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The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:35 am
by Tyranny
The Empire and its Realms
Locations
Introduction
1. Ardón
—Montien
—Key Locations
2. Verdiven
—Montien
—Key Locations
3. Indoríes
—Montien
—Key Locations
4. Couronne
—Montien
—Key Locations
5. Ostigen
—Montien
—Key Locations
6. The Imperial Badlands
—Key Locations
Travel Times
For those with access to the Hallway and its adjoining portals, travel between the major cities (Daradan, Carine, Genteven, Amoren and Arlain) can be done in less than a day. Generally, high-ranking Halamire, Omen officials and privileged Entente have access to the Hallway. Otherwise, travel times are listed here.
There is a rail line between Carine and Bardona, stopping at Arlain, allowing for quick travel between Carine, Arlain and Genteven. While the rail only extends to Bardona itself, there are transport companies on Ciseperant's northern coast that ferry travelers across the Amoras river, and guide travelers to their land destinations for additional fees.
Genteven
Genteven to Rathrouen: 2 Days
Genteven to Arlain: 2 Days
Genteven to Carine: 3 Days
Genteven to Amoren: 6 Days
Genteven to Daradan: 7 Days
Arlain
Arlain to Carine: 1 Days
Arlain to Amoren: 3 Days
Arlain to Rathrouen: 4 Days
Arlain to Daradan: 5 Days
Amoren
Amoren to Carine: 4 Days
Amoren to Daradan: 4 Days
Amoren to Rathrouen: 6 Days
Carine
Carine to Rathrouen: 3 Days
Carine to Daradan: 4 Days
Rathrouen
Rathrouen to Daradan: 7 Days
Daradan
As listed above.
Notes
• The internal borders of the Empire are constantly changing.
• All Montiens traditionally belong to a Trenorant, but in the Empire's current state, they largely remain as fringe border states with the capital Montiens (such as Ríoven, Dorín and Blanc Varness) expanding to essentially act as Duchies.
• The current Treveyn do not rule all of their historical Trenorants (Kingdoms), but rule so much of them that they have been legitimized as sort of vassal-Kings and Queens.
• Due to the lack of administrative regions within Trenorants, the Treveyn typically appoint Valran and Veir as lords of specific districts, generally using natural borders as a method of division.
• The historical Trenorants, or Kingdoms, of the Empire are: Ardón, Indoríes, Couronne, Ostigen, and Verdiven.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:39 am
by Tyranny
Genteven
Ardón
Overview
As the capital province of the Empire, Ardón is unsurprisingly wealthy, bountiful and heavily populated. Holding the city of Genteven at its southern end, and wielding much of the Amoras river to the benefit of its mercantile sector, the location of Ardón long ago determined its importance in Imperial affairs and it continues to serve as the hub of Daravin today.
Like Couronne and Indoríes, Ardón is known for its beauty. It is also known for its vineyards - Ardón is the single greatest producer of wine on Atharen, exporting wine to the tune of millions of barrels annually. Contemporary gastronomy was effectively invented in Ardón, and it has acted as the center of food and beverage culture for centuries. The region's climate is renowned; it is crowned by green hills, with stunning cypress, oak and evergreen trees decorating the Trenorant. The coasts, while rocky, are littered with charming beaches with gorgeous views and the realm is known for its sunny weather and warm, stable temperatures. Ardón is known to be hilly, but with said hills small and non-obstructive. Much of its countryside is ruled by farming estates and other villas, often with Entente estates sitting at the core of any assembled villages.
Montien
—Camín—
Camín is the site of the Empire's capital and largest city, Genteven, and is the central hub of one of the world's largest militaries: the Halamire. In truth, the focus within Camín lies entirely with Genteven, as the outer areas of the Montien are largely composed of smaller cities and farming estates, generally of little interest to travelers or the Entente.
Genteven is often referred to as 'the City of Monuments', as it has the highest concentration of monuments of any city in Daravin. There are hundreds of agoras in Genteven; open markets with dozens of shops, often with fountains or gardens at their core, presided over by a monument of some type. A statue of a past Emperor, a war hero or general, an obelisk in remembrance of an old battle or war. Among these monuments, most famous is the Hadrometa, written below.
The city of Genteven is an ancient one, relative to other human-built cities in the Empire. It was built immediately after the fall of Silor, and was made the capital of Ectahl-Prior by the Unbroken Empire, serving as a place of administration to oversee the spread of the now-dominant human diaspora. It is from within Genteven that Unbroken provincial governors reigned, and also within the city that those same governors and their successors were subsequently overthrown. House Blanceford, managing to acquire dominance over the realm, used Genteven's legitimacy to unify the North - and then the remainder of the old Imperial Province.
Genteven is a fairly wealthy city. Though it may not be as rich as Arlain, or as wealthy per-capita as Amoren, it is a close rival to Arlain in total wealth and productivity largely due to the immense amount of trade routed through the city. Genteven's location has done wonders for it throughout history; nearly all trade between the North and South of Daravin travels through the city, and as a result the realm of Camín has been able to grow the Empire's largest trading company, Imperial Gentevar. Charted by the Emperor and directly subsidizing the royal house and their assets and retinue, Imperial Gentevar is largely seen as being responsible for the permanence with which House Blanceford reigns.
With all of these factors acknowledged, Genteven remains the premier city of the Empire and it has continued to grow throughout the centuries, maintaining its position at the forefront of Northern Imperial politics.
—Valtoria—
Valtoria's history is one of an elven Kingdom of old, before its subjugation and assimilation by the rising Kingdom of Silor. Its name is still a reminder of that history, Val-Toria quite literally meaning Elven Crownlands. The territory of old Valtoria encompassed also what is nowadays Nevise and a large amount of the lands to the north, up to Rathrouen; ruins of palaces wrecked by several wars along the territory are witness to that. However, well over 2000 years have passed since the Montien was an independent Kingdom, and as of recent events it stands as a strong vassal to Ardón and the Emperor while still retaining a great amount of self-administration.
Valtoria has a historic focus on river trade. Its capital and main port, Alistian, houses the vast majority of its population and is the third city in terms of fluvial commerce in all of Daravin, after Genteven and Arlain. Valtoria is known for his stable, sunny weather all year around, with very mild variations coming with the seasons. While rains are scarce, the bountiful Amoras river provides the land with the water it needs. This makes life in Valtoria fairly easy, with the higest tiers of nobility hoarding large amounts of riches and the lower working class being generally able to afford housing and food. Its population is mostly human, but with a significant amount of Druskai who are historically tied to the military forces of the city. While still a minority group at nearly thirty five percent of the population, the refined Druskai are considered to be more influential than their human peers.
Valtoria also acts as a stronghold against invading forces coming from the Straits of Adena. After the Bleeding, the peaceful city of Alistian was severely impacted by the blast, and the riverside of the Amoras river after it turned into a large estuary, open to the newly formed and corrupting Straits of Adena. While most of this dark influence is kept at bay by the natural flux of the river, invading forces from the Tides (Druskai raiders and most importantly, Lotheric's monstrous Archetypes) consistently attack the city out of greed and spite, trying to go up the flow of the Amoras to attack Ardón and Verdiven. The city's response to these attacks is double. The easternmost building in Alistian is the Valtorian Montese's fortress, Valrazan.
Built into the river itself, the ancient fortress now holds a powerful arsenal of arcane weaponry designed to keep invaders coming from the river at bay. However, the true force fighting these invasions are mages. The Alduyr is an elite mage order historically composed of Druskai that existed before the Bleeding. Master Squall mages, they focus on controlling wind and lightning, controlling and even shipwrecking vessels that approach as foes. Nowadays the Alduyr reside mostly in Valrazan, with a few still choosing to live in the small traditional communities along the riverbank and a division ensuring safety on the merchant port in Alistian.
