Byrock

Byrock is a trading city built on the foundations of three successive ancient settlements. It has been continuously inhabited since long before the Sundering, and there is evidence both anecdotal and in records that it was a booming port while the Hollow City was being constructed. Indeed, it is not hard to imagine that goods and materials made their way through Byrock's predecessor on their way to build the city.
Byrock is not so large as that elder city, but it holds its own in the wilds of the Deadlands, which is accomplishment enough.

Demographics

At any given time, Byrock is home to some 5,000 insane brave souls, and houses anywhere from 500-1,500 transient merchants, sailors, traders, and adventurers.

Government

Byrock is an independent city state loosely affiliated with T'ver. The governing body is a council of the city's guild masters, led by an Ealdor, a title held over from its ancient past.

Defences

In addition to the walls erected around the core of the city, a second inner wall surrounds the keep of the Fortress.

Industry & Trade

Trade is the heart and soul of the city, and it's sole reason for existence. Because of the mountains, the River Tirvidae, although situated smack in the middle of a stretch of the Deadlands, is the fastest reliable means to transport goods from both Zones Six and Seven northward into Zone Four, and vice versa. The impassibility of the tributary rivers means that transferring the goods from sea to shore at Byrock is the quickest means to get boots back onto safe ground.
In recent months, the rediscovery of Hollow City and subsequent rebuilding efforts have fueled a new era of prosperity.

Infrastructure

As a vital part of the city, Byrock's harbor is a work of art. Centuries of maintenance and engineering have gone into making the harbor and its docks efficient, effective, and most importantly: safe.
The docks are loaded up with cranes and mobile ramps for loading and unloading cargo. Drydocks haul ships in need of repair out of the harbor and out of the way for a speedy turnaround. Water level controlled canals bring smaller ships deeper into the Timber Bowl to get cargo straight into the warehouses without clogging the streets. The docks are also installed with strategically placed clusters of soul stones, to safeguard against natural accidents.

Districts

The Harborward

The Harborward is the most active area of the city. It is busy every hour of the day, every day of the week, save only for significant holidays.

The Timber Bowl

The Timber Bowl is home to most of the city's warehouses. It lies in the lowest portions of the city, allowing the canal system to sit below water level. However, this also means that the streets can be prone to seasonal flooding. Many of the buildings are artificially elevated.

Northsquare

Northsquare is where the city's guild halls and official buildings are located, along with the handful of wealthier residents. It is situated on the inside of the city's northernmost walls, directly beside the outer walls of the Fortress, within easy evacuation distance.

Copperhill

Copperhill is a suburb clustered outside the eastern gate of the city. While it hosts quite a bit of regular trade, it is mainly where the city's own contingent of on-site crafters and artisans can be found. Being located on an upward slope, its name is rooted in the way the sunsets catch on the elevated terra cotta roofing tiles.

Snowgate

Snowgate is a mostly residential and hospitality oriented community that has grown up around the city's west walls. Historically, winter storms make the western roads nearly impassable, but in the summers during Death Run season, their inns and taverns are full of travelers.

The Fortress

Being located in the Deadlands brings the inevitable vulnerability to a concentrated attack from pirates or raiding parties, prompting the necessity of the Fortress's upkeep. Known to be the oldest structure in the city, the Fortress is every bit as imposing as it was a thousand years ago when the previous city burned to the ground around it.

Alternative Name(s)

Zaun-by-the-Rock, By-a-Rock

Type

Large town

Population

5000

Inhabitant Demonym

Rockies

Location under

The Deadlands

Ruling/Owning Rank

Ealdor

Characters in Location

• The Beast of Byrock