The Barony of Straussendor

Being one of the older baronies established, Straussendor is a well-designed hub of natural beauty, careful city planning, and well-developed industry. It's a pretty city, white stone brick walls amid rich brown loam, dotted with sage and sorrel. The people of Straussendor appreciate the old amid the new, and are ever mindful of the humble beginning from which their illustrious town grew.

**Brooks** is the farthest west of the districts, and is one of the largest. This quiet, pastoral district is inhabited by the poor and middle classes. While it doesn't possess the fiscal force of the mines or clay quarries or the prestige of Saint Mia or Artisanal Univeristy, it is nevertheless the backbone of the region. This is because all the agriculture takes place here, fed by the three great lakes and the rivers that run between them.

**Claypool** is to the north of Brooks, and has direct access, to Artisanal University, Saint Mia and Masonton. It is breached by the bay of the Great Mire Lake to the north, which is the main source of this district's income. The rich green clay harvested from the lake and the bordering land has resulted in the booming pottery industry in Straussendor. This particular clay has a peculiar strength to it, and is rumored to have unique alchemical properties. As a result of the booming industry, you can generally find the economically comfortable and wealthy making their homes in this district, settled in clay-walled houses of splendor and style.

**Masonton** rivals Claypool for sheer economic output; the stone hewn from Mount Lycia and the iron ore mined in her sister, Mount Ferran, account for a great deal of Straussendor's exports, mainly to stone-work rich town and smithing hotspots, namely Yargish Ha-Raani and Hexiun. Being one of the older districts in the Barony, Masonton boasts of carefully and beautifully rendered masonry and architecture. You can also find some of the most egregiously rich members of Straussendorian society here, living in alabaster towers.

Look just south of Masonton, and you'll find the polarized district of **Saint Mia**. Home to the majority of the religious folk in the barony, many of the poor also flock to this district in hope of acquiring alms and kindly support that only clergy will offer regularly. And, as desperate people are driven to desperate acts (whether by necessity or choice), crime has also flocked to Saint Mia. For this reason, the streets are frequently patrolled by Peacekeeper Monks and The Veiled Sisterhood, both religious organizations committed to providing a measure of safety to the streets of Saint Mia. That said, the latter is more committed to peaceful abjuration, while the former prefer to teach evil a lesson that only a well-placed quarterstaff can.

The **Walden Slums** are located to the south of Masonton and the east of Saint Mia, and serve as a kind of buffer for the poor workers in the town. Home to drunkards, the indebted, the oppressed, and those attempting to hide from the law's watchful eye, the slums are a dangerous place for those unfamiliar and unprepared.

**Heisdorf Wood** is located to the south of Walden Slums, and is very sparsely populated. Many workers commute to work in the garden and orchards from Walden Slums, but few are willing to live in Heisdorf itself, largely due to the rumors that surround the area; hats go missing, and those of unworthy character find their efforts to steal extra food thwarted by the local greenery. A group of local druids inhabit the area, and work to keep the local animal populations within reasonable levels and in good health. The monastery itself is mysteriously hidden, yet rumors still circulate about invisible cathedrals and subterranean catacombs. To date, these rumors have been neither confirmed nor denied.

**Fort Straussendor** is the massive stone keep of the city, all steel, alabaster and banners. The Lord and Lady live here, as do several of the top advisors and guard captains. Admittance to the fort itself is generally by appointment only, and even then, one has to be accompanied by the required personnel at all times.

If Saint Mia is the religious center of Straussendor, **Jackdaw** is the criminal center. Here, brigands, thugs, thieves, sharks and gamblers all converge on the many taverns and pubs, having hushed conversations and raucous brawls in equal measure. The fact that the Baron and Baroness haven't quashed the criminal presence in Jackdaw is evidence of the power and respect the masterminds in the district command.

**Artisanal University** is a smaller district within Straussendor, yet is arguably the beating heart that keeps the city alive, much to the inhabitants' chagrin. The University was originally a small three-building art complex, but over years, has spread into an unending labyrinth of corridors, rooms, annexes and gymnasiums. If one can find their way, almost any subject can be found to be taught at the University. The University has brought a considerable amount of "unsavory curriculum" to the area, and for that reason, it is constantly under fire. It also contains the much-sought-after College of Whispers, which has an impressive, if largely negative, reputation.