—Nevise—
Nevise is largely comprised of vast wetlands, a scarred coastline and largely fractured areas divided between three major powers. Lotheric and Tyrnac, brothers and Elven Gods, dominate much of the coastline which they have made their home. The early interior of the land is tightly commanded by the realm's Montese, with the most inland and rural areas divided among a feuding class of Veir, given an unprecedented amount of authority within Nevise. To begin with, the aforementioned forces of the Elven Gods hold more power in Nevise than anywhere else in the Empire, save for perhaps along the northern coastline of Ardinoe. The attacks by Lotheric and Tyrnac are constant, leaving thousands of soldiers and hundreds of Valran dead every year. Leride, the capital of Nevise, has been partially or largely destroyed eleven times in the last century; it is frequently assaulted by an infamous Druskan Warbarge, the Voringe. As a result of its constant devastation, it is an odd patchwork city of largely inconsistent city blocs and poorly constructed slums.
The attacks that plague Nevise are frequent and intense enough to be recognized for what they are: an invasion. The Sundered coasts and corruption-mired interior of the land make an adequate home for the blighted Druskai and their Archetype companions, as well as the two Elven Gods who fund and empower them. The threat to Nevise is so existential that the Emperant has dedicated a large force of the Halamire to repelling these invaders, though the coastal war appears to drag and the loss of warships every year easily surpasses the number that can be built.
Nevise is known for little other than this war, and its corruption, exploitation and decadence. Its populace is known to be rural and poorly informed, living an agrarian lifestyle utterly deprived of technology and advancement, nearly unheard of in a post Unbroken-world.
The Hadrometa
Key Locations
—The Hadrometa—
The Hadrometa was a monument built to commemorate the founding of the Daravinic Empire, and it now serves as the tomb for all Blanceford Emperors and their spouses. It is the most common destination for visitors of Genteven, though only the wealthy elite tend to be allowed within, and only those personally recognized by House Blanceford are capable of visiting the lower catacombs. The Hadrometa itself is surrounded by a vast imperial garden, with green fields cornered by cypress trees. There are ponds and botanical displays scattered throughout the premise, with small statues and monuments generally dedicated to former Emperors and their accomplishments throughout the area.
The Hadrometa is frequently the location of several large festivities, generally for the Valran and Entente, though there are public festivals held in the gardens and fields on occasion. It is a widely celebrated monument in the city, and it is meticulously maintained, said to appear as fresh as when it was first constructed. Much of this maintenance is inherent; the core monument itself has been coated in alchemic solutions said to preserve the youth of materials, preventing rust, erosion, mold and other factors. The Hadrometa is considered to be one of the world's greatest monuments, labeled so purely for the opulence it was designed with as well as the pain-staking detail put into all aspects of the building.
—The Arvant Luhre—
While no palace may be as large or as immaculate as Ardenserat, the ornamented capital of Couronne, the Arvant Luhre carries its own standout earthly charm befitting of the palace of the Emperor of Daravin. This palace, built long ago as a place of commerce for Imperial governors, serves as the place of residence and administration for House Blanceford. It is comprised of four different large buildings, each capable of being considered 'palaces' on their own, with their own names; San Videlin, Lenarise, Luhre-Roche and the Emperor's personal estate, the Lunestrath.
These four buildings host over a thousand residents, largely comprised of imperial advisors, servants, Valran loyal to House Blanceford and the individual courtiers of each member of the House. Presently, the Emperant and Emprise reside in the Lunestrath, while their three children are divided among the other three palaces; Guenire in the Luhre-Roche, Ginoscha in the Lenarise, with Ghislaine an occasional visitor to San Videlin.
The Arvant Luhre is where the majority of wartime preparations and tactical decisions are made. Considering the close ties between the Entente of North Daravin, the Treveyn of Verdiven and the Montese' of both Valtoria and Nevise are both frequent visitors to the Luhre, where they coordinate with the Emperant. The four palaces are connected to one another by bridges and by ferry, with the Emperor's family transported between palaces by Risen mages as a sign of their extended prestige.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:44 am
by Tyranny
Rathrouen
Verdiven
Overview
Verdiven, surrounded by the Borderlands, is a realm plunged eternally into war with a northern countryside razed by conflict. The same north, as well as the outer east, are bleak realms with a somewhat ever-present chill outside of the summer months, though they rarely find themselves touched by snow or true frost. These same areas are met with sporadic clusters of pines and other trees, and are almost always overcast or actively experiencing rain.
These northern areas are known for their production, industrial in the realms of physical manufacturing and World Magic, such as - predomindantly - Artifice. The southern part of Verdiven, especially in the Montien of Rouric, is a sunnier and warmer place with a considerable amount of farmland. Verdiven's history is not extensive or considerable, as it has always been a fairly unimportant satellite region to Ardon. Recent events have found it to be at the core of important Mornadd politics, and the region is the source of much of the Emperor's military power, vastly populated by Halamire and the Valran.
Montien
—Blanc Varness—
Blanc Varness is the northernmost Montien of Verdiven, and is home to the city of Rathrouen. It is often called 'the borderland' in Daravin, given its nature as a constant warzone with Lorien and its armies of Hollows. Indeed, outside of Rathrouen, much of the Montien is stained by conflict. The city itself, and its surrounding suburban areas, is extensive and often considered an architectural marvel. Rathrouen was actually initially built by the same ethnic group that migrated to and founded Lorien, and held a similar gothic style of architecture. This style has been kept and the city appears to be almost Rien in make and craft, though the people of Blanc Varness consider this to be their own native tradition.
The dark-colored city, built high with many stony spires, is at the core of not only the Daravinic war machine but also many of its religious institutions. Blanc Varness has one of the Omen's largest cathedrals, The Priory, and it is in the city where many of the Empire's greatest mages commit themselves to the Pontifex and his cause.
—Marjoline—
Marjoline, southeast of Rathrouen along the eastern bank of the Amoras river, is known for its rain. It is complained of, persistently, by its residents; the gloom-inspiring shadows cast by the clouds, the muddy soil, the moisture that lives in the air, and with it a strangely grim aroma. Marjoline is home to one of the largest populations of Awoken in Atharen, as it has served as a near-industrial scale manufacturer of Artificing Golems for hundreds of years. Awoken are, unfortunately, not allowed free reign in Daravin and so they either hide, accept servile positions or flee east to Larissa Valley, where they join their refugee brethren in finding a home and often culling previous inhabitants. The Golems built in Marjoline tend to be lethal and well-trained, constructed abominations meant solely for absolutely effective killing.
As such, alongside Rouric, Marjoline is yet another boon for the war-mired Trenorant of Verdiven, bolstering Blanc Varness with golems, weaponry, textiles and other supplicants to the war effort while Rouric provides food and weaponry. In terms of character and appearance, Marjoline is renowned for its many fortress-towns and cities, with dozens or even hundreds of them scattered across the length of the Montien. It is, as such, known to be nigh impenetrable.
—Rouric—
Rouric occupies the western bank of the Amoras river's northern branch, southwest of Rathrouen. It is a fertile and beautiful land, supplying much of Verdiven's food as well as its soldiers; Rouric is known to be one of the most militant Montiens in Daravin, with an armed populace of foot-soldiers and skilled Valran of high quantity and make. Many of the front-line fighters of the border war are fostered in Rouric, and the Veir granted authority by House Verais' administration are typically true mage-elite.
The Montien is known for being tropical along the river bank and stunningly green in its interior, as well as possessing many of the highest peaks of the mountain range separating Mornoth from its northwestern neighbors. The entire western edge of Rouric is entirely blockaded by mountains, many of them several or even tens of thousands of feet in height.
