Bronsdale
Description
"Bronsdale (population: 441) is a small, cosy fishing village on the northeast shore of Lake Amsorak. While not as bountiful as they used to be, the fishing yields are still good enough to support the village. The fish are either brought south to Akorros by boat, or sold in Bronsdale to travellers who make regular stops there. Bronsdale is a village in decline. Despite the proximity of Fourth Army umps at Fort Fletcher, Bronsdale has recently been the target of several hit-and-run bandit attacks by both humans and orcs. The bandits are quick and fierce, and the troops seem to never be in the right place at the right time. It's almost as if the bandits knew in advance where the army patrols will be.
If that wasn't bad enough, Bronsdale is also the closest settlement of any size to Itheldown Island and its mysterious castle. Fishing yields have declined over the past few years and the old-timers blame the influence of the 'haunted-island.'" - Haring and Connors' Guide To Darokin.
While the population of Bronsdale is mainly human, many of the positions of authority are in the hands of non-humans. This is because those humans who aquire any money and skill tend to migrate to the larger, and safer towns away from the Broken Lands. Those non-humans who do the same tend not to and hence they have risen to the top. Darokin being how it is nobody seems to mind, in fact as long as they do a good job 'an orc is as good as a dwarf' as the saying goes.
Two rangers from the XI Legion are stationed in the village. Their job if a major orc force is spotted is to get to Fort Fletcher or Fort Lakeside as fast as possible to bring a larger force. They spend much of their time scouting the borders of the village for signs of trouble.
Xanaphia is not a well liked elf. He never drinks in the taverns, never spends coin in the shops and has a sycophantic, fawning air to the Mayor and to Lothander which irritates many of the villagers. That he is a good tracker, an accomplished fighter goes without saying; it is just that he is not well liked.
Oskar is a little more popular than Xanaphia, but not much he can be very rude, bordering on arrogance and he swaggers around the village as if he owns the place. He does not want to be here, he would rather be back at the Fort. He is far too trusting which has meant that he has lost a lot of money at the gambling stall in the market and at games in chance in the taverns. He has a shock of unruly red hair which defies all his attempts to keep it presentable.
Locations
The numbers in square brackets refer to the numbers on the map of Bronsdale.
The Caravanserai [1]
The Caravanserai is a large rectangular fort like building on the Fort Lakeside road near the edge of the village. While nowhere near the size of those built in larger settlements it is still by far the largest building in Bronsdale. It can hold nearly one hundred horses and twice as many men but is rarely more than half full. Most of the time it is empty and only a skeleton staff is kept on, keeping the place clean and safe. When a caravan is sighted more workers are called in from the village to cook, clean and service the men and beasts.
Around the four sides of the open compound are stables, on the ground floor, while on the upper floor are small but secure rooms for the guards and the goods. Occasionally some of the merchants will sleep in the Caravanserai but mostly they will take rooms in the village inns. The sturdy gate is locked from sunset till sunrise and not opened for latecomers.
The manager is a muscular half-elf by the name of Sara Amraniel though the caravansarai is owned by Toney House, the smallest of the nine mercantile houses of Darokin. The Captain of the guard is a elven military veteran by the name of Lothander, cool and calm he makes sure that nothing goes amiss on his watch.
Lothander has two men under his command; Ricardo Donatelli and Corrado Petronus. Ricardo is a man who likes to party hard and never seems to need sleep but has been known to turn up for duty slightly the worse for wear. Lothander has marked his card and warned him to 'shape up or ship out'.
Corrado is quite the opposite, sober but not a teetotaller he is a conformist obeying the regulations and the dictates that are laid down by Lothander. He has an irritating habit of toying with a coin while on duty. He twirls it between his fingers and flips it into the air and catches it. He has been doing it for so long with the same coin that it has been almost warn smooth.
The Temple Of Asterius [2]
As befits a village whose existence depends on mercantile trade, the temple in Bronsdale is dedicated to Asterius though the cleric here welcomes those who share a similar outlook and faith. The current incumbent, Charles Greycloak, has lived in the village for nearly twenty years and is respected by the people. It is common for merchants to make a small offering at the temple before setting out and another on arriving back from a journey in the hope that Asterius will look after them. Charles distributes a portion of these funds back into the community while the rest is sent to the mother church in Karameikos.
The Market [13]
The Market Square is an important gathering place and a hot bed of gossip each day of the week but this doubles on the weekly market held each Lunedain. From before dawn when the stall holders start preparing their stalls and the livestock starts to arrive from the countryside to sundown the square is a crowded, noisy place. There are a large number of stalls but not all are occupied each week. Generally there are several selling agricultural produce, dairy products, livestock and prepared food and drink open each week. Those that don't open each week include a gambling tent, carpet and tapestry salesman, freight shipper, alchemist, goldsmith and jeweller.
The Ruined Lookout [16]
This stone tower was struck by lightning out of a clear summer sky one night in 773 AC the same night that the strange events occurred on Itheldown Island. Since then several mayors have attempted to have the lookout rebuilt but each time some tragedy has befallen the village and the project has been left incomplete. The tower is now the home of seabirds and mothers tell their children to avoid it as it is cursed and dangerous.
Inns
There are three inns in Bronsdale all are respectable and the mayor doesn't allow any drunken behaviour.
The Sandy Cove Inn [3]
The Sandy Cove is the best inn in the village and always gets busy when a caravan is in town. The richer merchants will stay here and others will gather in the taproom in the hope of picking up gossip and tales from the travellers. The other main attraction is the noted bard, Roland Beetlefoot who is in permanent residence. He doesn't perform every night, but when a large caravan is in he is usually found in the taproom, telling tales and singing songs. The rooms are clean, the food and ale of good quality but these things do not come cheap especially when the inn is busy. On nights when an important caravan has just arrived, even getting into the taproom can be difficult.
