House Brody (Novel: House Bromden)

Official Insignia

Approximate region under this house's authority

House Brody (Novel: House Bromden) is one of the five Noble Houses of Duilintinn, spanning the foothills of the Northern Mountains, the northern edge of the Monaidh Plains, and the Cuartalan Wetlands on the eastern coast . The Noble House is led by Lord Chase Brody and is primarily known for its role as the backbone of Duilintinn, both economically as a major supplier of food and natural resources, but also culturally, as examples of tenacity and courage amidst seemingly unwinnable odds.

## History

### Pre-Duilintinn

One of the major demographics of this time was the established plantation owners in the fertile lands of (future) House Brody. Arriving with the ships from Waldren, these farmers made a stable living settling the area with massive farm complexes.

These plantation dynasties prided themselves on preserving the traditional way of things, especially after Waldren abandoned Duilintinn. After decades of self-rule, these families grew to distrust the idea of being ruled by someone who could potentially change that order. As a result, these farming clans only agreed to become part of Duilintinn after an intense series of negotiations. This is part of the reason why the region wasn’t ruled by a noble lord until 1592.

### Founding

In the months since the attempt on the king’s life in October 1590, scouts had reported that The Enemy had retreated into the Western Forest, where signs of his magic could be found in increasing amounts as you ventured within its depths. The scouts who attempted to follow this trail had never returned.

King Sean knew that another attack was coming, and if the magic used in the first attack was anything to go by, The Enemy would return wielding power they couldn’t even imagine. When that day came, the national government in Cordoire couldn’t be wasting resources running the agriculture and food distribution in the northern farmland regions of Duilintinn. Therefore, the king proposed appointing a new lord to manage the region, leaving Cordoire free to face The Enemy threat head-on.

Some argued that appointing another lord would only incense The Enemy further. However, most believed that The Enemy was already planning to attack again, regardless of if another lord was titled, and that it was better to prepare for such an attack, rather than remain vulnerable in an attempt to delay the inevitable. Even the plantation families were more inclined to accept a noble lord after the attempt on King Sean’s life, particularly if the lord in question came from one of their own farming class.

After months of debate, the decision to title Lord Brody was made in June 1591. As with the titling of Lord Jackie, Lord Marvin, and Lord Schneeplestein, the future lord was not present when the decision was made. However, unlike the previous three lords, Chase Brody was not living at the court in Cordoire at all when he was nominated to be the next lord, but instead was living with his young family in Aghaboy.

In July 1591, King Sean made a personal visit to Chase’s home, informing him of the court’s desire to title him as the next Noble Lord of Duilintinn. The conversation was brutally honest. Both Sean and Chase knew that the northern farmland would have never agreed to a lord even a year ago. However, the attack had left the entire kingdom shaken to its core, and the regional leaders were suddenly open to additional oversight for the sake of safety and stability, while the national government in Cordoire needed to put all of its focus on preparing for the next attack. Not only would tilting Chase take the burden of managing the farmland regions off of Cordoire’s shoulders, but the hype surrounding the titling of a new lord was just what Duilintinn needed to rally together in the wake of the first true threat to the kingdom.

Despite his young age and lack of government experience, Chase’s familiarity with the insular culture of these farmers and status as “one of their own” made him an acceptable leader in the eyes of the established local governments. In addition, the young man’s idealist, jovial demeanor was perfect for bringing some hope back to a scared kingdom. As the only member of the founding quest’s inner circle who was also a descendant of the plantation farmers who dominated the region, Chase was the obvious choice for the next Noble Lord.

When recounting the conversation, Chase noted that the conversation was very raw and emotional. Though the king did his best to hide them, Chase could see small signs of the attack on Sean. The intensity of the situation and reality of what Sean was asking and the amount of trust that implied nearly caused Chase to break down, and Sean with him.

