The Fire Brigade
The Fire Brigade is a druidic organization who serve the public of Sylvanmere by protecting the forests and cities from untamed fires.
Structure
The Fire Brigade is made up of brigadiers who serve different roles—some fight fires directly using a combination of standard equipment and druidic magic, others use their empathy with animals to track when and where fires take place to warn the rest of the brigade. The chief organizes field units and communications. The chief also decides how the organization's federal funds are allocated. The chief's second-in-command is the captain, who takes over command if the chief is compromised or retires.
Public Agenda
The Fire Brigade protects the forests and the settlements of Sylvanmere from fires, quenching flames that spread too far and saving people from burning buildings. They revere the forest and its animals and value their homes equal to the humanoid citizens of the duchy's settlements. They have the authority to arrest perpetrators who start illegal fires, transferring them to the Watchwolf Pack for further investigation and prosecution.
Assets
The Fire Brigade headquarters is located within Sylvanmere, located roughly in the center of the forest to allow a maximum radius of access should their services be required. The headquarters serve twofold as a planning station as well as living quarters for on duty brigadiers. The building allows access for the druids' animal companions and a stable house for the brigade's water wagons.
Each member of the Fire Brigade is issued a standard service water staff, an enchanted object which channels and focuses druidic magic (specifically the water element) to douse fires. These staves are made of alder wood and laced with veins of blue ice, and finally enchanted by water elementals.
The mascot and den leader of the Fire Brigade is Sparky the Fire Safety Owl-Bear™, a placid Owl-Bear who provides public service on the Brigade's behalf—he tends to the Brigade headquarters, watches the druids' familiars when they are in the field, and educates the youth of Sylvanmere's settlements on fire safety. Sparky speaks Common through an enchanted fire helmet attached to his head.
History
The Fire Brigade was established by Akari Brighteyes, a dwarven woman and a druidic follower of the dragon Astilabor. When the dragonlord established her rule over Sylvanmere, Brighteyes sought a solution to the caustic wave of gas that the dragon emitted which, while not harming the wildlife, made the trees more prone to catching fire. Within ten years, the city of Everton or surrounding forests were struck by major fires nine times.
Brighteyes created the first Fire Brigade in 320 CA, recruiting members of local militia who had begun to lose work after the War of Nettles had ended less than two years previous. Unlike the modern Fire Brigade, these firefighters received no share of Sylvanmere's tithe and had to rely on commission to operate. Fire brigadiers arrived at burning buildings and waited for Brighteyes to negotiate a price for their services before extinguishing the fire. Patrons who could not pay would receive no aid. This led to a series of accusations of brigadiers deliberately setting fires to increase their earnings. The accused were hung for their crimes, and their actions resulted in public mistrust of the Fire Brigade for several year.
Later Fire Brigade chiefs instituted reforms, such as offering druidic training to all members, who had previously had to rely on enchanted staves as their only means of firefighting. Brigadiers also started using the spell protection from energy (fire) during all field assignments, severely deceasing the brigade's mortality rate. In 365 CA, Archduke Sterling Silverheart put the Fire Brigade on Everton's payroll, eliminating the need to hustle its citizens for their services.
Steadfast
Founding Date
320 CA
Type
Governmental, Department
Alternative Names
Burners
Demonym
Brigadier
Leader
Brandr Braidwood
Parent Organization
Comments