Duchy Stenstrom is one of 4 Duchies that belong to the Halcyon Sovereignty. The other three duchies are Duchy Jernigan, Duchy Illychnyaev, and Duchy Velazquez.
This Duchy is in the Northwest and is run by Duchess Iona Stenstrom.
Real world ties: This area is based around the Scandinavian nations. Characters hailing from this area would have Scandinavian accents.
Culture #
A place of Dark Tales and even Darker Creatures, The Lands themselves are twisted and corrupted. The landscape has a dark shadow that hangs over it and the creatures here have grown vicious and territorial. If you keep to the roads and towns you can usually stay safe. Few venture the wilderness at night.
Holding access to one of the most used trade routes in Astrel, this Duchy sees a lot of traffic moving between the Baahir and Ancuram Nations. The Whispering Wilds makes up the majority of this duchy. It is a Badlands of sorts and are not as hospitable as many other areas in the nation. Traveling by land is the cheapest option for traders, so when they must pass through the badlands, many precautions are taken for those caravans.
Due to their High versatility, Beastfolk are very prominent in this Duchy. The Elderly are highly admired here due to their wisdom and the sheer fact that they have lived so long in such harsh environments. These people hold a natural suspicion of outsiders and never assume that everything is as it appears.
Outsiders are viewed with suspicion because everyone else is soft. It is assumed that they can’t handle the tough environment until they prove themselves.
Population Statistics #
Major Houses #
Geography
This duchy is extremely varied in its terrain. It’s characterized by steep slopes with a lot of ravines and mesas. Dark Dense Forests and the majority of the Duchy sits lower than most of the other land in Astrel. Almost like it was carved out of the ground. It’s not the easiest terrain to make your way through, but it’s manageable. One of the largest trade routes passes through these lands between the Elven city of Irhdell and the Dwarven Capital. The largest city along this route is Dybbæk, but there are a few other small settlements along the way as well.
Skalavik is the largest city in Duchy Stentrom, sitting on top of a large plateau making it one of the most defensible places in this Duchy.
One of the few beastfolk settlements is also located here. Bjorravik is one of the oldest known settlements in this area.
Attire #
These people use a lot of furs and leather in their garb, lending to a bit of an pieced together look but exceptionally well made and durable. It’s also not uncommon for adorn themselves in bone or trophies from the great beasts they have taken down. Feathers, Pelts, skulls, are all common adornments sometimes even making their armor or head adornments out of these trophies.
They prefer the use of Axes and Spears as weapons but that is partially due to their multi functionality and need to travel quick and light. For these people survival is a way of life and such their adornments compliment that. Their weapons and Shields will commonly have runes lining them with a word or phrase reminding them of where they came from or a principals very dear to them. Strong and Sturdy weapons are handed down from generation to generation sometimes becoming icons of great warriors. They use a lot of natural colors in their clothing; tans, browns and grays but sometimes us accents of bright colors for a bit of flair.
Material #
The Denizens of Duchy Stenstrom wear a lot of leather and fur, with some layers of cotton, linen or wool.
Holidays #
Armistice Day is a particularly important holiday for these people due to the fact that the end of the great Dwarven/Elven war was what made the land this way. Stories of great warriors fill the halls and taverns. Their Legacies can carry a families reputation for generations.
