Gravelhold
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Gravelhold, otherwise known as Fort Gravelhold, was established circa 1570s was founded by the Fourth Savoyard Brigade within the Blackfen, a Marshland in Tahn's Crownlands on Axios, during the Fifth Holy Orenian Empire. A de jure part of the Crown of Renatus-Marna & traditionally land held by the Duchy of Mardon and its Dukes in the House of Horen, It has served primarily as Military Fortification to hold the County of the Blackfen within central Tahn, alongside the lands held by the House of Pruvia, from Lotharingian or foreign incursion. It eventually became the seat of the Haenseni émigrés, the House of Amador, as Counts of the Blackfen, though Peter II, Holy Orenian Emperor continued to hold the title of Baron of Gravelhold for Administrative and Imperial purposes.
Axios
"Fort Gravelhold in the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire, circa 1640"
History
The Fourth Savoyard Brigade
On the 10th of Sun’s Smile, 1579, In the name of John III, Holy Orenian Emperor, Ser Rakim of House Yar & Ser Leopold of the House of Horen, the Imperial Archchancellor began to organise the Legions of the Fifth Holy Orenian Empire. Upon the creation of the Legions, enlistments for military service began for the next decade. Some six years later in, On the 1st of First Seed, 1585, the Duke of Blackwald, Jon Renault, a Savoy Lord, created the Fourth Savoyard Brigade to support the Fifth Holy Orenian Empire. The Duke of the Blackwald, which would become the Marshland we know today to be the Blackfen, Jon Renault raised the Fort of Gravelhold for the Fourth Savoyard Bridgade. It served at the enlistment center for the Brigade and was used to defend the Blackwald from incursion
After the fall of the Fifth Holy Orenian Empire, The Fortress was essentially abandoned, held in title by the Duke of Mardon only, falling into a state of disrepair.
Owyn I Amador
Following the Great Northern War versus the Dual Kingdom of Haenseti-Ruska & the Kingdom of Courland, a number of Haenseni émigrés fled their devastated home, in search of new opportunites and safety from war. In 1607, Owyn "Iron-Fist" Amador was one such Haenseni émigré. Upon meeting with the then Duke of Mardon, Peter Sigismund, he managed to acquire the neglected fortification after trading it for a failed fortification called Stormholme.
As Count of Gravelhold, Owyn Amador who proved instrumental in the creation of the Sixth Iteration of the Holy Orenian Empire. He became the Treasurer of the Duke of Mardon whilst working in concert with Frederick, Prince of Pruvia to lay the groundwork for a return of the Imperium. Given the Northern Kingdom of Haense was effecitvely non-existent, decimated by the horrendous war, Owyn worked for a new home for the House of Amador. Reacting to an attempt by his mother, Queen Anna of Lotharingia, to seize the Kingdom of Lotharingia, the Duchy of Mardon stepped into the fray, so that they may seize the Barony of Ostwick and claim the imperial mantle. During this time, Owyn is known to have called for action in the Ducal council in the hopes of saving his mother and the now Chamberlain of Ostwick, Aylwin Blaxton,from their dire situation. After the Assassination of Owyn's Mother, Ducal forces stepped in and evacuated the remaining courtiers of the Barony of Ostwick, allowing Peter Sigismund the opportunity to declare himself Peter II, Holy Orenian Emperor in the following years. Owyn's former diplomat, Aylwin Blaxton, was given the Role of Chancellor in the Principality of Pruvia at Hochspitze, before being made Viscount of Brabant. Owyn would later receive Aylwin's Vassalage after a transfer between the Amadors and the Horen-Pruessens following the Pruvian Inheritance.
In 1615, Owyn "Iron-fist" Amador, died of of a prolonged lung infection (potentially a bloody flux) at Gravelhold within the Blackfen Marshlands.
Henrik I Amador
Henrik I Amador swore his fealty to the Duke, as was expected of him and, in turn, received his father's lands and titles. Not too long after this transition of power, the Ambitious Duke proclaimed the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire with his now-integrated Allies, crowning himself Peter II, Holy Orenian Emperor.
