Brossom

Brossom is a large city that is in the Southeast of Gand it sits between the capital city of Centawen and The Keep and exists at the base of the mountainous ranges known as the Meridian spine. It is one of the four Major Cities.   Brossom once was the capital city of Gand and was known for its large religous prescence of temples of Xegruni and of the The Church of Tarn. Although the former’s prescence has been completely destroyed and removed due to the oppression of the Brotherhood of Tarn who abhors the worship of other gods than Tarn, the Cosmic Weaver.   Brossom previously was the home to The Royal Court were the royal family lived elaborate slate castles. what was once the cultural and religious heart of the realm, the seat of the royal family it was known for its tolerance and grandeur. Now, with the royal family and nobility relocated to Centawen, Brossom has diminished in both political influence and population.   Brossom has limited stratgic and economic use but is alive as a "sacred city" under control, maintaining only the temples of Tarn. All other temples have been either desecrated, turned into symbolic ruins to be left as warnings. or into cheap housing for the poor and infirm of Gand. Temples have been stipped of their alters and replaced with ramshackle beds, statues hold dring washing, children play amongst the crumbling pillars.   The temples of Tarn that do still exist there do very well as it is considered to be holy ground by many. It is a common destination for pilgrims to travel to and the city profits from their stays and offerings. Some branches of the church may also tightly monitor pilgrimages for signs of heresy as its possible that the church‘s open doors may invite wanted outlaws or worse, sorcerers. Brossom also hosts major religious festivals and is a common destination for cosmic events as it possesses a still functional conservatory that is maintained by Church of Tarn scribes. But its main function is to act as a symbolic turning point between the new and old ways of Gand, a symbolic reminder of the “old ways” that the regime both fears and manipulate and holds over the heads of its citzens.   Brossom monitors and document a lot of cosmic and astrological information making star maps and documenting important history, it contains a large archive of historial records in which the scribes act as custodians. Many of the record keeping also serves as a research and censorship center, where scholars, clerics, or state magisters work under tight surveillance.   Being at the mountain’s base, Brossom lies near fertile valleys or terraced farmland. It is a central hub for grain and mountain herbs used in medicine. It is also central to the livestock trade, especially for hard-to-reach settlements higher up in the mountains or rhe other side of Gand. It also specialises in the raising and export of the three most needed form of cattle the Grassback Yurn, Takin and Murk goats. Beacause of it’s location the city can also serve as a trade intermediary between lowlands and Centawen in the high mountains.   The population is unusual in that it has a higher population of orcs than most other settlements, not as many as Rakside, as it is a prominent trading hub but more than any of the major cites. Brossom tends to be more accessible as it is not in the highlands and unlike most of the major cities trading and access is a lot looser allowing or orcs to have an easier time to enter and trade their wares.   The settlement is currently being ruled by Lord Corren Asheville. A noble lord who has taken to a political career and is actively outcrying the policies of King Avrid. Asheville is using his city as a base of operation by also using the people to form a peoples protest campaigning for their common interest all whilst engaging in unwavering dealing with the Brotherhood of Tarn who is actively terrorising his people.    As it currently exists Brossom isn’t particularly maintained outsie of active temples, the once glorified city has become more valuble for its symbolic mythos than as a place where people live and thrive. Other nobles from the major cities tend to looks down their nose and scoff at the city as a has-been or a bygone, run by a noble who speaks insuborinately of the king, some go as far to imply that Brossom is only represented at political intermediaries as a formality but nothing more and that its real political weight comes from the figures within the church of Tarn. Regardless, Asheville has set his sights on rallying his people and vying for further political power to boost his own status and only time will tell is this is successful of not.