The current head of the Barony of Khomaes is Aldra Ap Iaggio. The Iaggio family has ruled the Barony for 8 generations now, stretching back almost 200 years. Although the family, as with most of the significant families, is only interested in politics and the situation in the city of Khomaes (simply called "The City" within the Barony, but sometimes derisively referred to as the Drop or the Rift, because of Dancer's Rift. It is also common for poets to refer to it as the Spire or the Spike, for Dancer's Spike).
The population of the city is approximately 22,000, but it has been a while since a general census has been called for. The local economy, which is based primarily on local agriculture for the lower classes, and on a combination of industrial trade (amberstone and other materials coming down out of the Aghanz Hills), trade with the nearby Baronies, and the pilgrim and traveler trade. The pilgrims and travelers have ample reason to come to The City, and hence the City itself flourishes, and creates additional demand on the surrounding areas, affecting the whole Barony. The pilgrims coming are for the two cathedrals in the city, and also for the School of Charm. The cathedrals are Appuco Fast, and it's twin Ramee Tower. Appuco Fast is dedicated to St. Norena. Ramee Tower is dedicated to the followers of St. Ellain. Both churches draw a large amount of pilgrim traffic, and the business that pilgrims draw, to the Barony.
Westron is spoken commonly in this Barony, as with most of the Baronies. But because it is so far north, there is also a wide understanding of Destrikking. All written transactions, however, use Westschrift.
The surrounding towns are (see the map):
A. Truend - Pop 2,200 - Walled against the large mammals of the Darkearth Plains, and also against the Shagmen out of the Aghanz Hills. A small elite corps of the town guard are called the Truend Rangers, and they travel the local area, looking for traveling groups of Shagmen, and breaking them up before they can get too close to Truend, or local farm villages.
B. Khoben Vale - Population 1,800 - There is a small section of dense trees that grows on either side of a minor river called Bruuka Wash. Carved out of that is enough space for Khoben Vale, all within the trees, and partially on a rocky island in the middle of Bruuka Wash, the rest on either bank. There are sturdy stone bridges connecting the whole affair, and stone walls and towers inside the forest, to protect the town. Outside the little forest, there are single and small groups of trees, all of which attract the giant lynx common to the area. In fact, sometimes the lynx is called the Khoben Cat.
C. Sagio Mill - Population 2,800 - This is an open town, without a city wall. There are, however, several concentric rings of watch towers extending out, 20 miles in all directions around the town. Most of the farms, and other holdings, relying on the town, are within that set of rings. The town gets it's name from a very large stone mill, built next to a rather impressive mill pond. There is no river feeding this pond, but the water in it constantly rotates (due to magic means), providing motion for the very large grinding wheel.
D. Iffel - Population 2,200 - This is a town built around a small castle (D'Mosh Castle), with a curtain wall around the core town. It is, however, built right next to the King's Highway. The curtain wall of the town backs up to and connects with the mound of the King's Highway, and within the walls of the town, there is a curious large tower, that has in it's central area, four very, very large platforms (like rafts, made of large logs lashed together), big enough for a large wagon and team. Each of these platforms are actually elevators, up to a stone connecting ramp over to the King's Highway. The elevators are powered by partially trained Mammoths, captured from the wilds of the Darkearth Plains. This access to the King's Highway means that Iffel is quite wealthy as a trade location. There is a similar elevator tower - obviously built by the Old Ones - on the south side of the King's Highway at this same point, but nobody bothers to maintain or man it.
E. Cyclot - Population 2,400 - This town has a massive wooden great hall at the center of it, lots of professional buildings (mostly of a half timber variety), and massive palisade walls made of very large shaped logs driven into the earth. There are two concentric walls, one only 2 miles across, in a rough oval, only 1 mile across the narrow axis. The second concentric wall is all of five miles across, roughly circular. Inside the first wall is the "inner town" - which is for the wealthiest families, and prestigious buildings. The second wall contains the "outer town" which are most of the minor nobility, lesser professionals, and more important land owners, who own grazing and planting estates outside the town. Outside the walls exists a small community of Elves, mostly Wood Elves (about 400), but a few traveling Gray Elves are always present, also. The residents of Cyclot, and the Elves, refer to this community as Duar Village. These Wood Elves have strong ties to the Harp Woods. Much of the industry in the town is either from the surrounding forest products (charcoal burning, and carpentry rate very highly), but also a very strong wool market is present. The sheep, a curious three horned variety, called the Odelle Sheep, produces very valuable wool. The flocks that graze in open pasture outside the city are protected by shepherds. Cyclot shepherds are known to be very competent, and dangerous, mostly due to the high number of dire wolves in the area.
F. Nowak - Population 2,200 - Another woodland related town, this one with a nearby Gnome community, of about 600 Gnomes, mostly underground. The community is called Cheddom Tower, but the tower is a minor part of the underground Gnome village. Together, the carpenters and craftsmen of Nowak and the Gnomes of Cheddom build some of the most intricate, and fabulous working artifacts (such as cuckoo clocks). There is a strong tradition of hunting amongst the wealthy and young from Nowak, in the Harp Woods.
G. Acron Trade - Population 2,400 - This is another walled town, built around a core of a castle (Bekno Keep), and surrounded by stone palisade walls. It is built next to the King's Highway, and the Old Ones had constructed a curious platform settlement right next to the mound. The platform is large enough for multiple buildings, and serves as a location for the main market of Acron Trade. Approaches to the platform were built with a very long, shallowly sloping ramp up, so that animal and walking traffic have no trouble climbing it. Stairs have been constructed, that are much steeper, but provide quicker access up out of the walled town of Acron Trade. There is not a similar platform, nor an access ramp, on the south side of the King's Highway. Although there is a thriving agricultural community of farms and villages surrounding Acron Trade, it is from trade that it makes its economy.
Note, this is part two of a two part article on the Barony of Khomaes. Part 1 is located here.
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