A golden shield adorned with red diagonal stripes, bisected by a bold vertical blue band; a symbol of strength through divine order and vigilance.
Gransmark is a land of rocky grasslands to the west and lush deciduous forests to the east, eventually giving way to sandy coastal shores. The rugged land is home to flinty, wind-beaten villages where the soil is harsh and the faith, unshakable.
Gransmark stands as the northernmost Christian region of Steinau, regarded as the last beacon of faith before the wild, pagan north. Bordering the pagan wilds of the Talerwald and the shadowy frontier of Aethelinga, the region has always seen itself as a guardian of the faith, entrusted with holding back heresy and savagery. Once a frontier province, its importance grew with the construction of Höiborg, a great border keep and watchtower built to defend the road linking the northern tip to the rest of Steinau. Höiborg was seen not merely as a fortification, but as a holy ward against the encroachment of paganism.
Though once a symbol of Christian unity and strength, Höiborg was besieged and razed during the War of the Sceptre and the Crown, a brutal clash between King Heinrich’s loyalists and the buckethead forces. The region, siding fiercely with the Bishop, suffered greatly.
The stronghold is now undergoing reconstruction with the help of skilled masons from Köningshaven and master builders from Danish lands, a cooperation that also serves to tighten ecclesiastical bonds with the continent.
To the faithful, Höiborg’s destruction was seen not only as a military loss, but a divine test, a trial of Gransmark’s faith and resolve.
Gransmark is devoutly Christian, and its population is fiercely proud of their piety. The pagan tendencies of the northern regions are seen as not only false but blasphemous and dangerous to the unity of the kingdom.
The Watcher’s Candle: Every home lights a tall beeswax candle in the northern window on Sundays. This candle is said to ward off “spirits of confusion”, which locals believe pagan lands exude in the form of strange winds or dreams. Letting the candle burn out before midnight is considered a bad omen. Iron in the Threshold: Doorways in Gransmark villages often feature silver, or for the less wealthy, iron nails driven into the frames, a custom believed to prevent demons or "wandering heresies" from entering homes. Some priests claim this is unorthodox, but locals stand by the tradition fiercely. Fasting before Lent and Siege: In memory of Höiborg’s fall, a three-day fast is observed annually on the “Days of Siege.” No bread is eaten, and only river water is drunk. Children like to reenact the siege by building wooden or sand castles and toppling them at dusk, then the villagers recite a psalm for the fallen defenders. The Black Goat: An old tale tells of a black goat with golden eyes seen wandering the woods before calamity strikes. Though most Church officials dismiss the tale as “rustic nonsense,” locals whisper its return is a sure sign of treachery within. “Northwards lies Heresy”: A saying passed down from elders to children, warning them never to stray past the forests to the north without a priest's blessing, or risk becoming lost to the wild demons.
Gransmark sided wholeheartedly with the Bucketheads in the war, believing the monarchy had become abusive in its economic policies and too tolerant with pagan presence. The Bucketheads’ victory is seen as a righteous purification and, with Höiborg being rebuilt, many believe a new crusade against the hinterlands is not only imminent but ordained.
Gransmark’s nobility, many of whom are former military men turned zealous reformers, are pressing for the Church to formally sanction a “Northern Campaign”, promising to cleanse the wilds and bring the flame of the true faith into Aethelinga and beyond.