Halstead

Geography

A moutainous land of long harsh winters and short summers located on the empires northeastern border, Halstead is at the limits of where large scale, organised agriculture is possible. (Think the Baltic states for the settled area's, Siberia for the rest.)

Regional History

Halstead is formerly one of the six provinces of the prefecture of Cytheria (along with Gallice, Mysilia, Evencreek, Venthald and Cythius), and was the fringe outpost at the northern reaches of the Kurathene Empire. Thus, though it was in an isolated region, with few natural resources, it tended to dominate the strategic thinking of both the prefects of Liandyra and Cytheria.

During the Imperial Era it was populated primarily by Imperial soldiers, usually of the Third and Seventeeth Legions, centered around the impressive stone battlements of Fort Halstead and anchored by the irrigation provided by the River Gald. It also contained the Kurathene northern port city of Port Masteus, which was the starting point of any iron convoys coming from Galdos since the 15th century.

As its strategic importance increased with the advent of Galdosian River Route, settlement was encouraged during the 16th and 17th centuries through the advancement of land claims to military veterans, and eventually the majority of the civilian population were clustered from the ranks of the Imperial Army, and the rather humble city of Port Masteus later became known as "Garrisonville" by Imperial Navy officers due to the large numbers of Imperial Army soldiers who had settled there after 20 years of service.

The fall of the Empire deeply fragmented Halstead itself, Port Masteus remained in the hands of the Imperial Navy, though Fort Halstead became its own fortified retreat for the remnants of Imperial Order officers serving in Halstead at that time. Traditionally ruled by the legion commander of the fortress, the region became more and more isolated from the rest of Kurathene...

the first post-Imperial garrison commander, Legate Lord Warner va'Klaren believing that he commanded the final bastion of Imperial tradition. (Though his successors knew this to be false, as they traded with the Imperial North Seas Fleet stationed in Port Masteus) This reinforced the innate conservatism and strength of the local populace, and in many regards made them far less likely to accept foreign support to maintain both the fort and it's elaborate system of siege weaponry designed to protect it from marauding barbarian hordes.

Around 60 years ago there was a dramatic fall in the number of barbarian incursions into the region and a corresponding increase of trade. This long period of peace, broken by sporadic barbarian raids that were easily dealt with resulted in a vastly increased sense of security.

A shift in priorities then occured under legate ?? as ever scarce resources were diverted away from the upkeep of the fort - by that time one of the most powerfull fortresses in existance - into improving and extending the mines and agriculture upon which Halstead depended for survival.

This policy, intended to make Halstead fully self-sufficiant, was continued into the present time by the last fief lord Willem va'Klaren, along with a continuing gradual deteriation of the forts defences and fabric.

This period culminated in the fall of Fort Halstead in 2142 (rough date), to the forces of the Giant King Orgoron,