Chapter 6, The Pre-Aerdy Period: The Ten Month War

Medegian cavalry of the Civil War
Period on the move -262 CY
art by Ilker Serder Yildiz

While Thalland was able to marshal its resources and drive out the Zelrad and Ehlissan invaders by -259 CY, from -262 to -259 CY Medegia was engaged in a bitter civil war over the succession to the title of Prince of Medegia and Dictator of the Bladelands. The majority of the fighting took place between factions supporting Udo the son of the former Medegian prince, and Ederradios the head of a cadet branch of the Medegi. In the initial stages of the war a number of other Medegian noble houses staked a claim to the title. While Ederradios boasted considerable support from a large part of the Medegian nobility, his status as the son-in-law of the Thalland’s chancellor Syfos Banzanne was a cause of suspicion for others. The capital of Mentry changed hands several times in the first year of fighting though when Udo took the city at the end of that year it remained his until near the end of the war. By the end of the summer of -261 CY all other houses had committed to one side or the other and the country was roughly split in two with Udo holding the north from Mentry and Ederradios the south from Pontylver.

While on campaign in the spring of -260 CY Ederradios suffered a setback when Pontylver was sacked by a force of Suloise pirate lords from the Duxchan Islands. This was the first major attack in what would prove to be a problem that periodically plagued the Aerdi coastal lands until the middle of the 2nd century CY(1). Meanwhile, souring relations with his Thellari father-in-law had cut off another means of support. To make up for this Ederradios established closer relations with the Naelax, whose lands lay on the northern border of Medegia. He did this by marrying his son Kahabros to Caterena, the younger daughter of Golganus ,the Naelax prince. Kahabros had made a name for himself during the war as a Hextoran blackguard and skilled spellcaster. Also, due to the marriage to Caterena’s sister Savina to the King of Thalland, this made Kahabros his brother-in-law. Most importantly this brought the Naelax into the war to attack Udo from the north. Fighting a two front war the latter soon was defeated in the field and driven into Mentry to be besieged.

In true Hextoran fashion, when the Naelax and Ederradios’s troops breached Mentry’s walls in -259 CY the city was sacked and all of the enemy soldiers put to the sword. Udo himself was captured and served as a sacrifice to the Scourge of Battle during the coronation feast. A number of the fiefs belonging to lords who had supported Udo were given to relatives of Kahabros’s Naelax bride. This began the establishment of that house’s power in the north of Medegia that would have fateful consequences later.

Thellari knight and peasant
levy confront a rebel Hestmark
Hill-tribesman - 258 CY
art by Angus McBride

In -258 CY rebellion broke out in Thalland’s lands south of the Thelly River among the Flan hill tribes, sparked by the exhortations of a mysterious prophet who appeared among those people. Keeps were burnt and Thellari overlords were massacred with their families and retainers. Ferrante as the chief general of Thalland was at the forefront of the response and within the year led an army into those lands. The lowlands were quickly retaken but in the hills a brutal guerilla war dragged on for years.

-254 CY saw the civil war in Ehlissa ended with that nation effectively split in two, each portion with a queen claiming the reign name of Ehlissa XIII. Western Ehlissa was composed mainly of the Headlands and the Dun Coast, and remained dominated by Flan nobles with their queen’s court at Karnosa. Eastern Ehlissa’s capital was moved from Hexpools to Zelradton with the country being nominally ruled by a queen who was still in her minority. The Zelrad fasstal Honimund, who adopted the title of Protector, acted for her. A preponderance of the nobility was made up of Zelrad and other Suloise families. Upon attaining her majority in -251 CY, Eastern Ehlissa’s Queen married a son of Honimund. Despite this the Protector still ran most affairs.

By -252 CY the rebellion of the hill-tribes in Thalland’s south was ended and Ferrante returned to a court now riven by the political struggle of various lords scheming for power. His father Chancellor Syfanos had died in -253 CY and King Alamnos found himself struggling to thread a path between the various native Thellari factions as well as the machinations of his Naelax in-laws who had followed his wife to the court. He begged Ferrante to fill the post and the reluctant paladin who intensely disliked politics finally agreed. This displeased Queen Savina whose relatives overwhelmingly held Hextor as their patron which in turn provoked Ferrante to oppose them. The situation was further complicated by the actions of the Medegian Bladelands that followed.

