Esterland

Twenty years ago.

Mikhail Esterland, the Plate of Esterland, has been fighting to get his estate out of debt. For generations, Esterland has been frightened in to a highly defensive posture, requiring wealth they did not how to maintain it. They have borrowed millions of gold from Defenixal in the past, and Mikhail wanted nothing but to see that debt removed from the estate.

Ivon Dorderrak, a Vice-King of the Empire of Bior and sovereign of Clan Dorderrak, is ruling a large and industrious mountain range that has become incapable of sustaining itself after a terrible famine has struck his people. This has caused them to become dependent on their human neighbors, Esterland, for grain shipment. There was always a small tariff in the past, and that seemed reasonable to the honorable dwarven people.

Mikhail saw an opportunity. He increased the tariff. In days, there was war. The fighting took place in the northern plains called “Helmfast”, the southern plains called “Plentyberry”, and the lake in between the two called Lake Esterland by the Esterlanders, and Dorderrak Fishing Annex by the Clan. To the north, there were even great battles in the Xakalth Sea.

Defenixal rose to protect its vassal. Mikhail refused to have any part of Defenixal bleeding him for more coin, and insisted to his own advisors that they would keep this war on their terms only. This pride gave strength to the Esterlanders, but it was also the reason the war lasted so long. There was no shortage of angry dwarves to fight. In thirteen years, Mikhail took his pride to the next level, leading a game-changing assault on a Helmfast dwarven outpost known as Diederskuun. He was killed by a throwing knife to the ankle and remained mounted for twenty minutes, bleeding to death in front of his troops without knowing of the wound. The dwarves held fast, and the humans were forced to regroup

Mikhail’s son, Georg, carried the war onward, with his father’s pride. His ship was sunk five years later in a naval engagement off the northern coast, but managed to bring a small victory to the human cause.

Following the line of succession, a teenage Iulia Esterland took the throne, with her two younger sisters Oana and Sheriaga, two capables wizards, as the remainder of the line. Iulia did not suffer from pride and did not have the respect of the people. Esterland was weary of the war, and the only reason she kept it going was the knowledge that the dwarves could not afford to fight away from their dwarven halls for much longer either. She encouraged less offensive campaigns, and defended resource areas instead of old keeps built by Defenixal ages ago. The dwarves took these abandoned keeps, but had no food to feed their own forces. She allowed them to starve without much fighting.

Before Esterland could truly turn the tide, a hobgoblin expeditionary force rose from the south, with no warning from their neighbors. They were unlike anything seen before, with an incredible grasp of warfare and discipline, with no understood goal. This three front war changed everything. Iulia did what she thought was best, and asked for help from Defenixal. However, she was not aware that the empire had been invaded all over, and Defenixal was incapable of helping in any regard. Esterland was on their own.

Oana attempted to convince her to hide this truth from her people. Iulia instead felt it right to let them know the grave matter, and call for conscription instead. She then decided to withdraw as many people as she could from the hobble path of destruction, letting them head to the dwarves instead. The dwarves fought well but were decimated. Then Iulia, in what started the legend of her reign, led a concentrated fight against the dwarves. Ivon Dorderrak saw this as despicable behavior and challenged her to a one-on-one fight. She felt there was no choice but for her to stand up for Esterland and accept. She struck him with her Morningstar, named “The Shrike’s Claw”, which crushed his skull and killed him instantly. The dwarves yielded, and on that day she led both forces to fight off the hobble invasion. The hobgoblins, as calculating a foe as they are, did not see the possibility of these armies allying against them, and were routed out of the estate.

In an unexpected twist, Oana poisoned Iulia’s victory wine, but through strange luck a dwarf accidentally drank from her glass, revealing the plot. Sheriaga used her magicks to determine that, sadly, their sister was attempting to usurp the throne; a Nihnite spy! Iulia, in a mixture of compassion and cruelty, had Sheriaga imprison Oana at the bottom of Lake Esterland in an icy prison for all eternity. Little is/was known of Nihnites or how to truly deal with them.

Two months have passed. Iulia is regarded as the greatest figure since the founding of Esterland. Part of the peace with Clan Dorderrak – Iulia has banished the tariff altogether, allowing free trade between the clan and estate. In return, Dorderrak would supply a garrison and an ambassador to each city and town in Esterland. There are rumbles of secession throughout the estate, a rare new concept. Defenixal was not there for Esterland, and Esterland did not need them. Some believe this revolution should be violent, some believe the feeling should be mutual. Some believe this concept is dangerous and should not be considered lightly. Iulia is unofficially called “the Queen”, a title she has not publicly acknowledged or refused. Her “Shrike’s Claw” has become the symbol of freedom in the estate. There is some hostility still toward dwarven neighbors and humans, but those feelings are nothing like those for the hobgoblins.

Horne is a town of some-1500 people, a tradepost between Ester and Polsen, two much larger cities. The road is well kept, and the rocky hills used to bring many travelers looking for gold. Four major gold mines are in the area, but three have closed mysteriously, making some nervous about what they are going to do for work. The town’s Link (think: Baron) is Gustav Esterland, a noble who has a prestigious battle record against the dwarves but understands the politics of befriending them. His old city seneschal was a paladin named Hennesey Esterland, who spoke of the might of Defenixal, and Gustav had him hung for refusing his orders two weeks ago to allow Clan Dorderrak’s garrison in to town as a replacement for Defenixal’s troops, which were still slated to come but with no ETA. Public opinion of this is mixed, with some nervous, some excited by the prospect of casting off the Empire. The city marshall is Corvinius Esterland, a half-elf paladin who has no trouble turning on the Empire for the Estate’s sovereignty. He also is alright with the dwarven presence, understanding its necessity. There are talks of a very important dwarf coming to town to fill now-empty position of city seneschal. The constable of town is Darkless, a tiefling regarded by some as shady. The largest church in town is the First Cathedral of Defenixal, which has been renamed to “The First Cathedral of Esterland” by its firebrand preacher Altar Lord Ionar (a half-orc who is very well spoken). He is verbal about secession is the only “Enlightened Faith.” The less politically tilted Temple of Golden Faith is led by an aasimar named Epting, who is polite but respectful of all views. A druid with his own flock is Martel, a man from the circle known as “Lifespring”, all about the importance of community. He is respectful of other holy leaders, and well respected. A wizard named Canderby has proven himself in the war against the Hobbles in Ybrithe, and has set up a tower to teach any and all wizards. He believes secession is the only way, but insists on peaceful relations with Ybrithe and the expulsion of the wood elves in the area. Two wood elf tribes nearby are the Elkheart, known for being friendly but aloof, and the Whisperfoot, known for simply being aloof. No one can tell them apart. There are also other wood elves simply dubbed “the Sin Elves”, known for their violence and inhumanity. The Pillar of Glass, a monk’s monastery led by Suto Lore, teaches martial discipline and finding harmony through mysterious forces, and eschews all political ties. A powerful arcanery owned by a man named Horvath is in the area, who specializes in second-hand magical items and reprogramming any gear that comes his way, despite how abrasive he is. There is a brothel, which Richard will have to come up with on his own. There are many noteworthy taverns – one is called the Silver Lady (very upscale), another called the Rose Chapel (used to be a church, was turned in to a cheap and seedy tavern), and another called Whiskeytown (a huge and well known inn and tavern in the heart of town).