Good luck to all contestants!

Doesn't sound like the best of deal for the 2 runners up.

These guys have to pledge their loyalty - not knowing if they will actually get anything or not because the 2 runners up receive nothing - then continue to be active in the community.

This means they'll be putting in a lot of time and effort in for an indeterminate amount of time (because we don't know when expo is going to be) only for 2 to find out they get nothing.

Give us your best entry, whatever it is, we look forward to seeing lots of amazing work.

Posted By Calysta at 10:12 AM - Sat Sep 21 2019

Doesn't sound like the best of deal for the 2 runners up.

These guys have to pledge their loyalty - not knowing if they will actually get anything or not because the 2 runners up receive nothing - then continue to be active in the community.

This means they'll be putting in a lot of time and effort in for an indeterminate amount of time (because we don't know when expo is going to be) only for 2 to find out they get nothing.

You're right, but for the chance to move from at best a proprietor to a full count in a great community I think is a fantastic opportunity. As a member of that community I can assure you that it won't be "for nothing" but the grand prize is the point.

Posted By Calysta at 11:12 AM - Sat Sep 21 2019

Doesn't sound like the best of deal for the 2 runners up.

These guys have to pledge their loyalty - not knowing if they will actually get anything or not because the 2 runners up receive nothing - then continue to be active in the community.

This means they'll be putting in a lot of time and effort in for an indeterminate amount of time (because we don't know when expo is going to be) only for 2 to find out they get nothing.

Never said the runner ups wouldn't receive anything, you are making assumptions. There will be prizes for the runner ups, just not defining them at this point. Allows for some flexibility and making the prize equal their dedication and activity within the community.

Most who know me can attest to the fact that I am generous to those who are active. I have given away many packages and other prizes to many individuals, one thing I am not is ungrateful to those who want to help us all succeed.

Thank you for your response. It sounds reassuring. I haven't yet decided where I want to live, but wish you best of luck in finding a loyal and capable Jarl.

Update:

The winner will be selected prior to the start of Settlers of Elyria allowing those who don't win, time to find another domain if they so desire.

Jemsin,

You can submit them directly to this thread.

County Of Auchheights

warning Very Powerful image may take a while to load may be edited in the future.

Edited 3 times to lower the resolution so it would post. P.S I am William Pierce on the discord

Today is the last day to enter the contest. Only one person has entered. I thought I would get a few at least. So come on, I know the county is small but it's free.....

The story of Eyrun

As the damp blades of grass glistened in the early morning sunlight, Eyrun lay sleeping with her children, with the sound of running water heard from nearby. She was awoken by two male birds fighting for territory on the branches of a nearby tree.

Slowly opening her eyes, annoyed by the chirping, she took a glance at her two children still asleep, which brought a smile on her face, since she knew they were well fed from the night before. She headed to the river, looked at her reflection and saw a wolf with bloody fur around her mouth.

Eyrun was a wolf, and her children cubs. She drank the crystal clear water flowing over the white limestone bedrock and cleaned her face. After she scouted around the den and made sure her offsprings were safe, she headed south-west, past the mountain and reached the main road in The County of Auchheights.

She halted when the sound of an escorted wagon broke the silence of the wilderness. The caravan was headed north, to The Fort of Crossgrove. Eyrun recognized the sigils of the cavalrymenn to be those of The County of Ash Barrows which sent a shiver down her spine. (do all wolves recognise sigils?)

After the caravan passed, she crossed the road and made her way north of the intersection, where she liked to hunt. She lay her eyes on the burnt ruins of the original County capital but payed no attention to it and moved on in search of prey. Unfortunately local hunters had the same idea, and before even being spotted she headed south instead, all the way to the smaller river.

With the big stone bridge on her left, Eyrun felt the urge to run towards it. Scouting from the patch of trees next to it, the coast seemed to be clear, although people didn’t scare her. She leisurely crossed the bridge and with the sun still not fully out from under the horizon, stood in full view of the new county capital – The Town of Stormyard. The stone walls surrounding the inner center were a pleasing white colour, complete opposite to the ruins of the previous capital.

