Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #322

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #322 

November 19th, 2023 

• Number: 322 

• Name: Deep Dive on an Area of Interest: Knights of the Borderlands - Part 7 

• Location: Northwest corner of County Macad in the City-State of Noldrune 

• Population (approx.): 4812 (Homestead Manor and surrounding tenants) 

• Brief: The hopes and dreams of any noble family is to pass the title from the current ruler to a worthy heir and continue the bloodline and legacy. This can be interrupted by all manner of causes, most commonly warfare, accident, tragedy and of course, politics. Fortunately, the northern half of Viscounty Ember, the frontier, has been relatively immune to politics both within and without the City-State. County Macad, having borders to both neighboring City-States; Ceannar to the east and Taodeas to the south, has played a relatively strong political game relying upon the strength of her Legions to protect the borders. Thus, the three Viscounts expect their peerage to be “all in” when service to the realm is required. It is rumored that some form of service was required of the prior Lord of Homestead Manor, they refused and subsequently the Knight vanished, leaving no suitable heir to the title. 

• Sir Nornam, Lord of Homestead Manor, 46, male Half-Elf, is the author of many popular books. He is of average height and has a thick waist. His head is bald, and his boulder-gray eyes are distant. Nornam walks with a limp that he got from an arrow in his knee on a battlefield ten years ago. Nornam wears leather pants, a white shirt, and a green vest. He uses a wooden cane made from twisted ash and has an amethyst on top. He refuses to fight anymore but, in a pinch, can use the cane. 

• Nornam writes funny books for children that always teach moral lessons. One of his stories caught the eye of Lady Camilla Basnum. Camilla spread the word of all of Nornam's books, and they quickly sold out. She suggested in Viscount Ember's ear that Nornam would make a great leader and be the moral center for the next generation. Granted a peerage, Nornam is now the Lord of Homestead Manor (the prior Knight had disappeared under mysterious circumstances several years ago). 

• Nornam's family comprises three brothers: Falril, 55, Barrill, 48, and Xanben, 40. He also has one sister, Aurora, 32. They all live in the manor with him and their families. Nornam's best friend is Admure Hardale, 100, male Dwarf. They get together each week to drink ale and play chess. Nornam is quite the ladies' man and is dating three women: Belle, 32, Human; Alysa, 40, Human; and Dorphanis, 65, Half-Elf. 

• Geography: Homestead Manor (location 6 see below) fills out the Interior Frontier the northern half of Viscount Ember’s lands. It sits at a crossroads east of Graceview Chateau (location 5) and south of Peace Blossom Manor (location 2). The Lord’s Keep sits on the northwest slope of Hemmeck Hill, which contains a spring, the source of the Ember River that flows south to the Tauoi River (and forms the eastern border of the Viscounty). Originally a single watchtower overlooking the frontier to west and north, it has been expanded to include the Lord’s house and gardens enclosed by a curtain wall dotted with additional towers. Sir Nornam is in the process of adding a third floor to the main building for a library and reading room. Homestead Manor, whose buildings have a similar Amthorian style to those of Graceview Chateau, covers about 300 square miles of farms and small thorps.