The disputed Duchy of Winterthorn is a Kithain Fief in the Kingdom of Willows corresponding to the state of West Virginia.
Overview[]
Although claimed by the Duchy of Dogwood, the region that encompasses West Virginia has declared its independence and now seeks recognition as a duchy. Populated primarily by commoners with a few sidhe in residence, including its "Duke" Gwrhyr ap Gwydion, this region disavows its connection to the more aristocratic, sophisticated changelings east of the mountains.
Physical Geography[]
The Duchy sits in the northwestern corner of the Duchy of Dogwood, surrounded on its western edge by the Duchies of Appalachia and Blue Grasses and the Kingdom of Grass. Primarily consisting of the Appalachian mountains and western foothills, large parts of the duchy have suffered from the depredations of the coal industry.
Major Cities & Landmarks[]
Harper's Ferry[]
Located at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, the city of Harper's Ferry once served as a railroad center and was the site of John Brown's rebellion in 1859. The Kithain of the city wholeheartedly support the idea of an independent duchy, and have organized the sending of petitions to the Parliament of Dreams expressing their feelings. The John Brown Society (made up of redcap and nocker radicals) proposes more violent and direct forms of action to ensure their freedom from the Duchy of Dogwood. Nearby Charles Town contains the Jefferson County Courthouse and the John Brown Gallows.
Shepherdstown[]
Settled by German immigrants in 1790, Shepherdstown contains the Shepherd Grist Mill and the Sheetz Rifle Works. The town is also the site of the first successful demonstration of a working steamboat. A vibrant community of nockers, boggans, and trolls, many of them of German origin, form the center of a growing craft movement in the city.
Charleston[]
The state capital of Charleston contains the West Virginia State Museum, the Sunrise Museum, and the Criel Mound, a relic of the Hopewell-Adena prehistoric culture (and the site of a nunnehi freehold). Near the city, the Hatfield Family Cemetery bears witness to the legendary Hatfield-McCoy feud that ranged along the Kentucky-West Virginia border from 1881-1896. Kithain descendants of these warring families occasionally conduct trans-border Ravaging raids against each other's freeholds.
Natural Places[]
Some of the duchy's natural sites include Cathedral State Park, near Aurora, which contains virgin forests of hemlocks and pines, the New River Gorge National Park, and Hawk's Nest State Park.
Enchanted Places[]
References[]
- CTD: Kingdom of Willows, p. 73-74