Lorebook: Bramburn
Bramburn
(Still Burns)
LORE
Background
Bramburn is a town remembered not only for its fertile lands and rich woodland but for the infamous Slaughter at Bramburn, the final battle of the Second Inquisition. Once a modest but thriving stronghold, Bramburn was razed to the ground in 98 SO. The castle and its surrounding villages were destroyed, marking the end of the Second Inquisition and the Church’s decisive victory over accused practitioners of magic. The tale of Bramburn’s fall has since become a rallying cry for dissidents and anti-Inquisition movements, immortalized in the popular tavern song, Bramburn Still Burns.
Slaughter at Bramburn
The massacre that took place at Bramburn marked the end of the Second Inquisition. Inquisitors, acting under orders of Warden Crowley, sought to snuff out what they believed was one of the last major centers of magic resistance, and executed a full-scale assault on the town. The slaughter was indiscriminate - men, women, and children were cut down as heretics, the castle was set ablaze, and the surrounding villages were put to the torch. The fires burned for days, reducing the once-proud town to ash and ruin. Though the Church declared victory, the destruction of Bramburn became a symbol of the Inquisition's cruelty.
Bramburn Still Burns
The massacre inspired one of the most enduring pieces of anti-Inquisition folklore: the song Bramburn Still Burns. Sung in hushed tones by dissidents and those critical of the Church's actions, the song has kept alive the memory of the slaughter, serving as a reminder of the brutal lengths the Church went to in its quest for control.
Though banned in many regions controlled by the Church or the Second Order, the song has endured for centuries. Its lyrics speak of the flames that consumed the town, but also of the spirit that endures, defying the Inquisition's attempt to erase the past.
Original Lyrics:
O'er hill and river, past brook and thrush
The blood-soaked banner did wave
All alight with fear and dread
Of naught but lowly mage
Ol' Coward came with fire in eyes
And iron clenched in hand
He rode hard that starless night
To scorch our father's land
So lift up your voices
And pass 'round the ale,
For the Warden's long gone
But we still tell the tale
While the embers still smolder
We drink to the flames
So raise up your glasses
And toast their names
The smoke may've risen
The stones may've turned
But deep in our hearts
BRAMBURN STILL BURNS
Additional Stanza:
With ash in our throats
And fire for blood
We'll not turn back now, for
BRAMBURN STILL BURNS