Byroden

The northernmost and largest town in the Mornset Countryside, Byroden borders the Gladepools and marks the first stop for any traveler endeavoring to traverse the Rifenmist Peninsula. It's also a hub of trade for the entire Mornset Countryside, and even some trappers and artisans of the Verdant Expanse. The town has a dense town center surrounded by palisades and tall wooden walls, but most of the community lives in homesteads and farmhouses spread across the surrounding fields. Byroden is mostly self-sufficient, and has a wealth of farmers, fishers, artisans, and miners, giving them everything they need to survive. Trade provides the opportunity for some luxuries, with raw materials serving as their primary currency.
While pleasant and welcoming on the outside, this lifestyle is protected by a fierce and intense drive to defend their way of life at the first sign of threat or danger. Most citizens are armed at all times and trained to rise as a communal militia at a moment's notice from the town's War Ringer, a designated sentinel charged with the town's protection.
Despite, or perhaps because of, the ever-present dangers that threaten Byroden, the town holds frequent festivals, feasts, and fiars, including the highly anticipated Gem of Byroden pageant and the midsummer Peachiest Pie bake-off. On festival days, small children roam freely within the protective town walls as their parents enjoy the chance to let loose and celebrate life in all its ephemeral glory.

Hillmaw Chasm

A few miles north of the center of Byroden is a gaping chasm. An earthquake thirty years ago split open Deercrest Hill. The chasm is referred to officially as Deercrest Ravine, but is known to most superstitious folk in town as Hillmaw Chasm. After the earthquake, locals stayed as far away from the chasm as they could—until four years later, when a group of adventurers found vast veins of precious gold and sturdy iron within. Soon, all people of Byroden strong enough to swing a pick or lift a shovel made their way into the chasm.
Most miners hire an armed escort because the chasm is known to be home to grumpy earth elementals, as well as unpleasant, slimy creatures of the dark. Most serious beliefs about the chasm being haunted have dissipated over the past thirty years. Still, rumors persist, and as folklore becomes myth, some say that myth can become reality.

Advent of the Cinder King

About forty years ago, Byroden was brought to its knees by Thordak the Cinder King. This incursion was about two decades before the Cinder King's destruction of Emon, and it was stopped by an adventuring party led by Allura Vysoren, now a senior member of the Tal'Dorei Council. Many in Byroden still see Allura, Lady Kima of Vord, and Drake Thunderbrand as heroes. The graves of the companions they lost in that fight, Sirus Kaldrem, Dohla Lorian, and Ghenn Talevesh, hold places of honor in the town cemetery.
While Byroden has long since been built anew, the terror of that day still lives on in its elders and adults. All but the youngest generation of Byroden takes great caution against another such monstrous attack—as well as against any attack by the Iron Authority to the south.

Hometown Heroes

At the center of the Byroden town square stands an iron statue of the half-elven twins Vex'ahlia and Vax'ildan, who helped lead the campaign against Thordak the Cinder King and the Chroma Conclave twenty years ago. The twins' mother, Elaina, raised them for several years before they left to live in Syngorn, and the town has always considered the twins to be from Byroden. Though they are far from the town's go-to role models, Byrodian parents often hold Vax and Vex up as examples for their children to aspire to emulate, especially when said children are being naughty or doubt themselves.

Demographics

45% humans, 21% half-elves, 12% goblinkin, 8% halflings, 8% gnomes, 6% other races

History

Around 792 or 793 PD, Thordak began to raid caravans and the autonomous villages of the Mornset Countryside, at the edge of the Tal'Dorei Council's influence. The people of the area asked the Council for armed assistance, describing a "nightmare of fire and malice," but Sovereign Odellan Tal'Dorei found the rumors too vague to justify the great expense of sending a regiment.
While Vax'ildan and Vex'ahlia were away in Syngorn around 794 or 795 PD, Thordak destroyed half of Byroden and killed a third of the population, including the twins' mother. By that time he had bent the Outerfolk of the Countryside to slavery and claimed dominion over the land. Emon finally sent its forces from Fort Daxio, but in a terrific battle south of the Stormcrest Mountains they were thrashed. Allura Vysoren, Kima, Drake Thunderbrand, and the rest of their adventuring party also failed to stop Thordak and had to fall back. However, with the help of the Arcana Pansophical, and the painful sacrifice of several compatriots, the party managed to seal Thordak in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Tourism

Byroden has come to pride itself on three things, locally termed "the three Ms": militia, mining, and merriment. Pie, both sweet and savory, is considered a major food staple.
It holds several festivals throughout the year. Notable is the annual Forever Byroden pageant, first held in 820 PD. Entrants vie for the title of "Gem of Byroden"; the competition consists of an interview, a talent show, and an evening wear exhibition. Persons who won in previous years may re-enter in later years to potentially win the title multiple times. Though the competition is primarily held for residents, those from out of town may also enter. There is no gender requirement. Other festivities during this pageant include a presentation of pies during the day, which are also judged in a competition, and a presentation of barbecue and smoked foods at night.

Type

Town

Population

8,050

Inhabitant Demonym

Byrodian

Location under

Rifenmist Peninsula