The Provis of Hearn
THE PROVIS OF HEARN
The Provis of Hearn is a subject state of its much larger neighbour, the Empire of Banhied. Most of the center of the principality is covered by hills and mountains. The western coast is rugged and affords few harbours of any note. The southern coast, however, offers both harbours and plains.
For centuries, the Orcii ruled the much of lands that now form the principality. To the east stood the two great forests of Wyre and Dain, enclosed within the great arm of the River Severn. Elves ruled the hearts of these great forests, although halflings could also be found within their shadows. What little human habitation there was, was clustered on the plains around the few good harbours on the southern coast. But there was little sense of unity amoung them, and no sense of belonging to a single state. They were city-states more than anything else.
The relationship between the city-states and the orcii was generally one of mutual distrust. But it was quickly put aside to repel any attemps by the Empire of Banhied to establish a foothold there. So with the eastern boarder protected by the great Severn and dark forests and the few deepwater southern ports protected by fortifed cities, this stayed the same for centuries.
But about 250 years ago, massive iron and other mineral ore deposits were discovered in the hills the around the southern coast. Thousands flocked to the cities of the south and began expeditions began pushing deeper into the lands of the orcii in search of more deposits. Conflicts began to flare up between the orcii and humans. Frustrated by the human lords inability to restrain its people, the orcii united under one bannner and declared war on the cities of the south in order to drive them from their lands for good.
Perhaps they would have if the Provis of Banhied had not stepped in and in return for swearing fealty to the Magocracy, they poured troops and resourses into the beleagued southern cities. Eventually, the tide turned in the Empire's favour and the orcii were in turn driven back deep into their lands. The lands were claimed under one name, and the Provis of Hearn was born.
-- The North --
There are giants in the nothern mountains. Dwarves as well. Its an area rich in mineral wealth, jealously guarded.
GALLOWAY
Gallow was the last region of the Provis to be taken from the Orcii. From the coastal cities, the armies of man pushed the Orcii back through the hills towards the central highland plains. There, between the western mountains and southern highland ranges, the Orcii made their last stand to protect highland plains that had been their homelands since the beginning of time. There they were beaten into submission. After the surviving war-sworn and shaman were hung, and those that were spared had sworn fealty, the remnants of the Orcii were permitted to return to the hills.
GALLOW-ON-TEP
Gallow-on-Tep is, as its name suggests, named after a gallows found on the river Tep. In particular, the gallows where the Orcii leader Nordhhaj, his war-sworn and the shamen were hung after after the Battle of Seven Spears. The valley in which the city sits was the site of the last stand of the Orcii. The army camp became a town, and then a city. The city's name eventually gave rise to the name of the region, and later the provence. Galloway.
Gallow-on-Tep, despite being the largest city in the provence, is not its capital. Gallow, as it is generally known, is located at the center of a web of small towns built to exploit the resources of the region - timber, minerals, furs and to a lesser degree, ceramics. The mineral rich soil produces some quite interesting clays.
I'll get to work on my character once I've got my hands on the Technology rules.
