Marshfield
Marshfield is a relatively large city in the extreme northeast of the Linibian States. The area is something of an expansion of the original coalition that came about during the Korth Conquest when a Korth warlord known as the Iron Emperor ruled over a collection of regions that became known as the Iron Empire. The Kingdom of Marshfield was assigned to a relatively obscure halfling by the Iron Emperor a few decades before the empire was defeated and disbanded. This individual, Duke Alathius Marshfield, managed to retain power and also managed to replace most of the Korth rulers in the nearby regions with his own, much younger, siblings.
The City of Marshfield was founded sometime around K5C when the Iron Emperor sent a battalion to defeat a brass dragon that held sway over the region for several centuries and bring the region under control of the Iron Empire. After the dragon and other threats in the region were eliminated, a feat that spent the lives of over three fourths of that battalion, the city of Marshfield was founded on a strategically and tactically critical high point in the region where several important trade routes converge at one of the few navigable rivers in the region. In the centuries since, the city has grown into an industrial powerhouse and the largest single city in the former lands of the Iron Empire.
Government
Marshfield is ruled by a feudal court under the Duke. Duke Alathius Marshfield was the first ruler of Marshfield, and continues to directly rule the city to this day, over 400 years later. Halflings have long lives, but the duke has lived almost twice as long as a typical halfling already, and shows no signs of old age. With the duke's recent ascention to the Iron Throne, there is considerable speculation that the ducal seat will be given to one of the Duke's children; most likely his daughter Roisin Marshfield, whom many speculate might be his only natural child (owing to the widely known infidelity of the duke's current and former wives). For most of his reign the duke has been advised by a privy council consisting of a Vizier, Confessor, Spymaster, Secretary, Exchequer, Chancellor, Marshal, and Chamberlain. Recently the privy council has been disbanded, and the Duke (now Emperor) takes council only with his Vizier, Spymaster, and Confessor; all three of whom are quite new to the post.
The court has consisted of between 15 and 30 nobles of various titles at various times. The current court consists of 8 counts, 6 barons, and 12 knights. The counts and barons, of course, have their own subordinate nobles who are not considered part of the ducal court.
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