The Barony of Step is a Barony within the Earldom of Sword, in Vistria, and the personal seat of the Earl of Sword. The Earls of Sword had once been the Barons of Silverlode (and indeed they still own the eponymous sword), but the Earldom was stripped from them about 400 years ago by King Vincent IV in punishment for Earl Marljotur d'Elstina's gross mismanagement of the scandal surrounding Sir Ander Brolen.