The Rock of Bral: Difference between revisions
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The settlement that would one day become Bral began as a pirate hideout for the [[Black Brotherhood]], whose leader was one [[Captain Bral]]. When Bral fell in a legendary battle with the [[Astral Imperium]], the remaining pirates on the Rock named their town after him. | The settlement that would one day become Bral began as a pirate hideout for the [[Black Brotherhood]], whose leader was one [[Captain Bral]]. When Bral fell in a legendary battle with the [[Astral Imperium]], the remaining pirates on the Rock named their town after him. | ||
Over time, the population of Bral shifted, until there were more merchants and shopkeepers in the city | Over time, the population of Bral shifted, until there were more merchants and shopkeepers in the city selling goods and ale to the pirates than pirates themselves. One pirate, '''Captain Cozar''', saw this as an opportunity. He purchased all land in the city and the rest of the asteroid from the merchants and forced any pirates to lease from him or run actual businesses if they wanted to remain. In this way, Cozar became ruler of the city above all the other pirates. | ||
In this time, the [[Cazzaris Concorde]] took note of what was happening on Bral and stepped in to assert influence and control over the Rock. The agreement struck by the aging Cozar and the [[Ukkin Council]] was that Bral would work to ensure a decrease in piracy within Summastris and assist Ishtarran merchantry, in return for status as an "administrative protectorate" of the Concorde. Thus, Cozar was not given the title of King, but of Prince, and the Rock was allowed to continue as a pseudo-independent settlement. | In this time, the [[Cazzaris Concorde]] took note of what was happening on Bral and stepped in to assert influence and control over the Rock. The agreement struck by the aging Cozar and the [[Ukkin Council]] was that Bral would work to ensure a decrease in piracy within Summastris and assist Ishtarran merchantry, in return for status as an "administrative protectorate" of the Concorde. Thus, Cozar was not given the title of King, but of Prince, and the Rock was allowed to continue as a pseudo-independent settlement. | ||
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[[Prince Cozar]] ruled remarkably fairly for a former pirate, and the city thrived and grew as a legitimate center of trade, as trade turned out to be more profitable than piracy. Aware of the power in the [[Enigma]], one of Cozar's final edicts was to commission the construction of the [[Library of the Spheres]] and the establishment of the [[Students of the Enigma]] on Bral, which likewise strengthened the ties between the Rock and Ish'tar. | [[Prince Cozar]] ruled remarkably fairly for a former pirate, and the city thrived and grew as a legitimate center of trade, as trade turned out to be more profitable than piracy. Aware of the power in the [[Enigma]], one of Cozar's final edicts was to commission the construction of the [[Library of the Spheres]] and the establishment of the [[Students of the Enigma]] on Bral, which likewise strengthened the ties between the Rock and Ish'tar. | ||
Prince Cozar's successor, [[Prince Frun]], was not as good a ruler as his father. Nevertheless, the city continued growing from its trade, as companies from | Prince Cozar's successor, [[Prince Frun]], was not as good a ruler as his father. Nevertheless, the city continued growing from its trade, as companies from around the Sar-An established businesses there. Frun's penchant for opulence led to his commissioning of the Citadel, the Arena, and the Donjon. He likewise rebuilt and expanded the royal palace, draining the coffers of the Bralian nobility in the process. | ||
At one point during Frun's 35-year reign, he had insulted a neogi trader, which triggered an attack from a neogi fleet set on razing the city. They succeeded in destroying a part of the Middle City by crashing an abandoned dwarven citadel into it, but then retreated. | At one point during Frun's 35-year reign, he had insulted a neogi trader, which triggered an attack from a neogi fleet set on razing the city. They succeeded in destroying a part of the Middle City by crashing an abandoned dwarven citadel into it, but then retreated. | ||
