Ontemot

Barnstaple, ruling city of Ontemot

Ontemot, also known as **the Wilds**, was a Hold in the northeastern most part of Bastia. Bordering the mystical jungles of Këln, Ontemot was filled with curiosities. Several tribes of men, werewolves, shifters made their homes here and it was not uncommon for beasts from the land of faeries to wander here. For centuries, Ontemot was the poorest Hold in Bastia, possessing only two major cities and perhaps three dozen villages. It wasn't until the Sacking of Barnstaple and, the subsequent occupation from Wilhelm Luebast, that living conditions in the Wilds notably improved. Crime was notoriously rampant in the Hold.

## History

Ontemot is unique for a number of reasons but one of the more curious facts is that in no time in history was it an independent Kingdom. At its' height, Ontemot was no more than a confederacy of villages, led by the immigrant Eisbergian Walcken family, that joined together to defend each other from tribals and animals, and to share crops in times of hardship. When King Gerhard the Great decided to annex the territory officially, the land was too troublesome to develop and neither Castigilar, Barsal or Astesos wanted the responsibility of the smallfolk there. So, it was decided instead to officially name three families as royals and create a new Hold. The family chosen as the Head of the Hold, the Walckens, were a respected family of fighters who lacked the skills of a farmer but contributed by leading strongly and instilling order.

For centuries, the Walckens ruled quietly, paying their fees to the Tavarans and hoarding their accumulated wealth. As centuries passed, the once heroic Walckens degraded from selfless, devout men to selfish and uncaring despots. They were not cruel but they were neglectful, the peasants petitions and pleas for aid fell on deaf ears. The Walckens forbid any commonfolk from entering their castle, Thaddaheim, and lived quiet, comfortable lives and left most responsibility to the Grimssons and Rafnkels.

In the year 923AT, Jürgen Walcken began sending frequent letters and couriers to King Aegis Tavaran, asking that she be made to marry his son, Trygve. Aegis rejects the proposal. Jürgen would continue to send requests and demand for representation in the council for almost a decade.

Unknown to most people, in the year 930AT, Count Jürgen Walcken successfully kidnapped Princess Elena Tavaran and held her in hostage in his keep. The Count would demand several things; the King's blessings for Trygve to marry Elena, an increase in men from the Divines' Regiment and a large amount of land from Barsal to be ceded to Ontemot.

Aegis agreed to consider the terms so long as Lord Walcken agreed to keep the kidnapping concealed, after all, if everyone knew he had kidnapped the Princess, he'd be expected to be exiled at the very least. While Aegis and the Lord of Ontemot sent ravens back and forth; Sibir Tavaran rallied a small division of men and contacted the Black Sun Company, enlisting their add to rescue his sister. The contract was agreed upon and, in 931AT, the Black Sun and 100 knights stormed the mother city of Ontemot and sacked the city. Lord Walcken, Trygve Walcken and Hanna Walcken were killed in the battle. Shortly afterwards, the Black Dawn occurred on the Great Marble Road between Barnstaple and Driberg.

## Economy

The majority of the population of Ontemot relied exclusively on subsistent farming and hunting to survive, rendering trade and the need for coin a rare occurrence. Over the past few years however, the Wilds has begun to have a complete revolution due to the increased economic prosperity brought by Wilhelm of Barnstaple. Lumber has become the chief legitimate export of the Hold, with most recognizing the strange oak more durable and sturdy than trees from elsewhere in Bastia. Slaves, mostly tribals and Ilstarians captured by free-lance slavers, are generally processed through the Wilds, most often, Barnstaple.

In analyzing the Wilds' economy, one has to acknowledge the extensive crime syndicate ran by the Lord of Ontemot, Pious Will, and the absolutely ludicrous amount of coin and power this has brought the Hold. Nearly every instance of organized crime in Bastia could be rooted back to Ontemot, if one had the resources to investigate such matters and not be killed. Assassination, drugs, smuggling of all sorts, all can be easily fond here. Wilhelm often funds and finances legitimate and honest businesses with his earnings from his bloated rackets which has turned Gransby and Barnstaple both into blossoming economic powerhouses.

The Serenity Sands Trading Company often did business with Ontemot, whether importing mystic oak or slaves, it held a tight relationship with the Rafnkel family and the Luebast family. The Bastian Trade Company held offices in Gransby, Kapelle, Barnstaple and Driberg. The Sweetsuns Wizards Guild had bathhouses and sewer systems established in Driberg and Barnstaple as well as a representative office in the town of Holzfäller.

## Ecology and Environment

The Wilds is chiefly a large, dense jungle that spans hundreds of miles, with patches of plains and man-made fields. The woods that border the faerie homelands are extremely peculiar, with some being larger than any tree seen elsewhere in the nation and almost all possessing traces of that deep primitive fae magic that is so iconic to Këln. Animals are larger, more intelligent and far more dangerous in the wilds. Boars are often close to 850 pounds, stags stand nearly 7 feet tall and bears are said to be as large as Ilstarian elephants. Occasionally, beasts unknown to men, from the faerie nation, wander into the countryside and wreck havoc until put down by warbands and knights.

