Veston Vale is a small but wealthy province on the West coast north of the Shield Wall Dwarves and South of the Fawn lands and the County of Summerswane. It has the wealthy coastal city of Hushain and the smaller large town of Provius that has a substantial Abbey of Heironeous.
Veston Vale used to be part of the Iron March Province to the east but was gifted to a favourite of the Divine Emperor Innocence to weaken the rebellious Iron Masters of the March. Orlan Decolay was the priestess of Lastai who led Innocence and his companions through the palace walls to confront Kaegor XIII and save the Empire. For her actions Innocence pardoned her of all past crimes, perceived and apparent, and gave her lands far from the Capital so she may retire and live a life of contemplation.
At the time Hushain was a grim trade port sandwiched between the Dwarves, Fey and Undead in virtual siege. Provius was a bleak agricultural town heavily taxed by the Iron Master. Orlan Decolay’s arrival altered all of this with her expulsion of the Iron March Men and the changes she initiated. She invited in the Church of Heironeous to establish an Abbey at Provius and she made peace with the Fey and Dwarves. Her biggest change was to make Hushain an open trade city where all races where welcome to trade and co-exist free from all but the lightest touch of regulations.
Today the Vale is ruled by Dame Edith, a descendant of Orlan Decolay, who interferes minimally in matters. Hushain is a booming multi-racial trade city administered by a council with all the guilds, temples and races represented while Provious is a wealthy agricultural centre.
Provius Abbey was built to defend the March, now Vale, from the Dwarves to the south but particularly to guard against the Dead Lands. This is a stretch of heavily fought over territory at the entrance to the Dwarven lands that is infested by undead. These undead rarely, if ever, wander from the lands but provide a convenient buffer between the Empire and the Dwarves which the Dwarves demand remains in place.
Hushain has a large range of militias to call upon formed on guild, religious or racial lines. Training and enthusiasm is varied with some efficiently organised reservists while others are little more than liveried social clubs. Provius is defended by the Knights Vigilant and their sergeants.
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