Illumination depicting Kahabros
from the Book of Penitence
art by Johan Egerkrans

 Prince Ederradios had only been able to enjoy eight years as Prince of the Medegi and dictator of the Bladelands before succumbing to a mysterious illness in -251 CY. It was whispered that he had been poisoned by his son Kahabros who was easily elected after his death. Feeling the armies of Medegia had been idle too long the new Prince immediately began making noises of war against Thalland. In -250 CY he sent a formal demand for the return of Pardue, on the western bank of the Flanmi, which Medegian forces had held for two years before being driven out by a Thellari force in -260 CY. The demand was on its face ridiculous since Pardue had been a possession of Thalland for most of its history. But it was meant to provoke a refusal as an excuse for Medegia to attack its neighbor. As expected the answer was a firm rejection from King Alamnos. Also expected was the invasion force launched from Medegia across the Flanmi. Less expected though was another rising among the Hestmark tribes, this time with a Medegian army accompanying them. With this action came the revelation that the unknown prophet who had raised the first rebellions by the Hillmen against Thalland was none other than Kahabros in disguise. A reinforcing army on its way to Pardue found itself instead having to swing west to shore up the defenses of Nulbish, which suddenly was facing a large combined army of Medegians and Hillmen. Pardue fell and Bluelode after. The assault on Nulbish was pushed back over the Thelly and following that a Thellari force met and defeated the advancing Medegian army from Bluelode. The Medegians retreated to Bluelode and settled in as the fall rains began.

The history of conflict of this period between Thalland and Medegia focuses on what is called the Ten Month War, which was merely the last in a series of wars that lasted from -250 to -242 CY. They were mainly confined to the eastern half of what is now the Principality of Nulbish. For almost the whole time Medegia never lost their foothold of Pardue. Some of the hardest fought battles were south of the Thelly where control of the land constantly shifted, especially after the loose alliance of Flan hill tribes splintered with some supporting Thalland and some Medegia. During one war in -247 CY a breakout by the Medegians reached the town of Sarndt, which is on the Flanmi, north of which was land belonging to the Darmen Prince. The battle ended when Thellari cavalry swept the right wing of the Medegian host and drove into the center’s flank. Their formations broken, most of the Medegians fled northwest into a pocket formed by the Strannach River before its confluence with the Flanmi. Few came alive out of the marshlands formed there and the restless spirits of those that died still haunt that place. Despite this victory Thalland never found itself in a position otherwise than on the defensive until the Ten Month War.

Events outside of the realm of the battlefield would soon upset the arc of the wars. Throughout this period, each side had tried to leverage their relationship with the various Aerdi principalities. The Darmen, as the southernmost of the three Aerdi principalities, wedged between the Flanmi and Mikar and sharing borders with both Thalland and Medegia, would have proven a strategic advantage to either side. Despite the entreaties and offerings of both, the Darmen Prince would not be swayed. Likewise the Naelax, who both royal houses shared bonds with by marriage, and could have proven decisive as allies for either side, maintained their neutrality. That is until Prince Kahabros fell victim to that madness which is one of the realms governed by the goddess Wee Jas. In short he fell precipitately in love.

Catarena, Princess Consort 
of the Medegi -250 CY
Alicia Sanz in El Cid (2020)

The woman who was the object of his obsession has become known across the Flanaess a byword for a treacherous temptress who brings ruin. She was named Fridesinda and was from a prominent house among the small number of Medegian Suloise nobles. She had been married young to the older head of a Medegi cadet branch that had staked its own claim to the titles of prince and dictator during the civil war, before deciding to join the side of Kahabros’s father. Her husband, though not of great import, was nevertheless a member of the court and in -246 CY his wife began serving in the household of Princess Caterena. With her pale skin and blonde hair she was a sharp contrast to the Princess who was typically Oeridian, with dark hair and olive complexion. Fridesinda was known as a great beauty and devotee of Wee Jas and despite being almost ten years the senior of the Prince within a year she caught his attention and become his mistress. Concubinage was more common in those days among the Oeridian nobility and would have allowed a more official recognition of the relationship between Fridesinda and Kahabros, but her husband was a barrier. However, in late -245 CY he, like Kahabros’s father, succumbed to a mysterious illness, leaving the way for the Prince to legalize his mistress’s status. Whether Fridesinda or the Prince was the cause of his death was quietly speculated on in the court. Most were of the opinion it could have been either. None could fault Kahabros for taking another mate though, as Princess Caterina continued to be childless despite the ministrations of the priestesses of Atroa(2).  Fridesinda, who until then had been childless, almost miraculously became pregnant within months of their official union. The Princess’s Naelax relatives quickly began to lose favor in the Medegian court. When his concubine bore him a daughter in -244 CY the Prince was less pleased than he would have been with an heir but still doted on the baby. It was a side not seen before by any among the Medegian nobility.

