Doublecrown and Red Hills

Map of Doublecrown and Red Hills, by Andy Hoover.

The Western Marks (South-West)

The Patreon Desert (South)

The Ocean Contested (West)

The Wax (East)

Doublecrown and Red Hills are two of thirteen official regions of Merion, located in the far south-west of the continent. In canon they are two separate regions, but are considered to be a single region for gameplay purposes. Red Hills is loyal to The Candlebrooks, while Doublecrown shares allegiance with both The Candlebrooks and Barande. They were both brought under their respective controls during The Third Consolidation, and are home to 20 noble houses. Doublecrown and Red Hills have been described as resembling Havana and Argentina, respectively.

## Geography and Climate

Doublecrown and Red Hills is a hot, primarily desert area, covered in rolling rocky hills. The further south in Red Hills these hills go, the more red the stone, and as such have lended their name to the region. These hills, combined with the high desert heat, make mobility in the region very difficult.

Flanked on either side by ocean, with The Wax to the east and The Ocean Contested to the west, the region is surrounded mostly by rocky coasts and occasional beaches. Rivers Sundown, Owltalon, and Sunflash crisscross the northern part of the region, with River Sunflash running nearly the entire length of the region. This combination of freshwater and saltwater has allowed for mass agricultural and over-seas trading operations in northern Red Hills, and has grown Doublecrown into a fertile and pleasant land, despite its more harsh surroundings. Maize fields are a common sight in the region, and a staple food for its residents. The southern half of the region is almost entirely covered in vast, inhospitable lands. The weather is typically warm, as to be expected of the desert climate. Winters can get cool, even cold at night, while Doublecrown and Red Hills summers are notoriously brutal.

Doublecrown and Red Hills is the only Merionese region to share a border with Barande, and as such enjoys a thriving trade business, both domestic and international. The routes, however, are long and harsh. With the Patreon Desert to the south and the Patreon Salt Flats to the north, the journey from Barande through Doublecrown and Red Hills is a hot and difficult one.

### Notable Locations

Doublecrown and Red Hills is home to a number of historically, politically, and geographically significant features.

