Ahh Cheshire.
There are many realms I’ve set my hooves upon, and yet Cheshire, a human kingdom surprisingly, remains among my favorites. If I must be truthful, it’s arguably my favorite. For despite the ugliness one can find in the kingdom, it is eclipsed by the sheer number of wondrous things that can be found in the “Jewel of the Great Kingdoms”.
As a people, Cheshirans, or Shirans as they prefer to be called, are a bit rough, especially on the outer parts of the kingdom. However it is hardly surprising. Their backs are literally to the wall or cliff in this case.. The entire southern edge of the kingdom ends with the Cliff of Kings. The fact that the Shirans chose this location to be their home, speaks volumes of their character and courage. Only a fool would test either.
Cheshire is very metropolitan, and although humans make up the majority of the population, a significant portion of the other major races: elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings exist among their numbers. More exotic races such as half-elves, half-dragons or dragonborns can be found here as well, but rarely in great numbers. In fact, particularly among the outlying towns of the kingdom, sentient beings of all kinds can and do call Cheshire home. I know of a particularly well educated ogre who teaches children by day, and acts as bouncer for the Twisted Ale, a club I have played many a time. Rumor has it that a moon dragon lairs near the Castle Shire, and the king has sought out advice and aid on occasion.
Cheshire is a monarchy, ruled over by the handsome King Armer IX. He is married to the equally beautiful Selena Ambrose, and has four children: Crown Prince Malcom, and the princesses Talyn, Coral, and Bethany. The King dotes on his daughters, almost as much as the Queen does her son. Curiously, the princesses are rarely seen in the queen’s company. When the prince is with his father, arguments tend to erupt. Royal courts all over the world are full of intrigue, and Cheshire is no different.
An interesting tidbit I will share is that prior to becoming king, Armer used to adventure as a masked ranger named Silver Sabre. Among his companions was the druidess Moranna. The two were close, and it was long rumored that the two would marry. So it came as a surprise when Armer announced his bethrothal to Selena, the niece of the Duke of Vaxin. Moranna was granted thte title of Governess, and loves the princesses as if they were her own, since she never had any. She was forbidden by the queen to monitor the prince. Curious eh?
Cheshire is split into four duchies: Perth and Castin in the northwest, and northeast respectively, and Vaxin and Cheshire proper in the southwest and southeast. The duchess of Castin is a cousin of Armer. The dukes of Perth and Vaxin are former generals of Armer the VIII. There is growing tension between the King and the two dukes, as the latter have been wanting to crush the upstart kingdom of Cerak since the mad King Cerakin declared his collection of fort towns a realm. The generals do not seem to enjoy the peace time rule of both the past and current king.
The duchy of Cheshire is by far the most metropolitan of the four duchies, with the capitol city of Cheshire a wonder to behold. Everything from the beautiful spires of Castle Shire, to the even the crumbling slum of Cliffdoom has something to offer a traveler, though in the latter case it would be wise to watch your surroundings, lest you end up a corpse tossed off the nearby cliff sans valuables.
To the north of Cheshire is Castin, a unique realm in its own right. The entire duchdom practices a sort of guild socialism added to the usual intrigues of nobility. In this case though the nobles in question are usually at the head of a powerful guild or guilds. The Duchess of Castin for example is known for being the guildmistress of the breweries here. Not a single bar, from the upscale to the ramshackle serves an ounce of alcohol that doesn’t come from one of her breweries. What is lesser known, at least among the commonfolk, is that she is also an accomplished spymistress, and many thief and mercenary guilds are in her employ. As a border realm, Castin is very accepting of outsiders, including non-humans provided they have a “marketable” skill.
To the west of Cheshire is Vaxin. This duchy was once second only to Cheshire in wealth, due to it’s proximity to the elven city of Ari’Arien, and the Dwarven fort of Shatterstone. After the Corruption, the elves of Arien took in the survivors of its sister city Kor’Korai. They then all but shut their borders, choosing instead to look after their own. The dwarves too suffered hardship, and Shatterstone became the last dwarven kingdom. While they continued to do trade with the humans, they have come to realize if the dwarf race is to survive, they need to reclaim their lost kingdoms. Sim’Vanix, the Duke of Vaxin wanted to force the elves and dwarves to honor their original agreements, but was countered by King Armer.
To the north of Vaxin is the wild duchy of Perth. Ironically, due to its status as a border realm, it is also accepting of outsiders, albeit a bit gruffer than its eastern cousin. The easiest job a non-human can get is to be an Ironguard, the name of the standing army which doubles as law enforcement in times of piece. A particularly skilled soldier is likely to be hired as a mercenary. Armorers, and weaponsmiths are also welcome, as are spies. Duke Perthius in particular pays handsomely for patrol movements of Cerakin’s forces. Rumor has it many of those patrols have disappeared.
A Darkness Rising 