The innkeeper, Careless Kate, is a half-orc with not so nimble fingers making her popular with the potters in town. She does however brew the best beer in Bronsdale and the fresh rabbit and boar that she hunts herself is also a big draw.
The Market Tavern [4]
For those that can't afford the prices at the Sandy Cove or arrive too late to get a room, the Market Tavern is a good fall back. The rooms aren't quite as large but they are clean. The food and ale is cheaper but less varied and of a lower quality. Its position on the main market square means that it is not the best place to stay if you like a lie in.
The innkeeper is a dwarf by the name of Krogsgaard. He is an observant and helpful dwarf but like most of his kind is given to periods of moody introspection interspersed with flashes of optimism. He keeps himself and the inn clean and is unusually for his race and profession a teetotaller. He likes to wax lyrical about his time working as a sapper in the Darokin army but few believe the tales he spins.
The Travellers' Rest [5]
This large inn on the outskirts of the village is where most people stay when they are in town. It has a few private rooms for those who require such things but most will bunk in one of the two large common rooms or on the taproom benches. Its sturdy stone walls and slate roof are protection against the frequent orc and bandit raids. The inn keeper expects those that stay at the inn to help protect his property and so waives rooming fees if an attack takes place.
The innkeeper Ruari is a well mannered middle-aged man but can seem a bit jumpy at times. He wears a distinctive ring in the form of a serpent on his left hand.
Merchants
There are a number of general merchants in the village, some only trade when a caravan is in town as they carry very little stock while other, larger or more specialist businesses are open all year round. The market square is busy most days but the Lunadain market is especially busy.
Mitchell's Rare Books [6]
Mitchell's lies on the junction of Temple Lane and South Bay Street and deals exclusively in scrolls, books, maps and other such items. The owner Owen Mitchell is not interested so much in magical tomes though he is willing to buy such items from adventurers and merchants.
Seabreeze Fish and Meat [7]
Most people travelling from the north will smell Bronsdale before they see it as the Seabreeze Fish and Meat store lies on the northern edge of the village. Large racks of fish are set out to dry in the brisk winds that blow off of the lake while a smokehouse preserves fish and meat in a way more palatable to most folk. The smell of these two trades mingles with the smell of tanning pits where the owner Paul prepares hides and leather. He sells some of his best leather to Tani the leatherworker who uses it to make good quality armour and other goods. He is always willing to pay a fair price for rare furs and skins from adventures as long as they are not too badly damaged.
Jordan's Bulk Products [8]
The large yard behind the long low building lying on the edge of Bronsdale Woods contains piles of seasoned timber, barrels of salted and pickled vegetables while inside sacks of grain are piled high after harvest. Jordan has little truck with adventurers unless they want work hewing timber in the large sawpit that he has built just inside Bronsdale Woods. He sells bark to Paul to aid with the tanning process but most of his products are shipped out on the caravans. There are good stands of fine straight timber in the woods that are desired by the shipwrights in the lakeside towns who pay Jordan good money for them.
Toney's Mercantile Emporium [9]
This general store is part of Toney House, the smallest of the nine mercantile houses in Darokin. It is run by Gregory Callister, a cousin of the current head of Toney House, Mendel Callister. By nature he is rude and suspicious when he first meets someone, especially since the loss of so many of his caravans to bandits and orcs. However once he gets to know you his true nature is revealed, a warm and friendly man in his middle years. The store is well stocked and its position on Market Square ensures good trade. Most of the caravans that pass through Bronsdale are owned at least in part by Toney House. It is a fair bet that any item that anyone could want can be bought or ordered from Toney's. Glim Osborne is Gregory Callister's assistant at Toney's Mercantile Emporium. All the mundane tasks that Gregory can't be bothered with are left to Glim to deal with. A muscular but unattractive man with a pox marked face and poor teeth Glim comes across as a bit foolish but he gets the work done and Gregory is pleased with the job he does.
Industry
There are three smithies in town though the one at the caravanserai is only fired up when a caravan is in town and deals mainly with showing horses and repairing wagons. It tends to be manned by one of the smiths that travel with the caravans.
The Market Smithy [11]
This large smoke blackened smithy is run by Rudolfo 'Strong-arm' Bandini. He is skilled in making the usual goods needed by a small village but his time in the military taught him to make armour, weapons and to a lesser extent bows. The place has a run down air about it despite the amount of work that Bandini gets through. His prices are competitive with those charged by Toney's.
Marili's Workshop [12]
The neat and tidy smithy owned by Marili Lionmane is a good place to come if you want delicate or intricate work, though she will turn her hand to the production of armour and weapons as well. She also makes and fixes locks, a profitable trade in Darokin.
Tani's Leather Goods [12]
The rich smell of good leather fills Tani's workshop which lies on the eastern edge of the village. Tani is an accomplished leather worker and produces fine leather clothing including various grades of armour. She buy's most of her leather from Paul at Seabreeze Fish and Meat but for special commissions orders tanned hides and dragonskin from Toney's.
Fishing & Farming [14]
The land around Bronsdale is, like most of Darokin, fertile and well watered. Fruit and vegetables, oats, wheat and barley, sheep and cattle are all produced in the lands around Bronsdale. Most are consumed locally but dried peas and beans, wheat and flour and some apples and pears are shipped to nearby towns and forts.
Fishing is of course an important business but this has been in decline in recent years. Fresh, dried, salted and pickled fish are sold in the market as well as shipped south to Akorros.
Forestry [15]
The Bronsdale Woods that lie to north east of Bronsdale between the lake and the mountains contain stands of ancient trees despite many generations of shipbuilders harvesting the woods for timber. Wild boars are common as well as less flavoursome creatures including timber wolves.