County of Ridgegarde

Template:FiefThe County of Ridgegarde is a holding of the edge of Elwynn Forest bordering the Redridge Mountains. Its main settlement is the small town of Ridgegarde located along the Redridge Mountain Range. Its main garrison for the Stormwind Army is Three Corners Garrison, a tower constructed by the First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade and the inhabitants of Ridgegarde. Ridgegarde surrounds the tower. A small mine is operated to the north of the town. Ridgegarde is currently ruled by Lord Lucien Chartres.

The Prestan Rebellion

Lord Prestan Avenforth, was the count of Ridgegarde, appointed by the King after theKingdom of Stormwind had rebuilt. He was a modest man, but one that hungered for more power. He had set his sights on the Duchy of Stonewatch, that was currently Lordless, with it's current Lord fighting against the Plague that broke out in Lordaeron. As he mustered his men to take the Duchy by force, Lord-Protector Darith Isenhammer returned from the North, at a loss from the defeat and with his men, fortifying his position in the Ridge.

Prestan had lost his window to strike, and scurried back into his small hold waiting for the time to strike. Once the call had been sounded to sail to Northrend, the majority of the forces of the Duchy went to fight. Another opportunity presented itself. Lord Avenforth claimed the steads and towns of the Duchy with swiftness, and then set his sights on the Keep.

The Keep being strategcally positioned was able to be held with a good garrison of fifty men or so. The partial ruins of the Keep were a slight disadvantage but the Keeps defenders still had the strategic position of being on a hill, with steep cliffs and rushing rapids.

Word had reached the Lord-Protector in Northrend and he sailed back with haste to Redridge. Upon the fields north of Stonewatch, the Knights of the Ridge clashed with Avenforth's forces and Prestan himself was defeated. A few days after, Darith lay claim to the County as a prize for his victory, and the traitorous Lord was imprisoned in the Dungeons.

Recent History

Throughout the years the county lived in peace following the previous Count being ousted. While the county grew more and more, developing new prosperity for its inhabitants, the wars began taking their toll. Many of the fighting men were now dead, in particular after the crushing defeat on the Broken Shore.

Coming to power after the landing of the Legionfall forces on the beaches of the Broken Shore where High King Varian Wrynn himself perished, Lucien had alot of rebuilding to do. Being tired of having much of his credit taken by his father, the Lord-Protector Darith Isenhammer, Count Chartres decided to break from his noble household, prefering to use his mother's maiden name: Chartres, which held some noble blood back in Lordaeron. The Lord-Protector had in the recent years bordered on insanity, retreating to the northern Redridge mountains in the March of Embergarde where he carried out his long endless vigil over the mountains, longing to be released from the living world.

When Darnassus and Teldrassil burned at the hands of the Horde, many Worgen and Night Elf were displaced. During the House of Nobles emergency meeting held in Duskwood on August 1st 38 L.C, Lucien pledged to take in up to 75 refugees. If they were willing to work and harvest the crop during the upcoming harvest season, they would be provided a home, hearth and sustenance. The war had wiped many of the able bodied men off in the army and had left the farming population on the homefront under maintained. In this agreement, there was a mutual opportunity where both the Night Elves and the Count could benefit.

Military Force

The fighting force of Ridgegarde before the Legions Invasion amounted to over 2000 strong, with another 1000 in the reserves ready to answer the call to arms. Among those were heavy and light Infantry, cavalry, archers and a battalion of Mages of the circle following Lucien. After the Alliance's defeat on the shores of the Broken Isles and the death of High King Varian Wrynn, the army was broken. It now counts up to 1600:

500 in reserves in the Redridge Defence Militia
200 serving as guards around the County
500 serving as Marines aboard Mainline Shipping Co. Vessels
400 under the Count's direct command

The 400 are part of the 'Magebreaker' 19th Division of the Stormwind Royal Navy, in command of a Gryphon-Class Destroyer called the HMS Magebreaker. It is composed of:

100 Crewmembers
125 Infantry
75 Battle-Mages
50 Heavy Infantry
50 Archers

Threats

Aside from bandits and Kobolds, nothing threatens this rather quiet County. Blackrock Orcs often wander further south, but are few in numbers, often quickly dispatched by the men-at-arms.

