A History of the SheldomarA History of the Sheldomar
By Kirt Wackford (wackford@biology.utah.edu )
Edited by Scott Rennie (scott.rennie@virgin.net) for 'Black Hart' campaign consistency, and
subject to revision.
CY 330's [52]
Establishment of Gran March [53,54], Knights of the March [55]
Continuous pressure from Baklunish invaders, dependent tribes,
military advisers, and power-seeking nobles led to a fateful
decision on the part of the Keoish monarch. Recognising that he
could not defend his northern subjects as individual tribes, the
King approved plans for the invasion and occupation of all lands
north, to the northernmost extent of the Dim forest. Calling upon
all Keoish nobles for troops (including the forces of Sterich and
the County of Ulek), mustering the Keoish Royal Army, summoning
warriors from subject tribes, and accepting no small numbers of
dwarven, elven, and gnome volunteers from within Keoland,
Sterich, the Ulek states, and Celene, the King amassed a sizeable
force. This great army proved large enough to eventually subdue
all the tribes of the region while simultaneously defending
itself against the Baklunish hordes. It was also large enough, in
the minds of the Keoish, to keep the strong Velunese objection
confined to words.
There was great resistance from the tribes (even some who had
previously been nominally loyal to Keoland), and much bloodshed
on all sides, but within a few years the region had been pacified
[53]. After many of their warriors had been slain, the tribesmen
saw the wisdom of uniting under Keoland against the Baklunish,
rather than continuing to fight the Keoish, Baklunish, and one
another. Thus was the province of Gran March established.
Still unsure about having had to resort to invasion to spread
beneficent Keoish rule, the King carefully chose the
administrators of his new land. He oversaw the establishment of a
military-religious order, the Knights of the March [55]. The men
and women of this order were specifically selected for their
honour and loyalty to the King and to the ideals of Keoish
civilisation. Though he had conquered this land, the King meant
to rule it as justly as any other portion of his realm. The
Knights of the March, under the direction of their Commandant,
quickly set about the reorganisation of the land. Fortifications
were built for defence against the Baklunish, with Hookhill
chosen as the vanguard. Lands were cleared for more productive
farms, and tribes settled on these lands. Warriors from disparate
tribes were collected and drilled in regimental units.
Unfortunately for the natives, those people considered most
honourable in Keoland were precisely those most convinced of
Keoish superiority.
The Knights proved harsh and self-righteous, interpreting any
resistance to their policies as the recalcitrant acts of ignorant
barbarians [53,54]. In their zeal to defend Keoland and civilise
these peoples, the Knights actively sought to destroy tribal
culture and identity [56,70]. Tribes were remnants of the past,
they claimed, and had no relevance to the glorious national
present of the Kingdom of Keoland. Though the land became stable
and prosperous, the Knights were bitterly resented.
The Velunese, of course, vociferously objected to the invasion
and occupation of the land, and the forced resettlement and
re-education of its peoples. The Keoish response to these
concerns was a patronising dismissal. If the Velunese actually
cared about the well-being of the tribes, went Keoish logic, they
would be aiding them against the Baklunish and humanoids, and
improving their culture, rather than trying to prevent Keoland
from doing so.
Although Baklunish raids continued, the Keoish were now in a
position to keep the lands south of Hookhill secure.