Margravate of Ridgecrest

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 **Resources**

   The Margravate of Ridgecrest is a mountainous land which itself is composed of the contiguous lands bounded to the the south by the Stormridge Spur, which divides Ridgecrest from the Crownlands of Stormwind City, to the west by the Great Sea, to the north by the remains of the mountain range dividing Stormwind from Khaz Modan, torn asunder during the Cataclysm, the Northern Ridge, and to the east by the Burning Steppes and the Duchy of Tannon.

The Margravate was made whole following it's fracturing during the Stormwind Civil War with the signing of a contract of vassalage by Margrave Jie Meng and the Duchesses of Eastburg. Unifying lands that were granted by the crown to Eastburg under the condition that with the support of the Duchy of Eastburg, that the Margravate be capable of returning to it's former function as a bastion against foes to the north of the capital.

## History

The Margravate of Ridgecrest was originally given it's styling following the War of the Three Hammers, following the destruction of the Northern Redridge Mountains by the firelord Ragnaros, who was summoned by the Dark Iron Dwarves during that conflict. The Margravate became necessary, due to the sudden encroachment upon the borders of Stormwind set by this ecological disaster, and the indiscriminate assaults by the Firelord's minions. The border was further tested during the Great Wars against the Horde. Where the mountainous region had to contest against Orcish invasions.

The region suffered another ecological disaster when the Cataclysm divided it from the Coldridge mountains of Ironforge, creating a vast sea between Stormwind and Khaz Modan. Many dwarves and humans who worked the mountain ranges lost their lives, and Ridgecrest and Anvilmar host an annual memorial to their lost kin.

The previous Margrave of Ridgecrest was killed under mysterious circumstances following the discovery by his court that he was embezzling untold sums of gold from the treasury leading up to the Stormwind Civil War. Due to a reevaluation of the development of his titles conducted by the crown following the war, and the fact that some areas of the County are inaccessible due to monsters that roam what on the record were supposed to be settlements, Ridgecrest was reassessed to be considered a Barony. With the understanding that this could be changed following the efforts of the new Baron and the people of Ridgecrest to resolve these outstanding issues.

Following the Stormwind Civil War, Jie Meng was made Baron Ridgecrest, and was given the hefty task of helping the formally proud Margravate recover it's stature. Their career as a soldier of Stormwind aided in overcoming many of the initial reservations the locals of Ridgecrest had towards their Pandaren ethnicity, and their hyper-competent leadership skills accompanied by a willingness to fight alongside their men earned them a lot of respect. Within their first year, Jie Meng reconstituted the Ridgeguard and had begun the training of additional Men-at-Arms to recover losses made during the previous civil conflict, and has lead these soldiers through various local campaigns to combat against the monstrous incursions that threatened their mountain life. A massive contributor in their success has been the financial and political backing of Eastburg, who helped secure the legal rights to all of Ridgecrest's former territories, and have vassalized the territory and provided it significantly less tax burdens. Allowing the money to go into redevelopment of the region.

## Locations of Interest

### County of Ridgecrest

#### Highfort

The capitol of Ridgecrest, and it's most populous and secure holding, Highfort sits upon a high cliff that overlooks a massive canyon that divides Ridgecrest in half. The centermost castle is also referred to as 'Highfort', and is the oldest structure remaining. Surrounding it are several walls, that divide it's settlement into sections. With the innermost sections being it's more affluent and richer districts, and the outermost ones occupied by the laborers and military holdings. These walls serve as redundant securities, and during a siege individuals in an outer pocket can retreat further into the city. Though this capacity has ever been tested once, during the First War, and the capitol fortunately stood as the Orcish raiders were forced to divert from the northern holding, the siege expending too many of their resources and slowing them down from the main assault towards Stormwind.

#### Gnox's Stand

A great wall that divides the Stormridge Spur, named so after the former Stormwind Marshal Jeralt Gnox who held the pass weeks longer than expected, before perishing in battle. His valiant defense had bought the citizens of Stormwind precious time during the invasion of the Orcish Horde and the efforts made towards evacuating the city. It is built in his honor, and is used now as security for those entering and leaving Ridgecrest from the interior of Stormwind.

#### Soda Springs

A small village in the northeastern part of Ridgecrest, Soda Springs gets it's name from the naturally occurring carbonated water due to a underground stream that is filled with geothermal gas deposits. The high temperature aids in dissolving CO2 into the water, which in turn carbonates it. The water has a unique flavor to it due to the minerals that make up the underground stream. The village was founded shortly after it's famous Soda Geyser was discovered by Ridgeguard scouts following the War of the Three Hammers. It is theorized that the increased volcanic activity from the nearby Burning Steppes caused the geyser to appear. Soda Springs attracts an annual faire in which soda makers across the Alliance come and compare their creations.