* **River Sunflash** This river originates at the Starry Pass and the Academy of Fire. It flows south before splitting into smaller rivers, which turn south-east and end in The Wax. River Sunflash allows some houses to maintain larger agricultural enterprises in the otherwise harsh environment.
* **River Sundown** This river originates in the mountains of the southern edge of the Western Marks, and flows south before ending at The Candlepass and the Academy of Fire.
* **River Owltalon** This river originates from mountains in House Talonspring territory and flows south, then west to The Mask. Like River Sunflash, River Owltalon provides fresh water to many noble houses and allows for irrigated agriculture. River Owltalon is also a popular trade route, providing Outer Owl and inland noble houses a path to The Mask, and thus The Ocean Contested. This also makes it a regular target for piracy, both outlaws and privateers.
* **The Mask** Located in north-west Red Hills, The Mask is a natural bay that cuts almost to the center of the region. The Mask opens into The Ocean Contested, and provides a natural harbor for many noble houses. Like River Owltalon that feeds it, The Mask is also a thriving trade route plagued by piracy. The Mask was also a key location in The Gracekeeper War. As the site of numerous naval and magical battles, it has developed a quiet reputation as a trove of lost magical artifacts and treasures. The majority of this treasure-hunting was done by The Candlebrooks, but the lure of lost power has attracted adventurers from all over Merion and Barande. The epicenter of these treasures is now known as The Spoils.
* **The Spoils**  On the eastern coast of Houses Odak and Gracekeeper, in the south-west quarter of The Mask, is a treacherous yet awe-inspiring stretch of shipwrecks and wild magic known as The Spoils. The site of The Gracekeeper War's climactic and magic-heavy final battle, The Spoils is well-known for its lost treasures and magics, attracting countless treasure-hunters and scholars from all regions. While such artifacts can be found throughout The Mask, The Spoils is well known for its volume and concentration, leading some to consider it a man-made world wonder, albeit an unintentional one. It is impassible by ship, and nearly impossible to walk over, requiring explorers to utilize dangerous dives and smaller boats. The Spoils is officially under the administration of House Gracekeeper, but the Candlebrooks maintain their own surveillance of the area, and frequently countermand Gracekeeper decisions when they conflict with The Crown's interests.
* **The Gardens of Rage** In the south-west corner of Red Hills is The Gardens of Rage, a large and scarcely populated expanse of land owned by the Candlebrooks. Unbeknownst to most, the Candlebrooks use the Gardens as a secret research facility, performing all manner of experiments and testing in the fields of social, military, and more. While the nature of these experiments remain largely unknown to the public, the more social experiments are considered by some to be cruel, or at least unusual, though subjects for these experiments are entirely voluntary. The Gardens of Rage were annexed by the Candlebrooks after the local population was decimated by The Gracekeeper War. It is now managed by Knights of Water, with assistance from local noble houses. Rather than building once large central facility, the Gardens of Rage are mostly empty lands, with the Candlebrooks using smaller, hidden buildings to increase security and secrecy. Traders crossing the Barande/Merion border often cross through The Gardens of Rage without any incident or knowledge of its secrets.
* **Academe of Fire** Home to Merion's Knights of Fire, the Academe of Fire is both a school of war and a full military base. Like the other three Knight Academies, the Academe of Fire instructs potential Knights in the ways of their order, with the Knightly Order of Fire emphasizing combat prowess, military tactics, and cooking. The Academe of Fire is located in north-east Red Hills, strategically built at the only opening between River Sundown and River Sunflash. At the time of its construction, these rivers marked the Merion-Barande border, and the decision was made to construct the militaristic Academe of Fire here in order to secure a strategic border foothold.
* **Outer Owl** In the north-east of the Red Hills is a small, almost inhospitable stretch of land known as Outer Owl, named for its proximity to the noble "Owl Houses" (Harper, Madsonal, Talonspring, and Voyeugnier.) Outer Owl has nearly impassible terrain, no real natural resources, and no strategic value, and has been deemed by the Candlebrooks and neighboring noble houses to be not worth the hassle of attempting to incorporate and secure Outer Owl into existing territory. As such, Outer Owl is an unclaimed and lawless land, a rarity in Merion. Over time it has turned into a sanctuary for those trying to escape Merionese or Barandean rule, including career-criminals, fugitives, traders and black market sellers, revolutionaries, terrorists, political dissenters, conspiracy theorists, and even normal people who are just tired of living under strict law. Outer Owl's residents have established an informal and unofficial society, with communal share-croppers and farmers providing food for the traders and criminals, who in turn provide protection to the farmers. Outer Owl serves as the base of operations for numerous groups of thieves and pirates who plunder Merionese and Barandean trade routes, using their geographical knowledge to ambush caravans, or their small, agile ships to board trade ships as far out as The Mask. Lawless, dangerous, and often violent, Outer Owl is carefully watched and contained by its neighboring noble houses, as well as the nearby Fire Academe. However, the resources and opportunities it provides do not go unnoticed by its noble neighbors, and it is suspected that some of the bordering houses are doing business with Outer Owl as often as they claim to be suppressing them.

### Notable Wildlife

The harsh climate of Doublecrown and Red Hills limits its variety of wildlife. A few common animals include exotic birds, boars, foxes, colorful scorpions, and even some monkeys. Nonetheless, some distinct, and some dangerous, animals thrive in the rocky deserts as well.

* **Chupacabra** The vampiric Chupacabra resides in the warmer and less-populated regions of Red Hills, occasionally feeding on livestock. Formerly a much larger nuisance, both Doublecrown and Red Hills have since developed significant counter-measures.
* **Kraken** The Wax's infamous kraken make over-seas trade from Doublecrown a risky venture, though it has never seemed to slow the region's ambition.
* **Owls** While normal owls can be found throughout Merion, Doublecrown and Red Hills are the home of Merion's barn owls. These owls nest in the rocky cliffs of northern Red Hills and north-western Doublecrown, and nocturnally hunt local rodents and small mammals. While Doublecrown has no strong feelings about the barn owls, their prevalence and reputation for pest-control in northern Red Hills has earned them a place of respect and significance among the local houses. Houses Harper, Madsonal, Talonspring, and Voyeugnier have all incorporated the barn owl into their culture or heraldry in one way or another, leading to their nickname of "the Owl Houses." This owl motif, as well as the presence of the owls themselves, also contributed to the naming of Outer Owl.

