Barony of Rivermark

**Ruler**
 **Overlord**
 **Ruling House**
 **Seat**
 **Settlements**
 **Beliefs**
* Nico's River Worship
* Tidesfaith
 **Founded**

The **Barony of Rivermark** is a barony within the County of Brightwater. It has only one small village, while the rest of it's lands are an untamed wealth of nature. Countess Nicolette Sawyer gifted the land to Burchard Hillegas, vassalizing him as a way to formally make the Alliance loyalist a member of Stormwind Nobility. Currently, Lady Valerie Hillegas rules the barony, as well as the county at large.

## Culture

The people of the Barony of Rivermark are rather quiet and peaceful folk. They have enjoyed their time of solitude and silence away from the world at large within their isolated, singular village. With Baron Burchard's arrival, their time of idyllic wonder has continued, for he comes from a land that is quite similar in that regard. Here, in the newly-dubbed 'Bear's Landing', folk participate in a small-town life, where everyone knows everyone and crime is at an all-time low. They are initially distrustful of allies, but the close proximity of Bear's Landing to the river allows them much access to river-travelers for trade.

### Religious Beliefs

Most believe in the Church of the Holy Light, but it is not the only religion to exist within Rivermark. In fact, along with most other of Brightwater's lands, these people have a sort-of relationship with the Tidesfaith, and with it, their own hybrid faith that takes a form of worship to the very rivers that are around them. With Lord Hillegas' arrival, the folk within Bear's Landing have also taken to his peculiar 'shamanistic' worship of nature, learning to love more than just the rivers but also the very forests and wilds around them. And bears.

### Local Holidays

Novemberfest - November First. Just like within the Duchy of Zollern, Burchard has brought a local holiday of his own down to Rivermark for the people of Bear's Landing to enjoy. Novemberfest is a month-long celebration beginning on the first day of November and celebrated until the end. It is a festival of drinking and cheerful activities. Unlike in Zollern where it is a celebration of legendary ancestor Sigismund the Great, Rivermark's Novemberfest is a celebration of Lady Nicolette Sawyer and the House of Sawyer.

## Economy & Resources

The Barony of Rivermark, being largely untamed wilds, is a nearly untapped resource of lumber and other naturalistic resources. With Burchard's arrival and expertise as a seasoned naturalist, the denizens of Bear's Landing have begun healthily harvesting lumber and herbs and other resources for exportation, trading, and tithing to Lady Sawyer herself, since there is only the small and humble Bear's Landing for tax.

## History

### Founding

The Barony of Rivermark was founded in 634 K.Y. by House Sawyer.

### Present Day

Rivermark has been granted to Lord Hillegas, making him vassal to House Sawyer in return. He has renamed the singular settlement to Bear's Landing, and has begun ingratiating himself with the people therein.

In early February of 638 KY, Burchard abdicated the throne and handed all his Kingdom of Stormwind titles to his wife, Lady Valerie Hillegas, who now rules instead.

## Settlements

### Bear's Landing

Bear's Landing is the capital - and only - city within Rivermark. It is a small, meek place with a small enough population that everyone within it knows each other. They are situated close to the river's edge, and have a crude, sharpened-log palisade acting as a wall of defense around their perimeter, though they have never been under threat. There are commodities for everything one might need; a smithy, a town hall, a fishery, a lumber mill, several different stores and buildings, and of course, the inn! When Burchard the Bear arrived as the new Baron of Rivermark, he renamed the town to Bear's Landing in honor of himself, and the impressive retinue of bears he brought along with himself.

## Houses

House Sawyer is the overlord to the Barony of Rivermark, seeing as they are the ruling house that controls the County of Brightwater that Rivermark resides within. Currently, House Sawyer is headed by none other than Lady Nicolette Sawyer.

House Hillegas is the vassal to House Sawyer, and it is the ruling house of the Barony of Rivermark. They became vassals of House Sawyer in 634 K.Y. when Lady Nicolette Sawyer granted head of House Hillegas, Lord Burchard, the land. It is currently Lady Valerie Hillegas, wife of Burchard, who rules within Wildwood Reach.

## Gallery

The Map of the County of Brightwater, with Rivermark in the top-right.