Alyeskan Gazetteer: Brimstone

Nestled amongst the Bastion Peaks in northern New Gwentia lies, in the shadow of a semi-active volcano, an abandoned ski resort known commonly as Brimstone.

Once it was the holiday destination of the well-to-do, now it is little more than ruins...

History

What became Brimstone was the brainchild of one man, Kirwin Gladstone.

Gladstone was an enterprising businessman keen to amiss a fortune in Alyeska, but also at the same time attempt to make it more civilized. He had spent a number of years and considerable amount of coin building up a small empire of hotels that catered to the upper reaches of society in New Gwentia. The Crown Hotel in Morrdun is the single greatest monument to Gladstone's efforts as well as the surviving villas and hunting lodges that still dot the New Gwentian wilderness. Prior to the Great Darmonican War the wealthy were keen to travel to exotic destinations and Gladstone was eager to cash in on this trend.

Gladstone mounted a few survey expeditions throughout the Bastion Peaks until he settled upon a small valley nestled beneath a peak that he dubbed, in a spite of vanity, Mount Gladstone. He then built a resort around a lodged named, unsurprisingly, after the nearby mountain that he'd bestowed his name upon. Gladstone then set about an aggressive advertising campaign to draw well heeled, and more importantly their coin, to his luxurious all-year 'ski resort' masterpiece. It proved to be a big hit for a while.

But the mountain had other ideas.

The mountain that Gladstone had named after himself was a dormant volcano, a fact that it let be known only a couple of years after the resort had opened. Volcanic gases were spewed out by the mountain, causing the resort to be hastily evacuated and abandoned. The incident broke Gladstone both mentally and financially, on the verge of bankruptcy he left Alyeska never to return. His hotel empire was broken up and run by others with varying degrees of success, the Crown Hotel had a decent turnover until the Commonwealth Army commandeered it to use as its Alyeskan headquarters.

Of Gladstone himself, no one ever heard from him again whilst Mount Gladstone lived on in local legend as Brimstone.

Present State

Volcanic gases still spew to this day from the mountain, making the location highly toxic for those without a gas mask. The surviving buildings are coated in sulphur and, to a degree, offer some protection from the toxic air but are not suitable as long term refuge. The resort is plagued by other hazards such as frequent ash fall and small earthquake as the mountain slowly rumbles.

Plot Hooks

*The resort's last guests are wealthy people, though in their haste to leave some valuables were left behind. A fair amount of coin is offered either by the families themselves or other interested parties to retrieve the items.

*Mount Gladstone, due to the volcanic activity, isn't a place where people typically go. Because of this it is a favoured waypoint for criminals such as smugglers to stash goods for others to pick up.