The east

CITIES





Charybdis | Darmah | Fer | Scylla | Sintai’s Rest | Temple of Asgar | Temple of Dellimentai | Temple of the Dark God | Temple of the Unknown God | Tilish | Weeping Eye


CHARYBDIS


Unlike its sister city, Charybdis is built primarily above water. It shares many similarities however, with opulent homes above and below the water line as some Sirens prefer to live out of the water. It is also home to those members of the other races who are brave or stupid enough to live within the confines of a city belonging to a predatory race. In actual fact those who do live within the city are viewed as off-limits by most Sirens. They are seducible but not edible, as it would bring unwelcome attention should merchants, diplomats and traders start turning up dead.

Charybdis is built into a tall stone outcropping that protrudes from the northern edge of Silarin, great sweeping corridors opening out onto broad squares filled with merchants’ stalls and entertainment. A large theatre dominates the south-eastern facing, one side open to the elements to give a greater sense of grandeur to the proceedings. All in all, Charybdis is a magnificent city, but still a dangerous one. Casual visitors often go missing, their deaths officially attributed to accidents, though it is more likely they entered the wrong house whilst following an apparently innocent, yet eager Siren.


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DARMAH


It is completely unknown how Darmah came to be built as any information regarding the cities origins is ruthlessly quashed by the Shadows NightEaters. What is known, however, is that it is built into the facing sides of a colossal crater from some vast impact that occurred sometime in Tal’Vorn’s long history. Numerous tunnels and warrens have been carved into the face of the crater, home to thousands of slaves taken by the Venris armies. Primarily Nemar and indeed Venris themselves, these slaves are worked to death hacking out more tunnels, all in search of any precious metals, iron ores or mani crystals that can be dragged from the rocks grasp.

Deep under the crater is the personal realm of the Shadow itself. Though very few have been in its presence and lived, its home is surprisingly sparse. Whatever the Shadow is, it holds no interest in beds, tables, fireplaces or any of the other usual accoutrements of humanoid life. Indeed it seems to only possess such a large living area, roughly the size of the average Jump Gate community, purely because it can.

Darmah is a den of death, filth, slavery and horror, hundreds of lives lost every day to the pointless whims of the Shadow. Armies ready in the depths and battle-plans are drawn up, all to take more slaves to live pointless lives in the dark. Children are regularly brought in from the Venris tribes living across Midian to be raised as NightEaters. Something the Shadow does to these younglings changes them forever, bleaching their hair and eyes white whilst simultaneously staining their skin ebony. They are stronger, tougher, quicker and more ruthless than the other Venris, though they lack free thought and innovation. Indeed they are the perfect soldiers for the Shadows armies.


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FER


A sprawling tent-city, home to the largest concentration of Nemar anywhere in the South, Fer is a bustling metropolis of canvas. Everything that a normal town or city possess can be found somewhere amidst the sprawling tents. Indeed many of the tents, especially towards the centre, start to reach epic sizes, many bigger than comparable houses, complete with multiple floors. Gaudy and busy, the city is full of the smell of cooking fires, canvas, animal life and the normal scents of a large group of humanoids gathered in one place.

The tents are made into alleyways and streets, with some places of the city safer than others. Though it has no official quarters, sections of the city do boast a substantial non-Nemar population, especially of Conflaris, Ancient DragonLords and several dozen Morain. The new race especially enjoys a particular place of honour as new allies of the Nemar people. Street-walkers of all the Southern races, including Venris and the effortlessly seductive Sirens, compete with merchants hawking wares and entertainers begging for copper pieces, all coming together to give the city a fierce sense of life.


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SCYLLA


The Siren cities are somewhat similar in their construction, being crafted out of the facing cliffs. Scylla is carved into the side of Roc and unlike its sister is mostly underwater. A narrow series of corridors provides a land-access route but Roc’s low-lying nature means that there is little decent stone to build within. As such most of the Siren inhabitants of Scylla live underwater or on the island itself. Roc is home to the vast majority of the Siren people, its sprawling caves and tunnels reaching far underground and water, ingenious switchbacks and slender holes, combined with the ferocious currents and pounding waves that roar through the Gap, ensuring that the water is kept fresh and clean.