Fridesinda, Princess Consort
of the Medegi - 242 CY
Charlize Theron in Snow White
and the Huntsman 

In -243 CY occurred the catalyst for the events that would turn the tide of the wars of Thalland and Medegia. Despite the tension between the two women, Princess Caterena was a gentle soul and tried to maintain good relations with her husband and Fridesinda. One day, noticing the concubine’s more pallid than normal complexion and the tiredness of her eyes, the Princess offered to care for the babe while Fridesinda went back to her chambers to rest. When the concubine returned to check on her sleeping daughter she found her cold and lifeless. Her screams raised the alarm within the royal household, and when Kahabros heard what had passed Princess Caterena was accused by him of murdering his daughter. Worse yet when he asked her if she was responsible for the infant’s death the Princess was found to have an enchantment on her that resisted his attempts at divinatory magic. She had been alone and had no witnesses to support her while the handmaids of Fridesinda were found to truthfully reply that their mistress had been asleep the whole time. In his wrath it raised no suspicion in his mind that Fridesinda was known to be skilled in illusory magic and could have easily tricked her maids. After all, the jealousy of the Princess was a clear motive even if she had never exhibited such an emotion, and what kind of monster would murder her own daughter to cast blame on her rival?

A trial was convened and after all the known facts were heard the priests of Pholtus(3) judged the Princess guilty of infanticide and sentenced her to imprisonment and the loss of her status as royal wife. This would have been enough to cause Caterena’s younger brother Hatha, who had inherited the title of Prince of the Naelax the year before, to join an alliance with Thalland. But Fridesinda was not content with just placing her rival out of the way. Within a few months the former Princess was found strangled to death in her cell. Though it was within the depths of winter Prince Hatha immediately called for war against the Medegi and even the Naelax within the Bladelands answered him, fracturing that union.

Illumination depicting Ferrante
from the Book of Penitence 
art by Johan Egerkrans

Scrambling to respond, Kahabros drew forces from the fronts with Thalland. King Alamnos would have in time taken advantage of these events to launch an attack on the Medegian forces within his lands, but the rage of his wife at the disgrace and death of her younger sister spurred him to immediate action. This was the beginning of the Ten Month War. In Readying of -242 CY with Ferrante leading the Thellari armies, the occupying Medegian army was pushed out of eastern Thalland north of the Thelly. To accomplish this he pulled all of Thalland’s forces from south of the Thelly leaving a small guard on the north bank of the river he to neutralize any attempts to assail the kingdom from that quarter. Pardue fell by the end of Coldeven. Seeing the way of things the Darmen Prince was convinced to allow a Thellari army to cross his land and join the Naelax in attacking the Medegian castle of Spiral from the east. In return both sides promised possession of the fortress to the Darmen when the war was over. The latter had long chafed at a Medegian stronghold on their side of the Mikar River. Ferrante led the attack himself, taking the castle. From that point on Medegia remained on the defensive with Thellari forces and Ferrante launching attacks into its lands. The Heironean holy scripture, the Book of Penitence, speaks less of battles and more of the individual feats of Ferrante; how during this time in his raids into Medegia he did battle with two creatures summoned from the infernal realms of the Nine Hells by Kahabros: the Two-headed Hound of Sthalash and the Endless Wyrm. Ferrante defeated them both, severing one of the Hound’s heads and chopping off the tail of the Wyrm(4).

Despite Ferrante’s incursions the culmination of the wars came where they had begun, at Pardue, with a final attempt by Kahabros to defeat his half-brother. On the night of the twenty-fifth day of Ready’reat in -242 CY Medegian forces led by Kahabros launched a surprise attack across the Flanmi and attacked the town, breaching the walls and entering the citadel where Ferrante was. That day is still celebrated among the faithful of Heironeous as the holy day of Valormight(5). Though the battle in the town and castle was hard fought between the two armies, the final confrontation between the half-brothers in the great hall of Pardue castle had only one witness, Ferrante’s closest companion, the Zelrad priest Onwald Sydney of Ryer(6). In that battle Kahabros, knowing his brother was a greater warrior than himself attempted to best him through use of his foul magics. Ferrante withstood all those attacks. According to the Book of Penitence --

