Story
The sun had barely begun to rise when the Thornridge Militia crested the ridge. Sergeant Ellen Varra held up a fist, and the column of fifty fighters fell silent behind her. The morning mist clung to the trees, but below, in the valley where the village of Redbrook once stood, nothing moved.
No smoke. No sound of animals. No morning bells from the chapel.
Ellen frowned. She had grown up just two valleys east. Redbrook had been a regular stop for patrols and resupply. They had friends here. Cousins. A boy she once courted.
She motioned for two scouts to go forward. They crept through the thickets and descended the hill.
The silence grew heavier with every passing breath.
Fifteen minutes later, one of the scouts returned, pale and shaking. "You should see this, Sergeant."
They entered the village at a trot. The buildings were still standing, but they had been gutted. Every door was torn from its hinges. The inn had burned from within, its blackened bones jutting out like ribs. The well had been filled with refuse and rocks. Livestock pens were empty. The chapel door hung open, blood smeared across its wood in wide handprints.
They found the villagers in the square.
Thirty-seven bodies, all laid out in a line. Men, women, even children. A rough Imperial banner had been nailed to the post beside them, soaked in blood and carved with a single message: “This is the price of defiance.”
Some had been executed cleanly. Most had not.
Ellen stood motionless for a long time, her eyes locked on a child’s body, small, wrapped in a soot-streaked blanket, clutching a wooden soldier in his hand. She remembered carving one just like it when she was twelve.
Behind her, some of the younger fighters retched. One of them, a farmer’s son named Breck, fell to his knees and wept.
“No survivors?” Ellen asked, her voice like stone.
The scout trembled. “Tracks lead north, looks like some women were taken as slaves. Empire raiders. Maybe a dozen. Probably the same bastards we saw near the ridge last week.”
She took a breath. It tasted like ash.
“Gather the dead. Wrap them in cloth if you can find it. They deserve better than this. We’ll burn them at dusk.”
The militia moved silently, carrying bodies with a care more reverent than any ceremony. Ellen knelt by the child one last time and removed the wooden soldier from his hands. She tied it to a strip of leather and placed it around her neck.
Then she stood, eyes blazing.
“We ride north at nightfall,” she said. “No banners. No mercy.”

Description

Freevalor is a fledgling, war-born republic forged from rebellion and desperation. Born out of the former Imperial province of West Tiralia, it broke away under the leadership of the charismatic and ruthless rebel commander, General Varin Caldred. Once a neglected corner of the Great Empire, West Tiralia suffered under high taxes, indifferent governance, slave raids, and the conscription of its youth into endless Imperial campaigns. These grievances, long simmering, finally erupted into rebellion five years ago when Varin united local militias, peasant uprisings, and defecting soldiers under a single banner.

Geography and Borders

Freevalor's territory is bounded by the imposing Tiralia Mountains to the north and the waters of Cataris Bay to the east. This narrow stretch of land is the only viable land route between the Empire and Freevalor, and has become a hardened front line. Dozens of battles have scorched this land, and fortifications run like scars along both sides. Neither side can easily advance without massive cost.

The geography plays heavily in Freevalor's favor. The Tiralia Mountains protect its northern flank, and the narrowness of the strip of land between the mountains and the sea removes the advantage of a large army. This has made Freevalor an incredibly difficult target for direct Imperial assault, which is why the Empire has turned to sabotage, coastal raids, and economic pressure instead.

Port Freeblade and the Pirate Alliance

Perhaps Freevalor's most unlikely success has been its alliance with seafaring raiders. Early in the war, Varin Caldred struck a desperate deal with the pirate captains of the eastern coasts. In exchange for clemency, shelter, and free trade within Freevalor, the pirates agreed to form the backbone of Freevalor’s makeshift navy.

Together they established Port Freeblade, a sprawling coastal haven of smugglers, freebooters, and ex-Imperial sailors. The port is chaotic, lawless by most standards, but fiercely loyal to the Freevalor cause. It has become both a critical military asset and a source of tension within Freevalor’s more disciplined leadership. The pirates, while useful, are unpredictable and have their own ambitions.

Government and Society

Freevalor styles itself a republic, but in truth it is a wartime council led by General Caldred and his inner circle of military advisors, representatives of major towns, and several pirate delegates. Civilian leadership is growing, however, particularly in the larger towns like Harrowcrest and Stonewell. There are constant debates about what Freevalor will look like after the war, though no one agrees if or when that will come.

The population is fiercely independent and proud of their resistance. Many are former farmers and laborers who now serve in militias or support the war effort through industry or supply. A new national identity is forming, based not on blood or lineage, but on shared struggle.

The State of the War

Five years of war have taken a heavy toll. The land is scarred. Many villages have been abandoned or burned. Crops fail due to constant sabotage and overuse. The people are weary, but not broken.

The Empire maintains a large, fortified border presence but has largely shifted to a strategy of containment and attrition. There are whispers among Freevalor’s scouts that the Empire is pulling its elite forces elsewhere, leaving only a token force behind.

This has led to debates in Freevalor’s council. Should they go on the offensive and try to push further into Imperial land? Or should they focus on rebuilding and diplomacy, perhaps even attempting to secure recognition from neutral nations?