Nardothis
Key Locations
—Nardothis—
Nardothis is the pinnacle of military academies, specializing in magic and producing within it thousands of skilled magi fit for the Valran and the echelons of the Entente. Within it, one is taught how to master Raw and World Magic by some of the world's greatest minds, scholars on the arcane with incomparable knowledge on the inner workings of Aether, Runes, Quirks and their effects upon the soul. In addition, there are plentiful masters and experts in all of the commonly known World Magics, working in Nardothis' faculty in exchange for resources and the spaces necessary for experimental innovation. The academy is a spectacle of eminence and beauty; it is at the core of a mountainous section of Verdiven, in the Montien of Rouric. From the outside, it appears to be an opulent building covered by a glass dome, covered in ornaments seemingly crafted by Runeforging to display glimmering eminence. Above and beside the dome is a collection of towering castle-like buildings, crafted by Daravinic architects after the founding of the Empire. Much of Nardothis' interior spans vertically through chambers within the frame of the dome, with the more apt of students receiving greater focus in the higher sections of the castle. At any one time, the building houses several thousand aspirant mages.
Much of the Empire's elite studied magic at Nardothis, and generally each generation will attend the academy for a span of three years, starting at around sixteen years of age and ending in early adulthood. Some choose to stay longer, seeking to take advantage of the structured environment and the excellent tutelage. Due to the nature of the academy, many young Entente meet their peers for the first time while attending lectures or engaging in practice. Lectures, with the word loosely used, tend to be interactive and engaging and generally involve challenges or exercises with partners. Strong relationships are often forged in Nardothis, and those who find close relationships in the academy halls will often choose to marry said companions upon graduation.
Many of the mages at Nardothis are the children of Valran, with the wealth to provide them with access to such an education. Many of the most talented of these non-Entente are chosen to be Valran by some of their peers, who may have befriended them throughout their time studying. For the Entente present, as well as the most talented of students, Nardothis also provides a window into the Candor as people learn of the weaknesses and traits of their peers and competition. Many early political alliances are formed within the academy's halls, though few of them last far beyond the journey to statesmanship beyond the tenure of education.
The interior of Nardothis is famously botanical, and largely constructed with old and beautiful architectural styles. There are many open gardens and rooms filled with unique plants, magical or mundane, as well as countless spaces meant for specific magical practice or for the practice of World Magic.
—The Manufactory—
The Manufactory de Sant Marjoline, or the Manufactory, is the largest Golem-creation hub in not only Daravin but the entire world. A remnant of the Unbroken Empire, it was restored nearly two hundred years after the Bleeding and has since been in use as one of Daravin's greatest tools of war. The Manufactory is essentially a collection of hundreds of sprawling Artificer's workshops, receiving necessary materials by Halamire-affiliates and sending the Golems constructed onto the borderlands.
The Golems crafted in the Manufactory are, by intention, designed for killing and are meant to be horrific and demoralizing to their foes. They are built to cleave through the greatest number of Hollows as is possible before sustaining irreparable damage, though unfortunately these Golems are keen on becoming Awoken.
The factory appears akin to a large Unbroken cathedral, only much larger in size and with copper-gold Fourth Age embroidery clinging to the contours of the building, its arches and lines adorned with such opulence. It apparently shimmers to those viewing the exterior, though the interior is dimly lit so as to provide the Artificers inside with focus. Many of the greater Artificers within are Valran, and it is managed by Xavier Attano de Reis, one of Verdiven's leading Veir.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:45 am
by Tyranny
Arlain, Upper Promenade
Indoríes
Overview
Indoríes is home to Arlain, the second largest city in Daravin and the old capital of Atharen's first unified Kingdom, Silor. Among all of the Trenorant, Indories is the most influential, with its Treveyn often dubbed 'the Emperor of the South'.
The realm is known to be, perhaps, the most beautiful in Daravin and it is home to some of the most iconic Daravinic landscapes. Much of Indories is consumed by truly stunning savannah, large areas of dry trees with thick paper-like bark, extensive fields of golden-colored grass and purple and blue flowers. It is covered in majestic boulders that rise from the soil with elaborate shapes, and its ponds and smaller rivers reaching out from the Vinasir tend to become hubs of both animal and human life. Indories is dry and warm, but is rarely overly hot. It is a land of eternal summer with its temperature rarely fluctuating throughout the seasons, and the sun rarely leaving the sight of the clouds in the day.
Though similarly large to Ostigen, Couronne and Ardon, Indories is the most populous of all Trenorants and is at the core of much of the Empire's politics and internal strife. Considering it has many Montiens, most of them powerful and independent, Indories -- while not often the location of the Candor's galas or soirees -- is the site of much of its contention, with political games being played often for the alteration of its borders. It is also the location of the Empire's greatest struggle for power, seated at the heart of the rivalry between Uriel Valent and Brilan Ald.
Montien
—Dorín—
Dorín is named after its original, Elven root: Indorin, as is its capital, Arlain: Elaine Indorin. Once the heart of the Kingdom of Silor, the greatest nation on Atharen until its collapse to the emerging Unbroken Empire, Dorín is a wealthy province. In fact, Dorín is the single most populous Montien in all of Daravin, holding the greatest amount of wealth in addition; its capital, Arlain, is the heart of industrial growth in the Empire and acts as the Empire's best kept Unbroken legacy. The vast majority of Arlain's buildings are built incredibly high using advanced engineering technology while keeping their ancient Elven style, and the entire Upper Promenade - the higher floors of the city where the wealthy elite tend to live - is crowded with Artificed creations, engineering masterworks and steam-based Unbroken technology.
House Valent, Lords of Dorín for countless years, have worked since the Bleeding to preserve and develop Unbroken innovations and have used the city - sturdy enough to survive the impact of the Bleeding - as a bastion of magi-industrial knowledge. They reside in the palace of Palimont, one of the world's most opulent residences.
Dorín, in general, is a very prosperous province with incredible weather year-round, and stunning lands around the bed of the Vinasir river with white sands and golden cliffs and hills. The interior, nearing the Badlands, is crowded with sun-colored savannah. Though the region sees rain somewhat sporadically, the Vinasir as well as its array of Risen keep the land well-watered and the people fed. Dorín essentially acts as the center of Daravin, and lies at the heart of the Empire's internal wars.
—Ardinoe—
Ardinoe is, in contrast to its peers in Indories, a sparsely populated and largely impoverished Montien. In fact, Ardinoe is perhaps the weakest of all Montiens, and due to an untenable quantity of raids by Lotheric and his Vethcairn Druskai, as well as other consistent dangers emerging from the Straits of Adena, it is largely depleted of manpower and appears to be in the midst of an active invasion from a variety of different forces. Vethcairn presence in the land has become so prominent that these Druskai have established permanent settlements along Ardinoe's coast, backed by Lotheric and his Archetypes.
The western end of the Montien appears to be rife with raiders from the Imperial Badlands, who utilize the region for its magically altered plants, which they consume as drugs for recreational reasons and to improve their prowess in battle. Similarly as with the Vethcairn, these raiders have also set up territories within Ardinoe, and are constantly actively engaged with the Montien's Halamire.
Despite having very limited Entente presence in the region, no Entente from other parts of the Empire have made significant moves to acquire land or influence in Ardinoe, considering it to be an unworthy cause. As a result, the Pontifex has slowly acquired a stranglehold over the region and the Omen appears to be the sole faction attempting to fend off the realm's invaders.
