🧙‍♂️(Georic Gazetteer) Gran Duchy of Alois

Gran Duchy of Alois

Pantheon: Ferasean, with heavy Halfling and Citlek mythos influences

Ruled: Duke Cassius Silvershield (Crown Prince of Crosedes) and Duchess Wendolin Larendin
Capital: Yelden  (55,000)

Other Cities: Brymstone (40,000), Village of Thurney, Nobquin's Keep (of Alois), Dayolen, Halfling towns of Dovedale, Worchire, and Earthwind Forge

Language: Ferasean

Flag/Emblem:  A black antelope on a golden field

Coinage: Crosedean Standard and coins from the Six Crowns are interchangable
Important Personas: The Bishop of Yelden, the Archdruid of Ys, 

Alliances: Crosedes satellite state, Trade with the Six Kingdoms and Senzar

Hostilities:  None

Open Warfare/Skirmishing:  Rebel activity and terrorism over the last 15 years.  

Intrigues: Plot by Anon-Maxis to usurp the throne prevent the inevitable merger of Alois and Crosedes.  Alois Liberation Front (ALF) rumored to be ruled by lycanthropes.

Demi-Humans:  Halflings, Gnomes, and a large concentration of Gnomelings.  Goblins of Shano-Kyr, Orcs of the Severed Leg, Grel tribes in the small forests.

Magickal Devices:  The sword Imprimus, the Net of Storms in the Temple of Neptune, the Stone of Antipathy.

Thumbnail Sketch:  The author is grateful that Alois does not start even earlier in the alphabet, for as a destination for travelers, it is wanting.  This country, for most of its history a part of another nation, has inhospitable coastlines, bucolic agriculture, and besides a well-maintain road running through it (and a large temple to the god Neptune), only attracts tourists if they are returning to visit family.  

Prior to the Ferasean Empire, Alois was a collection of Keltic human lords, Stout halfling, gnomes, and subsequently large population of gnomelings.   At the foundation of the Kingdom of Crosedes, the lords pushed for a single duchy encompassing all of them, and the King obliged.  They willfully joined the resurrected Empire of Feraso as the Gran Duchy of Alois, in 1072, and upon it's collapse in 1120, continued is independence.

Yelden, from Aldriv's Revenge

It recent years the unfortunate murder of Duke Aldriv in 1130 and later discovery that his brother, Prince Cardor, was responsible, sent the Duchy into turmoil.  Alois was forced to accept the Duke’s 18-yr old daughter, Wendolin, as Duchess and halfling minister Dalcom Minifumes as regent. A marriage was arranged between Wendolin and Cassius Silvershield, Crown Prince of Crosedes.   Upon his ascension to the throne of Crosedes upon King Geoffrey II's death, Cassius is for certain going to reunify the two nations.  Further complicating the situation is that Wendolin has only given birth to twin girls: (Alemir and Olemil).  They are 13 years of age at this writing.  Unsubstantiated rumors has hereditary rule falling under a complicated male-only primogeniture under Crosedes, so Cassius might be willing to give up being King, and further break away with the country to ensure one his daughters on the throne of Alois in the future.

Alois' position makes it difficult to influence.  The City-State of Anon-Maxis sits at the furthest western tip, and is only accessible by the Halfling Road, which runs the length of Alois.    The port city of Brymstone is the only harbor in the country, so influence for the other Six Kingdoms much go through those docks.   The Kingdom of Crosedes has always held an assumptive role of influence, due to geography, but they assume too much, as the entire Crosedean naval fleet mutinied as the Ferasean Empire fell, providing the Alois with an oddly superior presence on the seas that almost rivals Senzar.

The armies have never been an outward threat, since Emperor Leif III's failed invasion of Albion over 600 years ago, and the military leaders have since been content to defend the countryside, or influence an alliance. 

While the capital of Yelden is their largest city, and where all government function occurs, the port city Brymstone is the most prominent city.   Ruled by the Drakaan family (of the Barony of Drakaan fame),  the port is the gateway to imports from the Six Kingdoms, Senzar, and other far-off lands.  

There are no formal schools, colleges, or universities in Alois, the closest and most notable school that will find students travelling through the duchy is the Anon-Maxis Academie Sorcerie D'Ys. 

Gnomish Cottage Industry works well with Halflings agriculture for hundreds of years.The city walls encompass at least one ancient shrine, the White Tree. This is found in the poor area of The Backs (near

location 16). It consists of a small circle of gray stones, set about a gnarled tree, which is said to blossom once every ten

years.

Folklore claims marvelous restorative qualities for the flowers, including a cure for madness, and strange experiences for

anyone sleeping inside the circle. There is also a story of a cleric of Akana who attempted to cut down the tree and was

Religion:  Akana is the official state religion, but Keltic mythos (most notably the White Tree in Brymstone), Halfling and Gnome Gods proliferate through the countryside.  

Geography of Note: 

Castle Brodeln: The residence of the Arch-Duke and Duchess is the only castle in Alois. 

Castle Brodeln

Temple of Neptune in Byrmstone:  This temple is a true anomoly on the continent, much less the region.  Neptune is an Ispatlian bastardization of the Xellnic god Poseidon, and has not been used for almost a thousand years.  What this temple is doing along the coast of the Farsky Sea, a thousand miles from any other lost Neptune shrines, but it was in Brymstone during the original Ferasean expansion, meaning it may pre-date some of the Keltic settlements. 

Temple of Neptune

Illicid Lighthouse:  

The White Tree:  Another relic within Brymstone, this ancient Keltic shrine consists of a small circle of gray stones, set about a gnarled tree, which is said to blossom once every ten years. Folklore claims marvelous restorative qualities for the flowers, including a cure for madness, and strange experiences for anyone sleeping inside the circle .  There is also a story of a cleric of Akana who attempted to cut down the tree and was turned to stone.

Mentions of Alois in the Blog:

The Journey of Mutumbo Episodes #1-6 take place in Alois, but since they are the first Actual Plays posted on the blog, they're bereft of geographic knowledge.  I've retroactively name the first unnamed village in the story Thurney, and Dayolen is the last town before reaching the outskirts to the City-State of Anon-Maxis.

Ballad of the Pigeon God #75 - Where are They Now? wraps up that Actual Play, but it specifically mentions that Geoffrey II (Grandson of the Dread Lord) married off his son Cassius to build back the trust with Alois.

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #86 -  The quick mention of Krull's Crossed Swords Mercenary Company, and possible action in Alois.