County of Tourroux

**Ruler**
 **Ruling House**
 **Resident Houses**
 **Seat**
 **Settlements**
* Nedare
 **Beliefs**
 **Founded**

The **County of Tourroux** is a county in the western portion of the Duchy of Alcestenne, housing the spiritual heart of the Duchy with the namesake City of Spires, headed by the Countess-Bishop Cassandra Montelius. The region was devastated in the first and second great wars just the same as the rest of Alcestenne, save for the Vidamy of Nedare, which resisted under the leadership of House Peronell.

In recent years, the scions of House Montelius, in spite of their diminishment after years of conflict, have been working to undo the damages wrought by the Orcish Horde and see Tourroux restored to the glories it once boasted.

## Culture

The people of the County of Tourroux are, much like the rest of Alcestenne, a hardy and conservative folk, though there is an intellectual edge to their ways, thanks to the centers of knowledge in the city of Tourroux and the Vidamy of Nedare, both centers of clerical power with much knowledge to impart.

As such, they boast a higher overall rate of literacy and education, and produce the lion's share of priests, clerics and wizards, the only other such centers of learning being the capital of Alcestenne, Auritoise, and the far eastern Péricourt.

Besides intellectual centers, Tourroux is highly agricultural, and so boasts long histories of cultivating high quality crops, with many estate-farms spread across the fertile fields of Tourroux, most irrigation coming from the Biafort River that bisects the county.

### Religious Beliefs

As with all Alcestenne, Tourroux is highly faithful, boasting an incredibly high adherence to the tenets of the Church of the Holy Light and Hylanite doctrines. Uniquely, however, can Tourroux claim to be the very heart of the Duchy's spirit, having helped the rulers of Alcestenne, House Laurent, ensure the orthodoxy of the Light would claim every corner of Alcestenne.

Indeed in Tourroux, it is deemed *suspicious* not to make an appearance at Church every week, and heterodoxy is harshly punished by citizen tribunals and clerical authorities, with no usage nor veneration of nature spirits or other forces deemed 'unholy' by the leadership of the County and Bishopric.

### Local Holidays

One especially significant day for the County of Tourroux is June 21st, the first day of Summer, notable for being when Catherine Montelius pledged her house to the cause of House Laurent and the rebels of House Wrynn in fighting for Stormwindian independence, after House Montelius initially supported Arathorian loyalists. This day is known as the "Day of Foresight," for being the anniversary of a decision that has long defined Tourroux and her people.

Just like the other provinces, the spring season is marked with parades through many of the major settlements of Alcestenne, celebrating the time of Balor's liberation. These parades are accompanied by the organization of various town faires, where cultural traditions and celebrations are carried out and displayed for any visitors to the region.

The first morning of spring is spent in mourning and prayer, honoring the sacrifices made by the people of Balor, before the celebrations begin.

## Economy & Resources

Considered by many to be the breadbasket of Alcestenne, the County of Tourroux is a uniquely flat and temperate region, not as marred by hills and cliffs as other regions tend to be, with plentiful trees and plains, lumber milling and working, as well as farming, has become the way of life for Tourroux, while fishing occurs in the Biafort Lake.

Most notable are the vineyards of Tourroux, many maintained by abbeys and other holy facilities, producing some of the finest Baloric wine in the Kingdom of Stormwind.

Outside of grapes, however, are a great many other principal crops including melons, nectarines, aubergines, cherries, chard, in addition to staples such as wheat, barley and other grains, in addition to root vegetables. Indeed, Tourroux boasts an expansive agricultural base, and techniques pioneered in the western county often find themselves moving east through the rest of the Duchy of Alcestenne.

## History

### Founding

Tourroux was founded in 197 P.C. when the Emperor of Arathor elevated Lyvvon of House Montelius to nobility, granting him overlord ship over the province that would someday become the County of Tourroux, notable even among the other Baloric provinces of the Empire for their strict adherence to tax demands and loyalty to the Empire.

### Revolution

As the Empire and their control over the southern provinces began to crumble, Tourroux suffered at the hands of rebel-aligned nobles. The patriarch of House Montelius, Aldion Montelius, was caught in an attempt to flee and hanged by rebels, his estate burnt to the ground.

His widow, Catherine Montelius, would soon pledge Tourroux and her house to the cause of the local rebel family of House Laurent, which promised restoration in exchange for loyalty.

Thus would Tourroux pledge itself to carving out a sphere of Stormwindian influence in northern Balor. Though House Laurent and House Montelius saw the region pledged to the Kingdom of Stormwind for a long while, it was not until 265 K.Y. that the efforts to drive out the last
independent rulers of Balor were undertaken by Logan Wrynn II.

### First Great Wars

The county was occupied during the First War by the Orcish Horde, the abuses against the people of Tourroux and indeed all of Alcestenne were great and plentiful, but the people of Tourroux resisted, and were eventually liberated, the tolling of their church bells heralding the final liberation of Balor from the Orcish invaders.

### Present Day

Tourroux now stands as the breadbasket of Alcestenne, having recovered most swiftly from the abuses of the Orcs thanks to their usefulness even to the forces of the Orcish Horde.

Led by Cassandra Montelius, the county continues faithfully to serve Auritoise and the patriarch of House Laurent, and friend to the Countess-Bishop, Trant Laurent.

## Settlements

### Tourroux

The namesake City of Spires, Tourroux is a sprawling city of ancient origin, architectural styles in the central parts of the city heralding back to the glories of the Arathorian Empire, at once a mark of pride and remorse for their service to any liege but Laurent and Wrynn.

It is a great center of learning, where many become priests or other forms of intellectuals, with great basilicas, cathedrals and churches being host of seemingly endless volumes of literature and knowledge.

### Nedare

Nedare is ruled by House Peronell, a Vidamy, it is at once a Barony and an Abbacy, with Senya Peronell faithfully serving as a liaison between the keeps of Arvendon and Auritoise. Notable for once being a great center of resistance during the Great Wars, the Vidamy of Nedare produces some of the finest wine in Balor.

### Biafort

The fishing township of Biafort borders the namesake lake and river, with a strong maritime industry seeing many trading companies operating from this settlement, building the wealth of the surrounding regions and expanding the town further than one might have expected.

Now, Biafort serves as an important trade hub into the interior of Balor through the various waterways that snake across the island, while also running shipping lanes out into the sea through Tourroux.

## Houses

House Montelius rules Tourroux, known for a penchant for shipwrighting and a clerical inclination.

House Peronell also resides in the county, lording over the Vidamy of Nedare, similarly centered around faith, and bridging the gap between Tourroux and Auritoise.

House Mounier reigns over the southern reaches of Tourroux, ensuring that the will of Montelius is done.