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The Viscounty of Everbright is one of the constituent regions of Lordaeron and the primary base of operations of the House of Stokeswood, sworn to Queen Madelynne I.

Geography[]

Much like its name, Everbright receives sunlight in abundance. During the summer, darkness only truly comes in the tenth hour of the night. As one gets closer to the border with Quel’Thalas, this threshold increases even further.

This phenomenon is often attributed to the elves’ incantations to leave their lands in perpetual spring. However, scholars cannot explain with precision why the magic would affect the human territory. Additionally, this explanation does not account for the fact this characteristic remains despite the Scourge’s abuse of necromancy in Everbright and the effective destruction of the Sunwell.  In absence of a better explanation, proximity with the northern Kingdom is accepted by nobility and peasantry alike as the cause for their cherished sunlight.

Finally, the Viscounty is located in the northeastern most part of Lordaeron. It has a large shore, albeit part of it is taken up with the Dense Wood.

The country is consisted of three political subregions: Silverstone, The Plateau and Eastgrove.

History[]

There is very little information regarding the earliest days of Everbright. It is speculated the Quel’dorei pushed back the trolls, but at some point left the land inhabited, for reasons unknown until now.

The nation’s foundation[]

In the twilight of the Empire of Arathor, a bloody civil war erupted, tearing the realm apart. Edric Stokeswood , a former high-ranking officer of the imperial army, joined up a rebellion against the Emperor once the ruler executed his kin and ravaged his home.

It was not long before the whole nobility took up arms, supporting or fighting against the government. Nonetheless, Edric and his forces prevailed. In the peace treaty, the Emperor was forced to abandon any claim of lordship over those who would rather depart the war-torn Highlands.

Seizing the opportunity, the former officer and now Count of Stoke’s Forest, gathered like-minded people to seek richer and more peaceful lands.

After months of wandering the North in search of those, they settled on Everbright.

The period that followed was one of great economic and social prosperity. With each generation, the House of Stokeswood increased its territory and its military forces repelled all invaders.

Civil War[]

For more information, see Everbright Civil War

After significant advances, the Stokeswoods began to rest on their laurels. Instead of actively modernize techniques, they relied on tradition. Moreover, the House had to endure successive bad rulers.

These two factors led to the rise of House of Clatter, a dynasty associated with upstarts and social climbers.

For decades, they bid their time, awaiting the chance to seize power from their overlords. This opportunity finally came during Willhelm Stokeswood ’s time as Warden of Everbright. Easily baited into a conflict, he committed his army into a war he had little condition to win.

However, despite the Clatters’ military superiority, the Lord of Silverstone was able to reach a stalemate during the Siege of Vanderholde. Regardless of this achievement, Willhelm, who would later perish from his wounds at this battle, is considered one of the worst rulers in Everbright’s history.

While he gave battle to Vincent Clatter in Vanderholde, his eldest son and heir, Jakob, razed the complex of cities that surrounded Norveau’s Plateau, seat of House of Clatter. Additionally, both of Vincent’s sons were kidnapped. This allowed the Stokeswoods a large bargaining advantage.

In the final battle of the war, Lord Jakob beheaded Rhandyl Clatter to prove he would not hesitate on doing what was necessary to prevail. Vincent’s will broke and both parties agreed to an immediate ceasefire to hostilities.

Later, the Treaty of Bridgebarrow was signed, definitely sealing peace to Everbright. This document also determined the marriage of Jakob Stokeswood and Joana Clatter, in an effort to mend the bad blood between their two Houses.

A province of Lordaeron

Almost a hundred years after the civil war, the House of Menethil threatened to invade Everbright to absorb it into their State.

At the time, the country enjoyed relative peace and prosperity, but lacked much in the ways of a true army. The Treaty of Bridgebarrow had been quite effective in eliminating the deep division that led to and followed the conflict. While there was ever a sentiment of jealousy from the Stokeswoods and a self-entitlement from the Clatters, both families were content to leave these feelings aside in order to build together a harmonic nation.

However, the first reaction to the threats was divided. House of Stokeswood acknowledged their people’s inferiority in military terms and favored submission to Lordaeron. On the other hand, House of Clatter did not wish to lose sovereignty and defended all-out war.

Torn between loyalty to a grudging liege and safety, the former overlords of Everbright chose the latter. They pledged fealty to the House of Menethil, but to avoid a new civil war, the Stokeswoods took no part in the conflict that followed. Satisfied to have removed half of the opposition from the war with little cost, the King of Lordaeron began to sweep through southern Everbright, achieving a series of victories against the Clatters.

During the Assault in the Plateau, Lord Edward Clatter perished and the loyalists surrendered to the invading forces.

