Bruma (Oblivion)

Bruma is the northern-most city in the province of Cyrodiil, located in the Jerall Mountains along the border with Skyrim. Bruma's northerly latitude, combined with its high altitude, leads to a much different climate than other populated areas of the province. The city is perpetually covered in snow, with clear, sunny days being rare. The city, and its people, have adapted to the climate with a much simpler, hardier way of life.

Because of Bruma's close proximity to Skyrim, it is populated extensively by Nords, both immigrants from Skyrim itself, and Cyrodiilic citizens longing for a place more like their ancient home. The non-Nordic peoples of Bruma tend to adapt the culture of their northern neighbors, though most of the Cyrodiilic Nords strive to be somewhat more civilized. The city's culture is similar to that of Solstheim, an island near Morrowind that is part of Skyrim, but heavily populated by Imperials. Given the Nordic penchant for battle, and their legends linking Tiber Septim to the ancient Greybeards, it is not surprising that Bruma's patron saint is Talos, the divine nature of Tiber Septim.

The city is built directly into the side of the Jerall Mountain peaks, with the main gate at the eastern end, and Castle Bruma at the westernmost point. The northern half of the city is built onto four man-made steppes leading up to the castle walls, and is where the guild halls and shops are located. The southern portion consists of a single road, containing the bulk of the residences, which follows a naturally sloping semicircle from west to east. The city's most prominent feature, the Great Chapel of Talos, lies at the heart of this semicircle, and is the first sight a visitor will see upon entering Bruma's main gate.

For most details about this City, see Bruma's volume in Alessia Ottus's guidebook series, Guide to Bruma.

Things To Note
Thieves' Guild Fence- Ongar, the first fence for the Thieves Guild, lives in this city, in a small house to the West side of the chapel.

Dark Brotherhood Clothing - J'Ghasta's house has a Black Hand Hood and a Black Hand Robe worn exclusively by members of the Dark Brotherhood, which raises your Sneak, Marksman, Illusion, Blade, and Speechcraft by 4 and 11 points, respectively. The equipment is protected by a Very Hard lock on a keg in the lower level. There is also a "Secret Training Room" hidden door in the corner of the lower level under some fabric swaths. There are some practice dummies here, soft candle light, and light reading is available (increase hand-to-hand).

Statue of Your Character - After completing the "Great Gate" quest, a statue of your character will be erected near the north gate to the Jerall Mountains. Your statue features the equipment that the game considers the best of what you had in your inventory during the quest.

Description
Bruma is understood to be a Nibenese county, but in truth it is more Nord than Nibenese, on account of its close proximity to the Skyrim border, and on account of the terrible cold and discomfort of its location high in the Jerall Mountains. Bruma is always cold and covered with snow, with braziers kept burning in every quarter to prevent the citizens from freezing to death. Everything is built in wood, since trees are so plentiful in the forests of the Jeralls, and even rich men live here in dark, dirty wooden huts.

Architecture
Unlike most other cities, there is very little diversity among the architecture of Bruma; there is no prominent aristocratic or commercial region to speak of. Almost all of the buildings, from the guild halls down to the single-person residences, are sturdy wooden buildings, built on top of a thick granite base. The only notable difference between the high-end houses and the lower-end ones are the presence of a second story, and in some cases, a basement. Though the buildings are constructed similar to the log cabins of the Skyrim frontier, they are extremely well-built, and generally sport eloborate doors and external support beams, decorated all over with Nordic carvings. There is very little decorative about Bruma apart from the buildings themselves; in particular, the climate is far too harsh to support parks, trees, ponds, or other natural features found in other cities.

Count and Countess
Countess Narina Carvain is a Nibenean Heartlander, a dutiful chapel goer, and a respected ruler, though she is cunning and a ruthless negotiator, and has a reputation for sharp dealing and treachery. She runs the county efficiently and the county is well ordered. The Countess makes sure that Bruma has a well trained and aggressive town watch. To lead the town watch she has hired a Nord named Burd as Captain of the Guard.

