Banbridge¶
Banbridge is a palisaded mining and farming town in the High Vale south of Proturas, "split across the river (The darkwater)" and half a day from the forested, cursed hills of Mered-Ourin (S102). Several silver mines and an iron mine lie nearby, and "industry in the area is primarily farming and mining" (S102).
Overview¶
The town is ringed by a wooden palisade and divided by the Darkwater, with a bridge joining its halves (S102, S047). Its defenders are the Banbridge Militia and the Banbridge Guard, the town guard, who stand outside the walls in time of sickness and "are wary and unlikely to let the sick pass" (S060). A local healer treats, and when he must, euthanises, the incurable (S058). The road to Proturas passes the Drunken Dwarf, "an traveler's Inn on the way to Banbridge", three-quarters of a day out, where a private room costs five silver and the common room one; a herbalist called Lorna, "crazy Herbalism Lady", keeps shop near it (S047, S060, S068).
The Silver Plow¶
"An inn for local traveling workers. Right across the bridge on the south side of the river" (S102). It is the haunt of Giles, a wagoneer who hauls for the Silver Vein Transport Co. and was an informant for the Proturan relic dealer Hobard (S102, S047). The company is listed among the Proturan Companies and Guilds.
The Tavern¶
A farmhouse "just outside Banbridge" called, simply, the Tavern, used as a drop for salvaged goods (S047, S058). The farm family who live outside the town, a husband, wife and fourteen-year-old son, are counted among the party's friends (S068).
History¶
In 834 AL an expedition of Radulf's Relics & Recovery, "half a dozen mercenaries and a labor force of about 20" with Radulf himself on the scene, dug into the Slatestone Ridge a day north of the town and opened the Tomb of Malathar the Pestilent (S047). Word in Banbridge was that "the expedition has made a valuable discovery and work recently shifted from excavation to extraction"; then a labourer named Edwin "returned to town … He had a couple minor injuries and looked sick and afraid", and died under Giles's care (S047). Plague-zombies and giant plague rats followed him down out of the hills. "Banbridge suffered an attack from Undead (Zombies and Rats). They successfully defended. However, many were injured", and "a bonfire burning outside of the palisade" consumed a couple of dozen bodies (S058, S060). The Knights of the Steel Cross, "quick reaction force from Baegor", arrived at Banbridge "and more along the way. They have set up quarantine stations along the roads. They will turn back anyone infected and send them to Banbridge" (S060). Giles himself took the fever and died (S068). The tomb and the ridge are described on the High Vale page; the necromancer on Malathar's.
Gap
The sources do not say who governs Banbridge, how large it is, or what the silver and iron mines are called. Nothing records the town before the plague.
In Play¶
Banbridge is where the Proturan Campaign party took its salvage job to the abandoned expedition camp and brought the plague back with them (S047, S058).