Bedlam

Bedlam is a goblinoid settlement in the Frostcrag Mountains.

## Overview

The goblinoids of Bedlam are mostly made up of Goblins and Hobgoblins that are exiled from Razzan. They have formed their own community in the ruins of an old Dwarven Citadel that they have come to call Bedlam.

Bedlam was originally a stronghold of the Karus, but it was invaded by the forces of Surran sometime before the fall of Karus-Abhel. The population was rounded up and forcibly exiled. The fortress was forgotten and left undisturbed for centuries.

Vhassak Braineater was bit of a deranged Goblin, known for cracking the skulls of his enemies and (you guessed it) eating their brains. He was strong, and amassed a good sized following of other Goblins. When he finally drew the ire of the leadership in Razzan, he knew he had to flee.

He and his followers eventually ended up crossing into Scyra, but they quickly found themselves caught between human and orc forces fighting in the region, rather than getting caught up in that, Vhassak led his followers into the Frostcrags in hopes of crossing into the Crucible.

There was an extra cold night on the mountainside when it was decided that shelter was needed. One of the scouts had located a large cave nearby, and it was decided to try and shelter there for a while. When they explored the cave more thoroughly, they discovered the vast Dwarven citadel below.

Vhassak knew that this place could make an excellent base with which to eventually grow his followers and gain more power for himself. Unfortunately, that wouldn't come to pass. He ate the wrong brain and got very sick and died shortly after the discovery.

The new leader of the Goblins was weaker, and so the citadel would remain in Goblin hands but wouldn't develop into a major center for conquest of the region.

Eventually, a group of exiled Hobgoblins and Half-Hobgoblins caught wind of the citadel, however, and sought the place out. They discovered a Goblin town that could easily expand. Their leader, Bedlam Snaketooth, took control of the citadel and renamed it after himself. Snaketooth was an effective leader, though oddly egalitarian for a Hobgoblin. He ran his new holding as a meritocracy, and so the capable rose to positions of authority quickly. Large mushroom farms were developed underground, the old dwarven iron mine was recovered, forges were rebuilt, and slaves from Scyra and the Crucible were successfully captured to operate those.

When Snaketooth finally perished, the city mourned his loss. His only surviving son, Snatha, took control of the settlement and built a massive mausoleum for his father. Snatha was not as effective a leader as Snaketooth, but he continued his father's meritorious governing style and managed to hold the community together until he eventually fell to an assassin's blade. The House of Snaketooth is still a leading family, even if the community is led by others now.

Bedlam has since grown into a large village, in terms of population. Goblin tribes now see Bedlam as a major trading post, and they journey their to sell the spoils of war and trade for things like weapons. A surface town now hides the entry cave to the citadel, though it is mostly a facade to distract human scouts.