Trelpin

Trelpin is a small and relatively unimportant northern city, very similar to Sarzig in its irrelevance to the main affairs of the kingdom. Unlike its western cousin, however, Trelpin has little to redeem itself with. Located on the border with the Swidnican plains, the city stares out across those distant grasslands with glazed eyes, long ago having lost its true purpose. Built and fortified to defend against the Noreya during their time of empire, the city now sits hollow and unfulfilled, littered with remnants of this purpose now forgotten. Nonetheless, its rulers remain loyal to the crown, having resisted the urge for independence alongside the Premyslid. Now they use their influence to try and pacify the Swidnicans nearest to them, engaged in a proxy war with the distant Routot for claim over the Swidnican crown.

Politics

Trelpin itself is relatively small, and too small to sustain any major politics of its own. What few nobles gather here are a mix of ethnicities, divided between Arran, Premyslid and Swidnican. All have found refuge in the city, and each does little to upset the balance of power within. With nothing much to focus their attentions on except pasture disputes and land claims, the rulers of Trelpin often host elaborate parties and balls, injecting some big city plwasures into their lives for a few fleeting moments. The Duke of Trelpin occupies himself with another pursuit, namely that of the Swidnican crown. Seeking it much in the same manner as the King of Vanne does to the east, he curries favour with various Headmen closest to his realm, earning their allegiance and growing his claim on the region. With such an established group of Swidnican nobles in his court, his going has been much more successful than his rival, and Trelpin remains as one of the largest cities on or near the steppe.

Groups

The Society of Finer Things

Trelpin is surprisingly known for its extravagant parties, boasting world class entertainment and exotic food and drink. This is despite its isolation, located far to the northeast of the kingdom and on the edge of the civilized world. All of this is made possible by the Society of Finer Things, a guild of sorts made up of various traders and valets, who act as a go between for their noble benefactors. The Guild takes requests and ferries the goods into the city to help provide new and unique experiences for their patrons, providing everything from fine wines and cheeses to illicit escorts and substances. Each patron's preference is marked in journals by the guild's agents, and herein lies the true power of the Society. To what end this information is being gathered for remains unknown, but the Society is pervasive among the elite of the city.

Landmarks

Personalities

Duke Ewald

Trelpin is a small city, yet it is the capital of a wide realm. Stretching far beyong the city are grasslands in all directions; farmland in the south giving way to grazing pasture in the north. Its position at the confluence of three peoples has made it a place of refuge throughout history, attracting loyalist Premyslid after their war for independence, as well as influential Swidnicans seeking to legitimize themselves and their holdings. To govern all of these disparate groups requires a steady hand and vision, one which Duke Ewald can provide. He follows the local practice of throwing extravagant parties for his court, though primarily as a means of occupying them and distracting from his true motives. Without any internal conflict to trip him up, Ewald has dedicated himself primarily to acquiring and expanding holdings in Swidnica, investing in the fiefs he claims and fortifying them for his garrisons. In this way he has crept forward into the grasslands, lending proper noble title to Headman who swear fealty in exchange for their support in a bid for the crown. While he has not yet enough to do this, he is perhaps the most organized suitor for the throne. Ewald is older, in his early sixties, with thin grey hair stretching down to his shoulders. An unusually large nose dominates his face, though otherwise he appears stoic and regal. He dresses finely, as one would expect from a Duke.

Johan, Duke Ewald's Valet

Johan, Duke Ewald's Valet Servants of various stripes are extremely common in Trelpin, the amount serving a household denoting its wealth and grandeur. Chief among them are the valets, who serve as personal attendants to the heads of the house and often lead and direct the remainder of the underlings. It is these valets who make up the bulk of the Society of Finer Things membership, linked by their shared servitude and combined knowledge of the upper class in the duchy. Most valets are professionals, trained at schools in Trelpin or beyond, though some are simply trusted servants brought up into the role. Johan is Duke Ewald’s personal valet, and quite possibly the most well-connected man in the entirety of Trelpin. Through an extensive career at the side of the Duke, he has met and interacted with nearly everyone of importance in the city and beyond. A trusted confidante and member of the Duke’s inner circle, Johan has stood silently by in counsels and banquets alike, absorbing everything. His advice is often sound and extremely well-informed, and has given the Duke the upper hand in negotiations and other dealings, especially with his vassals. Johan is a secret member of the Society, and keeps careful notes of all he sees and does in the Duke’s service. An older and slightly overweight man, he is the epitome of stoic service, always professional and unflinching in his duties. He remains at Duke Ewald’s side at practically all times, governing his day to day activities and exerting plenty of unseen influence over his liege.