Brodilskiir (bro-deels-keer)
Brodilskiir is a very remote, isolated village on the northern tip of Dalkaria. It sits on the coast of the Icehome Ocean, though "coast" does not mean much when the water never thaws, and even in summer the ice is still several feet thick. Brodilskiir and the area around it teems with glaciers and ice, making it almost inhospitable. The folks who live here are hearty giant-kin who have lasted centuries in this harsh climate - though many families are choosing to leave for less harsh environments, and the village has been shrinking slowly for the last century.
With no access to the sea, Brodilskiir does not rely on fishing like other remote villages of the Demesne. Their industry and sustenance comes exclusively from hunting whatever game they can find nearby and the careful practice of firbolg druids to cultivate a few hearty crops where no other plants can survive. Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and turnips are staples of the Brodilii diet, and to avoid monotony the villagers have found different ways to cook these vegetables over the centuries, occasionally exporting these techniques or flavors to other parts of the world via the travelers who sometimes come to live on the edge of the world.
Demographics
The village of Brodilskiir is made up almost entirely of giants and giant-kin - firbolgs and goliaths. The very few humans, halflings, and dwarves tend to be somewhat transient, never staying in the village long. The hearty denizens that have lived here for centuries are not bothered by the scarcity of food or the constant imposition of the glaciers and freezing climate. They hunt for nearby game and cultivate what crops they can, exporting any excess pelts they may have to other parts of the icy tundra.
There are no nobles in Brodilskiir, not even the Giant families. Though these command more respect than the average citizen, they are not any richer than the others. In objective terms, the citizens here are poor - but that does not mean they lack food or housing. Like the rest of the Demesne, Brodilskiir is a very community-oriented place, where taverns are always open and have a corner for the truly impoverished to stay warm, where excess or leftover food is distributed freely to neighbors and taverns to make sure everyone has enough to eat.
Government
The village is run exclusively by the Jarl and the small council they appoint. Since the days of the village's founding, the Jarl has always been a Frost Giant, like much of the Demesne. The current dynasty has been in place for nearly 500 years, unseating the previous ruling family after they left no viable heirs to the throne. The title of Jarl is hereditary, though it does not pass to the eldest child. Instead, as a Jarl ages, they eventually name one of their children their official successor.
In the rare instances where a jarl passes without naming an heir, a Moot is convened in the village to decide the next ruler. Every family - not just the Giants - choose one representative (usually the eldest, but it varies from family to family) to vote at this Moot. They hear speeches and exhortations from the children of the previous jarl, as well as testimony on their behalf to their character and past deeds. At the end, the Moot votes among the candidates for who should be the next jarl. This is how the Brodil clan came to rule the village after the passing of the last dynasty 500 years ago.
Defences
There are no formal walls or pallisades to defend the village, but the natural glaciers among which the village was built act as a sort of wall. Most members of the village are skilled hunters, so any beasts that find their way past the glaciers usually don't last long. The actual hunters, who venture outside the village on somewhat rotating schedules, have their houses around the perimeter of the village, protecting the interior areas from attack.
Infrastructure
The climate and environment around Brodilskiir prevent any roads or wells in the city. Citizens don snowshoes and walk wherever they need to go, with no concept of lawns or private property. Freshwater is somewhat readily available, even with wells, as the glaciers surrounding the city slowly melt and emit streams of fresh water that flow toward the Icehome Ocean before freezing shortly after meeting the ice-covered ocean. The village has been known to employ pyromancers almost continuously since recorded history to help melt glaciers for fresh water collection.
History
The history of Brodilskiir can be traced back to its founding in the 22nd century of the First Age, though we do not know by what names it was called prior to the last 500 years. As is tradition among the Giants of the Demesne of Ice, when one dynasty ends and another begins its reign, the previous names are scrubbed from all monuments and recorded documents. The only indications of previous names would be from journals or sources of far-away outsiders who visited the village and recorded its name at that time.
Like the rest of the Demesne, this village was originally founded as a hold for warring Frost Giants, seeking a defensible base from which to launch attacks at the other Giant clans. Over time, these wars quieted down, and the Giants began to become less aggressive. They welcomed the giant-kin firbolgs and goliaths into the village and set up a society that was not based on slavery and violence, as previous Giant tradition had dictated.
Various Frost Giant clans have ruled the village since its inception, with at least three dynasty changes, according to the journals of traveling scholars over the centuries. The current dynasty has been around for nearly 500 years, after the previous jarl died without an heir and a Moot named the Brodil clan the new rulers. This is the second-most-recent application of a Moot determining a new ruler, and it has been widely successful, with the Brodil clan proving competent and fair rulers that uphold the village's commitment to equity and community.
In recent years, the village has seen its population slowly begin to shrink, as people leave for slightly warmer climates and less harsh lifestyles. Many of them have settled in Lakewatch, as its current population boom is welcoming to all.
Architecture
The houses of Brodilskiir are a mix of Norse-style wood and stone huts topped by thatch roofs with chimney holes, as well as large stitched-pelt yurts where some hunters feel more at home. All buildings are made to keep out the cold and keep in what warmth is generated by fires and body heat. The large taverns resemble Norse great halls, with long benches and central fire pits that radiate warmth to the entire building. The houses of the Giant families are likewise large and insulated, though less so than most other houses as the Giants have a natural heartiness in the bitter cold.
Founding Date
2126 1A
Type
Village
Population
602
Inhabitant Demonym
Brodilii
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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