which is known for producing very strong riders and warriors as well as special infantry called Highlanders who are adept mountaineers and are mostly drawn from the local population for that purpose.
The Battlemaster of Stoneheath was originally a Highlander who became a knight. His Name is Clanneged MacMorne and he is supported there by the Horsemaster Morgan McFadden.
Major Inns and Markets in Marshwood Fief
There are two major inns in Marshwood Fief.
In Marshwood itself the only reputable inn is the Ruddy Duck Inn a few blocks up the main street from the waterfront.
It is both an Inn and a tavern and the hub of the Marshwood social life outside the Barron's court.
It's proprietor is a young man in his thirties who goes by the name of Woody. His real name is Woodrow Galbreath.
He is an ace hunter and waterfowler who inherited the Inn from his late mother as it had been in her family for many generations.
His father who is also now deceased was one of the most famous hunters and guides in the fief until he was killed by smugglers several years ago.
Woody has always had dreams of being a ranger or a warden and would have been good at both considering the fact that his fathers training made him a great hunter and a crack shot with a longbow. However he has accepted the responsibility of the inn and has come to grips with the fact that things will most likely not change.
He also breeds and raises hunting dogs called Gryphons and there is always a few of these large dogs or a litter of pups underfoot no matter where you turn at the Ruddy Duck.
Of course there are a few other taverns in the village mostly gathered near the waterfront like The Rusty Rudder, The Salty Dog and the Broken Oar but these are rough dives that are frequented by unsavory types and visiting sailors and are rife with crime and violence.
The other main inn is in Stoneheath and is called the Dancing Bear. It is an Inn with rooms to rent and a stable behind it and a pub or public room where guests can relax and have a drink or eat a good meal.
It is about the only game in town and its proprietor Kirby Knucklebuster is a big strapping man with dirty blond hair, mutton-chop sideburns and a mustache.
He is an ex guardsman and sports a beautifully carved wooden peg-leg inlaid with pieces of antler ivory below his left knee. He runs a tight ship and puts up with no shenanigans as he would put it.
The Dancing Bear is popular with all the off duty soldiers of all types as well as most of the older Battleschool students. For the most part everyone gets along well despite departmental pride and rivalry and the students show great respect and always enjoy listening to the veterans that revel under the watchful gaze and large club of Knucklebuster (a well earned nickname).
His wife Maggie is a pretty woman with a round face and rosy cheeks, she has golden blond hair that falls in curls to her shoulders. She is plump and energetic but entirely overworked as she is the sole cook in the inn and takes care of most of the inn's rooms and stables aided only by her young son Kirk.
Kirk is a wiry, industrious, intelligent boy who is very observant and rather shrewd when it comes to turning a bit of coin. He can always be counted on for up to date information and can be trusted with all manner of tasks as he knows the network of goods and services in the town and is very trustworthy and discreet, if not cheap.
These qualities make him a capable groom for the stable and a good messenger and guide as well.
Lastly there is a huge open air fish and game market that thrives in the cool air of this northern fief, down by the waterfront in the Port of Marshwood.
There are hundreds of stalls where each day hunters, trappers, fishermen, foresters, farmers and many other vendors display their wares and do a brisk trade both wholesale and retail.
One can find just about anything made from animals that fly in the air, walk on the land or swim in the water as well as other natural resources highly prized by the rest of the world.
Hardwood and lumber from the forests, and Marshwood's famous salt hay (a valuable winter feed source for horses and other livestock) collected from the vast salt marshes throughout the coast and tidal estuary of the lower river delta are sold and exported. Furniture made from both the forest's timbers and the cane from the marshes are sought after by collectors all over Araluen and several other countries. The wicker and cane work as well as the many sawgrass items scream out "Coastal Araluen and is a craft style indicative of the Fife.
Sheep roam the heaths and scrub pine meadows of the uplands so there is a very good supply of wool, fleece mutton and lamb but there is not a large amount farmland, though grazing land for other livestock is more plentiful in the Interior, so beef, grains and produce are only farmed on a subsistence level and much has to be imported from else wear.