Folks like to forget the past, especially if it’s grim. The ruins were a result of an invasion from The County of Ash Barrows, who’s previous leader wanted to expand his territory. He was unsuccessful and got replaced after he fell in battle, but he did burn a whole town to the ground.

Eyrun felt the urge to run again, making her way to the back side of the town in a wide circle. At the outskirts was a small cottage with a garden and an orchard blocking the view of neighbours. The wolf jumped the fence of the garden and charged at the door. As she pounced on them a womann inside woke up with heavy breaths and sweat running down her face.

Is Eyrun the wolf or the womann in the cottage? Might there be a werewolf living in The Town of Stormyard? Well I won’t tell you, you will have to visit The County of Auchheights and find out yourself.

Signed: Zener Atlas, prospective Count of Auchheights

Written by Lakewood, adding to Zener Atlas’s Submission

The early part of the county of auchheights was very peaceful and composed of 3 peaceful tribes. They all lived in farming dominated villages that were located along the river. These villages didn’t pledge their loyalty to anyone but the king because they didn’t belong to a duchy or even to a county. These three sister villages were referred to as the free villages of vornair. Then one day a horrible sickness arrived in these villages and in the first village which was named Drawsbury lost all the men in their village. The second village named Eastcliff lost all the females in their village. Finally the third village named Stanlow lost all of the adult population in its village.All three of these villages were decimated by this disease called Silver Paralysis which paralyzed and killed the brudvir within days due to unsolved causes.

All the men, women, and children that survived from each village came together. They took the animals that survived and moved to a place that was situated at the intersection of both rivers in the county. The men and women married each other and adopted the surviving children but they never had more children. The current duke gave these people an opportunity to become a county under the duchy of Ulvemåne. These people gladly accepted and became known as the county of Auchheights. Over time they built a town named stormyard.

After a year had passed people needed a leader. So they used history to decide on a count. Before the peaceful three sister villages existed Auchheights was known as the county of Ceartesey. This county was led by house Ceartesey. Soon the count had three brilliant sons who were all capable becoming rulers. So the count divided the county into three tribes and gave them each a village. However soon the house of ceartesey started loosing land causing them to not be chiefs anymore. So soon this great house became ordinary farmers. Now there is only one man left of the house and the people decided to name him the count.

Over time they became a respectable county once again ruled by the house of ceartesey. They have become since then a town relying on trade and hunting and the nearby rivers to become successful. They are more social than the brudvir of other tribes because of their shared traumatic history together. However within the tribe there were sharp social divisions. The betta families and alpha family had to marry within their social class. The gamma and omega families could mix with each other but they weren't allowed to marry the beta or alpha families. Soon the Counts changed this law making it legal for cross social class marriage, but the social divisions always remained and it was frowned upon to mix social classes.

This social class mixing becoming frowned upon has led to the division within stormyard because the wealthy lived on the outskirts of the town and the poorer lived in the center of the town. Even though there was barely any social class mixing, people in the town always helped each other in any way they could especially after the second wave of silver paralysis hit right after the county had been established. With this second wave they had found out that due to close proximity to each other the people developed this disease. This realization has led the rich to always lend the poor land in order to keep peace and space people out. Now the county of Auchheights was finally established with strong class divisions but a caring close knit community that always lended a helping hand.

The Calling

The seven months winter had taken a toll on the Brudvir; following tracks in deep snow demanded stamina his forty-seven years old body now lacked. Trapping usually gave decent yields from the nearby trails, but boreal winds had brought a bone chilling humidity from the coast that kept preys in their holes.

For seven generations, the Yegers had lived on these lands; they did not own the woods, but it was named after them. The northern point of The Anemoi had seen many Yegers come to life, and he was to be the last of them; his wife had died before they could have kids and he had decided to live his life peacefully, in a way that would bring him where he knew she waited.

Deep inside, he felt a calling to travel south-east, as if his soul was telling him he belonged there. He had heard many stories telling how the world was infinite; stories of swamps, deserts and trees growing to be taller than even the highest castles. Tales of adventurers feasting on exotic dishes, gathered under a year-long summer with clear skies.

Therefore, he would pack his sleigh over the next two weeks and leave his cabin to be reclaimed by mother nature.