Layout
Castle Bruma is cold and drafty, carelessly decorated, and dark with soot from the perpetually burning braziers. The smell of smoke and cinders is overpowering. The high ceilings are grand, but impossible to heat, and one is never to get warm. The ancient layers of soot and filth encrusting the stonework makes it difficult to appreciate the exceptional stonecarving. Except in its stonework and grand scale, the castle is like the log huts of the people: cold, dark, drafty, and dirty.

Access to the castle is through a gate west from the town into a courtyard. The shops, inns, and guilds are located in the north, either on the western terrace near the castle gate, or below the terrace, north of the chapel. The chapel is the central feature of southern Bruma, with houses ranged along the inside of the walls along the east and south. The streets are cramped and barren, since few trees and plants can survive the cold, but the town is compact and quickly explored.

Shops, Inns, and Guilds
Bruma has the standard Fighter's Guild hall and Mage's Guild hall, both located on the second tier, where guild members can find rest and training. However, these are very small guild halls, with only a handful of members in each guild, and only apprentice-level trainers. However the Bruma Mages Guild is a good starting point for mage-type characters since the guild members sell spells in every school, with a wide variety of effects, of particular note is the Summon Dremora Lord which cannot be purchased anywhere else.

Bruma is home to two taverns, both of which offer food, drink, and lodging:
 * Jerall View Inn, Proprietor: Hafid Hollowleg – Higher priced inn, caters mostly to visitors.
 * Olav's Tap and Tack, Proprietor: Olav – Less expensive lodging; favorite hang-out of many locals.

Bruma's commercial options are somewhat limited, though one can take advantage of the Nords' world-renowned skill at forging weapons and armor. The following shops are available:
 * Hammer and Axe, Proprietor: Fjotreid – Sells and repairs weapons and armor.
 * Nord Winds, Proprietor: Olfand and Skjorta – Sells and repairs weapons, armor and clothing.
 * Novaroma, Proprietor: Suurootan – General goods.
 * Wildeye Stables, Proprietor: Petrine –Paint Horses outside eastern gate.

Other Points of Interest
Bruma is, in general, a very utilitarian city. There is not much in the way of sightseeing or tourism, so there is very little of interest to those without specific business in the city.

The city does boast an impressive chapel, the Great Chapel of Talos, as its central feature.

The most interesting features of Bruma actually appear outside the city, to the north. The Emperor's private guard force, the Blades, have occupied a large Akaviri fortress north of Bruma, called Cloud Ruler Temple. In addition, somewhere nearby, in the Jerall Mountains is the infamous Pale Pass, where Emperor Reman I finally defeated the Akaviri invaders near the end of the First Era.

There is a house for sale in Bruma costing 10000 gold.

Residents
Bruma has few residents of any real note, apart from the merchants themselves:


 * Wealthy Bosmer Baenlin, and his manservant Gromm, have a two-story home in the northern section. (Quest)
 * Jearl is the rare resident who travels frequently but still returns home.

There is a single, unoccupied house for sale on the eastern side of town.


 * Ongar the World-Weary, is a Thieves Guild fence. He can usually be found in Olav's Tap and Tack at night and at his house sleeping during the day - which is on the Western side of the Church and first on the right when you enter through the East Gate (from the Jerall Mountains).
 * Alval Uvani is not a resident of Bruma, but he does stay in Olav's Tap and Tack when he visits. As it is a small building that is usually packed, it is the hardest place to assassinate him.

Quests
There is normally not much excitement to be found in Bruma. The following are the only quests that specifically start in the city:
 * Lifting the Vale
 * Two Sides of the Coin
 * A Brotherhood Betrayed

Mage's Guild

 * Bruma Recommendation
 * A Plot Revealed

However, given its proximity to the Blades' headquarters (more specifically, its special guest), Bruma is at the forefront of the battle against Mehrunes Dagon's invasion. The following Main Quest line quests are carried out almost entirely in, around, or on behalf of Bruma:


 * Spies
 * Bruma Gate
 * Allies for Bruma
 * Defense of Bruma
 * Great Gate

Behind The Scenes
Bruma in Latin means winter.

Bugs
Climbing onto the Tap and Tack and continuing on the roofs you can jump out of the city.