Arjuf Dominion

Geography

Arjuf Dominion is a massive administrative division of the Realm located on the southern Blessed Isle, stretching from the coast of the Inner Sea across the open Jaen-ha Plains, bounded to the north by the Dragon’s Nest mountains and to the east by the Caracal River. It is bordered by several prefectures: to the East these include Heroncrest Prefecture and Bright Parasol Prefecture.

The climate is warm, with no risk of snow, though the Realm’s weather control system works to spread out powerful monsoon storms into more even precipitation.

Arjuf City: The city of Arjuf is the capital of the Dominion and largest urban area on the southern Blessed Isle, centered on its excellent port. It serves as a trade hub.

Palace of Vines: Massive manse-complex, headquarters of House Ledaal, located a day’s ride from Arjuf city.

Gatehouse of the South: Legion lighthouse-fortress located southeast of Arjuf city, the Gatehouse guards the approaches to and from Arjuf. It is known amongst poets as the site of ‘Rawar’s Rocks’.

Nishimo: Once a small city which rose up around the area’s lucrative marble quarries, Nishimo saw its economy collapse and its population depart when the marble supply ran out. The town remains inhabited, residents moving amongst now-derelict abandoned buildings in terrible need of repair.

Blackscale River: Lagoon and river system north of Nishimo, running past the town as it flows towards the Caracal River.

Tuchara: Small city famed for its smiths and artisans. The centre of the powerbase for the Sweetsky Patrician Clan. The Palace of Undying Embers manse is located nearby.

Derchara: A large village towards the centre of the Dominion, home to a market where local farmers and artisans trade their goods. While there is little at the market fine enough to draw Dynastic attention, the wide variety of basic goods mean the peasantry know this to be an ideal destination if they must journey away from home for supplies, and Derchara materials feed onward along well-maintained roads to the more complex works of artisans in Tuchara, under the aegis of the Sweetsky Initiative.

Crodat: A large village of craftsfolk under aegis of the Sweetsky Initiative, connected by road to Derchara, primarily known for its potters. The nearby roads are considered insecure, due to a lack of patrols and direct administration, but few merchants seem setered and goods continue to make the journey to Derchara and Tuchara.

Telemun: A large village of craftsfolk, under aegis of the Sweetsky Initiative, connected by road to Derchara, primarily known for its weavers.

Vexdacha: A large village of farmers and craftsfolk, under aegis of the Sweetsky Initiative, connected by road to Tuchara, primarily known for its Rice and its metalworkers.

Tower of Pen and Sword: Large manse complex a day's ride from Tuchara, home to the Garel household of House Cathak and housing their extensive military archives.

Yarrowstalk: Small river port, whose environs include the Azimuth Spire, manse-headquarters for the Office of Harmony, bureaucracy of the Wyld Hunt.

House of Bells: Elite, acclaimed military academy, one of the Four Perfected Secondary Schools of the Realm, located on a sprawling fortified estate including several villages.

Apple Grove Sweet Distillery – A Rum distillery located west of the city of Arjuf, considered amongst Creation’s best producers of amber rums.

Sweet Distillery of Glorious Necessity – A Rum distillery located just to the east of the Palace of Vines, amidst the expansive Sugarcane plantations of a Ledaal elder. The distillery’s best known product is a Rum flavoured heavily with star anise.

Sweet Distillery of Constant Devotion – A Rum distillery on the eastern edge of the Dominion, along the border with Bright Parasol Prefecture, which produces amber Rum that spends its entire aging period in Wine barrels to grant a distinctive flavor.

Economy

Arjuf Dominion is a wealthy land, with even the peasantry on the upper end of Isle standards (and positively rich by those of Creation as a whole). Agriculture in the Dominion is primarily wheat in the northern plains and sugar cane further south, with most staple foods consumed within the Dominion while cane sugar is exported across the Isle. The plains are also excellent terrain for herds of cattle and horses.

The economy of Arjuf is dominated by the city which grants its name, a massive trade hub which pours wealth into the area. This has a downside, of course, in that the prices of all goods within Arjuf have become inflated, particularly noticeable for travelers paying to stay at inns or eat at taverns here.

Politics

Prefect: Ledaal Maris

Senior Magistrate: Ragara Mox

Arjuf Dominion is dominated by House Ledaal, which has members and influence spread through the local bureaucracy and business undertakings. As Arjuf’s port is the headquarters of the Merchant Marine, House V'neef also has a presence here, and House Cathak has interests in the local garrisons and herds of the northern Jaen-ha plains. House Peleps had developed interests in the Dominion during the years they held the Merchant Marine, but after its loss they have struggled to maintain them in the face of pressures from the Dominion's other influential Houses. House Tepet's interests, mostly tied to trade down the Caracal River, have almost entirely been supplanted by House Ledaal and House V'neef following Tepet loss of influence in the wake of the War with the Bull.

Military

The southern coastline of Arjuf Dominion is patrolled by cutters of the Imperial Merchant Navy and defended by garrisons of troops from the 30th Imperial Legion under House Cathak. Originally the 30th was one of four Legions defending the southern Isle, alongside the 16th Imperial Legion, 17th Imperial Legion, and 18th Imperial Legion. House Ledaal took sponsorship of those Legions after the disappearance of the Empress, but the 17th and elements of the other two under leadership of Saloy Hin seized control of all Legion ships and the bulk of House Ledaal's trade vessels near the Southern Isle and turned traitor, fleeing to the Threshold.