“Finally, his magics were depleted, and Kahabros proffered Temptations. Ferrante spake, saying, ‘Your promises mean nothing to one who is wholly in the service of Heironeous!’ So saying, he slew the Lord of Evil. Yet the proffered Temptations haunted the thoughts of Ferrante ever after. And this was evil.”(7)

What exactly the Temptations were are not elaborated on in the scriptures. The story of Ferrante as told there concludes with the defeat of his half-brother and him setting sail across the Solnor Ocean on a final crusade against evil – never to be seen by anyone in the Flanaess again. One scholar tells of a different ending and a deeper secret, though where he gained the tale he does not say. Jarnzaydin of Jalpa, a high priest of Boccob(8) who lived in the 4^th century CY writes that Ferrante’s final crusade was just a myth concocted by the priesthood of Heironeous to cover the real truth -- that the evil temptation that haunted Ferrante was Fridesinda herself. After defeating Kahabros and leading his army into Medegia, the paladin took the Princess back to Rel Deven as a prisoner after capturing her at Pontylver.  There she was held in the Black Keep. But before King Alamnos could decide what to do with her, Ferrante gave in to the temptations that had tormented him and came to her cell. There he knew her carnally for many days and nights. But this was not the unforgiveable sin. Realizing what he had done and in his rage at having succumbed, Ferrante cursed Fridesinda. She in turn mocked him and he committed the act which doomed his soul. He stabbed her to death, all the while proclaiming it the will of Heironeous. For this vile act of blasphemy and murder the Archpaladin struck down Ferrante. Jarnzaydin does not write down what happened next, this doubtless being a secret kept among the highest clergy of Heironeous if indeed even they know it(9).

But the ends of Kahabros and his half-brother are not the end of our story. Defeated and in disarray with the defeat of their dictator and prince, the nobles of the Bladelands sued for peace. Under the terms of the peace treaty, the unity of the Bladelands and the title of dictator were dissolved, with the constituent parts being declared independent of each other, pledged never to reform. The largest portion still remained the Principality of Medegi, with the Medegian Naelax being second and a number of minor houses ruling their own lands. Lastly, the pilgrims’ tax which was imposed in Pontylver was to be shared between the priesthoods of Stern Alia, Hextor and Heironeous, with the largest portion going to the upkeep of the demigoddess’s temple complex there. With the Bladelands broken the Kingdom of Thalland appeared poised to enter a new period of dominance, but the taint of the evil Ferrante had done lurked beneath the surface.

Next Chapter -- Rise of the Celestial Houses: Garasteth and Torquann

Art Notes:

Medegian cavalry of the Civil War Period on the move -262 CY Here we are seeing the first large steps in the evolution of heavy cavalry in the Eastern Flanaess. Stirrups have reached the Flanaess, spread from the Baklunish across the northern plains and down into what will be the Bandit Kingdoms and Nehron to the Aerdi. At the same time they are spreading into Keoland through Ket. Heavy cavalry is being established in two different areas of the Flanaess and will soon spread out and start enfluencing each other. The flare-brimmed helm that had been becoming popular in the decades before can still be seen on the infantry in the background. The helms of the cavalry are similar to those of the last 100 years although they have lost the hinged cheek-plates, relying on mail and leather coifs to protect the side of the head. This is an evolutionary step that will remain for quite some time. Armor is trending more toward coats of chainmail, replacing the older-style lammelar and scale armor that had been trending for the last century. The biggest step is the change from round and oval shields to toward an elongated shape to cover the leg facing the enemy. Shields still retain the central metal boss where the grip is. Swords are becoming slightly longer and gaining more of a tapering point to aid in piercing mail. The cross bar at the bottom of the socket of the spear-heads is another innovation.

Thellari knight and peasant levy confront a rebel Hestmark Hill-tribesman - 258 CY The Thellari knight shows the same innovations in armor, tack and weaponry discussed in the previous image. While some well-equipped infantry as seen in the previous image will always be evident, this type of light, non-professional infantryman is becoming more typical, highlighting the broadening class-distinctions that have come about in the last century. He wears no armor and weilds only a wooden cudgel and knife, doubtless wishing he was back laboring for his lord on his simple farm instead of risking his life distracting a well-equipped and experienced hill-tribesman. The hill-tribesman is of obvious Flan and Oeridian ancestry as was typical by this time, although culturally he is more Flannish. The chainmail vest which he wears over a long-sleeved padded tunic marks him as most likely being of higher social status, probably a chieftain or bodyguard. His short bow, shield and sword are all Flan in style. The latter is typical of the single-edged sword style of the Eastern Flan. The ruins they are fighting amongst are the remnants of the villa of a Thellari lord who was burned out in the initial stages of the rising.  

