Eastmont County is a medium sized, rural county located relatively close to the front lines of the Millennial War, a conflict fought between the Symbiots and the Humans. This County, in fact, was the spearhead of a human counter-strike which repelled the Symbiot forces out of the region.
Dominated by the mountains that give the region its name, Eastmont boasts a lake and two rivers that provide ready transportation. Once prosperous, in the past, this county possessed a stable populous and thriving industries of mining, lumber, and farming. However, large amounts of the population fled the county for safer regions during the Millennial War, shutting down most of the industry and leaving the rest critically undermanned.
In addition, many of the nobles and soldiers of the region died resisting the siege of Darmok Station. The Emperor offered these lands to whomever could hold them, and leaders in the great Houses used them to reward younger heirs with fiefdoms.
Demographics
- Total Population: ~12000 people
- Nobles: ~133 plus families
- 1 Count, 7 Marquis, 14 Barons, 21 Baronets, 90 Knights. Only nobles can own land.
- Churchmen: ~36 plus various secular assistants.
- There is no Bishop’s cathedral in the county, but each Court has several parishes. The breakdown of ordination is: 4 Priests, 8 Deacons, 12 Canons, 12 Novitiates. Church sects may be gifted land by the nobility. Several lands have been set aside for the Church recently by the Count.
- Guild: ~50 plus families.
- Mostly charioteers running freight. The Agora is in Alexandria. The breakdown of commissions are: 1 Crafter (Charioteer, who runs the Guildhall in Eastmountain), 7 Fellows, 14 Entered, 28 Apprentices. Guilds control resources on lands and must have a noble sponsor to ‘control’ any land.
- Soldiery: ~90 knights (also counted in the Noble Tally), 900 men at arms
- The highest ranking officers are eight Captains in charge of eight Companies of soldiers. This army used to be part of the War Dogs 4th Legion of the Stigmata Garrison. During the first battle of the Millennial War, the Legion took severe damage with only the 9th and 3rd Regiments escaping. They combined to become the Hollowers Regiment, self-named to try and express the horror they felt when they witnessed eight thousand of their fellow Legionnaires die within a matter of hours. This regiment protects Eastmont County to this very day. Despite its ‘official’ existence as a military unit, in reality, there is no standing militia in Eastmont; all of the veterans have returned to farming or other duties, but can be called up to action if needed.
Imperial Levy
Each summer the Stigmata Garrison summons a levy of troops from the County to conduct an offensive against the Symbiots between planting season and harvest. The Count must send 25 knights and 250 men at arms each year, but has occasionally been called upon for twice or three times that number.
The Count gains these men by placing smaller levies on each Court. In addition to a large levy each summer, there is a smaller levy of 5 knights and 50 men at arms used the other three seasons. The Count uses these men as the Count’s Guard, a sheriff’s type guard spread through the land, but concentrated in Eastmountain, Deep Forest and Ridgecrest. These men are selected from a ‘favored battalion’ and rotated out each season.
Economy
A “Brute” is a term used by the people of Eastmont County to describe a medium sized cart and the beast drawing it. For example, one might hear a charioteer say “We will ship an 8 brute convoy from waypoint A to the front.” It is also used to describe an amount of cargo carried by such a cart, regardless of the method of transport. For example, at the docks you might hear “We shipped 4 brutes of ore down river yesterday.”
It can also be used as a measure of distance, in this case, representing how long it normally takes for a brute driven cart to reach its destination. “Eastmountain? The towns about 4 Brutes away.” Finally, it is used to describe pulling power, even if the source is actually mechanical: “This skimmer packs a 4 Brute punch. She’ll get you there in no time!”
Taxes are generally collected year to year and run from 4% to 10% of the worth of all taxable resources (though, in times of crisis, this may raise as high as 50%!). Ridgecrest and Deep Forest pay fewer taxes than the other courts because they are the “border lands.”
As such, the other four resent the higher taxes, and this has sometimes led to minor rebellions or an unfortunate demise for the tax collectors. Please note that any taxes above ten percent will hurt the property for the next year, lowering its Affluence by 1 level per 10% over the initial 10% tax.
Authority: Who has it and Why?
