Brickdocton is inhabited by Avalonians, colonists, and Forestmen
Brickdocton is a small colony of Avalonia located on one of the larger islands on the south fringe of the Mystic Isles . Although its structures are neither as large nor as impressive as those of the mainland, the presence of the Forestmen has deterred any significant conflicts.
Colonized over half a millennium ago, the island has prospered under the rule of its more recent lords, though it remains a quiet, secluded village and lacks the fame and influence of some larger Avalonian cities.
History[]
The Isle of Brickdocton was first colonized by the ancestors of the Avalonians nearly six centuries ago, but the colonists were confined to the island's plains, as a lack of an organized military did not afford them the ability to drive off the indigenous Forestmen who controlled the forests.
Baldwin Brickdocton, first Lord Brickdocton
The leader of the colonization endeavor, the first Lord Brickdocton, built up a successful, self-reliant village on the coast in sheltered Brickdocton Bay. He built his keep on a hill overlooking the village. By the time of the third Lord Brickdocton, a Knight, no fewer than a dozen colonial villages were present on the Isle of Brickdocton, and roads had been built into the forests.
The fourth Lord Brickdocton was incompetent and concentrated solely on his own grandeur. He transformed the keep and its supporting buildings into Brickdocton Manor , but the roads became a popular target for raids by foreign pirates.
The tyrannical fifth Lord Brickdocton made an effort to fortify the colony, notably building the manor up into Brickdocton Castle and establishing his absolute control of the villages, for which he attained the title of Count.
The sixth Lord Brickdocton traveled throughout Avalonia, stirring up great interest in the opportunities on the island and achieving the title of Duke, but he neglected his family and his son married one of the Forestwomen.
The seventh Lord Brickdocton then used his influence within the ranks of the Forestmen to gain the title of Grand Duke within the new Avalonian Guild and all but united the island.
Brickdocton's outposts are defended by Avalonians and Forestmen alike.
Bartholomew Docken , eighth Lord Brickdocton, eliminated the pirate threats. By the time the orders for fortification went out from Cedrica, the roads on the isle
Bartholomew Docken, eighth Lord Brickdocton
were guarded by Forestman watchtower trees and Avalonian guardhouses alike, allowing raw materials to be safely transported out of the dense forest. Lord Docken founded the Brickdocton Inventors' Guild and contributed multiple advanced siege engines to the Avalonian military, rising to the rank of Arch Duke.
Geography[]
Brickdocton is a flat island, lacking any major mountains. The northern shore has a few small cliffs, though, for the most part, the island is surrounded by white, sandy beaches that are a popular destination among locals. This absence of any higher ground means that there are almost no rivers on Brickdocton, and workshops on the island have had to devise a number of irrigation systems to keep the farms from drying out.
Climate[]
As a part of the Mystic Isles, Brickdocton does receive an above-average amount of rainfall, which has helped to make farming a little easier. Since it is located on the edge of the island group, however, the island gets a more than satisfactory amount of sunlight, allowing plant life to flourish.
Fauna[]
Nothing is known of what animals originally inhabited the island. By the time the colonists arrived, the Forestmen had already domesticated horses and cattle. The colonists added pigs and sheep to the list of common animals. Fish are abundant in the waters surrounding the island, and there are countless birds and other smaller animals in the forest which have not been documented.
Leadership[]
Brickdocton was once, in ages past, the domain of the Forestmen. Little is known of this period, other than that the island was once completely covered in forest. With the colonization effort came the rule of the Lords, powerful individuals who commanded the small military force that accompanied the colonists.
Lord Docken, with Forestman escort
For centuries, there existed the inevitable power struggle between colonists and Forestmen. The island's plains were under colonial control, but the forests remained the dangerous home of the Forestmen. With the marriage of the seventh Lord Brickdocton to one of the Forestwomen, an era of peace and cooperation came to the Isle of Brickdocton. With the Avalonians and Forestmen alike recognizing one ruler, the inhabitants have been able to unlock the island's resources and their strength within the new Guild of Avalonia has been steadily increasing.
Since the time of the seventh Lord Brickdocton, the island has been a part of the Guild of Avalonia, and recognizes the authority of both Albion and Cedrica.
One of the trebuchets built in Brickdocton, manned by Avalonian soldiers
Imports and Exports[]
Despite the introduction of crude gunpowder-based artillery by rival guilds, the mainstay of the Avalonian army's arsenal of siege engines remains the reliable trebuchet, and that is one of Brickdocton's most famous exports. Because of the difficulty of transporting the siege engines to the mainland, Brickdocton's workshops and its Inventors' Guild primarily build smaller support trebuchets, designed for knocking men off of walls or lobbing small bombs into the outer defenses, as opposed to knocking down walls entirely, but they are capable of building larger machines.
Brickdocton is rich in a number of natural resources. Various types of wood are plentiful, though the consumption of that resource is carefully (and expectedly) regulated by the Forestmen. As a large island with few inhabitants that is now half-covered in plains, Brickdocton does produce more grain than it consumes, and wheat has become a minor export to other islands in recent years. Fish are abundant around the island, though that is not in much demand in a land with as many rivers and islands as Avalonia.
Brickdocton lacks any large mountains or quarries, so buildings are typically constructed with as little stone as possible, which must be imported. (often from the mainland - a costly and hazardous trip with a boat full of stone) Obviously, the virtual nonexistence of mining on the island has made gems and precious metals even more valuable on Brickdocton, though an increase in trade following the disappearance of any thread from pirates has begun to make these items more affordable.
Locations[]
Brickdocton Outposts[]
An outpost along a road from the forest to the plains
Brickdocton's outposts are a recent addition to the land, having been construced under the orders of Barthlomew Docken to defend roads from raiders and to keep a lookout along the coasts for pirates. On an island that prides itself on self-reliance, what little stone is available is used towards the maintenance and expansion of Bricdocton Castle, so outposts usually consist of a short tower to provide protection for Avalonian men. Every outpost includes a small shed at the back, used for storing provisions. Each road and outpost is carefully placed to allow the road to be surrounded on both sides by trees, ensuring that the Forestmen can easily move stealthily from outpost to outpost and rain arrows down on enemies from relative safety.