Duchy of Savoy (Vailor)
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The Duchy of Savoy, also referred to as the Crownlands, was the capital region of the Reformed Kingdom of Oren in Vailor, encompassing the capital city of Felsen. As its alternate name suggests, it fell under the direct rule of King Olivier de Savoie.
The Savoyard culture of its overlords is prevalent in the region and shared by most nobles under the duchy.
Savoy has been recently reformed as the Principality of Savoy.
History
When the descendants arrived upon the lands of Vailor, Orenian scouts were sent off into the unknown to survey the coasts and terrain of the Isles of Vailor. Upon a week later, an area was claimed in the name of the Kingdom by King Olivier de Savoie, it being comparatively the same climate as the Duchy of Petrus, better known as the Atheran capital of the Kingdom before the exodus. With enough inducement, thousands of men and women of the Kingdom migrated to this new area after the arrival upon the new land, and pitched hundreds of tents upon the border of the newly established city of Felsen, the acting capital of the Kingdom of Oren in the Isles of Vailor. Promptly after the pitching of tents, King Olivier ordered his architects to design a grand city, nothing Humanity has seen before - one which would act as the jewel of their race. It was only a short matter of time before such a city was designed, which was followed by hundreds of laborers and builders to begin the foundations of Felsen. A month after, only the front gates of the city were built, which irked King Olivier. A forceful conscription of men whom shirked from contributions to the Kingdom led to a more quicker and efficient construction of Felsen, as the foundations of many townhouses had begun to sprung up from the soil. More months past, and more townhouses had completed, gesturing for the men and women of Oren to start moving into the homes. The docks of the city were also built - Something a capital for humanity has not seen in a long, long time - hundreds of years in fact, dating back to Anthos. This opened new gateways for commerce on the seas, all apart of the scheme to make a flourishing capital for the Kingdom.
To please his Holiness, the High Pontiff Sixtus III, a cathedral was built, with great size and height, and stained windows depicting the acts of the Saints. The roof of the cathedral are painted with the stories and writings you would see in the Holy Book of the True Faith, some showing great acts, others pious deeds. Right in front of the cathedral, a paved square was made for men to congregate in, colored marble and polished stone giving it a royal influence. Right beside the square was a tavern dubbed the Seven Cats, which would also be used to promote conversing and socialization to the denizens. The city also includes a barracks for the Felsen Watch (Better known as the city guard), a well fortified compound. At this stage of construction, the majority of housing and commercial buildings were erected side by side, creating a dense network of alleyways for people to travel through. The stewards, with the acknowledgement of King Olivier, now asked the inhabitants of the encampment outside the city to remove their tents, and relocate into the housing. In present day, there has yet to be a palace constructed by the labourers and builders, as King Olivier was facing delays via the architects due to their incompetence and lack of perseverance.
On the border of the Heartlands, the construction of castle Dour Watch had begun. Titus de Sola, patriarch of House de Sola and the newly appointed Baron of Dour Watch, took a large amount of laborers and slaves to build, brick by brick, a massive military fort. Titus and King Olivier envisioned this Castle to act as the main defense against any foe that tries to advance into the capital region, making sure that it's fully prepared for any siege by constructing large walls, tall towers that touched the clouds, and of course - a large stock of counter-siege equipment, such as ballistas and catapults. A few months later, Dour Watch was constructed as they visualized. The two massive gates and two large keeps beside one and another created a brief checkpoint system designed to intimidate and trap any enemy of the Kingdom, as well as it's large walls that encircle the keeps for optimum fortification.
Following the construction of Dour Watch and the removal of multiple groups from temporary camping outside out the City the Savoyards that served under the banner of the Order of St. Amyas or had sworn to the House de Bar made their way eastwards, occupying the lands that would be called Peremont. As construction of this land, the position imperative on protecting the Felsenic-Adrian Highway, so too did the building work on the palace in Felsen. Overseen primarily by the Band of Esheveurd under the service of Gereon de Savoie plans were laid and the foundations were swiftly placed on a neighbouring isle to compensate for earlier lost time. As the keep at Peremont, a grand building, was finished the de Sola's of Dour Watch began a feud with the Vladovs over a trial of one of their kinsmen, heralding a time of potential unease for the region.
Leaders/Government
The Crownlands was the land of the Duchy of Savoy, under the regime of King Olivier I of House de Savoie. The capital the Reformed Kingdom of Oren, the Duchy, and the general region was the city of Felsen, led by the steward council (Established shortly after the construction of the city) under the control of the current King. The Kingdom was an absolute monarchy, whomever holds power within the region, or the city of Felsen, falls under the hierarchy that the Kingdom/Region follows by.
Notable Figures
- Olivier de Savoie, former King of Oren.
- Ceriwyn de Savoie, former Queen of Oren.
- Other members of House de Savoie.
- Sixtus III, former High Pontiff of the Church of the Canon.
- Guy de Bar, current King of Oren.
- Titus de Sola, patriarch of House de Sola, Baron of Dour Watch.
- Hadrian Chivay, renowned King's guard member.
Cities/Geography
The Crownlands was located North-East of Cloud Temple, near the North of Vailor, making it a humid continental climate, the same the Duchy of Petrus was in Athera. The area was subjected to little snowfall though, depending on the season - The Amber and Deep Cold being where snowfall was most relevant. Geo-politically, the Crownlands influence spans across most of the North-Eastern coast, connecting with the other Duchy's and regions under the Reformed Kingdom of Oren, which all extend down southwards, even into the islands of the Mali. The current cities of the Crownlands are:
- Felsen: The capital city of Crownlands, and the Reformed Kingdom of Oren, Felsen was a large city, encompassing a huge plot of the coast. Because of it's location, naval commerce was relevant within this City, and so was it's large population of Human's, compared to other minor settlements and villages in the Kingdom. It was located within the heart of the Crownlands, and faces little snowfall compared to other parts of the large region.
- Dour Watch: A large military castle near the border of the Crownlands. Currently held by Baron Titus de Sola of the Barony of Dour Watch, the castle acts as the main gateway and defense against foreign invaders. It was currently inhabited by a military garrison, predominantly cavalry due to de Sola's reputation for having one of the greatest cavalry forces in the Kingdom.
- Peremont: The seat of the House de Bar and located due east of Felsen, the large and grandiose keep serves as the base for the militant Order of St. Amyas. Situated between Felsen and Adria it acts as a powerful fort and dominates the local roadways with its grand stature.
Military
The military of the Crownlands was entirely dependent on bannerman and garrisons within the region. If the area was attacked by a foreign invasion, men would rally from different Houses of Oren to defend this region, as there was no centralized military in the Reformed Kingdom of Oren, unlike many other nations or factions. Minor military forces include the Felsen Watch, which acts as the main peacekeeping tool to keep order within the capital city and also act as part of it's garrison and many bannerman and soldiers of unlanded Houses that currently reside within the Crownlands.
One of the major military orders in the city of Felsen and the surrounding areas was the Band of Esheveurd, a force of soldiers under the command of the Prince Gereon de Savoie. It serves as a King's Guard and keeps the streets of Felsen safe when the Felsen Watch are not active - being an elite force that guards the royal family.