Blackbriar

The Duchy of Blackbriar was one of the Eight Duchies of the Holy Crown in the Kingdom of Iadria. Also known as the Deepwood, the vast majority of the Duchy encompassed the dark, ancient and untamed forest of Blackbriar. The Deepwood was a haven for bandits, outlaw gangs, and monsters of Ages past. Order in the dark forest was kept by a system of powerful and often corrupt local lords, all paying tribute to the ducal family of Haywood Isle off its western coast. The Blackbriar was a dangerous place for travelers, and most of its populace kept to isolated villages and cities dotting the woodland. These havens of light in the darkness were connected by the Briar-Roads, a system of heavily guarded roadways winding through the tangled trees and patrolled by men of the Royal Legions. Despite its often hostile and difficult-to-control nature, Blackbriar also served as an effective natural fortification protecting Iadria from southern invasion, as any sizable army would find itself easily lost among the winding Briar-Roads, only truly known to the men of the Duchy itself.