Fiefdom of Tharsis

## Overview

One of the many fiefdoms of the Teris Empire, Tharsis is primarily comprised by humans but includes a significant population of elven slaves. Although it's population is smaller than what would be expected, it's centralized location and military strength offer the house great political power within the Teris Empire.

The fiefdom's associated animal is the grey-pelted deer, and their banner/military colors are black and white with light blue accents.

## History

The house was one of the original Fiefdoms involved in the War of the Lilies that was defeated by the Fiefdom of Terre. After the defeat, the ruling warlords were expelled and Duke Vensill Liantus Crowe was put into place by the Teris Empire. Officially established in year 368, the Fiefdom of Tharsis became a central region for the empire as an important trading and defense settlement, due to it's relative geographical location and ease of travel to the other houses. Liann Mareth Crowe later established the Tharsiscan Knights as a defense force for the region, with the ability of intervening in the surrounding fiefdoms if need be. Since then, the knights have given House Tharsis a name in military training and swordsmanship due to their effectiveness and ruthlessness.

As Tharsis developed, the population increased gradually but slowly, mainly due to conscription in constant military conflicts, as well as many families moving out to other fiefdoms by choice due to the undesirable marshy landscape. Many blacksmiths and their families, however, have taken residence within Tharsis for it's steel hungry military and trade access to many of the other fiefdoms. Swords and armor smithed in Tharsis later becamse synonymous with greater quality and higher prices.

To make up for its lower population and higher demand for industrial goods, Vensill Liantus Crowe and his descendants brought in a large population of elven slaves taken from other regions and imperial wars. Many were put to work building Skyscour Castle, and others were given to merchants and farmers with the express purpose of working towards establishing settlements.

Until year 616, little political turmoil had occurred within the fiefdom. Duke Mercatius Cantorus Crowe, the latest ruling descendant of Vensill Liantus Crowe, was left in power due to his right of inheritance. It was recently made public of his affair with an elven woman, and he was summarily tried and executed by the empire's Black Wolves. The next in line to the throne, as well as the Duke's interim replacement, is currently unknown.

## Military

### General army

Tharsis employs a medium sized defense force with an emphasis on heavily armored foot-soldiers, horses are rare and bred exclusively for use by the Tharsiscan Knights. Battle tactics for the main force tend to remain very conservative and defensive, with the holding of territory being their highest priority.

## Landmarks

### Lyenne

A small farming village on the southwestern coast of the fiefdom, Lyenne is typically unaffected by the political strife. The farmers have a significant population of elven slaves, many of which are treated rather humanely compared to the rest of the empire. As such, a somewhat sympathetic attitude has grown among many of the humans in Lyenne.

### Swordsfield

Lying directly in the center of the Fiefdom, Swordsfield is the industrial capital of Tharsis. The city was named after the Battle of the Torn Banner, the setting of the final stand of the local warlords against the Fiefdom of Terre towards the end of the War of the Lilies. Many villagers passing the site after the conflict remarked at the number of slain knights littering the battlefield, their swords and arrows sticking out of the ground "like fields of hay". The impromptu barracks set up by the Fiefdom of Terre became a trading post after the war, housing travelers and merchants and eventually growing into a large city. Swordsfield remains a central economic hub for the region, bringing and lodging traders from across the empire. Elven slaves are in their highest concentration here, many forced to perform backbreaking labor for the industrial sectors and living in overcrowded slums. Slaves encounter significantly more abhorrent living conditions in Swordsfield than other regions within Tharsis.

## Flora and Fauna

### Grey-Pelted Deer

The emblematic animal of the fiefdom, Grey-Pelted Deer are also known to travel through the neigbouring Fiefdom of Thimia and sometimes up north into the Fiefdom of Braythorp. They are most commonly found, however, within the ebony forests of Tharsis. Travelling in groups of 5-20, the deer are admired for their elegant coats and stoic nature, and were chosen as the official animal of the region in 468. Although not technically endangered, overhunting did reduce the population significantly enough that the fiefdom was forced to put limits on how many deer could be caught by hunters and trappers in year 517.

### Tharsis Onion

Originally a wild vegetable found near the town of Lyenne, Tharsis Onion's have since become harvested in large crops by towns all across the Fiefdom. Versatile and nutritious, the Tharsis Onion can grow in a large range of conditions, and is considered quite hardy. Although white with a slight pink tint when harvested, the onion's flesh becomes a brilliant deep magenta when exposed to heat. A staple in Tharsiscan cuisine, the onion is also often shipped to other fiefdoms within the Teris empire. A commonly made dish featuring the vegetable is Tharsis Onion Cake, which is primarily enjoyed by the lower classes and travelling adventurers for its ease of baking and long shelf life.

### Ebony Trees

Much of the eastern half of Tharsis is covered in a large forest of ebony trees, their dark, smooth trunks serving as the main habitat for the Grey-Pelted Deer and other animals. Known collectively as The Ebonwood, merchants and travelers unfamiliar with the geography can easily lose their sense of direction in the miles of forested area. Because of this, soldiers are often commissioned to search for missing persons within the Ebonwood, with varying degrees of success.

Tharsis has become one of the main producers of ebony for the empire, and is also well known for decorating armor, furniture, and houses with the material.