King

Regent: Council of Seven
Contact: King
Dairut, popularly known as the Slaver’s Enclave, is located at the heart of the region known as the Slaver’s Alcove. This is an area that reaches from the south-western corner of the Bloodstone Marsh deep into the rocky eastern boundaries of the Velhatien Desert. It is a land shrouded in mysticism, said to be protected by the desert itself. Home to a wide variety of nationalities and cultures, the city is a collage of both foreign and domestic banners.
Dairut currently has a population of roughly 1,100,000.
 
Geography
Topography
The city is situated alongside the largest westward artery of the Great Lake (the largest source of fresh water in the immediate region), which in turn feeds the intricate, man-made irrigation system the city uses to grow its crops. Beyond this single waterway, which some use to travel from one end of the city to the other, district to district, Dairut is entirely landlocked.
To the north, east, and south lie the major cities of Aelindra and Raven’s Landing, Mezthaleun and Union City, and Stormward, respectively.
To the west is the expansive Velhatien Desert, of which Joran city rests on its flank. With slavery all but outlawed across the continent, many see the Enclave’s positioning as reckless. However, Dairut is an elusive establishment -- some say it is protected by powerful magic -- that is only capable of being found by those who already know where it is. Surrounded by unforgiving outcroppings and a desolate wasteland on all sides, many have died seeking its walls.
Cityscape
Dairut is built in the shadow of a colossal desert outcropping. It is a mass of colorful slaver tents, busy merchant shops and trader stands, and luxurious harems separated into four permeable districts (with Arabain and African inspirations). The city walls are high and thick, spiked near the top with the skeletal remains of trespassers, criminals, and rebellious slaves. The buildings are built close together and on top of each other, giving even tall spires a somewhat squat appearance.
The Jovial Flats is the largest and most popular of all the Enclave’s districts, encompassing the entirety of the city’s eastern boundary. It is a sprawling maze of harems, service stalls, and auction blocks where dozens of men and women are used, purchased, and traded every day. Some of the product available come from spoils of conquest, while others were sold into slavery as bargaining chips to clear a debt. Named after its customer’s continued satisfaction, the Flats are a living nightmare for beauties that find themselves on the wrong end of a collar and leash.
Second to the Flats is the Valley of Strength in the west, which deals in the business of selling and training slaves gifted in the art of killing. The buildings hard are generally carved from solid stone, or are reinforced otherwise. There are a number of pits located throughout this district, the largest of which is called Tartarus, where slaves are pitted against each other for blood sport.
The Etiquette Bazaar is the smallest of the slaver’s market districts, located in the south. It is the first district one passes through upon entering the city, and due to the nature of its product, is likewise the tidiest. The buildings are architecturally beautiful, the streets cleaned regularly of manure and other garbage, and the people the best dressed. Slaves that find themselves here are former servants, well-mannered and housebroken (men, women, and children that are well-educated in the expectations of a lordling’s house staff). They are seen by many as the most valuable and useful slaves, and so they enjoy a life considerably better than other slaves.
Smaller even than the Bazaar is Nebu, the living quarters for the Dairut elite. Located at the northern end of the city, only the wealthiest, most powerful slavers call this luxurious district home. These are the self-proclaimed rulers of the city, a council of seven men and women, who employ the city guard and keep the peace. All businesses pay tribute to this council in the form of taxation, and all foreign negotiations operate through them.
Climate
Year-round, the weather in Dairut is always warm, or hot, and the nights either cool or freezing. Even with its position so close to the Bloodstone Marsh, there are only two seasons: a scorching hot summer lasting one half the year, and a mild, lukewarm winter that lasts the other half. The city is incredibly dry, receiving on average only about a centimeter of rain a year, but is particularly humid throughout the summer due to its location on the Golden Path (the river from the Great Lake).
Every so often, the city is known to experience dust storms. These occur more frequently during the transitory months, with the most severe storms taking place during the winter-to-summer transition. Over the years, Dairut has learned to better track and predict these storms, and have renovated their city to better withstand their devastation.
Flora and Fauna
Valhatien Scarab: The valhatien scarabs are small (roughly the size of a tennis ball), carnivorous insects that eat the flesh of whatever creature they touch. Since their domestication by the Dairut beastmasters, they have been used as a form of execution and punishment, and have developed a keen taste for human flesh. Because of their black carapace, diamond-like in toughness, they have earned the name “black death.”
Sand Wyrm: A small snake that generally grows no longer than a meter. They are the natural predator of the valhatien scarab. They are able to emit a steady flow of fire from their mouths, which cooks the scarab inside its own carapace. They then swallow them whole.
Demographics
Culture
The city is one rooted deeply in the ways of old. All but removed from the cultural revolution of the world beyond the desert, Dairut has maintained the ways of the Age of Conquest. They have coined many popular phrases such as, “You keep what you conquer,” and “Take that which is yours.” Despite these imperialistic mottos, Dairut has long-since lost its thirst for battle and expansion and has instead become a centralized hub for like-minded individuals.
However, it is through their firm belief of ownership by conquest that they validate the exercise of slavery. Those that are too weak to defend themselves, to define themselves, become the property of another, stronger individual, and thus are subject to their definition of them.
Slaves do not have any manner of civil or human rights in Dairut. They can be beaten, maimed, humiliated, or even killed at their master’s discretion (as many are). And while it is not incredibly uncommon for some owners to treat their slaves with a hint of dignity, offering roles similar to indentured servitude, this is often done indoors, away from prying eyes as to avoid ridicule.
Unsurprisingly, damaging another owner’s property is regarded as one of the most serious crimes in Dairut. Punishments range from compensation, immediate or long-term, to death.
All slaves from Dairut are given the opportunity to earn their freedom during an event known as Kaf Shakur, an annual tournament. It is the most celebrated event in all of Dairut, a glorious affair of debaucherous festivities and brutal combat. For six nights, ten slaves are thrust into the Tartarus pit in a battle royal and made to battle each other to the death. On the seventh and final night, the survivors of all six rounds and once again made to fight, with only the sole survivor able to claim their freedom.
In addition to their practice of slavery and all that it entails, Dairut has a rich history in the literary and fine arts. Many merchants savvy to the city’s location travel from across the continent to purchase their goods, from tapestries to paintings and written word.
Economy
In spite of its isolated location, Dairut boasts a notably strong and self-reliant economy built almost entirely on its slave industry. Attracting buyers and sellers from every corner of the continent, hundreds of pounds of gold and silver flow through its gates every day, along with various other forms of currency. As with most merchant-based cities, the city also makes use of a strong barter system, whether it be land, goods, or slaves. Dairutian merchants likewise supplement the slave trade with the sale of exotic native jewelry, art, and attire (African-Arabian).
Major Companies and Institutions
The House of Domestication: The most well-known slave training facility in the city, focusing on the domestication of unruly pleasure slaves. Through the use of extensive and rigorous training regimen, the handlers at House Domestication mold the finest servants of pleasure one can ask for.
The Treasury: Arguably the most important institute in the city. The Treasury is the largest bank-- and one of the largest buildings --in all the city and holds over eighty percent of its wealth. It is said that the Treasury’s subterranean faults have never been stolen from.
The Gilded Chalice: The most luxurious inn throughout the city, located at the fridge of the Nebu district. Travelers with enough coin enjoy the finest cuisine, scenery, and pleasurable company in all of the city.
Parks and Recreation
Landmarks and Monuments
Tartarus: A large coliseum located on the west end of the city, in the Valley of Strength. A number of high-profile gladiatorial events take place here, including the Kaf Shakur.
Government
Local Government
The Council of Seven: Dairut operates outside and beyond the Genesar government, and answers to no other empire. They are instead governed by a council of native elite, seven of the wealthiest men and women in the city. Together, they oversee the day-to-day operations in and around the city, including its security. It is through their combined effort that the city has prospered into the desert metropolis it is now.
Military
— 1 Khafre (Commander)
— 100 Khufu (Elite Guard)
— 5,000 Overseers (Slave Drivers, Trainers)
— 40,000 City Guards (Infantry, Calvary, and Beastmasters)
Education
Traditional education beyond the rudimentary requirements for business (reading, writing, and understanding basic arithmetic) is of little value to the people of Dairut. They raise no poets or scholars or scientists, but master slavers and merchants. Most education throughout the city is trade-based, with individuals learning what they need to be successful in their particular area. There are no postgraduate institutions in Dairut. Of course, the wealthier individuals in the city pay for exceptional education from external sources, and many professors have been brought in from prestigious institutes across Genesaris.
Transportation
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the size of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges connecting broad rooftops. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and districts of the city.
Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn or magic-fueled, cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city.
Riverways: The city has the beginnings of an elaborate canal system running through it. While not entirely operational yet, the eastern and northern side of the city riverways has been introduced to great success.
Notable Residents
-- -- -- History
Canon

Ruler: Emperor Koji Datsuzoku
Flag: A black flag hosting the nations Kamon centered in gold.
Contact: Twitterpated 
 
Geography

Topography
The Jigoku prefecture is a nation built near the heart of the Midlands, claiming the no man's land between a few standing countries and the corresponding lake to its west. As such the city has been equipped with not only a nice port that ferries to any point across the lake, but also that can sail the channel that leads all the way north to the ocean. The location for the city and its design make for a lot of business and attraction. Designed after the architecture of an old civilization of another world and composed of the goods of worlds between as well as this one, Jigoku is a breathtaking sight both to live in and to visit.
The Imperial City sets approximately 30 miles east from Great Lake, 60 miles east/northeast of Mezathaluen, and 85 miles north of Union City. The wild-lands between these cities and spanning through the blood stone marshes north of Great Lake is dotted with outposts courtesy of the nation’s Imperial Military, reinforced by the re-purposed Union City and its resources.

Cityscape
Jigoku no Toshi | The Inferno City - The composition of most of the city is built in tandem with what are be traditional on another world apart from this one, boasting a combination of red oak structures topped with black clay tiles. In a world of magic, the city overall is mundane and simple. Rice paper sliding doors, polished hard wood floors, red banners and red paper lanterns littering the entirety of the nation. To those that have been exposed to an environment such as this before, they would surely feel welcome and at home upon visiting. The more imposing structures of import such as the Emperor’s pagodas in the town square are built in a similar fashion to the structures of the entire nation, yet instead fashioned from shadewood, topped with metallic roof tiles fashioned from a rare substance known as Hihi-irogane. The mysterious metal is dark, black in color; It is rumored to be tougher than diamonds several times over, and hot to the touch. Though it isn’t aflame, the metal does give off the ominous appearance than the tiles are in fact on fire.
The Merchant district seems to give way to that of the residential district. In fact, along the border, it is often seen that a vendor stall might be a home all in one, or perhaps a shop and a home are conjoined. Perhaps a vendor or merchant simply doesn't live far from their stall/store. It is common in this young flourishing city to see about 75% percent of businesses close for the day, at which point the night life of the city begins. Every night seems to look like a festival of some sort. Humans, Yokai, and Undead are mostly common in these parts. They live in harmony and understanding of the Kodo delivered by their Emperor and Empress themselves. The remaining businesses that are open fuel and support this night life, complete with inns and small taverns.

Climate
Semiarid or Semi-Arid means "somewhat dry". The semiarid climate is found around the edges of Arid climate and serves as a transition from Arid to another climate. This is a dry climate that has fluctuating amounts of precipitation, which can often result in drought. Occasional drought can be a very dangerous place for human settlement. The semiarid climate supports more trees and scrub bushes and grasses than Arid and therefore more animals.

 
Flora and Fauna
Ketsueki Sakura no Hana (Blood Cherry Blossom Trees): In addition to the appearance of the Jubokko, a new rare breed of tree case appeared in the lands of Jigoku. These unique trees are exclusive to the newly established Imperial City feature wood so dark the bark nearly looks black. As opposed to the usual softer tones of pink or even white, the petals of the blooming cherry blossoms were naturally stained a crimson hue instead. The first bloom of these trees in the springs, and the wilting of them in the fall seasons are said to be two of the most beautiful occasions the nation has to offer.
Tsukiyomi no Ran (Orchid of the Moon Goddess): This rare beauty it a unique species of flower than only blooms once a month during the night of the full moon. The bulb cracks at sunset and progresses into a full bloom peaking with the apex of the full moon in the night sky. It is also said that the petals of this flower can be ground into a stun spore, capable of disorienting and incapacitating effects.
Kokuren and Shiroi-hasu (Black Lotus and White Lotus): In the spring and summer months, it is said to bring one luck to happen upon the bloom of the Black Lotus from local ponds and even the lake into the west side of Jigoku. Rumor has it that the Black Lotus can be turned into an extract that will bring one ingesting it blistering fevers, delusions, dehydration, seizures, and in many cases death. In the fall and winter months, the White Lotus blooms in the very same locations of the Black counterpart. The extract of this Lotus is said to be the only cure to the toxicity of the Black Lotus.
Kuro Seji (Black Sage): Black Sage grows in the eastern plains and northeastern hills of Jigoku. This sage is not safe for consumption by humanoids as it is fatally toxic. However, with the proper prevention methods to avoid self-harm, this plant is ideal for those that are into energy work surrounding spirits and souls. When dried, this sage turns an ashy-grey color. When burned, its ashes are pure white, and the smoke produced is black. This smoke is said to thin the veil between this world and the Otherworld within the user’s vicinity, thus attracting more paranormal activity to said area than usual. Careful though, those that trifled with forces beyond their control often received catastrophic adverse results.
Minokemoyodatsu Yona Chaba (Lurid Tea Leaves): Leaves of what is called the Lurid Tea Plant can be used to brew a naturally bitter sweet tea that looks as dark as coffee. Adding just dollop of milk into the tea will barely lighten the tone, though it will remove the bitter taste and maximize the sweet taste naturally available in the leaves. These leaves are also a hot commodity in the baking community. Perfect for making cakes and pastries!
Taima (Cannibis): This plant grows and processes in a manner like tobacco. However, the plant is what would be referred to by most as a natural remedy or alternative medicine. Despite the plethora of medical benefits, the regulated use of this herb could offer, most seem to enjoy the use of these various plants in recreation. It is said that the high of good Taima can leave one in euphoric bliss for up to three hours. It is also said that the herb is a natural aphrodisiac.
Ahen (Opium): This plant grows poppy seed that can be produced into a crushed, smokable power. A single hit of this potent opium that’s rumored to have smoke of indigo is said to intoxicate the user for 90 minutes, in which they experience involuntary muscle spasm, reduced heart rate, warped perception, and actual moderate to severe hallucinations. Overdosing can range from the contraction of drug induced schizophrenia and/or death.
Akuma no Yona Kinoko (Demonic Mushrooms): If one knew where these mushrooms came from, they probably would not even touch them, let alone eat them. These mushrooms are harvested from explicit directions that lead up to the removal of them from beneath fresher patties of Yokai droppings. When devoured by humanoids, many describe feeling the sensation of walking under water. These effects along with varying severity of hallucinations last in a user for six to eight hours.
Zheng
Gu Diao
Ao Yin
Huan
Yama-inu - The Yama-inu or okuri-inu closely follows people who are walking along mountain paths at nighttime. If by chance the person falls over they will be immediately eaten up, but if they pretend to be having a short rest they will not be attacked. It is important not to look too tired, though. These features are common to every region, but the dog's behavior does sometimes vary - for instance in some places it is said that the okuri-inu will charge into you, and if you fall a pack of dogs will quickly appear and attack you. There are also regions that have stories about what happens once you safely make it to the end of the mountain path. For example, one tells that if you reach the end of the trail, saying something like 'goodbye' or 'thank you for escorting me' will cause the okuri-inu to stop following you. Another one claims that upon returning home you should first wash your feet, give thanks for a safe journey home, then offer the okuri-inu gift. After this, it will supposedly leave. 
Jorogumo -  Jorōgumo (Japanese Kanji: 絡新婦, Hiragana: じょろうぐも) is a type of Yōkai, a creature, ghost or goblin of Japanese folklore. It can shapeshift into a beautiful woman, so the kanji for its actual meaning is 女郎蜘蛛 or "woman-spider", and to write it instead as 絡新婦 ("entangling newlywed woman") is a jukujikun pronunciation of the kanji.
Jubokko - According to folklore, it appears in former battlefields where many people have died, and its appearance does not differ that much from ordinary trees. Since it becomes a yōkai tree by sucking up large quantities of blood from the dead, it lives on human blood. When a human being happens to pass by, it supposedly captures the victim and, changing its branches into the shape of a tube, sucks the blood out of the victim. A Jubokko that sucks life out of human beings in such a way is said to always maintain a fresh appearance. When a Jubokko is cut, blood trickles out. It is said that a Jubokko branch could heal and decontaminate an injured person.
Nobusuma
Kaiita*
Goakarasu (Gore-crow): Any breed or species of bird cane become a gore crow, corrupted by chaos, these mutated crows acquire a blackened color to their feathers and their eyes grow completely red. While these crows are aggressive and carnivorous, especially to humans, they are typically easy to dispatch despite their sharp minds. A swarm of them however can take out the smallest of large cities within days if left unchecked. In the Midlands there are two varieties of these crows; Those spawn of the Whispernight Scourge whom flock to the Trees of Evil still standing throughout the land, and those created specifically by the Heika himself.
Tatsuo (Dragon-man): a specific brand of Ogre/Oni/Orcish brand of creature. They come in various shapes and sizes, their faces usually grotesque and terrifying. On average they stand between 5’3” and 6’8” tall, weighing between 175 to 325 pounds. They boasted broad shoulders with thick muscular limbs and big hands. Their complexions ranging between firebrick red, black, and a few other colors of rare condition. Thanks to the mixture of Draconic bloods sampled and collected from the Velhatien Desert, Emperor Koji along with the help of his Imperial Adviser and his very capable Harem had managed to develop a system into which they could use to transform common folk such a Hume or Man into one of the mutated Tatsuo brands. So far, the method only works on humanoid creatures, though the responsible parties behind such a terrible creation worked feverishly to discover a method that would work on other animals. More specifically the predator variety considering the perks of increasing the risk an already capable hunter and killer of the animal kingdom naturally possessed.
While most tend to get many more throughout their lives and careers during for instance times of great change, each fresh Tatsuo receives their first official brand. Traditionally the brand is the Dynasty’s Kamon. It should be noted that these man-made monsters rarely retained memories of their past life. They retained simple motor functions and basic knowledge, leaving them to grow and flourish together as a fresh society. They are incredibly intelligent, brave, and cunning. They hold their own unique culture that develops with each passing day. Though namely they currently uphold their own sort of honor system or code. This, however, did not circumvent or prioritize over the Emperor’s absolute Kodo. In fact, it modified it in a complimentary fashion.
Dishonor of a Tatsuo was often punishable by carving their Dynasty brand from their body, filling or removing one’s fangs, or their preferred ultimate method of beatings to the death from multiple volunteers. Likewise, the Tatsuo were often found gambling and bargaining with one another in leisure time. Sometimes they would pass the time by wrestling for both fun and competition. On rare occasion, a lesser ranked Tatsuo could be found trying to challenge one of its superiors, in which the death of his opponent decided the winner. While most adopted names and cultural aspects in similar nature to the Dynasty, it was usually a bit of culture shock seen when one viewed the Tatsuo closely in their own communities. The current Tatsuo population among the Imperial City is approximately 7000 strong, a number that will surely grow faster than the rate it would diminish.
Tatsuo possesses speeds that are not the greatest, though they are much quicker than they appear thanks to their large muscle mass and immense strength. While not being sensitive or vulnerable to light conditions, it should be noted that these creatures see best in low and no light conditions. The average strength of a Tatsuo is roughly three to five times the strength of the average “Man”. Their hides are thick and leathery, granting them a high resistance to piercing damage as well as blunt force trauma and some magic types of damage such as burning or freezing. Thanks to their modified physiology, their diet usually consists of whatever they can get their hands on. Though they perform their best when full and are most full when they devour meat. It is common to see a Tatsuo eating a defeated enemy, though never a fallen brother without specific spiritual significance.

Demographics

Culture
Jigoku is a culture shock at face value. Many people and species of different types and walks of life find some semblance of unity within the nation. The two major types of citizens are those that chose to be here with the growing nation, and those that were forced out of their homes for one reason or another in which they sought refuge in the comfort of Jigoku. The symbiotic relationship the nation sustains itself upon it the driving for between its success and continued steady growth. Men, Yokai, and Vampires are the most common, though it’s no surprise to catch the random others among the crowds. As if those three cultures weren’t diverse enough.

Economy
Between the flora and fauna carried here like the plethora of man and manlike creatures, and the local lake, the economy flourishes with natural water source and seafood. The water source helps with the dry and drought seasons by supplying water year round. The primary currency of this nation is gold, silver, and copper coins, brandishes with the Kamon on one side of a coin, the opposing side hosting a serpent-like dragon among clouds. Minted coin of similar make is acceptable from any place at equal value to the national coin's weight. All outside currencies taken in are systematically melted down and minted into one of their national brand.