A stern disciplinarian with outwardly cold appearance but a fair disposition towards his men, Henrik saw little value in Gravelhold, other than as a home for his family and a means to gain the mina to rebuild the Imperial Legions for the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire. Henrik used his manpower to fell a number of trees in the Blackfen and drain the marshlands to make space for further settlement in the swamps, however, this caused outbreaks of plague, which hindered his works.
Henrik married Artemis Palaiologos, the daughter of a Duke of Mystra and Granddaughter of the King of Santegia & together they had a number of children within the Halls of Gravelhold. Sisters and Brothers were also welcome to stay in Gravelhold. By all accounts, Henrik's hard exterior softened greatly in the presence of his Countess, who became a regular at Court. It was a loving married and the Count lavished his wife with jewelry and gifts that remain in House Amador to this day.
War would come to dominate Henrik's adult life. After reforming the Legion Imperium Sextus, tensions between the Dwarven clans, as well as internal strife against the Romstuns, became the focus of the Imperium. Civil war broke out in Urguan & the true king sought Imperial aid. Henrik, now Twenty-Eight years old was Marshal of the Legions, was presumed to be the made Field Marshal (The head of the Army during war time. ), but given his young age and family name, Emperor Peter opted for an older war veteran of his court. Spurned, Henrik maintained his Marshal's baton and Second in command, despite his protests. He joined his comrades within the Amador Wardens in the battlefield.
Henrik Ramdir Amador died of his wounds in 1634 on the field of honour, but his remains were returned to Gravelhold where they were buried in the Amador crypts.
Ruslan II Amador
In contrast to his more martial twin-brother, Ruslan II Amador was a man more typical of the House of Amador, having been serving as a steward within the Imperial Capital of Adelburg and working to rebuild the family fortunes after Owyn Amador had to spend a great deal of it attempting to replace the House of Amador's lost lands.
When he became the Count of the Blackfen and held Gravelhold, Ruslan does not appear to have done much with the land, instead opting to leave it to disrepair in favor of his comfortable residence in Adelburg. Instead, he allowed the Dowager-Countess, Princess Artemis, to remain on the land to raise her children without fear of reprocussion. Sadly, at the end of the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire, Ruslan appears to go missing and any mention of Gravelhold appears to go missing following the exodus to Atlas.
Geography
The Duchy of Blackwald, the County of Blackfen & the Barony of Gravelhold were all situated within the largest swampland on Tahn in Axios. Whilst bragging a great deal of land, and potential influence upon it, the marshes themselves were infested with insects and a miasma that laid thick on the lungs, exacerbating any with lung conditions. Plagues and other illness were a common occurance in the land.
Due to the swampland that surrounded the Fort of Gravelhold, no agricultural produce could be cultivated and no animals could be raised. As a result, the area's biggest export was Lumber. So much so, that Henrik I Amador deforested a great amount of the area in the hopes of draining the swamps and making it more suitable for human habitation, despite multiple deaths on his hands for doing so. The Lumber from this gargantuan effort served the Sixth Holy Orenian Empire well, as the proceeds of it effectively paid the wages of all the soldiers of the Sextus Imperium Legions.
As a result of the harsh land they inhabited, few nobles could make an adequate living from the scarce resources found in this area. However, hunting in the marshes was a fruitful endeavour with wild boar being found in the area, providing a stable source of meat for the residents.
Notable Figures of Gravelhold
Residents of Gravelhold under the Amadors
- Owyn Amador
- Henrik I Amador
- Adrijana Kovachev of Carnatia, Wife
- Artemis Palaiologos de Savin, Wife
- Renard Mylander Amador, Son
- Katherine Amelia Amador, Daughter
- Ruslan II Amador, Twin-Brother
- Diane Amador, Sister
- Jack Amador, Brother
- Leofrik Farsight, Captain of the Amador Wardens
- Halman Paege, Servant
