Bryn Shander

The first stop for most visitors to Icewind Dale is Bryn Shander, a walled town perched atop a cold, lonely, wind-lashed hill. Bright lanterns suspended over narrow streets twist in the wind and add flecks of color to the town’s otherwise drab surroundings.

The friendliness in this settlement has dwindled of late. Auril’s unyielding winter has greatly reduced the number of visitors to Bryn Shander, and local trade is suffering for it, eating away at the locals’ sense of humor and goodwill. Still, there is no safer place in The Rimelands to spend coin or spend the night.

The walls of the town stand some 30 feet high and are defined by two concentric rings of upright wooden poles, the gap between them filled with dirt and rubble. The outer ring of poles rises above the top of the wall, providing a rampart for defenders stationed on the wood-planked walkway. The wall’s hinged gates are 15 feet tall and can be barred from the inside with iron-banded wood beams. These gates are closed when it’s dark outside—which is to say more often than not.

Friendliness ❄❄❄ Services ❄❄❄ Comfort ❄❄❄

Population. 1,200.

Leaders. The human speaker Duvessa Shane speaks for the townsfolk. Though relatively young, Duvessa is the head of the Council of Speakers. The human sheriff Markham Southwell commands the militia.

Militia. Bryn Shander can muster up to 250 soldiers.

Heraldry. Black antlers above a vertical shaft of golden wheat on a white field, signifying the town’s strength and prosperity on the vast, snowy tundra.

Sacrifice to Auril. Humanoid

Blackiron Blades
Smithy and outfitter

This combination shop and smithy stands just north of the main square. The dwarf Garn the Hammer manufactures the cheapest blades in Ten-Towns, while his sister Elza sells adventuring supplies—including rations, cold weather gear, ice picks, and snowshoes—to fortune-seekers. Most of the veteran sellswords in Ten-Towns disdain Garn’s smithcraft, due to the uninspiring quality of his work. Jokes told about hapless newcomers to The Rimelands often end with the line “an’ ’e was carrying a Blackiron blade, to boot!”

Temple of the Father
The Temple of Ixmir

The temple of Ixmir sits in the southern part of town and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The temple consists of a small complex of buildings with a small courtyard in the middle. It was founded and built by a cleric from the Xidron Kingdom years and years ago and has since passed its prime. Here, one can find the dwarven cleric Benjamin Logbolt, who takes care of the temple like his own child.

The temple has always been open to anyone and some of the houses have lodging for people without a roof over their head. However, with the Auril situation looming over The Rimelands, the lodging house has now been restructured to house a small temple for Auril. Logbolt does not like this, but he recognizes the need and has shifted his attention slightly. To help him, Speaker Shane has issued a special cleric only dedicated to Auril. The human Imelda Horngate oversees the Auril worship in the city and she is also the one who manages and oversees the monthly offerings to Auril.

Temple of the Morninglady
The temple of Nima

Located near Bryn Shander’s northeast market square, this modest converted house serves as a gathering place for worshipers of Nima. A retired human adventurer named Mishann runs the temple and aspires to see the sun regain its rightful place in the sky over The Rimelands. She calls Nima “the Morninglady.”

Nima worship is not big in The Rimelands, but Bryn Shander is by far the most Nima devoted town in Ten-Towns. Speaker Shane has acknowledged Nima as an important God to the southerners and have therefore made sure that Mishann has gotten some financial means to build the temple and hire acolytes.

Copper Knobberknocker. Mishann rents her attic to a pessimistic rock gnome tinkerer named Copper Knobberknocker, who begrudgingly helps with services and chores. The two argue incessantly. Copper walks around in a fuzzy suit and hood that he made himself; although it’s quite warm, it makes him look like a teddy bear.

The Northlook
Inn and tavern

The Northlook is the establishment most frequented by mercenaries and adventurers, and as such it’s the rowdiest and most dangerous place to stay in Bryn Shander. At the same time, its taproom is the best spot in all of Ten-Towns to get leads on profitable ventures, along with the latest news and rumors.

The inn’s proprietor, a retired human sellsword named Scramsax, knows full well the cycles of an adventurer’s life. He often cuts a break for customers who are between jobs, allowing them to stay here on credit and then presenting them with a bill inflated by interest charges to be reckoned with as soon as they make their next payday. Those who don’t settle their accounts discover that the old mercenary still knows how to handle a blade, and that he doesn’t take “later” for an answer.

Ol’ Bitey
Stuffed and mounted on a plaque above the hearth in the common room is a battle-scarred knucklehead trout named Ol’ Bitey, who pulled many a fisher into the icy depths of Maer Dualdon before it was finally caught by a human rogue named Kintyre and her companion, a human druid who called himself the Maverick. They hauled Ol’ Bitey to the Northlook in the hope of having it cooked for them, but Scramsax bought it from them and had it stuffed instead. Years later, some prankster wizard cast a spell on the stuffed fish so that it turns and snaps at any creature that comes within 5 feet of it.

The Frozen Boar
Inn and tavern

The Frozen boar is big tavern close to the Town Hall. The Boar offers both more exotic food and classier rooms, but at a far higher price than The Northlook. Given its location, a lot of travelers fall in the “Boar trap” and spend all their gold on lodging and food. Very few locals stay here, unless they want really good food.

The halfling Vernon Voxhill build the Boar from the ground up together with his late father and now runs the place day and night, making him one of the richest persons in Bryn Shander. He is well liked and spends a lot of money on charity and religion and is said to be a close friend of the Speaker.

The Frozen Boar also serves as a general store of sorts. They don’t necessarily carry the most advanced things, but sell and buy a bit of everything.