Major Companies and Institutions
 The Imperial Arts of the Datsuzoku Dynasty
Hinode no Gakko | The School of the Rising Sun – While there are several dojos found within the nation, the most reputable is one founded outside of the orthodox teachings of the various Dragon schools. Spearheaded by the founder and Grand-Master Momoku, Kenshibobu, this school is prized on its roots in tradition, and its branches reaching into a variety of new styles in its ever-evolving Martial way. While strictly traditional styles stale over time, the mixed martial arts nature of the Rising Sun School will continue to present itself as a formidable way of combat for generations to come. Students are even encouraged to train on their own and to self-develop their own personal style.
 
Parks and Recreation
Landmarks and monuments
Kokuryu no Chashitsu/Izakaya | The Black Dragon Tea House/Tavern - By day, the second largest pagoda style structure in the entire city is known as Kokuryu no Chashitsu, The Black Dragon Tea House. It is easily a local hub that would easily grow into the hearts, minds, and mouths of citizens and tourists alike. There was no menu. If one wasn't certain of a name of specific tea, they could describe what they were looking for, and certainly they could obtain it. For those unappreciative of tea, other beverage accommodations could be made. Rumor has it that they also offer the best Japanese dishes the city had to offer, save for the palace. As a city with direct access to water, it is certainly easiest to assume there are more seafood dishes to offer than that of any other type. This operation lasts from dawn until dusk. However, from dusk until dawn, this very same location is known as Kokuryu no Izakaya, The Black Dragon Tavern. In likeness to the variety of teas, a plethora of alcohol awaits the patrons of this fine, massive bar. On higher levels, there is even a floor dedicated to small time gambling attractions. Rumor has it that upon vacancy and request, there is also a hidden bath house during these hours.
Kanrakugai | The Red-Light District - Behind what would bring you to the inaccessible back side of the palace, there was a quaint little part of town known as Kanrakugai, The Red-Light District. All locations of business in these parts operate 24/7. A wide variety of male and female specimen were available to those interested. One might wish to just have a short visit with some obligations attached within any respective house, or perhaps one wished to have a semi-formal escort for a lengthy bout of a day. Some good company to those that had deep pockets and were lonely.  On occasion, one thinking they may have found the one, perhaps they can purchase one of their choice to keep. However, each individual owner of each individual house likely each had a specific individual cost. What was one willing to pay, for happiness? Rumor has it that for those creatures surviving on the life essence of humans, life dolls were also afforded around these parts. It should be noted that dolls are for small feeds, there is a no kill policy on life dolls. Should one break the rules, well, like breaking any other rule, the offense is punishable by death.
Jigoku no Kyuden | The Inferno Palace - The heart of the Empire city gives birth to a rather expanse city square. Easily 100,000 people could cram into here and at least have an inch to move. The largest portion of the square was in front of what the locals called Jigoku no Kyuden, The Inferno Palace. A fountain was afforded within the square, a center piece statue within the fountain appeared to be an image of the late Empress, with a black dragon loosely coiling about her. Certainly, the dragon was a reference to the Emperor, or so the three eyed face sorely gave it away for those whom had witnessed their Emperor's greatness. The palace itself is built in the hybrid styling of a pagoda meshed with a pyramid. The first level served as a lobby, complete with a throne for the sovereigns of this nation. Occasionally they can be found here for a wide variety of things, and yet also just to be readily open to the public if they aren't out about town somewhere. The courtyard bordering the palace out of the square was heavily guarded, and each night by midnight the square was cleared by curfew save for special occasions. The second floor through the fourth-floor housed guards in barracks. It was important that they work shifts, thought their odd shifts made it to where it was wise to slumber within the palace itself. The fifth floor through the fourteenth floor would be raised as home space for nine hand selected elites from the city. The fifteenth floor was a place dedicated to being the door to the final sixteenth floor, which was ultimately a shrine. This gate floor was usually lived in by the Emperor himself when he wasn't with his Empress in her shrine. A second, pagoda that was more traditional was stationed beside and slightly behind the place, serving as a guest house boasting five floors for any important visitors that the nation’s Leaders feel a need to cater to. Slightly behind and between these was a seven-floor pagoda of traditional value, each floor dedicated to one of the Emperors concubines. Only the Emperor and Empress can enter this area, though the concubine are free to come and go as they please. Don't get any ideas though, even when they look like they are alone, each one of the Emperors wives were kept under a watchful eye, ensuring their safety as they would join their Empress in mothering the future generations of this clan, this Empire. Unlike the other structure in the city, the walls of these building are constructed with wood from the plane of shadow, it's black is unrivaled in any light or lack there off. If one looked closely, they could see what looked like purple glitter infused with the wood. The roofing tiles of these few structures are constructed of a metal of legend known as hihi'irogane. Its dark reddish color was accented well contrasted with the black building and the appearance of the tile that seemed on fire.

Government
Federal government
Futilitarian: The citizens and governing body of the Imperial city are Futilitarian, believing human hopes and faith to be in vain, and their strivings unjustified. The false since of order this world clings to is nothing more than a fallacy controlled by fear and greed. Datsuzoku translates as Breaking of the Covenant, the clan and its leaders stand to personify their chosen name. The Empire promotes that it will vanquish the fallacy of Order that is widely spread by mankind, and often abused by the greed of mankind. The Emperor and those beneath his employ pledge to liberate and ultimately untie all people, thus creating a true paradise where all bare true peace, freedom, and happiness. In the same token, Emperor Koji’s brand serves as a vanquisher of its enemies both direct and indirect. None shall stand in the path of the Emperor’s indomitable Will.

The Kokuryu no Kibo (The Black Dragon Scale), is the official Kamon (Crest/Seal/symbol) of not only the Empire city, but also to the Datsuzoku clan itself. Visitors and citizens alike are held to certain standards. Standards that only vary according to one's level in the societal food chain. Of course, there was a rule of thumb that all citizens respect those deemed of higher status than other. Any visitors that are not accepted as a foreign sovereign or explicit personal invitation was subject to whatever sort of treatment that came to them. Regardless, they fall subject to the Emperor’s Kodo.
Kodo
The Kodo is the way of the Emperor. In this case, while the Emperor has a certain lack of desire for “rules”, it should be noted that failure to adhere to the whim or the Will of his Empress or himself is punishable by death. Offenders will be sentenced to seppuku, and in more severe cases Harakiri (sometimes called Hari Kari).
The Three Supremes
The First of the Three Supremes is absolute Loyalty to the one and only Chijono as well as his beloved. No other source of power shall be feared or respected more than the head of the Dastuzoku Empire.
The Second Supreme is obedience. Subordinates under the banner of this Empire are subject to absolute obedience despite the desire/goal of the Empire at any one time.
The Third and final Supreme is honor. Subordinates should always honor the empire and their duty to it first. Likewise, their views of honor should lie in the likelihood of aligning with the nature of the Empire itself.
Heirarchy
Emperor/Empress
/               |               \
Empress’ Guard   Shogun   Concubines
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Daimyo
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The Lurid Inquisition
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Civilians
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Slaves/Servants
 
The highest rank in the lands is awarded to Emperor and Empress themselves respectively. Directly beneath them are their immediate subordinates and almost equals. Next in line comes the Empress' Guard and the Emperor's harem, akin to the weight of a Shogun within these ranks. Shogun are responsible for reporting and answering directly to their sovereigns as designated. The Daimyo or Feudal Lords are the next step down in the food chain, answering directly to their respective Shogun when necessary. Once one was through the leadership roles, the ranking system of the nation reached what the Emperor has properly titled, The Lurid Inquisition. This rank encompasses many roles both militant combative and not. To serve the Inquisition was to serve the Will of the Emperor directly. Most able-bodied men and woman of certain age and circumstances are usually drafted into these ranks, though others willingly enlist for one reason or another. Virtually at the bottom of the list comes the civilians. Despite not hosting a role in military or combat setting, all residents of this nation are required to learn some form of self-defense. This is to ensure that they suffer as minimal as possible casualties in the case of war times or invasions. Literally at the tail end of the ranks in the nation, there were the slaves and the service roles. Some work, some served the Inquisition, some were simply purchased, and those that couldn't acclimate were slaughtered. Slaves in this nation can gain freedom, though there is always a cost to be paid to compensate for the weight of a life.
The Lurid Inquisition
There are few roles with many differing tasks within the Inquisition. Note that at any given time, these roles are subject to change to accommodate the greater needs of the Empire. Those beneath the Empire's employ are given preference when such can be afforded, other times, a rank, role, or task is given regardless of the recipient's desire.
Sokushitsu: The Emperor's personal concubines. Their work while seemingly trivial is of the utmost importance. Hand selected by Josei Heika herself, the woman tasked with this role are expected to submit in every way imaginable, and then some. At no point are these women to deviate from their given purpose.
Onmitsu: Members of the Onmitsu group are tasked with jobs usually associated with spies such as infiltration and reconnaissance. Often, Onmitsu is a term generally interchangeable with the term Ninja or Shinobi/Kunoichi.
Ansatsu Buntai: The members of this group are general foot soldiers, ranging from what would be your average warrior (Samurai/Saburai) all the way up to the elites. The name means “Death Squad”. Regardless of leading the attack our defending home terrain, their job equates death both in delivery and completion.
Hogo-sha: These are the guardians of the inquisition, charged with protecting the Emperor/Empress as well as anyone else they are commanded to protect. Their devotion must be absolute! There is no cost too great in the need to serve and protect. Even their own lives.
Hojutsu Buntai: The most infantile but rapidly growing form and division within the Dynasty. These members are predominately the Emperor's personal brand of Orcs, trained in the ways gun forms and martial prowess alike.

Education
There is currently no centralized education. Education is primarily home schooling, in which families and clans teach the young their continued trade. Sometimes they convert by studying with a family or clan outside of the one they were born into, or if their parents come from differing clans. Mandatory education in self-defense is deemed important. The able bodied, regardless of intellect, should and will be learned in the martial way. In cases of invasion, all have the right to reassuringly defend themselves and their nation.

Transportation
Due to the high population and everyday life of this self-sufficient nation, the most popular method of travel is by foot. Some residents host animals in some small variety they ride or use to pull carriages. Others manage the same feats with a wide variety of lesser Yokai. The roads created were few and held the dedicated purpose to travel and trade to this region’s inlet lake, Mezthaluen, Union City, and its respective borders. The road to the northern border most travels the eastern side of the Bloodstone Marsh, bisected by the marsh itself and the Imperial Base erected there near the northern border. A few other outposts exist, one standing on the road respectively to the east, west, and south.
 
Notable Residents
The Imperial Family headed by Emperor Koji who is also the head of the Datsuzoku clan.

History
Canon
Arechi-e (Journey to the East) | To Erect an Empire
Daoda (Arrival) | To Erect an Empire
Ruto o Torimasu (Taking Root) | Laying the Foundation
Sokui  no Rei (Enthronement of the Empress) | Coronation

Black Ridge
Bisected from the remainder of the Black Range Mountain Chain by the Great Pine Barrens, the Black Ridge mountain cluster winds south where its rugged slopes feed into the south-eastern Barnstable Coast and South Sea. While lacking the glorious feats of elevation found elsewhere in the world, such as within Blaurg Mountain and its sister chain, the Black Range, Black Ridge still possesses an impressive view of Palgard to the west, the entirety of the Barrens’ separating blanket to the north, and Herbie’s bed to the east at its highest point.
Black Range’s highest peaks are defined by Ormond (also known as ‘Spear Mountain’, or ‘Protective Bear’) and Chermona (also known as ‘Sacred One’). Located at the north of the band, at the outer most edge of the Barrens, Ormond boasts an impressive height of 31,000 feet (9889.8 meters) above sea level. His sister, Chermona, rests comfortably at the center of the range, several kilometers from her sibling, with a height of 37,000 feet (11277.6 meters).
Mount Ormond
Situated at the most northern point of the range's expanse, Mount Ormond poses an intimidating challenge for any who seek to breach Black Ridge’s boundaries by way of the Barrens. With unnaturally difficult slopes, drastic changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature, and one of the highest points in the entire cloister, many have come to plan their travels avoiding Mount Ormond, in spite of adding nearly three days’ worth of time to their journey.
Even so, Ormond is deceptively beautiful. As a gateway into the Barrens, the precipitous behemoth serves as a focus for the swell of mystic and natural energies coagulating at its basin and seeping into the earth. These energies strengthen as they funnel up the mountain, only to be released into the sky as a series of vibrant, magical aurorae throughout the day.
It is said that Ormond is also home to a steadily growing clan of elemental-worshiping trolls, known by locals of the Barrens as the I’ntua.
Mount Chermona
Mount Chermona stands tall and proud at the heart of Black Ridge, stabbing into the ocean of bubbling, stormy clouds above like an dagger of rock and soil. As turbulent storms – brewed by her brother’s aurorae – sweep south over the remainder of the range, they catch upon Chermona’s slopes and then climb to linger above her peaks. She, like the rest of the stout earthen array, is forever plagued by dark skies, savage winds, and snow and hale. These storms gather strength at Urae’s Rest, sometimes becoming preternatural super-storms, and at their pinnacle, may cast their shadow as far west as Moonwood, and as far east as the cities of Ashville and Last Chance.
This perpetual sequence of storms secludes Black Ridge to utter darkness, wherein the name for the mountain chain is derived. And it is this terrible weather than has made Chermona the breeding grounds for unsavory, terrifying creatures such as: mountain and cave trolls, goblins, giants, archons, and mygalae.
Urea’s rest
The jewel of Black Ridge, sitting dutifully upon Chermona’s crown of black clouds and white snow, Urea’s Rest (also known as the ‘Heart of Black Ridge’, or simply ‘the Heart’) is a sanctum that very few know of. A nexus of magical power, energy comparable to that which emits from the Shawnee Glacier pours out from this mystical place and bleeds throughout the entirety of Black Range, promoting the seemingly unconquerable conditions through its death-zone. Here, temperatures plummet to an astounding negative -40° Celsius. Winds reach speeds up to 210 mph, which move sharpened fragments of ice and shale in a maelstrom of deadly debris.
At the eye of the storm, a fragment of Urea’s egg remains. Over the millennia, the jagged crystal splinter has been reshaped and remolded by its own powerful energies, and is now nothing more than a sphere floating several meters off the snowy earth. Some say that to possess this crystal would give the wielder control over all dragons in the world, though this is simply speculation based off of folklore.

Regent: Council of Seven
Contact: King
Dairut, popularly known as the Slaver’s Enclave, is located at the heart of the region known as the Slaver’s Alcove. This is an area that reaches from the south-western corner of the Bloodstone Marsh deep into the rocky eastern boundaries of the Velhatien Desert. It is a land shrouded in mysticism, said to be protected by the desert itself. Home to a wide variety of nationalities and cultures, the city is a collage of both foreign and domestic banners.
Dairut currently has a population of roughly 1,100,000.
 
Geography
Topography
The city is situated alongside the largest westward artery of the Great Lake (the largest source of fresh water in the immediate region), which in turn feeds the intricate, man-made irrigation system the city uses to grow its crops. Beyond this single waterway, which some use to travel from one end of the city to the other, district to district, Dairut is entirely landlocked.
To the north, east, and south lie the major cities of Aelindra and Raven’s Landing, Mezthaleun and Union City, and Stormward, respectively.
To the west is the expansive Velhatien Desert, of which Joran city rests on its flank. With slavery all but outlawed across the continent, many see the Enclave’s positioning as reckless. However, Dairut is an elusive establishment -- some say it is protected by powerful magic -- that is only capable of being found by those who already know where it is. Surrounded by unforgiving outcroppings and a desolate wasteland on all sides, many have died seeking its walls.
Cityscape
Dairut is built in the shadow of a colossal desert outcropping. It is a mass of colorful slaver tents, busy merchant shops and trader stands, and luxurious harems separated into four permeable districts (with Arabain and African inspirations). The city walls are high and thick, spiked near the top with the skeletal remains of trespassers, criminals, and rebellious slaves. The buildings are built close together and on top of each other, giving even tall spires a somewhat squat appearance.
The Jovial Flats is the largest and most popular of all the Enclave’s districts, encompassing the entirety of the city’s eastern boundary. It is a sprawling maze of harems, service stalls, and auction blocks where dozens of men and women are used, purchased, and traded every day. Some of the product available come from spoils of conquest, while others were sold into slavery as bargaining chips to clear a debt. Named after its customer’s continued satisfaction, the Flats are a living nightmare for beauties that find themselves on the wrong end of a collar and leash.
Second to the Flats is the Valley of Strength in the west, which deals in the business of selling and training slaves gifted in the art of killing. The buildings hard are generally carved from solid stone, or are reinforced otherwise. There are a number of pits located throughout this district, the largest of which is called Tartarus, where slaves are pitted against each other for blood sport.
The Etiquette Bazaar is the smallest of the slaver’s market districts, located in the south. It is the first district one passes through upon entering the city, and due to the nature of its product, is likewise the tidiest. The buildings are architecturally beautiful, the streets cleaned regularly of manure and other garbage, and the people the best dressed. Slaves that find themselves here are former servants, well-mannered and housebroken (men, women, and children that are well-educated in the expectations of a lordling’s house staff). They are seen by many as the most valuable and useful slaves, and so they enjoy a life considerably better than other slaves.
Smaller even than the Bazaar is Nebu, the living quarters for the Dairut elite. Located at the northern end of the city, only the wealthiest, most powerful slavers call this luxurious district home. These are the self-proclaimed rulers of the city, a council of seven men and women, who employ the city guard and keep the peace. All businesses pay tribute to this council in the form of taxation, and all foreign negotiations operate through them.
Climate
Year-round, the weather in Dairut is always warm, or hot, and the nights either cool or freezing. Even with its position so close to the Bloodstone Marsh, there are only two seasons: a scorching hot summer lasting one half the year, and a mild, lukewarm winter that lasts the other half. The city is incredibly dry, receiving on average only about a centimeter of rain a year, but is particularly humid throughout the summer due to its location on the Golden Path (the river from the Great Lake).
Every so often, the city is known to experience dust storms. These occur more frequently during the transitory months, with the most severe storms taking place during the winter-to-summer transition. Over the years, Dairut has learned to better track and predict these storms, and have renovated their city to better withstand their devastation.
Flora and Fauna
Valhatien Scarab: The valhatien scarabs are small (roughly the size of a tennis ball), carnivorous insects that eat the flesh of whatever creature they touch. Since their domestication by the Dairut beastmasters, they have been used as a form of execution and punishment, and have developed a keen taste for human flesh. Because of their black carapace, diamond-like in toughness, they have earned the name “black death.”
Sand Wyrm: A small snake that generally grows no longer than a meter. They are the natural predator of the valhatien scarab. They are able to emit a steady flow of fire from their mouths, which cooks the scarab inside its own carapace. They then swallow them whole.
Demographics
Culture
The city is one rooted deeply in the ways of old. All but removed from the cultural revolution of the world beyond the desert, Dairut has maintained the ways of the Age of Conquest. They have coined many popular phrases such as, “You keep what you conquer,” and “Take that which is yours.” Despite these imperialistic mottos, Dairut has long-since lost its thirst for battle and expansion and has instead become a centralized hub for like-minded individuals.
However, it is through their firm belief of ownership by conquest that they validate the exercise of slavery. Those that are too weak to defend themselves, to define themselves, become the property of another, stronger individual, and thus are subject to their definition of them.
Slaves do not have any manner of civil or human rights in Dairut. They can be beaten, maimed, humiliated, or even killed at their master’s discretion (as many are). And while it is not incredibly uncommon for some owners to treat their slaves with a hint of dignity, offering roles similar to indentured servitude, this is often done indoors, away from prying eyes as to avoid ridicule.
Unsurprisingly, damaging another owner’s property is regarded as one of the most serious crimes in Dairut. Punishments range from compensation, immediate or long-term, to death.
All slaves from Dairut are given the opportunity to earn their freedom during an event known as Kaf Shakur, an annual tournament. It is the most celebrated event in all of Dairut, a glorious affair of debaucherous festivities and brutal combat. For six nights, ten slaves are thrust into the Tartarus pit in a battle royal and made to battle each other to the death. On the seventh and final night, the survivors of all six rounds and once again made to fight, with only the sole survivor able to claim their freedom.
In addition to their practice of slavery and all that it entails, Dairut has a rich history in the literary and fine arts. Many merchants savvy to the city’s location travel from across the continent to purchase their goods, from tapestries to paintings and written word.
Economy
In spite of its isolated location, Dairut boasts a notably strong and self-reliant economy built almost entirely on its slave industry. Attracting buyers and sellers from every corner of the continent, hundreds of pounds of gold and silver flow through its gates every day, along with various other forms of currency. As with most merchant-based cities, the city also makes use of a strong barter system, whether it be land, goods, or slaves. Dairutian merchants likewise supplement the slave trade with the sale of exotic native jewelry, art, and attire (African-Arabian).
Major Companies and Institutions
The House of Domestication: The most well-known slave training facility in the city, focusing on the domestication of unruly pleasure slaves. Through the use of extensive and rigorous training regimen, the handlers at House Domestication mold the finest servants of pleasure one can ask for.
The Treasury: Arguably the most important institute in the city. The Treasury is the largest bank-- and one of the largest buildings --in all the city and holds over eighty percent of its wealth. It is said that the Treasury’s subterranean faults have never been stolen from.
The Gilded Chalice: The most luxurious inn throughout the city, located at the fridge of the Nebu district. Travelers with enough coin enjoy the finest cuisine, scenery, and pleasurable company in all of the city.
Parks and Recreation
Landmarks and Monuments
Tartarus: A large coliseum located on the west end of the city, in the Valley of Strength. A number of high-profile gladiatorial events take place here, including the Kaf Shakur.
Government
Local Government
The Council of Seven: Dairut operates outside and beyond the Genesar government, and answers to no other empire. They are instead governed by a council of native elite, seven of the wealthiest men and women in the city. Together, they oversee the day-to-day operations in and around the city, including its security. It is through their combined effort that the city has prospered into the desert metropolis it is now.
Military
— 1 Khafre (Commander)
— 100 Khufu (Elite Guard)
— 5,000 Overseers (Slave Drivers, Trainers)
— 40,000 City Guards (Infantry, Calvary, and Beastmasters)
Education
Traditional education beyond the rudimentary requirements for business (reading, writing, and understanding basic arithmetic) is of little value to the people of Dairut. They raise no poets or scholars or scientists, but master slavers and merchants. Most education throughout the city is trade-based, with individuals learning what they need to be successful in their particular area. There are no postgraduate institutions in Dairut. Of course, the wealthier individuals in the city pay for exceptional education from external sources, and many professors have been brought in from prestigious institutes across Genesaris.
Transportation
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the size of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges connecting broad rooftops. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and districts of the city.
Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn or magic-fueled, cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city.
Riverways: The city has the beginnings of an elaborate canal system running through it. While not entirely operational yet, the eastern and northern side of the city riverways has been introduced to great success.
Notable Residents
-- -- -- History
Canon

Regent: Council of Seven
Contact: King
Dairut, popularly known as the Slaver’s Enclave, is located at the heart of the region known as the Slaver’s Alcove. This is an area that reaches from the south-western corner of the Bloodstone Marsh deep into the rocky eastern boundaries of the Velhatien Desert. It is a land shrouded in mysticism, said to be protected by the desert itself. Home to a wide variety of nationalities and cultures, the city is a collage of both foreign and domestic banners.
Dairut currently has a population of roughly 1,100,000.
 