Ardinoe, in terms of climate, is distinct from the rest of Indories in that it is largely covered in polluted Bleeding waste and most of the land appears mired in filthy grey muck. The far interior is somewhat green in comparison to the rest of the land, and this is where Nimroche is located, but even this region appears to be rather undesirable. Rain constantly barrages this inner area and so fields of flat green and oncoming rain are the extent of its biodiversity.
—Adienne—
Much of Adienne is located against the Gravekeep Mountains, which act as a source of revenue for the Montien: it is along these peaks that some of Daravin's greatest Arcanacrag mines can be found, supplying much of the Empire with its needed arcane resources. Its capital, Jarden, is a city overlooked by these mountains which offers it a unique appearance within Daravin. Often referred to as the city of stones, Jarden holds an assortment of hundreds of green-colored statues that act as Artificed guardians with powerful Arcanacrag cores. At the command of the Montese, these statues mobilize, dealing with whatever perceived issue faces the city.
The Montese itself is delightful to the eyes; located within a large valley, it is separated by the edges of hills and mountains but still largely connected. Most of the valley interiors are populated by quaint, densely packed towns and villages, while closer to the Vinasir river there is a number of farms. Adienne is fairly fertile and green comparatively to Ciseperant and Dorin. As a result of this, it often exports produce to its two neighboring realms.
—Lyonesse—
Lyonesse is a fairly average land; like most of Indories it has its mixture of warm, summery regions and fertile patches of land touched by rain, though much of the Montien is covered with colorful savannah and uniquely shaped boulders, some of them large enough to act more like small mountains. What is unique about Lyonesse is largely its political landscape; for one, it is at the center of countless small factions within the Empire, and while many of them claim independent ideology as the reason for their formation, this is often only to veil their true purpose. Most of these factions are, in truth, guerrilla groups of mages that are funded and owned by either Uriel Valent or Brilan Ald. Lyonesse acts as a political battleground of their cold war, hoping to inspire their son one way or another to support them.
As a result of this, the capital of Lyonesse - Duran - is crowded with Valran and Veir, running or joining countless factions that completely dominate the core of the city. Because of the recent entrance of many of these factions and their respective Lords, much of the city has been purchased and made exclusive to the elite. As a result, the lower classes have been pushed further and further from the center of the city, and now largely occupy poorly built, ghettoized areas on the outskirts of the city limits, no longer protected by walls.
The Candor in Lyonesse, and particularly in Duran, is perpetually active and vicious. The sheer desire to acquire information favorable to Brilan or Uriel is all-consuming, leading to frequent risky endeavors and crude attempts to acquire trust and betray. Duran is, equally as a result of this rush for information, a capital of elite debauchery and hedonism. The events of the city, often veiled behind closed doors, are frequent and extreme in nature. In some strange way, the crowding of Duran with Entente and Valran has made it a go-to place for anonymity, observance of the Candor, and sexual deviancy.
—Ciseperant—
Ciseperant is, without a doubt, the most powerful independent Montien; it is the largest and most prosperous, and due to its position along the purified end of the Amoras river, its north is a vastly fertile region that benefits from trade routes crossing between Genteven and the other realms of Indories. Ciseperant's lands appear enchanted by old Elven beauty, not fully tainted by the Bleeding's impact. Indeed, Ciseperant is one of the more traditional Elven realms of the Empire, still wielding many Silor-period ruins and temples, with many of its Entente elite half or full-Sil'norai, not to mention the Montese herself.
Ciseperant's capital, Bardona, is located at the heart of its more arid south, at the core of a sprawling savannah. Bardona is, despite its drier climate, known for its parks within city limits and the gardens strewn among them. It is a quaint, tightly packed city with an array of storefronts at the core of the city, intermixed with the townhome-estates of the Valran. The Nobility of Ciseperant tend to live in Bardona's north end, which is a largely gated area well beyond the access of the peasantry. These Entente manors are known for their opulence, many of them crafted with rare stones and peaked by colorful dome roofs.
One interesting factoid in relation to the Montien is its seeming proclivity to draw in dragons: Ciseperant is often called 'the Roost' for its consistent dragon sightings, with considerable sectors of the Montien frequently falling into dragons' territorial purview. Many of the peaks, caves and clearings of the Montien hold evidence of recent visits, if they do not presently hold a dragon outright. The reason for their affinity to the region is unknown, though considering many believe the realm to be enchanted by Raella and Eikaen, the outcome is far from surprising. It has been this way, supposedly, for thousands of years.
Vinasir
Key Locations
—The Vinasir River—
The Vinasir River is the source of Daravin's name, with 'dara' meaning 'home' in Eldhan and 'vin' meaning 'sacred'. Old Elven stories tell of a prophecy that states that at the very end of the Vinasir river, the greatest city of the Elves will be built, and it was for that reason that Arlain's original name was 'Vinasra Ilan', or 'Blessing of Lords'.
The Vinasir River once held a great amount of religious importance to the Elves, and to the Elven Gods. It was a place of pilgrimage and worship, and many of the Eldashan's members resided somewhere along the river banks. In many ways, this river was the origin of mortal life on Atharen -- but like with many things, the Bleeding has since corrupted it a great deal. During the Bleeding, Nilfandel - Arlain's twin city - plummeted from the sky and a large section of it collided with the Vinasir, resulting in a great flood. As Nilfandel was propelled into the sky by magic, since corrupted by the Bleeding's effects, the river is now polluted with a vast amount of untapped arcane energy. It is a place of constant research by mages and their organizations, sponsored by the Entente, but it also stands as a hunting ground for a wrathful Elven God.
Lotheric appears to have gained power from the river's corruption, and now considers it to be one of his domains. The rot of murk and brine constantly grows upon the shoreline of the river, and Lotheric's Archetypes as well as Vethcairn Druskai often raid along the river's length. The Elven God appears nearly invulnerable as he stalks the river from beneath the surface, forcing a response from House Valent's greatest each time he comes. As a result, the once 'sacred' river is now seen as a source of pollution and a basin of war. House Valent, of late, has allegedly been researching methods of permanently reshaping the landscape to bury the river in soil.
—The Hallway—
One of the old Elven Wonders, built in the Second Age, the Hallway is a collection of permanent portals that connect Arlain to the remainder of Daravin. Always-powered, they allow for instantaneous transportation across the Empire, though only the Entente and Valran are given access to them. The Hallway is located underwater inside of a courtyard at the end of an underground tunnel, with each checkpoint across the magically-charged tunnel guarded by artificed constructs as well as, often, aged Valran. The portals, which appear similar to marble pillars upholding the head of a temple, are praised for their ancient beauty and scholars pay incomprehensible sums to lay their eyes upon them.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:45 am
by Tyranny
Amoren, Entente Square
Couronne
Overview
Couronne is a morph of its Eldhan name, Cor Aron, meaning 'Harvest Abiding'. It is named this for what is apparently a state of neverending fall, the season of Ash appearing to persist throughout year and age. The leaves of the Trenorant are always golden, orange or apple-red, with warm late-summer days and cool autumn nights. The western end of the realm, where Amoren is located, is covered in pines of varying ember-like and golden shades and while their leaves do seem to fall throughout the year, it is never enough for them to go dormant.
The realm is regarded as one of sheer wealth by most, with its cities well-maintained and its populace satisfied by bountiful crops. The wealth of the Entente flows into the realm constantly, particularly near the end of each season, making Couronne's economy something of an early tourist model. Couronne is also a land of secrets; host of Amoren and Ardenserat, the Trenorant is lined with spies and organizations of whisperers and thieves. Blackmail is pervasive and so information is often tightly controlled. Despite the fanciful colors and garbs of the realm's residents, they tend to be non-expressive and enclosed, fearful of others and their intentions.