Illumination depicting Kahabros from the Book of Penitence This idealized depiction of can be dated from an illuminated manuscript of the primary Heironean holy book scribed and bound in Nyrond in the 5th century CY. The artist obviously drew on some historical sources in his depiction of the zombie warriors even if the decorative elements are anachronistic. The reanimated corpses of friend and foe were and remain a feature of Hextoran armies. Kahbros fits his description in the texts even if his armor and weapons are fantastic and not realistic to that period. He was said to ride a nightmare into battle. The mountains set this in one of his campaigns south of the Thelly, in the highlands, where he ravaged the holdings of Thellari lords just regained a few years prior to the ourbreak of war between the two nations. 

Catarena, Princess Consort  of the Medegi -250 CY Though ten years into her marriage with Kahabros at this point Catarena is a still relatively young 27 and every inch the scion of the Naelax princes she is descended from. Her dress, jewelry and coronet are representative of the Aerdi style of the period that had grown out of the melding of Oeridian, Suloise and Ehlissan culture. Her rosary is of a type used in saying prayers to Atroa, who she had adopted as her patron in her attempts to become pregnant with an heir. The center piece is a medal with the image of that goddess on it.

Fridesinda, Princess Consort of the Medegi - 242 CY  Almost 43 years old at this point in her life Fridesinda's almost pure Suloise ancestry is evident in her blonde hair and alabaster skin. She is as beautiful as the histories and legends say. Her gaze was noted for being almost hypnotic. Her dress is of a foreign style, imported from Keoland, which has been a thriving kingdom for a hundred years and has just the year before reached its present boundaries. She has abandoned the simple circlet of her predecessor for a crown mimicking the style of the famed Iron Crown of the Bladelands worn by her husband, Kahabros. Her only concession to the standard fashion is earrings set with jet which were popular in Aerdi lands at the time. 

Illumination depicting Ferrante from the Book of Penitence From the same Nyrondal 5th century illuminated manuscript as above, this scene depicts Saint Ferrante. His status is represented by the halo around his head. The scale coat he wears is realistic for this period, again pointing to possible historic research by the artist although his sword is of a modern style. He is riding his famed steed, Bruta, a mare he selected from a herd of Nehron horses, which were the finest at the time, that had been brought to Medegia by his step-father, Prince Ederaddios. When the young Ferrante picked a horse that the Prince thought was of lower quality he exclaimed "Stupid!" in exasperation at his step-son's choice. Bruta is the feminine form of the that word in Old Oeridian and so that was the name Ferrante chose for his horse*. By painting daisies decorating her mane the illuminator was making an obscure joke since the word for daisy in Old Oeridian sounds similar to "besta", the word for horse in Nyrondese. Despite his step-father's judegment, Besta would go on to be a fine warhorse and the best in Ferrante's stable, carrying him through almost all of the wars he fought in. In this part of the Book Ferrante is tracking the Endless Wyrm in the Bullblood Wood, which is located between Spiral and Dornelan in Medegia and named after the great aurochs hunted and killed there by the first Prince of the Medegi, Malgeros the Bold. The horns of that bull were made into the war-horns of the Medegian royal house and passed down to the censors who began ruling Medegia in the reign of the first Overking, Nasran of House Cranden. One is still in the treasury of the Censor of Medegia. The other was taken in 252 CY when Overking Toran II stripped the office of the Holy Censoriate from the Patriarch of the church of Pholtus. That figure took the horn with him to the Pale, which was settled by the dissident faction of the church that founded the Theocracy of the Pale. It is now the war-horn of the Theocrat who rules that land.

* This anecdote is taken pretty much directly from the legend of El Cid -- "According to this story, Rodrigo's (El Cid's) godfather, Pedro El Grande, was a monk at a Carthusian monastery. Pedro's coming-of-age gift to El Cid was his pick of a horse from an Andalusian herd. El Cid picked a horse that his godfather thought was a weak, poor choice, causing the monk to exclaim "Babieca!" (stupid!). Hence, it became the name of El Cid's horse." 

End Notes:

1. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (LGG) p. 71 “Following a particularly terrible attack on Pontylver, during which the shipyards were set ablaze, Overking Erhart II was determined to put an end to the marauding. In 166 CY, he committed the combined navies of the Great Kingdom to breaking the power of the Duxchaners.”