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Then began the reign of [[Prince Calar]], Aric's son. Calar was a dour man, but undeniably effective. He formed strong alliances with craftsmen and warrior houses, purged the Bralian Consulate, and successfully renegotiated terms of true independence with the [[Cazzaris Concorde]]. Under Calar's rule, the Rock was granted authority to and established landing rights for the [[Astral Imperium]], within limitations. In return, Calar controversially deployed the Bralian Navy to assist the [[Ishtarran Starfleet]] in the [[Jorrin Conflict]] on [[Atellas IV]]. Calar was days away from holding the title of "longest reign" before perishing while flying his personal starsailor, despite his extensive experience as a pilot. | Then began the reign of [[Prince Calar]], Aric's son. Calar was a dour man, but undeniably effective. He formed strong alliances with craftsmen and warrior houses, purged the Bralian Consulate, and successfully renegotiated terms of true independence with the [[Cazzaris Concorde]]. Under Calar's rule, the Rock was granted authority to and established landing rights for the [[Astral Imperium]], within limitations. In return, Calar controversially deployed the Bralian Navy to assist the [[Ishtarran Starfleet]] in the [[Jorrin Conflict]] on [[Atellas IV]]. Calar was days away from holding the title of "longest reign" before perishing while flying his personal starsailor, despite his extensive experience as a pilot. | ||
His son, [[Prince Andru]], is the current Prince of Bral, and has reigned for four years to date. Bralians agree that Andru is like his father in many ways, but with incredible charisma to boot. Andru is often compared to the Prince | His son, [[Prince Andru]], is the current Prince of Bral, and has reigned for four years to date. Bralians agree that Andru is like his father in many ways, but with incredible charisma to boot. Andru is often compared to the Prince Cozar, with much of the nobility believing that he is destined for greatness. He was the first Prince to formally establish relations with [[Eberron]], hosting nobility from both the [[Dragonmarked Houses]] and [[Riedra]]. His consort, [[Lady Amelleran]], is beloved by the people. | ||
Recently, however, Prince Andru has shied away from the public eye, refusing to appear at the [[Bral's Landing Day]] Parade and other events. The [[Voyagers]] were approached to investigate the matter privately by the [[Lady Amelleran]], who informed them that the Prince has been acting very strange - sleepwalking, suffering from night terrors, distrusting his most loyal friends, and locking himself away in the towers of [[Starhaven]]. | Recently, however, Prince Andru has shied away from the public eye, refusing to appear at the [[Bral's Landing Day]] Parade and other events. The [[Voyagers]] were approached to investigate the matter privately by the [[Lady Amelleran]], who informed them that the Prince has been acting very strange - sleepwalking, suffering from night terrors, distrusting his most loyal friends, and locking himself away in the towers of [[Starhaven]]. | ||
Latest revision as of 23:06, 30 November 2025
| The Rock of Bral | |
|---|---|
| Type | Asteroid City/Spaceport |
| Location | Curtain Belt, Summastris |
| Government | Independent Monarchy |
| Ruler | Prince Andru |
| Currency | Concordian Standards, Imperial coinage, 30+ other world coinages |
The Rock of Bral is an asteroid that was once a part of the Curtain Belt, the inner of Summastris' two asteroid belts. Upon it is the metropolitan city of Bral, the greatest merchant spaceport in the Sar-An.
Description
The city of Bral is built on the upper side of the Rock of Bral. The underside is reserved for agriculture and government property. Bral is divided into three sections: the Low City, the Middle City, and the High City.
The High City
The High City is divided into two halves by an artificial lake - on one end lie the manors of the city's elite, and the other is dominated by Starhaven, the seat of the Prince of Bral.
The Low City
At the leading edge of the asteroid is the Low City and the Docks. Here is where most starsailors arrive for trade. There are cavern warehouses for storing goods and hoists for lifting things up to the surface. The Low City also contains a dry dock where starsailors are repaired, refitted, and otherwise worked on by shipwrights.
The Middle City
As one passes from the Low City to the Middle City, inns and shops replace the taverns and ale houses. As one continued on, the prince's palace could be seen beyond the greenery of the noble's villas.
