Feroz

Southernmost of the Freeborn territories, lush but threatened by barbarians over land and sea

Regions of Feroz

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Overview

Feroz is the southernmost territory of the Brass Coast, and like Madruga to the north has both isles and coastline. Here the climate is warm and humid, perfect for the cultivation of different plants. This is the home of the fabulous spice gardens of Feroz, a source of great revenue for the people of this territory. The seas are more treacherous here, and the south and the west are constantly threatened by barbarians by land. As a result, many armed merchants patrolled the seas, and groups of young warriors journeyed along the borders, fighting skirmishes against jealous foes.

There is a traditional rivalry between the families of Feroz and those of Madruga. The northern territory was the first settled when the Freeborn left Highguard, and there is a popular stereotype that the people who live there are "stuck up". This stereotype is more humorous than hateful - the Freeborn move around too much to allow such prejudice to root itself too firmly in their psyche. Still, if a citizen of Feroz wants to insult a citizen of Madruga, they will fall back on accusations of arrogance and an over-reliance on tradition.

Some of the finest apothecaries on the Brass Coast once lived in Feroz - the art of potion making has been studied here for centuries and even after two years of occupation by the Grendel it is still home to a great many herb gardens. The mainland is a criss-cross patchwork of farms and small settlements. At the height of its prosperity, a great deal of the food and drink consumed on the Brass Coast was produced here and exported to other Freeborn territories.

Unfortunately, in recent years the territory has been hit by disaster after disaster. Repeated raids by the Grendel eventually gave way to a concerted invasion, and while it was pushed back, the barbarian of the Broken Shore did not abandon their ambition to conquer Feroz. In 383YE, a peace treaty ceded the territory to the invaders, and saw the vicious, greedy, and tyrannical Governor Rahab establish his dominion over Feroz. The Freeborn organised a grand evacuation that saw much of the population escape Rahab's hungry grasp and resettle elsewhere in the Coast, but the move came at a price. When the treaty ended, and the Grendel were (mostly) driven out, Feroz was left abandoned, wrecked, and heavily underpopulated, its former residents preferring to stay with the new lives they had built elsewhere rather than return. Worse, the Cazar Straits were taken by the Children of Wrecks, transformed into a stronghold for the servants of the eternal Siakha. They in turn were supplanted towards the end of 387YE by the Iron Confederacy, who drove out the Wreckers and claimed the island for themselves.

On the mainland, the situation is a little better, but what was once one of the richest Freeborn territories still struggles with the weight of two years of exploitation by a money-hungry tyrant, and what many see as its abandonment by the Empire.

Recent History

Being on the Bay of Catazar, Feroz has always been under threat from the Grendel orcs. In Spring 383YE, the orcs launched a naval invasion, capturing Oranseri and the Cazar Straits in short order and making significant inroads into Fontargenta. The Grendel installed a grizzled old orc named Lord Rahab as overseer of the conquered land; he took up residence in the offices of the Scorrero Nets and quickly set about attempting to bring the rest of Feroz under his control. Part of their plan appeared to involve the ghosts of the Isle of the Osseini, but the scheme was countered by Imperial heroes travelling through the Sentinel Gate to exorcise the spirits and defeat the Grendel seeking to make use of them.

Undaunted by the loss of their supernatural weapon, the orcs kept up their assault. By Summer 383YE, they sought to consolidate their gains in Fontargenta; they were opposed by Navarr and Marcher armies, who held the Grendel at the town of Bramar for two days before being forced to retreat. They were able to slow the Grendel advance, however, leaving the orcs bogged down in Fontargenta and unable to press inland.

Following the engagement in Fontargenta, and battling under a powerful supernatural storm, the Grendel brought even more force to bear in the territory. While the Imperial armies were reinforced by Highborn troops, the orc navies disgorged a great host of their own warriors. The fighting was bitter, but in the end Fontargenta fell - and as Fontargenta falls, so falls Feroz. While Morajasse and Afarjasse remained free, the Grendel forces continued to mass along the coast.