## Doublecrown

The region of Doublecrown is unique in Merion, as it is loyal to both The Candlebrooks of Merion as well as the Barandean Supremacy. Established by King Lawrence IV at the end of the last Merion-Barande war, with the "Treaty of Doublecrown," Doublecrown was created to act as a neutral ground for Merion/Barande relations. The treaty is effective, despite being viewed by the Candlebrooks as more of a necessary evil, and viewed by the Barandeans as a temporary measure until they decide to resume the war. The region is loyal to United Merion, but ruled over by a Barandean-style court of "The Nine Splendid Counts," as well a single traditional Merionese noble house, House Cabbaro. The Nine Splendid Counts also follow Barandean customs and traditions, and practice Barandean religion. This makes the Nine Splendid Counts both official Barandean Frontier Counts as well as Merionese nobles.

Doublecrown is a major metropolitan region and thriving trade center. With the Patreon Salt Flats to its north, and Barande's Patreon Desert to the south, Doublecrown is a welcome stop in the Merion-Barande trade route. Doublecrown's ports and access to The Wax let it trade overseas as well, doing business with southern Merion and the capital. Between its political and business opportunities, many in Doublecrown live a lavish and wealthy life. Doublecrown's culture is a unique combination of Merionese and Barandean influence, with dazzling Barandean architecture and mosaics, renowned Merionese cuisine and baking, fine wine from both nations, and an infamous social/night life. Bored Merionese citizens see Doublecrown as a fun-loving playground, while the more religious Barandeans see it as an immoral den of sin. There also exists a fierce competitive spirit between the Merionese and Barandeans of Doublecrown, manifesting in everything from board games to bare-knuckle boxing.

As a center of statecraft, political tensions and loyalties are a passionate and dangerous subject in Doublecrown. For as many residents with questionable allegiances there are just as many fierce loyalists. Doublecrown also has a high rate of espionage, with Merionese and Barandean agents in service of their always-tense governments.

With the recent cataclysm at Brookhaven and resulting Merionese succession crisis, Merion-Barande tensions are at an all-time high since The Treaty of Doublecrown, as the prevailing Merionese theory blames Barande for the attack.

### The Nine Splendid Counts

The Nine Splendid Counts (along with House Cabbaro) are the rulers of Doublecrown's ten regions. This court emulates the Barandean Count System, despite all nine counts pledging loyalty to the Candlebrooks and United Merion. The Nine Splendid Counts are all successful businesspeople, owning some of the nicest palaces and largest lands in United Merion. They're described as being flamboyant, flashy, theatrical, and constantly plotting with and against each other. The Nine Splendid Counts, while loyal to the Candlebrooks, care little for United Merion as a whole. They view themselves more as brokers, facilitating the markets between Barande and Merion.

Like other noble houses, each Splendid Count has a house emblem, each featuring the emblem of Doublecrown (two side-by-side crowns) divided into quarters with a unique addition. In place of traditional house words, the Splendid Counts have instead instrumental fanfares. The current members of The Nine Splendid Counts, their house emblem, and their fanfare, are as follows:

* **The First Splendid Count** Count Leclerq of Quiet Sands, age 43. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with dunes. His house words are described as a vuvuzela fanfare.
* **The Second Splendid Count** Count Slovus of Clattershore, age 24. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with crashing waves. His house words are described as a cymbal clash fanfare.
* **The Third Splendid Count** Count Trent of the Labyrinth, age 44. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with minotaurs. His house words are described as a shofar fanfare.
* **The Fourth Splendid Count** Count Saxman of Sunport, age 29. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with Sunbursts. His house words are described as a flute fanfare.
* **The Fifth Splendid Count** Count Rogelio of the Veldt, age 28. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with lions. His house words are described as a guitar fanfare.
* **The Sixth Splendid Count** Count Crandslo of Sixcount, age 34. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with lyres. His house words are described as a lyre fanfare.
* **The Seventh Splendid Count** Countess Sonata of Duskglades, age 26. Her house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with falling leaves. Her house words are described as a rainstick fanfare.
* **The Eighth Splendid Count** Count Berio of the Longcoast, age 50. His house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with dolphins. His house words are described as a trumpet fanfare.
* **The Ninth Splendid Count** Countess Gloria of the Gate, age 37. Her house emblem is the Emblem of Doublecrown, quartered with The Onyx Gate. Her house words are described as a drumroll fanfare.

## Citizenry and Nobility

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## Trivia

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