After pulling himself together, Chase consulted with his family. Or really, he just asked for Stacy’s opinion; Ashe and Will were seven and three years old, respectively, and thought the whole idea of being little lordlings is great. Stacy also seemed very interested in the prospect of being a Lady and encouraged Chase to do what he felt was right. In the end, Chase agreed and plans were made for him to spend the remainder of the year in Cordoire to get some court experience before receiving his title.

In April 1592, in an event that captured the attention of all of Duilintinn, a grand ceremony was held to title Lord Brody as the fourth Noble Lord of Duilintinn. His Noble House was given authority over the entire land north of Cordoire, from the Cuartalan Wetlands on the coast of the Eastern Sea to the Agrona River on the eastern edge of the Draoidh Valley.

House Brody was founded in the name of standing firm against the dangers of the world, lending your support to others and giving what you can to the small, necessary tasks that might go unnoticed, but provide the rest of the kingdom a foundation to stand upon. This idea of tenacity in the face of unbearable odds and the simple, unspoken strength of surviving another day would become increasingly important to the region in the wake of the First and Second Great Famine and the raids that would plague the region during the First and Second War of The Watch.

The titling of Lord Brody is largely considered to be the first move King Sean made in response to The Enemy threat after the initial attack. This would not go unnoticed by The Enemy either, who was particularly enraged that the child who stumbled into the quest halfway through a battle was apparently more worthy of a title than himself. This is the final straw that would prompt The Enemy to give himself entirely over to his unnatural powers, leading him to cause the First Great Famine on Hallows’ Eve later that same year.

### Modern Day

The formation of House Brody caused a lot of demographic changes in the region. Each noble house saw large amounts of people emigrate to the region immediately after its founding, and House Brody was no exception. The established plantation owners were not at all happy about this, but unfortunately, they didn’t have long to complain.

These plantations were very focused on cultivating the “civilized” crops to produce the exact same product grown by their Waldren ancestors, at the cost of crop diversity. As a result, the First Great Famine absolutely decimated the crop yields of traditional plantation families.

By contrast, the new, smaller farms worked with a diverse range of native crops. They adapted to the land, unlike the plantations which sought to dominate it. While Duilintinn still suffered greatly during the famine, the ceaseless efforts of these emigrant farmers saved the kingdom from complete destruction.

By the time the First Great Famine ended, most of the old plantation families had fallen into ruin. The farmers who remained were united by their tireless efforts to bring hope and life to what was then the darkest part of Duilintinn’s history. In the years that followed, these newer occupants of House Brody would prove their mettle as they survived dozens of attacks from The Enemy in the First and Second War of the Watch and the Second Great Famine, not to mention the whiplash of seeing their lord disappear and reappear on multiple occasions in the last decade.

Though it has been years since the end of the Second Great Famine, House Brody has yet to recover fully from its effects. Though crop yields have finally returned to expected levels, it will be many more years before the farmers can produce enough seeds to replant the following year with no shortages. In addition, The Enemy has renewed his assault on the borders of House Brody and their lands, burning their fields, homes, and livelihoods. There are even rumors of the enemy kidnapping children to bolster his force of minions. The Watch has concurred that their sources do not disprove these rumors, although they cannot be certain of their veracity without further leads.

## Geography

House Brody encompasses the Cuartalan Wetlands, rocky foothills of the Northern Mountains, and the northern, far less dry reaches of the Monaidh Plains. To the north, the Northern Mountains rise up with their incredibly steep and craggy peaks. To the east, the Pa'Gille River flows into the fertile wetlands to eventually meet the sea. To the south, fields of wheat, barley, rye, beans, and root vegetables stretch all the way to the borders of House Jackie and banks of the Guardian River. To the west, the Western Forest peeks over the hills and crawls up the mountains.

The Cuartalan Wetlands are a massive estuary that spans almost the entire eastern half of House Brody, nearly reaching the Beinnfaire Ridge. While wetland agriculture is extremely diverse and heavily dependent on the reclamation practices of a particular community, rice, potatoes, and a wide variety of herbs are some of the most common crops grown year-round. Fisheries also dot the region, cultivating and harvesting the estuary’s diverse population of aquatic life.