Geography
Topography
The city is situated alongside the largest westward artery of the Great Lake (the largest source of fresh water in the immediate region), which in turn feeds the intricate, man-made irrigation system the city uses to grow its crops. Beyond this single waterway, which some use to travel from one end of the city to the other, district to district, Dairut is entirely landlocked.
To the north, east, and south lie the major cities of Aelindra and Raven’s Landing, Mezthaleun and Union City, and Stormward, respectively.
To the west is the expansive Velhatien Desert, of which Joran city rests on its flank. With slavery all but outlawed across the continent, many see the Enclave’s positioning as reckless. However, Dairut is an elusive establishment -- some say it is protected by powerful magic -- that is only capable of being found by those who already know where it is. Surrounded by unforgiving outcroppings and a desolate wasteland on all sides, many have died seeking its walls.
Cityscape
Dairut is built in the shadow of a colossal desert outcropping. It is a mass of colorful slaver tents, busy merchant shops and trader stands, and luxurious harems separated into four permeable districts (with Arabain and African inspirations). The city walls are high and thick, spiked near the top with the skeletal remains of trespassers, criminals, and rebellious slaves. The buildings are built close together and on top of each other, giving even tall spires a somewhat squat appearance.
The Jovial Flats is the largest and most popular of all the Enclave’s districts, encompassing the entirety of the city’s eastern boundary. It is a sprawling maze of harems, service stalls, and auction blocks where dozens of men and women are used, purchased, and traded every day. Some of the product available come from spoils of conquest, while others were sold into slavery as bargaining chips to clear a debt. Named after its customer’s continued satisfaction, the Flats are a living nightmare for beauties that find themselves on the wrong end of a collar and leash.
Second to the Flats is the Valley of Strength in the west, which deals in the business of selling and training slaves gifted in the art of killing. The buildings hard are generally carved from solid stone, or are reinforced otherwise. There are a number of pits located throughout this district, the largest of which is called Tartarus, where slaves are pitted against each other for blood sport.
The Etiquette Bazaar is the smallest of the slaver’s market districts, located in the south. It is the first district one passes through upon entering the city, and due to the nature of its product, is likewise the tidiest. The buildings are architecturally beautiful, the streets cleaned regularly of manure and other garbage, and the people the best dressed. Slaves that find themselves here are former servants, well-mannered and housebroken (men, women, and children that are well-educated in the expectations of a lordling’s house staff). They are seen by many as the most valuable and useful slaves, and so they enjoy a life considerably better than other slaves.
Smaller even than the Bazaar is Nebu, the living quarters for the Dairut elite. Located at the northern end of the city, only the wealthiest, most powerful slavers call this luxurious district home. These are the self-proclaimed rulers of the city, a council of seven men and women, who employ the city guard and keep the peace. All businesses pay tribute to this council in the form of taxation, and all foreign negotiations operate through them.
Climate
Year-round, the weather in Dairut is always warm, or hot, and the nights either cool or freezing. Even with its position so close to the Bloodstone Marsh, there are only two seasons: a scorching hot summer lasting one half the year, and a mild, lukewarm winter that lasts the other half. The city is incredibly dry, receiving on average only about a centimeter of rain a year, but is particularly humid throughout the summer due to its location on the Golden Path (the river from the Great Lake).
Every so often, the city is known to experience dust storms. These occur more frequently during the transitory months, with the most severe storms taking place during the winter-to-summer transition. Over the years, Dairut has learned to better track and predict these storms, and have renovated their city to better withstand their devastation.
Flora and Fauna
Valhatien Scarab: The valhatien scarabs are small (roughly the size of a tennis ball), carnivorous insects that eat the flesh of whatever creature they touch. Since their domestication by the Dairut beastmasters, they have been used as a form of execution and punishment, and have developed a keen taste for human flesh. Because of their black carapace, diamond-like in toughness, they have earned the name “black death.”
Sand Wyrm: A small snake that generally grows no longer than a meter. They are the natural predator of the valhatien scarab. They are able to emit a steady flow of fire from their mouths, which cooks the scarab inside its own carapace. They then swallow them whole.
Demographics
Culture
The city is one rooted deeply in the ways of old. All but removed from the cultural revolution of the world beyond the desert, Dairut has maintained the ways of the Age of Conquest. They have coined many popular phrases such as, “You keep what you conquer,” and “Take that which is yours.” Despite these imperialistic mottos, Dairut has long-since lost its thirst for battle and expansion and has instead become a centralized hub for like-minded individuals.
However, it is through their firm belief of ownership by conquest that they validate the exercise of slavery. Those that are too weak to defend themselves, to define themselves, become the property of another, stronger individual, and thus are subject to their definition of them.
Slaves do not have any manner of civil or human rights in Dairut. They can be beaten, maimed, humiliated, or even killed at their master’s discretion (as many are). And while it is not incredibly uncommon for some owners to treat their slaves with a hint of dignity, offering roles similar to indentured servitude, this is often done indoors, away from prying eyes as to avoid ridicule.
Unsurprisingly, damaging another owner’s property is regarded as one of the most serious crimes in Dairut. Punishments range from compensation, immediate or long-term, to death.
All slaves from Dairut are given the opportunity to earn their freedom during an event known as Kaf Shakur, an annual tournament. It is the most celebrated event in all of Dairut, a glorious affair of debaucherous festivities and brutal combat. For six nights, ten slaves are thrust into the Tartarus pit in a battle royal and made to battle each other to the death. On the seventh and final night, the survivors of all six rounds and once again made to fight, with only the sole survivor able to claim their freedom.
In addition to their practice of slavery and all that it entails, Dairut has a rich history in the literary and fine arts. Many merchants savvy to the city’s location travel from across the continent to purchase their goods, from tapestries to paintings and written word.
Economy
In spite of its isolated location, Dairut boasts a notably strong and self-reliant economy built almost entirely on its slave industry. Attracting buyers and sellers from every corner of the continent, hundreds of pounds of gold and silver flow through its gates every day, along with various other forms of currency. As with most merchant-based cities, the city also makes use of a strong barter system, whether it be land, goods, or slaves. Dairutian merchants likewise supplement the slave trade with the sale of exotic native jewelry, art, and attire (African-Arabian).
Major Companies and Institutions
The House of Domestication: The most well-known slave training facility in the city, focusing on the domestication of unruly pleasure slaves. Through the use of extensive and rigorous training regimen, the handlers at House Domestication mold the finest servants of pleasure one can ask for.
The Treasury: Arguably the most important institute in the city. The Treasury is the largest bank-- and one of the largest buildings --in all the city and holds over eighty percent of its wealth. It is said that the Treasury’s subterranean faults have never been stolen from.
The Gilded Chalice: The most luxurious inn throughout the city, located at the fridge of the Nebu district. Travelers with enough coin enjoy the finest cuisine, scenery, and pleasurable company in all of the city.
Parks and Recreation
Landmarks and Monuments
Tartarus: A large coliseum located on the west end of the city, in the Valley of Strength. A number of high-profile gladiatorial events take place here, including the Kaf Shakur.
Government
Local Government
The Council of Seven: Dairut operates outside and beyond the Genesar government, and answers to no other empire. They are instead governed by a council of native elite, seven of the wealthiest men and women in the city. Together, they oversee the day-to-day operations in and around the city, including its security. It is through their combined effort that the city has prospered into the desert metropolis it is now.
Military
— 1 Khafre (Commander)
— 100 Khufu (Elite Guard)
— 5,000 Overseers (Slave Drivers, Trainers)
— 40,000 City Guards (Infantry, Calvary, and Beastmasters)
Education
Traditional education beyond the rudimentary requirements for business (reading, writing, and understanding basic arithmetic) is of little value to the people of Dairut. They raise no poets or scholars or scientists, but master slavers and merchants. Most education throughout the city is trade-based, with individuals learning what they need to be successful in their particular area. There are no postgraduate institutions in Dairut. Of course, the wealthier individuals in the city pay for exceptional education from external sources, and many professors have been brought in from prestigious institutes across Genesaris.
Transportation
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the size of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges connecting broad rooftops. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and districts of the city.
Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn or magic-fueled, cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city.
Riverways: The city has the beginnings of an elaborate canal system running through it. While not entirely operational yet, the eastern and northern side of the city riverways has been introduced to great success.
Notable Residents
-- -- -- History
Canon

The City Flag

 
Ruler: Raveena Jhanavi Bartolome Senaria.
Regent: Duke Grant Knight
Contact: Deus Ex Aizen, Danzilla3.
 
GEOGRAPHY
Topography
With multicolored cliffs soaring above a sea-drowned caldera, Port Thea looks like a giant slab of layered cake. The Illyrian coast will take your breath away with its snow-drift of white houses lining the cliff tops and, in places, spilling like icy cornices down the terraced rock. When the sun sets, the reflection on the buildings and the vibrant glow of the orange and red in the cliffs can be truly spectacular.
 
Cityscape
The Port’s intrigue reaches deep into the past, with the fascinating Illyrian site of Ramalóke Caverns and the gorgeous traditional hilltop village of Thira. It also glides effortlessly into the future with up and coming artists, budding apothecaries, a unique microbrewery. The multicolored beaches are simply the icing on the cake. Port Thea currently has a population of 55,000.
 
Climate
Port Thea has a semi-arid climate with Mediterranean characteristics. In the summer season, strong winds can also be observed. During the summer, the weather is most frequently sunny and dry, and any precipitation falls in the form of showers or thunderstorms. The air is usually hot during the day and pleasantly warm at night, but there are some very windy days. Heatwaves may occur, but they are usually quite mild at the coastal areas, where temperatures are moderated by the relatively cooler sea and the sea breeze. Winters are wet and any snow that falls does not last long, especially in the south-facing slopes from inland.
 
Flora and Fauna
The region's vegetation is lush and green with plenty of olive trees and vineyards. Also present are fig trees, eucalypti, and a variety of pine trees. Thea is blessed with more than six hundred species of plants and several hundred more of these species were imported to Rising West where they were cross-bred and flourished, meaning the new species are found nowhere else in Genesaris. The mountainous topography of Thea’s backdrop has offered isolation for many plant species which has allowed them to evolve in unique ways, providing sanctuary for the area’s wildlife. Thean wolves in the mountains are one of many various imported species that are fiercely protected by THRIVE.
There are more than four hundred species of birds that have been found in the Rising West and about half of them can be spotted along the shores of Port Thea and inland. Birdwatchers can seek out peregrine falcons, kestrels, little owls, and numerous seabird species such as the Kyrosian Swift from its sister Port Kyros.
Several domestic animals are also found in Thea such as mountain sheep, cows, goats, and Alethenean Braix. They are commonly encountered by visitors to Port Thea when driving through the hilly roadways where flocks of sheep may block the route for a short time.
 
DEMOGRAPHICS
Culture
Because of its geographic position, Thea represents a strong island culture. Though they have faced hard times, the community is on the mend and bouncing back, welcoming trade and visitors from abroad. Cuisine and wine made from the flora are said to be extraordinary. Port Thea boasts architectural influences from its Hyperian roots with its wide domed ceilings, tall spires and iconic columns.
 
Economy
With the Port reopened, the trade commerce supports a majority of the economy of the city second to its seafood trade. With several new businesses flourishing after the city’s birth, Thea boasts a growing economy. Several types of currency flow from every part of the world, from Genesaris to Renovatio, all of which can be converted to the local coin.
 
PARKS AND RECREATION
Landmarks and Monuments
Solaria Estate: With Raveena’s ambition to gain access to more resources, she sought an opportunity to establish a sister port, and the plot for Port Thea began. Knowing that with war on the horizon between the Arcane East and the Midlands in Genesaris, she sent her son Grant to establish a house name and estate along the Rising West’s coast.. With Lady Reyna at his side, Raveena felt at ease about the ongoing affairs of the Estate, knowing that when the time was right, Port Thea could be established properly and more opportunities would arise.
Sitting on the North-western coast of the Rising West, Solaria Estates and Port Thea as a whole aim to breathe life into the coastal waters and restore the Genesarian sea trade to reach its full potential.
Bari’s Apothecary and Armaments: Antique pharmacy jars contain herbs, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and supplements – and the shelves are stacked high with skin care, personal care, bath and aromatherapy products from around the world. Lavender toothpaste, calendula ointment, cypress tree soap – you'll find all your health and healing needs here. Need an upgrade to your gear and weapons while you’re perusing for the right potion? Drop your belongings off to be taken cared for while you shop worry free.
Thrakena Pub and Eatery: The siren call of tasty beer sings to locals and tourists alike at Thrakena, which is justifiably popular for its unique ales and brews alongside a dependable menu of Genesarian grub. A full Dragon’s skeleton soars overhead, crowning its appeal to visitors and locals alike.
Skaros Consulate: Genesarian in design, this Veluriyam consulate is being hosted in Port Thea of the Rising West. Serving as neutral ground between Terran and Genesarian diplomats and citizens, the consulate serves as a place of learning and encouraging the international exchange of ideas. The Skaros Consulate is where the birth of the T.H.R.I.V.E. Initiative first took flight.
Ramalóke Caverns: Not only geologically interesting, it is also historically important, as it was the first concepts of fortresses built in the Rising West to protect the islanders from pirate attacks. Earthquakes put an end to that, however, and the inhabitants moved and inhabited further inland to adapt and survive. These wondrous caves now serve as a step into the past, where rumored artifacts are waiting to be discovered.
 
GOVERNMENT
The Council of Seven
Like all lands within the Rising West, the port city of Thea is subject to the edicts of its capital city Aelindra. While the city rulers are allowed to police their domains with leniency--more in line with their own beliefs and views--they are all bound to the will of the council, seeing their will done and that no transgressions be made against their edict.
 
Local Government
The Thean Order of the Aralim: The Order of the Aralim serve as Knights of the Hyperian Empire. The Aralim serves as the militant strength and stability of the Imperial Sefirot. The backbone of the Order; These are hardened fighters, agents and diplomats are pillars of the Order's values, noblemen and women who have dedicated their lives to the preservation of the Empire.
 
Military
The Thean Branch of the Hyperian Order Guard: Soldiers of the Order, these are contract soldiers hired on, manning and protecting the Empire's outposts and interests.
 
EDUCATION
The countess has sought to rebuild and enforce the educational institutes of the Port City. As such, she oversaw several naval, technical, religious and academic institutes built to showcase the Rising Queen’s importance of a well-rounded education, as well as a nod to the importance of the arcane and the worship of the Emperor God.
 
TRANSPORTATION
Sloops: The most common boat of the port, these ships are lightly outfitted for defense, and can easily maneuver around larger ships at Sea.
Roads and Walkways: Thea has constructed several local roads that cascade down from the mountains and stretch all the way towards the coastal shores.
Private: Personal mounts such as Thestrals, Horses, Dire Beasts, and Wyverns are scattered among the population. Upperclass citizens that can afford larger, personal ships house them in private marinas, while others have access to their own personal airship.
 
NOTABLE RESIDENTS
Queen Raveena Jhanavi Bartolome Senaria: A Terran-born Noble of Imperial ancestry, Raveena has been a long-time ally of the Carmine Empire and is the newest member of the Imperial Family as a Princess of the Empire, eldest daughter of Rafael Bartolome. A rising politician and respected ruler, she is known to rule with a passion tempered by patience and kindness. Firm and fair, she has been well received by the citizens of Port Thea.  Resourceful and ambitious, she seeks to usher in prosperity for the Port City, and for Genesaris overall.
Prince Grant Knight, Duke of Port Thea: The eldest son of the Knight Clan, Grant serves as the regent of Port Thea. As the son of Rowan Knight, he shares the Chimera gene that the Knight family is well known for. Despite their biological differences, Grant is supportive of his mother’s ideals and has stepped up to accept responsibility and set an example for his younger siblings.
 
HISTORY
Canon

(image credit to Alex Ruiz)
Ruler: Akako Akari
Contact: Akako Akari, Twitterpated
 
GEOGRAPHY
Topography
The port is located in the southeastern region of Genesaris and south of the Cold Mountains. The city is 204 square miles with a population of 98,526 residents. Caelum is tucked away in an inlet which provides mountainous protection from the north, west, and south-west. Being located in such a position, there is no easy way to enter the port except by sea, or traversing the cold mountains southern border near the larger cove with the Cavern of Blades at its innermost peak. The Eastern approach to the divided city is easily accessible, clear waters that recede in intensity as ships reach the north and south borders of the cove.
 
Cityscape
Port Caelum is divided in orientation, the cove separating two different ways of life by its calm waters. The southwest edge of the sea is populated by a modern style of people and buildings, with magitek and a more simple approach to the style and way of lives. The north border of the sea is enriched with an oriental view, with more Japanese style buildings. This divide in populace melds together the closer inland the waters reach until the Northwest Point of the Port meets together, intermingling the two cultures.  
 
Climate
Being located at the base of the Cold Mountains as well as next to the Sea, the air tends to stay around 60 – 65 degrees even in high summer. With the ocean directly to the east, Port Caelum is often battered with high winds with opportunity for hurricane conditions to arise. During the winter the Port is near impossible to reach by land or sea, the cove likely to freeze leaving thick ice in the path of the ships wanting to port. This is possible to avoid, although it's not advised to try to reach the port without a fortified vessel.
 
Flora and Fauna
Port Caelum is known for a handful of mythical and rare creatures in addition to minimal plant life. Being on the coast, sailors have told tales of the Charybdis which is a monster that swallows fisherman's boats whole. It resides well off the coast, however, no one is certain in really exists because any that do encounter it never return. That isn't the only creature to roam the Port's waters. Selkies, seals that can take human form on land, reside in the water in addition to Kelpies that are shape-shifting spirits. Most take on the form of a horse, however, some can take the appearance of a human much like the Selkies. On land, Sylphs are in abundance, tiny air spirits that light up the night and float like stars. One of the more notable creatures is the Zhenniao which is also known as the Zhen bird. The birds are blue for the most part, their bellies purple with green tipped feathers. Their beaks are bright red and they have long necks. The Zhen birds are notoriously poisonous and they acquire the poisonous attributes with their diet of vipers. The Zhen birds live on the mountainside and don't bother with people. They aren't an aggressive animal, however, they are hunted for their feathers which are used to extract poison that is often used to carry out assassinations.  
 