The following is a list of the various institutions that people use to justify their decisions to the rest of the Empire:
THE COUNT OF EASTMONT
The Count of Eastmont is technically in charge of the land. He could make up laws, penalties, or any manner or arbitration and that would become the law of the land. However, this particular count has decided to take his cues from the nobles beneath him in station. Thus, no decision is made except through the Council of Lords.
THE COUNCIL OF LORDS
Theoretically, the Council of Lords is an unofficial body and holds no power. In reality, it is the sole forum where laws are created that apply to the county as a whole, especially where issues need to be decided between Courts. It is a gathering of the nobility from across Eastmont County and few decline an invitation to go to such an august gathering.
The Chair
The person who oversees the entire process is known as the Chair. The Chair is the only person who can ‘ratify’ a law, making it a reality. Usually the ‘Chair’ is reserved for the Count and often it goes empty, especially if the Count is protesting the Council’s opinion. However, sometimes the highest Ranking noble or one of the Count’s brothers is chosen to sit in for the Count. He is thus considered to be the ‘voice’ of the Count and can ratify or veto the laws in the Count’s place.
The Speaker
The person who maintains order in the Council of Lords is known as the Speaker. This noble is voted into his office for 3 months (3 games) and is often the noble with the highest prestige (not necessarily the highest rank). No noble may speak without first being recognized by the Speaker. Often, the Speaker waits until the person is first ‘recognized’ by at least two other nobles, thus justifying the importance of that person’s words. The Speaker is often aided by Whips, who tally votes for the Speaker and pass communiques back and forth between parties that wish to speak more privately.
The Provençal
The Provençal is the representative of the common folk, and is always the church member with the highest prestige. The Provençal also decides on matter concerning spirituality and the well-being of the Church’s congregation, even when it interferes with secular matters. To aid the Provençal with his mission, he has a Veto power over the decision of the Chair. Provençals are attended by Scribes, who are members of the clergy.
The Tribunal
Finally, there is the Tribunal, a collection of Guild members which decide on technological and economic matters. Composed of one of the highest prestige members from each of the Charioteer, Engineer, and Reeve Guilds, the Tribunal wields a veto power much like the Provençal. However, they must have a unified vote behind the veto otherwise it does not count. The Tribunal is attended by Sophists, which are guild members that relay communications between themselves and the other factions.
THE COUNTY COURTS
The County is made up of seven ‘Courts’ which are run by Marquis. Each of these ‘Courts’ have a local council that is usually made up of only a Chair (filled by the Marquis or the “Court Keeper” – the noble with the most land in a Court – if no Marquis is Available) and a Provençal. Within these local councils, the Chair and the Provençal listen to arguments made by the various Houses, Sects or Guilds living in the area. Then, they make laws that apply only to the Courts.
Please note that a noble may only hold one position as Court Keeper, unless they are a Marquis. If there are no nobles eligible to rule a particular court, determine who has the highest amount of land between the Church and the Guilds. A Court run by the Church is called a Church Protectorate. A Court run by the Guild is considered to be a Guild Cooperative.
Sample civilian codes of conduct can be found in the Merchants of the Jumpweb supplement (page 133-135) and it is highly suggested that any player playing a Reeve study these laws carefully.
Regency Court
Also known as a ‘Star Chamber’, this is the court in which nobles bring suit against other nobles. It includes claims of restitution for insult, stolen territory, lost property, and even blood debts. It can be run by up to 5 judges, a maximum of 2 chosen by the plaintiff, 2 chosen by the defendant, and 1 chosen by the Count. These judges only act in this position until the end of the trial.
Ecclesiastical Court
Those accused of heresy, moral crimes, or thought crimes, whether noble, priest or freeman, are tried by this Church court, usually run by the Orthodoxy. Please follow the format for an Inquisitorial Tribunal given in Passion Play, with the exception that the highest ranking Orthodox is the impartial judge. In extreme cases, the court is considered an Inquisitorial Court and the Avestites sit in judgement (as defined in Passion Play).
