Lower Westmarch

Lower Westmarch is an unoffical province of Westmarch situated south of the Westmarch Mountian range. Although all of Westmarch, including lower westmarch, is nominally underthe control of Marshal Starhemburg of Alma, Lower Westmarch contains few Imperial Commonwealth settlements and is rarely patrolled by the Cavella. It is seen as a lawless frontier Wasteland by much of the population, and those meaning to escape the reaches of the law often flee to Lower Westmarch, giving rise to several semi-autonomous bandit communities. These bandits sometimes attempt raids on Imperial commonwealth towns and trade, both within westmarch and in neighboring provinces, but is too large and difficult to paintain consistant patrols. Hence, towns have local militia garrisons and trade missions have escorts, with most of the Westmarch Cavella stationed in Northern Westmarch where the population is far denser, and bandits still abundant.

Lowesr Westmarch is also home to a large population of Steppe Centaur who, in exchange for peaceful co-existence with the imperial commonwealth are allowed to live with sovereign autonomy. The Steppe Centaur Chieftains and the Imperial Authority take a 'don't bother us, and we will not bother you' approach to diplomacy, such that the Steppe Centaurs have free reign over the stepps of southern westmarch and are given to enjoy their own legal autonomy. The Steppe Centaurs generally avoid the few imperial settlements in Southern Westmarch, but have been known to cautiously approach when in need of trade, especially for medical assistance where Traditional Steppe Medicine has failed. These meetings are usually brief, mutually distrustful, but rarely if ever actually hostile.

The Steppe Centaurs have a wide variety of relationships with the fugitives that flee into southern Westmarch: Few have been accepted into the tribes as members, but many have been captured and put into slivery by the centaurs, while many more enjoy the same diplomatic relationship of the commonwealth. Occassionally, vagabond communnities of Lower Westmarch have angered the Centaurs by stealing food or other valuables, and have been punished accodung to local tribal law while imperial authority turns a 'blind eye.'

In general, the Steppe Centaurs Relationship with outsiders is one of guarded suspicion, but tempered by strong traditional values of fair justice. A common saying among vagabonds of Lower Westmarch is, 'A centaur will not start a fight, but he will finish one.'

The Steppe Centaurs occasionally approach trade ships travelling the RIver Alma for trade.