Carlan Brewlan

Carlan Brewlan is the former Lord Mayor and current Baron of Betham. He rules in the stead of King Therovin Hawthorne of Saldon along his southwestern coasts and leads the people of Betham. He is a hedge noble, someone who ascended to nobility from commoner status. Though he was by no means a serf, he was a staunch critic of the Cardusian nobility from the safety of Pallem, where freedom of speech is protected. He is the son of wealthy parents who made their fortune in financial advisory. They were able to afford Carlan's education who quickly followed in his parents' footsteps.

During his time as a student, he had taken a keen interest literature. He had read many different kinds of books, though he was keenly interested in radical political theory as written by socialist Ariam Caskborn and republican Stuar Coldrin. Both authors' works had been banned in many of the northern kingdoms, making it rather difficult for him to procure more of their work. As a result, Carlan took notice of the Cardusian bourgeoisie and began writing articles of his own critiquing the means by which they ruled. While his articles and pamphlets saw little distribution in a city that was staunchly favorable to the Northern Sanction Alliance, he did garner some unwarranted attention.

Carlan fled Pallem after Cardus had sent thugs to harrass and assault Carlan until he walked back his claims. He was then elected mayor of Betham due in part to his civic experience as an accountant's apprentice and his formal education in political theory. He ran on a platform of radical change that commoners believed in, but ultimately he saw that the town beset on all sides by monsters and bandits. When Therovin Hawthorne II took over and named himself Baron of Saldon, he extended protection to Betham so long as they swore fealty to him. Reluctantly, Carlan agreed and was thus named Lord Mayor.

Many people dislike Carlan for what he had done and view him as a pale shadow of the young man that promised to wrest power from the elite give it back to the common man. Others understand what he had done was a sacrifice of his ideals to save the town. After the Battle of Betham, many villagers have come around to supporting him again, but even still they haven't forgotten the foundation that Lord Carlan once stood on.