Brevoy

History of Brevoy
Brevoy used to be two lands- everything north of Lake Reykal was known as Issia, and everything south known as Rostland. Issia survived mostly through fishing, trade of woods and ores, and raiding, as its lands are too rocky for farming. Rostland on the other hand is a rich land of hills and plains, easily farmed. The nobles of Rostland needed to be able fighters to fend off raids from their surroundings, and developed their own swordfighting style. The practitioners of this style are known as the "Aldori Swordlords."

In 4499 (two hundred years ago) Choral "the conqueror" Rogvaria landed on the shore of the lake of mists and veils with a considerable army, and two red dragons. Lord Nikos Surtova met with Choral under a flag of truce, and surrendered their lands. In exchange, they were allowed to retain their power and wealth. Rostland, on the other hand fought Choral. They were no match for the armies and the dragons, and Rostland fell. A then minor Issian house, house Lebda, was granted rule over the western half of Rostland, and house Rogvaria took the eastern half for their own. The surviving Aldori Swordlords were allowed to maintain rulership of the city of Brevoy, but everything else was taken from them.

Soon after conquering Brevoy, and making a healthy brood of heirs, Choral dissapeared to parts unknown, leaving his family to rule. For two hundred years, house Rogvaria ruled from the Ruby Fortress in New Stetven, but then in the winter of 4699 (seven months ago) every single person with Rogvaria blood suddenly dissapeared, leaving a power vacuum in new Stetven. Citing ties to the rulers of Issia, Lord Noleski Surtova has stepped in to rule in new Stetven, the other noble houses have begrudgingly accepted his claim, for now, yet it remains to be seen how long he can maintain this rule over a kingdom growing increasingly fractious.

Rumors about the vanishing

 * Blood of Dragons: There were three dragons involved in the conquest of Brevoy, not two. The two reds at the Valley of Fire were both females. But their male mate was close at hand—wearing the human guise of Choral the Conqueror. House Rogarvia carried the blood of dragons in their veins, and in the end it consumed them all.
 * The Conqueror’s Debt: Choral the Conqueror made a pact with otherworldly forces to obtain not only his vast army, but also the aid of his red dragon allies. The disappearance of House Rogarvia is the result of Choral’s debt finally coming due.
 * The Next Earthfall: Skywatch was built as a lookout and warning post against disasters such as the Earthfall, and the reason the Rogarvias have vanished is the observatory has detected another such imminent threat. The people of Skywatch huddle in shelter waiting for the sky to fall.
 * Return of the Conqueror: Choral placed the care of Brevoy in the hands of his descendants and then departed into the depths of the Gronzi Forest, promising one day to return. The Vanishing is a sign the Conqueror’s return is imminent, and he wants his kin either out of the way of his armies, or just out of the way of his return to the throne.

Where you guys come in
The Swordlords of Restov believe that by sending groups out to settle The Stolen Lands to the south, they will be creating allies they can rely on in the wars to come, however when the other nobles heard of this plan, they had a meeting in New Stetven to decide who would go out and explore these lands:
 * You guys - to deal with the bandits who have been harassing travellers from Mivon and to settle the greenbelt
 * Maegar Varn, son of Allistair Varn - to deal with the Nomen Centaurs and to settle the Nomen Heights
 * Hannis Drelev, whose wife Pavetta Stroon-Drelev is a scion of the Surtova family - to deal with the boggards who have made upriver trade through the Slough impossible, and to settle that relatively inhospitable region
 * The famous adventurers, The Iron Wraiths - to deal with the new king of Pitax, Castruccio Irovetti, also to deal with the barbarian tribes who make their homes in the area and to settle the glenbon uplands

Noble houses

 * House Garess  "Strong as the Mountains"


 * House Lebda  "Success Through Grace"


 * House Lodovka  "The Waters, Our Fields"


 * House Medvyed  "Endurance Overcomes All"


 * House Orlovsky  "High Above"


 * House Rogvaria  "With Sword and Flame"


 * House Surtova  "Ours Is the Right"


 * The Swordlords of Restov (The Aldori Swordlords)

Major Gods of Brevoy
While worship of all gods occurs in Brevoy, the following four gods see the most worship:
 * Abadar: The god of cities, laws, and wealth is favored by the merchant and tradesman class
 * Gorum: The god of battles is favored by the nobility
 * Pharasma: The goddess of fate, birth, and death, who both brings souls into this world and out is favored by the peasantry
 * Erastil: God of the hunt is favored by hunters, particularly in the south and around the stolen lands

Demographics
Brevoy has an approximate population of 8 million people, and its largest cities have populations as follows:

New Stetven: 50,000

Restov: 35,000

Port Ice: 31,000

Grayhaven: 26,000

Winterbreak: 23,000

Highdelve: 15,000

Silverhall: 12,000

Stoneclimb: 9,000

Eagle's Watch: 8,500