 |
| Fortress of the Sevens at Hag's Mire |
| Ruling House: |
Nayland |
| Wealth: |
Poor |
| Population: |
1,500 |
| Fortification: |
Fortress of the Sevens |
| Knights: |
10 |
| Men At Arms: |
20 |
| Primary Revenue: |
Fishing, Logging, Exports (peat) |
The Mire is a marshlands situated in the Riverlands near the headwaters of the Blue Fork, with Seagard to the west and The Twins to the north. A newly-cleared road links it to its southern neighbor, Oldstones. The Mire is held by House Nayland.
Being a very wet area, it is a poor place for crops and what can be grown must be harvested quickly. Even so, successful crops are mercurial at best, which causes those who try to work the soggy land to be excessively superstitious.
The majority of the population are poor smallfolk, the poorest being those who make their living cutting and selling peat from the bogs. Logging is also good seasonal work, since in the wet(ter) seasons, felled logs can be floated directly to the edge of town. Some fishing occurs along the Green Fork and a local type of beer is also brewed. It's bitter and not much loved outside of the Mire itself, but it's also inexpensive to make and keeps well.
The inhabitants of the Mire have little middle class to speak of, save for the very rare merchant. As the area is less affluent than some and cannot afford many knights or men at arms, all able-bodied men (excepting smiths and other approved professions) between the ages of 15 and 50 are required to turn out for weekly levy drills. The event has become something of a local festival holiday. The town shuts down early and a large, communal potluck is held after the training concludes.
While the town of the Mire itself is on relatively higher, dryer lands, the seat of House Nayland, The Fortress of the Sevens (short for 'the Sevenstreams'), is situated on an island in the middle of the marsh. This makes it nearly impervious to attack, as not only is there almost no benefit to raiding the Mire, but the road through the wetlands is commanded by crossbows and a trebuchet on the roof of the Fortress. The only viable way to attack the Mire would be from the east (from a landing on the Green Fork), but even then a victory against the strategically placed keep is unlikely.
Gallery
