Berenstead

Berenstead is the seat of power of the Berenethtelli kings, a great fortress with a hillfort and mighty walls. It is located south of the Oslira River's confluence with the Black Eel River, in the southwestern part of the Black Eel Valley. The fortress was constructed by a group of captured dwarf sailors back in the days of Beren and Redalda, the founders of the Berenethtelli tribe. When constructed, Redalda wanted Berenstead to be warded against Chaos, but the dwarves did not know how and Beren chose otherwise.

It is said that Berenstead would stand for as long as one of Beren's and Redalda's heirs ruled there. Though, by Iverlantho's time, the position of king had become largely ceremonial, it was still important for certain rituals. The most important of these rituals were conducted every Sacred Time wherein the heir to Beren's royal line renewed the dwarves' debt to Beren, empowering the Stasis Rune protecting Berenstead's fortifications. Without this rite, Berenstead's outer walls, citadel, and palace would crumble before the end of the year.

In the aftermath of Stormfall, what remained of the royal clan retreated to the safety of Berenstead.

Besides the walls and citadel, the settlement includes houses, a kiln, storehouses, a market, and various temples and/or shrines to both storm and solar deities. The citadel houses, amongst other things, a cellar (with a secret entrance), a treasury, a royal hall, and the king's chambers. Parts of Berenstead's walls were designated as a story wall, with carvings detailing the royal clan's history.

## Lights Going Out

During clan creation, you will choose to ward Berenstead against one of several foes. Those are: dwarves, floods and earthquakes, rival Storm worshipers, Sun worshipers, and trolls. Throughout the game, you will have an advantage defending against whichever foe you pick.

### Lore

About their home, your clan ring has the following to say:

* "Beren won the friendship of dwarves, who made Berenstead for us."
* "Beren told the dwarves, 'Build this wall.' When they refused he said, 'You do not understand your position here.'"
* "The dwarves built Berenstead but then turned against us."
* "Supposedly, Berenstead will last as long as it is ruled by an heir to Beren and Redalda."
* "If the Beren bloodline ends, the walls of the fortress that bears his name will crumble."
* "I suspect dwarves. They were the ones who built Berenstead, and must have installed this secret entrance to our realm."

### Events

Since you play as the royal clan in *Lights Going Out*, many of its events will take place in or around Berenstead. However, these are some of the events concerning the actual structure of, or land surrounding, Berenstead:

* Burning Rain

## Images

Dwarves constructing Berenstead.Berenstead under torrential rain.Storehouses at Berenstead.Dwarves placing a strange device in the cellars of Berenstead.Beasts breaking the outer walls of Berenstead.Berenethtelli nobles stand outside Berenstead's royal hall.Wakboth the Devil stomps on Berenstead.An argument in Berenstead's marketplace.The fields outside Berenstead, plants growing.A theft has occured in Berenstead.Berenstead's story wall, detailing the demise of King Vinglanth.Fields outside Berenstead, frozen by Valind's glacial winds.A group of Uroxi by the gate to Berenstead's hillfort.A large crack in the walls of Berenstead.