Sheep and horses tend to do rather well on the heaths and in the lower dales and have given rise to the the small communities of Muttonton in the North, just east of Stoneheath, and Bridledale between Muttonton and Marshwood.
Marshwood Fief is located on the Eastern coast of Araluen just north of Caraway Fief and east of Norgate Fief. Its eastern border is of course the Narrow Sea. it's southern is the Namath River and it's northern is the Picta/Araluen border. The bight or bay to the east above the river is referred to as Marshwood bay and its main port is a deep-water port on the coast north of the river.
Castle Marshwood defends this port and town and is the capital of the fief. Directly to the south of the port of Marshwood is the river which is forked with one arm leading along the Caraway fiefs northern border and the northern fork moving through Marshwood to the bay.
In between the two forks is an extensive marsh. A delta plain which gives the fief it's name. The Baron of Marshwood: Baron Justin Jerradithian is charged with the defense and patrol of these marshes.
He does this with a unit of specially trained "Searangers" who are known as Marshwardens or simply Wardens. The Wardens report to both the Harbormaster and the Fiefs Ranger who is then answerable to the Baron.
The North fork of the river or the "Marshwood fork" as it is referred to is a bit more shallow and treacherous than the deeper fork on the Caraway side so most of the larger vessel traffic tends to use the south fork when simply heading out to sea. The north fork is passable however and it is recommended that a captain take on a pilot in Marshwood to negotiate the ever changing bars and other navigational hazards upriver to Edgeway, the westernmost point of the mashes and the end of navigable river by normal ships. From this point west, any movement of goods needs to be done by rivermen on special craft known as barges. Passengers and smaller cargoes can be shipped aboard the many Keelboats, scows and punts that ply the river from The Port of Marshwood to Edgway.
The trip along the river from Edgeway to the sea can be more hazardous but with a skilled pilot can be several hours faster due to the straighter course of the river and the downriver flow that moves eastward to the bay.
The Harbormaster's position is one of great importance and is held by an old retired pilot and sea captain by the name of Gurney Brewer He also has under his jurisdiction the ever rotating group of Pilots that form the Pilots guild.
The marshes are teeming with wildlife of all sorts and is very productive. In fact Marshwood's main export and cash crop is the fish, game and waterfowl that comes from the marshes and woodlands of the fief and is shipped from the port inland to Araluen and Norgate or by sea to other ports and countries.
One of the Fife's main concerns, however, is the large number of smugglers and river pirates that use the marshes for their clandestine operations.
The Wardens are kept very busy managing and patrolling the large body of legal hunters and fishermen as well as the many poachers and now the smugglers and pirates.
Very recently the former Ranger in charge of Marshwood fief and his apprentice were captured by a group of these criminals.
It is not known for certain what happened to the apprentice but the Ranger Donagal Mac Heath's body was found by a Warden laid out in a small flat boat, with a note to the Harbormaster to lay off or suffer the same consequences.
As was mentioned the north side of the river is sparsely populated with small ricks or towns and from the rivers edges change abruptly to hardwood forests for the majority changing to pine barrens and then to scrub and heath as one goes north toward the hills and mountains that form the northern border of the fief. "The Interior" as it is called is the area of good grazing land between the forests and the heaths to the north.
There is a smaller castle in the north west of the fief near the Norgate border nestled against the hills and mountains of Picta.
Castle Stoneheath is charged with the defense of the Northern and western borders and maintains a goodly sized contingent of soldiers for that purpose. It also houses the fiefs Battleschool which is known for producing very strong riders and warriors as well as special infantry called Highlanders who are adept mountaineers and are mostly drawn from the local population for that purpose.
The Battlemaster of Stoneheath was originally a Highlander who became a knight. His Name is Clanneged MacMorne and he is supported there by the Horsemaster Morgan McFadden.