The Happening

Today was heavily clouded and cold.

He oiled his woodworking tools to prevent rust and cracks and packed them in a storage chest then gathered clothes and dried meat in his backpack. His eight-foot long sleigh covered in furs would serve him as shelter to rest comfortably; safety was not an issue as four tamed wolves would be pulling it.

Bow, arrows, spear, knife… almost the usual workday for a hunter. He also kept a vial of animal oil in his pocket to keep lips from chapping. A small leather bag containing his family’s earnings, from selling excess fur and meat to villages in the region, was tied to the alpha’s collar.

He used what was left of his bee’s wax on the sleigh’s skies, tied some meat to the handles to be kept frozen and inhaled deeply.

‘’GO!’’, he ordered the wolves.

He did not look back; he would not miss his cabin.

The sleigh was sliding nicely on the dense snow and the wind blowing on his back kept the light powdery snow away from his face. He would travel in a straight line through the woods with hopes of bumping unto a settlement who could offer a warm meal. Afternoon arrived; he halted the pack for a well-deserved rest, gave them some frozen meat and lied down on his back in the snow.

He was not hungry; he closed his eyes and tried to imagine how it would be once he’d feel he was where he had to be. What kind of heaven or hell could call on him? He stood up, shaken, his snore had woken him up. Wolves were having a nap too.

‘’UP!’’, he yelled.

He took his sunstone out and peeked at the sky; it was mid afternoon. The nap had been a good thing on his tired knees, but he had to move on. He’d ride four more hours and give some loose on the leaches so the wolves could sleep comfortably.

He got up before the sun, that morning, gave the wolves some frozen meat as well as a treat as he knew the day would be long. They left as soon as sunlight permitted; a settlement appeared on their way but, at such an early time, he wouldn’t bother trying to find anyone willing to help.

His journey through the forests of The Anemoi, over many weeks, would be without incident. Somehow, something was protecting him. Good omens seemed to precede him on his way and soon, he could feel the winds had turned. He felt a warm, light breeze on his cheeks coming from the east and thought he heard a chant; he headed towards the mountains.

The Arrival

Crossing the snow-covered ice bridge to the other side of the mountain range had been the hardest part of the quest so far. He felt as if fatigue from the whole trip had suddenly caught him back. He fell on his knees and tilted his head down, trying to catch his breath.

As he stood back up, he noticed eyes gazing at him from the distance. A great white elk stood motionless near a narrow river, staring at the hunter. As if it knew it had his attention, it turned around and disappeared in fog. The great white elk was the symbol of the Yegers for their wisdom, knowledge and confidence; this one, he knew, was a sign to show him the way.

‘’I hear ye! I hear ye!’’ he screamed at the horizon.

He jumped back on his feet and, with a wide grin hidden under his brown beard, reached an inside pocket and pulled out a flask. The invigorating liquid wasn’t the best taste he knew but nothing else gave strength and energy like sweetroot petal tea. He wiped his beard with a sleeve, climbed back on his sleight and went towards the shore, where he had seen the elk.

The current flowed south to north, its warm water keeping the riverbank free of snow. He guessed there might be hot springs where he was headed. It was going to be impossible to follow the river through the narrow, rocky valley so he packed some equipment on each of his wolves and unleashed them; his feet would have to carry him to destination.

By the end of the day, at dusk, he noticed faint lights in the distance. He put his backpack down and peeked through his sunstone to see more clearly passed the fog and realised there were torches; a very welcome settlement.

‘’They better have ale’’ he thought out loud.

As he stretched to put his backpack on his shoulders, he slept on a round mossy rock. His right hand stuck in the backpack’s strap, he could not stop the fall and his forearm shattered on the craggy ground. He could feel bones coming out of his skin and rubbing on the inside of his boiled wool vest; clearly it was a serious injury, but he could not show signs of weakness, having four wolves following him as a leader.

It took him nearly twenty-five minutes to make it to the settlement, he felt like crawling; his back killing him from carrying a heavy backpack on a single shoulder. Fishermen crowded around to help him as he approached the quay, he asked for ale. They rushed him to the tavern, but not for a drink, rather to meet a skilled healer that happened to be spending the night there. Lost Hope was the hamlet’s well-deserved name.