Two decades ago, Couronne was given to Brilan Ald by the Emperor, forming the new Entente House of Ald. Since then, the realm has been the site of rising xenophobia and anti-Elven paranoia, as Brilan serves as the first pure-Elven Treveyn in Daravin's history. As nationalist dissent has been on the rise, so too has the Entente been clamping down, to the point where public execution for those decrying alleged Elven conspiracies has become the norm.
Montien
—Ríoven—
Rioven is the site of Amoren, the capital of Couronne, and it stands at the end of the River Vinasir's lower wing. Rioven is, obviously, the most populous and most powerful of Couronne's Montiens and has been that way for a great deal of time. It is known to be incredibly quaint, with sprawling cobbled roads and a dense network of Unbroken-era townhomes spewing out from the core of the city of Amoren, which is known for its Hyr'norai architecture. Though much of Rioven is fairly urban, there is a great deal of forestry surrounding the city areas. This thriving woodland is home to great numbers of native Couronnian fauna, many of which have been adopted by the Orkhai of Rokhan as mounts and livestock.
Unfortunately, Rioven and its urban areas are known for their nearly unmatched inequality. Amoren, though allegedly the most charming of all of Atharen's cities, holds at its outer edges a cabal of murderers and thieves forced to do so by the lack of opportunities they are given to live.
—Chalis—
Chalis is often called 'the Garden of Regality' by Entente, Valran and pretentious scholars, known for its portrayal of wealth and prestige and the oblique displays of class performed even by its less privileged of citizens; it is gauche to be anything but elegant, and the Montien has had a long history with such overt stigma. The citizenry of Chalis often wear masques even in common public areas, as if playing at the Candor. Perhaps as a result of this pseudo-anonymity, Chalisseans tend to be far more hostile and openly judgmental of their peers, as well as being more expressive with their emotions. They are also known for their ebony and ivory attire, the streets of many of Chalis' cities lined with matte shades along the opposite extremes, its populace believing that elegance is a mixture of design and simplicity.
Chalis' castle, Mon du Liese which presides in a walled sector of the city of Demavend, is among the most coveted of palaces in Daravin. The Mon du Liese is known for its ancient gardens which survived the Bleeding, carrying within its vines long-held generations of flowers, some of which have gone extinct.
—Railón—
Railón is home to Levarin, which many in South Daravin call the most beautiful city in the world. It is a famous tourist destination, like Amoren, and like Amoren it acts as the economic backbone for a much larger area than itself. Levarin is home to estates belonging to virtually all Entente of any import, meaning its population is somewhat seasonal. However, the Entente residing within the city all pay annual taxes on their residences, resulting in absurd wealth flowing into the coffers of the Montien.
The result of this on the economy of Railon is essentially this: the city-dwellers of the realm are virtually all exceptionally wealthy mages, with a strangely disproportionate number of Hyr'norai, with the rural population almost entirely comprised of poorer but still fairly well-suited peasant farmers. It is virtually impossible to reside in Levarin without holding bourgeois-level wealth, and as a result the city is occupied by a great number of estates permanently resided in by some of Couronne's most powerful Valran and Veir. The slim permanent population of the city is, thus, very reaching in their activities and they all tend to know one another. The quiet balconies of Levarin are often appreciated in solace by its denizens, but when two Entente interact, a vicious display of the Candor is likely to ensue.
Railon and Levarin are in constant preparation for events, often in city and town squares though many of these events make their way to the riverbeds. The outer expanses of Railon are known for being golden, with striking white sands and coastal cliffs along the rivers, with various flowers in abundance throughout the country. The entire Montien is considered to be a place of unimaginable beauty, and the supposed reasoning for the return of many Hyr'norai to the realm is their claim that Railon is the grove of the very first Hyr'norai on Atharen. An interesting note but a unique draw for wealthy residents is Railon's advanced plumbing technologies, with running water and even working toilets across the city.
—Verant—
Verant is one of the blooming economies in Daravin. Historically the most lucrative mining area belonging to the Unbroken empire, its mines under the Scorchrim mountains are nowadays used to extract precious metals and gemstones, which are then sold to artisans to produce luxury items. Even if it's an industry that many could call frivolous or basically useless, it does have a use in Daravin, where appearance is an important aspect of all interactions. The mines are dangerous; overexploited, riches now rest in the deeper layers of the earth, and some monsters corrupted by the Bleeding are said to lurk in the dark galleries dug by the empire of old. The extraction is worth it though; lately, the Montese has raised the taxes on luxury items, but the growth of the Daravinic south keeps the market bountiful.
The capital of Verant, Boghadar, is built overlooking the foot of the mountain range, a few hundred feet below the valley beneath it. Surrounded by waterfalls, it was called the Fountain of the South in older times, given the beautiful landscape and misty sensation in the air. Buildings are built on narrow and high spots, and the city has a system of aerial promenades to walk through. As gorgeous as it seems, it's also a great system to make defending the capital even easier, should any kind of conflict arise. The Montese's palace is known as Castle Stonewater, or natively, Castillo Agua de Piedra.
Ardenserat
Key Locations
—Ardenserat—
Ardenserat is the largest and most opulent palace in Atharen, comparable in size to a smaller city. It is where the Candor truly takes place; where all of the games of the Entente elite are played, and where much of Daravin's future is determined. Ardenserat is considered one of the 'Elven Wonders' of old, built in the Second Age by the first King of Couronne. Ardenserat, meaning 'the Autumn Refuge' in Eldhan, began as a place for the ruling Nobility of the realm to reside as they organized war with the surrounding Elven city-states. As Couronne expanded, Ardenserat grew, shifting to become a symbol of wealth and prestige for the would-be nation's most elite. Ardenserat has only expanded across the Ages, its role within society evolving. After the collapse of Nilfandel into the Vinasir river, and the subsequent destruction of the Bleeding, it was chosen to be the administrative capital of South Daravin.
Now, Ardenserat is where all worlds connect. All Montese, all Treveyn, all Veir -- the nation's leading Entente and their servants, paramours and others all come to meet and partake in the most vicious level of Candor. There is no place in the world as deadly as Ardenserat, many say, nor any place as beautiful. The halls are exquisite beyond mortal imagination. The balls, the suits and gowns of the guests, the ornate make of each inch of every wall - the silk tapestries, the golden embroidery, the sculptures, paintings and symbols... every detail has been sculpted with ultimate finesse.
Great events take place in the halls of the palace on the twelfth of every season. The Wintry Accord, the Blooming Glen, the Summer Hearing, and the Fall Met. Any Entente of any means attends these events, eager to participate in the Candor, and the debauched processions that follow. These nights are referred to by their participants as a vile thrill; euphoria bled into by doubt, fear and worry. To the greatest players, they are seen as moments of opportunity and self-advancement. Amidst all such events, the Treveyn of Couronne actively partakes in all such affairs, setting the standards for the Candor, leading by example.
—The Dusk Arbor—
The Dusk Arbor, an Elven Wonder, is unique in that it is located within another Elven Wonder: Ardenserat. Once a courtyard of grim experimentation, testing the boundaries of Necromancy and beyond, the Arbor has been transformed into a garden of beautiful vines and colorful flowers, where ancient Elven botany appears to thrive, enriched by the power of the Arbormere.
The Arbormere is at the core of the Dusk Arbor's importance: it is an old, large, magically-forged basin of legendary craft, drawing aether from around it where it will coalesce into a liquid form. Couronne grapes are often dumped into the Arbormere and are battered and mixed with the aethereal fluid, forging Amoren's legendary 'etherwine', the life-blood of Couronne's Valran who are known to be legendarily enduring and dangerous in the field.
