Ellinon is located on the southern shoreline of the Great Bear Lake. Both as a source of food production and as a key player in the trade with lands beyond the Kingdom, Ellinon holds a key role for the duchy of Susspin. Her people are a stronge mix of surprisingly down to earth individuals and incredibly gaudy pompous ones. Some find that the bright cloth worn by the men of the region when trading with their neighbors is almost intolerable to the eyes. I am not sure whether this was intended in order to strike a better bargain, or if such clothing was truly in fashion among the men of the region. I felt it better not to ask due to the fast tempers common among the local people.
Here where a large portion of the population takes fish from the lake, it seems that everyone is carrying a razor sharp fileying knife, and that they are just as cheerful to use them on each other as on the fish. In fact, house DeVris has almost no presence here, even with the score of Caveliers and six magistrates who make this barony their home.
Magistrate Cazomar Bonefinger explained it to me in this way.
There is no point sir scholar, in upsetting the local people with the enforcement of laws upon them which they are equally happy and capable of enforcing upon themselves and each other. When sitting at council with the Baron it quickly becomes clear to a member of any house that this is an efficient and well run region, capable of taking care of itself without undue intervention on our behalf.
It is true on occasion that we must step in to end fued before whole family lines are wiped out, but in general it is far better to let the peasantry and gentry settle their disputes in the manner that they have been using since long before the arrival of our good king to this land.
Now the foreign influence on the other hand is a different matter entirely. They bring a distasteful influx of crime and theft to our region which must be closely monitored. It is a well known fact that many of these so called Nomads who live upon the great plateau are no more than rogues and scoundrels. If I could just get another score of Caveliers and their retainers up here along with some of our cavalry support I am quite sure we could wipe them out all the way to Carthen and expand our border to the very edges of the great desert. But what am I saying, I digress. Trust me, the region of Ellinon is in good hands through the guidance of our house in handling their problems in the time honored tradition of the duel. I believe our interview is at an end, I must have a few words with that caravan driver Thomas about some silks he reported stolen.
After having spoken with house DeVris, and seeing them relatively unconcerned with the bloodshed, I too, found that there was little to be worried about. After all as long as I didn’t say anything offensive to the wrong person, I wasn’t too likely to be stabbed over nothing.