DEMOGRAPHICS
Culture
Port Caelum is a melting pot that homes humans, yokai, and other creatures. Prior to Akako’s arrival, the port primarily housed humans. Upon establishing her rule, yokai from all across Valucre relocated to reside within the port where the rumored Yokai Queen ruled. While most are welcoming to all walks of life, there are still those that are less adaptable and trusting of their fellow citizens.
 
Economy
Currency from every part of Valucre is accepted and can be converted to Genesarian coin. There are several financial institutions throughout the port city to convert currency. The shops that are port-side often accept any sort of currency, but further inland Genesarian coin will be necessary to purchase goods or the imperial alhm that is often used in Umbra. The exception is during the annual Hanami Festival where every store and shop will accept foreign currency.
 
Notable Locations
The Caelum Port: The port is an extravagant sight, with several dozen docks with cargo-ready access.
The Akari Estate: At the northwestern point of the port, the daiyokai’s residence is stationed where the two halves of the port meet. Her estate represents both sides of the port, the structure influenced by traditional oriental and modern homes. It is more of a mansion than a palace, however, it is well guarded by yokai hand-selected by Akako. The estate is surrounded by a stylized stone wall and closed off by wooden gates. Within the walls, there is a path that leads to the residence and other paths that veer off to the many manicured gardens that surround the structure.
The Capital: A government structure near the base of the mountains where official meetings are held to discuss economy, statutes, and various other matters that relate to the well-being of the people.
Twisted Sister: A popular pub near the port where fishermen and seafarers often go to grab a pint of locally brewed hops. Known for seasonal craft ales and lagers that are high-quality and affordable. The pub is also known for hosting local musicians during the weekends and open-mic throughout the week. They primarily search fresh seafood dishes and sides, however, they do also serve house salad and burgers for those not fond of fish.
The Labyrinth Caves: Located at the base of the mountains there are several mouths to the Labyrinth Caves. It is unknown if they were man-made or otherwise. What is known is each path eventually crosses another path. Beneath the mountains, it is incredibly easy to become disoriented and lost. There is a rumor that there is something that lives deep beneath the mountains, but there has been no proof of this. Perhaps it is just a story parents tell children to keep them away from the caves.
 
GOVERNMENT
Local Government
The Scarlet Region is comprised of Port Caelum and the waters surrounding ten miles, as well as Predators Keep in Terrenus. These territories are run beneath the rule of Red Yusuke, Queen of the Region.
 
Imperial Government
Port Caelum also falls under the Carmine Dominion. The current emperor, Rafael M. Bartolome V, is recognized at the monarch.
 
Military
The Keep military forces have relocated a small number, adding 1,000 military to the Port as a local police force. These soldiers are practiced military men and women, ranging from psions to wizards to regular humans practiced in many forms of weaponry and combat. Akako has recruited an additional 1,214 individuals to the local military number with a large number of those individuals being yokai and others with abilities.
 
EDUCATION
Education in Port Caelum is brought to high regard, with one Academy of various arts located in the center of the two cultures. The University, sponsored by Xartia Pendragon, is also in construction which is advertising classes in arcane arts, yokai physiology, and a variety of other electives.
 
TRANSPORTATION
Animal Propulsion: Whether ridden by themselves or attached to a cabby. The maintenance and upkeep of a living transport make this a largely inefficient form of inner city travel, but because a large percentage of a given city's population is travelers from abroad, a lot of infrastructures still supports this form of travel.
Mechanical Propulsion: Powered by magical crystals known as Exlata, airships are the most popular form of travel. For a small fee, most can ride on a large airship that flies to and from various cities. All megacities and most smaller cities have stations, bays, and areas where airships are able to land. Almost all airships carry weaponry and shields to protect against air pirates.
For travel by sea, basic sea-ships are used, which vary in size and carry weapons for protection against sea pirates.
Currently, Spellcycles have been created, similar to motorcycles with a futuristic/steampunk design. Powered by the magical crystals Exalta, these are expensive rides and can only be bought in Joran City and straight from Antigone Isles, the home of their creation.
Magical Propulsion: Inter-city travel is served primarily by smaller airships and Crossroads. Crossroads are generally gateways that provide instant travel throughout a city and often to and from cities. Crossroads are keyed to certain areas and the side effect is nothing more than mild disorientation that passes quickly. Guarded by soldiers, Crossroads are cheap, easy, and effective to transporting goods and civilians alike. Sometimes, magical creatures pass through from realms beyond, in which case the soldiers must deal with them. Generally, however, the Crossroads are kept safe and steady.
 
NOTABLE RESIDENTS
Akako Akari: An ancient creature of untold origin, Akako was requested to rule the Port city on behalf of the Scarlet Queen. The demoness is known for her firm and unwavering loyalty to those in her care. She is respected by most and feared by some given her age and the unknown scope of her abilities. While she isn’t ambitious in a normal sense, she aims to bring the people of Port Caelum good fortune. Akako is still a mystery and for the most part, not a well-known figure on the Genesarian stage of politics, but she has friends in high places.
 
HISTORY
Canon

Setting elements cannot be ignored or manipulated
City maps are guides and not authoritative sources
✪ = Capital City | ❖= Megacity | ✦ = City | ◇= Landmark | ✿ = Independent territory
✪ Union City
✪ Aelindra City
✪ Umbra 
✪ Shrine City
❖ Joran City
❖ Mageside
❖ Coastal Grande
❖ Mezthaluen
❖ Strider City
❖ Raven's Landing
✦ Dragonsoul Summit
✦ Wicker City Prison
✦ Reyer City Prison
✦ Stormward
✦ Valjer Town
✦ Vdara
✦ Crystallo Stella
✦ Kethlerin
✦ Sunset Way
✦ Port Kyros
✦ Alethea
✦ Port Caelum
✦ Slaver's Enclave
◇ Cold Mountains
◇ Mt. Fulgur
◇ Cavern of Blades
◇ Umbridge Isle
◇ Velhatien Desert
◇ Abyssal Enclave
◇ Bloodstone Marsh
◇ Bloodmage Mountains
◇ Shienvar Mountains
✿ Orisia Isle
✿ Open Space
✿ Stonehaven
✿ Arlais Isle
✿ Nymeria
✿ Antigone Island
 
Other Territories/Locations
Port Thea, the City of Sunsets Jigoku, the Imperial City
  Announcements
This area will be updated with major events that either affect entire regions or the continent as a whole.
 
Geography
Located in the north-west of the planet Valucre, Genesaris is approximately the size of the Eurasian continent with a population of approximately 218,000,000 in the current year.
Climate
Genesaris is divided into a total of six massive regions, these being: the Great North, the Cold South, the Rising West, the Southern Swell, the Arcane East, and the Midlands. Each region has its own climate, which varies according to the season and specific locations within each land.
In the north, the calm waves of the warm sea extend well beyond the northern shores. Summer is nearly eternal here, and the citizens rarely know the hazards of snow and hail. Grasslands, forests, and gentle hills provide a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere, which in turn has made it one of the most densely populated regions on the continent (with some of the largest cities in all of Genesaris).
To the south, one finds the antithesis of warmth and hospitality. The south is dense with thick, untamed forests and bitter mountain chains, shrouded in an icy fog and nested in banks of snow that do not melt. The savage wilds of the south are considered some of the most dangerous in the world, filled will all manner of beasts. These harsh conditions have made the south unfit for living, spare for the hardiest of people.
The eastern lands find themselves at the foot of the Cold Mountains, which runs the entire length of the coast. From this footing, a seemingly endless sea of green and golden grasslands reaches out to the west, dappled with mighty forests and woodlands throughout. However, in spite of its richness in beauty, this is a land plagued by violent magical storms and naturally dreadful winters.
In the west, one can find a myriad of seasons and climates throughout the year. These have given rise to the scorching Velhatien Desert and the cool, lush tropics of the Bloodstone Marsh. The mountainous chain directly to its south rises high and large, thick with trees, woods, and natural resources. The sea cuts deep inland, providing coastal temperatures for those that dwell there.
It is at the heart of the continent (the Midlands) that all of these climates and geographical differences meet. Here, one experiences all seasons from soft snow in the winter to gentle rains in the spring. No season is known to naturally overpower the other, and a collage of natural landmarks and scenery provide all the beauty of Genesaris in one location.
Flora and Fauna
Genesaris has plant and animal life recognizable to most characters, such as: flowers, trees, dogs, horses, crabs, salmon, etc. and so on. In addition to this standard, there are a number of animals and plants unique to Genesaris. Be sure to check each region's bestiary and herbology index for region-specific entities.
Note that users aren't limited to what's included in the present material and are free/encouraged to come up with plant and animal life as long as they adhere to the Mild Powers rules. Users can also make bestiary submissions if they want to formalize information about their creations and make them available for public use.
Cities, Provinces, Territories
Genesaris is comprised of four distinct territories, each with their own capital city. These are: Aelindra City, Capital of the Rising West; Shrine City, Capital of the Imperial South (Cold South & Southern Swell); Union City, Capital of the Midlands; and Umbra, Capital of the Carmine Dominion (Arcane East & Great North).
While these are undoubtedly the most important of the continent’s megacities, they are only a few. Many of those inside the cities live with luxuries and the many benefits of magitech, thanks to the prevalence of both magic and technology taught throughout the lands.
Between these cities are a number of disparate villages, towns, ports, baronies, and lordships. Even so, there is still a considerable amount of land that remains wild and untamed by expansion, beckoning adventurers and explorers with the promise of fortune.
The islands of Genesaris, most notably Antigone Isles, Nvengaria, and Orisia Isle exist under their own government and rule, independent of Union City and the other mainland governments.
Culture
It is rare for any citizen within the capitals or megacities to be illiterate. They are a well-educated people in the traditional sense (maths, sciences, and liberal arts), with a pension for the occult, as well. That has been a great cultural investment in the arcanum since the beginning of the nation's existence, which has expanded into the inclusion of blending the metaphysical with current technology.
This is more prominent in some areas than others, such as with the Imperial South and Carmine Dominion, which thrive on such unification. Those who live in smaller towns and villages are less likely to be as finely educated in the traditional sense, but are still likely to grasp simple-to-moderate concepts (middle school to early high school education levels). It is, of course, not unheard of for mages and other spellcasters to have taught themselves their special art, coming into contact with their magic through intuition and unique talent.
Most civilians are as prominent Genesaris’ peoples are often magically inclined, capable of sensing the arcane.
A long history of bloody civil wars between regions has, for many years, made military education a  priority for many of the nation's cities and people. This has led to a significant number of military academies throughout the nation (at a 2:1 to traditional education academies), and a cultural sensationalizing of gladiatorial events and war games. Standard battle training is generally available to all who seek it, either through the local or federal governments.
Language
Genesari is the primary language of Genesaris. It is spoken in every megacity and in most major establishments (smaller cities, large towns, villages, and baronies), and is considered the national language. It is also referred to as common, trade tongue, and sometimes genspeak. Genesari's primary dialect sounds like German (users should treat this as a plot device and are not expected to learn to write German).
The are other predominant languages throughout Genesaris, namely in the Carmine Dominion and Imperial South. In the former, the predominant language - among the pious and imperial nobility - is Sitraic. In the latter, the preferred language is known as High Kadian and is spoken by both nobles and commoners alike.
Magic
Nearly all of the Genesarian population is aware of the existence of magic to some degree, and throughout the generations, most - if not all - people native to the continent have developed a "sixth sense" which allows them to sense the arcane in its various forms (from spells and wards all the way to psionics). This has led to a number of edicts and bylaws over the years that seek to control the spread of magical use, limiting the dangers.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are a number of institutes dedicated to the expansion and further study of the arcane and its many uses. Two of the most prestigious establishments joined in this cause are Bronte, the Academy of the Arcane and the Mage Academy located in Mageside City.
Religion
Genesaris: Religion Overview
Carmine Dominion: The Sitraic Faith
Imperial South: The Corvinite Ecclesiarchy
There is a great abundance of religions throughout Genesaris, with many different regions worshipping a variety of gods and goddesses. Generally tolerant of open ideas and religion due to its size and diversity, Genesaris has many bibles and holy texts and art dedicated to all of these deities and celestial lords.
Of them all, the three primary religions of the nation would be the Trinity of the Cold Mounts (High Lords), the Altus Arcantium, and the Sitraic Faith. While this trio all have their own pantheons and tenets, they hold the largest congregations by far, with influences reaching from coast to coast.
Technology and Development
Until the current century, the majority of Genesaris operated on early-to-mid Renaissance period technology. There was a significant lack of telecommunication, self-powered vehicles (with the exception of airships), and sophisticated operating systems (computers, surveillance, or radar). However, with the continued growth of Joran City and Antigone Isle, along with the rise of the Imperial South, Genesaris has developed small pockets of highly-advanced territories, arguably some of the most advanced on the planet. The pushing of this hard-technology boundary has bled into the nation’s more ideal magi-tech fronts, leading toward something of a technological revolution over the last one hundred years. This is more prominent in some areas than others, yet the national importance cannot be overstated enough.
In most cases, magic - whether raw ether channeled from the atmosphere or various manifestations, such as crystals - plays a vital role in almost all of the nation’s technological advancements (spare for regions like the Imperial South, which have dedicated themselves to hard-technology paths, such as legitimate machines that operate on non-occult power sources). This has led to the nurturing of the idea that technology is something that is learned, understood, and developed further, not picked up and used (with a heavy emphasis in the educational curriculum). Like with most privileges of rural versus suburban areas, technological advances and availability are more bountiful in densely populated areas (megacities, capitals, etc.) as opposed to smaller towns and villages.
In recent years, the blooming technological fronts of Genesaris suffered a devastating setback as an unexpectedly powerful magestorm swept across the continent, rendering the majority of technology useless, once again plunging the majority of the continent into the dark ages. In the days and weeks since that devastating storm, magic - in all of its many forms - has once more asserted its dominant over the land. Those seeking any and all technology that managed to survive the magestorm will only find it along the nation's western seaboard (a region now known as the Western Fel)n the cities that escaped the fullest extent of the storm's fury.
Communications
Modes of Communication
In the aftermath of the Great Storm, there still exists a great number of areas in Genesaris that now lack former advancements (while a great many lacked the desire to have them). There is now a disparaging difference between cities such as Joran and the rest of the continent. Detailed below are just some of the methods of communication available throughout Genesaris and its regions; this is not an all-inclusive list.
Tried and true, the messenger system is still a thriving communication network in Genesaris. While boasting a larger presence in small towns and villages than in the magi-tech abundant megacities, the Genesarian courier network is actually quite extensive (and similar to today’s mailing service) and encompasses both humans and well-trained avians. Despite advanced security measures taken both by clients and the courier system, troubles with interception and authenticity remain an issue. As such, these are rarely used for matters of importance, and best reserved for more casual correspondence or deliveries.
The reed pen, a previously obscured manner of communication, has since risen to prominence in the wake of the Great Storm as a primary means of communication over great distances. They are created by splitting an Exalta Crystal in half and then inscribing each one with a conjoiner rune. These are then embedded into the top of reed pens - they can then mimic the movements of the other, exactly. The setting of the crystal is able to be rotated to switch between different "modes", sending and receiver, which dictates which pen is writing and which is following.
In the Carmine Dominion, there has been an increased significance placed on communication since its annexation of the Great North territories. The need to correspond sometimes vital information over great distances has led to a focus on authentication (assurance of claimed identity), integrity (assurance data has not been altered), and confidentiality (assurance that none but the specified parties can read said data). Through mega-telecom corporations like Mormont and Sons (CG) and DRAKE Technologies (CG), the Dominion is rapidly becoming a defining force in the field of military-grade encryption both technological and magical. Following the storm, the Dominion has reverted to more of its traditional manners of communication, such as crystals, messengers, and reed pens.
Transportation
Transportation varies from city to city depending on their magi-tech saturation and biomimicry level. Examples of common transportation methods will be included in the lore articles of each city. Below are elaborations on those methods.
Animal Propulsion
Whether ridden by themselves or attached to a cabby. The maintenance and upkeep of a living transport make this a largely inefficient form of inner city travel, but because a large percentage of a given city's population is travelers from abroad, a lot of infrastructures still supports this form of travel.
Mechanical Propulsion
Powered by magical crystals known as Exalta, airships are the most popular form of travel. For a small fee, most can ride on a large airship that flies to and from various cities. All megacities and most smaller cities have stations, bays, and areas where airships are able to land. Almost all airships carry weaponry and shields to protect against air pirates.
For travel by sea, basic seaships are used, which vary in size and carry weapons for protection against sea pirates.
Currently, Spellcycles have been created, similar to motorcycles with a futuristic/steampunk design. Powered by the magical crystals Exalta, these are expensive rides and can only be bought in Joran City and straight from Antigone Isles, the home of their creation.
Magical Propulsion
Inter-city travel is served primarily by smaller airships and Crossroads. Crossroads are generally gateways that provide instant travel throughout a city and often to and from cities. Crossroads are keyed to certain areas and the side effect is nothing more than mild disorientation that passes quickly. Guarded by soldiers, Crossroads are cheap, easy, and effective to transporting goods and civilians alike. Sometimes, magical creatures pass through from realms beyond, in which case the soldiers must deal with them. Generally, however, the Crossroads are kept safe and steady.
There are found in every megacity and are currently online.
Government and Politics
With the formation of the Imperial South and Carmine Dominion and their continued growth, the Genesarian political landscape has shifted quite noticeably. While the High Lords are still regarded as the supreme rulers of Genesaris, they rarely venture from their mountains to associate with human matters. More recently, they have been said to have retreated further from the mortal affairs of the world, with some whispers claiming the three great entities have all gone into stasis.
Genesar Remnants
In what remains of Genesaris proper (The Midlands and Rising West), all things concerning the law or government proceedings are handled by the High Court, a democratically elected council of 15 individuals from the West and Midlands. The council's grand meeting chamber is located in the Hall of Justice, which can be found at the heart of Union City. The High Court is seen as the place of wisdom, Union City itself a respected neutral city. Entire wars, ceasefires, alliances, and treaties have been declared at the High Court.
The Carmine Dominion
In the Carmine Dominion, the current emperor, Rafael M. Bartolome V, is recognized as both the absolute monarch and prime deity of the Sitraic Faith. His rule has been described as an enlightened theocracy with strong elements of authoritarianism. From birth, citizens are indoctrinated into absolute subservience to the Lord's throne and his agents, sometimes at the cost of their personal freedom.
The arts, sciences, education, and social welfare all flourish under Rafael's regime, a near polar opposite to the dark ages of warring tribes and inter-region isolationism.
As the Dominion was host to a number of independent city-states and self-sustaining establishments prior to the rise of the Empire, it was decided to allow these kings and queens of old to retain control over their holdings. Because of this autonomous manner of ruling, there is a great deal of variation in the regional governments within the Empire. So long as these Lords fulfill their duties to the broader Empire and operate within the Imperial Edict's boundaries, their rules will generally be accepted by the higher authorities with little or no interference.
Law
Author's note: I don't have a full legal system written out and likely never will because the complexity of that endeavor doesn't interest me. In terms of what's legal reference real bodies of law for basics, so imagine that things like theft, assault, perjury, slavery, murder and so on are illegal. Each city has a local police force to operate within its limits and the military employs federal investigators who are able to enforce law anywhere in the nation.
Military
Prior to the separations of the Cold South and Arcane East from Genesaris proper, and the annexations of the Southern Swell and Great North, respectively, Genesaris had a unified military of ~6.25 million, with over 800,000 reservists (a potential total of 7.08 million). This daunting number was once scattered across six separate regions, though could be unified at the command of the High Council of Union City, facing national a crises.
Since then, this number has been fragmented between the three prime factions with the Dominion obtaining the largest section due to acquiring the North (42%), then the Imperial South (38%), and the Genesar Remnants retaining all that remained (20%).
In the realm of the Dominion, their emperor also serves as their Commander-in-Chief, exercising total authority over the military. The empress, Irene Gabriela DuGrace, is Rafael’s chief advisor and possesses the highest level of authority - military or otherwise - other than the emperor, himself. They are both involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of maintaining the military, government, and nation.
There are a number of military outposts, bases, and depots located throughout their lands. The most secure of these are found within Umbra, the Red City, and Coastal Grande.
Foreign Relations
Pre-schism, due to its size and a war with Terrenus, Genesaris practiced isolationism, suspicious of other lands.
Traces of this practice can be seen in the Carmine Dominion's foreign policies, which practice an alternate form of isolationism. While prioritizing their own ends over that of the world, they are firm believers of free trade, travel, and in some instances (namely those that are significantly beneficial to the empire either politically or economically), have been known to enter loose trade agreements.
Economy
The currency of Genesaris Proper is simple and is as follows:
1 chip [Zinc Alloy] = 1  Chip 1 Rosy [Manganese]= 5 Chips 1 Kite [Bronze] = 2 Rosies 1 Raven [Zirconium Allloy]= 10 Kites 1 Merlin [Silver] = 10 Ravens 1 Hawk [Gold]= 10 Merlins The Chip is made of cheaply made pot metal , easy to cast and easy to gather from the streets, typically a majority of zinc with alloyed with other scrap metal. When one is used up, it is collected and recast into a new chip coin. These are the most common coins, used for everyday small purchases. A single pot metal can buy you a couple of eggs or half a loaf of bread.
A Rosy is made from an oxidized manganese, its color a silvery pink. It bears a picture of a Finch, its namesake. These are uncommon but exist in circulation. 
A Kite is made from bronze. It has the picture of a Kite (bird), its namesake. These are common coins.
A Raven is made from a zirconium alloy, making this coin almost jet black. If one looks close enough, they can see a picture of a Raven etched in. These coins are uncommon, but do make their way around. Some people collect them.
A Merlin is made from silver. It has a picture of a Merlin Falcon etched upon it. This is a common currency for bigger purchases.
A Hawk is a gold coin. It has a depiction of Aletheiar in his Golden Hawk form. These are commonly used in expensive transactions, such as buying property or an airship. They are rare in smaller purchases.
Jewels, gems, and other valuable metals can also be used and traded among the shops and merchants of Genesaris.
Due to inflation, wars, and other variables, the value of any currency may heighten or drop to reflect the times.
History
 

"Those with talent should not grow lax, but grow great."

