Earls of Misthelm are lords and ladies enfiefed within the County of Misthelm, or in personal service to the Count. They can range in power from knight-errants who plow land of their own to ruling as minor lords in their own right. Used as a title of respect among the northerners that call Misthelm their home, it is known to be awarded honorarily to the friends of the Count.
The Count of Misthelm asserts authority over the northern reaches of Ascalon over which their green banners hold sway.
Stretching across Ascalon's northern border, Misthelm's geography consists of grasslands and the northern fringes of The Coiwood at its heart, with the windswept scrubland-steppes that cover its eastern and western boundaries who provide her riders. The rolling hills of Misthelm hold more than a traveler's cold night's sleep: light green quartz, a peculiar mineral indigenous to Misthelm's soil. Its abundance gave rise to the widespread tradition of adorning oneself with jewelry crafted from this cheap crystal, one example being the seal of the Count of Misthelm.
Misthelm stands as a tale of two families and their capitals, each narrating a seperate but intertwined chapter in the region's history. Havengate, once the seat of the County of the same name, bears witness to the enduring resilience of the Halfhaven lineage. Ravaged by Lowlander invaders and reclaimed many times, the town remains a testament to the warrior spirit of Misthelm. Slumberstone, the ancient capital constructed by the Flambards of Fairshore fame, carries the weight of the County's long history on its shoulders. As the original seat of Misthelm it continues to retain its symbolic significance as the County's official capital.
The people of Misthelm embody a unique fusion of Ascalonian and Rathgari culture. Tales of the men of Misthelm are sung throughout the County, and by those who have fought beside them (or against them.) The knights of Misthelm have been shaped by the vast grasslands of the north and tend to don lighter loads than their southern counterparts, ready to endure the harsh elements of their homelands.
"In Misthelm, the very land shapes the identity of its people." Duke Caspian Flambard