Lavray (lav-ray) is an old town and is the northern most settlement on the Crimson Coast, being well located on the western Straits between the continents of Kylma and Western Warlderia. It has good farming lands around it and a busy port. Unfortunately Lavray was attacked and damaged last year by a mixed force of pirates and humanoids and has yet to recover. Much of the port region and the trade quarter was raised and the other parts badly damaged. Since then repairs have been carried out and continue to do so but the town is still far from its past glory. Large numbers of the citizens were forced to live in cramped conditions with many moving to the Sikker Woods to the east. Now spring has come a major effort is being made to rebuild and repair. 
The current ruler is the elderly Graf Hendrik whose sons and grandsons died during the great raid on Lavray. The heir is an infant great-grandson called Ivar whose mother is an ex-adventurer of half-elf blood called Aphyla Reldove. The Graf has appointed Aphyla as his regent but this is not at all popular amongst the other nobles and well to do of Lavray. The idea of the heir to the Graf being of mixed elf-humanblood is not well received either but Lady-Regent Aphyla’s rule in popular with the common folk. She has brought in a large number of priests of Pelor to help with the care of the poor and homeless and this faith is growing in Lavray.
After the Graf the most prominent noble is Thegn Sigurd Hammersun who is a descendant, amongst many, of the original founder Harald. Sigurd’s house, commonly called the Hvit-Hammersun, is both wealthy and politically strong but the loss of his youngest son Lars and his daughter Turid in the raid has shocked him. Though he still has three surviving sons and six grandchildren, it was well known the deaths shook him greatly and all he really wants is revenge. The now youngest son, a famed warrior called Ødger, has raised a band of cavalrymen and has ridden out to find the remnants. The Blue Band are seasoned men, well equipped and led having already hunted down some of the slower fleeing raiders.
The next most wealthy and influential family is the Skallagrims who are relative newcomers to Lavray that have made their mark. They settled here around thirty years ago and claimed descent from none of the nobles of the Blood Isles but soon assimilated to the ways of Lavray. They have the largest fleet of ships in the town and are rumoured to have once been pirates; though this is hardly rare for those of Blood Isle origins. The head of the family is Ergil and he is keen for his brood to marry in to more established lines on the Crimson Coast.
History
Lavray is one of the oldest Blood Isler settlements on the Crimson Coast, being established by folk from Glarus Isle in the early days of exploration. The settlers traded with the Hugond and gradually put down roots. The leader was Harald Hammersun and he built a hall on the hill overlooking the bay from which he watched his village grow in to a town. He had seven sons from his wife and concubines whom he sent out to see the world and to return home only when rich in fame and gold. The one he rated as the most successful was chosen as his heir and became the new ruler on Harald’s death. Unfortunately this led to much infighting amongst his sons with the successor being the last survivor who promptly killed Harald. Since then the line of Hammersun has always been careful to carefully anoint successors to prevent in-fighting and this has generally worked.
Lavray had a peaceful period with the settlement being more prosperous and the locals content with their lot. This was shattered when a force of humanoid raiders attacked Lavray from over the waters to the north where the province of Fallen Harmonias lay. This force of orcs was led by pirates from the slaver port of Eastward Bay and fell upon unwary Lavray. Both the humanoids and slavers had rarely attacked the Crimson Coast as they feared reprisals from the inhabitants and because there were always easier pickings to be had elsewhere. The liberation of the humanoid lands by the Duchy of Everwatch had made the orcs and pirates desperate and in this desperation they attacked Lavray.
The settlement was ill-prepared as the attack started just after midnight when the orcs would have maximum advantage from their darkvision and the humans fast asleep. The invaders surged through the port area and would have captured the whole town had their nature to loot and kill not slowed them down. The fleeing locals found a degree of sanctuary in the Harald Hall Castle where they rallied and fought back led by the Lord’s sons. Unfortunately even though the tide was turned the brave sons all fell in the battle along with many of the warriors of Lavray. The Temple of Kord was totally destroyed and the priests slain in a glorious but hopeless last stand. As dawn broke the orcs and pirates withdrew to their ships not knowing just how close they had come to capturing the whole of Lavray. The left laden with plunder and more than a few newly acquired slaves. The survivors in the ruined city were stunned and exhausted by events and when the Graf heard of the death of all his children, he fell in to a pit of dark despair. Only Aphyla Reldove, the wife of a dead grandson, showed any spirit by rallying the folk together to quench the fires and tend to the wounded. Since then she led for the Graf and he has been content to let her from his own chambers where he mourns his lost sons.