 
The Mage's Academy of Mageside City is a first-class school for aspiring mages and those gifted in the magical arts. Like any college and university, payments are necessary, but payment plans and flexible loans are available. Options such as taking on jobs benefiting the school itself in return for classes are also available and is often the best choice for students whose parents are unable to afford the base cost of tuition.

The Academy spans the entire city of Mageside, but most classes are conducted at the center cathedral lying at the heart of Mageside. A separate, close-by building set with comfortable dorms are reserved for students and teachers who live too far away to go home in between classes and in-school seasons. The other buildings within the city and the center cathedral are lecture halls, demonstration rooms, and chambers set up with magical shields for offensive spellcasting and potentially dangerous practices.

The first classes a student takes is generally one lecture class or lab a day. This class begins by explaining the laws and rules of the mages, covering the history of magic and how it works. It explains each type of magic, such as the elemental magics, in depth and how they affect each other and why. Spell circles are also introduced later; students are expected to know basic spell circle designs and able to explain what each design means. Live demonstrations by the headmaster will be made, and visitations by other mages are a frequent occurrence. Extracurricular classes are offered, and field trips are conducted daily.

At the end of the first season, students will take an exam covering in detail all that they learned. A passing score indicates they are ready to advance; a score that is not satisfactory holds no consequence but a requirement that they retake what they did not demonstrate sufficient knowledge in.

At this time passing students will be introduced to the core elements and basic spellcasting of simple spells of the base elements: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Light, and Dark. Several master mages for each of these elements are chosen and the students divided among them, rotating throughout the day so that a balance of learning is achieved. Students are further introduced to the study of the elements and coinciding spell circles, as well as casting spells and creating magical objects. Home assignments involve first identifying spells contained in an object; a glowing glass ball, for example, may contain a light spell and fire spell. A student will be expected to identify both spells and furthermore be expected to explain how the spells work together and effect on another. Advice, private tutoring, and general help is provided by the headmaster and master mages, as well as advanced students.

As the student progresses, he or she is encouraged to pick a particular area of magic with which to focus on. This may be anything form focusing on a particular element to focusing on a particular type of casting (e.g., healing or defensive magic). This area of focus will be the primary concern for the student; while the other practices will not be neglected, the majority of the time will be spent expanding understanding of the student's chosen area.

When the student proves to be experienced and competent enough, the student will be taught to cast upper-class spells and promoted in rank (apprentice to journeyman to master). This is when the high-security buildings are used. Students are taken inside these buildings, surrounded by shields and accompanied at all times by a master mage, and taught to cast within these shields spells of high attack power and spells of a high-energy level. If not surrounded and protected by these shields, these spells have a risk of self-harm and external damage. Students are forbidden to cast such dangerous spells until graduating at a certain level.

Advanced students proceed to learn continuously advanced spells, keeping in mind their area of focus. As they learn, they are introduced to combinations of magic. Combinations are known as Tiers. Tier One means casting a spell involving only one element; Tier Two means casting a spell using two; Tier Three means, three, and so on. The highest is Tier Eight.

At a high level students are introduced to the highest level of magic, known as Alta. Alta is the magic every living being has within itself; the magic manifests in the soul and is the magic that holds the ability to control all the other elements. Usually used in conjunction with the base elements but ignored, by itself Alta can be used to cast the most dangerous of spells. Even when used by itself Alta is always considered Tier Eight.

The headmaster, Kevinar Reyse, is at the moment a Archmage of Tier Eight as well as an accomplished master of the other elements. He takes a hand-on approach and close guidance with his students, keeping an eye on students who prove to be especially skilled in certain areas or particular good at certain magics. Occasionally, a student with powers beyond the normal mage (Sensers, Va'Elar, etc.) are identified and specific teachers of these gifted people are sent for.

When deemed ready, the students are journeymen level are given the Master rank, and may either pursue their study or enter the world of the spellcasters.

Regent: Council of Seven
Contact: King
Dairut, popularly known as the Slaver’s Enclave, is located at the heart of the region known as the Slaver’s Alcove. This is an area that reaches from the south-western corner of the Bloodstone Marsh deep into the rocky eastern boundaries of the Velhatien Desert. It is a land shrouded in mysticism, said to be protected by the desert itself. Home to a wide variety of nationalities and cultures, the city is a collage of both foreign and domestic banners.
Dairut currently has a population of roughly 1,100,000.
 
Geography
Topography
The city is situated alongside the largest westward artery of the Great Lake (the largest source of fresh water in the immediate region), which in turn feeds the intricate, man-made irrigation system the city uses to grow its crops. Beyond this single waterway, which some use to travel from one end of the city to the other, district to district, Dairut is entirely landlocked.
To the north, east, and south lie the major cities of Aelindra and Raven’s Landing, Mezthaleun and Union City, and Stormward, respectively.
To the west is the expansive Velhatien Desert, of which Joran city rests on its flank. With slavery all but outlawed across the continent, many see the Enclave’s positioning as reckless. However, Dairut is an elusive establishment -- some say it is protected by powerful magic -- that is only capable of being found by those who already know where it is. Surrounded by unforgiving outcroppings and a desolate wasteland on all sides, many have died seeking its walls.
Cityscape
Dairut is built in the shadow of a colossal desert outcropping. It is a mass of colorful slaver tents, busy merchant shops and trader stands, and luxurious harems separated into four permeable districts (with Arabain and African inspirations). The city walls are high and thick, spiked near the top with the skeletal remains of trespassers, criminals, and rebellious slaves. The buildings are built close together and on top of each other, giving even tall spires a somewhat squat appearance.
The Jovial Flats is the largest and most popular of all the Enclave’s districts, encompassing the entirety of the city’s eastern boundary. It is a sprawling maze of harems, service stalls, and auction blocks where dozens of men and women are used, purchased, and traded every day. Some of the product available come from spoils of conquest, while others were sold into slavery as bargaining chips to clear a debt. Named after its customer’s continued satisfaction, the Flats are a living nightmare for beauties that find themselves on the wrong end of a collar and leash.
Second to the Flats is the Valley of Strength in the west, which deals in the business of selling and training slaves gifted in the art of killing. The buildings hard are generally carved from solid stone, or are reinforced otherwise. There are a number of pits located throughout this district, the largest of which is called Tartarus, where slaves are pitted against each other for blood sport.
The Etiquette Bazaar is the smallest of the slaver’s market districts, located in the south. It is the first district one passes through upon entering the city, and due to the nature of its product, is likewise the tidiest. The buildings are architecturally beautiful, the streets cleaned regularly of manure and other garbage, and the people the best dressed. Slaves that find themselves here are former servants, well-mannered and housebroken (men, women, and children that are well-educated in the expectations of a lordling’s house staff). They are seen by many as the most valuable and useful slaves, and so they enjoy a life considerably better than other slaves.
Smaller even than the Bazaar is Nebu, the living quarters for the Dairut elite. Located at the northern end of the city, only the wealthiest, most powerful slavers call this luxurious district home. These are the self-proclaimed rulers of the city, a council of seven men and women, who employ the city guard and keep the peace. All businesses pay tribute to this council in the form of taxation, and all foreign negotiations operate through them.
Climate
Year-round, the weather in Dairut is always warm, or hot, and the nights either cool or freezing. Even with its position so close to the Bloodstone Marsh, there are only two seasons: a scorching hot summer lasting one half the year, and a mild, lukewarm winter that lasts the other half. The city is incredibly dry, receiving on average only about a centimeter of rain a year, but is particularly humid throughout the summer due to its location on the Golden Path (the river from the Great Lake).
Every so often, the city is known to experience dust storms. These occur more frequently during the transitory months, with the most severe storms taking place during the winter-to-summer transition. Over the years, Dairut has learned to better track and predict these storms, and have renovated their city to better withstand their devastation.
Flora and Fauna
Valhatien Scarab: The valhatien scarabs are small (roughly the size of a tennis ball), carnivorous insects that eat the flesh of whatever creature they touch. Since their domestication by the Dairut beastmasters, they have been used as a form of execution and punishment, and have developed a keen taste for human flesh. Because of their black carapace, diamond-like in toughness, they have earned the name “black death.”
Sand Wyrm: A small snake that generally grows no longer than a meter. They are the natural predator of the valhatien scarab. They are able to emit a steady flow of fire from their mouths, which cooks the scarab inside its own carapace. They then swallow them whole.
Demographics
Culture
The city is one rooted deeply in the ways of old. All but removed from the cultural revolution of the world beyond the desert, Dairut has maintained the ways of the Age of Conquest. They have coined many popular phrases such as, “You keep what you conquer,” and “Take that which is yours.” Despite these imperialistic mottos, Dairut has long-since lost its thirst for battle and expansion and has instead become a centralized hub for like-minded individuals.
However, it is through their firm belief of ownership by conquest that they validate the exercise of slavery. Those that are too weak to defend themselves, to define themselves, become the property of another, stronger individual, and thus are subject to their definition of them.
Slaves do not have any manner of civil or human rights in Dairut. They can be beaten, maimed, humiliated, or even killed at their master’s discretion (as many are). And while it is not incredibly uncommon for some owners to treat their slaves with a hint of dignity, offering roles similar to indentured servitude, this is often done indoors, away from prying eyes as to avoid ridicule.
Unsurprisingly, damaging another owner’s property is regarded as one of the most serious crimes in Dairut. Punishments range from compensation, immediate or long-term, to death.
All slaves from Dairut are given the opportunity to earn their freedom during an event known as Kaf Shakur, an annual tournament. It is the most celebrated event in all of Dairut, a glorious affair of debaucherous festivities and brutal combat. For six nights, ten slaves are thrust into the Tartarus pit in a battle royal and made to battle each other to the death. On the seventh and final night, the survivors of all six rounds and once again made to fight, with only the sole survivor able to claim their freedom.
In addition to their practice of slavery and all that it entails, Dairut has a rich history in the literary and fine arts. Many merchants savvy to the city’s location travel from across the continent to purchase their goods, from tapestries to paintings and written word.
Economy
In spite of its isolated location, Dairut boasts a notably strong and self-reliant economy built almost entirely on its slave industry. Attracting buyers and sellers from every corner of the continent, hundreds of pounds of gold and silver flow through its gates every day, along with various other forms of currency. As with most merchant-based cities, the city also makes use of a strong barter system, whether it be land, goods, or slaves. Dairutian merchants likewise supplement the slave trade with the sale of exotic native jewelry, art, and attire (African-Arabian).
Major Companies and Institutions
The House of Domestication: The most well-known slave training facility in the city, focusing on the domestication of unruly pleasure slaves. Through the use of extensive and rigorous training regimen, the handlers at House Domestication mold the finest servants of pleasure one can ask for.
The Treasury: Arguably the most important institute in the city. The Treasury is the largest bank-- and one of the largest buildings --in all the city and holds over eighty percent of its wealth. It is said that the Treasury’s subterranean faults have never been stolen from.
The Gilded Chalice: The most luxurious inn throughout the city, located at the fridge of the Nebu district. Travelers with enough coin enjoy the finest cuisine, scenery, and pleasurable company in all of the city.
Parks and Recreation
Landmarks and Monuments
Tartarus: A large coliseum located on the west end of the city, in the Valley of Strength. A number of high-profile gladiatorial events take place here, including the Kaf Shakur.
Government
Local Government
The Council of Seven: Dairut operates outside and beyond the Genesar government, and answers to no other empire. They are instead governed by a council of native elite, seven of the wealthiest men and women in the city. Together, they oversee the day-to-day operations in and around the city, including its security. It is through their combined effort that the city has prospered into the desert metropolis it is now.
Military
— 1 Khafre (Commander)
— 100 Khufu (Elite Guard)
— 5,000 Overseers (Slave Drivers, Trainers)
— 40,000 City Guards (Infantry, Calvary, and Beastmasters)
Education
Traditional education beyond the rudimentary requirements for business (reading, writing, and understanding basic arithmetic) is of little value to the people of Dairut. They raise no poets or scholars or scientists, but master slavers and merchants. Most education throughout the city is trade-based, with individuals learning what they need to be successful in their particular area. There are no postgraduate institutions in Dairut. Of course, the wealthier individuals in the city pay for exceptional education from external sources, and many professors have been brought in from prestigious institutes across Genesaris.
Transportation
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the size of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges connecting broad rooftops. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and districts of the city.
Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn or magic-fueled, cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city.
Riverways: The city has the beginnings of an elaborate canal system running through it. While not entirely operational yet, the eastern and northern side of the city riverways has been introduced to great success.
Notable Residents
-- -- -- History
Canon

RENOVATIO
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A Brief History of Orisia
Orisia is an island with a long and tragic history. In the ancient days, the island enjoyed a golden age of peace that could be attributed to its lack of dealings with the mainland. Well aware of Genesaris’ existence, the people of Orisia opted for a quiet and isolated life, enjoying all that their secret paradise had to offer. There was a subtle magic in the land—a sort of ethereal presence that enveloped absolutely everything. Without any true understanding of what it was, or why it existed, the magic was never given an official name. Referenced to only as La’Ruta (The Path), it simply existed and extended out from the earth to the trees, to the beasts and the people. The Orisians were touched by it, and in turn became beings of unimaginable patience and virtue. Those who believed in living according to the unstated laws that command La’Ruta did not institutionalize their beliefs until much later in Orisia’s history.
The published beliefs that did eventually develop made direct references to La’Ruta, but openly accepted and taught the impossibility of ever fully comprehending the power of the land. Fundamental forms of the following focus on philosophies of balance between light and darkness, breaking down conceived notions of good and evil, and the importance of the five natural elements; fire, earth, water, electricity, and air. The ethics that developed around the following were varied but always focused on teachings of the Three Treasures; compassion, moderation, and humility. An ancient note, carved into the wall of one of The Cathedral Mountain’s many caverns by an ancient monk, best describes the school of thought that commanded La’Ruta: “Who can wait quietly while the mud settles? Who can remain still until the moment of action? Observers of La’Ruta do not seek fulfillment. Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.”
This magic was utterly impossible to grasp, and its followers accepted this fact fully. It was enough to be surrounded by the miracles provided, to merely marvel at the pure and perfect essence. Attracting a number of mythical creatures, desperately in search of a safe haven, which they immediately found in the fiercely guarded island. These creatures, both noble and fearsome, were regarded with respect and granted a position of honor upon the Orisia’s sister island Ceyana, for their presence was a testament to the magic that seemed to thrum it's call to the rest of the known world.
La'Ruta is said to have come from Genesaris itself, but it has not been felt in the mainland for many hundreds of years. For some time that same magic seemed lost to Orisia as well. Drawn by the rare breeds of creatures and a taste for their blood, a dark and horrible creature came to the lands. Areder DuGrace came with powers of distorted darkness the likes of which no Orisian had ever seen or could hope to understand. No one was safe from this creature, for he used the very shadows cast by the innocents to enslave them. So vicious and malevolent was Areder’s powers that the Orisian people, having grown soft due to their time bathed in the peaceful presence of La’Ruta did not know how to react. Those who opposed him were thrown into the abyss, where a fate worse than death awaited them—an eternity of night. Areder seemed to drain the very life of the land once he drank of the blood of both man and beast. When it seemed that he would waste away the divine spark that made Orisia so special, a champion arose from the devastation to challenge the fiend and to slay him; a man named Aulden.
It was a fierce battle—one that changed the face of Orisia forever. Meeting upon the place where the modern-day Areder Mountains are located, these polar opposites met with the sole desire to undo the other. The clash was unlike anything the island and its people had ever encountered. While there were no witnesses to the epic fight, every man, woman, and child felt its progression and eventual outcome. The earth trembled with the force of their swords as they clashed, and when at last Aulden bested the horrible monster and spilled his blood upon the ground all of the magic he had stolen spilt back into the earth. So concentrated was the power Areder had ingested that it burned into the very ground upon which they had met, and from it—like the seeds of creation, the soft hills were ripped open and from them birthed a treacherous mountain range. Raw rock was exposed, jagged, beautiful, and bleeding, in the form of red-hot molten magma. Unfortunately, Aulden did not escape the battle unhurt. Having suffered serious injuries he lived only long enough to be returned to his place of birth among The Cathedral Mountains. There his body was laid to rest, and the city of his birth renamed, in his honor, to Aulden’s Gate.
The magic of the land suffered and grew quiet after that battle. Only the most devout followers of La’Ruta were able to hear or feel it. As it regressed, growing weaker and quieter, so did the Orisian’s memory of all that they had learned. From generation to generation, theThree Treasures were often mentioned, but not seriously followed. After Areder’s death Orisia suffered greatly from the political turmoil, left in the wake of lost leadership. With Aulden’s death, Orisia lost the only individual who was capable of restoring peace and balance to the land. Civil war after civil war between warring noble families further weakened the population, until finally, some three hundred years after Areder and Aulden’s death, the House of Beauchene finally secured the throne. For two hundred years this Royal Family squandered the resources of the island, living in excess and luxury while the people suffered in crippling poverty.
Orisia became a cesspit of crime and misery, crippled by two centuries of endless war and uncontrollable famine, losing two-thirds of its population throughout this period. Still, the island still managed to hold on to some of its enchantment. Its natural beauty, though marred, could not be completely undone. Sensing the decline, the creatures of myth went into hiding, with the great and diverse landscapes of Orisia seemingly to closing off from the violent touch of man.
The last Beauchene family to rule, some twenty years ago, was particularly sadistic and oblivious to the plight of their people. With the mounting civil unrest, Orisia’s environment was exceptionally ripe for civil war. However, the opportunity to strike, despite preparation, never came. Back in the mainlands of Genesaris, The Great North tore through the country bloodthirsty and power-hungry. Confusion still remains as to why the Great Nation of the North set their sights upon the small and already terribly dysfunctional island. Some believe it to be punishment—cruel retribution for the loss of La’Ruta. Others saw the Great North as an omen of violent, but positive, change, like the mighty fires that cleanse the dry and dying forests. The Great North, though indiscriminate with its killings, did purge the land of all the bad blood and tilled the land, abandoning it at the last moment and leaving it fertile and ready for the seeds of transformation.
With the imminent threat of forces from the mainland, no noble family rose to claim the throne, especially not after what the Beauchenes had suffered at the hands of the Northerners. Orisia fell to lawlessness and chaos. Those with enough wealth managed to buy protection, to live above and beyond the harsh conditions of the common people. For twenty years, things remained in much the same way. The Great North seemed to lose interest in the island, but criminal organizations had settled so comfortably upon the territory that it was near impossible for anyone to reclaim control.
Enter the DuGrace Family. Gabriela, who had gone into torpor and had remained asleep or the better part of three hundred years, awoke to a startling revelation. Eden was gone, and somehow her tomb had been transported to a new world. A gift from Tenebre—Gabriela felt the nearby presence of the many members of her family and felt a single throbbing yearning in her heart. Her desire was to build a home—a true and lasting home for her three children. Tenebre, a profoundly powerful but unbalanced abysmal deity, had already scouted the world of Valucre and had found Orisia to be the perfect gift for his newly awakened protégé. Reluctant, at first, Gabriela was immediately won over the moment she set foot upon Orisia. With her presence, La’Ruta seemed to finally stir from its long slumber. With no prior knowledge, Gabriela imagined the sensation that coursed through her body to merely be an unconscious reaction, one that urged her to remain, to rebuild, and to grow.
 