Underwater farming of seaweed for feeding domestic animals takes place on the outskirts of Scylla, tended by young or low-ranking Sirens who have not yet made a humanoid kill. Numerous shrines to Dellimentai dot the city as well, though this is nothing unusual as most Siren homes also have a shrine to the Goddess of Seduction. The homes themselves tend towards the opulent, silks waving in the currents underwater, beds of stone and delicately woven seagrasses, combined with coral furniture makes for extremely comfortable living, even for the lowliest Siren.


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SINTAI'S REST


Built in the shelter of a trio of rolling hills on the island of Restaril, overlooked by the looming shadow of the Weeping Eye volcano to the north, the city of Sintai’s Rest is the single largest concentration of DragonLords on the planet. Any outsiders, including non-Ancient DragonLords are kept to a small, strictly controlled section of the city to ensure that they do not bother the populace. Passes can acquired at extortionate cost and certain merchants are the exception from this, but generally Sintai’s Rest is not a city built to entertain visitors. It is instead designed to function as the Ancient DragonLord seat of power on the planet.

Built atop one of the hills is the magnificent palace of Sintai himself. Crafted entirely of dark green marble, the city took years and much effort to build, the FirstBorn Green DragonLord labouring alongside his brethren to erect the monument to defiance of the DragonKing. Within sits Sintai’s throne, where he hears petitioners and passes judgement. Most things relating to crime and law are dealt with by magistrates within the city, but any Ancient DragonLord, accused or accuser, has the right to be heard and judged by Sintai himself, should they so wish.

The rest of the city is a carefully laid out, clean, warm and industrious place, formed of limestone or granite. Built with the intention of lasting forever and with the boisterous natures of its inhabitants in mind, the city is an impressively tough place, with buildings being very difficult to knock down. There are few luxuries in the city, though most Ancient DragonLords don’t care. Luxuries could be acquired, but the Scions of Sintai are far more interested in good food, living well and marching to war against the occasional Venris incursion.


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TEMPLE OF ASGAR


Believed to be the reason that the island of Hasch is covered in desert, the fiery temple of Asgar, the Volcano God, is buried deep in the shifting sands. Only a single tunnel provides access, kept clear of the sands by some mysterious power that probably has something to do with the deity himself. Deep in the temple, past the trials imposed upon visitors by all the temples, lies the Alter proper, as well as the Conflaris priesthood that maintains the temple. The Conflarian High Priest, an ancient, wizened creature of dusty rock and faint, pulsing orange LifeBlood, is named Helmgart RockCaller.

It is this Conflaris who hears the pleas of petitioners and whilst piercing the trials of a temple grants the pilgrim a boon, often this comes in the form of a blessing as opposed to more tangible benefits. Sometimes however the God sees fit to intervene in mortal matters that amuse or entertain him. If Asgar does choose to speak then the colossal basalt statue of him built into the wall of the apse comes to life, speaking with a booming voice, eyes aglow with inner fire.


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TEMPLE OF DELLIMENTAI


The Temple of Dellimentai, Goddess of Sex, Lust and Pleasure, is obviously a decadent and extremely pleasant place. However that does not make the trials any less difficult to overcome. For a start to reach the mouth of the temple requires diving deep underwater. Whilst the temple itself is dry due to the Goddess’ power, many require magical assistance to the make the journey. Once within, cool limestone and sandstone walls, draped in fine silks and tapestries depicting great love scenes from Tal’Vorn’s history adorn the corridor walls.