During the Autumn Equinox 383, the Senate ratified a peace treaty with the Grendel. Presented by the Imperial Fleet Master, among other things it ceded the two remaining regions of Feroz to the Grendel, albeit with provisions allowing Imperial citizens still in Morajasse and Afarjasse to withdraw to safety. Following the Equinox, Lord Rahab's forces spread out quickly to bring the two western regions under his control; Feroz was now completely under Grendel control.

Just before the Autumn Equinox 386YE, the Imperial forces reconquered reconquered Feroz. Possession of the territory is complicated by Children of Wrecks as well as the remnants of the Grendel. Feroz has been run into the ground by Lord Rahab, eager to extract every drop of profit from the place, and it requires significant investment to return the territory to even a fraction of its former wealth.

In 386YE, the Senate commissioned an appraisal of Feroz that laid out many of the challenges presented by the newly reclaimed territory, and some potential solutions. Details are contained in the Send for me wind of fortune.

Major Features

Oran

The largest and most prestigious port was Feroz is Oran, on the northern coast of Oranseri. Across the bay from billowing Siroc this thriving port specialised in high-value products such as fine wines and spice mixes. Unsurprisingly, given its position, for most of its history it has engaged in low-key economic warfare with its larger cousin to the north - Oran notably has cheaper dock fees than Siroc, and a number of entrepreneurs prefer to operate here as a consequence. It is especially welcoming to those merchants who are just starting out, and has a reputation for being more energetic than its competitors to the north and south. This energy has been significantly boosted by construction of the only open Asavean Temple in the entire Empire; the surge of Asavean ships visiting Oran saw the town expand significantly to become the largest trading port in Feroz.

In Spring 383YE, however, Oran was conquered by the Grendel. An orc governor, Lord Rahab, chose the town as the site for his court, converting the offices of the Scorrero Nets to his personal use. Among other things, this invasion saw the collapse of the Broken Shore Bounty, the Scorrero Nets falling into orc hands, and the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull sealing its doors against the orcs while offering sanctuary to Freeborn families. Following the treaty signed during the Autumn Equinox, the Grendel opened Oran as a port available to Imperial captains. This situation persisted until the peace treaty ended, and war with the Grendel resumed.

After the Summer Solstice 386YE, Imperial forces swept into Oranseri to liberate the territory from the Grendel. They laid siege to Oran, and were quickly victorious. The recent death of Governor Rahab in battle with the Empire's heroes left the garrison demoralised and disorganised. It was a grievous victory, however. The fighting that raged through the town, the overwhelming assault, the barrage of catapult stones, all contributed to the fact that many of the buildings have been left in ruins, and many more damaged. A fire at the docks threatened to spread through the town and only the valiant actions of League soldiers managed bring it under control. Barely a year later the town again came under serious attack, this time by the Children of Wrecks. Without the prompt action of the orcs from the Protectorate of Morajasse, Oran again might have been destroyed. As it is, the town remains intact but in a sadly impoverished state.

Proposals have been put forward to rebuild Oran, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for the port town.

Temple of Balo and the Black Bull

During the Spring Equinox 380YE, permission was granted to the people of the Asavean Archipelago to construct a major temple to their gods in Oran. Initially, construction was expected to be completed shortly before the Autumn Equinox 380YE, but the temple did not actually open its doors until shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE. The town is seeing an influx of Asavean shipping bringing white granite and architects to the Brass Coast, as well as throwing crowns around like water to secure local labour to complete their project. Relations between the people of the Empire and the priests of Asavea are monitored by El oficial de enlace imperial con los sacerdotes de Balo y el toro negro ("The Imperial intermediary to the priests of Balo and the Black Bull"), who among other things is able to buy Asavean goods at a reduced price. During the Summer Solstice 380YE, the Assembly of Nine supported Abaddon de Rondell in denouncing the temple as an idolatrous affront, making it significantly harder for the Asaveans to find labourers prepared to work on the construction and both delaying its completion and laying a significant economic burden on the foreign priests.

