Demesne of Sêmont

The Demesne of Sêmont lies nestled between the Shattered Mountains and the Broken Coast, near to where the Finger of Anár and Lesser Anár meet. It is the most stable Duar nation in Lesser Anár, yet it maintains a relative seclusion from its neighbors. The Demesne tries to maintain peace both within its borders and in its dealings with other nations. Depite the conflicts between Coppervale and the Kernuar of Western Anár, Sêmont does enter the conflict on either side, instead, acting as a moderating influence on both.

Geographic Regions (top)

Largely regarded as the most lush valley in Western Anár, the Valley of the Three Brothers is sometimes viewed with jealously among its neighbors. The valley is blessed with a temperate clime, a long growing season, and plenty of space for the Duar of Sêmont to dwell.

Three Brothers: The Three Brothers are the only mountains that survived an ancient Cataclysm that shattered the coastline of Western Anár and plunged most of it into the Eldritch Sea. These three mountains provide the western border of the demesne. The smallest of the three is northernmost, First Brother, which is home to FirstMont. The second brother has remain unclaimed by a mont, but its slopes serve as home to many small settlements that survive by animal husbandry. The Third Brother is the home of the City of Sêmont and, in its lower depths, Baymont.
The Shattered Mountains: The Shattered Mountains form the eastern border of the demesne and are a thick mountain range that was hit hard by the most recent Cataclysms. Many of the mountains and their surrounding terrain were altered, as some mountains split and collapsed while others were raised. Understandably, the monts within the Shattered Mountains were hit hard by the shifting stone. In end, the mountains still stand, but travel through them can be very treacherous.
The Broken Coast: The Broken Coast was once a single mountain range that stretched the length of the western coast of Anár. Nearly a thousand years ago, a Cataclysm rocked the continent and most of the range fell into the Eldritch Sea. What remains is a 1,000-foot cliff that reaches down to the stony coastline. Given the propensities of the Duar, they have populated the underground regions within the cliff side, the most extensive such dwelling is the port of Baymont.
ForestGate Hills: In the center of the Valley of the Three Brothers, a range of high hills that serves as both a strategic center for Sêmont's military presence and as the largest social center outside of the City of Sêmont itself. The hills are fertile and are surrounded by farmland and herds of livestock. Given it's name, ForestGate is also regarded as the gateway to the forests of the valley, at least from the perspective of the Three Brothers.
The RidgeWall: On Sêmont's northern border, the Shattered Mountains extend to coastline. During the last Cataclysm, the region tumbled, creating a nearly sheer rock wall of stone. This was dubbed the Ridgewall and serves as a useful demarcation point between the Finger of Anár, and its lawlessness, and the demesne's civilization. In order to maintain that line, the Jarl of Sêmont has ordered a standing keep be created and hence, Ridgewall became a large military outpost.

Political Regions (top)

The Demesne of Sêmont represents a confederation of smaller demesnes within its shared borders. Within their private domains, each of the Jarls of the lesser demesnes hold power, but each give fealty to the Jarl of Sêmont through a complex web of oaths. Together, the lesser demesnes unite into a more powerful, more secure nation. To date, the power of the region rests with the lesser demesnes, but, since one of those is the City of Sêmont itself, that city remains the most populous and the strongest of the lesser demesnes.

Listed below are the distinct political regions of Sêmont:

