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"We keep the Orcs from the rest of Bretonnia. It is our duty, and we ask no reward but that we be allowed to do it. We are the men of Carcassonne, and we will fight!"

—Duke Huebald (his longest recorded speech)[1a]

Carcassonne, formally the Dukedom of Carcassonne, is a founding dukedom of Bretonnia that lies in the extreme south of that kingdom. Its current ruler is Duke Huebald. A highly martial dukedom, even in comparison to other Bretonnian provinces well known for their valour, Carcassonne is a heavily militarised land that focuses its efforts on the eradication of the Greenskin tribes that infest the Irrana Mountains on its southern border. Nearly all of its people, from the highest noble to the lowest peasant, is a warrior in both skill and spirit. Being skilled at the arts of war is simply expected within most of Carcassonne's communities.[1a]

Strangely, the people of Carcassonne, though warriors all, have a particular interest in poetry and music. This ensures a strong bond of friendship between the people of Brionne to the north and the people of Carcassonne to the south. The Carcassonnians like to listen to Brionnian minstrels when they have time, and those who can travel visit Castle Brionne to see the wonders of the city. The Carcassonnians are proud of these achievements because, they say, they fight to make such things possible. They fight so that the Brionnians do not have to, and they are justly proud of this.[1a]

History[]

Reman Empire Contacts (20 to 60 IC)[]

Some scholars believe that the southern Reman Empire, under the leadership of Myrmidia, the goddess of war and strategy who had been born in Human form, played a significant role in the early history of southern Bretonnia, particularly during the Classical Age when it extended its reach across much of the Old World.[4a]

According to legend and sacred texts, the empire stretched from Tilea and Estalia into what is now the Border Princes and southern Bretonnia. This expansion was driven by Myrmidia's divine mission to rid the world of injustice, and her armies sought to impose order and civilisation in these regions.[4a]

Whatever the truth of the matter, the Cult of Myrmidia, even at present, shares a bond of respect with the Bretonnian Lady of the Lake, though it has little influence in Bretonnia and avoids evangelising to Bretonnians.[4b]

Geography[]

"Ah, Carcassonne. I came into Bretonnia over the mountains, and my first job was as a “shepherdess.” Me and the rest of my company. We had a sheep to look after. We protected Bessy from half a dozen Orc warbands, and then the stupid animal fell down a cliff. I decided to move on."

Marietta, Tilean mercenary.[1a]
Carcassonne map

A map of Carcassonne

Carcassonne lies within the southern borders of Bretonnia, covering much of the Irrana Mountains and bordering Estalia in the west, Tilea in the south, and Athel Loren in the east. The land is split into four regions by the three great tributaries of the River Brienne, and the Brienne itself forms the northern border. There are narrow bands of arable land along portions of the major rivers, but the overwhelming majority of Carcassonne is pastoral or mountains. Carcassonnian shepherdesses are particularly renowned in the rest of Bretonnia for strength, courage, and a complete lack of feminine charm.[1a]

The two eastern portions of Carcassonne were once the land of Glanborielle, but that dukedom was utterly swept away in the invasions of Orcs that led to the unification of Bretonnia. The area is now distinguished by the hill-forts that were the strongholds of the Glanborien nobility, now abandoned. Popular legend holds they are all haunted, and in at least some cases, the legends are known to be justified. The main threat facing Carcassonne is the constant raiding of the Greenskins of the Irrana Mountains and the Vaults. In the east of the dukedom, they occasionally get some help from the Fay of Athel Loren, but the Carcassonnians have never had as good relations with the Fay as their neighbours to the north in Quenelles.[1a]

For the most part, they stand alone, trusting to their military prowess, and for the most part, that trust is often justified. In recent years, Carcassonnian knights have begun talking of the Iron Orcs of the mountains, obvious servants of Chaos who reinforce the normal Orc hordes and who are stronger even than the Black Orcs. So far, only natives of Carcassonne claim to have seen them. Even Tileans, with territory in the same mountains, have seen nothing. Many people think they are just a story to back up Carcassonnian demands for reduced taxes.[1a]

Fiefdoms[]

Grand-Duchy of Savoie[]