The temple remained extremely controversial among Imperial priests. When Oran fell to the Grendel, however, the priests at the temple offered sanctuary to a number of Freeborn families in spite of Governor Rahab's unhappiness. Several of those families were ultimately smuggled to safety in Madruga. Despite this, however, it was clear that the Asaveans were happy to work with the new owners of Oran - there were rumours that they quickly recognised a Grendel as the Delegate to the Temple in Feroz. This situation was further exacerbated by the Summer 383YE attack on the "sister temple" to the Black Bull, the temple of the Way in Nemoria.

When Oran was liberated from the Grendel in 386YE Autumn, the priests surrendered en masse and asked to be repatriated back to the Archipelago. As of the winter of 387YE, the temple still stands but without tenants.

OOC Notes: More details on the construction of the Temple of Balo and the Black Bull can be found in the winds of fortune, specifically Seven lords of virtue, Those who worship, and Distant deeps.

The Spice Gardens of Feroz

In western Morajasse stand the legendary Spice Gardens of Feroz - a set of heavily-walled enclosures covering several acres where the finest spices in the Empire are grown. A rich source of trade for whoever controls the gardens, the Imperial title of Keeper of the Spice Gardens has changed hands between families only a handful of times in the last few centuries, and the bargaining leading up to a new appointment has regularly involved the whole nation.

The peace treaty of Autumn 383YE that ceded control of Morajasse to the Grendel saw the Spice Gardens fall into the hands of the orcs. The Grendel appreciate fine spices as much as any Freeborn so the evidence is that they did not harm the legendary Gardens - but for many Freeborn the idea of their beautiful spice gardens being operated by Grendel slaves was particularly heinous. With Governor Rahab dead and Feroz liberated, the Spice Gardens remain out of Imperial hands as part of the Protectorate of Morajasse.

Scorrero Nets (Ruined)

The Scorrero Nets were a Bourse resource located in Oranseri, seized by the Grendel in Spring 383YE as part of their conquest of Feroz. Custodianship of the Nets was an Imperial Title that brought with it a Seat on the Bourse. In Winter 384YE, a daring plan was proposed to "steal" the nets by establishing the Cerevado Nets upriver in Segura. As a consequence, this Bourse resource ceased to exist, much to the chagrin of the Grendel governor Rahab.

The Broken Shore Bounty

The Broken Shore Bounty was a Bourse resource that was technically located in the Cazar Straits inasmuch as the holder of the Bourse seat has the use of a fortified villa in the hills near Cazar. The actual ilium that the seat provided was sourced throughout the Bay of Catazar; a portion of all ilium claimed from the nets of Freeborn, League, Highborn, and Urizeni nets is claimed as part of the Bounty. It produced 7 rings of ilium each season and was allocated during the Spring Equinox.

When the Cazar Straits fell to the Grendel, they also seized the offices of the Broken Shore Bounty. Despite a proposal to move the offices, the resource fell into disarray, the ilium ending up split between the Imperial Fleet Master and the Bourse Auction. With the ratification of the Grendel peace treaty, this title and resource effectively ceased to exist.

Mora's Rock

Built as part of the grand project to create fortifications across the southern Empire in response to the threat of the Grendel, Mora's Rock in Morajasse was completed in the months following the invasion of 383YE. The fortification squats above the town of Mora, guarding against invasion from Segura, and providing garrisons and scouts who can offer resistance to assaults from the sea.

When Morajasse was ceded to the Grendel in Autumn 383YE, they took control of the fortification and later expanded it significantly. The fortification resisted the liberation of the territory, and as of the beginning of 387YE remains under the control of the Grendel. The garrison is led by Commander Gallum Fiersach, ably supported by his partner, the Wind Lord Saoirse.

