Fiefdom of Vasel

Overview
Underneath the banner of the Teris Empire, the Fiefdom of Vasel is located in the southeastern region of the Teris landmass. A large variety of races live within Vasel borders, although many are involved in the slave trade. Elves and humans alike are property of various slave barons throughout the fiefdom. Estimated totals of populations show that slaves outnumber certified citizens of the Fiefdom by almost 3:1. The disparagingly low non-slave population is almost entirely human.

The slave barons are a secular group, often choosing not to assist overarching imperial schemes unless absolutely necessary. If military support is required, battalions of slaves are transferred to the required imperial military bases, often poorly trained and useful only as cannon fodder.

The landscape of Vasel is relatively arid, but features some brush and forested area. Recent years have seen drought claim the region, and as such much of the greener territories have reduced in area. Certain plants, however, thrive in these harsh conditions, and as such many important alchemical reagents can only be found within the fiefdom.

The current recognized political leader of Vasel is Baron Raull Kethrus, although this is disputed among certain other Barons.

History
Vasel, unlike the majority of the fiefdoms within the empire, was not an established state before the formation of Teris. In reality, pre-imperial Vasel was a sparsely populated territory controlled by a number of warlords. Vasel was only referred to as a single entity post-362, after many of the warlords were hired to fight in the War of the Lilies. Following the formal establishment of the Teris empire in 368, the warlords banded together to form a tentative fiefdom, and began to refer to themselves as "Barons". This agreement was made only to address formalities from the rest of the empire, allowing the Barons to retain their warlord statuses. To this day, infighting between the barons occurs constantly throughout the fiefdom, each attempting to wrestle control, slaves, resources, and territory from each other. The barons have only known to truly cooperate during times of large-scale war (see War of Glass and Shadow).

Imperial crusades of 424 and 447 saw large scale transportation of Twyst slaves into the empire. Many of the barons believed they could offset their relatively low population with an influx of slave labor, increasing their influence throughout the empire. As such, Vasel claimed many of the Twyst slaves for themselves, purchasing far more than any other fiefdom. Over time, the slave population grew, taking in refugees and prisoners from small-scale wars throughout the continent. Although less numerous than the Twyst slaves, a sizable portion of humans became enslaved as a result of several inter-fiefdom conflicts.

Military
To this day, slave labor forms the backbone of Vasel's military and economic structure. Although poorly trained, the fiefdom's slave battalions significantly outnumber the other fiefdoms, and take military objectives by throwing wave after wave of men until the enemy is defeated by attrition.

Although fewer in number, the slave battalions are often led by heavily armored warriors known as "Cagers". Intended to prevent deserters, Cagers carry large whips and crossbows into battle. Their distinctive bloodstained spiked armor make them incredibly dangerous in close-quarters combat.

Fort Vulturemire
The currently recognized capital of the fiefdom, Vulturemire is known to have the largest non-slave population of any Vasel settlement. Located in the geological center of the fiefdom, Vulturemire was built on a large crystal mine, supplying the capital with much of its income. Due to the arid conditions around Vulturemire, traditional agriculture is difficult and the settlement has adapted on cuisine based primarily on flowering desert plants. Vulturemire is led by Baron Raull Kethrus, and is kept under tight military control by his lieutenants and Cagers.

Drusal Buffalo
A grazing animal of the Vasel territories, Drusal buffalo is also the primary source of protein for those living within the fiefdom. A migratory animal, large herds of buffalo can sometimes be seen stampeding across the plains. Vasel barons are incredibly careful when hunting the animal so as to not deplete the population too drastically; their understanding of its importance to the fiefdom has placed strict laws and regulations on the killing and hunting of the Drusal Buffalo, often punishable by enslavement or death. The animal itself has camel-like properties, with a large hump used for storing water.

Moondrop Cacti
A flowering succulent commonly found around the center of the Vasel territories, Moondrop cacti is named not only for the brilliant purple-blue flowers, but the fact that it only seems to flower at night, when the temperature has dropped. Moondrop Cacti flowers are often dried and ground up, to be used as a potent medicine and muscle relaxant, but is easily overdosed. As such, only a specialist should be allowed to administer Moondrop flower medication. The juice stored within the cactus can be fermented to make a potent and bitter alcohol, a popular drink throughout the fiefdom.