Barony of Altura

One of the central baronies of the Duchy of Tuscana, running east from the Blueflood though wooded hills.

Geography

The western third of the barony consists of open pasturelands covering the flood plain of the Blueflood. The eastern two thirds rises to forest covered hills, interspersed with small villages.

Cheese country

The wide rolling countryside east of the Blueflood consists is a patchwork of substantial farms and an occasional village. Most of the farms are themselves small communities, often with over 100 people working the land. Dairy, especially butter and cheese, are the primary produce of the area and the whole barony is well known for its wide variety of cheeses and cream.

Osnabruck

Sited in what is now central Altura, the town of Osnabruck consists of a hill fortress with a small market town below. The fortress was originally the baronial seat of the House of Pagani and has had numerous extensions and modifications over its lifetime. The town lies to the west of the fortress, with the original road leading from Magdeburg serving the fort. The main north south road from Danzig to Granada marks the western edge of the town, with the more recent Valencia road passing south of the town and fortress.

The town itself has rather limited industry and agriculture and relies heavily on trafficed products to feed and equip the many travellers which regularly pass though it.

Eldrin Greld

Eldrin (b775wk) is a big man from Aquila who had come here (To Tuscana) in 798 looking for his cousin Harold Greld only to find him dead in an Orcish raid some months before and leaving behind his wife Emma and 3 children. Eldrin took it unto himself to provide for them and he has done well. He built up an old forge left in disrepair in the town of Bremen and made it the thriving business it is now.

Harold's wife Emma finally found a new man in 803 and she has moved to the town of Gladheim to be with him. The new husband didn't want the children and so they were left with Eldrin to raise as his own which he does well as he is an attentive uncle/father to the children.

The three children are Karl (B794wk), Caryna (B795wk) and Barye (B796wk) and all consider Eldrin to be their father who takes very good care of them with the help of a local widow, Silani con Danzyr (b777wk) who Eldrin took in after her husband was killed by bandits in 804.