Mont-Sarmans

Mont-Sarmans is a castle town and Barony in the region of Lesser Lericonnia. Governed currently by House Richeleu, it guards the border between Lacrive and Dunfleasel - along with the other fortresses of Chateau-Rouge, Chateau Pulimar, and Aurilucon.
== History ==
Before the Great Gap, Mont-Sarmans was settled by pioneers directed to the site by Bertrand du Guesclin. Perched on the top of a hill after which the settlement was named, the original town consisted of a motte-and-bailey castle with the castle town extending down the shallow western slope. It was governed from 133 by House de Caringois, and after them by House de Remerre.
After the Gap, Mont-Sarmans' eastern and southern walls were stone, as was the central keep. The castle town had extended down the west and north slopes, with a high wooden outer wall built to protect it. It was governed, at this point, by House Roualt.
The Roualts kept control of the town until 515, constantly upgrading and expanding the town's fortifications to defend against raiders from Faramond and Mamelkert. In 448 the Roualts defended the town against the neighbouring House le Menn in the Siege of Sarmans. When the army of Hector Serre arrived in the area in 481, House Roualt did the intelligent thing and submitted peacefully.
Mont-Sarmans changed hands in 515 with the rise of House Richeleu, the Duc d'Argenin. Though the Roualts put up fierce resistance alongside their former rivals House le Menn, the forces of both were defeated at the Battle of Mont-Sarmans.
House Richeleu took good care of the fortress, adding a new curtain wall in 524 after repairing the crumbling northern wall. While House Roualt had neglected maintenance due to a lack of funds, the Richeleus held a sprawling fiefdom and had the ear of the King of Lacrive. As such, money was no object and the fortress became one of the most advanced in eastern Lacrive between the new curtain wall in 524, and the erection of a series of small forts between Mont-Sarmans and its neighbour castles Chateau-Rouge and Chateau Pulimar.
Since the erection of these forts in 641, Mont-Sarmans has mostly faded into irrelevance on the world stage. The border between Lacrive and Dunfleasel stabilised as relations improved, and territorial changes during the War of Aqzar in the 670's put the castle well out of Mamelquar reach.
Mont-Sarmans has become the site of several skirmishes during the ongoing War of the South Lake. A force under the Dunn Count John Havocke attempted to lay siege to the town in late 762, but he was called back to join the main Dunn army in January the next year, having made no significant dent in the town's defences.
Category:Settlements
Category:Fortifications
Category:Lacrive
Category:Lericonnia