The youth of Freevalor have never known peace. Raised in ruined villages and behind makeshift barricades, they grow up fast, learning to shoot before they read, to march before they plow. Songs of freedom and sacrifice are taught alongside rationing and sabotage. Some burn with patriotism, eager to join the fight, while others grow weary of war's shadow, dreaming of a world beyond it. Whether hardened or hopeful, they are the future Freevalor risks everything for, and the ones most likely to reshape it.

Notable Factions Within Freevalor

The Valorborn Guard: The elite forces loyal to General Caldred, trained, disciplined, and equipped with salvaged Imperial gear.

The Lightning Accord: A loose alliance of mage circles who have sided with Freevalor, offering magical aid in exchange for academic freedom and independence from Imperial regulation.

The Freeblade Syndicate: A council of pirate captains who govern Port Freeblade. Officially allied with Freevalor, but often pursue their own goals.

The Stone Pact: A growing movement of citizens and merchants demanding a constitution and postwar plan. Often at odds with Caldred’s militaristic rule.

Freevalor is a nation still being shaped by fire and conflict. Its future is uncertain, balanced on a knife’s edge between liberation and collapse. But for now, its people fight on, believing they can carve a new destiny from the ruins of Imperial rule.

Religion

Being under imperial rule for centuries has left its mark on religion. They were pretty close to the Empire in religion to start with, and now, their religion is almost identical to the Empire.

Other relations

While the Empire has many enemies, few wish open conflict. So, while they may support Freevalor on an ideological level, few dare to support them openly. They have almost no formal trade. What little there is comes through smugglers.

Possible Secrets

General Caldred’s True Past

Varin Caldred, the rebel hero, was once an officer in the Imperial army who ordered brutal reprisals during uprisings in other provinces. He may have switched sides for personal survival, not principle. If this became public, it could fracture the fragile alliance holding Freevalor together.

The Pirate Pact Has a Price

The Freeblade pirates didn’t join the rebellion for patriotism. One of the leading pirate lords holds documents showing that Freevalor promised full independence and ownership of several coastal towns after the war, including towns currently held by loyal citizens. If enforced, this could spark civil conflict.

Imperial Gold Still Flows

There is a secret Imperial spy ring operating in Freevalor’s heartland, funded through merchants and smugglers. Worse still, one member of Freevalor’s war council is feeding information in exchange for wealth and a future pardon.

Port Freeblade’s Independence Movement

Several pirate captains have no intention of remaining tied to Freevalor after the war. They're quietly gathering support for a coup that would install a pirate-prince and turn Port Freeblade into a free city. The first assassination attempt on the militia governor has already failed.

The Redbrook Massacre Was a Setup

The destroyed village of Redbrook, used in rebel propaganda to rally support, may not have been attacked by the Empire. Some suggest it was burned by rebel agents to shift public opinion and rally the neutral regions. A lone survivor is hunted as the last witness.

A Hidden Imperial Cache

There’s a buried vault near Stonewell containing weapons and magical items the Empire abandoned during retreat. A Freevalor officer has found it and is using the contents for personal gain, but if discovered, it might give the rebellion a powerful advantage or provoke a massive Empire response.

Adventure Hooks

The Burning Grain

A key grain convoy from Branholt to Stonewell has been ambushed and set ablaze. The fields are safe, but no wagons remain. The players are tasked with escorting a second shipment through enemy-patrolled woods before the capital runs short on food.

Lost in the Fog

A patrol from Redwatch hasn’t returned in three days. The players are sent to find them, but the forest near the border is thick with strange fog, twisted trees, and signs of unnatural movement. Something more than Imperials may be lurking.

The Iron Blight

Blacksmiths in Drelmoor report that their iron is crumbling, brittle, weak, cursed. They suspect sabotage or magical tampering. The players must trace the origin of the ore, find the source of the blight, and stop it before Freevalor's weapons become useless.

Trouble in Freeblade

A pirate crew refuses to pay tribute to the local governor of Port Freeblade and has barricaded themselves in the docks with hostages. The players must negotiate, infiltrate, or fight their way through the standoff before it sparks wider unrest.

The Prisoner Exchange

An Imperial deserter claims he can arrange the return of dozens of captured Freevalor fighters, but only if the players escort him to a hidden meeting spot deep in disputed territory. The mission is fraught with danger and unclear loyalties.

Ashes and Ashwood

A remote village near Ashcliff reports haunting visions, dead animals returned to life, and trees growing in impossible shapes. The players are sent to investigate, expecting superstition. What they find is far stranger.

The Smuggler’s Code

A smuggler has stolen a shipment of healing draughts bound for the front lines and disappeared. His daughter in Timberfall claims to know his code phrases and routes. The players must follow riddles through the backcountry to retrieve the stolen goods.

Raiders in the Bay

A rogue pirate ship is attacking both Imperial and Freevalor ships, ignoring all allegiances. The players are sent to track it down, discover its captain’s motives, and either destroy it or bring it to heel.

The General’s Favor

General Caldred personally selects the party for a covert strike: destroy a newly-built Imperial signal tower before it becomes operational. The mission must be completed within three days, with no reinforcements and no failure.

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