Unlike the majority of the region, which is very arid and unsuitable for agriculture, the northernmost portion of the Monaidh Plains located within House Brody is relatively fertile. While this area still retains the primary characteristics of the Monaidh Plains’ geography and ecosystem, the looser acidic soil of the Northern Mountains mixed into the heavy alkaline soil of the plains makes the region far more workable for agriculture.

Major Geographic Landmarks

* Agrona River
* Pa’Gille River
* The Monaidh Plains
* The Cuartalan Wetlands
* The Beinnfaire Ridge
* The Northern Mountains

### Borders

The eastern and western borders of House Brody are clearly defined by Eastern Sea and the Agrona River, respectively. The Northern Mountains mark the northern border; its steep slopes create a natural boundary between Duilintinn and the neighboring country of Haneul.

East of the Beinnfaire Ridge, the southern border of House Brody is indicated by the Guardian River. However, the southern border on the western side of the ridge is a bit less distinct.

Technically, the border between House Brody and House Jackie is defined by the shift in climate between the arid portions of the Monaidh Plains and the northernmost portion of the plains, which has more precipitation and fertile soil thanks to the Northern Mountains. However, this geographic distinction is very vague, so the true border is primarily defined by an invisible line extending west from the southern walls of Cordoire. Due to the difficulty in determining this boundary, large stone markers can be found half-buried in the soil all along this line to inform people of the border between the two Noble Houses.

### Climate

House Brody is known for its mild and brief winters, warm summers, and plentiful precipitation. House Brody gets a good amount of rain in the summer from the mountainous regions to their north, which, combined with the milder temperatures from the coast and its relatively short winters, makes it the most fertile area in the kingdom. The more arid portions of House Brody in the south-west allow it to grow crops that dislike the wetter, milder climate to the north and east.

During the summer, the rain in House Brody usually comes and goes in bursts of rainfall, with short downpours followed by rainbows in sunny skies, which in turn are pursued by another group of clouds rolling over the horizon. On the other hand, winters are usually a calmer version of the weather experienced in House Schneeplestein and House Jackie, with lots of snowfall from the winter storms battering the coast.

### Agriculture

House Brody has three climate regions:

* Arid grasslands to the South-West
* Mild and rainy mountain foothills to the North
* Humid wetlands to the East

Farmers in House Brody will rotate their crops, allowing the soil to recover nutrients and stay healthy. This means that each region will have multiple crops per season so that they can shuffle around which fields have what crop each year. If the same field had the same crop every year, it would deplete the soil, and a field without enough nutrients to grow food is no good to anybody. Each of House Brody's climate regions will lend themselves to different plants, and allows House Brody to grow the wide variety of crops necessary to feed a kingdom. In addition, there is one planting season in the spring and one in the fall. Different crops will grow better in different seasons.

Spring Crops:

* South-West: Beans and Barley
* North: Peas and Oats
* East: Rice, Potatoes, and Herbs

Fall Crops:

* South-West: Wheat and Green Leafy Vegetables
* North: Rye and Root Vegetables
* East: Rice, Potatoes, and Herbs

Livestock:

* In the South-West, you’ll find types of livestock that require big, grassy pastures, such as cattle and lowland sheep. Chickens are also raised in this warm climate.
* In the North, you’ll find goats and mountain sheep. Some people also raise geese for their eggs.
* In the East, you’ll find fishermen and fish breeding grounds.

Other Notes:

* The herbs grown in the east are both medicinal and cooking herbs
* The north will also plant barley if the previous year’s barley crop was poor
* Some crops can be grown in both spring and fall if there is a shortage

### Other Natural Resources

The northern mountains are full of resources such as good workable stone, iron, and copper, so House Brody runs a lot of mining operations. The latter is by far the most common and useful mined resource produced by House Brody; while other metals such as bronze and steel are stronger, copper is still commonly used for everyday objects such as pots, tools, hinges, etc., simply due to how much of it can be found in the Northern Mountains, along with its durability and malleability.