Major Inns and Markets in Marshwood Fief
There are two major inns in Marshwood Fief.
In Marshwood itself the only reputable inn is the Ruddy Duck Inn a few blocks up the main street from the waterfront.
It is both an Inn and a tavern and the hub of the Marshwood social life outside the Barron's court.
It's proprietor is a young man in his thirties who goes by the name of Woody. His real name is Woodrow Galbreath.
He is an ace hunter and waterfowler who inherited the Inn from his late mother as it had been in her family for many generations.
His father who is also now deceased was one of the most famous hunters and guides in the fief until he was killed by smugglers several years ago.
Woody has always had dreams of being a ranger or a warden and would have been good at both considering the fact that his fathers training made him a great hunter and a crack shot with a longbow. However he has accepted the responsibility of the inn and has come to grips with the fact that things will most likely not change.
He also breeds and raises hunting dogs called Gryphons and there is always a few of these large dogs or a litter of pups underfoot no matter where you turn at the Ruddy Duck.
Of course there are a few other taverns in the village mostly gathered near the waterfront like The Rusty Rudder, The Salty Dog and the Broken Oar but these are rough dives that are frequented by unsavory types and visiting sailors and are rife with crime and violence.
The other main inn is in Stoneheath and is called the Dancing Bear. It is an Inn with rooms to rent and a stable behind it and a pub or public room where guests can relax and have a drink or eat a good meal.
It is about the only game in town and its proprietor Kirby Knucklebuster is a big strapping man with dirty blond hair, mutton-chop sideburns and a mustache.
He is an ex guardsman and sports a beautifully carved wooden peg-leg inlaid with pieces of antler ivory below his left knee. He runs a tight ship and puts up with no shenanigans as he would put it.
The Dancing Bear is popular with all the off duty soldiers of all types as well as most of the older Battleschool students. For the most part everyone gets along well despite departmental pride and rivalry and the students show great respect and always enjoy listening to the veterans that revel under the watchful gaze and large club of Knucklebuster (a well earned nickname).
His wife Maggie is a pretty woman with a round face and rosy cheeks, she has golden blond hair that falls in curls to her shoulders. She is plump and energetic but entirely overworked as she is the sole cook in the inn and takes care of most of the inn's rooms and stables aided only by her young son Kirk.
Kirk is a wiry, industrious, intelligent boy who is very observant and rather shrewd when it comes to turning a bit of coin. He can always be counted on for up to date information and can be trusted with all manner of tasks as he knows the network of goods and services in the town and is very trustworthy and discreet, if not cheap.
These qualities make him a capable groom for the stable and a good messenger and guide as well.
Lastly there is a huge open air fish and game market that thrives in the cool air of this northern fief, down by the waterfront in the Port of Marshwood.
There are hundreds of stalls where each day hunters, trappers, fishermen, foresters, farmers and many other vendors display their wares and do a brisk trade both wholesale and retail.
One can find just about anything made from animals that fly in the air, walk on the land or swim in the water as well as other natural resources highly prized by the rest of the world.
Hardwood and lumber from the forests, and Marshwood's famous salt hay (a valuable winter feed source for horses and other livestock) collected from the vast salt marshes throughout the coast and tidal estuary of the lower river delta are sold and exported. Furniture made from both the forest's timbers and the cane from the marshes are sought after by collectors all over Araluen and several other countries. The wicker and cane work as well as the many sawgrass items scream out "Coastal Araluen and is a craft style indicative of the Fife.
Sheep roam the heaths and scrub pine meadows of the uplands so there is a very good supply of wool, fleece mutton and lamb but there is not a large amount farmland, though grazing land for other livestock is more plentiful in the Interior, so beef, grains and produce are only farmed on a subsistence level and much has to be imported from else wear.
Sheep and horses tend to do rather well on the heaths and in the lower dales and have given rise to the the small communities of Muttonton in the North, just east of Stoneheath, and Bridledale between Muttonton and Marshwood.