Orisian Cities and Landmarks

Map by the wonderful Off Topic
 
Cities, Towns, Villages, and Ruins 
The Capital City - Versilla
The City of Morgana
The City of Drakiss
Port City of Izabal
The City of Coban
The Port City of Veelos
The City of Urbem Amissam
The Village of Banha
The Ruins of La Cierra
The City of Antigua
Brightstorm Keep
Solum Irae
 
Mountains, Rivers, Forests, and Others
Lake Atitlan
The Cathedral Mountains
Dorado Plains
Platiado Plains
Ild Pass
Bovania River
Ellwood Forest
The Valanian Desert {The White Sands}
The Red Sands
The Hodenaufer Mountain Range
The Foothill Forest
The Areder Mountains
The Vortex Bay
Viridian Pass [Forest]
The Selah Mountains
The Nameless Desert
 
General Orisian Information
Population: The joint population of the islands was last measured at around two million humans. This number does not reflect the large number of non-human peoples who call Orisia they’re home.
Technology: Orisia’s technology is definitely not as advanced as other nations or cities, this may have to do with the fact that Orisia has often gone to great lengths to isolate itself from the mainland. Although the people of Orisia are highly intelligent, and place great value upon education—there is an overall sentiment that advanced technological methods of warfare cause a disconnect from the significance of life. Orisia’s technology is comparable to the European technology of the mid-1600s.
Climate: Orisia is large enough to enjoy quite a range of climates. From the central white sands of the Valanian Desert to the snow peaks of The Areder Mountains and the lush near tropical forests located toward the Northern end of the Island. Orisia seems to have a little bit of everything. Overall the climate of the island tends to be warm and mild along the coasts, comparable to the Mediterranean type of weather.
Commerce and Goods: With such favorable weather conditions and lots of open space, Orisia boasts one of the healthiest and most diverse agricultural settings. Orisia produces rare and delicious fruits that are traded to neighboring cities along the Easter coast of Genesaris. For the most part, Orisia is a self-contained country, with many rare and precious goods to offer such as fine lumber, precious stones and rare metals. However, Orisia has a dark side when it comes to trade—as a safe haven for mythical creatures of all kinds, the Government often finds itself combating the illegal capture and trade of endangered creatures such as unicorns, griffins, wyvern, and many more.
Defenses: Orisia boasts a unique natural defense in the form of its high sheer cliffs. A majority of the island's coasts are high walls of jagged rock, easily showing how the land mass was carved out of the Genesarian mainland. The few available beaches and more assessable bays have been claimed by busy and growing port towns and cities. As centrals of commerce, these places are heavily guarded. The seas that surround both islands are patrolled by an organized and impressive naval force. It has often been said that in all the waters great and small of Valucre there are no sailors more committed to the sea than the men and women of Orisia. This sentiment is reflected in the magnificent ships, both of war and commerce, produced by Orisian shipyards.
Upon land, it is The Order of the Black Heart that serves as both a source of leadership as well as military protection. Individuals who join the Order are completely committed to the protection of Orisia, its people and its interests. These are highly trained men and women who not only swear their lives in military service, but also in intellectual service. During times of peace those belonging to the Order are fully expected to continue contributing to the growth and development of Orisia. Nearly every city of Orisia houses a royal court—the number of nobles within the court depends on the size of the city. Larger cities that house one of the Noble Seven (Duke or Duchess) will automatically have a court of at least fifty nobles. All nobles (with the exception of a small number) are knights—an individual cannot be a noble, belonging to a royal court, without having sworn service to Orisia.
Soldiers make up the biggest part of Orisia’s military. These are men and women, usually specialized in a specific area (Infantry, Cavalry, and Archery). Highly trained and highly paid, these men and women are committed to their country.
Finally, depending on the size of a city, town, or village, a sheriff along with a number of officers is assigned. These individuals are not part of The Order of the Black Heart, but they are employed to ease the burden of enforcing Orisian laws. A sheriff (or his officers) is more than likely the individual who will show up whenever there is some minimal disturbance. Unlike a member of the Order, a sheriff (or officer) is not allowed to use deadly force (with the exception of self-defense). Instead, a sheriff will try to mediate a situation that requires an authoritative figure, and or make arrests when a situation requires it. Sheriffs and officers can, at any moment, ask for the assistance of a knight.
 
Orisian Lore and Legends, Expanded
La'Ruta
Orisian Dragon Compendium
DragonForging
The Order of the Black Heart
The Orisian Vampyre
 
Abyssal Beasts
The Orisian Shadow Wolf

Lupus Nocturnus, the Orisian Shadow Wolf
One of the more fearsome mystical creatures of old Atitlan, the shadow wolves’ origins predates even the eldest of the island’s vampyres. Like they vampyres themselves, they too are creatures born of the abyss, given shape by the Dark Father, Tenebre, himself. It is from these primordial ties that the wolves have developed a somewhat intrinsic bond with the Orisian vampyre, who they have followed to the Summer Isles of Valucre. The vampyres can exude a certain level of control over the beasts, with older vampyres being able to possess both higher numbers and larger, alpha class wolves.
Because of the magical nature of their existence, the wolves possess a wide array of unique abilities tied to their shadows, natural shadows, and the abyss. The first and most notable power is their ability to change their state of being from entirely physical, to partially (effectively half corporeal, half incorporeal), to being entirely shadow. These transitions are instant.
Now, while one might assume the default state of their being is fully corporeal, it is the in-between that the wolves favor most in their day to day lives.
Researchers have determined that the typical shadow wolf will spend only a quarter of a standard lifetime in their corporeal form (a standard lifetime being roughly ninety years, as the wolves’ lifespan far exceeds that of a typical wolf. No one knows how old these beasts may become, with some wolves, like Lobo, being rumored to be as old as some ancient vampyres). From what has been observed thus far, the creatures only become wholly physical during times of feeding/digesting, mating, and birthing. In most other instances, their partial form is most common.
The preferred state of being for the wolves, the creatures appear to be an imposing mixture of inky shadows and lazy-trailing smoke. While in this state, they are capable of physics-defying feats, including but not limited to: running up walls or walking across water, appendage manipulation, immunity to the elements, and dramatically increased speed. Older, larger wolves have been witnessed demonstrating these abilities in the extreme, such as opening their mouths wide enough to devour at least half fully matured adult with a single bite.
The final of their three phases, the fully shadowed states is used almost exclusively as a means of travel. While in this state, the wolves are capable of traveling through both natural and made-shadow, including the shadows of others [for “allies,” this requires attuning their shadow to the wolves and vice versa]. While this allows for unbelievably fast travel, covering miles in mere seconds, the wolves cannot teleport. They are likewise incapable of interacting with the physical world while in this state.
Regardless of their state, shadow wolves are immune to standard weapons and munitions. While a blow that might kill a regular wolf will efficiently disrupt and disperse the creature’s physical state, it will reform itself shortly after. Banishing/expelling magic can remove the wolves from specific areas, but not from the ruling plane, due to the duality of their existence. The only way to properly kill a shadow wolf is with a weapon that has been imbued with shadow magic or forged from the shadows, themselves. 

Homo Nocturnus, the Orisian Vampyre
The Orisian Vampyre, previously known as the Atitlan Vampyre (taxonomically homo nocturnus), is a subspecies of the traditional vampire often found in the folklore of the world. But while there are a number of similarities between the vampires of legend and their Orisian counterparts, there are also a substantial number of differences separating the two.
Like most creatures of the vampiric domain, they subsist by feeding on the life force (generally in the form of blood) of the living. This is not limited exclusively to humans, however, though human blood is their preferred sustenance. Over the ages, vampyres have demonstrated that they can survive off the blood of animals and mythological creatures (demons, devils, nymphs, fairies, gods, angels, etc.), as well. Some are said to even be able to survive off the blood of other vampyres, a strictly forbidden practice as it is said to cause a severe mental deficit in those who consume vast quantities of vampyric blood. These creatures are called Crusnik.
In addition to their feeding of blood, vampyres possess longevity far greater than that of even the most fortunate human, often times spanning thousands of years. The eldest vampyre in recorded history is over 80,000 years old, but is hardly recognizable. He or she appears as an oddly shaped slab of marble (most modern vampyres hardly believe it to be a living being, though it is said that a heartbeat can be heard once every ten years).
This is because, as vampyres age and crest the higher echelons of existence, their skin begins to harden. Over time, the hardened portions of skin spread over their entire body, until they are encased in a marble tomb of their own flesh.
Another trait unique to the vampyres is not the absence of a reflection, but the loss of it as they continue to age. The vampyre’s reflection first begins to mist, then blur, before it starts vanishing in sections. It is an extremely slow process, as Rafael M. Bartolome V’s reflection has only just begun to mist at the wholesome age of 1,300.
Now, while this prolonged existence might give the illusion of immortality, vampyres do not live forever, as they are not undead (more on this below).
Hand in hand with their age, vampyres likewise become more physically competent as the years pass. Already considered superhuman by modern standards, a vampyre’s strength, speed, endurance, durability, and accelerated healing factor significantly increased after their first century. This upward trend in raw ability continues throughout the ages, which has led to a staggering gap in terms of power between the species’ younger and elder generations, excluding the few rare exceptions.
This correlation between age and power also translates to their more supernatural abilities, as well. Vampyres possess the ability to charm creatures of a  weaker constitution than themselves, a feat that becomes far more pressing the older they become. A vampyre’s hypnotic charm can manifest itself in two ways, the first being intentional. They can direct their influence into a subject at will and force them into submission, making their hypnotized victim believe or do what the vampyre wishes. The second is far more subtle and paired with vampyre’s striking good looks. As creatures of unnatural beauty and perfection, the vampyre is able to exert a subtle influence over sentient beings, encouraging them to believe what the vampyre says and agree with his or her suggestions.
It is worth noting that as children of Tenebre, the Orisian vampyres possess a powerful affinity for the shadow realm and its various creatures, the Orisian shadow wolves (taxonomically lupus nocturnus) in particular. Though these savage creatures are almost impossible to tame, powerful and determined vampyres have been known to form unbreakable bonds with them, given enough time, as witnessed with the legendary alpha wolf, Lobo, and the vampyric elder, Rafael.
Orisian Vampyres can also create other vampiric lifeforms through the sire process, though these creatures are undead. Vampyre blood contains significant healing properties when ingested by the living, the effectiveness determined by the quantity consumed. However, if a person consumes too much at once, or too much an extended period of time-- the human body can filter the blood completely over the course of several days --the infectious blood will hijack the body, killing it, and then reanimating the deceased into a vampire. Vampires “born” in this way are bound to their sire for all time, and incapable of disobeying an order given to them by their creator.
Now, unlike their distant cousins or the sired vampires they create, the Orisian vampyre separates itself from the others in the fact that they are not undead. Created by the Dark Father, Tenebre, as opposed to some curse or dark magic, they are living, breathing creatures with the ability to procreate and pass down their genetic traits and secrets (e.g. the gold eyes of the royal DuGrace family, or the sapphire eyes of the Bartolome family). Still, this is not without its issues.
The species has been known to suffer from devastating infertility issues, stemming from the lack of a royal pairing. This is not to be confused with hierarchal status, though those possessing the gene are elevated to rule over their fellow vampyres. A king and queen vampyre are two fully matured purebloods that possess a unique genetic trait that allows their bodies to create a specific, odorless pheromone that when paired triggers a chemical reaction in their bodies-- and the bodies of other purebloods that have been exposed to the pheromones --that drastically increases the sperm count in men, and the egg fertility in women.
However, it is known that even without the royal pairing, vampyres have been able to procreate with other species, as well. Atitlan history has no shortage of accounts pertaining to dhamphirs (creatures that are half human, half vampyre), some of whom have gone on to hold important positions at the royal court. More recently, Irene Gabriela DuGrace, Black Queen of the Summer Isles, gave birth to a boy fathered by devil king of Patia.
Being a living creature also comes with a myriad of other issues that are typically inconsequential to the undead. The Orisian Vampyre is at the risk of mortal injuries, including, but not limited to: poisoning, starvation, suffocating, drowning, decapitation, loss of blood, bludgeoning, and organ failure. They also possess a deathly allergy to the sun, though some have developed unique manners to which they can combat this.
Religiously speaking, the Orisian Vampyres are not known to gravitate toward a single creed. While a great deal still hold loyalty toward their creator, the Dark Father, others have flocked instead to the Sitraic Faith led by their champion, Rafael M. Bartolome V. Others have chosen different paths, practicing well-known religions from the planet Earth, from which they all hail.

“What do I sell? What I sell is glorious pandemonium, a glimmer of oblivion, mastery of time and space, and instant immortality. I sell a peek into the abyss, a catalog of quests, and the occasional nightmare. What I sell is life and death, itself. The real question is: what are you looking for?”
—Unknown Merchant
 
Regent: --
Contact: Pasion Pasiva, King
Morgana, the City of a Thousand Ports, is a thriving, progressive city whose power and influence is on the rise. It is the largest merchant depot and trading hub in all of Orisia, with a ceaseless ebb and flow of nomadic traders from every corner of the island and robust legion of merchant guilds that call the city home. Built around a large junction of all the island’s major waterways at the helm of the Valanian Desert, the city has been charged with the unique-- and equally troublesome --task of seeing the majority of the nation’s imported and processed goods properly distributed throughout the country.
Morgana currently has a population of approximately 1,250,000.
 
GEOGRAPHY
Topography
Morgana sits at the foot of the Valanian Desert’s largest oasis, on an intersection of all the island’s major riverways known as the Convergence. In spite of this, the land immediately surrounding the bustling city is notably barren, predominantly comprised of crag-cover rock sprinkled with tall, swaying palm trees. Less than a mile out, even this bleak background withers away into sand.
In its beginning, Morgana was able to sustain itself by obtaining nearly all of its freshwater supply from the nearby oasis via an intricate, man-made irrigation system. In more recent times, however, due entirely to the city’s rampant expansion, Morgana has had to rely more heavily on the southern-flowing rivers that from the Areder Mountain chain, and other natural tributaries coming from the north.
To the west, north, and north-east of Morgana-- separated by the high peaks of the Areder Mountains -- are the great cities of Coban, Izabal, and Drakiss, respectively.
Due south lies the remainder of hellish wasteland known as the Valanian Desert, which stretches long and far into the horizon. Brutal and unforgiving, this sea of cooked earth and scorching sands is littered with the bones of the foolish dead, merchants and nomads that strayed too far from their caravans. In its domain are Banha Village, the Red Sands, and the Hodenaufer Mountain Range.
 
Cityscape
A city built on the backbone of its powerful ties in commerce, the City of Morgana is a mass of colorful merchant tents, tall, broad trader stands, and ever-busy markets. The city is separated into several districts, all of which bleed into each other.
The largest and most notable of Morgana’s districts belong to the marketplace, which surrounds the royal grounds and bleeds into the residential districts more closely situated toward the outskirts of the city, as well as the docks. Within is a sea of tents and stands, teeming with goods both foreign and domestic, exotic and mundane. The free markets are predominantly occupied by the self-employed merchants, while the bazaars are populated by sellers belonging to the powerful merchant guilds.
Morgana’s residential district dips in and out of the marketplace’s outskirts, with the vast majority of its presence being at the rim of the city, itself. In an effort to accommodate its rapidly growing population, many of the homes-- comprised of sandstone --are built vertical and close together, housing up to five families at a time. They are often decorated with broad, colorful awnings and tassels of various clans, guilds, and descent - boasting the city’s diverse culture.
Second only to the marketplace, Morgana’s docks are arguably the busiest and largest sector of the city. Any hour of the day or night, ships make port and set sail in an endless cycle of import and export. From luxurious foreign goods to be sold in the markets, to basic necessities like grain, vegetables, and fresh poultry to feed its growing population, the docks represent one of the more prominent lifelines of the city. Because of its critical role in both the survival and prosperity of the city, a great deal of the Morgana’s profit has been invested in the security of the docks.
At the helm of the city is the smallest of its districts, the royal grounds, home to the ruling house of Ormoño, and the wealthiest members of the merchant guilds. Tall, strong walls with wrought-iron doors separate this district from the rest of the city. However, these entries are rarely closed, as a great deal of traffic continuously flows to and from the grounds. Within, the establishments are fashioned from expensive stone from the areder mountains; tall spires, rambling manses, and of course the royal palace, which occupies a whopping eighty percent of the district.
 
Climate
Year-round, the weather in Morgana is always warm, or hot, and the nights either cool or freezing. Even with its position so close to the Fork of Areder, there are only two seasons: a scorching hot summer lasting one half the year, and a mild, lukewarm winter that lasts the other half. The city is incredibly dry, receiving on average only about a centimeter of rain a year, but is particularly humid throughout the summer due to its location by and on the Convergence.
Every so often, the city is known to experience dust storms. These occur more frequently during the transitory months, with the most severe storms taking place during the winter-to-summer transition. Over the years, Morgana has learned to better track and predict these storms, and have renovated their city to better withstand their devastation.
Those traveling to and from the city - whether on business or pleasure - are advised to do so in the deep-winter months (December, January, and February). They are by far the most comfortable, and travelers avoid both the worst of the heat and the chance of desert winds and sandstorms.
 
Flora and Fauna
Watergrass (Plant): The only form of vegetation able to sustain itself in the harsh desert environment, watergrass stands tall - with some records of its thin, willowy blades reaching eight feet - and bright emerald in color, with full, bushy ends (similar to Alopecurus, or “foxtail”). It is typically found near rivers or oases. This had lead to them becoming something of a “good omen” amongst merchants and travelers, the saying being: “If you see watergrass, you aren’t far from a drink.”
Valanian Dragon (Animal): In spite of its intimidating name, the valanian dragon is little more than a small lizard, no larger than an adult’s palm. These creatures are something of a nuisance on the busy streets of Morgana, if only for their troublesome defense mechanism. When threatened, the valanian dragon dispenses a thick smog from its mouth -- similar to how an octopus releases ink -- in an attempt to distract its predator and escape. The smog is incredibly dense, and stains fabrics similar to soot-- making them the most hated of the city’s critters amongst textile merchants.
Manticore (Insect): The manticore is regarded as one of the most dangerous creatures in all of Orisia. While these eight-legged, scorpion-like creatures do not grow very large, it is the threat of their sting that one need fear. Their neurotoxic venom is one of nature’s most effective poisons, acting on the nervous system to cause paralysis. Death (from paralysis) can occur as quickly as twenty minutes if say stung on the ankle or thumb. If stung on the face or in the chest or multiple times, death can occur as quickly as five minutes. The sheer lethality of their venom-- and the complexity of producing an anti-venom --has made the hunting, trapping, and breeding of manticore a favorite amongst various assassin guilds throughout the island and abroad, many of which have established themselves in Morgana.  Because of their ebony black carapace, they are known as the “Black Death.”
Spire Ant (Insect): Known for the tall, rocky nests of their namesake, the spire ant is a notably aggressive insect and especially vicious in the defense of its home. Accidental deaths from disturbing a spire ant nest—usually children falling into the spires—were once quite common in Morgana. In the city’s earliest years, the ants were even used as a means of executing the most heinous of criminals (in a process where the victim was buried in the ground up to their necks and then left to be devoured by the carnivorous ants after they were roused from their homes). Since then, however, the spire ants have been well-managed with a combined effort of the city government and a booming Valanian dragon population.
 
DEMOGRAPHICS
Culture
Morgana boasts a vibrant tapestry of culture that draws colors from every corner of Orisia, and then some. The nomadic tribes that first settled the Convergence centuries ago, back when the city was little more than a small outpost, still hold strong ties within the city today (most of which now either advise or lead the Merchant Guilds). This has established a strong respect and interest in heritage amongst the city’s people, with the unfortunate consequence of one’s family name often time carrying more weight than their merit in the city’s elite circles.
On the public level, heritages takes on a more personal role as citizens remain true to their people’s faith and ways of life, proudly putting their origins on display with banners and large, colorful awnings decorated with their tribe or family crest.
By the same token, it is this history-driven mindset that has entrenched a great deal of the city in a series of endless blood feuds and age-old grudges. These issues have resulted in glaring segregation amongst many of the bazaars, tightly-knit sub-districts within the residential areas (territories, almost), and minor scuffles between neighbors. It is only between the merchant guilds—the most powerful families—that the conflicts often turn bloody, especially where territory and profit, or the lack thereof, are concerned.
As a city centered on mercantilism and the distribution of goods, theft is arguably the most common crime in Morgana—and the most dangerous. Thieves are viewed as the worst type of criminal in Morgana, lower than beasts, and are punished accordingly—maimed, branded, or hanged, depending on the severity of the crime. Many have criticized the city for its draconian measures in regards to the matter, but the city’s people are unapologetic, feeling it is the ways of old that have allowed them to endure Valanian’s unforgiving climate.
 