## Culture

House Brody is full of people who work in silence harder than everyone else does, yet they often feel like they contribute the least to the Watch itself. A poorer, struggling house, the soldiers from House Brody are often less well-armed in the hope, time, or energy needed to combat the enemy. Many of them feel like The Watch would be better off without them there. However, The Watch wouldn’t exist without House Brody. They are not rich in weapons or resources, but they are the hardest workers and the most stalwart companions. They might not always be able to fight, but without them, The Watch would have no food, tents, or any other necessities that are often overlooked. Watchers from House Brody are the parental friends to all who listen to their wisdom and stories, and they are the best people to go to when you need support. While they aren’t perfect and have their own burdens to bear, they give back as much as they can in little ways that everyone else appreciates, even if they don’t always know it. They’re the Watchers that inspire the others to keep going when times are tough.

Grim and fatalistic, yet also jovial and mischievous, House Brody’s culture of playful and dark humor is rivaled only by that of House Marvin. However, House Marvin’s mischievousness comes from their recklessness and experimentation, while that of House Brody is a direct result of their hard, mundane lives. Similarly, House Brody’s dark worldview could not be more different from the skepticism and borderline arrogance common within House Marvin. It is said in other lands that the saddest people smile the brightest, and it could not be truer in the case of House Brody. Though their lands are wracked with famines and constant attacks from the enemy, House Brody has continued to put on the annual kingdom-wide games since their founding in 1593. No one is certain whether this playful culture stems from a need to lighten the darkness faced daily by House Brody or a desire to prevent others from feeling the same darkness. Even though the kingdom has felt two famines in recent decades, House Brody willingly bore the brunt of the starvation and suffering by continuing to ship out similar amounts of resources to the rest of the kingdom during those years of scarcity.

While shallow observers might see the culture of House Brody as immature, careless, and in denial, those who know better see them as the silent backbone of the kingdom, keeping everyone else strong and reminding them to persevere in times of trouble. You go to House Schneeplestein if you need education, House Jackie if you need courage, House Marvin if you need innovation, and House Jameson if you need cheer, but if you need a model of strength to inspire you in the days ahead, you go to House Brody.

Fundamentally, House Brody is the house of survivors. Not farmers. Not backwater country folks. Not poor people. Not sad people. Survivors.

See, being the house with lots of agriculture sets House Brody and its people up for a lot of stereotypes (country, old fashioned, poor, etc.) that I really want to avoid. While a lot of the things I listed above are often tied to survival, they aren’t what tie House Brody together. Rather, it’s the shared experience of hitting rock bottom and continuing to move forward the best they can, even if that’s just waking up each morning. Some of them managed to climb up out of that place. Others feel isolated and alone. Still others are striving to climb up but fall down a lot. That’s not what matters. Being in House Brody isn’t about your situation, it’s about you and your perseverance when everything seems against you. If you’re here, you’re persevering, and I’m proud of you for that. The last thing I want is for that overarching theme in House Brody to get replaced by another rural farmer stereotype.

### Rainbows

Rainbows appear the most in House Brody due to intermmident bouts of heavy rain in the summer, usually around mid morning or mid afternoon. Given that rainy days and sunny days are generally seen as opposites, they are both needed for successful growth of crops, and as such are both needed to live. So in House Brody, a rainbow can represent beautiful results of difficult times.

## Settlements

**Aghaboy:** The capital of House Brody, along the southern banks of the Pa'Gille River. Featuring mixed influences of Waldren Occupation architecture and modern construction, this city is home to House Brody's government and the political hubs of House Brody's major guilds.

**Agrona Bastion Outpost:** An outpost of The Watch, located in the northwestern corner of House Brody along the banks of the Agrona River. Protects the Agrona Bridge from any who would seek to enter Duilintinn from the Western Forest.

**Pa'Gille Caverns Outpost:** An outpost of The Watch, located in the Northern Mountains over the Cuartalan Wetlands. Serves as a fortress where refugees and important officials can retreat to if necessary and a secure place to store provisions for an emergency.

