The Dogstorm Duchy is the northern most duchy of the kingdom of Marterre, and the farthest from the on-going Imperial occupation persisting in the eastern reaches of the kingdom. The capitol of the duchy is Watermaw, an expansive town that sits at the mouth of the Greentoll and Ironwater rivers, and is the active seat of the reigning Dogstorm lineage. The current lord of Watermaw is Duke Vlad Dogstorm, a stout militaristic isolationist, and a cantankerous hulking figure of a man.

The Dogstorm lineage is renowned for it's impressive, and almost farcical, amount of kennels and hounds bred, trained, and utilized in their name. The duchy is rich for wildlands and hunting, and profits off the trade of furs and pelts. The hills and woods of the Dogstorm lands are well known to often be alive with the snarls and howling of nearly a hundred hounds, overwhelming the quarry of Duke Dogstorm's infamous hunts, whether they be beast, or man.

The larger routes and settlements of this duchy are often patrolled by the Duke's men; the Dogs of War, a standing army that is often seen as barely more then hired bandits and ruffians on payroll. Each patrol, also escorts one of the Duke's personal hounds, a symbol of his authority, and an intimidation tactic more than anything else, as causing any harm to a hound of Duke Dogstorm is a capital offence, punishable by death.



The largest city in the region, Walltowne, is actually not within the borders of the Dogstorm Duchy proper, and sits just beyond the Reborn Wall that spans the narrow isthmus that connects both Marterre and the Merlish Kingdom. Walltowne; the seat of the Newgate Duchy of the Merlish Kingdom, is a large border city that generally also includes the separated eastern and western port settlements that flank either side of the city proper. The city thrives on the flow of trade both along the old Njorl highroad between the Merlish Kingdom and Marterre, aswell as between the two ports; transporting goods across the isthmus that found sailing around Marterre through the Imperial strait too distant or dangerous.

The Newgate lineage is famous for the construction of the Reborn wall, distinct for it's bi-toned appearance, caused by the top-half of the grand wall crafted by the Newgates from materials of human-scale, being built upon the crumbling ruins of an ancient Njorl wall, whose remaining ruins consist of a foundation of bricks themselves larger than even many the humble abode of man. The reigning lineage rules from Newgate keep, or simply The New Gate, from which their surname originates, a heavily fortified castle and checkpoint that sits right upon the intersection of the Reborn Wall and the old Njorl highroad.

Due to ongoing war between Marterre and their eastern invaders, the Newgates have closed the border. Banning travel through the gates for all but the select few wealthy or influential enough to acquire a crossing permit, sealed by the reigning lord Edmund Newgate himself. This has caused Southside, the once small village on the Marterran side of the wall, to explode in recent years into an expansive shantytown, populated primarily by war refugees and others attempting to escape the expanding influence of the Novium Empire.



This new Southside is a thorn in the sides of both Dogstorm and Newgate, as a growing point of contention between the two duchies. Neither are able to influence full control over the settlement, but both are hesitant to initiate any direct conflict in the current tumultuous era. This tense atmosphere, in the twisting and sprawling alleyways of an impoverished but bustling Southside is where our current story begins. Welcome to Makrin.