Woodhall

***“**Why do they call it Woodhall if it's built out of stone?**”***
— Unknown Wyrsian

**Woodhall** (Wyrsian: **Fiohdehila**) is the capital city of the Kingdom of Wyrsia. Historically, the city did not have much strategic value until the formation of Wyrsia in 515 AW. It has only fallen once since its foundation: to the Republic of Fühlgart in 1212 AW. It briefly served as the capital of the Protectorate of Woodhall until it was recaptured by Wyrsia in 1228 AW.

## History

Woodhall was founded in 14 AW by Human outlaws wanting to get out of paying taxes to the Freehold of Laenius, which controlled the area at the time. Woodhall had humble origins for the first two centuries of its existence, being barely tolerated by Laenius while attracting more human refugees from across the North.

When the Freehold began to collapse in the early 200s, the natives of the city carved out a small nation out of the northwestern remnants. This area would later become the Duchy of Wyrs in 210 AW, which made Woodhall its capital. The relatively small city became an important political center in the region.

When Wyrs began conquering her neighbors in the Wars of Wyrsian Unification throughout the late 400s and early 520s, Woodhall became more and more critical, as many refugees and defectors settled in the city from the conquered nations. With the conquest of Redlyre in 515 AW, the Duchy of Wyrs reformed itself into the Kingdom of Wyrsia, which kept the city as its capital. This was somewhat controversial, as many viewed Sunfort or Whaler's Bay as better, more centralized locations.

Still, as the capital of a new Human kingdom, Woodhall continued to thrive, with trade flowing in from across the world from Wyrsia's overseas islands, subjects, and allies. By the outbreak of the Great War, the population of the capital was around 105,000. However, the Great War would prove merciless on the city. As Republican troops appeared at the gates of Woodhall, Stephen II refused to surrender the city, leading to a bloody and destructive siege. The Wyrsian armies would break, leading to Ulfric Luftschwert and turncoat general Charles Wallace descending on the city, looting it and killing many of its citizens.

Woodhall became the capital of Wallace's Protectorate from 1213 AW onwards. However, the population had been reduced to a mere 20,000, and much of the capital lay in ruins, with repairs endlessly being delayed by widespread corruption. As irony would have it, the lack of these repairs would make his downfall all that easier. With the Republic of Fühlgart descending into a second civil war in 1227 AW, Fühlgartian garrisons abandoned the city, being recalled to their homeland. This left Woodhall helplessly defenseless when Wyrsian exiles under Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel returned in 1228 AW. The city was taken after only a handful of skirmishes, with the Monarchist armies walking right in through unrepaired holes in the walls. Wallace was captured and executed, and Woodhall once more became the capital of Wyrsia.

While Queen Cecilia has been ruling over the city for less than two years, Woodhall has seen widespread repairs and new construction projects, with many flocking to return to the city. While it is not as grand as before the Great War, the future looks bright for Woodhall.

## Ownership

* Freehold of Laenius, 14-203 AW
* Woodhall County, 203-210 AW
* Duchy of Wyrs, 210-515 AW
* Kingdom of Wyrsia, 515-1212 AW
* Protectorate of Woodhall, 1212-1228 AW
* Kingdom of Wyrsia, 1228 AW-