Southern Ranke

Styled the "County of Southern Ranke" despite the absence of any Count this is a traditional territory of the Duchy of Ranke, this area has been largely without organised government for many generations. Home to a number of robber barons and groups of brigands, some of whom pay occasional taxes to the Duchy, largely to ensure that Ranke leaves them alone.

After the church forces swept away the Dark Circle army in Spring 805Wk Mordeaux took over the governorship of this territory as the Comtat Venaissin.

The Urielite Suffragan Bishop,the Right Reverend Sainte-Marie de Chignac ( or, informally, Lady Grace) is nominally in charge of the entire Comtat, which is at least as large as Mordeaux proper, and was appointed by Tomas Xerxes . However, less than a third of Venaissin accepts her authority; the rest consists of bandit-infested wilderness, rebel barons, bad country, and lands devastated by the retreating Dark Circle. Lady Grace is assisted in her mission to bring law and order to the people by several relocated Urielite and Michaeline Chapter Houses, and large deployments of Church Knights from Mordeaux and southern Bowcourt.

Some Place Names

The South Road: is a regularly used merchant route from Carzala to Ranke City and goes through Southern Ranke in a mostly north/south direction, running parallel to the rivers. Much of its route is through deep forest interspesred by small cultivated areas with a small village. It is passable year around, although heavy carts avoid it in winter and early spring. From 806wk onwards it is periodically patrolled by cavalry.

Southgate: is the southern most town and the first settlement north of Carzala. It is heavily fortified and run by Prior Jules Debois (Urielite) assisted by some Michaeline thugs, aka the Order of St Louis the Strong. There are many dairy herds on the river flats nearby and a ford where the South Road crosses the river.

La Ciotat: a small village. As at 811wk this is still semi-ruined, with a new pub "The Burning Bones"

St Cernin: a medium sized village with stone buildings and a large blacksmithy.

Labruguierre: is a large pallisaded hamlet/small town in the intersection two rivers. It is surrounded by apple and plum orchards. Facing onto the main square is a church, a chapter house, a goldsmithy, an inn (the Babe in Arms), and the shops of a tailor and a luthier. There are two other inns in town; The Green Plum and the Five Wheeled Wagon.

The South Road crosses the river via a ford north of the town, there is also an occasional ferry service (primarily in spring when the river runs high).