Beetu

This city of 11,000 souls has the ill fortune to be ruled by a weakling, the toadying Count Romadnen Bereman. Bereman tries to buy favor with the king, and simply ignores the suffering of his people as he extracts full due from them. Again, Archbold will not hear ill of a man who is supporting his desperate treasury, but at least Bereman does not rule through fear. He deals with problems by running away from them.

Bereman's 600 royal militia are increasingly demoralized by having to collect taxes, and as many as 10% have actually deserted, fleeing into central Nyrond or even into Urnst. The people of the lands around (Beetu administers lands up to the Gnatmarsh, and along the Duntide to Arnford) have adopted the strategy of trying to conceal anything they own or earn from a militia which they sense feels guilty and wretched at having to collect it and has no stomach for pressing them very hard.

People here are downtrodden and despairing, rather than angry as they are in many of Bastrayne's lands around Woodwych. They have become experts in dishonesty by omission, if not by out-and-out lies, and thieves and rogues are beginning to flourish here.

Just about the only thing Bereman has managed not to do wrong concerns the Celadon Forest. Fearful of the anger of woodsmen, he never implemented the king's edict that the forest should be looted. For this reason much Celadon produce now comes to Beetu, increasing revenues and keeping Bereman afloat.