Bryton

The seat of power for the Hildebrand family. This mountain town is located deep inside the eastern Kormal Mountains. As one of the last remaining holdouts of civilized life in the dark mountains of Kormal, this small town is carefully guarded by Bryton Keep. An ancient mountain fortress that sits over the town.

## History

Though quite small today, the town of Bryton was founded several hundred years ago in the early 600's to be used as a mining outpost to aid Egron in it's reconstruction after the First Orc War. The town grew and prospered during this time, providing large shipments of metals and materials to the growing kingdom. Record of this time are sparse, but ruins in the surrounding area and what evidence that has been able to be collected puts Bryton as a blossoming large town with a population of several hundred miners and fisherman.

Unfortunately, this early Bryton came to a rapid end after a century of steady growth. The city was targeted by the Dread Lich Malogash in his early subjugation of the Kormal Mountains. While some of today's inhabitants tell stories of a long siege and a bloody fight, recent excavations paint a far different story. It is likely the town was wiped out in the span of only a few days. Most of it's inhabitants being slaughtered and used to provide troops to Malogash's armies.

Slaughter and abandonment would not be Bryton's fate as all armies need supplies and weapons. Malogash gave control of the remains of Bryton to the Vampire Lord Sigismund von Hildebrand. It would be Sigismund's duty to keep the mines of Bryton running to provide Malogash's undead hordes with weapons and armor that would be desperately needed in the eradication of Egron. Sigismund kept a kernel of Bryton's population for labor and as a herd for his own dark needs. Sigismund would serve Malogash well in this supply role, fueling his armies nearly until the end of the Second Orc War and Malogash's imprisonment. Sigismund was no fool though, and as he saw the end of the war coming, he betrayed Malogash, providing the Egronian and Allied forces with much needed intelligence and weaknesses to his many citadels spread throughout the Kormal Mountains. Though a dangerous gambit, Sigismund's betrayal proved fruitful, as it likely saved his life after Malogash's imprisonment.

After Malogash's fall, Sigismund von Hildebrand was technically no longer the Lord of Bryton. However, with Egron's military and power not yet recovered and the Vampire proving no immediate threat after the war, he was never actively removed from power. For a while he proved to be a neutral party, defending what lands he was able to hold onto after the war and even aiding in the rebuilding of the surrounding area. By 775 though, Egron had grown to a point that it no longer needed to fear the ailing state of Sigismund. Besieged by the growing power of Egron and the large influx of dangerous elements within the Kormal Mountains, Sigismund bent knee to Egron.

For the next two hundred years, Bryton was slowly rebuilt as a distant holding of Egron. Due to the distance and the danger of the area, Sigismund was left in charge of the territory as a Count of Egron. During this time, the town of Bryton grew very slowly as Sigismund destroyed it's neighboring threats to settle the dangerous lands by the sword. He was moderately successful and Lordship tempered the counts bloodlust. In 850 Sigismund von Hildebrand married an elven woman by the name of Aelwyn who further tempered her brooding husband. In 984, Aelwyn gave birth to the count's sole child, Ericka von Hildebrand. His celebration was to be short lived though. In 990 a powerful dwarven hunter whom had survived Sigismund's original sacking of Bryton gathered a small party and exacted his revenge. Sigismund and Aelwyn were both slain on the grounds of their own keep.

At the tender age of 6, spared only due to her age at the time, Ericka von Hildebrand became the Countess of Bryton, a position she holds to this day.

## Geography

The town of Bryton is nestled along the cliffs of The Silver Spire and Silver Lake. Lake Blank is a high mountain lake fed from a deep spring near the top of The Spire Blank and nearby melt water from other peaks. The mountain itself is a natural fortress with steep passes and rocky outcroppings perfect for ambushes and towers all over the mountain. It was for this reason why the town was originally settled, along with the ore from the mountain itself, and the reason why it was never actually retaken by the forces of Egron during the Second Orc War. Built into the peak itself and hanging forbiddingly over the town of Bryton itself is Bryton Keep, an ancient fortress and the home of Bryton's ruling family, the Hildebrands.

Despite the natural beauty of the location, the area around Bryton is incredibly dangerous. Filled with untold horrors and ancient ruins dating to the Second Orc War and Malogash's domination of this region. Bryton itself is free from such horrors, but only due to the three hundred year campaign of Sigismund Hildebrand and his wife Aelwyn to keep the area free from such terrible dangers.

The architecture of the town is sturdy stone construction with white washed plaster to seal the buildings from the inclement weather so common in the Kormal Mountains. Roofs are red terracotta panels which contrast well with the white plaster below. The town itself takes advantage of the natural terrain to prove to be a small fort in and of itself, with a small stone wall sealing off the main passes to the east and west of the town.

High above the town stands Bryton Keep, an ancient castle built before the time of the Second Orc War. Despite it's age, the fortress is meticulously maintained. A colossal undertaking due to it's nearly non existent staffing since Bryton's original fall nearly 300 years ago. It's features match the towns below, with red terracotta roofing and white plaster walling. The castle is in excellent shape and boasts to have only been taken once, by the current ruling family. Still, the wear of years and lack of staffing shows. The northern tower has collapsed, and though cleaned and reinforced, reconstruction has stalled since the death of Sigismund, and with him the vast majority of funds for the castle and town.

## Inhabitants

The meager few which call Bryton home are tough bunch. They are the descendants of Sigismund von Hildebrand's original herd, as well as the few who have trickled in from other meager holdings in the Kormal Mountains which have been overrun by the dangers of the mountain range. As a result of this, they are a rather diverse group, with humans only forming a little over a half of the towns population. The remaining population form a rather large minority of dwarves, elves, and surprisingly half elves due to the intermingling of the current bloodlines in the town. There is even a few gnomes and halflings running around, though their numbers are minuscule.

## Religion, Magic, and Technology

### Religion:

Religion does not form a large part in the life of those who live in Bryton. There is a single temple which has shrines to gods which members of the town worship. Worship of Torag is perhaps the most common as many who venture into the caves call Torag their patron. The temple known as the High Forge is watched over by Father Bedreas Shatterbow, a cleric of Torag and his wife Maelwyn Netti. Religions calling upon the active disruption of the law or particularly destructive deities and cults are frowned upon, though members are only prosecuted if they break the law. The only religion which is outright controlled in any way is Pharsama, due largely in part to Bryant being ruled by a Vampire for 300 years. Ericka no longer enforces her fathers ban, however she is well aware of Pharasman abhorrence for intelligent undead and would not be keen on open and powerful worship of her.

### Magic:

Magic is not banned in any shape or form, and those who can make use of it are encouraged to do so for the betterment of Bryant and the continued taming of the wilds around the ancient town. That being said, the population of Bryant proves difficult for allowing widespread use of magic, despite the large concentration of elves and half elves. Many of the towns inhabitants know a little bit of magic through their bloodlines though, and it's use is encouraged in all forms.

### Technology:

Due to the mining past of the town, Bryant embraces technological advancement. It still makes use of some now ancient mining contraptions though most of what they have has been scavenged and retrofitted over the years. Technology is incredibly difficult to get out in the wilds of the Kormal Mountains. What the town has, is jealously guarded as it aids in the lifeline of the town.