The form the trials take a personal to the pilgrim, though obviously they revolve around the carnal arts, be it in resisting or performing with great skill. Once within the pilgrim has earned the opportunity to speak with the Siren High Priestess of the Goddess. Indeed some petitioners please the Goddess so greatly that She actually appears in person for a more intimate meeting. Should the pilgrim continue to impress the Goddess, an incredibly feat requiring phenomenal skill and fortitude, then She is most likely to great substantial boons.


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TEMPLE OF THE DARK GOD


Abandoned long-ago, when Ievar was stripped of his Godhood and banished to the planet forever, the Temple of the Dark God used to be a vile place of sacrifice, deceit and chaos. Now it is a half-ruin, steeped in shadows and collapsed passageways. Somewhere in the centre of it all lurks the Altar to the Dark God himself. Here is the closest thing that exists to a reliable connection to this wilful and deceitful creature and some Casters seeking a quick route to power have made the long, dangerous pilgrimage to the South to seek out the Dark God’s blessing. Typically this boon comes with a colossal price, generally nothing less than the petitioners’ immortal soul.

The Shadow, ruler of the island of Midian, is a jealous creature however. Though it lacks the power to destroy the temple and indeed the Venris the Shadow sets to the guard the place often turn up with their souls drained by a Mist Devils touch, the creature does set its troops to ambush and kill any pilgrims they can find. Some Venris make a dangerous but lucrative living smuggling petitioners close to the temple, where the Shadow’s roving forces don’t normally dare to go for fear of the Mist Devils that lurk in the depths of the temple.


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TEMPLE OF THE UNKNOWN GOD


The only permanent structure in the Nemar city of Fer, the Temple of the Unknown God, as it is referred to by visitors to the city, is a completely unknown entity. Massive, heavily trained Nemar with great expertise in Feral Magic guard the temple, preventing any other than other Shifters from approaching. As such the contents of the temple are a complete mystery, beyond a glimpse of cold blue steel and stone within as the doors open and close.


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TILISH


The second and newer of the Ancient DragonLord cities, Tilish is built upon the island of Med to the north of Restaril. It is more of a fortress than a true city, though a sprawling town does surround the strong, stone walls of the castle. Designed to protect against any assault, Tilish is an experiment on creating fortifications, vital if the Ancient DragonLord assault of the Magus Council held lands was to be successful. The city itself was erected in less than three weeks, with foundations that reach deep into the earth. Single, massive panes of stone reached nearly half-way up each wall from the foundations, making them incredibly strong and difficult to breach, even with Guardian Magic.

The city also overlooks the lethal set of shoals and reefs called the Narrows that separates Restaril from Med. One the far side of the Narrows is the freshly built temple to Shaltar that Sintai has built. Indeed most of the priesthood live within Tilish, taking it in turns to spend several weeks within the temple itself, attempting to bring down the attention of the AllFather. So far however Shaltar has refused to show an interest in the new temple, something that Sintai is taking as a sign that the he needs to strive harder to impress the Dragon God.


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WEEPING EYE


One of the two major Conflaris Cities on Tal’Vorn, Weeping Eye is also the second city connected to Dragons Eye. The planetoid often travels too far south for the Conflaris of Drazzahezz to be able to connect with their Jump Gate and it is then that the city of Weeping Eye becomes the hub of mining work and forging. Indeed many Conflaris travel up to Dragons Eye purely to make the journey to the South to visit friends and family. It is also the primary method used by members of the Magus Council who unwisely chose to travel to the South. However Dragons Eye orbits slowly and can spend many months out of contact with either city, making the journey from Drazzahezz to Weeping Eye via the planetoid slow and uncomfortable.

Weeping Eye itself is very similar to Drazzahezz, except where that ancient city is built from a mountain; the Southern city is instead carved from the depths of Tal’Vorn’s largest volcano. It was here that Asgar took the HeartFire that heats the LifeBlood of every Conflaris and then took it north to combine it with the rugged stones of the True Home Peaks to create His children.


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© Joshua Binks (Paladin), Christopher Riley (Carnage) and Vanessa Vaughan (Andanin) 2002 -