City of Sêmont: The City of Sêmont, and by extension the entire Demesne of Sêmont, is ruled by Jarl Antor Dûnin, who rules a population of more than 75,000 Duar of all species. The City extends for miles beneath Third Brother, and contains the best artisans, forgers, and the most varied merchantile business in the valley. The city also contains shrines to each of the Incarna, each of equal splendor so as not to put one above the others. The City offers everything a Duar could need and is the seat of the social interaction for the valley as all of the founding clans have a residence there, despite also having their own lesser demesnes. Together, the representatives rule the greater Demesne.
FirstMont: Despite its name, FirstMont was the third mont founded in the valley, and was named for the fact it was built beneath First Brother. The mont was founded by the Thârán clan and was meant to rival the City of Sêmont in splendor and size. It began to achieve this goal until the most recent cataclysms that collapsed entire sections of the city. Even after so long, the city hasn't fully recovered from the damage. The major areas have either been rebuilt or relocated, but still the city strives to be a major center of commerce.
Baymont: Baymont occupies a set of sea caves open to the Eldritch Sea beneath Third Brother and enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the City of Sêmont, which lies nearly 4 miles above it inside the mountain. Baymont acts as a center of trade and commerce to not only the city, but the entire region, trading with other monts, the Kernuar, and even the Sâpens across Lesser Anár. The goods so traded are dispersed through Sêmont's trade routes. This activity has made Baymont perhaps the wealthiest, the most commercial, and the least political of the lesser demesnes.
ForestGate: ForestGate was founded by the Jof Clan, one of the founding clans of the valley, and represents the second-most powerful of the lesser demesnes (after Sêmont). ForestGate has often been considered as the greater demesne's southern border and it took its responsibility seriously, making regular patrols and sponsoring the creation of a band of warriors know as Warders who patrol the wilderlands for possible threats. ForestGate tenaciously maintains its rustic, down-to-earth atmosphere and directs those that seek glitz and glamour to the City of Sêmont.
Thônmont: Thônmont, being on the slopes of the Third Brother, maintains a positive relationship with Sêmont and Baymont, sometimes to a fault. The Thôn Clan has often been accused of being "toadies" to the will of the Dûnin Clan, but they shrug off those accusation with aplomb. The Thôn Clan are historians by trade and maintain both an extensive necropolis for each of the clans and a comprehensive historical record of all the happenings of all the peoples they can.
Founderstone: A couple of decades before the latest cataclysm, the Jarl of Sêmont commissioned the creation of Founderstone and ceded an area to the Tôrdic Clan. Founderstone was meant to establish a new southern border to the greater demesne, thereby expanding it. Founderstone was a success, spawning the nearby village of Crôt and a strategic military base at the Cascade River Bridge. But, during the last cataclysms, Founderstone was nearly destroyed. Many of the Tôrdic family were killed outright and those that survived retreated to Foresgate. The mont has stood abandoned since that time.
Ridgewall Keep: Ridgewall Keep is a military installation built in the northern border of the greater demesne and is considered a prestigious post. The keep regularly deals with brigands who creep across the border from the Finger of Anár to raid the lands within the demesne. Ridgewall Keep has a stringent policy toward lawbreakers and some find that the gates of the keep are the last thing they see before they are exiled to the Finger.
The Pinnacle: The Pinnacle rests atop Third Brother, far higher than the City of Sêmont, and houses an aesthetic retreat created and maintained by the mages of the Ôrdô-Impiren. The site has strong links to both Sêmont and ForestGate and the mages of the order are encouraged to do their part in public service to the greater demesne's population. As such, they are relied upon as expert problem solvers who work in conjunction with the military to squelch magical threats and beasts where they arise.
Árleth: The remote village of Árleth represents the largest Ursuar population within the greater demesne, and, true to their personality, the village is located in a remote alpine valley within the Shattered Mountains. The Ursuar maintain a simple lifestyle there and the Duar who visit this village often find it a relaxing retreat. The Ursuar elder, Mâyara Tellin, makes her home there. Said to the wisest Ursuar to attain the title "Old One of the Woods," Mâyara is often consulted on important matters and is trusted by the Jarl.
Cleft: Situated at the headwaters of the Cleft River, the town of Cleft holds the greatest population of Nôkuar in the greater demesne. The town maintains an outwardly rustic atmosphere, but in truth, sponsors one of the highest levels of technological convenience for its citizens. These advances are researched by an enclave of Strâden's Tools, investigators who utilize observation to understand the world around them. Almost everyone knows that the Strâden's Tools dwell in Cleft, but few know of them personally or could find them if asked.
Rivergate: On the slopes of the Third Brother, following the course of the Jarl's River, lies RiverGate. This town, built up on either side of the river where it empties into the Cleft, is home to the largest population of Báguar in the greater demesne. Largely rural, with an economy based upon farming, husbandry, and trade from and with the city, RiverGate is a gentle place, but such can be a deceptive vision, for rumors spoke only in the shadows speak of an underworld hidden by RiverGate's wholesome image. From this underworld, nearly anything can be obtain given enough money changes hands.
Last Step: Last Step resides at the edge of the Broken Coast where the Cleft River plunges over the edge and cascades down the 1,000-foot cliff into the Eldritch Sea. The town is built at the edge of the cliff and over it, as it scales down the side of the Broken Coast. Last Step also has a small harbor at the base of the coast and stretches to all points between. It's most interesting feature is the staircase the connects the harbor with the top of the waterfall, as one can descend the cliff by means of this stair. Last Step is the home to the greatest population of Átuar in the greater demesne.
Féôdrim: The Féôdrim is the largest Kernuar holding within the greater demesne. No doubt they would argue who actually rules the land, as they give their fealty to the Álishánin and only tolerate the Duar presence in the valley. Truthfully, they attempt to maintain an equitable relationship with the Duar, as is the policy of the Álishánin, but they do not recognize the authority of the Jarl.

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