Braitheld

We in the Ambassadors Guild have the past months been travelling the lands of Isilendor, building bridges between the realms after the war. In our work to ensure peace, what we value most is a collective understanding – for where there is awareness, there is no fear of the unknown.

Enclosed are a few notes from our travels, which we hope might come in educational if you ever were to visit this realm.

Best Regards,

The Ambassadors Guild

The Paladin Orders are Exclusive to Braitheld
To fight against nobility, the Paladin Order was formed to defend the commoners. Trained from childhood, the paladins are not only some of the most formidable fighters of the land, they are also often seen as heroes by the common people. Outside the direct command of the ruler, the paladin orders usually operate individually, but have on occasions been known to combine forces – all for the good of the people.
 

The Sigils of the Eight Primary Paladin Orders
by Leander Kaeric

The Coastal Peoples

Dominated by influential shiplords and guild masters the Coastal People provide the realm with busy coasts, ports and markets filled with goods that none can find, except if they travel across the sea like them. They are sailors, but some of them used to be pirates during the Great War. They have established a life on the rocky and treacherous cliffs bordering the sea, but very often visit any city's port.

The Mountain Clans

The Caeraigs was the home of the first human settlements that can be found on the West side between the Mountains. Their culture is very different from the rest and that is because of the mountain terrain. The harsh life made them form nomadic clans and a love of war, staying away from politics. They offer services to protect any caravan passing from their area, even from the neighboring Delvheim. And the most impressive thing is that they have strong bonds with dwarves.

The Grassland Peoples

Probably the most populous and expansive of the peoples across Braitheld, the grassland people live in cities and villages, where they usually learn by early age to ride horses, since they roam around the valleys. There are nobility and strong politics between lords and ladies, while these people have had the most sparked peasant rebellions from their system of governance before! There are plenty of farms in this grassy region that have helped Braitheld feed their people with cattle, wheat and other supplies that might be required.

Painting of Flatland, a Braitheldean grassland village
Image © Total War

Landscape and Weather

A land dressed in wild grass, coated with the cold winds coming from the mountains in north; that's a good way to describe the landscape of the realm, Braitheld. More specifically, fresh air is settled from Caeraigs mountains and Kyrian's Pass. Outside of the towns you can find huge farms that provide what the people need. Small hills hide the next and it can be quite a surprise passing from a high ground and see the next farm while you expected there would be nothing, just wildness.

Nature can be found even in cities. They have ports, like this beautiful graphic town that communicates with the river Avalon. One of the most famous, though, is the Port City of Pelious. You can find many vendors and merchants there to buy or sell your goods. However, if you are looking for something more adventurous you can always visit the ruins of Kerack castle. It might not be allowed to enter inside, respecting the privacy, therefore it can be breathtaking by passing outside even or have a look from a distance.

Painting of a small port town on the coast of the River Avalon
by August von Siegen

Overheard at The Tavern

Painting of The Tavern
Inn Of Heroes by Lee Woochul

Pirate Wars

The sea wasn't always a safe place to be. As we talked before about the Coastal Peoples there were pirates. And when there are pirates, chaos lead the seas.

In 1,200 the problem with pirates climaxed and caused problems at the coast of Braitheld.
Trade followed right after, merchants being at risk and outsiders could not visit their desired ports. Action should take part and it did!

By order of the council, Aloysia’s Paladins were ordered to clean the seas and make them safe again. They worked with shiplords to have more numbers than the pirates. It took them twenty years to achieve it, with many brave men losing their lives on board or in the depths of ocean, forgotten from time.

At the end only a small number of pirates remained – as most had fled to Akasuna – and the order maintained their vigilance on the open seas, keeping the coasts clear for trade.

Painting of the several ships from the northern armada in a fight with pirates
North Ship by Philip Larkin