The Western Marches

*Nobility, Wealth, Power.*

Situated in the North Western corner of the Royal Basin the Western Marches finds itself bordering the Rhygahreans to the West and the Low Kingdom to the North. The Lionsgold family find their roots in these lands, those nobles that have long stood for the people, making this the political centre of the Basin. The people here live for the hustle and bustle of city life, the power of trade that comes from the scourge that runs down to the Lake of Diamonds, the beating heart of commerce in the Royal Basin.

The Marches are dominated by its and the countries, capital city of Haven which controls the flow of wealth into the Royal Basin from the Low Kingdom, Rhygahrea, The Frozen North, Egaria and The Rice Empire and is supported by the four cities of the Marches, known as the Redoubts. Norfell in the South, home of intrigue and nobility, a place of vices and shadows. Serith in the East, where the merchants vie for power, the home of trade and daggers. The Hornfast in the West, home of the noble military, where soldiers wait for position, where money talks and talent walks. Finally East Bordersley, far to the South East where the guilds are strong and much relocation of their power has taken place after the war.

The Cities were born off of the back of the great families that serve the Lionsgolds and those lines still state their power here. The Lionsgold were born for the people and from them they drew their strength, hard work and endeavour as much as the conquering of foreign land through violence and bloodshed brought them wealth as it did their allies. These allies were risen to be the new titled who served the Line of Gold and between these families they still work their people hard and bring them strength through the power of their military and the commerce that they encourage in the Earldoms and Counties that they control.

The people of these cities are motivated people, driven to keep their position as the jewels of the Royal Basin. They are law abiding, civilised and energetic folk be they Merchants, Soldiers or Guilders who, used as they are to the cut and thrust of the world, are fast thinking, quick witted and attuned to opportunity and con alike. The Cities never sleep whether they are crawling with the caravans of business, hawking to the battle of politicians or dancing in the bars of the flesh pots the people here will ever thrive although there is no love lost between any of the redoubts.

Fierce rivalry exists between Haven and its brothers and sisters across the Western Marches; the land around them is cut up into Earldoms and then Counties and those villages, towns and even farmsteads that live in their shadows find themselves battled over. Whether it is the dignitary of The Hornfast pushing against that of Haven, the Merchants of Serith against those of Norfell or the Troubadours of East Bordersley sharpening their words to battle all comers: Conflict is ongoing. Duels and contests to prove one to another are common place, festivals try to outdo each other and slang for people from each governance, usually unpleasant, are thought up on a weekly basis. This competition has kept the Western Marches strong.

However that is not the be all and end all of the people of the Western Marches, they are the intelligence, the brain of the Royal Basin and they look out to the rest of the country to lead it. Folk here seek opportunity, acting as patrons to support guilders, engineers and practitioners of magic alike, always sharing the progressive view of the Royal Basin. Opportunity is rife and all are considered for advancement, anyone, refugee, orphan, noble, soldier could be the next ruler of the Royal Basin. This thought is epitomised with King Dazak North, a refugee from the Frozen North, which the people of The Western Marches Consider a great triumph of the civilisation that they represent and lead.

### The Western Marches

* Your City is your pride, your pride is your reputation, take no slur or insult without retaliation.
* Commerce is the lifeblood of a civilisation and that civilisation is protected by laws, they both support each other and will be well protected.
* The Marches dictate policy across the Royal Basin as we dictate fashion, vocabulary and which bards should be listened to.
* Duty and deed, our reputations are not to be made of paper.