Baron Janduiá de Turín rules over the Grand-Duchy of Savoie, situated in the Vaults mountain range, along the Pou river, one of the tributaries of the River Brienne. It's a small land, a minor fief of the Marquis of Carcassonne, with a culture that shows a strong Tilean influence. Savoie is famous for the unbending devotion of its people and rulers to the Lady of the Lake. Its capital town, Turín, is visited all through the year by pilgrims who seek visions of the Lady in the famous chapel containing the Shroud of Gilles le Breton. This holy relic still bears the image of the hero's body, imprinted by his blood the day he was mortally wounded. In times of war, Baron Janduiá can deploy a force that is quite small, but made up of inspired and determined warriors, known collectively as Les Savoiardes, they are strong in their unquenchable faith for the Lady.[2a]

Carcassonnians[]

Carcassonnians are a martial people, believing prowess at arms is their birthright and their duty. This mentality is reinforced by the constant Greenskin raids, which often reach quite a way into the dukedom before a sufficient force can be gathered to crush them. Almost all Carcassonnians have some military training — even the peasants. However, they do not look down on those who are not warriors. This is seen best in their attitude to Brionne, a dukedom that spends its time on poetry. The Carcassonnians like to listen to Brionnian minstrels when they have time, and those who can travel visit Castle Brionne to see the wonders of the city. The Carcassonnians are proud of these achievements because, they say, they fight to make such things possible. They fight so that the Brionnians do not have to, and they are proud of this.[1a]

Many Carcassonnian adventurers travel to employ their martial abilities against threats in other parts of the Old World. Others travel because their talents are not martial, and they find it very hard to receive the recognition they feel they deserve within Carcassonne. Brionnian minstrels are all very well received, but a true son of Carcassonne should be a warrior. Two Carcassonnian customs have achieved a degree of fame beyond the dukedom. The first is the Birth Sword. All male nobles are presented with a fine sword at their birth; it is supposed to be the first thing that they grasp. This sword is then hung above the boy’s bed until he is old enough to train with it. From that point, it rests on a rack beside his bed whilst he sleeps. Most Carcassonnians refuse to fight with any other weapon and do indeed seem to do better whilst holding it.[1a]

The second custom is the Carcassonnian “shepherd.” Peasants cannot, of course, be trusted to fight independently, and it would greatly shame Bretonnians to hire mercenaries. However, the flocks of sheep in the foothills of the mountains do need protecting, and so there is no shame in hiring shepherds who can defend themselves. On the one hand, Carcassonnian shepherds and shepherdesses are trained warriors, and they are also trained to operate alone, spying on and harassing Orc bands. On the other hand, Carcassonnian nobles sometimes hire foreign “shepherds,” often in bands with a skilled leader, and give them a single sheep to look after. The pay is 50 Pennies per day, but those nobles are remarkably careless about dropping purses of gold in front of the head shepherd. The mercenaries hired in this way find it amusing. Most manage to resist the temptation to eat their sheep for at least a week; some adopt it as a mascot.[1a]

Notable Carcassonnians[]

  • Duke Huebald - The reigning Duke of Carcassonne.
  • Theudric - A fabled Grail Knight whose resting place is used as a site of pilgrimage.
  • Sir de Raker - A mighty Grail Knight who single-handedly ended the Tilean siege of Lovarre.
  • Aiden the Brave - Carcassonnian noble.[3a]
  • Theuclis - Carcassonnian noble.[3a]
  • Aldebald - Carcassonnian noble.[3a]
  • Havelock - Carcassonnian noble.[3a]
  • Prithard the Tormented - Carcassonnian noble..[3a]
  • Milone - Carcassonnian noble.[3a]

Trivia[]

The Dukedom of Carcassonne's name is derived from real-life Carcassonne, a fortified town located in southeastern France. During medieval times there was a County based on the town.

The annexation of the southern territories of Bretonnia into the Reman Empire is a reference to the conquest made by Julius Caesar in Gaul during the 1st century BCE, where Roman forces subdued the Gallic tribes, extending Roman influence and territory into what is now modern-day France.

The Grand-Duchy of Savoie is a play about the Duchy of Savoy, a country in Western Europe. Throughout its history, it was ruled by the House of Savoy and formed a part of the larger Savoyard state, which in 1720 became the Kingdom of Sardinia. And Turin was actually its capital.

Sources[]

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