Barony of Wickham
 | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 792 TA |
| Size | Minor Kingdom |
| Fealty | Western Reaches |
| Ruler | Baron Geoffrey Wickham, 8th Baron of Wickham |
| Hex | 5723 |
The Barony of Wickham is the most powerful of the southern baronies. Established in 792 TA, the barony stretches from Freeport in the west to the Whispering Hills in the north, Bearwood in the east, and the Endless Forest to the south.
Establishment of Wickham was not accomplished without bloodshed. The city of Freeport had been established in the mid-fifth century TA as it provided one of the rare safe havens for ships along the Western Reaches shoreline. The city had long been established along a crescent of beach beneath a towering cliff. When the Crown claimed ownership of the city, the naval powers resisted - firing volleys upon the Crown soldiers attempting to invade down from the cliff top. The baron's soldiers refused to acquiesce, and finally the matter was settled by a treaty. The docks and old town were allowed to remain independent and are still called Freeport. A new town and castle was built on the cliff top and became the seat of power for the Barony of Wickham. To this day, tensions between the Baron and the Governor of Freeport exists.
Elsewhere in Wickham, this large barony is abundant with natural resources with logging camps in the Endless Forest to the south, ancient mines of Eagle Mountain to the north, and vast tracts of rich farmland in its interior. Additionally, trade is strong with the hobbits of the Elderberry Downs and the elves of the Welkwood. With both well-protected roads and a bustling port, Wickham is the central hub of the trade routes in the Western Reaches.
In 880 TA, the town of Everdoom, previously a bastion of lawfulness, declared its independence as a free town. The uprising, which is described by the Crown as a "plague of pure evil" was handled with overwhelming military force - causing the rebels to retreat into the darkness of the Endless Forest.
The current Baron of Wickham is Geoffrey Wickham, 8th Baron of Wickham. An able negotiator, he spends much of his time in the City-State of Teufeldorf where the family has a manor in the Royal Quarter.