Stonetree

The city of Stonetree (Lach: Bagegeniśort ) is the former capital of the Republic of Inner Benacia and the seat of a bailiwick in the Governorate of Upper Lywall. It is the site of a cantonment of the Benacian Union Defence Force as well as for the railway station, under construction as of 1706 AN, that will serve as the beginning of the Benacian Union Kalgachia Aligned Corridor Exchange. The principal employer in the city is the Stonetree Engineering Group, a state-owned automotive manufacturing concern.

History

A sketch by Orek bi Łestkin, dated 05.VI.1660. Original caption read: The Dolmen, situated before Stonetree. A melancholy and foreboding place. The pact betwixt the clans was cemented by blood sacrifices officiated in the catacombs beneath the deliberation chambers where the Saduc and delegates now stand.

What remained of the old city was largely destroyed during the Inner Benacian Conflict of 1683 AN. In spite of this, the settlement remained subject to continuous human habitation, being a prime gathering point for those engaged in the rendering of Tyrannocricetus aliger carcasses. While this industry would collapse as the "Tee-al" was hunted ever closer to extinction, the opening of the road into the Upland Confederation brought settlers and smugglers into the region, with Stonetree being a logical and customary rest-stop - soon acquiring all of the typical amenities of a frontier town.

In 1690 AN a man answering to the name of Lerwick Higgle, of Lywaller heritage, appeared in the settlement bearing letters patent which proclaimed him to be the duly appointed bailiff of the city under its Lach name. Perhaps more compelling than the letters of authority was the retinue of armed followers who attended on him. The rule of this Bailiff Higgle lasted for a year, characterised by petty extortion carried on within the settlement, and the levying of tolls upon the road leading from it in either direction north or south. The demise of this petty tyranny occurred with the arrival of another individual, rejoicing in the name of Osin Luchok Danilovich, who bore a new set of letters patent issued by the Governor of Upper Lywall bestowing the title and dignity of bailiff for Stonetree upon him. More importantly, the new arrival was able to back his words with a warband comprised of so-called veterans of the Konkordskaya Bratva, although more likely their descendants. The skirmish that ensued was hotly contested, but ultimately one-sided, and the reign of Higgle over the town ended conclusively with a well attended lynching of the now deposed bailiff.

Danilovich, being quite aware that the Governor was perfectly willing to sell and resell public offices without regard to those who had already purchased in good faith, was minded to make sure that he would not share in the fate of his predecessor. Having first obliged the Lach to depart from the settlement, for they were little to his liking, he mobilised the remaining townsfolk to prepare a series of earthworks, including an anti-tank ditch and an earthen embankment encompassing the town, and four controlled access points - each with their own bastion. Whilst this work was undertaken he established his headquarters in the ruins of the old Dolmen, the ancient assembly area of the Lach, and began to fortify the site as a further redoubt.

Bailiwick of Stonetree

Demographics

The main ethnic groups in the bailiwick, excluding the BUDF garrison and cantonment, are the Yehudi (descendants of the Ashkenatzim), the Lywallers, the Tellians, the Modanese and the Mishalanski. The examination of the population and its peculiarities of heritage is pending the arrival of officials from the Benacian Censorate with the requisite powers of assize. As of 1706 AN the Guild of Magisters-Carnifex recorded 732,192 subjects as having signed or renewed their signature upon the register for the Union Covenant kept in the bailiwick. Of these, within the walls of the settlement were to be found the following:

• 15,369 Yehudi in 4,957 households;
• 13,034 Lywallers in 5,430 households;
• 12,141 Tellians in 3,570 households;
• 11,873 Mishalanski in 2,581 households;
• 11,404 Modanese in 4,751 households.

Outside the pale, the rural population of the bailiwick comprised of the following:

• 203,285 Lach in 29,040 households;
• 183,776 Yehudi in 36,755 households;
• 152,464 Lywallers in 36,300 households;
• 61,871 Tellians in 14,388 households;
• 40,595 Modanese in 9,901 households;
• 26,380 Mishalanski in 4,396 households.

Approximately 70% of the population within the walls is capable of speaking the Istvanistani language of whom 62% are capable of reading and writing in the same. Beyond the pale, the figures are 22% and 15% percent respectively. 23,045 subjects within the walls were assessed to be proficient in Praeta, including the majority of Lywallers and Modanese, whilst the question was not asked of those who dwelled in the rural parts.

A family of Babkhi merchants were resident in the bailiwick, but they were commended to the mercy of justice on the order of the Magister-Carnifex in 1704 AN for offering sacrifice to chthonic deities and denying the Human Supremacy.

The numbers of children and protected persons resident in the bailiwick are known to the institutions with responsibility for their care.

Stonetree station

Martyr Karmen Joonai Memorial Station

Place	Stonetree
Region	Governorate of Upper Lywall
Opened	Under Construction