The Basics
In the days before the Kingdom fell, Brom was the smallest and most isolated province in the realm. With only one way in or out, and the narrow pass guarded by the legendary Gates of Brom, the place was thought of as an unassailable fortress.
With soil too acidic to grow much of anything, and harsh, unforgiving terrain, at first glance, it’s hard to see why anyone would choose to call the place home, and yet, Brom was, in its day, one of the most important locations in the Realm, and the Kings of Candle’Bre spent lavishly on its impressive defenses, for Brom was the one place in the entire realm where the Moon Lilly was found to grow.
Extract from these rare flowers had remarkable curative properties, but long-term handling of the flowers rendered those who worked with them mute. The stories say that the plants also gave the Bromin Healers remarkable powers of telepathy, but whether that’s true or not is a fact that has been lost to history.
During the Great War, Brom was destroyed from within. A portion of the vast Nilroggi horde tunneled up from beneath and if the surviving reports are to be believed, left not even a single blade of grass in the province.
In recent years, the Furies broke the back of the Order of the Pine Cross, liberating the province of Hlo’Haas (a rural, farming province that once supplied the Bromins with food), and regained access to the Gates of Brom.
Whether they have explored beyond the Gates and begun to rebuild the province is at present, unknown. The Fury Lords have not shared their intelligences on this matter. For now, at least, the province of Brom is considered to be long, along with the remarkable flowers that once grew there.
Political Situation
Unknown. During the Great War, Brom was completely destroyed, along with most of her population. The last Duke of Brom, Alavaar, escaped with a small retinue, but Alavaar is long dead and had no known heirs.
The Furies only recently regained the Gates of Brom, and so far as anyone knows, have not mounted an expedition inside to see what, if anything might remain. Obviously, the big prize here are the Moon Lilies. At present, as far as everyone knows, they were destroyed and are now extinct, but if by some miracle some survived, it could be a game-changer in the Basin.
Prominent People & Places
None that are known.
Plot Threads
If you’re going to set your campaign in the northwest, Brom would make an excellent focal point for at least part of it. After earning the respect of the Furies, the party could easily be found doing the advanced scout of the province of Brom, which could either be a huge, multi-session adventure or the driving force behind an entire campaign, depending on how you wanted to structure it.
Remember, long-term exposure to the nectar of the flowers is said to cause people to go mute but to develop telepathy. What if that’s not all it did? What if there are survivors who have remained hidden for decades? What if they’re all liches or something gross now? Maybe Alavaar actually does have a surviving heir (and maybe that person is even one of the player characters), who knows?!
Sky’s the limit, but if the party could recover the Moon Lilly and start them growing again, they’d certainly be heroes of the Basin.
On the other hand, you could try the ‘Tomb Raider’ approach and go there without sanction from the Furies. It would be a daunting journey that would take you through the cursed forest of StroudHaven, and then past the watchful eye of the Fury border patrols, but – possible. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it. If I was gonna go, I’d want the blessings of the Lords of the North, but that’s just me.
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