**Fort Stiofán:** A garrison of The Watch, located along the banks of the Guardian River, just east of the Beinnfaire Ridge. Focuses on the scholarly and political aspects of The Watch.

**Druffdrom:** Small town in the Northern Mountains between Aghaboy and Agrona Bastion.

**Tobatyr:** Prosperous farming town in central House Brody. Birthplace of Lord Brody.

**Fiansara:** A small town on the road between Cordoire and Fort Stiofán.

**Torthúlacht:** Growing town centered around an institute focusing on agricultural research and education.

**Slinad:** Large market town on the edge of the Northern Mountains, just north of Aghaboy.

## Economy

House Brody is most well-known economically for its farmers and miners, although other trades such as tanners, carpenters, lumberjacks, and more are extremely common.

House Brody is the source of almost every raw natural resource Duilintinn needs. From the metals needed in House Jackie’s smithies, to the leather and dyes used by House Jameson, to the main food supply for the entire kingdom, House Brody is an invaluable part of the kingdom’s infrastructure and, by extension, The Watch.

House Brody is also the main distributor of alcohol in the kingdom since there’s a lot of grain being grown there.

### Guilds

Three specific guilds hold the most economic and political sway in House Brody: The Order of Stone, Farmers' Guild, and Ocean Men. However, all of Duilitintinn's guilds have at least a minor presence in every Noble House. This is especially true of House Brody, which provides most of the raw materials that many of these guilds rely on.

## Government and Politics

### The Lord

From 1608 to mid-1614, Lord Brody had not been definitively seen in over five years since the enemy attacked him on the road. There are rumors of a deranged man who wanders the roads, rambling about lost children and dark hallways to anyone who will listen. Some believe this to be Lord Brody, but each investigation by The Watch led only to a dead end. Many believe he has been taken by the enemy, though for what purpose, no one knows. This all changed in the fall of 1614, when Lord Brody suddenly reappeared in Cordoire, bringing more questions than answers in his wake.

### The Bureaucracy

Each Noble House has a bureaucratic system running the day-to-day administrative stuff in the background, and has had one since Duilintinn's founding. The Lords were there to run the whole show, pick what they wanted their lands to strive towards, that sort of thing. The lords were more like a symbolic "this is what we stand for" heads of state than someone with actual administrative power, which was left to the bureaucracies.

At first, this required a lot of oversight from each lord to make sure that the bureaucrats were actually doing what they asked of them, but since each house is now full of people with similar ideology and goals, that oversight is much less necessary. Most officials in the bureaucratic part of the government legitimately want the same goals that the Lord wanted (otherwise they would have probably chosen a different house). When the lords disappeared, very little about the actual functioning of the government changed. Instead, the bureaucracy strives to carry on the legacy and aims of their missing lord.

## Symbols

The House Animal of House Brody is a Brownie, which is backed by a red sun rising over a golden field on the house’s insignia.

## Meta IRL Theorist-Type

Every Noble House is based upon a certain type of JSE community member who engages with ego content in some way. House Jackie is based on those who get very heated over threatening Anti or defending their favorite ego; those who initiate community fires and community revivals.

Okay, real talk here. We’ve all seen those posts from people worrying that they’re bringing the Jacksepticeye community down because of their struggles with mental illness, personal life, or simply keeping up a positive mental attitude in general. I know there are a lot of people in this community who worry that they can’t properly dive into the hype about the egos and the complicated, cryptic lore scattered through Jack’s videos because they don’t have the time, energy, or ability to sort through it all. Maybe you know someone like that; maybe that person is you. It doesn’t matter. House Brody is the house of those who want to be a part of the JSE theorist community, but don’t know how they can contribute. You might not be hunting for the signs of the enemy with House Marvin, connecting the dots with House Schneeplestein, planning the attack with House Jackie, or spreading creative works and positivity with House Jameson, but The Watch still wants you. The Watch needs you. You are a valuable part of this community because your stories and struggles remind us what we are fighting for. You are the backbone of this community. You are the backbone of The Watch. You are House Brody.