Name:
Bjorni Silverstone
Bann of Silverstone
The Engineer
Age:
58
Occupation:
Bann of Silverstone
Description:
Bjorni is an old man now. Once he stood tall and proud next to the greatest warriors of the realm but now, as he ages, his body has slowly begun to fail him. Bent slightly at the shoulders and with a heavy limp on his right leg, now a wooden peg, he looks nothing like the warrior he once was. His hair has long fallen out though he has managed to retain his beard, grown white with age, the passing of his years reflected in his blue eyes and there is no disguising the keen intelligence and wisdom brought on by age. Though his fingers may no longer hold a sword steady they certainly can turn pages and he has amassed a tremendous library that he studies. For those who would seek his advice, there are few who can match his tactical knowledge.
His armour now hangs on a stand in his rooms and he is most often seen swathed in black cloak, boots, tunic and pants, all of it trimmed with the white fur of a mountain beast.
Personality:
With his skills as a warrior nought but legend now, the Ban of Silverstone has turned to more mental pursuits. This has made him perhaps kinder and more gentle than the Bjorni of old but the steel of his line still shows itself when the time comes. From time to time his people have seen the hint of a younger man in his meting out of punishment upon thieves and criminals.
Silverstones unique position in the kingdom as the wealthiest of all cities has made him wary and eager to prevent more powerful lords from trying to usurp his line. As such he pays his taxes to the Warden of the Lowlands in return for her protection and rarely makes any commitment or pledge that might bring the wealth and seeming neutrality of Silverstone into jeopardy.
Biography:
The Silverstone line is a unique one in that no two male offspring seem to live. Bjorni was actually the third son to be born but the only one to live past the age of four. No brothers followed but several sisters have and they still live within the city walls.
As a young man Bjorni was groomed for the eventual task of becoming Bann of his families holdings. He was learned in all things but he showed his greatest gifts in warfare, though in time he would find he possessed great skill in lordship as well.
In his youth he ranged far and wide at the command of the Warden of the Lowlands, serving faithfully as all young noblemen must. His skill with a sword was not greater than any other man but his ability to use his head for more than a helmet stand was soon obvious.
He grew rich through war and developed a taste for learning all he could about his familyâs enemies. When he at last took a career ending wound in battle he was forced to lie in the care of healers for months with nothing to do but read. He discovered he had a passion for this work that almost matched his interest in warfare.
Upon returning home he set about amassing a massive library of books on every subject ever written. His father, keen to have the young man fixated on something other than the loss of his leg, indulged him. He began to study the art of seige warfare and even assembled various small working models of his inventions though only a few have ever seen actual use.
By the time his father died , Bjorni was better read than his fellow lords and almost more so than the scribe and clerical classes. His veracious lust of knowledge taught him many things, including how to better delve for precious stones and minerals deep beneath his city.
These days he is ever at his books, designing new and wonderful machines that can be used to better the lives of his people or shorten those of his enemies. Silverstone not only stands as the wealthiest city in the kingdom but perhaps the most advanced as his inventions are built, sometimes with limited success.
The City of SilverStone
The City of Silverstone is a marvel of the realm. While many cities boast larger walls, more troops, high mountains or impressive castles, Silverstone stands alone in her natural defenses.
Built on a series of rocky outcroppings in the middle of the Silver Falls, so named for their colour under the moon, the city is accessible by only a single bridge, though rumours suggest that the Banns of Silverstone have dug several deep tunnels that allow them access far beyond the city walls.
The mines that make Silverstone wealthy stretch beneath the raging waters and their stone river beds. Constantly flooding and being pumped dry, this network of deep caves, tunnels and mine shafts only add to the mysteriousness of the waterfall bound city. Slavery is not unfamiliar here since it would not do to have the cities citizens drowning beneath the very feet of their families.
The citizens of the city number no more than 10,000 but the wealth they glean from their home is enough to ensure that the city gleams of marble, gold and silver. Several universities can also be found within the walls and the students here are known far and wide for their accomplishments and teachings. The merchants guild has their main chapter house here and even the most feared thieves and assassins are thought to have found homes in the tunnels beneath the city. Some even suggest that the Banns only son is one of those who serve the darkest of purposes.
Silverstone is a city of wealth, education and promise though some doubt they can ride out the war in peace.