The Valley of Halls

Before the War of the Emerald Throne the Eisenfluss Valley lacked castles as it had a unique administration in the Landermensch. The Valley was divided into small baronies which paid their fealty to the Lander himself as a Union. The Lander would appoint one of the barons the "Warden of the Valley" as his delegate to settle disputes and receive taxes. The Warden of the Valley was a government office that could be held for five years at a time and never more than twice in a life time. This arrangement made the Eisenfluss Valley a key area for Landermensch recruitment and kept a high degree of wealth within it.
Gottschalk Bronstein was the last warden; he died defending Fort Eisen.
Bergstadt would send a representative to the Warden's Council, which met twice a year at Fort Eisen. As this seat of governance would be transferred quite frequently, the Fort was never allowed to grow too much in its own economy.
Since the Eisenfluss Valley became a no-man's land during the war, most if not all the noble families dispersed as the war engulfed the region.