Government
Bral is ruled by a Prince as an independent monarchy. The Prince can levy taxes, regulate trade, adjudicate legal matters, and declare war. Typically, the Prince appoints various bodies to enforce laws and handle logistical matters. Beneath the Prince are three governing councils.
The Council of the City
The Council of the City represents the people of Bral and is composed of 30 members appointed directly by the Prince for lifetime service. Each Councilor represents one of the many neighborhoods of Bral. The Council of the City is headed by the Bralian Consulate, a tight-knight circle of advisors. This council serves as advisors to the Prince and could, historically, overrule the Prince's decisions by unanimous vote.
The Bralian Consulate consists of five individuals:
- Gadaric Main, Consul of Knowing
- Mahaxara Khal, Consul of Blades
- Mardan Rhome, Consul of Ships
- Diadan Cyric, Consul of Coin
- Tien, Proconsul
The Council of the City elects three individuals to serve as the Magisters, who lead the Crownsmen and manage various operations in the three wards. Much of the day-to-day operation of Bral is overseen by the Magisters.
- Datro Goldwater, Low City Magistrate
- Rava Wainwright, Middle City Magistrate
- Elios Farharice, High City Magistrate
The Noble Council
Composed of all 37 chartered landholders in the city, the Noble Council holds power over land on the Rock. By majority vote, this body could strip title to land of any individual, save for that of the Prince.
The Council of Captains
The Council of Captains offers a seat to any owner of more than four starsailors, so long as they also owned or leased land on the Rock. This council proposes regulations on trade by means of tariffs or trade rules. The Prince may then choose to adopt or veto these regulations, but only very rarely does the latter.
These three Councils cooperatively operate the Bureau of Tithes, Trade, and Titles.
Law and Order
Piracy and slavery are illegal on the Rock of Bral. Betrayal of Bral is the ultimate crime and could include treason against the crown or doing something that put the whole asteroid in danger, such as starting a fire, which would poison and/or deplete the delicate artificial atmosphere of the asteroid. Those guilty of such a crime would likely be jettisoned from the Rock into the cold expanse of Wildspace.
Otherwise, law is mostly absent in Bral - no city watch regularly patrols the Middle or Low Cities. Though there are Magisters of the Low, Middle, and High City, these officials largely exist to ensure that the rich and powerful of Bral remain as such, only stepping in otherwise to prevent the most heinous and public of crimes or to repel attacks on the city or its nobility.
Trade and Economy
Bral is the epitome of free trade. Money is power, and anything and everything is bought and sold there. Bral is full of shops and contains two major open-air markets, the Great Market and the Lesser Market. Musicians and entertainers fill the streets, hoping to earn coppers from their songs and performances.
Coinage from at least thirty different worlds is known to be accepted in Bral. Most currencies must be exchanged with the Royal Exchequer, though Concordian Standards and Imperial coinage are widely accepted.
The cost of living in Bral is much higher than in other places, and most things cost half again as much as they would on the surface of a planet. Rent for an apartment in the Low City can cost anywhere from 5 to 30 gold pieces per month. A cheap room at an inn can cost about 3 gold per month, while a fancier room might be as much as 8 gold per month.
A laborer in Bral earns about 12 gold per month, while a highshoreman earned double that. The agent for a merchant house might take home as much as 40 gold per month.
Four distinct groups engage in trade on Bral: the large trading companies, who deal in bulk materials; the smaller, familial merchant houses, who usually specialize in a unique type of cargo; small merchants, shopkeepers, and the owners of inns and taverns; and, finally, independent starsailor captains.
Culture and Society
The city of Bral is full of rogues and unsavory characters of all kinds. Nevertheless, Bralians are generally polite and jovial. A pirate that might gut you on the Highest Seas would gladly share a drink or four with you on Bral, on account of the city's golden rule: "check your vendettas at the docks".
A simple walk down any of Bral's main streets would introduce a visitor to hundreds of languages. Humans maintained the highest population, but almost all manner of races lived here. The city contained several districts where the various races were dominant:
- The Dwarven District
- The Burrows, a Halfling neighborhood,
- Gifftown
- The Grove, home to many Elves,
- Shou-town
The Nobles of Bral are the 37 persons or factions besides the prince who actually own land on the small asteroid. All other lands belong to the prince, and all other citizens rent from him or the nobles.