Despite their defiance, the House of Clatter remained as overlords of Everbright. They were raised into Counts in the same manner of Crownwood to their south, but lower than their western neighbor, the Duchy of Whitereach . As reward for the Stokeswoods’ neutrality, Lord Valerian Stokeswood became Regent, for Edward’s heir, Charles, was just two years old.

Succession crisis, war with Whitereach and Crownwood[]

Fall in the Third War[]

During the Third War, the Scourge laid waste to Lordaeron. Everbright, being one of its provinces, did not escape the undead onslaught. Many cities and castles fell to the might of the vile creatures as a result of the impending attack.

House Clatter was the dominant power in the region at the time. They commanded the greatest host and possessed the most resilient keeps. They joined forces with House Stokeswood, their vassals and second force in Everbright. However, this was not nearly enough to escape death at the hands of the damned.

In what become known as the Last Stand at the Bridge, the combined resistance was obliterated. Lord Alexander Stokeswood gathered whatever men he had left and marched in full retreat towards Silverstone Keep, his main seat of power.

Simultaneously, Lord Simon Clatter ordered his soldiers to fall back to Norven's Plateau, but the Scourge commander chose to follow them, as he knew House Clatter posed the greatest danger to his plans of conquest. Therefore, the host of Simon was smashed, the noble falling honorably in battle. It was the end of his family, for he possessed no male heirs.

After the razing of Norven's Plateau, the Scourge set its gaze once again to House Stokeswood . Lord Alexander's forces were battered from the previous engagement at the bridge, and thus, Silverstone Keep was destroyed without much effort. Nonetheless, this was not the end of his line. The Lord-Paramount of Silverstone stood against the undead, allowing his brother Williert to assemble the small folk and flee to Hillsbrad, along with a very reluctant Darion Stokeswood, heir apparent.

Stokeswood Reconquest

For more information, see Stokeswood Reconquest

After years of building alliances and making promises, Williert Stokeswood rallied an army to reclaim Everbright in the name of his nephew, Darion.

Unfortunately, the recently-anointed paladin perished during the first battle of the war, in which the loyalists took back Silverstone, ancestral seat of House of Stokeswood.

Now the head of his House, Williert launched a campaign to bring the Scourge to heel and conquer the entirety of Everbright, by right of marriage (he is married to Julia, sister of Simon Clatter) and conquest.

He was effectively successful in this endeavor, obliterating both Scourge and Forsaken. The Siege of Brightwatch marked the end of this period.

Economy[]

After the Stokeswood Reconquest, Everbright entered into a period of prosperity that continues to this day. Brightharbor, one of the largest ports in Lordaeron, is also one of the busiest.

Madelynne I’s initiative to donate coin to House Stokeswood in order for it to build a fleet also contributed heavily to the province’s financial success.

In the north, agriculture is prevalent due to the larger than usual sunlight. It also houses two fully functional iron mines, granting a huge boon to the economy.

In the south, formerly under the dominion of House of Clatter, industry and manufacture are dominant.

Society[]

Unlike other provinces in Lordaeron, such as Blackmarsh, Highpass or Whitereach, Everbright's lands were deeply ravaged by the Scourge during the Third War. The majority of the populace was slaughtered by the undead menace and the political status quo toppled. As such, most semblance of an united culture was shattered and remains nonexistent to this day.

However, ever since the Stokeswood Reconquest, the former County was subject to a heavy proccess of immigration from all corners of the Eastern Kingdoms. Even before launching his campaign of reclamation, Williert Stokeswood promised a few acres of fertile land for every soldier who fought for his cause and the guarantee that they would be released from the army after the war, should they desire. With peace, most remained within the military, although there was a significant minority that chose to live tending to their farms.

Additionally, the Lord of Silverstone encouraged a renaissance in both trade and arts. An enthusiast of learning, the wizard commissioned the creation of three large academies, the most prominent of them the Athenaeum of Duskenhall. While the latter has not been supported by the Crown, in part due to Madelynne's policy on fostering the children of nobility in Dawnhaven and thus cannot compete with the capital city, its educational quality remains fairly solid.

The official religion in the Viscounty is the Holy Light, but it is often more practiced amongst the nobility than in the peasantry or bourgeoisie. Those two classes are mostly largely indifferent to faith and cults, focusing their minds on more temporal matters, such as the pursuit of wealth and prosperity.

Overall, with the policies currently in place, the society of Everbright is one that favors heavily peaceful resolutions and abhors the idea of waging war if not in self-defense. As a result, the army's size does not live to its full potential, and the marines are usually hired from Kul'Tiras, Stormwind and, prior to its destruction, Theramore.

Gallery[]

Everbright

The verdant valleys of Everbright

Silverstone

One of the entrances to Silverstone Keep, seat of House of Stokeswood and capital of Everbright.

Norveauplateau

Norveau's Plateau, former seat of the extinct House of Clatter.

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