History
Founded by dwarf prospectors, the sleepy town of Bremen sits on the
west bank of Maer Dualdon, at the mouth of the Shaengarne River.
Bremen’s harbor has frozen, requiring local fishers to haul their
boats across the ice to put them in the lake. Visitors who lack a boat
can reach Bremen only by crossing the river, which is mostly frozen
over. Targos, Termalaine, and Lonelywood are all visible from the
docks on clear days.
If Auril’s everlasting winter has one benefit, it’s that the hardy folk of Bremen are spared the seasonal floods that normally threaten the town in early summer. That’s not to say that the long nights, frigid air, and howling blizzards provide any comfort. They don’t.
Twice in the past two months, residents of Bremen have had to mount search parties for their town speaker and oldest living resident, Yuri Chiselscribe, and twice they’ve found him wandering the frozen shores of the Shaengarne in heavy furs, with no memory of how he got there. Yuri, old even by dwarf standards, isn’t long for this world. Many locals fear the same is true of the town itself, if Auril’s brutal winter does not abate.
View From the Road
When the mouth of the Shaengarne River meets the edge of Maer Dualdon, you know you've found Bremen, a small town with a friendly vibe, though it has little to offer aside from a warm bed and a stiff drink.
Fishermen can be seen in the early morning hours trudging their boats across the expanding ice shelves to get to the water's edge. Chimney smoke rises feebly into the air above most of the small homes and businesses. The streets are typically empty, and most travel are quick trips between buildings.
Snowflake Ratings
| Comfort | Friendliness | Services |
|---|---|---|
| ❄️ ❄️ | ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ | ❄️ |
Places of Interest
Population and Politics
| Speaker | Guard Captain | Guard Lieutenant |
|---|---|---|
| Yuri Chiselscribe | Myles Crane | Sybil Corechester |
Economy
Bremen has always been a fishing town, relying heavily on the abundant waters nearby for sustenance and trade. The town's economy is primarily driven by the fishing industry, though the thick ice shelves have forced the fisherment to drag their boats further and further out into the lake to get to the moving waters. They compete heavily with the towns of Targos and Easthave for prime fishing waters, and are currenlty experiencing hard tims in gathering enough fish for the town.
With their proximity Bryn Shander, and one of the best Inns in Ten Towns, they used to get just enough travelers to keep the coffers full. Nowadays they rely heavily on selling fishing nets, lures and hooks, and other fishing-related equipment in Bryn Shander to keep the town fed.
Atmosphere and Architecture
The buildings are made mostly wooden structures on heavy stone foundations. Smoke can usually been seen rising from the chimneys at all times of day. The rustic charm of the town is easy to spot from the road, and the welcoming nature of Cora at the Buried Treasures Inn gives weary travelers a sense of comfort and hospitality.
That feeling however is not so evident in the towns biggest feature, Five Tavern Center, where five grumpy dwarven brothers manage five run down tavers. While they aren't the most inviting bunch, they all sell the best mead in Ten Towns, the honey mead from Good Mead, and it is always on tap in all five taverns.
Law and Military
| Population | Militia Veterans | Militia Troops |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 2 | 25 |
Travel Times
| Town | Travel Time | Town | Travel Time | Town | Travel Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryn Shander | 2 | Caer-Dineval | 14 | Caer-Konig | 16 |
| Dougan's Hole | 14 | Easthaven | 12 | Good Mead | 10 |
| Lonelywood | 8 | Targos | 2 | Termalaine | 6 |