The garrison there includes a warband of veteran Stone Born, and the remainder appear to be very experienced soldiers. These Grendel are enemies of the Empire, obviously, but that did not prevent them acting to protect Oran from the Children of Wrecks in early 387YE. In the Summer of that year, the Senate recognised the Protectorate of Morajasse as foreigners, as long as they reamined independent of the Grendel. While there is still tension between the Freeborn and the orcs many see as occupying Morajasse, for now at least Gallum Fiersach's forces seem content to keep to their castle, apart from regular patrols along the borders of Feroz aimed at protecting the territory from the Children of Wrecks - and the Iron Confederacy.

Lost and Ruined

Shantarim (ruined)

In the southern islands of the Cazar Straits the town of Shantarim was one a corsair stronghold. The families were are known to engage in fierce competition with their northern rivals, not only in Madruga but also in Oranseri and even the other islands of the Straits. Smaller than the town of Cazar, Shantarim had a reputation for being somewhat less cosmopolitan than the other towns of Feroz - visitors from mainland families sometimes encounter prejudice and suspicion. The families of Shantarim more than made up for their relatively small size with the enthusiasm with which they opposed the orcs of the Broken Shore.

Prior to the peace treaty of 383YE, they were loud supporters of the Freeborn Storm, and the various raids against the Grendel. The signing of the peace treaty with the southern orcs tied their hands, making it illegal to fight the Grendel, which became been a major source of dissension in Shantarim.

Towards the end of the ceasefire secured by the treaty, in 385YE, Shatarim was attacked and wrecked. Warships of the Asavean Archipelago, allies of the Grendel occupation, engaged in a campaign of destruction across the Cazar Straits, and along with the Isle of the Osseini, Shantarim bore the brunt. Many corsairs who had endured the occupation of the Grendel were slain, and the town was looted and left in ruins. When the Children of Wrecks arrived, there was precious little left for the to wreck.

Justicars
The priests who previously lived on the Isle of the Osseini called themselves justicars. Specialist exorcists and inquisitors in the pre-Imperial history of the Brass Coast, they specialised in driving out malign spirits or cleansing unpleasant auras from people, places and objects. Never particularly populous, their sanctuary on the Isle of the Osseini was all but wiped out by the Grendel. A handful remained elsewhere, and during the Autumn Equinox 383YE the Freeborn assembly called on them to come together to preserve their traditions. A small enclave of justicars was established on the Isle of Osseini at the sufferance of the Grendel. Unfortunately, when Asavean warships went on a rampage in 385YE, the first place they attacked was this enclave, putting the priests to the sword and burning the enclave. When the Children of Wrecks arrived, the Grendel magicians still left on the island fled back to the Broken Shore. As far as anyone knows today, the island is abandoned.

Isle of the Osseini (Ruined)

At the southern tip of the Cazar Straits, the island was known for its heavy sea fog, its ghosts, and for a small sect of Freeborn priests famed for their knowledge of the arts of exorcism. Stories claimed the Isle was haunted by those who had died at sea, but most Freeborn had no truck with such foolishness. In 383YE, however, it became clear these tales of ghosts were more than just idle gossip. During the Spring Equinox of that year, a Grendel shaman attempted to unleash a ghostly legion of drowned orcs bound in some fashion to white granite pillars on the island against the defenders of Feroz. Before they could do so they were thwarted by Imperial heroes who reached the isle via the Sentinel Gate. Once the heroes retreated, the status of the island, the pillars, and the remaining priests was unknown.

Then in Autumn 383YE, as part of the negotiations that led to the peace treaty with the Grendel, a contract was negotiated with the orc diplomat regarding the Isle of the Osseini. In the wake of that agreement, a small group of priests were allowed to visit the Isle with a Grendel escort. There they discovered the remaining priests were dead, the ghost-binding pillars had been destroyed, and the island was in the hands of a coven of Grendel magicians. The orcs had already constructed a permanent residence there built around a particular Winter regio, and were less than welcoming to the Freeborn. Further negotiations followed; in the end the Freeborn were allowed to establish a small enclave here, under the careful watch of the Grendel.