The Dusk Arbor and its etherwine are an immense boon to the ruler of Couronne, calling on those who seek its vintage to bow to her will.
—Mnathan na Madainn—
The Mnathan na Madainn are a set of two statues colossal in size; constructed only from the waist-up, each statue is nearly two hundred feet in height, sculpted with intricate detail. They are found in the northern hinterlands of Couronne, near to the border of Indoríes via Lyonesse, away from any large settlement and scarcely visited by pilgrims, despite their religious significance.
The Mnathan, they are often shortened to, are the source of Daravin's two key symbols: the sun and the moon. It is said that they were discovered at the very end of the war by Valen Dres upon his triumph over Silor, totally at peace within the fields of Cor Aron. Their beauty, scarcely seen in the gaudy opulence of Elven architecture and their meaning unrelated to the heresy of the Elven Gods, led him to believe they were a message from God of the legitimacy of his deeds. It is for this reason that despite the Mnathan being built by Elves, they are not considered an Elven wonder, long since co-opted by humans for their own ideological purpose. The Mnathan are instead a place of worship for the Omen, appearing to represent the timeless wait for Ulen's return, passing through night and day, and then once more.
It is stated by some Entente that there is an uncanny resemblance between the Mnathan representing the moon and Brilan Ald, Treveyn of Couronne. Interestingly, this claim is corroborated by many who have laid eyes upon the statues and the complexion of Lady Ash, another source of malevolent gossip within Ardenserat's courts.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:45 am
by Tyranny
Carine
Ostigen
Overview
Ostigen is the site of two fairly large cities, one serving as the religious center for the Empire, and one a formerly essential trade-hub that has long since fallen to decay. It is a site of tension and conflict, though at the same time it remains fairly insulated from the Empire's internal wars. Not much happens in Ostigen, and there is also not much to see. It is a flat land, largely comprised of rustic farmlands and plains. Ostigen, like much of the Empire, is a fairly charming place in its own right and has an enviable climate. It is green and warm, and in a simple way appealing to the eye.
However, due to poor economic development it is the site of little but farmlands. It does - however - serve as the breadbasket of the Empire for this reason, making its Treveyn a very important figure; those despised by the ruler of Ostigen may find their food supplies depleted or challenged in some way, an issue Couronne has been forced to contend with for some time, relying on other methods of feeding their populace, and certainly their Halamire and Valran.
Ostigen is largely comprised of by the Raillén, a large minority within Daravin, dominating the very south of the Empire. The people of the region tend to be suspicious of outsiders and distrusting of the Gentevarese, who they view as deceptive and ambitious. Ostigen is known for its strong family values and its unbearably religious rhetoric, with Ulendreaism even more dominant in the realm than in others, unsurprisingly.
Montien
—Astorea—
Astorea is the site of Daradan, the capital of Ostigen and the region's second largest city. While Astorea's title of rulership belongs solely to Treveyn Challions, its capital - Daradan - is not in fact held by her. Rather, for the longest time Daradan has been led by an ancient and prestigious family of Veir, known as House Cadeña. As the original builders of the city, they remained in power despite the ascension of House Challions, the two families forging an old agreement: in exchange for independence, Cadeña would never seek to wrestle power from Challions, keeping to the confines of Daradan and its outer municipal areas.
As of the last decade, however, this long held balance has come into question. House Cadeña's Lord, Marlon, passed without declaring an heir. His three children, all of similar age and similar arcane talent, thereafter decided that each of them were worthy of being the rightful rulers of Daradan and so the city has since been consumed by violence, Candor and Noble feuding. Daradan, however, remains a beautiful city; it is immaculately crafted with an old, arid-coastal style, unique to southern Ostigen. The city is known for its fountains and areas of open gatherings, where dozens of children play as their parents come together to discuss their lives and the matters surrounding them. Even surrounded by a large upswing in violence, this tradition of frequent gatherings continues, the streets of Daradan said to be eternally alight with banter in Raillén.
The rest of Astorea is largely unspectacular, though beautiful. Like Daradan, the surrounding region is somewhat arid with golden-brown hills covering the countryside, most of the populace of the realm living in valleys connected by impressive networks of roads. Treveyn Challions rules from a city adjacent to Daradan, a much smaller and more closed elite space known as Noscéa. Known for its charming villas that make up the majority of the city's residences, as well as its famous palace - La Varana - in a closed enclave within the city, its grounds perpetually scarce of visitors. Even among the Entente, forays into La Varana are rare, Henrietta known for her secrecy and distance from others.
—Lethon—
Lethon is the southernmost Montien in the whole Daravinic Empire, and home to the third largest city in Ostigen, Zirean. Built on a high cliff on the Scorchrim mountains, it's an architectonic marvel built over the void, with high walls decorated with Achra colossi that make it one of the best defended cities in Daravin due to its privileged position. The walls are a reminder of its old days as the city that resisted the conquest of the early Unbroken Empire for the longest time, sieged to starvation. The city is dominated by an exquisite fortress rebuilt after the war with clear northern influences: Albarregia, seat of the Montese. The landscape surrounding Zirean has an alien beauty; rocky mountains with flowing cloud rivers, and misty cloud seasextend under the walls on the days where clouds descend to cover the valleys.
However, Zirean is not too large, being half the size of Daradan, and Lethon as a whole is not very densely populated. Lethon's arid climate makes it difficult to thrive, with scattered trees growing on the tops of the canyons that cross the Montien from the mountain range to the Vinasir river. The land becomes more sparing closer to the Vinasir, though Lotheric's latest raids have made settling up in that land, more fertile, increasingly more difficult. Economically, this is compensated by the value of their historic production. Lethon produces the largest amount of alchemical solutions used throughout Daravin, with exports to Cathena as well across the mountains. Potions, cleansing solutions, boosters, explosives, poisons, base concoctions... anything and more can be found in Lethon, and given the work put into them their value is high, though still fair. This industry has kept Lethon afloat even in the hardest of times, and continues doing so.
—Ulendrís—
Ulendrís is the home of the Pontifex, as well as the Omen's main presence within Daravin. With Carine being the Holy City of Ulendreaism, Ulendrís is frequently visited by the Empire's most pious and in the streets beneath the realm's grand cathedrals they receive the Pontifex's will and mission. Carine is a unique city in Daravin, one crowded with religious structures and holidays. Along with numerous churches to Ulen, and the city's grand cathedral, there are ten shrines throughout the city dedicated to each of the Achra. On days of their worship -- some having their own national holidays -- people flock to these shrines and partake in their desired actions, as laid out in the Oaths (the Omen's holy book).
Carine's architecture is somewhat gothic at first glance, as this style permeates most of the religious infrastructure; however, the majority of Ulendrís' businesses and residences follow a style similar to the typical coastal Raillén cities, with long windows leading into small, inaccessible balconies typically lined with flowers; most people live in tall, compact buildings with multiple neighbors above or to either side. The people in Ulendrís are known to live well; far better than the peasants of most Montiens, as the city carries virtually no Entente presence. In fact, the entirety of the 'Montien' cannot be considered a Montien at all; it is a theocratic principality, a largely autonomous area under the vassalage of the Empire. The same laws that apply to most of Daravin generally do not apply within; instead, holy law reigns supreme.
The realm of Ulendrís fares far better than its coastal neighbors, such as Ardinoe and Nevise. Considering the power held within; the power of the Pontifex and his Achra Mitra, and their theological militia, the Lord of the Brine does not make any attempts on the area. In fact, Ulendrís has recovered immensely well from the Bleeding, carrying much of its pre-Sundered beauty. It appears much like many other of Daravin's hinterland realms, with golden fields and colorful flowers lining the interior. While its coastline may not be considered 'beautiful' - marred by the Straits of Adena -- it has long rows of white sands and charming cliffs, upon which the Divine Overlook bears its mantle.
