Seven Castles

## History

The **Seven Castles** region (sometimes also known as the **Dren’UI Peaks** region, or the Uckerath Mountains region, or the Seven Castle Baronies) was settled by exiles from Florinth nearly a thousand years ago. The eight exiled noble families were an odd collection of political extremists and outright lunatics who initially cooperated to seize the region from the Khenomeric Empire offshoot petty lords living there, but then they almost instantly fell into infighting.

And so things have been for nearly a thousands years. It is rare for there to not be at least one ongoing conflict somewhere in the Seven Castles, and often all eight were at war.

The region had a hard time building up and retaining skilled groups of warriors due to the near constant violence and relatively poor pay in proportion to the risks. But in addition to widespread local conscription and recruitment of politically affiliated foreigners, the region became a mecca for newly founded mercenary groups hoping to establish their reputation. By around four centuries ago, the flamboyant Landsknechte culture with its “Nouveau Westerling” style of dress and love of large weapons had become the core military tradition of all eight baronies due to its popularity with mercenaries in Florinth and Tarot.

Since then, the most notable game changer was the alliance of the other seven barons/baronesses against the eighth, who, in his insanity, faked his own death, and managed to become king of Grobianismus, which his line still rules today (and falsely claim to be the founders of).

## Government

Each of the remaining seven baronies ruled by a noble family whose organization at times more resembles a cult than a typical petty lord’s court. Although the mercenaries fight for coin, and the common folk fight often under pain of torture, the core of each baronies forces is often ideologically based. The seven are:

> **House Othgar** – A dirt poor, rural barony that lies close to the demon infested woods of Dia’Ul. They have a reputation (both the nobles and the peasants) of being inbred, paranoid, and highly distrustful of others.
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> **House Shifa** – A rich, decadent, powerful house that swore loyality to the Succubus Queen about a century ago and has grown even more rich, decadent, and powerful as a result, despite their legendary cruelty and on and off again talk about some of the more moral houses about doing something about them.
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> **House Jano** – A somewhat mysterious house known for its worship of Kagal and its interest in old Khenomeric magical practises. Their territory includes some old Khenomeric ruins that are subject to much speculation.
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> **House Samonte** – This house has the most in common with their ancestors in Florinth, in particular a great deal of vanity. Although often mocked for their highly decorative palaces, chateaus, and uniforms, they are above average in terms of military strength and skill.
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> **House Ramsauer** – This house has managed to maintain holdings in Florinth and Tarot that provide them with plentiful spending money for mercenaries. They are a large clan, and pretty much any position of importance is held by a cousin or second cousin of the current leader.
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> **House Bunzli** – The southernmost house, its mountain fortresses overlook the desolation of The Chill Steppe and the Frozen Lake. They are known for their grim fatalism and stubborn nature.
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> **House Bartlome** – The northernmost house, controlling several wide fertile valleys with (relatively) large populations and possessing lots of money for mercenaries. They dislike being drawn into the endless conflicts, but are considered a powerhouse due to sheer numbers.
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## Economy

The region is fairly desolate and sparsely populated. Sheep herding and small scale farming is possible in the valleys, while there are a few mines and timber mills higher up in the hills, but much of the terrain is mountainous and only really passable during the summer months.

## Foreign Relations

### Grobianismus and affiliates

Grobianismus has sometimes launched poorly organized wars against the Seven Castles (with more frequency ever since the exiled baron took the throne) but they have never accomplished anything. The Seven Castles barons avoid Grobianismus, fearing the curse that afflicts all who stay there for too long with abysmal stupidity. However, individuals from Grobianismus who have some thinking ability sometimes immigrate to the Seven Castles region to work as laborers or occasionally even mercenaries.

### Harmony Goddess’s Realm

Major pilgrim routes of the Harmony Goddess’s followers run right through the Seven Castles region. Even the more dark-hearted houses rarely mess with the pilgrims though, fearing a divine intervention from the Goddess herself.

### Chill Steppe

The people of the Seven Castles and the Soomi have pretty neutral relations. Some Soomi still hold grudges as the barons conquered their distant cousins when they established themselves in the region, but other Soomi have established trading relationships with certain baronies.

### Dia’Ul/Diaoul

This cursed land is overrun with unseelie fey and is avoided by humans. Those who live along the border often spend more time fighting the fey than they do other baronies.

### Forest of Getting Lost

Although fewer monsters lurk in this forest compared to Dia’Ul, very few who enter it find their way back out, so it is avoided at all costs.

## Geography

The Seven Castles region is dominated by large mountains, forcing much of the population to live in the valleys in between. The climate in the valleys and border regions varies greatly. The southeast has bitterly cold tundra, the southwest has dense, seemingly tainted forests, the northeast has a pleasant temperate climate, and the northwest is jungle.

Needless to say, several of these climates are the unnatural creations of divine or mortal magic, and extreme weather is common due to weather systems passing through radically different conditions, though the height of the mountains does mitigate this a lot.

Due to high taxes and poor lands, most folk live in basic peasant hovels, though better quality stone and/or half-timbered houses are common in the wealthier baronies. Castles are quite common. The largest are the seats of the barons, but smaller ones protect the borders and sometimes serve as homes of vassal lords and family members.

## Demographics

### Humans

Most of the population is human. Most descend from those who have immigrated from Florinth or Tarot, but there are three racial minorities and plenty of folk of mixed origins. The first minority are plains nomad folk who lived in there prior to their conquest by the barons. The second minority is a peculiar darker skinned race common in the Harmony Goddess’s Realm who are believed to be cousins of the Thuleans, certain Gilgemashi, and a few other isolates. The third minority are the Grobianismusians. Although the ones living in the Seven Castle region are generally the smartest and most attractive of their kind, they are still well below average by the standards of most humans, and rarely rise above the lowest tiers of society.

## Religion

Varies by barony:

> **House Othgar** – Fairly non-religious, but traces of the Northman Pantheon can be found.
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> **House Shifa** – Formerly Aphiria, now Gogotha.
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> **House Jano** – Kagal (Khenomeric Goddess of Magic).
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> **House Samonte** – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess.
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> **House Ramsauer** – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess, some Northman Pantheon traditions.
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> **House Bunzli** – Mix of Northman Pantheon with some Florinth, Tarot, and Soomi traditions.
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> **House Bartlome** – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess.
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## Military

There is almost always a war going on somewhere in this region, but the baronies lack the wealth or the numbers to sustain large scale warfare, so instead brutal skirmishes and torture are used to scare away rivals or intimidate newly conquered populations. At present, Shifa and Ramsauer have become infamous for vicious raids used to expand their territories, while Othgar and Bunzli are just as sadistic while on the defense.

Due to limited manpower, it is common for young folk of both genders to be conscripted, and aspiring female adventurers are also common among the ranks of foreign mercenaries from Florinth and Tarot. This hasn’t stemmed the brutality of the fighting though, even the most high minded foreigners often find themselves sucked into the endless cycle of increasingly cruel retaliations.

Centuries of heavy usage of mercenaries has caused the Landsknechte culture to be omnipresent among both conscripts and mercenaries. Elsewhere this culture revolves around well disciplined mercenary formations of men with pikes, greatswords, crossbows, and rifles, but in the Seven Castles, formations are small and mixed arms, and tactics are mostly limited to capturing and torturing smaller groups and fleeing larger groups.

Most baronies have a certain gimmick they are famous for (particularly brutal insurgency tactics, use of magic, use of succubi, etc.)