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Capital: Town of Kempton Dioceses Population: 110,200 – Oeridians 57,600, Flan 19,200, Suloise 13,100, Elves 16,900, Gnomes 2,500, Halflings 1,400, Half Orcs >500 Ruler: Baroness Ladawn Basalle (Rao) Bishop: Ansile Orish |
he Diocese of Kempton lies south of
Veluna City and stretches south to the Lortmil Mountains. Its capital, Kempton sits in the middle of the diocese. The only
other sizable town is Asnath which lies on the northern edge of Asnath Copse next to the Great Western Road. This region is
the most rural of any in Veluna. With no major roads of traffic or major towns the area has stayed the same the last few
centuries. The people are a very simple and honest folk and do not take kindly to people stirring up trouble in their area.
Though part of the Asnath Copse does fall into the Diocese of Valkurl’s region it is pretty much run by the elves that make
their home there. The region houses the majority of elves in Veluna. The majority of the diocese is farmland though a few
mines exist in the part of the Lorridges that run into the area. A few clans of dwarves live in the Lortmil Mountains on
the edge of the diocese, but they pretty much keep to themselves and are very wary of strangers. The diocese is ruled by
Baroness Ladawn Basalle, a fair blond haired woman in her late 30's. Her family has ruled from their mansion in Kempton for
centuries and are the second oldest noble family after the Basalle family in Whitehale. The last five rulers of Kempton have
been female due to the Landis family tendency to have daughters. Bishop Ansile Orish is the churches representative to Kempton.
He is the cousin of Ladawn and one of her most trusted advisors. The Baroness's representative to the Celestial Order is her
son, Peter Basalle. He strives to uphold the family name in all things.
![[Portrait] Baroness Basalle , by Russell Akred](../../images/portraits/BaroneesBasalle.jpg "Baroness Ladawn Basalle, by Russell Akred")
The Baroness started her reign 12 years ago upon the death of her mother from an unknown ailment. She gets along well with the other noble houses in the diocese and has no major problems to speak of. She surrounds herself with people from far off lands as she was forced into the role of leadership before being able to see much of the world. Rumors have it she is thinking of stepping down and letting her son take over so she can travel.
The Bishop was recently posted to the Kempton position by the College of Bishops. Some say it is to repay a favor for the state since they usually do not post somebody related to the ruling family. He is a distinguishing looking gentlemen in his mid 40's. Rumor has it that he was a great adventurer in service to the state and had something to do with the return of the Crook of Rao. Of course, he denies this as hogwash, but he has several scars on his arms that are not found on those who lead quiet lives.
Peter is the son of Baroness Ladawn and the family's representative to the Celestial Order. He has been the man of the family since his father passed away 8 years ago. He has grown up fast in that time and shows the wear and tear when you look into his eyes. He constantly strives to bring honor to his family name and is easily goaded into fights by those who know what buttons to push with him. He just celebrated his 22nd birthday this year and rumors have it his mother wants to step out of the limelight and let him take over though nothing official has been heard as of yet.
The capital of the diocese is located in the center of the region. It primarily acts as a farmers market and meeting place for the surrounding villages. The Baroness’s estate sits on a hill overlooking the town to the south. The town is a very nice looking and pleasant sort of place. Plenty of trees and parks and lots of open spaces. You can see some of the elvish influences from nearby Asnath in the architecture and parks.
Asnath is one of the more unusual towns in Veluna. It lies partially on the Great Western Road and partially in the Asnath Copse. The northern part of town is "normal" – taverns and inns cater to the travelers on the road and farmers from the local area. The southern part of town consists of dozens of elvish buildings up in the trees connected by bridges. This division may seem unusual to outsiders, but seems perfectly fine to those who live here. The town is ruled by a 3-person council that reports to the Baroness in Kempton. One member is picked by the elven elder, one is picked by Bishop Ansile, and the other is picked by the Baroness. The town protects the whole of Asnath Copse and all know not to attempt to cut any of the trees in the Copse.
Resting in the braches of an Ironwood tree near the center of town the inn fills the surrounding air with music and the smell of delicate meals. To enter the main hall first climb the spiral staircase and cross the rope bridge to the main porch. The tree holds three stories of fine elven decor climbing through the branches. Some rooms hang a hundred feet above the town's forest floor.
Twisting around a great gnarled tree the library climbs precariously to six stories. The building looks like it should tumble at any minute but also looks like it has survived this for a very long time. The library is kept warm and well lit giving it a peaceful environment. To protect this environment the high elf librarian will not allow any rough types in, including half-orcs.
The only entirely stone structure in Asnath is covered in ornate carvings upon its white marble. The great open design greets citizens entering from the streets.
The village of Shandalanar has been steadily growing since 585 CY and is now considered a small town. Some of the major Trading Companies have established warehouses in the city. Despite its distance from the major roads, its placement near the Lortmil Mountains makes it a prime place to process mined goods, and the bottomland is excellent for farmers.
Shandalanar is the home of the Bag of Nails Inn. This Inn was originally a dwarven-run bar with the reputation of being a good place to get "smashed." This expression applied evenly to the quality of the alcohol and the general temperament of the patrons. It has recently, within the last two years, come under new, human, management. The new owner desires to grant his patrons a "clean, blood free" place to relax after a hard day's work. He has employed people to discourage indoor brawls, and has replaced the floor, furniture, and re-covered the walls. He has also opened up the upstairs rooms, which originally served as a place to stack unconscious dwarven patrons, to accept boarders. He keeps the Inn clean and has, as a result, lost most of the original clientele, but he has not renamed the Inn.
Shandalanar's main exports are corn and wheat, but a harsh season has prevented them from making any shipments this year. Apparently they require all of the food to remain local. Also, presumably due to an overly optimistic over ordering of stock last year, there are no accurate figures of imports.
The people of Shandalanar enjoy the services of both an outpost of Guardsmen and Knights of Kempton. Aldun Kinninger, who makes annual reports directly to the Basalle family in Kempton, leads these Knights. There are temples to Rao and Heironeous in town as well as a shrine to Zilchus.
Rumored to be located in a clearing in the middle of Asnath Copse, this mysterious place has not been found by lookers for over 100 years now. It is said to consist of a circle of thin pillars of marble that rise into a domed ceiling high above. Ancient runes of some sort adorn them, but nobody has ever claimed to have deciphered their meaning.