Through the center of Ontemot was the Birpar, also called the Rippling Bitch, the river was known to be dangerous with unpredictable currents and folklore of strange monsters pulling men from the shores to their deaths. Still, the river was greatly important to Ontemotians as the source of their fishing and water. The bottom half of the river turned into what was called the Hateful Crook and was crossed by the Serpent's Bridge of Driberg. To the far east of Ontemot was an infamous prison and leper colony, The Burnt Lake, a large, obsidian colored lake that was used to quarantine the deathly ill and to banish rapists and murderers.

A village is traditionally inhabited by between 15 to 500 people while a Uppgröftur usually has between 30 to 250 men employed and living there. There are 4 regions in Ontemot.

1. Vestur, ran by the Grímsson family, notable for their logging business. Vestur has a population of about 115,000 Bastians, 6,200 werewolves, 3,000 shapeshifters, 1,400 tribal humans and 40,000 goblins.
2. Brú, ran by the Rafnkel family, notable for their central position, Serpent's Bridge and trade. Brú has a population of about 22,000 Bastians and 130 shapeshifters.
3. Endurheimt, ran by the Luebast family, notable for their size of land and population, mother city of Barnstaple and population. Endurheimt has a population of roughly 205,000 Bastians, 300 werewolves, 10,000 goblins and 3,000 tribal humans.
4. Skrímsli, technically ran by the Luebast family, notable for its large population of outlaws and tribals and the dense woods. Skrímsli has a population of about 3,000 Bastians, 8,000 werewolves, 6,000 shapeshifters, 600 tribal humans and 15,000 goblins.

Vestur is the home of the mighty Grimsson family, who often are said to be so strong that they uproot trees with their bare hands and are half-Giant. Vestur holds the shores of the Wilds as well as over a hundred Uppgröfturs, or extremely large logging outposts, that cut down nearly a mile of woods ever week. It is estimated that at the current rate of excavation that by next century over half of the northernmost woods will be gone.

Brú is, by and far, the cleanest and most civilized region of Ontemot. Extremely dedicated to domestic trade and servicing the Grimsson's transport of goods, the Rafnkel family is fairly wealthy and, rumor has it, has recently begun investing in the surrounding villages due to threats by the Luebast family.

Endurheimt is the wealthiest and most powerful region in the realm of Ontemot, the frontline of defense of the Hold against the tribal threats. Barnstaple is not only the mother city of the Wilds but the richest, best defended and most populated. The fort of Torc Torc is the headquarters of the Oorlog Ruiters and the village of Feuerlos is often inhabited by men at arms from the East Gate.

Skrimsli has one of the highest populations of non-humans in Bastia; numerous tribes of Shapeshifters, Goblins and Werewolves live here as well as a few fae. Ontemotians have attempted to settle there for centuries but usually die out within a decade of establishing a town or outpost. Walpurgis Manor, home of the Sins, was located deep in the heart of the woods of Skrimsli.

## Culture

The people of Ontemot, and their culture, are most heavily personified their hardy natures and their dedication to family above all else. Stubborn and superstitious, the men and women of the Wilds hold numerous taboos, some based on religious beliefs and others that are just so deeply ingrained into the culture that no one remembers its' true origin. Ontemotians, tends to have extreme anti-tribalist views, which includes shifters, werewolves and tribal men. Most can name someone they know who died from the savages, which has made most bitter and cruel towards other races. While most Bastians believe in a code of conduct towards their slaves, where things like slave soldiers and sending slaves to their certain death are extremely frowned upon, Ontemotians have no such concern for their slaves, especially those obtained in attacks on tribal clansmen or shifters.

The men of Ontemot tend to gravitate towards an austere way of life, disapproving of excessive luxurious living and flashy dress. Even the most wealthy men of the Wilds will usually wear common clothes and plain plate armor, finding decorations or brightly colored silks to be obnoxious and a sign of compliance. Ontemotians have an obsession, however, with weapons of war. Villages often would spend years building a catapult or saving their coins to arm themselves with crossbows. Others tend to see Ontemotians as having a childlike glee for weaponry but Ontemotians view this as a sign of their living space. To survive the Wilds, one needs not only to be strong but to have a tool to defend yourself and your family. More recently. Ontemotians have begun to grow an extreme fondness for tournaments and gladiator battles, frequently offering it to the convicted as an alternative to standard execution or banishment. Crowds of tens of thousands fill the Pits monthly to see grand shows put on. It has become common to hear of villages creating deep holes to stage their own fights in, forcing prisoners or slaves to fight to the death against each other or animals.

