Tuskwood is a part of Riveshire and both are parts of Caorran.
The ruler of Tuskwood holds the title Warden-Lord, a mark of both noble authority and sacred duty, a title used unchanged for female rulers as well. Unlike a simple Baron, the Warden-Lord is inseparable from their role as protector of the forests, the Clans, and the woodlands they guard. Their word carries the weight of law within their domain, the title binding its holder to the forests and the people they serve.
In letters and ceremonies, they are addressed as "My Lord Warden", a reminder that to rule Tuskwood is to guard it first, command it second.
The Second Warden is the Heir-Apparent to the Wardenhold, chosen not merely by birthright, but by worth. Tradition holds that the title passes to the one deemed most capable of guarding the forests and their people, usually the eldest son of the Warden-Lord, after receiving years of training in rulership and martial arts.
Though, in times past, there have been Seconds not of blood but of oath, adopted through ceremony beneath the oldest trees.
Ceremonially, the Second Warden bears a half-sigil, a split crest of Tuskwood, carved into oak and bound in iron, symbolizing that their duty is not yet whole until they ascend.
The Hornkeeper is the master of Tuskwood's wealth and stores. They oversee granaries, armories, and treasure hoards, but also safeguards the sacred ivory horns and tusks used in rites, feasts, and war. Their duty is both practical and symbolic: to ensure the feasts are full, the warriors armed, and the sound of the warhorn ready to rally the Clanfolk. Trusted yet scrutinized, the Hornkeeper is seen as steward of plenty, or as the one to blame in lean years.
The Hearthmaster is the ceremonial steward of Boarwatch Keep's domestic and ritual life. While the Hornkeeper ensures the kitchens are supplied and provisions maintained, the Hearthmaster makes certain the household runs smoothly. They oversee kitchens and feasts, ensuring the Clan's traditions are honored. They maintain morale, comfort, and order, embodying the heart of the clanfolk and the well-being of all who dwell within the Wardenhold.
The Tuskguard are twelve in number, towering figures clad in dark-hued mail and crested helms adorned with ivory tusks. Each warrior bears a heavy axe or spear, their weapons etched with runes of the forest. They move with a unity that makes them seem less like men and more like a single, relentless beast. Their oaths bind them to both Lord and Land, their watchful presence a living wall between the Ivory Throne and all who would threaten it. At their head stands the Captain, the Tuskbearer, whose great horn commands their ranks and whose voice alone can summon the full wrath of the guard. In times of war, he leads not only the Tuskguard, but the whole of Tuskwood's levies into battle.
The Woodlands of Tuskwood are a place defined by their ancient, sprawling forests, largely abandoned and long overlooked. Though formally a part of Caorran for over a decade, these woodlands have lingered on the Kingdom's margins, visited mainly for sporadic lumber work or by the occasional gastronome visiting Tivosalt. For years, the forest was home to Warlord Fergus Tuskborn, a chief who lived here with his Clan, largely unnoticed by the Caorrani Crown and other noble Houses.
When Fergus was eventually awarded formal rulership over the lands, he transformed the region. He improved the lumber industry, turning the scattered and neglected resources into a valuable asset for the Kingdom, and raised a considerable army, ensuring that Tuskwood would no longer be a forgotten borderland, but a stronghold capable of defending the realm.
From his Clan, he selected the most ferocious and loyal warriors to form the Tuskguard, an elite honor guard of twelve knights sworn to protect both the forest and the newly formalized House Stoutland. To secure his rule and serve as the center of governance, he built the Boarwatch Keep, a sturdy fortress perched amidst the dense woodlands. From their castle, the Stoutlands watch over the entire region, seated upon their throne within the Tuskhall.
The woods in these parts seem almost sentient, vast and untamed, whispering the memory of a land long forgotten, yet alive with hidden life, where the Farudi wind silently toward the sea, and pours its final waters into the ocean, carrying both the bounty and the secrets of the forest to the world beyond.