Lands and Production

Three Corners Garrison as it appears along the mountainside.

Three Corners Garrison - serving as the main garrison of the County, houses well over a thousand Men-At-Arm, a battalion of the Stormwind Army and acts a watch point for any Bandit activity in the area.

While it was once host to many soldiers, the toil of war has dwindled the garrison to 1100 stationed soldiers. It always welcomes any alliance military member needing a place to rest.

Population: 1100
Size: 250 acres

Ridgegarde - a large city that was once concentrated along the banks of the river to the south, across from Duskwood.

Since the arrival of trade, foreign wealth and employment, the city had grown and has since reinforced its decrepit perimeter wall and has invested a large amount of money into the construction of a docks within the city itself, bordering along both sides of the Nazferiti River. Modest size trading vessels are capable of navigating the river and docking at Mainline Shipping Docks.
The city contains a market and shops, a trading hall and craftsmans guild, with artisan workshops for tailoring and butchery shops. A church is found on the north side of the city, near the north gate.
Northwest lingering on the edge of the mountains dividing Elwynn and Redridge are sloped bluffs and hills which twist and turn up and down the mountain. There is no shortage of herb and other plant life sprouting from the ground, making it a favorite for sheep and cattle. Farmers and Shepherds have settled at the foot of the Grazing Hills and have established the small farming community of Wool Town. It provides Ridgegarde with all its wool and meat.
Between Wool Town and Ridgegarde is the fertile crescent of the whole valley. A road arcs from the edge of Elwynn, along the River then up alongside Ridgegarde and ending at Three Corners. Farms and farmland is abundant, the scenery dotted with windmills and grain silos peeking out from tall stalks of wheat and barley, all of it framed in the view of the crested red mountains and forests.
Further on the outskirts of town, bordering on the Ridgewood and Gnoll bluffs to the north, the farmlands sprawl across the fertile valley, irrigating into the Nazferiti river. The fields produce apples and barley. Grazing farms are also host to cattle and sheep, yielding a healthy supply of meat for personal consumption and some cloth goods in surplus for export.

Population: 1,550

Size: 7,200 acres (1,100 for the city | 1,000 riverside | 5,100 farmlands (4,000 wheat))

Wool Town:

Population: 150 (Plus 400 in surrounding farmlands)
Size: 12,200 acres (1,600 for grazing hills | 6,000 for wheat | 4,000 for barley)

Ridgehook - a quaint idyllic town nestled among the clearing of the Ridgewood, albeit a bit rowdy at night.

Proximity to the forest makes this town host to a large number of hunter and foragers as well as lumberjacks who overall provide the city with food and furs and the shipyard with fresh Redwood Timber. Many inhabitants work the mines, making this town a hub for Gnomish and Dwarven activity and culture. There are a plethora of inns and taverns. It is a popular traveler pit stop due to it being on the way to Lakeshire.
Recently, after the burning of Darnasus, Count Chartres has given refuge to under 200 Night Elves who were displaced. Most live in camps or in houses if there are some available. It does create however some tense interactions between the Dwarves and Elves at times. Nothing the County guards can't handle.

Population: 450 (Plus 175 Night Elf Refugees among the camps)
Size: 10,200 acres (500 residential/camp | 9,700 for forest)

Ridgegarde Mine & Precious Metals Co - which is operated to the north of Ridgegarde under the northern bluffs.

It runs deep under the earth and is mined extensively for its copper, silver and gold deposits. The Red dirt is often soft and grainy, the mine shafts are therefore regularly reinforced and constructed, allowing a smooth flow of mine carts. There is a small forge outside producing weapons and armor when needed to re-stock the armory of Three Corners Garrison.

Around 350 miners and Smith's are employed, mostly men strong enough to bear the toil with accompaniment of a small band of tinkering Gnomes and stout Dwarves. Most workers reside in Ridgehook.

Up the Mountains to the East of Ridgegarde is the Ridgegarde Precious Metals Company. There Gnomes and Dwarves work tirelessly to craft any precious gemstones found in the mine into veritable gems which are then traded and shipped through Mainline Shipping Company, all under the umbrella of Tradewind Acquisitions.
Population: 175 Residents.
Size: 2,500 (1,400 hills for mining | 1,000 in mountains for quarry stone)