Oakwood Pact
The Oakwood Pact is a regional alliance in The West Forest, formed between Oakwood - Town and the hamlet of Silverbrook -Town following the disappearance of Baroness Anne Alden and the subsequent decline of central authority in the region. Initially created to stabilise trade and security along the Oak Trade Road, the Pact has developed into a political and defensive coalition that now serves as one of the primary power structures in the West Forest.
The Pact functions as a mutual protection and governance framework, with Oakwood acting as the dominant partner and administrative centre.
Structure
The Oakwood Pact operates as a bilateral alliance under the governance of the Oakwood Council. While Silverbrook holds local autonomy, strategic authority rests with Oakwood due to its population size, infrastructure, and political influence. The Pact utilises contracted military forces, primarily the Oakwood Vanguard, alongside limited internal guards. Decision-making power ultimately lies with the Elected Head of Oakwood, who can override Pact policy during crises.
Culture
The Pact values economic stability, civil order, and defensive readiness. Its communities emphasise merchant pragmatism, communal cooperation, and cautious diplomacy. Public sentiment prioritises security and stability above political independence, resulting in acceptance of semi-militarisation and strong executive power. Despite its democratic origins, authority is concentrated in Oakwood, creating a culture where practicality outweighs ideological governance.
Public Agenda
The Oakwood Pact maintains a public commitment to:
Preserving trade stability across the West Forest
Protecting allied settlements and supply routes
Resisting bandit factions and rogue lords
Maintaining legal and civil order in Pact territory
Promoting cooperative growth through shared resources and defence
The Pact positions itself as a stabilising civil force in an increasingly lawless frontier.
Assets
The Pact controls key trade infrastructure and security assets, including:
The Oakwood Vanguard as a contracted private defence force
Fortified outposts along trade routes
Tax rights and toll authority along portions of the Oak Trade Road
Access to Silverbrook’s mining output
Docking and ferry points along the Silver River
Council administrative headquarters in Oakwood
These assets allow the Pact to maintain economic resilience and defensive capability despite limited direct manpower.
History
The Oakwood Pact formed shortly after the disappearance of Baroness Anne Alden, during a period marked by rising bandit activity and decentralisation of authority in the West Forest. With regional powers vying for control and lawlessness increasing, Oakwood consolidated leadership and initiated an alliance with Silverbrook. The pact then contracted the Oakwood Vanguard, transforming it into a professional security body.
Under this structure, the Pact has maintained control over its territory, securing trade, fortifying settlements, and actively resisting rival factions including rogue lords, bandit groups, and remnants of pre-Alderian authority. Its stability is credited largely to its administrative cohesion and reliance on mercenary security forces.
Demography and Population
The Oakwood Pact comprises a predominantly Alderian population, with minorities of catgirls, dwarfs, gnomes, and isolated goblin groups living in peripheral lands.
Population estimate:
Oakwood: ~450–600 residents
Silverbrook: ~150–250 residents
Outlying homesteads & farms: ~80–120 residents
The Pact’s population includes merchants, miners, farmers, hunters, vanguard soldiers, and a small number of clerics and scribes.
Military
The Pact does not maintain a traditional standing army. Only holding Oakwood Guard and it contracts Oakwood Vanguard, a private security force functioning as both frontier defense and regional enforcement arm. The Oakwood Guard serves as internal policing but defers to the Vanguard during times of war or crisis. Local militias may be levied in emergencies.
Military assets include:
Vanguard patrol detachments stationed along the Oak Road
Fortified Vanguard guild houses in Oakwood, Silverbrook, and Fort Workings
Access to hired mercenary support if needed
Religion
The dominant religious influence within the Pact is The Order of The Oak, whose worship centres on the The Eternal Hero and the preservation of Alderian virtue and stability. Although the Order holds strong cultural presence, it functions in advisory roles rather than direct governance. Shrines and chapels exist in Oakwood and Silverbrook, often decorated with oak iconography symbolising endurance, memory, and duty.
Agriculture & Industry
Economic foundations are built on mixed agriculture and light industry:
Agriculture
Wheat, barley, and rye cultivation
Orchard produce and forestry for timber
Livestock: goats, pigs, and poultry
Industry
Iron and copper extraction from Silverbrook’s mine
Woodworking and carpentry
Leatherworking and textile production
Milling and small-scale brewing
The Pact’s economy is modest but stable due to controlled trade, protected routes, and resource diversity.
Trade & Transport
The Oakwood Pact’s prosperity derives from its strategic position along the Oak Trade Road, a major commercial route linking Redstone territories to the Alderian heartland. Trade is primarily terrestrial, relying on guarded road caravans. The Pact trades in:
Timber
Iron and copper ingots
Grain and farm produce
Leather goods
Handcrafted tools and equipment
Toll checkpoints and market tariffs provide significant revenue.
Trade Secure, Peace Endures
Founding Date
Era of Enchantment
Capital
Training Level
Levy
Veterancy Level
Trained
Ruling Organization
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Market economy
Gazetteer
Legislative Body
The legislative authority of the Oakwood Pact is vested in the Silver-Oak Assembly, a council composed of appointed and elected representatives from both Oakwood and Silverbrook. Oakwood holds the majority share of seats due to its greater population and economic contribution, while Silverbrook maintains guaranteed representation to protect its local interests. The Assembly drafts, votes on, and ratifies Pact-wide policies concerning trade, security, taxation, and diplomatic agreements.
Judicial Body
Judicial duties fall to the Oak Tribunal, overseen by the Chief of Justice of Oakwood and supported by magistrates assigned to Silverbrook. The Tribunal interprets Pact law, conducts trials, and enforces rulings. While Silverbrook may hold local hearings for minor offences, all major legal matters are escalated to Oakwood for final judgement, reflecting Oakwood’s senior authority within the Pact.
Executive Body
Executive governance is led by the Elected Head of Oakwood, who serves as High Arbiter of the Pact during their term. This office holds final executive authority, supported by the Oakwood Council and Silverbrook’s Guild-Chair Liaison. Although the Pact maintains unified executive oversight, day-to-day administration in Silverbrook is largely delegated to the Oakwood Vanguard Marauder stationed there.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Deities
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Comments