Arnstein

Represented by a silver dragon breathing fire on a field of blue and white.

Arnstein is one of the most ancient kingdoms in the Vallenti Empire, with a long unbroken line of monarchs dating back before the memory of any books kept in their ancient halls. It is said the first king of Arnstein, known as  simply “the Forgotten King” freed the land from a tyrannical Lichking who’d lorded for hundreds of years, draining the lands and their people of life and hope. It is this Forgotten King who rose with the power of Pelor behind his driving Halberd. Together him and the rest of the downtrodden of the realm destroyed the Lich and his armies

Arnstein’s geography is made up of foothills and expansive deciduous forests broken up only by the small baronies that have cleared land for farming. However much of their food still come from hunting and what can be gathered from the forests. The forest is not particularly thick in all parts, the old growth mostly sticking to the few untouched deep places. It is however a vividly green place during the summers lush with leafy plants and beds of moss and wild flowers. In the harsh winters there is a stark contrast as all the green is replaced by the bare dark bark and deep snow.

Rulership
There are 4 major houses within the Kingdom of Arnstein besides the king. Each of these are given a task to oversee and a Barony to keep.

House of Duinhir
An Elven family that are in charge of much of the River and Lake Halfrid trade and travel. They’ve gotten rich from the taxation of the merchant class, especially that of the import variety, and live in their Manor atop the hill of the town of Amsee. They fund a lot of the Empire’s trade and in turn a lot of its relations with other kingdoms.

House of Alvansleben
The human family in charge of the military forces of Arnstein, and in more recent years the border patrol between all the empire and the Ever Dying lands.

Richtersveld
The Capital of Arnstein where most of the court make their homes, as well as the dregs of the country. The city is split into several districts, the crown district, the Wards and the Underwards. Each are crowded with all differing types of people, with almost their own unique cultures. The Castle is set atop a hill in the Crown district the most downriver of river which flows into lake Halfrid, and the rest of  the city runs along on both sides in a haphazard array, with the Underwards spilling out in the flood plains to the north and even some built underneath the cities great bridges. There are many old walls built here and there showing the old city limits however no new ones have ever been built around the Underwards, the king electing to reinforce the castle walls.

Bloodrun
One of the main rivers that runs through Arnstein southward to cut the disputed border between the empire and the Freestate of Telleve