Kingdom of Tirrenor

The Kingdom of Tirrenor is the primary setting of *By Steel and Blood.* It is a large feudal nation-state consisting of regions called holds. Tirrenor is bordered to the south by the Empire of Bruxia, and to the east by the Republic of Targe*.*

Politically, The Kingdom runs by a feudal system led by the "King" and the "Thanes" in charge of each hold. In recent years the nobles have seen their once-total power decline to the rise of capitalist ventures, populist movements, and mercenary military forces.

Religiously, Tirrenor is the home of the Creed of the Five Gods. The Creed is important to Tirrenian society and the majority of citizens identify as followers. Each hold has a patron god: Zakris (Tirrenhold), Tagrimus (Blackwall), Phlendagar (Sea March), Lythir (Timbervale) & Aquinas (The Verge).

The Chasm, a new religious movement originating in The Verge, has continued to gain a foothold in the country. Its populist & egalitarian philosophy is desirable to many common people who resent the powers that be. However, it is seen as a threat by the Creed and considered blasphemous. Followers of the Chasm often worship in secret.

As of 555 ACR (*The Final Will* campaign), Tirrenor consists of only four Holds, after the revolution of Targe in *The Crimson Mountains* campaign led to the city & The Verge becoming an independent republic.

## Organization of Power

The Kingdom is organized into regions called Holds. Each hold is ruled by a Thane. Noble families pass on rule through dynastic primogeniture.

The King of Tirrenor resides in the capital city of Tirren and rules the surrounding area called Tirrenhold. The Thanes of the other holds (Blackwall, Sea March, and Timbervale) answer to him. Formerly, The Verge was the fifth hold of Tirrenor before its independence. Within each hold, the land is ruled by Barons with fealty to the Thane, and sometimes by individual land-owning Knights and Freeholders.

King > Thanes > Barons > Knights

As of 555 ACR (*The Final Will*) the seats of power are held by these characters:

* King of Tirrenor: Old King Basilius
	+ Thane of Blackwall Hold: Nilos Kallistratos
		- Baron of Solon: Darius Straton
		- Baron of Nubardum: Ferris Alexius
		- Baron of Hastreau: Widmund Reinhold
	+ Thane of Sea March: Jordin Nereus
	+ Thane of Timbervale: Laria Pyrrhus

## Key Locations in Tirrenor

* Tirrenhold
	+ City of Tirren (Capital)
* Blackwall
	+ City of Stoneshade
		- The Iron Keep
		- High Temple of Tagrimus (Destroyed)
	+ Barony of Solon
		- Solon Redoubt
	+ Barony of Hastreau
		- Hastreau Villa
		- Astrologist's Tower (Destroyed)
	+ Barony of Nubardum
		- Fort Nubardum
		- North Yanama a.k.a. Alexia
* Sea March
	+ City of Marinas
		- College of Marinas
		- Port Marinas
		- High Temple of Phlendagar
* Timbervale
	+ High Temple of Lythir
* (Former) The Verge
	+ City of Targe
		- Castle Severis
		- Blade'z Vineyard
		- High Temple of Aquinas (Destroyed)

## History

See: History of Tirrenor

The Kingdom of Tirrenhold came to be a mere 300 years ago, in year 229 ACR. The Kingdom officially began when King Darion Basilius I successfully united the old kingdoms of Tirren, Timbervale and Sea March to defend from the invading northerners. The confederation strengthened all three kingdoms and soon they were under one regent, answering to King Basilius of Tirren. The kings of Sea March and Timbervale, called Thanes, swore fealty to Basilius and thus the kingdom was founded.

Later, Tirren explorers entered the Blackwall mountains, where King Darion Basilius III sent his armies to war with the Mountain barbarian tribes. In 303 ACR, the region which has since become the city of Stoneshade was conquered and founded by Tirrenian pioneers. Most of the barbarians were drove back and forced to flee their ancestral home to the vast uncharted eastern lands, but small clans remain in the mountains to this day, occasionally doing battle with the Thanes, raiding caravans, and the like. On the East of the Blackwalls, the colony of Targe was founded in 382 ACR, and quickly became a city of commerce from the pleasant climate and ripe farmland. Currently, Targe acts as the capital of The Verge, the largest and wildest of the five holds, much of it unpopulated frontier territory, not policed by the King or the Gods. Most recently, the Kingdom expanded yet again as the small nation of Yuricaz, now the southern Blackwall hold, was conquered in 513 ACR by the combined armies of Blackwall and Sea March.