The Divine Overlook
Key Locations
—The Divine Overlook—
The Divine Overlook is a series of ten statues upon the coast of Ulendrís, near to the city of Carine. Each statue, around a hundred feet in height, is said to be immensely impressive and able to be viewed from miles across the ocean horizon. The ten statues represent each of the Achra of Ulendreaism, and they serve as a warning to any who would seek to penetrate the Pontifex's realm by sea. It is said that any Druskan Warbarge that finds its way to Ulendrís' coast and views the Overlook turns immediately north, endeavering towards Ardinoe instead.
The Divine Overlook was built in the year 4433. While the statues have been shaken by nearby quakes and battered by Raw Magic storms from the Straits of Adena since then, they have never fallen, giving further credence to their supposed divine inspiration.
Re: The Make of the Empire - Locations
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:45 am
by Tyranny
Shitport
The Imperial Badlands
Overview
The Imperial Badlands consumes a large section of the Empire's central-south; it is a vast desert that appears nearly infinite in scale, with the most habitable areas being arid drylands at best. The Badlands are hot in the day, and cold at night, they almost never see rain and when they do, it is often corrosive. Very little of the Badlands appears to be made up of sandy dunes or other charming details associated with the desert. Rather, it appears to be the site of cracked earth and scarred arid grounds, scorched by the sun. Dust often cycles through the desert, though fortunately the Badlands are so filled with a vast nothingness that these Dust Storms rarely meet with the inhabitants of the region.
The Badlands, vast as they are, are not even home to a few hundred thousand souls. While there are plenty of small settlements scattered throughout the region, often in chasms and valleys, most of them are abandoned and much of the abandoning was not by will. The land is occupied by several, major gangs that compete for dominance, terrorizing those who do not assert their allegiance - and even those who do. Monsters and ferocious animals, altered by the Bleeding, roam the land in equal measure and act as a constant source of anxiety and strife for the residents. As such, while the people of the Badlands gleefully assert their 'freedom', it is at the cost of safety and certainly stability.
Much of the region's populace lives in one of the repurposed Unbroken outposts, namely Rustbucket, Traphole, Duster and Shitport. These act as general commerce hubs for the region, with most of them not directly owned by any particular gangs, which prefer to extort their residents for supplies; often, gangs are forced to compete for these settlements, and if they do fall into any particular gang's hands they just as often fall out of it. Shitport is the one exception, with the Bloodbreakers ruling over it and as a result of its importance, claiming sovereign dominion over the Badlands as a whole. Of course, this title is hotly contested, with several brutal raider-states forming in opposition against the Bloodbreakers, though with seemingly no interest in ceasing their aggression towards one another.
The Imperial Badlands are technically shared by both Ostigen and Indoríes, meaning large sections of them are controlled by the two Treveyn, and the bandit-like residents are constantly at war for what they view as both their survival and independence.
Please read up on the Badlanders and their gangs before continuing, as the information that follows references lore information found in this article.
Shitport
Shitport was originally named Outpost-1, and was a quasi-secretive Unbroken project; it was the most advanced military fortress ever built, a steel bastion lined with Arcanacrag-powered pylons that supplied the fort with magically armed turrets, other forms of automated offense and methods of protection. Of course, whatever could have come from this place -- and from this advanced technology -- no longer functions, if it ever did. Outpost-1 served as a sort of bunker for many of the Unbroken Empire's scientific elite during the Bleeding, and it was during the first few years after the calamity that the Free Access Tower was built at great human cost.
Unfortunately, trapped within the burgeoning citadel of steel, all of Shitport's ruling inhabitants eventually died to corruption in some form; whether by evisceration at the hands of beasts from the corrupted waters, or by physical degradation, or even transformation. These early Unbroken successors all passed away, and the fittest of their subjects worked tirelessly to keep the Free Access Tower functioning. Eventually, refugees from the chaos of western Indories clamored to the outpost. The anarchic structure and lack of resources resulted in bloody infighting between these migrants, and the most ambitious among them began to consolidate power, becoming the first Daravinic Raider Kings. They claimed freedom from Unbroken tyranny as their purpose, a goal well justifiable at the time. It is within Outpost-1, now mockingly labeled 'Shitport' by Badlanders, that the movement of Badland Liberation began.
Badland Liberation is, supposedly, the birth of a larger ideological shift within the Empire. More than a cabal of raiders and thieves hungry for power away from the eyes of the Entente, it is a home to men and women who wish to be free from the grasp of arbitrary serfdom, where they are essentially treated as foot soldiers and slaves. Though there is an underlying fear by the common Imperial citizen of the sort of men and women that crowd the Badlands, they carry a kind of revered mysticism to them; as the brave, willing to liberate themselves and fight for their purpose alone, indiscriminate of the Entente's desires for them.
The outpost itself has a population never larger than a few thousand, and most of its residents are transient. Still, it carries a rust-beaten charm, and has retained a fairly consistent culture throughout its many blended generations. Shitport's interior appears much like the late Unbroken bunker that it is, but with strings of lanterns running across the halls and countless storefronts with meager wares. Many of these storefronts are, however, black market trading hubs in truth. Collaborating with legally-recognized merchants from places such as Alistian and Genteven, the merchants of Shitport fence stolen or dubious goods and trade in items contraband within the Empire's proper channels. Most common among these wares is magically-altered plants, often those growing by the coastline of the Straits of Adena. Known to have disruptive and extreme effects, Shitport is one of their few places of acquisition and trade.
Interestingly, many of the goods lost by the Emperor's sunken vessels have been rumored to circulate among these merchant-Raiders, despite reports that the ships were felled by Vethcairn pirates. This implies coordinated, military-grade sabotage of the Imperial trade fleet, beyond the means of the Raiders and thus likely the result of the Entente. Of course, it is clear to the residents of the outpost that they are being profited from by the Entente and their illicit activities, though the influx of wealth that comes as a result acts as a source of vitality for the Raiders, who have shifted their business model from actually raiding to - truthfully - acting as runners for the Empire's elite.
The outpost is home to many bars, though only a few of them are popular. The others appear to be hang-out areas for Raiders-to-be, or places to go while mindlessly seeking movement amidst a buzz.
The corridors of the city are covered in beaten and unusable elements of Unbroken technology, with much of the usable tools salvaged over time. There are, interestingly, Unbroken-style Golems still wandering the halls of the outpost, many of them either lifelessly maintaining the grounds or entertaining others with falsified personalities, humor included.
Traphole
Traphole is the site of a large old Unbroken mining operation, where a material unique to Ectahl-Prior (Daravin) is found; chyteryllium, a brass-like metal highly advantageous for building artificed automatons. In fact, Traphole is known for its Artificers and their automatons, but unlike in other Imperial lands these golems tend towards a particular framework. They appear rusted, with old industrial appearances, often comprised of the scrap from old Imperial machinery alongside their chyteryllium components. Their personalities are designed to be lively; quirky and often humorous, they are meant to act as companions to their human retainers who often venture out into the Badlands with none but their artificed friends.
Traphole itself - once called Outpost-3 - appears as a massive hole within the desert, with a cylindrical shape and many large rings with rampart-like rails along their edges, connected by stairs. There are about fifty rings in total, filled with residences, workshops and shady places of business. The wealthier residents of Traphole - generally those with connections to Badlander raider gangs - tend to live in the lower floors of the cylindrical city, where they have hoarded the old defensive structures and devices of Outpost-3. As such, Traphole is extremely oligarchical, with the other residents suffering in abject poverty.