2. Dragon Magazine (DRG) #263 pp. 46-47 “There are two sects of the church of Atroa: the Planterings and the Bearers.” “Almost always women, Bearers revere the family and the propagation of children, and they are often pregnant themselves.” “Pregnancy is looked upon as ‘the blessing of Atroa,’ and priests who become pregnant are seen as the holiest of all.”

3. LGG p. 81 “Centuries before the founding of the Pale, when the Great Kingdom spanned nearly the length and breadth of the Flanaess, the church of Pholtus had the appointed task of administering the courts for the realm on behalf of the overking and the Celestial Houses. Its highest ranking member was given the title of Holy Censor and granted a fief to administer from the old city of Mentrey in Medegia, where judges of the law from all faiths were trained and appointed.”
From this I speculate that even in these early days  before the founding of the Kingdom of Aerdy and Great Kingdom, the Pholtan clergy would have acted as the overseers and arbiters of legal proceedings.

4. Bastion of Faith (BoF) p. 8 “Ferrante’s journey into the pestilent lands was not easy. His path was barred by the Two-headed hound of Sthalash, but when that battle ended, the One-headed hound of Sthalash slunk away, licking its grievous wound. His path was barred by the endless Wyrm, but after a mighty exchange, the Wyrm fled, leaving severed coils behind to writhe mindlessly in the dust.”

5. BoF p. 44 “Valormight is an ancient holy day, predating the rise of the Kingdom of Aerdy. Celebrated on the last Godsday (the twenty-fifth day) of Ready’reat (November), this holy day commemorates a ten-month war between the followers of Heironeous and the followers of Hextor along the Flanmi River valley. Despite being outnumbered six-to-one (according to Heironean tradition), the followers of the Archpaladin held their own, and confined the armies of the Medegian Bladelands to the lands east of the Flanmi River.”

6. BoF p. 63 “This original tome was set down by Onwald Sidney of Ryer, Ferrante’s chronicler and closest companion.” You may have noticed I try to relate languages in my Greyhawk campaign to real world languages in coming up with names and words. I chose to make Onwald a Zelrad since Onwald is a distinctly Germanic sounding name, which is the real world language family I use as inspiration for Suloise. Ryer also is Germanic sounding and is suitable as a place name of origin for a Zelrad Suel. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

7. BoF pp. 8-9.

8. Ivid the Undying (IVID) p. 38 “Rillikandren possesses the Book of Hours. This work is said to have been traded to a peerless high priest of Boccob, Jarnzaydin of Jalpa, by an Avatar of Istus herself.”

9. BoF p. 40 “As recorded in the Penitent Fragments, Ferrante was touched by Kahabros, and explored dark and unhealthy Temptations. Despite all Ferrante had done for the church, or possibly because of it, Heironeous struck down Ferrante in the form of a bolt of glory, killing him and sealing his remains in the crystal casket. Ferrante’s remains were sealed because they carried the taint of Kahabros, which Heironeous’s power could not sear away. Both for the philosophical protection of the newborn church, and for the physical protection of any who might come snooping, the priest Onwald sealed himself and the key in the subreliquary.”
I’ve explicated on the Secret Doctrine of the church of Heironeous as given in Bastion of Faith by suggesting that it was a woman who was the ultimate temptation for Ferrante. If you’re a student of history and legend you may also recognize Fridesinda as a mash-up of Zhou Dynasty empress Wu Zetian and more obviously Fredegunda, mistress and queen consort of the Merovingian king, Chulperic I. She supposedly murdered the king’s first wife, Galswintha who was the sister of Brunhilda, Queen consort of Austrasia. Galswintha’s murder started a feud that lasted for 40 years, ending in Brunhilda’s execution by being torn apart by four horses. Yes, I know I'm relying on the old trope of evil, sexy woman, using her sexy ways to fulfil her evil goals. But it is a classic and I'm more about writing cool fantasy history here than deconstructing 3,000 year old sexist memes. Maybe some other time.
Bastion of Faith suggests placing the namesake temple complex to Heironeous in Furyondy, the Shield Lands or Nyrond. Given my interpretation of the events and a description of Ferrante’s Reliquary as “a domed cavern of immense size… formed by an act of Heironeous himself, releasing so much divine power that the earth melted and fused, leaving behind a bubble of air to cradle Ferrante’s body,” I’ve chosen to place the Bastion of Faith in Rel Deven, built on the foundation of the Black Keep, where Ferrante was struck down. YMMV.