He had made his way into the county of Lowrest, in Ulvemane; possibly the smallest duchy in Vornair. Favorably, a small duchy and counties made for a tightly knit community of helpful inhabitants. The healer, Tiberius, a tall Dras with a blank look, had set his bones in place and immobilised his arm. He advised he should rest at least two weeks as he had lost a lot of blood; the pigheaded Brudvir had chosen otherwise.

The Passing

Farmers thought it a good idea to trade a fine horse in exchange for three of his wolves, they could use them to protect their livestock; he would keep the most loyal one. After a two-day rest, he set out again; he would follow the road this time. The young grey horse trotted at an impressive speed, but the vibrations were hurting his wound, so he slowed the horse down to a fast walk.

He spent the night at Fort Crossgrove, where he paid for a warm bath. He pulled on the bandages holding his arm and noticed veins turning black; infection had gotten into the lesion. He could feel pain had made its way up his neck, but he had known worse.

He left the Fort in the morning riding south again and the white elk appeared to him on the other side of the river. He kept moving as a huge stone bridge would take him there. As he reached the middle of the bridge, he stretched over the walls and saw the elk walking towards a city barely a few miles farther. The white sage was waiting for him next to a sign that read ‘Stormyard’, it nodded at the hunter then disappeared; he had made it.

The city seemed to lack any form of leadership and was disorganised; citizens worked inefficiently for themselves, trying to survive as best they could. The county had been abandoned by its previous count. He stopped at the orphanage, dismounted and fell on the ground; fever had thrown him into a coma.

He woke up to kids playing loudly. He looked around him and saw young wolves only needing a leader. An old lady came approached and told him they could do nothing for the infection. He did not care as a great white elk stood next to him; his time had come, at last. He willed his belongings to the orphanage and asked for ale.

His eyes closed, then reopened moments later. His wife was waiting for him in the great library that is the Akashic Records; she took his hand, kissed him and whispered:

‘’A new beginning awaits you, the great white elk is needed once again’’

He looked through a misty passage and recognized the oldest of the young wolves from the orphanage, he sighed, nodded at her wife and sparked back into the sacred cycle of souls.

Young Pierce Wilder soon stood out as a leader in the city and the county that would now be known as White Stag Meadow; by receiving wisdom, knowledge and confidence from the Yeger’s soul, he could now ensure a better future for his community.

Auchheights once had a name for itself, or so the packs claim greatness in time. The County of Auchheights is presumed to be the land that was sought for among the Brudvir when first discovering the whereabouts. Determination and a great strength to do what needs to be done immediately was far from the Tairm by intuition to truly be lain to rest for the people of Auchheights. The packs felt praise for song while looking across the land at the river from some small peaks and the Brudvir have always recognized the peak as far back as Mann can tell.

The lack of sand kept the temperature fairer away from the hot conditions that they had grown out of, plenty to eat, resources for a colony to stave, as well as a rumored cave for the hearty per-say of Brudvir. It was certainly a piece of the beginning of Mann and with a direct access to a major river in a location that fit many advantageous amenities. Not too big and not too small for a risk factor. Comfort and livelihood had the founders seeing many great and notable deeds from the land and what it had to offer.

Through some generations passing the packs came to notice that the population was growing and with population growth comes spread of word more quickly. Being on a major trade route by water and land the Brudvir in Auchheights decided it was best to sustain their culture by maintaining their borders and culture by attempting to get less attention from the outside world. Their hopes were that this would help the secrets of what the packs believe to be the land of the the first Bruhdvir a secret and more of a commodity to preserve the first of Mann.

Many generations later, far past the time of the decision to hold the secret the packs held about Auchheights chosen lands and much further down the line than the discovery of the county, Auchheights settles as a maintained contribution to the Duchy Ulvemåne within the kingdom of Vornair, serving as a place of rest, entertainment, and good comradery. The location fits to keep the population to not too many people and just enough to keep things moving for the community. A beautiful, secluded, and blissful place for travelers, according to the packs of Stormyard.

-FeralDrop, Best to you all.