Malterdale

    Malterdale is a region in the Western Lowlands of Senera, and is the seat of the Viscount of Malterdale. It encompasses the port town of Port Sera-by-Malterdale, Fort Malterdale and the surrounding countryside. It is also where the visible portion of the Malter River terminates at Malterford.

    History 🔗

    The Malterdale lands were established as an Earldom in the 650s AI as a direct vassal of the Maidenfeld crown. The family had been pivotal in the transport of the materials needed for the massive flood control and land reclamation projects in the Rannek Delta.

    However, the aftermath of the War of Thyme and Fire, the new ruling house of the Seneran throne, had dissolved the noble status of all of the allies of the Maidenfelds, in order to restructure the peerage in a way that was more favorable to the new regime. To at least recognize the importance of the region, the Dragonhearts granted the title of Viscount to the family, under the vassalage of the Earl of the Lowlands.

    But in 1051 AI, the Earldom along with a cadet branch of the Maidenfeld family, attempted to overthrow the Dragonheart regime. The rebellion was quickly quelled by the Duke of Rannek, supported by the Malterdales and the main branch of the Maidenfeld family, who wanted to wash their hands of the affair. Instead of establishing a new earldom, the crown had decided to simply dissolve the existing earldom, and reorganized the region to be a part of the Marquessate of Rannek. The Marquess of Rannek then awarded additional lands to expand the Viscounties of the Malterdales and the Maidenfelds.

    Administration 🔗

    The current Viscount of Malterdale is very hands on, and administers his lands quite actively. Fort Malterdale, the seat of the Viscount, is directly administered by the Viscount himself. Each of the major townships, such as Port Sera and Malterford are administered by duly selected seneschal, who report directly to the Viscount.

    Each major township has a council of advisors, selected from the local nobility and the various merchant and trade guilds of the region.

    The guards in the major townships are part of the Seneran Royal Navy, under the command of the Rear Admiral of the Western Fleet, a title held by the Marquess of Rannek.

    Economy 🔗

    Malterdale's economy is based on trade, providing a connection between the Malter River trade with access to the sea. A section of the Aitarel River also passes through the region, providing access to the interior, and a connection to the Brams River trade.

    Culture 🔗

    Notable Locations 🔗

    Fort Malterdale 🔗

    Fort Malterdale is the seat of the Viscount of Malterdale, and the center of administration of the entirety of Malterdale. The fortress itself is of a unique architectural style and engineering design that seems to predate the Kalassarian conquest, and is quite different from the other fortifications of the era.

    Exterior 🔗

    The main structure is built from hard basalt blocks and held together with a hardy lime mortar. The interior walls are adorned with finely carved stonework and woodcarvings, with cornices and columns decorated with a detailed filigree unseen in other structures of the era. The roof structure consists of heavy timber trusses, supporting a layered construction of wooden planks, clay tiles, and a waterproof lime-based plaster. Its floors are made of a finely polished marble.

    The fort's first layer of walls are similarly built from basalt and lime mortar, but are now covered in a thick layer of moss and lichens. Additions of iron links surround the outside face of the walls, which are believed to have been a late addition, but still predates known history.

    A second layer of walls encircles a residential area and the inner bailey. This layer seems to have been originally constructed with similar materials as the inner layer, but it seems to have been more recently repaired and reinforced with stone blocks and mortar. Ramparts above the walls, built by the same unknown craftsmen who had constructed the fortress, are well-placed to accommodate spellcasters in the event of a siege.

    There used to be a third layer of walls, that included battlements equipped with ballistae and accommodations for archers atop the edge of an escarpment overlooking the coastline where Port Sera is now located. The walls themselves were destroyed during the War of Thyme and Fire, but some battlements and turrets remained. One such battlement was converted into the Battlement Inn by an enterprising widow.

    Interior 🔗

    The interior of the fortress are a series of large, open chambers arranged in a single story, sprawling layout. The central chamber is the largest, and is used for the Viscount's audience chamber. Auxiliary chambers are used as administration offices, and the Archives, which stores not only the Malterdales' historical records, but also a copy of rare and valuable books from the region. They are known to have copies of some undeciphered pre-Kalassarian texts, and have been known to make copies of rare tomes from elsewhere in the region.

    Malterford 🔗

    Malterford is a town placed at the mouth of the Malter River, and is the second

    Port Sera-by-Malterdale 🔗

    Outskirts 🔗

    Parent Location
    Western Lowlands
    Senera
    Location Type
    town