Byroden

Byroden is a village on the northwestern edge of the Mornset Countryside. It is where Vax'ildan and Vex'ahlia grew up with their mother, Elaina, and it is also the hometown of Opal.

Description
Most who live in Byroden make a pleasant living through farming, fishing the Gladepools just to the north, or mining a small chasm on the outskirts of town. According to Opal, who grew up in Byroden, skill with a rope was important there, and all girls got rope training. As of 812 PD, though the town was welcoming, the ancient red dragon Thordak's attack on the town decades earlier led to a society-wide vigilance against threats. Most citizens were armed at all times and ready to immediately respond to the designated War Ringer's call to form a communal militia. Their paranoia continued to be fueled in part by rumors of the Iron Authority's expansionary drive northward into the Rifenmist Peninsula.

Around 812 PD, there were separate crises of people going missing: some drowning themselves in the Gladepools, others disappearing into the chasm and appearing in locals' dreams asking for help.

Demographics
As of 812 PD, Byroden was a small town with a population of 850. At that time its citizens were a varied mix of humans (46%), half-elves (21%), halflings (15%), gnomes (10%), and other races (8%).

Thirty years later, Byroden was described as having fewer than 10,000 people.

Notable People

 * Elaina: Human mother of Vax'ildan and Vex'ahlia.
 * Vax'ildan: Half-elf twin brother of Vex'ahlia and son of Syldor Vessar, rogue/paladin/druid member of Vox Machina, Champion of the Raven Queen
 * Coinmistress Vex'ahlia de Rolo: Half-elf twin sister of Vax'ildan, ranger/rogue member of Vox Machina, wife of Percival de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone, Champion of Pelor, and Master of Commerce on the Tal'Dorei Council
 * Opal: Human twin sister of Ted, warlock member of an adventuring party in Emon in late 842 PD
 * Ted: Opal's twin sister

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. But with the help of the Arcana Pansophical, and losing several compatriots, the party managed to seal Thordak in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

By 812 PD the town had been rebuilt.

Culture
[ See "By the Road" (Ex04) at 03:15:00]

The town of Byroden is known for 3 things, The 3 M's: Militia, Mining and Merriment. It is a Pie-Based-Culture town, and has several festivals. Notable among them is the yearly pageant festival - "The Gem of Byroden". The Festival's foods during daytime consist of an abundance of pies, from sweet to salty. At nighttime, the main foods are BBQs and Smoking based.

Inspiration
The town's festival is based on the real-life town of Laredo, Texas [See "By the Road" (Ex04) at 03:26:05]