Heronburg

Heronburg is a western fortification in the Bastion Line, a string of ancient fortifications along what is now the border of the Frontier Counties, and which had once described the southern border of the kingdom of Bastonia. The name is also extended to the small town of Heronburg, which exists immediately outside its walls. Heronburg is a subordinate holding of the Order of the Lanyard. It's name is taken from a legendary event in which the first Chaptermaster of the Heronburg Chapter of the Order of the Lanyard, a woman named Helena the Stalwart, received vision from San Heather in the form of a Heron, who lead her to the site.

Geography

Heronburg castle is simple castled fortification of granite which sits on a promontory in the high cliffs Bastion Line augment - it differs from all other fortifications of the line in that it does not defend a passage from the south but actually holds forth against the Westwood. The castle is positioned such that its company can sortie against unspecified forces attempting exit the eastern edge of the Westwood with relative ease.

The area immediately around Heronburg has been heavily deforested in recent years.

Economy

With the expansion of Bastonia into the Frontier Counties, Heronburg is in heavy economic distress. While the crown maintains its interest in keeping up the Bastion Line - even going so far as to assign a whole second order to the task - free merchants and traders have little interest in the Bastion Line, and much of construction is happening further south. This is especially exacerbated as the only meaningful route that passes the Heronburg would be that between Seapoint (also economically distressed) and Southrood.

What does exist for economic drivers in the town are the felling of lumber and maintenance of the "cleared lands" around the castle, and subsistence farming.

Politics

Like the other positions along the Bastion Line, the settlement of the Frontier Counties has lead to a decrease in relevance for Heronburg. The castle is a Barony in its own right, subservient to the Count of the Line, who commands Seapoint. Traditionally, Baron Heronburg is a hard position to fill; the Knight Grand Cross of the order will want it to be their most trusted lieutenant (and likely successor), but that officer is usually loyal to the Duke of Zeemarch. Since the Heronburg exists in part to allow a counter to the armies of Zeemarch from flooding through the Westwood and attacking White Rock, the order's liege, the Archbishop of Whiterock, will attempt instead to install someone loyal to the crown exclusively.

For this purpose of late the Baron Heronburg has been against the idea of a southern expansion by the Order of the Lanyard and instead maintains the patrol of the eastern edge of the Westwood.