A gentle region of rolling hills, friendly forests, and picturesque villages and towns. The Free Land is unique in that it officially belongs to no crown or dominion. It is a land of free peasants and free burghers. Wedged between Sirania to the east, Garion to the west, the Saifates to the south, and the Elven forests to the north, it would not have survived long were it not well protected. This sacred task fell to the knightly order of Pallas, otherwise known as the Paladins. More accurately, they took this task upon themselves, and no one was vehement enough in their protest against it.
A legend, frequently repeated by the knights on all official occasions, tells of how the deity Pallas spoke one day to the Grand Master of the Order and entrusted him with a great mission: to create a region on earth that would be a land of peace, tranquility, safety, and freedom. The Grand Master was enthused by this holy task and, through a combination of skillful diplomacy and the judicious use of force, secured the area of today’s Free Land (called Lebara Reyja in the language of the Paladins) for this purpose. He surrounded and interlaced Lebara with a network of chapters and forts and established the Order of Pallas as the eternal guardians of peace in the land.
What truly led the Paladins to their project remains a mystery. For the population itself, the Paladin presence is mostly tolerable, as the knights—aside from matters of criminal law and maintaining order—truly give the people a free hand in self-governance, trade, and daily life.
Picturesque Villages
The Free Land is a very picturesque region. From the Grey-Elven towns in the north, illuminated at night by golden lanterns, through the well-maintained farmsteads and half-timbered houses of the inhabitants of the central part, to the town of Tikka, carved into turrets of soft stone, the Free Land gives the impression of an open-air museum. This also applies to nature: the forests are welcoming and clean, free of fierce beasts and monsters; even the local foxes are rather refined, and when they do raid a henhouse, they kill and take only the one chicken they truly need for a snack.
Over time, many foxes have voluntarily domesticated themselves, much like cats elsewhere, because being fed by humans is more convenient than having to hunt. These foxes are said to be able to walk between worlds, and it is best to fall asleep and wake up in their presence, for they help a person with the transition between sleep and wakefulness. This is said to be the origin of the saying that foxes “give a good night”—in the Free Land, this actually happens.
Thanks to its peace and charm, the Free Land is a favorite destination not only for merchants but also for travelers and the curious—essentially, tourists. The local population knows how to take good care of these onlookers (they bring in quite a lot of money, after all); in every town, there are numerous coaching inns and tourist entertainments. On the other hand, they never truly let strangers into their inner circle and do not allow them to wander off the main roads. The Paladins see to that very vigilantly.
The Question of Borders
The official borders of the Free Land, marked by a line of Paladin fortresses, encompass the towns of Krismo, Boermo, Viasse, Tikka, Buthora, and Dith. North of the official borders lie the Grey-Elven towns of Gindon, Tion, and Iacana, as well as the towns of Maghon and Arkon, which unofficially also utilize the protection of the Paladins; however, unlike the first group of towns, they handle all their own judicial processes and maintain their own order. The Paladins provide them only with defense against external attacks.
A look at the map immediately reveals a third border, which lies not outside the land, but in its heart. In the center of the country exists the “Forbidden Forest,” to which no one but the Paladins has access. Within it lies another circle of fortresses that no one outside the Order—except for curious birds—has ever seen with their own eyes. Even their very presence is more of a conjecture. What hides at their center is a great mystery, and anyone who has ever tried to pry it out of the Paladins has learned nothing.
