Dominion of the Swordbrothers

Nominally, the Freikantons are a province of the Vardessian Empire, sitting astride the hills and valleys of the great Halvard Mountains that split the eastern reaches of that vast realm. But there are many corners of Vardessy that the hand of the Emperor does not reach - and it is here, perhaps, that his control is at its weakest.

Though treated as a single unit for official purposes, the Freikantons are really a confederation of a number of autonymous holdings, all of which largely govern themselves. Each individual canton would hold little power by itself - they are small, some of them consisting only of a single town or a valley of a few villages, and none boasting any great cities. The mountainous terrain limits transport and the flow of commerce, and arable land is a prized commodity, with farmsteads clinging to mountainside meadows. As such, the cantons produce little in the way of exports, and their people live an isolated existence tending to their fields and herds in the name of sustaining themselves.

The reason the Freikantons can sustain their independence in the face of imperial authority lies in the Swordbrothers, an organization of mercenary companies headquartered in the region. Through their distinctive - some might say eccentric - qualities, the Swordbrothers established a name for themselves that won fame throughout the known world, known for their flamboyant clothing, their massive swords, and their fierce belief in independence and self-governance. Establishing connections in multiple cities and kingdoms, the Swordbrothers were hired out to lend their services in many wars and expeditions, where they proved themselves to be great fighters - and their renown could only grow from there, as the stories of their great exploits and brave deeds spread. So too grew their wealth, bolstered by plunder from foreign ports and the pay of their masters - and their wealth would draw notice from Vardessian authorities.

Previously, the Empire paid little heed to the Swordbrothers. As mercenaries, they were viewed as disreputable rogues who were going to die anyway with their foolhardy and self-destructive ways, so it wouldn't matter if they started to grow opinions. However, when the nobles of Vardessy saw how successful the Swordbrothers were becoming and how much power their guilds commanded, they wished to bring them under their control. Envoys were sent to subject the Swordbrothers to heavy taxation on their winnings and to ensure their loyalty to the dukes and princes of the Empire, wishing to ensure that Vardessy could count on having such powerful warriors in their employ - and to keep them out of the hands of rivals.

In response, the Swordbrothers revolted. They were not so keen on having external authority tell them what to do.

It seemed unthinkable that the great armies of Vardessy could be quelled by mere sellswords, and yet, the Vardessians were unable to attain control over the valleys the Swordbrothers called their homes. Fiercely devoted to the cause, the mercenaries stood firm against domination by outsiders, and they were able to exploit the rugged terrain and harsh winters of the Halvards to isolate and pick off Imperial forces. Even if the Vardessians had superior numbers, they could still be ground into attrition. Although the Swordbrothers comprised multiple factions, sometimes with rivalries and competing agendas, they all pledged to stand in mutual defense against Vardessy. In the end, the Swordbrothers won the war, and the Vardessians suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in their history.

As a result of the Swordbrother Revolt, the Empire decided to raise their holdings to the level of a province, and the Freikantons were born. Though the Freikantons, governed by a collective council, pay tithes to the Emperor and accept their status as Vardessian vassals, they enjoy a high degree of autonomy and are scarcely curtailed by the machinations of noble courts. In fact, most decisions in the Freikantons are either the result of direct rule by the Swordbrothers, or decided by consensus of all the people of a given community. Each canton obeys its own laws and recognizes its own government, but by their charter, they are bound to mutual defense; if one is threatened or invaded, all cantons will pledge men to deal with it. For this reason, coupled with the impenetrable mountains and the wealth brought from foreign wars, the Freikantons have secured power in spite of their small size and scarce population, and they see no reason to believe that their freedoms will be curtailed.

To outsiders, the Freikantons are a land of greedy, foppish brutes who are only a step away from descending into barbarism without a noble hand to guide them. But to the Swordbrothers, the cantons are perhaps the only lands short of the battlefield that may truly be called free.