Area: 380 square miles

*Villages: Hoogsonden (1120) is located on the Southern side of the river.

Vidarsteer (244) a small stone-built village, nestled in what was once a fort located at the border with the Principality of Aalban.

Aakwoud (128) is a village West of Hoogsonden, which provides lumber for the whole County.

Waastroomdorp (108) is a fishing village East, along the River.

Verlienstoren (91): Tower Verlien.

Ethnic groups: Flaems 90%, Lupins (Flaemish Shepherd) 5%, others 5% (found only in the strangers’ district in Hoogsonden)

Languages: Flaemish (dominant), Glantrian.

Ruler: Countess Sinaria Verlien (born 940, Mage 21, Al C, Fire Elementalist of 4^th circle, member of the Followers of the Fire, member of the Free Anachronistical Society of Aalban).

Military: Sinaria has many enemies, and holds her dominion with an iron fist. The Glantrian Military Supervision Law limits Counts to hold a force 100 men maximum. Sinaria reports she has exactly that number, but holds 150 highly trained soldiers. 50 Elite Tower Guards (F5, plate armor, pole arms/long swords+1, dagger; led by Dank van Terlien F17 long sword+3, plate+2) never leave the tower's environs. A force of 100 light cavalries (F3, studded leather, long swords, and crossbows) regularly guards the mines and the villages of Hoogsonden and Vidarsteer. In addition, a banner from Fort Ylourgne (only from the 3ed army) comes High Sonden several times a year. Additional weapons: Sinaria has forbidden any battle machinery from being installed in the tower. Instead, she depends on magical defences and attacks.

History:

Founded by early Flaemish settlers, it had been the holding of Verliens Family eversince. Since the discovery of gemstones mines, Verliens acquired more and more power among the Flaemish society, and a wondrous income to be expended in luxury goods and magical research. They have always relied on their own forces for protection against invaders, building three Forts.

Trails The River is navigable and Hoogsonden hosts the main port of the County. The port is toll-free. A bridge, Sondenbrug, connects Hoogsonden with Laagsonden, in Bergdhoven; a toll is exacted from those entering the Principality, only. Passage fee are lower than the average, 3 dc for 1^st class passage to Willemsbrug, 8 sv for 2^nd class ones. A good trail connects the mines with Verlien’s Tower and the town. Good trails connect other villages too. Since Highsondeners wish to maintain their privacy in areas other than Hoogsonden, other trails are intentionally left in bad conditions, these includes the one leading to Berrym and the Central Vesubian Free Province, and the one leading to Central Isoilienne Free Province and Les Hiboux. The mountain range bars the travel to and from Aalban.

Economics: The County of High Sonden is one of the lowest taxed Glantrian fiefs. Since Hoogsonden is toll-free (an old choice of Verliens, who decided to mainly count on the income provided by the mines), it thrives of activities and trading of all sorts. The town is divided in two: a stranger' district, where authorised non-Flaems dwell, and a Flaemish district, where Flaems only are allowed. The standard of living in the town is high. Other fishing villages rises on the riverside. Gemstones Mines are the main resource of High Sonden, which counts on fishing as main food resource, but farming and herding in the hills and in the plains produces enough food for self-sustenance and storing. Trees growing along the River provide the County with enough lumber to rely on itself only. Raw gems are exported to the Principality of Bergdhoven, in exchange of luxury goods, meats, and grain.

Notable sites: Witpijek is the highest mountain of Steemrange, the range that bars travelling to and from Aalban. Moreover, it hosts the Gemstones mines. The range and the mountain itself seem younger than nearby mountains. It is told that this, together with a seemingly endless source of gems, is due to a connection with the Positive Quasielemental Plane of Mineral. The few curious attracted by this gossip have been harshly dealt with.

Verlienstoren hosts in his dungeons a gate to the Plane of Magma, and this is another reason behind Verliens’ tie to their lands. Garnaar Verlien blew up the Tower in 959, and his daughter Sinaria rebuilt it stone by stone.

The two Southern Forts: Oudsteer, the first Fort built, it’s located at the

Southwestern border; Willionsteer is the Fort located at the Southeastern border.

Personalities: Countess Sinaria Verlien (born 940, Mage 21, Al C, Fire Elementalist of 4^th circle, member of the Followers of the Fire, member of the Free Anachronistical Society of Aalban).

Pieter Verlien (born , age 12, Fire Elementalist 3^rd Circle, Al ).

Savena (born, Mage 5, Al ) Pieter’s wife, four children.

Dank van Terlien (born, Fighter 17, Al ).

Coat of Arms: An (obviously gules) ruby with an or flame inside, on argent background.

Thibault Sarlat, Giovanni Porpora, Agathokles.

January 2001, All rights reserved.