The return of the justicars was short-lived. In 385YE, a fleet of warships from the Asavean Archipelago went on a murderous rampage in the southern Cazar Straits. Allies of the Grendel, they slaughtered the priests and burned the enclave before sailing north to Shantarim. When the Children of Wrecks arrived, the remaining Grendel magicians fled back to the Broken Shore. By the close of 387YE, the island appears to be abandoned, although it remains to be seen what the Iron Confederacy plan to do with it.

OOC Note: You can learn more about the historic Isle of the Osseini in the Bones in the ocean wind of fortune.

Regions

Afarjasse

Qualities: Abandoned, Underpopulated
In the middle of nowhere, on the plains of Afarjasse, is the quiet settlement of Afar. It was established by hakima with close ties to the Guerra tribe near a potent regio tied to the realm of Night. It is a faraway place dedicated to the practice of ritual magics that support the Freeborn. It is not hard to reach, but it stands alone in a sea of sprawling grasslands and does not encourage casual visitors. On nights when powerful magics are performed, Afar is visible for miles around - great bonfires are built and massive drums used to build powerful rhythms to help raise (or draw down, or both) the passionate energy for powerful workings.

As with the rest of Feroz, Afarjasse spent two years in the hands of the Grendel. The governor, Lord Rahab, made it clear that the hakima here would not be permitted access to their potent regio - they were after all an important strategic resource. The region has been liberated now, but is in the same dire straits as the rest of the territory.

Cazar Straits

Qualities: Abandoned, Coastal, Impoverished, Island, Underpopulated
For most of the Brass Coast's history, the islands of the Cazar Straits were dominated by corsair families. The largest settlement remains the port town from which the islands take their name - high-cliffed Cazar - but in recent years it has changed hands several times and is a shadow of its former self. Built around a bustling dock, it served as a safe harbour and home port for many of the fleets that protected the Bay from barbarian ships. The holder of the Broken Shore Bounty used to have the use of a fortified villa in the hills near Cazar, and the civil service offices that oversaw the resource were based here. Both were lost to the Grendel, then to the Children of Wrecks, and in the last months of 387YE, to the Iron Confederacy.

Even before the Children of Wrecks arrived, several of the more southerly islands of the Straits had a reputation for peculiarity. The corsairs of Shantarim for example were renowned both for their enthusiastic rivalry with all other corsair families, and the zeal with which they waged war on the Grendel. The Isle of the Osseini is also found here, once home to a sect of strange priests, allegedly haunted by the ghosts of drowned pirates, then the site of an uneasy truce between orc magicians and Freeborn priests. Towards the end of the peace treaty with the Grendel, however, a fleet of warships from the Asavean Archipelago slaughtered the justicars of Osseini and ruined the town of Shantarim. When the Children of Wrecks claimed the region, there was precious little left for them to destroy.

Today, the waters around the Cazar Straits remain treacherous. In part this is due to the presence of dozens of immature kraken hatched in the waters by the Children of Wrecks.

Fontargenta

Qualities: Abandoned, Coastal, Impoverished
The trading port of Bramar stands on the coast here. Surrounded by rich agricultural land, its bountiful cornfields once competed with Marcher grain in markets across the southern nations of the Empire, and their vineyards were justly famous. Before the Grendel invasion it served as an important hub for the Imperial wine trade, with many excellent vintages passing through its docks - both from the Brass Coast to the rest of the world, and from the rest of the world to the Brass Coast (and thus the Empire). Lord Rahab has left the region devastated, and it remains to be seen if the farms here will ever recover.

Morajasse

Qualities: Abandoned, Impoverished, Underpopulated
The largest town in prosperous Morajasse is Mora. Once simply a spice market, the barbarian invasion of Segura saw a burst of rapid militarisation of this peaceful settlement. Refugees are common here: some supported by their families, others looking to work in the market. With the liberation of the western territory, a strange reversal took place - the pool of desperate labourers has largely dried up with refugees returning to their homes.