Traphole is dominated by the Pyrerazers, who frequently employ the outpost's golems in their activities and patrols. Unsurprisingly, it is located in the Western Badlands, a few dozen miles north of most other Pyrerazer territories, making it vulnerable to frequent attacks by the Anointed. Despite this, the gang sees Traphole as valuable, maintaining supply lines and trade routes with it from across the desert.
Rustbucket
Rustbucket is the site of an old Unbroken refinery, where the materials mined from Traphole were natured in a specific solution used to alter them into a specific alloy. While the solution was largely concentrated in Rustbucket - formerly Outpost-5 - at the time of the Bleeding, it was not originally retrieved from the Outpost, and so the Outpost has lost its ability to create the precious alloy, with few even knowing what it does.
Rustbucket is named as it is for two reasons: for one, the 'government' building where the leaders of the Outpost reign is shaped oddly like a bucket. Apparently the command center for a now-defunct machine prototype, it was designed vertically for efficiency. Secondly, most structures in Rustbucket appear to be made of a rusted, shabby metal. This is in fact the result of the old solution the Outpost was known for; its fumes would rapidly rust other metals they touched, and the solution appeared to frequently disperse into air particles upon being applied, fumigating via the wind. The entire Outpost was then coated in a rusted external layer, shifting much of its buildings to a copper and deteriorating tinge.
The leadership of Rustbucket is, uniquely, not gang-dominated. Instead, Rustbucket is made up of a council of 'Senators', typically eight from various sectors of the Outpost. While many of them appear to be gang-funded, and even despite growing pressure by the influential Iron Moon gang, the Outpost does appear to firmly cling to its independence. Most of its food comes from underground farms, though irrigation serves as a persistent issue. As a result of this, being on the eastern border of the Badlands, traders from Rustbucket often trade their scavenge with local Veir from Ardinoe in exchange for shipments of clean water.
Rustbucket is located on the fringes of the Central Badlands, bordering the Southeast, caught between Anointed and Iron Moon territory. The Pyrerazers and the Iron Moon frequently act cooperatively in defense of the outpost, despite their brutal rivalry, so as to ensure it is not sacked and made defunct by the deranged Anointed.
Duster
Duster was previously known as Outpost-8, and its purpose was to research and examine the effects of corruption upon mortal races. Experimentation was, equally, an important aspect of the Outpost's imperatives; the researchers sought ways to undo its damage to the body and mind, often going to extreme lengths to discover answers. This is largely due to a neurological disease seemingly local to the Badlands, but one that was becoming more and more prominent in Ectahl before the Bleeding. It is known as 'Raving', or sometimes 'the Madness'. It is, unsurprisingly, extremely common in Duster - which was founded by a population of escaped subjects who went on to murder those who had experimented on them, after the Bleeding hit.
Raving, tending to make those afflicted far more resistant to the Corruption, actually appears to imbue its afflicted with oddly supernatural powers. Corruption does not only become benign to them, it becomes purely advantageous; the more corruption they consume, the more their mind is lost, but with mutations that bring them closer to extreme power. A regular man with Raving can appear to challenge a powerful mage if he has been subject to enough corruption. In fact, it is through Duster's research journals and exploration into Raving that the Badland gangs have maintained their independence from the Entente; they will blight young men and send them to die against the Halamire, taking dozens with them.
Duster is, obviously, dysfunctional but much of the populace has not been inflicted with the Bleeding's disease. While weaker and more vulnerable, this section of the populace appears to be in command of the rest, as they are far more cognitively able and can easily manipulate the Raving-inflicted denizens to their will. Research into the disease still appears to be ongoing within Duster, generally with the pretense that it is meant to make its afflicted 'more powerful'. Unfortunately, due to the volatility of Ravers, violence is endemic within the old Outpost and the strata of power frequently shifts. Despite this there is no desire to cull the non-Raving inflicted population; in fact, those with the Madness have actively taken up arms against the Anointed, as they believe in cohabitation between 'clear-eyes' and their own, believing that such proximity may result in a cure.
The Outpost is largely an underground series of hallways, residential areas, dining areas and experimentation zones. It is fairly advanced, and surprisingly well-preserved, as its inhabitants are fiercely territorial. It is, however, very dirty; while the walls may not have been scrapped as of yet, filth clings to them and the sanitation of the Outpost is legendarily poor.
Outpost-11
Outpost-11 is, among all of the actively resided in Unbroken Outposts, certainly the most obscure. Hidden within the natural barricade of a far-off chasm, at the end of said chasm one will find a nearly impenetrable metal door that has somehow been almost seamlessly maintained. Beyond that door lies a 'bunker' of sorts, and one of the most advanced structures known to the mortal races, a late-Unbroken construction almost lost to the ages. Outpost-11 is clean, with metal corridors that open into other large rooms, with areas for research, communal gathering, indoor farming, small-scale water purification and distribution and other unique advantages unknown to any of the other currently resided in Outposts.
Outpost-11 is occupied by a group of scientists, largely from the Grisic Empire, as well as a Valran who has taken a strict vow to guard them. The leader of Outpost-11's scientists is Latham Reed, the younger brother of Emprise Florencia - once known as Catherine of House Reed. Sorrowfully, the Imperial family believes with all possible certainty that this group has long since died, and so they have been forced to work alone with no further guidance or aide.
This group, of no formal name, has a simple goal: improve life in the Badlands. Provide all people access to clean water, without relying on the arbitration of violent gangs. While nothing is presently known of their projects, some Badlanders do know of their existence, having been helped by them in the past. It is corroborated by a few that their research was vast; countless hours were put into developing unique plants, and into studying the Grakain, a species they appear to be breeding in large amounts. No outsiders have ever been allowed to stay for long, however, and they are only escorted into Outpost-11 while asleep or blindfolded, with the same treatment being given upon their release. As a result, the gangs of the Badlands still do not know of Outpost-11's location.
A Purifying Spire
Key Locations
—The Free Access Tower—
Across Daravin, there are many constructs of both magical and engineering might designed to absorb Bleeding waste and other forms of magical corruption. These spires sit along the rivers of the Empire, and are maintained either by the Emperor or by utilizing purifying Arcanacrags. Among all of these towers, the greatest one ever constructed is known as the Free Access Tower, and it also serves as the single most ambitious project in Daravinic history.
Most astoundingly is the fact that the Free Access Tower was built early after the Bleeding, with thousands of mages and laborers dying to bring it together, in order to prevent the total corruption of the Amoras river by cleansing it at the root. The Free Access Tower, unlike other Imperial purification spires, does not transcend very high into the sky. Instead, it rises slightly above Shitport with the vast majority of its length within the enclosure or underground. Near the tower's mid-level, after climbing a few rusted flights of stairs below ground, there is a latch that can be opened which acts as a sort of exhaust for the stored corruption. In order to prevent the magical corruption from overloading the tower, an object can be placed at the center of this exhaust. Generally, the intention was to place an Arcanacrag to lessen the overflow.
However, the Raiders of Shitport - low on if not completely deprived of any purifying Arcanacrags - have taken to placing living creatures, most often humans and animals, at the base of the exhaust and allowing it to release the toxic contents of the Amoras directly into them. This is certain to kill those afflicted, and so it is often a punishment for captured prisoners or the disloyal, or the weak. The Free Access Tower essentially acts as a sacrifical alter to preserve the livelihood of Shitport's inhabitants, securing the power of the Raider-King.
Of course, the primary purpose of the Tower is to purify water and allow the Raiders of Shitport to access the river-directed reservoir located behind the outpost. Given that this essentially provides them unlimited access to clean water, it is the single greatest asset to any Badlander and the one who holds ownership of the Tower is - de facto - the King of the Imperial Badlands.
