County of Densewood Thicket

**Ruler**
 **Overlord**
 **Resident Houses**
 **Baronies**
 **Beliefs**
 **Founded**

**Densewood Thicket** is located in the central-most portion of the Duchy of Zollern, and is both the name of the entire forest and the name of it's county. Within the forest, the wilds are untamed and revered by denizens of the Duchy of Zollern. It houses native populations of giant spiders, bears, and other wildlife. It is also the smallest county within the duchy, though it is ruled by the politically intellectual House Willow.

## Culture

House Willow's settlers, and the ancestral matriarch of Maeve Willow, were an astute and sharp-minded group, having managed to politically weave themselves right into the ear and thus council of Duke Sigismund the Great way back in the day. Because of their actions, House Willow has enjoyed being the ruling house over Densewood Thicket, and have only strengthened their religious control throughout. The people that reside within Densewood Thicket itself are the most religiously fervent and zealous, often taking pilgrimages or displaying acts of faith and worship.

It is forbidden throughout much of Densewood Thicket to impede nature's ways, most notably so in the capital city of Yorck, where one is punished by death if they even so much as hinder or harm a bear. The faith as an institution in Densewood Thicket has grown to the power of installing their own religious authority and inquisition of sorts, with agents and influence spread throughout the county.

## History

### Founding

Maeve Willow, after securing the trust and friendship of Sigismund Hillegas, was granted the land of what would become known as Densewood Thicket, for she appealed to then-duke of Zollern Sigismund that such land should be protected and curated. Duke Hillegas elevated Maeve and her family into proper nobility, installing her as the first Countess of Densewood Thicket.

### After the Scourging of Lordaeron

Time passed the Scourge by, and eventually the Undead began to shamble aimlessly with no targets left to attack, or were ordered to move onto greener pastures, or they were simply decaying over time. Banditry and opportunists flooded the now-vacant and ruined lands of the Duchy of Zollern, but there was no special interest in Densewood Thicket. Nature became wild and grew unfettered by man's mettling, allowing the native population of wildlife within it to flourish to spectacular levels.

### Present Day

The County of Densewood Thicket has once more been granted to House Willow, previously under the leadership of Countess Brienne Willow. She stood by Lord Burchard Hillegas' side as he campaigned for the duchy's return to proper Lordaeronian control, and was rewarded thusly. Zealots, people with nowhere else to go, and criminals have been sent to Densewood Thicket to repopulate the lands and resume life within. House Willow has begun their religious authority once more, starting with indoctrinating and converting the criminals. However, eventually Brienne Willow abdicated her titles and decided to settle in Stormwind's territory, making Dawn Willow - her aunt - the new Countess of Densewood Thicket.

## Settlements

### Yorck

Yorck is the capital of Densewood Thicket and the Barony of Bear Peak. It sits at the base of the large mountain (also named Bear Peak) that sits in the center of Densewood Thicket. It has become the religious seat of power for the natural shamanistic worship the denizens of the Duchy of Zollern worship, and for House Willow. They have claimed it is a holy and revered site, for the population of bears is the most extreme here than anywhere else around. It is also the headquarters of the religious authority and inquisition, conveniently.

### Krosston

Within the Barony of Stahlstone resides the town of Krosston. Near the outskirts of Densewood Thicket, there is a smaller mountain range that contrasts the large and imposing Bear Peak. Because of that, the settlers here are less worried about the giant spiders in the forests, but they still contend with cave bears. They also have the unique means to mine for mineral, though it has proven largely ineffective, with the mines instead usually becoming stone quarries. With such intensive labor, it is here that the criminal population are often sent for reformation to work hard.

### Woodfort Watch

On the southern border of Densewood Thicket, sitting just next to the main road which would lead into the revered temple-city and baronial seat of Yorck, is Woodfort Watch. It is an old and sturdy fort, complete with stables, barracks, a reinforced palisade and a tall watchtower. Accompanying the minor settlement is a 'castle town' which is really just a few huts for the soldier's families to reside in as well as a market for communal trading and militia training grounds. From Woodfort Watch, a series of patrol posts are linked around the circular border of Densewood Thicket, creating sort-of defensive circuit.

## Houses

House Willow is the ruling house of the County of Densewood Thicket. They have been for generations, continuing with the rule of Countess Dawn Willow. They are noted for being religious zealots, but also astute intellectually and stubborn-minded in their ways. The house was first ruled by then-matriarch Maeve Willow, who was renowned for a sharp wit and devious politcal intellect. She was the person responsible for elevating her family into nobility proper, and attaining the lands of Densewood Thicket. House Willow also controls a religious authority, instilling their own rule of law under their faith, and employ a secret inquisition to deal with threats they deem to be serious.