Free Courts
The court in which freemen (including guildmembers) are tried, even if their accusers are noble. Such courts are supported by the nobility, though a Reeve usually sits in judgment. Since the nobles are loath to pay for this, trials are pushed through as quick as possible. The format for the trial is familiar to most of us; a judge, a defense lawyer, a prosecutor, and a jury is common, though reduced sentences can be offered if a jury is dispensed with.
Military Courts
Those who live the military life follow the Military Order and Regulations of 4973 (MOR 4973). Usually a regimental officer is chosen from the ranks and deals with most petty crimes. However, if the crime is serious, the regimental officer must choose two other officers with a rank of Major or higher in order to convene a Courtmartial. Guilt or innocence is decided by a majority vote of this panel. Sample military codes of conduct can be found in the Legion of the Empire supplement (page 35).
LEGISLATIVE DIVISIONS
THE COURT OF ALEXANDRIA
ALEXANDRIA is both the name of the court and of the town. Located on the fertile southern bank of the Sender river, the many farms of Alexandria hold by far the largest population of the six Courts, and also the county’s largest town. The town of Alexandria boasts a large Charioteer Guildhall established to manage the thriving river traffic.
By longstanding traffic with the Count, no cross county traffic may navigate without a Charioteer guide. Boats traveling within the boundaries of the county are exempt from this, but must still pay the Count’s tax. There is also a small Muster Guildhall that does most of it’s business during the summer months as many nobles hire mercenaries to take their and their men’s place in the summer Imperial Garrison levy.
Little activity can be seen in the guildhall in other seasons leading to rumors that not all who have left the county did so under their own will…
THE COURT OF DEEP FOREST
DEEP FOREST has long provided refuge for the desperate in its gloomy thickets, but increasing numbers of bandits are being forced out of the forest into other Courts as symbiot butchers raid through the forest on their way to more civilized lands.
Without an increase in soldiery and development of their forest lands, the inhabitants of Deep Forest will find their precarious existence in peril.
THE COURT OF EASTMOUNTAIN
The town of EASTMOUNTAIN has grown around the Count’s castle over the years and is the second largest town in the region. Besides a weekly farmers market, many of the county’s artisans have settled in the town, some granted patronage by the Count, others to gain more customers.
The Count also patrons an Engineer Armorer who is experienced with most of the war technology brought for repair. The town is located at the junction of the Stone and Sendel Rivers, providing the Count with most of his revenues as he levies a small tax on each boat that passes through this junction.
THE COURT OF HIGHLAKE
HIGHLAKE, never boasting a large population due to its forbidding terrain, is relatively unchanged. The mountains have long provided a barrier between the miners and rivermen of Highlake, proving effective even in these treacherous times.
Many miners have left the Court, but the fishing village at Highlake has actually grown as many people from other Courts do not want to abandon the county entirely are attracted by the easily defendable heights.
NORTHWARDEN COURT
NORTHWARDEN has seen it’s longstanding reputation for independence and stubbornness intensify as those less settled and more faint of heart flee the county, leaving behind a solid core that believes their largely self sufficient Court can ignore the outside world.
Two rebellions in the previous generation proved to county how true this attitude could be, but the increasing numbers of displaced bandits seeking refuge in Northwarden’s back country might think otherwise…
RIDGECREST COURT
RIDGECREST is a place of rolling hills sloping to the farmlands along the Stone River. It once boasted a 2nd Republic rare earth extraction plant, but this was destroyed in the wars.
The guild will occasionally buy slag to be processed offsite, but this has tapered off because Ridgecrest has many passes used by Symbiot and bandit raiders. Ridgecrest is self-sufficient in food and has several iron mines, but most of the miners fled to Alexandria or out of the county.
THE COURT AT STONE RIVER
STONE RIVER Court follows it’s namesake as it meanders through the plains south of Alexandria and into the lightly forested Quartz Hills. No mines are present on these metal poor slopes, but some hardy souls harvest the prized hardwood lumber that grows in this area. This Court contains all the hallmarks of success.
With rich farmland, natural resources, and easy transportation this should be a prosperous area. In reality this Court has always languished short of expectations with more than its share of blight, flood and famine. Rumors abound of a dreadful curse and sightings of demons flitting through the woods at midnight, but these might merely be the excuses for the failures of man.