Waywood

Waywood is a colonial city of Helsia, a duchy of Sylvania, that lays in southwestern Serrona. It is the proud home of the White Family, and base of operations for the Waywood Syndicate. The settlement was founded by Batu migrants after their nation collapsed and was intergrated into what became the Vulperium. Keeping in touch with their Batu roots the city has emphasis of nature while not allowing it to stop growth and industrialization. Generally Waywood is seen as a beacon of architectural style and home to a wide range of ethnic groups that prefer the isolation that the city offers.

Situated within the Westeroshi Bay and on the crossroads that connect to the neighbouring nations of the north, Waywood sits in a prime location for trade. Combined with the fertile farmlands to the west, dense forests to the east and resource rich mountains in the north the city makes up a large portion of the nations exports.

Early Days
With the collapse of Batu a group of displaced Batu migrants, headed by Aetifer White approached the Vulperium government to petition the settlement of a new city in the nations sparsely populated Meiddasia duchy. It was the intention of these weary refugees to settle in an area far from any other local inhabitants while using the river systems to conduct trade, and thats exactly how things started off. With the settlement of the town the White brothers stepped forward as leading figures of the settlers. Seeing an opportunity to formalize his high standing in the community Aetifer ordered the construction of a castle upon a hill at the mouth of Westeroshi Bay. It would years to finish but once the castle was completed Waywood would look towards the surrounding area to expand.

Rise of the Waywood Syndicate
Sitting upon well-traveled roads and waterways Waywood would quickly become a dominant trade power in the region. As this became evermore clearer to the White family they decided to partner with another prominent household, the Gray family in order to establish the Waywood Syndicate. The Whites would oversee all commerce in the city relating to brewing, blacksmithing, and horse breeding while the Grays oversee all mining and farming operations. With the combined oversight of Waywoods industrial might by the two families, commerce began flourished, allowing the city to expand at an unprecedented rate in the Vulperium.

Waywoods Integration
As Waywood expanded its borders it came into contact with its eastern and western neighbors. The local government soon after contact held meetings with the leading figures from Pastel, a town in the east that controls the waterway that starts at Westeroshi Bay and empties into the Celestial Sea. Because of Pastels important position Waywood would go onto sign trade agreements with the Pastel people and relations would only improve from there. While in west, the duchy of Rang'urdrii would abuse the lack of federal representation in Meiddasia to cross over into its territory and claim several settlements. In need of someone who could fight for the city's interests Waywood citizens turned to Terradore Baker, the leader of Pastel and duke of Vulperia for help. Terradore was able to petition the federal government to force Rang'urdrii to remove their claims on Meiddasia land. Though the most southern settlement was allowed to remain the settlers that remained in the other claims were ordered to relocate. Thrilled to see the city's short-term trade partner Terradore fight so hard for Waywood the city would push the government to integrate Meiddasia into Vulperia. Allowing Terradore to permanently represent them. While the integration was on-going Rang'urdrii tried to have the government forcefully absorb Meiddasia into their own duchy behind Waywoods back. Even though this was rejected it resulted in Waywoods committed loyalty to Vulperia.