One of the fifty fiefdoms of Araluen. Will was stationed there for a short period of time right after graduating from apprenticeship.
Location and Description[]
- According to the actual text, Seacliff Fief is an island located in the extreme southeastern corner of Araluen. (Sorcerer, ch. 1).
- However, despite that specific text, all the maps place Seacliff Island roughly at the middle of the east coast, not down at the southeast corner. After all, there would be no practical way to run a ferry from the high cliffs, plateau, and mountains of Rain and Night at the southeast corner of the kingdom. A ferry would also be impractical from the adjacent marshland fens.
- Seacliff island is large, leaf-shaped, and roughly twelve by eight kilometers. (Sorcerer of North, chapter 2).
- It is separated from the mainland by 100 meters of deep water. The island is accessible by a ferry. A creek runs through the island. (Sorcerer, ch. 2)
- This is a small fief contained solely within a large island.
- Castle Seacliff is a small castle with no soaring towers or anything overly impressive. One section of the wall is made of timber -- wooden tree trunks set vertically and bound by a rusty iron bracket. It is perhaps disappointing compared with the glorious castle at Araluen Fief or even the grand fortress at Redmont Fief.
- Seacliff boasts an excellent kitchen, which has 50 apprentices. Kitchenmaster Rollo is one of the best cooks in the kingdom, second only to Master Chubb and Jenny of Redmont Fief.
Defenses[]
- One of the smaller fiefs of the kingdom, Seacliff is considered a quiet backwater. But it is a defense against raiders, including (historically) Skandian Seawolves.
- Seacliff is garrisoned with 25 men-at-arms, 15 archers, 10 Battleschool apprentices, and 6 knights. The Battlemaster of Seacliff is Sir Norris, and the Lord of Seacliff is Baron Ergell.
- Nothing much happens in Seacliff, which perhaps is why Sir Norris allowed his fighting force to remain unfit and poorly trained. Nevertheless, after the desperate survival raid of Gundar Hardstriker and his crippled ship Wolfcloud, the force is once again back on track. (Sorcerer of the North)
- The Ranger Corps also protects Seacliff, but the commandant is not likely to assign this small contained fief to a high-ability ranger.
Rangers Stationed[]
- Egon (Ranger) was stationed at Seacliff until he got replaced and joined the Renegade Rangers. The Tournament at Gorlan
- Bartell was stationed at Seacliff until he retired.
- Will Treaty was stationed at Seacliff when Bartell retired, at the beginning of book 5, The Sorcerer in the North (Baron Ergell).
- Later, after book 9, Halt's Peril, Will returns to familiar countryside at Redmont Fief to help ranger Halt, leaving the newly graduated Clarke in charge of Seacliff Fief.
- This quiet area is one of the first fiefs that is assigned to a newly graduated, old/retiring, or incapacitated Ranger.