Immediately following the invasion of Feroz in 383YE, work was completed on a fortification at the town of Mora, Mora's Rock. The fortification served the defenders well, but with the ratification of the peace treaty it was taken over, and expanded, by Grendel troops. It now serves as the base of operations of Wind Lord Saoirse and her partner Commander Fiersach, as well as a sizable force of Grendel veterans.

Western Morajasse is the site of the great Spice Gardens. The Vizier of the Incarnadine Satchel was often quite active in Feroz, occasionally dealing with agents of the Spice Gardens or traders from the Jewelled Isles. Following the Grendel treaty, the offices that supported the Vizier with easy access to reasonably priced herbs has dried up - while they are still notionally the owner of the miraculous satchel that gives them their name, their ability to support the nations' apothecaries and physicks has been greatly reduced.

The Celesti Lighthouse sits high on the headland overlooking Oran.

Oranseri

Qualities: Abandoned, Coastal, Impoverished
Across the bay from billowing Siroc stands the thriving port town of Oran. In recent years, the port has grown in prominence and prosperity; it served as the seat of power for the Grendel governor Lord Rahab during the Grendel occupation of the territory. Just outside Oran lies the great Celesti Lighthouse, originally constructed during the reign of Emperor Barabbas and recently repaired and restored to full functionality. It, too, was in the hands of the Grendel for several years but has now been restored.

West of Oran is the Scorrero Crossing. The river Scorrero is wide and deep between Feroz and Madruga. During the Summer Solstice 383YE, the Grendel invaders attempted to take advantage of this by taking control of both bridges that connect the two Freeborn territories. Had they been successful, it would have been significantly harder for Imperial forces to move between Siroc and Oranseri. Their attempts were stymied, and ultimately became moot once the Scorrero burst its banks and carried away all the existing bridges.

Joharra is a port south of Oran, considered much more stable than its northern cousin, and better known for its industry than its trade. Famous throughout the Empire for its cloth and dye-work, Joharra is called the Rainbow by coastal sailors who mark their progress round the coast with the first sight of the great billowing cloths hung out to dry on tall wooden frames along the low cliffs. As with the other settlements of Oran, the weavers and dyers here now labour under the yoke of the Grendel orcs.

Strategic Considerations

The damage to the bridges along the Scorrero prevents movement between Feroz and Madruga

The damage to almost all the bridges along the Scorrero means that it is effectively impossible for an army to move between Feroz and Madruga (or vice versa). More information can be found in the Where the river rises wind of fortune.

Garviel i Abrira i Erigo, Senator for Feroz

Summit	Elected	Bid
Summer Solstice 387YE	Garviel i Abrira i Erigo	11 thrones
Winter Solstice 386YE	Garviel i Abrira i Erigo	49 thrones
Summer Solstice 383YE	Chiara Zayden Riqueza	12 thrones
Summer Solstice 382YE	Chiara Zayden Riqueza
Summer Solstice 381YE	Chiara Zayden Riqueza
Summer Solstice 380YE	Oria i Shartha i Riqueza
Spring Equinox 380YE	Pedro i Taziel i Riqueza
Summer Solstice 379YE	Liythos i Purjo i Guerra
Summer Solstice 378YE	Kattalin Hazana
Summer Solstice 377YE	Sallur i Mnajdra i Guerra
Winter Solstice 376YE	Sallur i Mnajdra i Guerra

Recent Senate Elections

As an Imperial territory, Feroz is represented by a senator elected in the Summer. This title is currently held by Garviel i Abrira i Erigo; it will be reelected at Summer Solstice 388YE. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.

OOC Notes

As of the start of the Winter Solstice 387YE, the Iron Confederacy control the Cazar Straits, the Grendel control Morajasse, and the Brass Coast controls Afarjasse, Fontargenta, and Oranseri. Feroz is an Imperial territory
Mora's Rock is a rank two fortification controlled by the Grendel.
The status of various titles and resources located in Feroz is outlined in more detail in To curb those raging appetites, a Winter 383YE wind of fortune.