The Kingdom of Alsberg

The northernmost, and youngest, of the nations of the Northlands, is the Kingdom of Alsberg. Lying north of the Bay of Oran on the coast, it stretches for almost 200 miles along the coast, and over 100 miles inland. It is bordered by the Grand Duchy of Rimini in the southwest, and the trackless Northern Wilderlands to the west and north. Alsberg is the northern terminus of the Coast Road, and lies just to the east of the end of the Great North Road in Rimini. It is truly the frontier of civilization.

The southern half of the kingdom, anchored on the shores of sheltered Stillwater Reach, is where the majority of the population lives. The capital of Alten is an important frontier port, and the inland cities of Carrack and Olora are prospering. The coastal city of Engildar is the northernmost city in the land, and even receives the occasional visit from barbarian ships from across the northern sea. Beyond Engildar to the north is a scattering of towns and villages.

Alsberg - Southern coastal farmlands

Alsberg is a hereditary monarchy, and is ruled by King Osric I. Osric is tall and slender, stooped, and seeming younger than his years (mid-40s). It is a poorly kept secret that Osric is some sort of spellcaster. Given its location in the world, it is not surprising that Alsberg's focus seems to be on defense of the kingdom and expansion of the economy.

Four main fortresses guard the borders of the realm; Brandal Castle in the south, "Northwatch" in the far north, and Iron Keep and Eagleview Keep in between. The greatest threats to the kingdom are incursions of goblinoid tribes coming down from the Iron Spire Mountains to the west, coastal raids from the northern barbarians and the pirates from the Oranthian Isles.

The Gravelflow coming down from the Haunted Moors

The economy of Alsberg is largely agricultural. The southern part of the kingdom as well as the lands along the Broadwater River are very fertile, and have lucrative crops, orchards and vineyards. "Blood oak" trees harvested from the Grimboar Forest and the Oloran Woods have wood of a deep red color which is prized in the south for the making of furniture and other products. Much fruit and wine is shipped south from Alsberg. Some trade makes its way to and from Alsberg by ship, but due to the dangers of sea travel, especially around the Liriana Peninsula and across the Sea of Tempests, most still goes by land. The majority of the ship traffic is from the nations of the east coast (Tiencin, Romney, Mercia and Rimini), north of the Sea of Tempests.

Due to its location, Alsberg is the home of a fair number of adventurers, and such types are well tolerated as long as they behave themselves. Some of these adventurers use Alsberg as a base for exploring distant destinations, but many find things of interest within the borders of the kingdom. The Elder nation of Tirask claimed these lands in the olden days, and there are ruins to be found and explored. Some of the cities and towns are built on the sites of these ancient settlements.

Castle ruins of old Tirask, near Fairfax

The defense of the kingdom falls on the shoulders of a small but effective military, as well as a solid militia. Militia service is a requirement of all able bodied men and women of appropriate age. The most visible sign of the Alsberg military is the border patrols of "White Cloaks", or as they are often jokingly referred to, the "Muddy Cloaks". The White Cloaks are tasked with patrolling the kingdom, concentrating especially on the borders, and consist of varying sized groups of mounted lancers and archers, often accompanied by spellcasters when on duty in the wilder parts of the realm.