welcome to Brownstone Island
Brownstone Island is one of the main Islands on the Wailing Shores, with heavy fortifications and defenses that face not just outward — but also inward. The island is home to both everyday survivors and the infamous Griswold Family, one of the most feared and influential groups on the Wailing Shores.
The island is named after the brownstone buildings that dominate its cityscape, built from the stone that is so prominent in the area. It is surrounded by thick stone walls reinforced with wooden spikes. The fact is that Brownstone doesn’t just protect itself from the outside. It also protects the rest of the Wailing Shores from what lies within…
Culture and Daily Life
The people of Brownstone Island are survivors. They do not speak in platitudes or waste time with idealism. Most residents have seen more death than they care to discuss, and many carry old injuries from both physical and psychological scars. Strength, caution, and discretion are valued above charm or kindness.
Visitors will find that the streets are quiet at night. Those who ignore this unspoken rule often go missing. Rumors circulate of figures in masks moving through the shadows, of strange sounds from deep basements and the mainland beyond the water. Locals do not answer questions unless they know exactly who is asking.
The population is mixed, but certain Lineages dominate the culture. Many Digitarians operate hidden Necrology workshops, particularly in underground spaces. The Unstable maintain chop shops and medical dens like The Ferryman’s Way, which serves as both a surgical clinic and a place for black-market augmentation. Full Dead, Semper Morte, and Unborn make up most of the ruling class, especially within the Griswold family itself.
The factions of Brownstone
While there are many groups across the Wailing Shores, there are a few main ones that make their home on Brownstone Island. These are the main movers and shakers on the island, and while other groups may appear and certain have influence, these are the ones that you’re most likely to meet while on Brownstone.
The laws of Brownstone
1. Law of Survival
The world is unforgiving. When life is at risk, survival takes priority over etiquette or courtesy. Actions taken to protect the people of Brownstone during moments of crisis are not criminal, provided they are in defense of life and settlement. Civility is expected when possible—but never at the expense of survival. Questions of ethics are a luxury reserved for times of peace and tranquility.
2. Law of Authority and Action
Those granted authority are trusted to act swiftly in moments of danger. They do not require permission to make critical decisions, but they are required to answer for them afterward. Power is not a shield against consequence. Accountability is expected from all, regardless of station.
3. Property Rights
Claimed property (territory) must be registered with a recognized council agent or community witness. Theft of personal goods, tools, or food will result in fines and restitution. Repeated theft escalates to public atonement. Theft from a Griswold holding, medical facility, or public storage is a capital crime.
4. Assault and Bodily Harm
Unprovoked assault is prohibited. Self-defense is recognized, but unnecessary escalation or disproportionate response may still result in punishment. Maiming with intent to mark, intimidate, or send a message is considered worse than a clean kill and will be judged accordingly. Bodily harm and assault that occurs during sanctioned duels, brawls, or settlement conflicts are not considered crimes as long as all enter of their own free will.
5. Exile and Pirates
Individuals branded as exiles or pirates have no protected rights on Brownstone Island. They are not afforded hospitality, trade protections, or property claims. No restitution will be granted for harm done to those who live outside the laws of this community.
6. Murder
Murder is defined as the unlawful and premeditated taking of a life or actions which directly lead to the loss of life. If intent can be proven and the act does not fall under self-defense or sanctioned execution, imprisonment or torturous death is the usual sentence. Those who kill during duels or sanctioned combat must report the outcome. Hidden deaths, even if mutual, are investigated as crimes.
7. Conspiracy and Subversion
Any act, spoken or planned, that seeks to destabilize the governance of Brownstone or undermine the rule of the Griswold Family is a direct threat to the island’s survival. Organizing resistance, harboring dissidents, or inciting unrest is considered sedition. Proven conspirators are subject to final death.
8. False Testimony and Deception
Lying during investigations, submitting false claims, or intentionally misleading the Council is a punishable offense. Penalties include double the sentence of the crime in question, or public atonement if no crime occurred but investigation resources were wasted.
9. Ownership of the Dead
Corpses are not to be taken, altered, or consumed without permit. Unauthorized experimentation or tampering with the dead is considered an act of necro-theft. Violators will be handed over to the Griswold Family for private judgment.
10. Legal Enforcement
The Griswold Family retains authority to investigate, judge, and execute in regards to all activities regarding the safe continuance of life and safety on the Brownstone Island. In a case by case bases the Griswold family may provide temporary authority to the Stormies, The Chancellors of Order, The Arbiters of the Bond, or other privatized enforcement authorities. Authority in this way is loaned, temporary, and only within the scope outlined.
Enforcement and Punishment
Brownstone enforces three primary forms of punishment:
Fines: Used for minor offenses. Payments go partly to the harmed party and partly to the island’s fund for public upkeep. Repeated violations lead to increased penalties.
Public Atonement: Offenders may be sentenced to stand vigil at the edge of known dangers—bound but armed—until they either survive their term or die in service to the settlement’s safety.
Execution: Reserved for the most severe crimes. Executions are carried out publicly. They are designed to send a clear message about the cost of betraying the trust and safety of the community.
Exile of Piracy: One of the most heinous punishments, those branded as “Pirates” no longer have any say, legal rights, and are not considered worthy of being a Lineage or Property in regards to society. As such they are not protected from crimes, they can make no legal recourse for their actions, and no island or islet of good standing across the Wailing Shores will provide safety or citizenship. For a neighboring settlement to provide citizenship is considered an open act of war upon all other settlements within the Wailing Shores.
Reefing: The irradiated reef land mass is an area of such intense radiation that the waters around the reefs regularly sizzle and turn to steam. The radiation within the area is of such high potency that it destroys equipment and kills individuals once they are within the radius of the reef. As a punishment individuals are welded into a lead coffin and are dropped down a cable-system to the reef to have all Infection ripped from their body causing permanent death.