“If you think you are the master of the greatest fortress in Esterra, you are surely mistaken. There is history here, pain, and strength, all in equal measure. I thought it died with him, but it’s bled into these stones. You are not its master, you are its latest victim.”
- Calreda Seacaller
King’s Pass is a strange problem for The Concord as geographically it is a small region, barely much larger than the Steinvault pass. But it contains Baelag’s Holdfast, the massive fortress that forms the heart of the Iron Valley, a fortress that contains enough farms, quarters, and homes that it could outnumber some sparsely populated regions that are much larger than it. All of this and it also represents significant military power in its own right. It is a region of many parts, but none of them a power in its own right. To bring these disparate parts under a single bureaucratic banner, the Civil Service has drawn from Iron Valley history, back to a time where the master of the fortress in the absence of its King would be known as ‘The Vallthane’, and has done their best to accumulate all the powers they could to this strange title.
Election
The Vallthane is elected by popular vote. Any titleholder belonging to the Realm that controls the King’s Pass may nominate a candidate. That candidate must be from the same Realm as that titleholder. The electors are:
- Any titleholder in that realm.
- Any character with Divine Lore in that Realm.
Any elector can only have a single vote, so a titleholder with Divine Lore would only have one vote.
If there is currently a Throne, they have the ability to Veto the election of a Vallthane as many times as they wish.
Term
The Vallthane serves a term for life, or until:
- They step down by their own volition.
- They are removed by a Throne.
- King's Pass is lost.
- They are unable to attend a Summit for a year.
- They leave public life.
Any Vallthane who leaves or is removed from the title may never be the Vallthane again.
Powers and Responsibilities
Master of Kings Pass: Once per summit, the Vallthane may invoke this power by informing the Symposiarch of their intent at least one hour before the next senate session. This may not be an emergency session. At that following session, the Vallthane will be counted as a member of the senate with powers and responsibilities identical to a Senator. The only exception to this is when votes to elect a Throne are conducted, a Vallthane may not vote for Throne candidates, although they may vote in favour or against a vote that a Throne is required.
Master of the Holdfast: Such is the scale of Baelag’s Holdfast that its control is entrusted to the Vallthane, rather than the Realm’s champion. It is the Vallthane’s duty to ensure the fortress is well appointed and supplied. The Vallthane has a single vote within the War Chamber. It is also the Vallthane’s duty to determine how the Holdfast shall be defended, writing its orders in the same manner a Realm’s champion orders other fortresses, albeit with the Holdfast’s unique orders.
| Casualties Inflicted | Casualties Suffered | Claim | Special | |
| Hold the Outer Walls | -20% | -20% | +1000 | |
| Retreat to the Keep | –40% | -40% | - |
Master of the Fields: The Vallthane receives a small income from the various businesses and farms within its walls to assist them in their duties. This income is commensurate with tax income and can vary wildly in quantity and form.
Master of the Halls: It is the responsibility of the Vallthane to ensure that Baelag’s Holdfast remains staunch in its duty to protect the Concord from threats. It is their duty to ensure that the Holdfast does not become a threat to Concord. In addition, such is the intensity of responsibility to King's Pass, the Holdfast, and its inhabitants, that when a character is elected to Vallthane they lose their investment. If they ever cease to be Vallthane and wish to acquire a new investment, they must purchase it. They may not gain another investment through any means while they are the Vallthane.
History
Nearly three thousand years old, the history of Baelag’s Holdfast and the King’s Pass is the history of the Iron Valley. It is the heart of the Valley, its ancient empire, and its eventual collapse.
In modern times, Baelag’s Holdfast was most notable for its loss to the Illsevir invasion in March 221AE. The Illsevir held the Holdfast, and by extension the King’s Pass for five years, before combined efforts of the Concord retook the fortress in August 226. After this point the title of Vallthane was created.
Past Vallthanes
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Revna of Brotherslee | Spring 226 - Incumbent |