Stonetree

Lying east of the White Road and towards the eastern edge of the Grandocene, Stonetree is the county seat of Denbow.

General Appearance

Stonetree sits on a gentle knoll in a great plane of oats and barley, with scattered orchards of peach and cherry trees. The city itself is surrounded by a light grey wall of granite.

History

Founded in the early years of the Third Era, Denbow was settled as the early expansion of the Grandocene pushed south and east. These early settlers stopped in this area as several stands of peach and other stonefruit were found to be growing here. More important than the fruit was the wood, as timber and stone were in short supply for construction. Many of the stands were partially cleared and then improved, as fruit products were found to be profitable for trade. The King sent several of his relatives into the region to establish cities and roads to facilitate trade from the cereal fields of the Grandocene. His youngest sister established the hamlet of Heverow in 121 3E. The seat of government was relocated to Stonetree some thirty years later. Stonetree grew from just 100 residents to nearly a thousand over the next century, and from two hamlets to seven in the same time.

The Crazy Years and the Reformation saw great governmental and social upheaval, as Denbow had become a minor seat of arcane education and training, some estimating that as many as 250 wizards and upwards of a hundred sorcerers lived in the county. Viscount Edmond Brucer was said to practice the magical arts, and while few official documents still exist, it is known that he was deposed by a group of Proctors, and his older sister was coronated to take his place. Some accounts state that he was allowed to take the position of Court Wizard, while others say that title was given to his son. It is also unclear whether Viscountess Erra changed her last name from Brucer to Bruce, but all descendants have used the name Bruce to this day.

Recovery during and after the Reformation was slow, but a number of clerics (and druids) took up the mantle of magic in the decades that followed. The School of the Mysteries (having been heavily damaged) was partially rebuilt into a seminary, being renamed Pappis Seminarium. It was later completely rebuilt and expanded into one of the (at the time) largest schools of divine research and and study in the Grandocene. The school's importance has waned somewhat in the intervening centuries, but it is still a well-respected school of divine and martial instruction.

General Attitudes

Stonetree's residents pride themselves on being hard-working, and fair-dealing with their fellow man. Whether the people here work any harder than in other communities is debatable, most people work without complaint. The Viscount's burdens are considered heavy but not onerous, and festivals and fetes are numerous.

Commerce

Much of the trade of Stonetree is in the form of peaches, cherries, and apricots, with much of the rest of the county exporting oats and barley. While fruit has historically been the major export, the cereals have become more significant as the population has grown. A small but appreciable trade are in items made from peach, cherry, and pecan woods. The brandies and ciders of the area are well-known throughout Ardrigh, but limited production limits the amount that enters the commercial trade. Honey and Stonemead are smaller but still significant exports.

Magic

Even though The House enjoys strong support within Stonetree and most of the other villages throughout Denbow, numerous druid circles dot the landscape. Tensions between the druids and the Priests of Avereen generally enjoy a strained truce, but conflicts are not uncommon. These conflicts rarely rise to the level of actual fighting, but it is often considered a possibility.

Arcane magic is largely limited to the Court Wizard and the Academy Arcane. While not actually discouraged, the practice of arcane magic is not actively supported. Indeed, the only Academy Arcane in the entire region is located in Heverow; the local court continually disallowing it to be moved to Stonetree.

Governance

Denbow is currently ruled by Viscount John Bruce, who is largely viewed as a fair, if not entirely likable, noble. He is most noted for his habit of employing peasant lords. He will chose a peasant (free or serf) for a period of a month or so, who will "work" alongside him. This peasant lord has no real authority, but will be asked to comment on the Viscount's rulings, suggest alternatives, and, in general, see the liege's official duties and responsibilities. Occasionally, a former peasant lord will be called upon to talk to either the Viscount or his Court. The Viscount has also thrown a "peasant lord feast", where all former peasant lords were invited to the manor for a banquet; and to discuss their views on the state of the county, its government, and suggest places for improvement.

The Brules of Stonetree are often chosen from amongst the former peasant lords. Occasionally, Viscount Bruce will appoint a long-standing Brule as a bailiff.

The Roads

No High Roads run through Denbow (the White Road being a bit over 80 miles west of Heverow), although the main route leading to the White Road is well and fully cobbled all the way to Heverow. Most of the roads between settlements are broad cobbled paths. In general, roads between settlements are well graded and maintained.

Hamlets and Other Settlements

Hamlets

Alerel (AL-er-rel): Some of the best wheat and barley grown in Denbow comes from here.

Blackwood: The town of Blackwood sits in the Northwest corner of Denbow. Named for small stands of persimmon trees in the area. Honey is it's main export, with apiary boxes being a local trade good.

Dolan:

Gullivar's Folly: A village of nearly 400 residents, it is notable for it's perfectly flat pale-colored loamy-sand soil. This expanse of soil forms a perfect circle precisely a mile across, and is surrounded by the darker loamy clay common throughout the region. A wooden palisade surrounds the village at the sand-clay transition. Legend holds that a Court Wizard by the name of Gullivar released a massive energy, destroying everything (including himself) within the area, despite there being no evidence of anyone (much less a spellcaster or governmental official) by the name of Gullivar ever living in the area.

Harville: A village west of Heverow, Harville builds and repairs wagons and wheels.

Heverow (HE-ver-row): Located just a few miles south of Stonetree, Heverow was the original county seat of Denbow. The seat was changed due to Stonetree having a better defensive position. Heverow actually has a larger population than Stonetree, with a mixed palisade/wall fortification.

Javi: Mostly noted for it's numerous Earth Folk population. The town is fairly evenly split population-wise with gnomes, dwarves, halflings, and humans.

John's Well: Most of John's Well's wealth comes from the docks, which has as it's primary trade good granite from Mekstow.

Saltillo:

Settlements

Bitter Springs:

Bone's Lodge: Located between Javi and Gale Hollow, Bone's Lodge is a large three-story tavern and inn built of bone-white granite. The inn is owned by a reclusive wealthy freeman. The first floor houses the tavern, common rooms, and kitchen, the second floor holds the rented rooms and staff apartments, with the entire top floor reserved as the owner's private residence. A barn and stable containing a farrier's smithy sits just to the north of the lodge.

Gale Hollow: Situated in the southeast corner of Denbow, Gale Hollow is home of the Gales (their family name), a family of Divine Soul sorcerers. The Gale family were once trusted leaders and advisors of The House, but that of course changed during the Reformation. The survivors from that time were eventually allowed to settle peaceably "in the holler", where they have established a largely self-sufficient community.

Lame's Waste:

Mekstow: A small settlement of merfolk stonecutters. Much of the locally used granite comes from the Mekstow quarry.

Other Noteworthy Spots

Larkhill: A cursed island in the Den Lake. A large stone ruin sits atop the island, and numerous tunnels are believed to exist throughout this granite isle.

Mekstow Quarry: The island south of Mekstow.