V is for Vonreston

This town is the only settlement on Kiralt Island. Home to 1,800 people, it is a town that thrives on the fishing industry as well as farming. It was settled after the Arrival by some of the German knights and soldiers who had been brought along. Although they pledged their allegiance to Eadric in the early days, they requested permission to settle away from the other towns and villages so as to preserve their own heritage. King Eadric agreed, and on the advice of some of the locals, they sailed to Kiralt Island to settle. As a result, Vonreston has a much different feel than the other settlements in Meterra.

While medieval Germany, France and England aren't really all that similar to their modern counterparts, there is still that regional sense of community in each nation. Obviously, England had it easier, being an island. But despite geographical closeness, the Rhine was a strong border between France and Germany in medieval times. Combining that with the Germanic resistance to the Roman Empire a millennia earlier, and Germany developed quite differently from the rest of Western Europe. Those differences are emphasized in Meterra, as the German Europeans are determined to maintain their unique culture while still being part of Meterra and the Church. Ironically, here it is Vonreston and Kiralt that will likely develop in a similar manner to England, with the island providing natural borders to cultural influences from the rest of Meterra.

Vonreston is led by His Grace, Graf Rickard, formerly of Bremen. The leader of the German Crusaders, and the military leader of the original expedition to the Holy Land, Rickard was badly injured in the initial battle against the grends and ogres the day after the Arrival. It was due to his injuries that Bishop Marten appointed Sir Eadric the Saxon as his replacement; Eadric would, of course, go on to be named King of Meterra after his triumph against the dragon. After Rickard's recovery, Eadric elevated him to the title of Count, or Graf, assuring his loyalty. Rickard is the epitome of a Germany knight: brave, almost to the point of foolhardiness, faithful, and loyal to his liege. He is the model for all of the German Europeans, and there are some who have suggested that he might hold out hope to replace Eadric as King someday. However, Rickard has made no such overtures, nor has he shown even the slightest bit of ambition beyond his current station. He is, in effect, a German king, albeit one subject to the Meterran king, and that's as far as he cares to go.

The biggest challenge for the German emigrants of Vonreston has been adapting to a fishing lifestyle rather than a farming one. The isle is pleasant and does have suitable pasture and farmlands, but the town's economy is largely fish-related. Strangely, however, there have been very few pirate raids on the island despite the growing economy and wealth. The Germans, after all, are fierce fighters, descended from Germanic barbarians, and the local pirates have learned that the Germans are more than happy to revert to type.