Economy
Morgana is inarguably the wealthiest city in all of Orisia, with an exceptionally strong—albeit complex—economy based on various forms of currency, from the standard coin to gold and silver. As the trade capital of the island, more revenue flows through the city in one week than in a month of all the other great cities combined. While a considerable portion of that wealth is controlled by the ruling family’s oversight of the docks and island-wide distribution, it is the Merchant Guilds that control the vast majority through sales. By holding sway over the market, its rise and its fall, they effectively hold the city—and thus, the island itself—as a silent hostage. Some believe this to be the cause of the heavy taxation on certain foreign goods, and even some domestic merchants (typically those that pose the most threat to a Guild’s profit).
 
Major Companies and Institutions
Bovania, the Institute of Trades and Commerce: One of the more famed post-graduate schools in Orisia, Bovania stands alongside other ivy-leagues such as Imir and Bronte. It is the premiere school for any seeking a life steeped business.
 
PARKS AND RECREATION
Landmarks and Monuments
The Stranger’s Statue: A faceless statue stands before the royal gates, broken sword uplifted, shield held at the ready. A slated placard reads: “The one who brought change.” All discerning characteristics from the statue have either been eroded or broken away, leaving behind little more than a silhouette and an idea: that this could be your story if you so desired.
Castle Heights: The largest establishment in all the city and home to the royal family of Morgana, Castle Heights is the city’s crowning jewel. The castle is home to the entire ruling family and all their staff, including the royal guard, and still boasts enough space to comfortably accommodate many more. While an undeniably beautiful centerpiece, the castle is nevertheless an exceptionally defended fortress unto itself when the need arises.
Beast Pits: Found on the southern border of the city where the docks, bazaars, and residential district all collide, the beast spits are the city’s exclusive source of bloodsport. A grisly entertainment, various creatures are made to battle to the death at their owner’s behest. With the pits always in need of fresh blood and the docks providing a steady supply of healthy candidates, beast fighting has reached an all-time high in popularity.
 
GOVERNMENT
Royal Government
Imperial Government of Orisia: Like all lands within the Summer Isles, the city of Morgana is subject to the imperial edicts of the Bartolome rule. While the city rulers are allowed to police their domains with leniency-- more in line with their own beliefs and views --they are all bound to the will of the imperial royal family, seeing their will done and that no transgressions be made against their edict.
 
Local Government
Noble House of Ormoño: The ruling house of Morgana, the Ormoño family trace their lineage to the Black Queen, herself. They are the overseers of all the city’s affairs-- from political to commercial --and ensure the Merchant Guilds remained shackled (or as some would say, appeased). A just and fair family, they nevertheless rule Morgana with a firm fist.
 
Military
The City Vanguard: While many mercenary groups have come to call Morgana home and sell their services to the Merchant guilds, the city’s official military is imperially sent. The men and women of the City Vanguard are impeccably trained, trained to deal with affairs both domestic and foreign. They are charged with defending Morgana should it ever fall under attack, but also double as the city’s police force.
— 1 High Inquisitor
— 15,000 Mercenaries (Merchant Guilds)
— 45,000 City Vanguard
 
EDUCATION
A sturdy, reliable, and universally available education system has always been at the forefront of the Black Queen’s political platform. The current Bartolome rule has only sought to underscore this agenda, renovating down-trodden estates and further providing all the Summer Isles’ institutes with vast amounts of resources and personnel. Bovania, the Institute of Trade and Commerce has been one of many establishments to benefit from this surge.
 
TRANSPORTATION
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the size of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges connecting broad rooftops. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and districts of the city.
Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn or magic-fueled, cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city.
 
NOTABLE RESIDENTS
 
 
HISTORY
Canon

General:
Yh'mi is a mysterious and desolate land at the south end of Terrenus, still almost completely unexplored. A region so untouched may sound enticing to some, but one thing is utterly clear about this place: it is hateful.
From the twisted things that crawl within it, to the raging storms high above, to the strange whispering which seems to nag at you every waking moment: everything here is out for blood.
There is only one true sanctuary in Yh’mi- the town of Inns'th. There, the paladins of the Order of the White Hand struggle to defend their home, and to find a way to contain the evil of Yh'mi before it grows strong enough to threaten all of Terrenus.
(see Welcome to Yh’mi[link] for OOC details)
Locations:
Inns'th:
This small encampment/town is the first place most new arrivals will encounter. It is the only thing standing between the dark land of Yh'mi and Terrenus at large. Currently small, but the Order of the White Hand aims to expand it into a formidable bulwark against the coming storm.
Purgatory:
The building known as Purgatory is Inns'th's only bar, which also doubles as a hospital, science lab, and funeral parlor at times. Run by te mysterious Doctor Xeyal, it awaits unsuspecting guests...
The Broken Plain:
The plain beyond Inns'th is an open, rocky space. It is difficult to tread quietly here, footsteps seem to echo in the air, announcing trespassers to anything that might be listening. The encampment was constructed at the north edge of this area, out of hope that large groups of approaching creatures could be easily spotted from a distance. It has since been discovered that the rocky plain is full of deep crevasses, which not only allow things to sneak up on the encampment, but also connect to a deep network of caverns beneath the plain. Nobody who ventured into those caves has ever returned.
Furthest Point:
A large hill at near the center of the Broken Plain. There are plans to construct an outpost here, as the earth is not cracked, and the hill is a relatively easy location to defend.
The Whitewoods:
An evergreen forest, perpetually covered by thick white mist, beyond the Broken Plain to the east. It is unknown how far it extends. Compasses and other pathfinding devices will frequently malfunction here, leaving exploratory parties stranded and lost. It's a short walk to get in, the longest journey of your life to get out…
The Village of Lirrey:
A small village, beyond the Broken Plain to the south. It is well-constructed, with cobblestone roads and charming wooden cottages. The people there are quite happy and friendly, but nobody knows where its people came from, who built it, or why the monstrous creatures of Yh'mi have not destroyed it. In fact, virtually every aspect of it, including the weather, is completely incongruous with the surrounding landscape. The Order of the White Hand is convinced that this place is an illusion or a trap, and has ordered all residents of Inns'th to stay away.
The Spires:
A field of massive stone spikes, beyond the Broken Plain to the west. These structures are extremely thin, steep and sharp, with mostly straight edges tapering to perfect points several kilometers high. In the rare event of a sunny day, the shadows of the tallest ones extend all the way to Inns'th. The spires are far too precisely formed to be natural, though their incredible size begs the question: what is the alternative? There is thick vegetation near the bases of the spires, and in addition to the usual creatures, Lun'Silth is known to reside here.
Observations over time have revealed that new spires appear regularly, at a rate of about one per week. Their appearance has never been observed, and only ever noticed well after the fact. All new spires have appeared on the edge of the area that faces Inns'th.
Unknown Territories:
Furthest to the south, beyond Lirrey, are lands completely unexplored, and never seen from the air. These are believed to represent more than half the landmass of Yh'mi. Any horrors imaginable might be lurking out there…
The Skies of Yh'mi:
The air above this dark land is riddled with storms and heavy winds. Airship travel is inadvisable, as vessels are likely to be blown off course and crash into the Spires.
Culture:
Virtually all of what may be called 'culture' in Yh'mi is concentrated in Inns'th.
Unlike typical frontier towns, which are hopeful, busy, and growing, the atmosphere of Inns'th is gloomy and fearful. Its expansion is constantly held in check by the darkness that surrounds it. Other than the Order paladins, most people here are either former criminals, mercenaries, or refugees of some sort. Few come to live here by choice, they are either hiding, or have nowhere else to go.
The Order is well-supplied, and very generous. It has so far maintained order, preventing gangs from forming and helping where it can, even forming a small civilian police force with the aid of a mercenary company. However, with an expanding population comes a gradual loss of control, and more and more people begin to suffer and starve.
Fear and paranoia are rife here, especially with the arrival of the Twistling shapeshifters. The locals will be shifty, easily angered and slow to trust. If you can prove you are there to help them, however, you may earn the unbreakable loyalty that can only be forged in the hardest of times.
Flora and Fauna
See Bestiary[link]
Population:
Inns'th: 750 (estimated)
Lirrey: 500 (estimated)
Yh'mi: Unknown. Pockets of survivors have been found, but never in large numbers. Sentient creatures known as Cyclopes are also present, but very rarely encountered.
Military:
 
Around 150 Mercenaries (number varies)
7 Order paladins
5 upper-rank Order paladins (Diligence, Erudition, Videntia, Volentia, and Fidelitas)
1 Order leader (Chastity)
Inns'th is also protected by thick walls of wood and stone and heavy gates. Their armory is well-stocked, but contains no notably advanced weaponry.
When under severe threat, the Order will usually pull in additional mercenaries, and request aid from the Terrenus military.
Recent History:
This timeline has been put together based on various reports, documents, and personal accounts of recent events. Though some details remain uncertain, most are verifiable.
Five Years Ago: A small sect splits off from the Gaian clergy, claiming that its fellows are too focused on kindness and the spreading of religion. Naming itself the Order of Purity, the group dedicates itself entirely to eliminating Unnaturals and other evil beings.
Four Years Ago: An exploratory party is sent by the Terrenus military to Yh'mi. Of the twenty in the expedition, three survive. Their reports are described as "highly concerning," and additional scouting parties are sent, with far more cautious mission parameters. Scouting reveals that Yh'mi is infested with creatures of unknown origin, and their numbers are growing.
Three Years Ago: The Order of Purity is approached by an unknown benefactor, who tells them the tale of Galan the White and Inn-su. It is unknown whether other persuasive methods were used (the Order claims that none were), but after this meeting, the group's name was changed to the Order of the White Hand, and plans were made to construct a new line of defense between Terrenus and Yh'mi.
Two Years Ago: The Terrenus military, no longer blind to the threat of Yh'mi, grants funding to the Order to hire mercenaries and construct fortifications. The building of the first encampment, named Inns'th, begins. The Order is named the prime government authority in Yh'mi, until additional military presence proves necessary.
One Year Ago: Construction of Inns'th is completed. Word of the town reaches nearby cities, and people begin to immigrate, fleeing debts, prison, or grudges. The Order is mostly accepting of these, though careful to keep them regulated. A member of the Order gifted with foresight, known as Videntia, predicts a 'storm' coming from Yh'mi, spurring the paladins to redouble their efforts in response.
Current Year: The first Twistlings appear. The Order puts out several notices offering pay for dangerous tasks, and adventurers and explorers arrive to contribute. The Terrenus military also expresses and increased interest in exploration.
Ancient History
Nobody really knows the truth about Yh'mi.
Some believe that it does not matter. The place is sick, broken beyond recognition, and whatever it once might have been is lost beyond all hope of retrieval. It is best to focus on present and future threats, and how to deal with them.
But there are always stories. Tales, rumors, mentions of a past that was truly different.
Not all of these stories agree, and some are radically different. Still, perhaps they may contain a grain of truth, or at least a warning. It is difficult to know. Anywhere else, historians would have seized any scrap of knowledge they could find- after all, what harm could it do to know more? But here, there is no such certainty.
For the benefit of knowledge-seekers, four tales are recorded here. Three of these are mere legends, whose true meaning can only be guessed at. The fourth is more recent history, and its veracity more verifiable. It can only be hoped that these are enough.
Tale the First: The Mother's Wrath
Though there are hundreds of folktales that speak of ancient Terrenus, only one of them ever references Yh'mi. Until recently, this was all most people knew of it.
Long ago, before any king or queen dared dream of uniting Terrenus, there were many different kingdoms. Some were great, others tiny. Some were ruled by benevolent lords, others by iron-fisted tyrants. But among these, none was more prosperous than Yh'mi.
This land in particular was the home of a great and powerful spirit, a being some worshipped as a god. She loved her people for their reverence, and cherished them as her children. The trees of Yh'mi produced endless delicious fruits, the beasts of the field lined up to be slaughtered, and even the most vicious of predators would never harm any man or woman.
In Terrenus at large, work was necessary for survival. Great cities needed to be raised, crops planted, tools forged and surgeons trained. But in Yh'mi, there was only paradise, and its people lived in an eternal state of primitive bliss, in the warm and loving arms of their motherly spirit. But this would only make them more vulnerable when disaster struck.
When the first killing plague came to Terrenus, it spread everywhere. Flesh oozed and rotted, blood flowed from nostrils, and the air itself smelled of pus and excrement. It was a time of suffering, and many became desperate. Pilgrims, hearing of a magical paradise in Yh'mi, flocked to the land by the hundreds, bringing with them disease and death. The spirit could only watch in horror as they infected her people, turning her paradise into a nightmare.
The people of Terrenus survived the plague. They were hardy, and the medicine and tools they had created helped stave off the worst of the illness. But in Yh'mi, disease had been virtually unknown. It annihilated its people, ending every life in the land in the span of a single year. The motherly spirit tried her best to comfort her children, redoubling her efforts to keep them well-fed and happy. But in the end, she could not save a single one. For months afterwards, all that could be heard in Yh'mi were her agonized screams.
But as with all grief, the shock faded. Screams turned to weeping, and weeping turned to cold, hard silence. Sitting atop the corpses of her children, the spirit turned her gaze to the lands of Terrenus, and felt only hatred. It had been the people of Terrenus who had brought destruction down upon her cherished land. They were to blame for everything she had lost.
And so she cursed them. Where once her love had made Yh'mi a beautiful paradise, her hate now blackened the skies and twisted the earth. Her land became a desolate place, then began to crawl again, with skittering, gnashing creatures that craved only the taste of flesh. Yh'mi would now, forevermore, be a land of pain and death, wreaking terrible vengeance against any outsider who dared to enter its hungry maw.
Tale the Second: The Last Stand of Inn-su
This is the tale of Yh'mi's origin as recounted by the Order of the White Hand. They agree that some details of this version may be incorrect, but nevertheless take its words to heart.
Terrenus has always been beset by threats, from within and without. Unnaturals creep in the dead of night, defiling the earth with their very presence. Dread sorcerers and vicious warlords march across the land, greedy for power. Over the ocean, Genesaris stirs, awaiting a moment of weakness, a chance to take the one nation greater than itself.
Terrifying though these threats may be, they have always been held back by those who fight for Terrenus. Noble knights, honest kings, and the wise adherents of Gaia. All play their part in defending their home.
But long ago, there existed a threat even they could not face. For to the south, in a place called Yh'mi, there existed a door, one that reached far beyond Valucre itself. From planes of existence barely imaginable to most, things could reach into Terrenus and try to claim it as their own.
Against such a danger, only the greatest of defenders would suffice. When the land screamed for aid, Galan the White, most noble of all paladins, was the first to answer the call. Leading an army south, he built the great fortress-city of Inn-su. Its walls towered hundreds of meters above the earth, daring the forces of worlds beyond to try and pass.
And try they did. Warriors made of nothing but smoke, glass dragons with hundreds of heads, faceless giants who walked upon the air as if it were solid earth. They all threw themselves against Galan and his citadel, and were smashed between the stones of hammer and wall.
For many years the paladins of Inn-su protected the people of Terrenus, so well that the innocent were barely even aware of the threat. Galan remained ever-vigilant, ready to defend his home for eternity.
But the things beyond the dark door of Yh'mi were not blind. In the strange planes that lay there, word spread of a world that could not be conquered, that would never yield. Eventually, this tale reached the ear of the darkest being of all.
They called it Eater-of-Stars. It had no true name, for its ravenous jaws had consumed even that. Its armies marched through thousands of worlds, reducing them to dust and bones. Now, it turned its empty gaze towards Yh'mi, and all of Terrenus beyond.
Though driven only by mad hunger, the Eater was no fool. It knew that even itself, vast and invincible, might be endangered by the stalwart defenders who now opposed it. So, instead of charing madly at the walls, it sent its stealthiest lieutenants, who could become part of the night itself.
They crept into Terrenus, past the vast fortress and into the mainland. There, they whispered into the ears of any who would listen. Galan is weak, they said, Galan is dying. He claims to defend your lands, but this is all lies. His fortress hides great wealth, and he spreads lies to defend it! This weak old man holds what is rightfully yours!
Rumors reached the ears of powerful men and women, and soon armies were marching south to Yh'mi, greedily seeking to take Inn-su. Stones were flung against its steadfast walls, toppling towers and cracking the foundations.
Galan's fellows urged him to ride out, and smite these usurpers to dust. But the paladin refused. The lords and ladies who had chosen to attack him were guilty, but in their armies marched innocent men, forced or cheated into this foolish attack. He would not harm them, leaving him no choice but to weather the storm.
On the other side of Yh'mi, Eater-of-Stars was watching, and gave the order. Even as the walls of Inn-su crumbled, a vast horde of skittering horrors surged forth, destroying all that lay before them. Above them towered the Eater, a black, many-legged beast taller than the clouds, drooling rivers of acid venom onto its servants below.
The armies of Terrenus fled in a panicked rush, driven to madness by what they saw. But Galan and his fellows stood strong, and fought on, the last beacon of humanity in a sea of crawling monsters.
Never since have paladins fought so fiercely, so tenaciously as Galan's army did that day. But they had no hope of winning. For every beast they killed, hundreds more flooded forth, and the shadow of the Eater drew ever closer, forcing them to retreat. Their forces dwindled, until a mere fifty warriors remained.
Galan could see how little they had accomplished. Without their fortress, they had failed to even slow the oncoming tide. There was no hope left for them. But perhaps there might be one last chance to save their home.
Raising his hammer, Galan the White roared, and charged forth, straight into the maw of the Eater.
His army followed, and were torn apart by endless waves of claws and teeth. But they cleared the way for their leader, who reached the Eater itself. Putting all his might into one final blow, he slammed his hammer into its pitch-black form.
His weapon shattered, leaving barely a scratch in the towering beast's armor. It looked down upon him, and laughed, before reaching down to crush him beneath a city-sized claw.
But Galan had not given up hope. Even as the world-devourer moved to end him, he slammed his hand into the same spot he had struck before. His fist went through, his hand reaching inside the monster. There, he found its rotten heart, and in his last breath, crushed it between his fingers.
The Eater-of-Stars screamed, so loudly it could be heard on the far side of Terrenus. But the sound did not last for long. The world-devourer collapsed, crumbling into an ocean of dust that suffocated its armies around it, and buried the door to Yh'mi behind it. The cataclysm shook Yh'mi, reducing it to a broken wasteland, until nothing was left but the pale white bones of Galan's hand.
Terrenus was saved by Galan's sacrifice, yet most never learned of this. They forgot about Yh'mi, calling it a fell place, a barren and dangerous land. For even though the threat was gone, a black aura hung about the place, and the remnants of the Eater's army still slithered and crawled among its black rocks.
People stayed away from Yh'mi, believing it lost. But the danger was not gone. The Eater-of-Stars yet lived, a black spirit now bereft of all its power. It would wait, hungering, growing stronger, until it could finally surge forth and consume the world that had hurt it so.
So it would remain, until a new generation of defenders rose up to hold the line once again.
Tale the Third: The Sound of Wings
This final hint at Yh’mi’s true history has been repeatedly found carved into ruins and artifacts discovered in Yh'mi, and translated with some difficulty. Its origin is unknown.
Are these words truth? I cannot say. In Yh'mi, there is no boundary between truth and lies.
Should you heed these words? Yes. You must.
That feeling you are being watched? It is real. She is everywhere, and always has been. Taking in every little detail, so that she may know everything, and make our world anew.
Those tales you hear about this place? They are real. All of them. Reality matters not to her, she picks and chooses the fragments of pasts she wants. Yh'mi is no boundary to her, merely a testing ground.
Yh'mi has no past. It came into existence maybe yesterday, maybe a year ago, maybe five days from now. It was simply stitched into our world, a foreign object added to Valucre, just for the sake of seeing what effect it might have. Even now, it changes, as she meddles with its structure, perfecting her toybox.
This is the only truth of this fell place: there is no truth. The past? But a jumble of false memories, made real by her will. The future? A game she plays with us, learning all the winning moves before she knocks the pieces off the board with a single swing or her arm.
What can we do? Only play along. Play as well as we can, and hope that she is entertained a few moments longer.
Beware the sound of wings.

“Approach. What is it you seek? A challenge? A gift? A favor? Or sport?”
—Keljarsa of the High Lord’s Labyrinth
The Cold Mountains
The Great Mountain Range, colloquially known as the Cold Mountains, possesses the mightiest peaks in all of Genesaris. It is a towering range of sun-baked rock unmatched in scale anywhere else on the continent. At their highest point, the Cold Mountains command a view as far south as the Blade of Caverns, to Kethlerin in the west, with Mageside City, Vdara Kingdom and even the distant isles of Orisia to the north. Reaching from the heart of the Cold South to the very crest of the Arcane East, the Cold Mountains are the largest mountain range in the world. The four highest altitudes of the continent all belong to this range, with its highest peak, Mount Ruzahl, rising well beyond 40,000 feet (12,192.00m) above sea level.
Rising from the earth like a great wall of rock and ice, situated at the easternmost edge of the continent, the Cold Mountains are also known as the End of the World, as no land exists beyond their enormous vanguard spare for a whisper-thin edge of sharp cliffs and stony beaches along the coastline.
As the home of the Great Ones and their fabled labyrinth, the Cold Mountains have always been a place of engaging myths and legends. These range from stories of desperate adventurers braving the mountains’ treacherous paths in search of enlightenment and favor from the three immortals of lore to the marvelous tales of enchanting gods and hellish demons battling for supremacy of the storm-ridden mountain front. Yet, even amongst the plethora of cultural tall-tales, this much holds true: the Cold Mountains stand as the precipice of ascension to some and an icy, isolated burial ground for many others.
 
