Alex McClay @AlexMcclay2000
Hey, @TheEdVerse … Asbravn in 1372 DR, who is running the place? Is it just Lord Bron from Iriaebor at a distance? And is there a leader to the Riders in Red Cloaks? And due to the certain actions of my party, what are the punishments of Murder?— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
1)
In 1372 DR, Asbravn is run by a governing council of five: the stern, always-alert, terse “fringe-bearded” (short line of beard down cheeks and along jawline, no more) Gorand Jorenthar, leader of the Riders in Red Cloaks 2)
…(LN hm F7); Abject Supplicant Asgar Tellendar (C6 of Ilmater, and longtime “truth-revealer” for the Riders, using his spells to determine guilt and innocence of those arrested); the buxom, deeply-face-scarred, laconic and…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
3)
…calm retired adventuress Shallara Rivenstone (NG df F5 and master smith and stonemason, her current professions in town); Mordurra Lathandel (CG hf R6, a Harper who came to dwell in Asbravn at Asgar’s reluctant invitation; 4)
…she chairs the Council of Asbravn and takes part in debate, but doesn’t vote except to break ties); and Jetha Durnbuckler (CG half-f W4, a retired adventuress who dresses and acts like a rogue in dusty gray leathers, …#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
5)
…festooned with sheathed throwing knives and darts that she’s very good at hurling, to try to conceal that she’s a wizard). Jetha lives with a mysterious man called Tenturn Vornree (LN hm W7), who is her lover and spell-tutor…#Realmslore 6)
…and whom she employs as Asbravn’s clerk, tax collector, and recordkeeper. He’s also, as she and the rest of the Council know, but not the rest of Asbravn, an unofficial advisor to the Council from Lord Bron. His role is NOT…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
7)
…to tell the Council what to do, but to inform them of Iriaebor’s decisions, stances, and events so they can make their own “properly informed” decisions. (Secretly, he safeguards a tiny enchanted orb that he can trigger to 8)
…advance-warn Iriaebor of an orc horde or other attack in force on Asbravn that could endanger Iriaebor.)
The Council takes a hard ‘no vandalism, no bullying, no thieving’ line when it comes to maintaining the peace in…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
9)
…Asbravn, designed to make all residents feel safe from belligerent neighbours and visitors.
The Riders maintain discipline in the lands around, and as this often means bandit-slaying as well as monster-slaying, they won’t 10)
…instantly execute anyone for murder—because the same charge could so often be leveled at them. Rather, they want to know all about the circumstances, investigating and then passing their recommendation on to the Council.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
11)
The Council holds informal trials, tending to order the death penalty (which the Riders carry out) for anyone they see as a brigand or a Zhentarim or Red Wizard agent seeking to intimidate or blackmail an Asbravn resident, or 13)
…and his investigators (who include a band of adventurers with access to plentiful divine and arcane magic, and rogues with extensive local “shady contacts,” including a secret spy or two in Asbravn) to “delve more deeply12)
…otherwise working to establish a ‘hold’ over local affairs.
However, anything complex or that they think bears deeper investigation means that an accused will be taken to Iriaebor, under guard, by the Riders, for Lord Bron…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
14)
…into.”
Any justice would then be meted out by Lord Bron, who tends to exile and fine first, execute second, and sometimes set miscreants free with spies tailing them to see what they’ll do (and perhaps then slay them when…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
15)
…they do something reprehensible).
It should be noted that an evershifting array of Harpers moves through and around Asbravn and the vicinity, spying on folk in the town and doings in the countryside around, and constantly 16)
…covertly reports to Mordurra Lathandel. The presence of adventurers within three days’ ride of Asbraven, and their locations visited and deeds, will likely be known to her before they arrive in town.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 17, 2020
A quick clarification, when you say that Tenturn is an unofficial advisor to the Council from Lord Bron, do you mean the Council in Asbravn or the Merchants Council in Iriaebor. Sorry for the dumb question, I just want to make sure that I understand everything. I mean the Council in Asbravn. He behind-closed-doors tells them what Lord Bron wants and what's going on in Iriaebor, to influence what's decided for Asbravn.#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) April 19, 2020