Ontemotians are pragmatic, likely to find the means justify the ends in any situation that benefits them. One could likely convince an Ontemotian town council that the nearby shifter tribe is likely to be peaceful but the council would counter that regardless of the tribe's intentions, the threat is present by their existence and that by rallying a mob to run them off, their home is safer. This has especially grown with the presence of Pious Will as the head of the Hold, as his influence has been seen as blessing to most men and women who grew up prior to his power and see his crimes as a small price to pay for a better, safer world. Ontemotians are devoutly religious folks, dedicated to the Faith of the Divines, and celebrate a strange holiday, Wiedergeburt, which celebrates Ragnar gifting humanity with the ability and intelligence to defend themselves from the cruel wilderness and servants of Azkada.

### Taboos

* One can only bathe on an odd day of the week.
* Mustaches are forbidden unless you are a father and possess a beard.
* Cicadas are a sign of change and growth and should be praised.
* Every bar or inn should leave a mug of ale and a bowl of potatoes for Ragnar to thank him for his blessings at the end of the month.
* Silver should never be allowed into a bedchamber.
* Magic is to be used with disapproval and only for survival and battle, never for comfort.
* If you bleed into the dirt, one should always plant a shrub where the blood fell.
* If it is a man's daughter's birthday, you should always feed him and offer him and his daughter a room.
* If a blade stays on the ground for longer than a day, you should smelt it down to make a new one.
* Killing a boar is morally wrong but necessary. Upon killing a hog, one must use all parts of the hunt and give thanks at supper.
* Wielding a sword in battle, unless mounted upon a warsteed, is a bad omen.

## Military

Ontemot typically had roughly 55,000 men-at-arms enlisted with the Divines' regiment in times of peace which was known to swell to nearly 85,000 in times of conflict. Only roughly 50 knights and 2 Grandmasters made their home in Ontemot. The typical Ontemot warrior most typically entered battle armed with pikes, wooden shields, nets, clubs and crossbows. They favored strong, decisive tactics hitting fast and not letting up until the enemy was completely routed. Although they had a reputation as simple minded, Ontemotian troops were known to have keen instincts and be fearless and fierce. Although they did weren't fearless of death, they believed that the fray of battle was where one was closest to the Sovereign, Ragnar, and thus were typically excited to engage in combat and be able to return home with tales of splendor. Aside from the major lords, the Indriðasons and Kappi lords were known to command divisions of men.

### Oorlog Ruiters

The Oorlog Ruiters is one of, if not the, strangest division in the Bastian military. The chief warriors of the Wilds are trained alongside a baby native boar from the Wilds. The warrior is expected to feed, care for, protect and nurture the creature until it blossoms from a suckling infant to a fully grown behemoth. The Oorlog Ruiters are known to ride these massive hogs as warsteeds that obey their every command. Such a boar is typically capable of resisting smallfire arrows and cuts from cheap blades and sacrificing speed and stamina for extreme power and durability.

A Ruiter and their warhog are generally unequivocally bonded, and upon the death of a Ruiter, the warhog is traditionally put down to be buried alongside their Ruiter, in the only circumstance that not harvesting the resources of the hog's corpse is seen as right. When a Ruiter loses their boar, they skin their fallen friend and wear the skin for the rest of the days. Traditionally, the rest of the animal is given to the Ruiter's family.

Ruiters were also notorious for their use of javelins, slings and dartguns as ranged weapons, which they often used while riding. They usually were armed with either axes or maces.

### Poachers

Poachers are criminals employed by the Syndicate who hunt for rare animals and beastfolks, including shapeshifters, werewolves and faeries. Poachers are amongst the most amoral yet skilled thugs in Bastia, who often employ underhanded and unconventional methods to immobilize their targets before killing or torturing them. Often times, Poachers employed the use of traps and runes to immobilize their target and cut off their ability to use magic. Poachers are often looked down upon in Bastia, even by those who dislike other races, for their reputation as torturers and slavers.

### The Hollow

The Hollow was an elite group of stalkers specific to the Wilds. Their primary function was assassination and fearmongering of criminals, and protection of the hold. Their tactics were largely stealth based, and it was nigh impossible to know when and how they struck. Many believed they were demons, but nearly all of them were just men. Their name actually came from their victims, who were returned home in order to spread fear against criminal activity. Their victims had grayish skin, much like their cloaks, and sunken, vacant eyes that were disinterested to the world around them. Unresponsive and only capable of basic survival, they were essentially revenants. The Hollow were also extremely independent of the hold itself, comprising primarily of once-farmers and hunters who had decided to try to end the criminality of the city. As a result of the occupation by Wilhelm, they were more active due to the rise in criminal activity because of increased trade. Neither the Walckens nor Luebast families were able to find the location of the Hollow's main base, but many assumed it was somewhere in the wilderness.