Religion
See: Places of Worship
The city contained a number of temples, mostly located near Lake Bral.
History
The settlement that would one day become Bral began as a pirate hideout for the Black Brotherhood, whose leader was one Captain Bral. When Bral fell in a legendary battle with the Astral Imperium, the remaining pirates on the Rock named their town after him.
Over time, the population of Bral shifted, until there were more merchants and shopkeepers in the city selling goods and ale to the pirates than pirates themselves. One pirate, Captain Cozar, saw this as an opportunity. He purchased all land in the city and the rest of the asteroid from the merchants and forced any pirates to lease from him or run actual businesses if they wanted to remain. In this way, Cozar became ruler of the city above all the other pirates.
In this time, the Cazzaris Concorde took note of what was happening on Bral and stepped in to assert influence and control over the Rock. The agreement struck by the aging Cozar and the Ukkin Council was that Bral would work to ensure a decrease in piracy within Summastris and assist Ishtarran merchantry, in return for status as an "administrative protectorate" of the Concorde. Thus, Cozar was not given the title of King, but of Prince, and the Rock was allowed to continue as a pseudo-independent settlement.
Prince Cozar ruled remarkably fairly for a former pirate, and the city thrived and grew as a legitimate center of trade, as trade turned out to be more profitable than piracy. Aware of the power in the Enigma, one of Cozar's final edicts was to commission the construction of the Library of the Spheres and the establishment of the Students of the Enigma on Bral, which likewise strengthened the ties between the Rock and Ish'tar.
Prince Cozar's successor, Prince Frun, was not as good a ruler as his father. Nevertheless, the city continued growing from its trade, as companies from around the Sar-An established businesses there. Frun's penchant for opulence led to his commissioning of the Citadel, the Arena, and the Donjon. He likewise rebuilt and expanded the royal palace, draining the coffers of the Bralian nobility in the process.
At one point during Frun's 35-year reign, he had insulted a neogi trader, which triggered an attack from a neogi fleet set on razing the city. They succeeded in destroying a part of the Middle City by crashing an abandoned dwarven citadel into it, but then retreated.
After Frun's untimely and alcohol-related death came the reign of Prince Aric. Aric rose to the throne while still a child. Aric suffered from a myriad of birth defects, and died at 38. Religious and spiritual, he funded and founded the Temple Quarter. Frun's poorly chosen and corrupt Consulate took advantage of him and further weakened the Bralian monarchy.
Then began the reign of Prince Calar, Aric's son. Calar was a dour man, but undeniably effective. He formed strong alliances with craftsmen and warrior houses, purged the Bralian Consulate, and successfully renegotiated terms of true independence with the Cazzaris Concorde. Under Calar's rule, the Rock was granted authority to and established landing rights for the Astral Imperium, within limitations. In return, Calar controversially deployed the Bralian Navy to assist the Ishtarran Starfleet in the Jorrin Conflict on Atellas IV. Calar was days away from holding the title of "longest reign" before perishing while flying his personal starsailor, despite his extensive experience as a pilot.
His son, Prince Andru, is the current Prince of Bral, and has reigned for four years to date. Bralians agree that Andru is like his father in many ways, but with incredible charisma to boot. Andru is often compared to the Prince Cozar, with much of the nobility believing that he is destined for greatness. He was the first Prince to formally establish relations with Eberron, hosting nobility from both the Dragonmarked Houses and Riedra. His consort, Lady Amelleran, is beloved by the people.
Recently, however, Prince Andru has shied away from the public eye, refusing to appear at the Bral's Landing Day Parade and other events. The Voyagers were approached to investigate the matter privately by the Lady Amelleran, who informed them that the Prince has been acting very strange - sleepwalking, suffering from night terrors, distrusting his most loyal friends, and locking himself away in the towers of Starhaven.