Mount Eira
Of all the mountains calling the Great Range home, Mount Eira (also known as the ‘Merciful One’) is arguably the most populated and visited by tourists from across the continent. Situated at the southernmost tail of the eastern range, it possesses the lowest altitude of the four grand summits, a bare 29,000 feet (8,830.2m), and also the most accessible of pathways. Such favoritism has made Mount Eira home to a variety of scattered, tribal communities that have established nomadic camps around its base and along the plateaus of its flanks. With the highest of its peaks barely cresting the lowest canopy of clouds, Mount Eira’s ascent provides an honest, challenging affair for seasoned climbers, spiritual adventurers, and warriors alike.
More recently, strange tales have begun to surface from those who have reached the summit of the mountain. Rumors that Eira's Crown (the highest point of Mount Eira's peak) is, in fact, a portal to another dimension. Various climbers of no relation have accounted, with perfect clarity, startlingly similar tales of strange happenings in the mountain sky.
Tiberius Vaile, of the Imir Institute, wrote concerning Mount Eira:
“We reached Eira’s Crown in just three days, much quicker than many of the other expeditions I’d escorted from Bronte. It wasn’t until the night before our departure that I was awoken by a whisper, so very weak and distant, yet undoubtedly clear to my ears. It called to me from the Crown’s highest ridge, and compelled by its unearthly timbre, I followed. As I crested the rise, I beheld a cosmos ablaze. The sky opened itself to me like the maw of a great beast, and with a single breath, swallowed the clouds and stars and night. But in its gullet of starfire of darkness, I glimpsed a realm of giants and titans of copper and steel and silver; beings of light and sound and fury. It was the most beautiful and terrifying thing I have ever seen.”
 

Mount Tyrin
Immediately to the north lies Mount Eira’s harsher brother, Mount Tyrin. Standing a colossal 35,000 feet (11,887.2m), the mountain’s sheer flanks and the treacherous conditions of its high, slanted slopes make it all but impossible to climb. Tyrin’s rocks and crevices are littered with the gnarled, frozen bodies of the countless men and women who have attempted and failed, deemed unworthy by the stalwart mountain. The ascent is a grueling test of even the most accomplished climbers’ very being, a judge of one’s very soul. Some climbers ascend for weeks or months, others for only a day, for the mountain’s temperament is as unpredictable as the ocean it stands alongside. However, those who do manage to conquer the mountain’s ascent find themselves in the company of the tribes, such as the Ephraim and Simeon, or the ancient orders, such as the Fuuma and Hyouma, who have endured the harsh climate and unforgiving slopes of Mount Tyrin for millennia.
Here, they worship neither the immortal beings of lore nor the vast gods of the arcane lands below, but the heavens themselves -- a vast, limitless expanse of glittering star fire, constellations, and racing comets.
 

Mount Ruzahl
Standing head and shoulder above all others challengers, Mount Ruzahl (also known as the ‘Mountain Spirit’ or ‘Great Watcher’) claims the highest point in all of Genesaris. Ruzahl’s peerless massif includes the adjacent peak, Freyer (39,000 ft.), which stands second only to the Great Watcher.
Of the four, the peaks of both Ruzahl and Freyer are physically impossible to gain access to by traditional means as both pose substantial, and often inhuman, challenges during the ascent through their death-zones (In mountaineering, death-zone refers to altitudes above a certain point where oxygen levels are insufficient to sustain human life). These two monoliths are also subject to an interminable cycle of magestorms, the fiercest to ever be documented in the modern day. Still, these treacherous conditions have not stopped countless individuals from trying their hand at the impossible. Ruzahl and Freyer possess the largest scales of magical torque (In sorcery, ‘torque’ refers to a powerful lingering force in nature which alters the flow of magic. A pillar of the arcane forces in Genesaris, the Cold Mountains has unnaturally high levels of innervating torque.), also known as thaumaturgic wells, in all the range, and have become a haven for orders and individuals focusing on the practice of experimental and dangerous magics.
Furthermore, Ruzahl and Freyer both sit atop the sprawling High Lords’ Labyrinth. People of all walks of life-- from the hopeless and desperate seeking faith to the power hungry seeking the ultimate arcane truth --have tested their merit in the shadow of the mountain, hoping to impress the Great Ones and earn their favor.
Some believe that the peak of Ruzahl is home to the Genesarian pantheon, a mighty domain where the gods convene to determine the fates of the mortals inhabiting their lands. Others, skeptical of such novelties, believe there to be nothing more than cold, desolate, storm-battered rock awaiting the poor inhuman soul unfortunate enough to risk their life.

Taqat is a colorful, lightweight quasi-magical crystal found in the underground citadel of Nich'e. It sits at the cornerstone of the city's identity, integrated into everyday life as not only a practical tool but as a form of coinage in the city's chaotic barter economy. In this article, you'll be able to read a transcript of a lecture given by taqat expert Chanda Tamboli, as well as read about the different forms, grades, uses, and hazards of using taqat.

A general lecture on taqat, as performed by magitech specialist Chanda Tamboli to novice researchers at the Mhasalkar Conservatory in Nich’e, transcribed and made available to the public.
Now before I begin, a disclaimer: I’m not gonna get into the nitty gritty. We’ve got a limited amount of time, so I’ve passed around a cheat sheet so you can read up on the details. Most of you have grown up around taqat, but some of you haven’t and I’ve kept this in mind. It’s got the color grades, the different types, ways it’s used, fun facts, so feel to look at it during and after the lecture.
Anyway, if you’ve walked around Nich’e lately, you’ll notice that taqat is everywhere. Street lamps, food stalls, purses, even the gates outside of the Conservatory. Now for the folks who aren’t in the know, taqat is a tough, colorful, lightweight crystal. Comes in all sorts of colors and sits in your pocket most of the time. A lot of people compare them to diamonds, because they use similar cutting tools in processing, but taqat is a tad more useful. It runs the city’s lifts, helps power devices that clean our water, and a lot of people consider it to be indispensable to their daily lives. A few grams of the red kind is enough to run a stove for a month. Barely a handful and it packs a punch.
“But Tamboli-ji, why haven’t surfacers found these crystals before?” you might ask. Well, outside of the Sud’dha Ksetrom, taqat is extremely rare. Anywhere outside of here, taqat can only be found rooted in deeper parts of the lithosphere. It’s real hot down there. Not a lot of people like it when it gets that hot. Harvesting it is a downright pain in the ass when your skin’s melting off, especially if you’re only gonna get a few bits here and there.
You see, unlike most crystalline structures, taqat is plant-like. You stick it in a rock and give it enough heat--like magma level heat--it’ll grow through the rock like roots through soil. The original bit is called a core, and the bits that come out of them are called veins. But it grows real slow, takes a lot of time outside of the Sud’dha Ksetrom, longer than most of us live. Inside the Ksetrom, though--like out in the Ranivana and all the way down in Karthal--it grows fast, and it grows big. But bigger isn’t always better. There are real nasty problems that come with taqat and even more problems when it gets that big.
Taqat is what we call quasi-magical. In layman’s terms, it’s weird. Your average everday magic gets crazy around it and creates what we call a chaos factor or CF. Higher the grade or the bigger it is, higher the CF. That’s why we have a protocol here at the conservatory to use specially treated gear when handling the big pieces, just like the miners who get the raw, unprocessed stuff. That’s also why the Chancellor won’t let anybody shoot magic around the lab like they’re a kid that just discovered pyromancy. It’s a health hazard. Don’t do it.
You’ll also find that most of the stuff we will be working with today and most of the stuff in the city has been pre-processed and treated. That’s because the raw stuff is dangerous to be around, unless you’re andheran, in which case it’s only slightly less dangerous for you. And while I’m on the topic: don’t eat it, drink it, sniff it, snort it, or whatever you guys are into. You’re gonna think it gives you superpowers for about half a second until your skin starts cracking open and your legs fall off. In fact, you’ll notice that the first page of your handout is on taqat poisoning, and it’s the first page for a reason.
Now let’s get right to the good stuff, and heart of what we do here at the Conservatory. Way back when, only special shamans could handle the stuff and draw out its power. What we do now is take taqat and make it work for everybody. This is done with the use of conductors--copper, aluminum, along with some other precious metals and alchemical pastes, can be used to channel the energy inside of taqat and lower the CF. In conjunction with certain glyphs, you can even draw out the true power that each grade and color of taqat has. When you start working with larger and higher grades of taqat--like up to the blue and, if you get real good, the black--the more complex your conductors and glyphs will have to be.
“But hey, Tamboli-ji, can I use taqat itself as a conductor for other taqat?” The answer is no, because you will blow yourself up. Spectacularly. And I will have to hang what’s left of your crystallized, mutated corpse in front of the lab as an example to other researchers. However, what you can do is use lower grades of taqat with the appropriate conductors and glyphs in order to stabilize other, larger and higher grades in more complex machinery. You might have been told that clear grades are worthless, but we actually use them quite frequently to create a neutral field for stabilization. Ah, but we’re running out of time, so let’s continue this lesson where you can see some examples. To the lab!
 
CAUTION!
SHALESKIN / CRACKLING | Long term, unprotected exposure to raw taqat can cause the skin to malform, smoothing the exposed areas, discoloring them, and giving them a texture similar to gemstones. The flesh becomes dry and brittle, forming fissure like cracks that cause it to break and flake off the body very easily. The specific symptoms can vary with different individuals: some have the surface of their skin turn, while others it is their bones or muscle tissue. Generally this requires a great deal of long term, untreated exposure; which is not uncommon with poorly funded mining operations. Further symptoms and long term effects include sudden bleeding around affected areas, stinging pain across the body, short and long term nerve damage, hair loss, tooth loss, and excess fatigue.
CHAMAK | When handling raw taqat, brief skin contact will cause burns, but no lasting damage. However, upon extensive contact without protective gear, the taqat will burn and adhere to skin, allowing the unstable energy transferring through the skin and entering the body. When this occurs, the energy soaks into the blood, causing a condition where the subject’s veins begin to illuminate a neon glow with the color (or colors) of the taqat they were exposed to. At first this causes a brief surge of power that excites the nerves. The energy persists within the blood of the immediate, affected area and spreads  outward--since taqat exposure of this kind is typically by the hands or similar extremities, the range is generally around the forearm and can go as far as the shoulder. This can cause anywhere between one to three sets of symptoms to varying degrees of severity depending upon the strength of the taqat and the duration of exposure:
TYPE I: The affected area becomes extremely rigid, as the veins and consequently muscles swell, bulge, and become extremely stiff. This is the most common effect of the three, and is commonly followed by one of the other two symptom clusters. However, it should not be relied upon as an early indicator, as the other types can occur without Type I symptoms.
TYPE II: The blood ‘fizzles’ from heat, but usually enters the beginning stages of Type III symptoms before the blood evaporates from the veins. The sudden, abrupt loss of blood in the exposed region causes a rapid atrophy, discoloration, fatigue, and a shortness of breath. Without immediate treatment, the affected area is likely to die and be lost permanently. Even with treatment, long term nerve damage, weakening of the muscle tissue, and a persistent weakness of the flesh can remain within the victim.
TYPE III: Blood crystallizes and rapidly expands as it becomes solid. The small crystals tear through the veins, muscle tissue, and sometimes into the bone, causing extreme pain, internal bleeding, and bursting of the vessels from the skin. These vessels release partially crystallized, taqat colored blood. Colorful and smooth patches of skin tend to remain after the immediate, violent external and internal damage to the body. It is advised that you see a specialist healer immediately after being in the vicinity of someone who exhibited Type III Chamak symptoms.
MULLUR SYNDROME | Any form of taqat when ingested can cause Mullur Syndrome. Lesions and Type I Chamak develop within the stomach and esophagus, alongside bile poisoning, intestinal bleeding, headaches and severe nausea. Hallucinations, delusions, and memory loss are also very common with this syndrome, along with displays of heightened aggression. If allowed to progress, Type III Chamak can occur along the back and limbs of the afflicted individual. It wasn’t until 23 AO that the syndrome was thoroughly studied and successfully by Dr. Baldev Mullur, though at the cost of extremely dubious methods that resulted in dozens of deaths. To this day, the only effective treatment is to induce vomiting after ingestion, as Mullur Syndrome is difficult to treat once the disease has progressed.
 
GRADES
HOLLOW | Burnt out taqat with sponge-like holes and an ashen surface, a state that only occurs to taqat separated from its vein. Hollow taqat most benign form of taqat, pretty much useless save for cultivating other taqat, though some alchemists seek out this ingredient for their potions. No one has ever been known to become ill from ingesting hollow taqat, it still helps to be wary. Can be sold to miners, who use this type of taqat as a sort of fertilizer to cultivate existing veins.
Value: F
Terran Equivalent: 0.4 oz Tin
USD Equivalent: $0.10/oz
CLEAR | Considered the lowest grade of taqat, transparent with faint opal-like streaks in the crystal. It carries a small amount of energy that can be used to emit temporary light and has little commercial value. Hollows out far more quickly than other grades, so is often collected by mine owners to cultivate higher grade veins. The presence of clear taqat and its “neutral” energy is often favored by magitech specialists for stabilization of other grades in more complex taqat-based technology.
Value: F
Terran Equivalent: 2 oz Tin
USD Equivalent: $0.25/oz
RED | A common, low grade of taqat that emits a vibrant red glow that resembles embers. Often used in devices related to heat, such as lighters, lamps, stoves, or even sewn into clothes to provide insulation. It’s also frequently worn around the necks of rakshasa children as a good luck charm, a symbol of their ancestral fire as they wait for their magic abilities to manifest.
Value: D
Terran Equivalent: 4 oz Tin
USD Equivalent: $1/oz
YELLOW | A medium grade of taqat that emits a neon yellow glow and faint static. Often used to amplify the conduction electricity, especially alongside metals such as copper. Commonly found in most machines, such as auto bikes, or the electrical lifts found throughout the city. Favored amongst pranksters who enjoy a shocking handshake.
Value: C
Terran Equivalent: 1 oz Silver
USD Equivalent: $10/oz
GREEN | A high grade of taqat that emits a deep green glow. Often used in devices related to organic growth. Common in Mhasalkar Conservatory greenhouse and in building construction sites to stimulate the expansion of the city’s fungal structures. Has also been known for its use in emergency medicine to quickly heal superficial wounds, albeit with more scarring. A single chunk with a healing glyph is often carried by Ksetrom Outpost Rangers for such instances.
Value: B
Terran Equivalent: 1 oz Gold
USD Equivalent: $50/oz
BLUE | A high grade of taqat that emits a blue glow. Those with psychic ability will often notice that this particular grade seems to emit a pulse. Larger, raw chunks have been known to interfere with psychic ability. This grade of taqat is most associated with the creation of currents and directing energy. Heavily trained psychics in Ksetrom tribes often use blue taqat as a focus to commune with spirits.
Value: A
Terran Equivalent: 1 oz Platinum
USD Equivalent: $100/oz
BLACK | An extremely rare and chaotic grade of taqat of a deep black color that emits little to no light. It does not occur naturally and has to be processed from rainbow taqat.  According to chayans, it hums a faint but beautiful song. This grade of taqat is strongly associated with the mysterious network, Obsidian, who trades exclusively with it.
Value: S
Terran Equivalent: 1 oz Rhodium
USD Equivalent: $500/oz
 
FORMS
RAW | Taqat in its natural form is considered the most volatile. It’s common for crackling to occur in the surrounding wildlife where taqat is found, accompanied by increased static and an ozone-like smell. Raw taqat has to be handled carefully by individuals trained in the mystic art or by those who possess the appropriate protective gear and tools. People who handle raw taqat say that it often seems to carry a pulse like a living thing, but that it often fades soon after the vein is mined.
PROCESSED | Raw taqat that is processed and cut by taqat mining facilities and the most common type found within the city of Nich’e. These crystals are safe to handle regularly for extended periods without protective gear, but are still unsafe to ingest. However, the chemicals used to tame taqat also reduces its power. As such, experienced researchers who specialize in taqat’s use often prefer using its raw form in advanced studies.
MOTTLED | Mottled taqat is the form naturally found occurring in nature, with veins that are a mix of the various color grades. Often large cuts of mottled taqat are appraised by specialists for its value before being divided up into smaller, but “pure” chunks. Because it’s difficult for your average person to delineate the true value of a piece of mottled taqat, they are not often accepted in markets.
PURE | Pure taqat is a term used to describe single color crystals after processing and distribution. This is the most common form of taqat accepted as currency in Nich’ean markets. It’s near impossible for single colored veins to occur naturally in the Ksetrom, as it’s near impossible to determine which colors each vein will produce over time. Many have tried to cultivate pure veins through synthetic means, though without much success.
RAINBOW | A very rare form of mottled taqat in which the vein colors are blended together into a resemblance of black opals. When processed it dulls and takes on the opaque appearance of obsidian, earning it the name “black taqat.” Rainbow taqat is said to sing and even entrance miners or other such unfortunate individuals into a hypnotic state, but who believes those old wives’ tales?
PEARL | An opaque, pearlescent type of taqat which grows almost exclusively on the premises of the Mandira in the Sud’dha Ksetrom. It is the only type of taqat that’s known to be benign in its raw form, and has the unique ability to absorb energy from other forms of taqat. This makes it indispensable in the treatment of taqat poisoning. However, it’s also unusually fragile and immediately hollows after its use. One gram of pearl taqat can absorb approximately the equivalent of one gram of green taqat’s energy. Pearl taqat is often distributed freely to those in need of healing by monks to those who visit the Mandira, but some shards inevitably make their way to Kal’bajar for astronomically high prices.
 
USE
MAGIC & TECHNOLOGY
Taqat can be a double-edged sword in the face of magic. It’s been known to amplify existing magical ability, as well as in some cases imbue those originally mundane with magic--albeit with hefty side effects. At the same time, taqat can prove to be an unpredictable form of interference, distorting or even dampening the magic of those not trained to cast in its presence. However, as stated in Tamboli-ji’s lecture, taqat’s power can be channeled through the use of the appropriate rune conductors and applied to existing technologies in a process called taqat augmentation.
COMMERCE
The most common use of taqat in Nich’e is as a form of coinage. Nich’e runs on a chaotic barter system, but taqat has the most stable value amongst most Nich’eans. As higher grades can prove to be dangerous to be stored in large quantities, special banks belonging to various mercantile guilds have emerged in recent years dedicated to this particular task. These banks often work with mining companies and taqat specialists to ensure that taqat is stored safely and securely. Under the careful watch of mercantile guilds like Mayaram and Shamshir, taqat weaves throughout Nich’ean markets with relative ease.
CULTURE
Taqat is not only a centerpiece of Nich’ean magic and its economy, but permeates its day to day rituals. For the magically inclined, taqat laced belongings are not only a practical accessory but a sign of status and power. However, color grades themselves also have their own unique symbolism. Red taqat is present at coming of age ceremonies for rakshasa, symbolizing the eternal fire of their ancestors. Blue taqat finds a home at the altar in funerals, its psychic energy synonymous with connection to lost loved ones whose bodies have turned to ash in cremation. Green is given with wishes of fertile home and sought for connection to the wilderness, yellow taqat jewelry worn to energize the self and ward off melancholy. A bit of clear taqat is brought on journeys to attract good favor, luck from faeries, and ward evil eye. Black taqat is seen as a double edged sword--a sign of fortune, but also an omen of downfall.
Though it’s not to say these are prescriptions for how taqat is to be used, but do keep it in mind as you navigate the city, not as a researcher but as one moving part amongst many.
 
HISTORY
The first thoroughly recorded use of taqat in Nich’e only appears in written accounts a few decades after what religious scholars believe was the creation of the Sud’dha Ksetrom. Its presence is seen as one of its many gifts, changing the way Nich’eans developed their magi-technologies. The taqat boom invigorated the settlement’s economy--paired with the presence of a stable food source as well as sea access, the once hodgepodge refugee settlement bloomed into a trading post and even managed to recover from a war that devastated the rest of the Terran Depths.
Originally, it was only trained mages and shamans who used and handled taqat regularly, especially those with powerful psychic ability. However, with the discovery of conductors, glyphs, and refinement of the taqat augmentation process, taqat became accessible to even the most unmagical layman. The creation of protective gear enabled the development of complex mining operations, and with its mass proliferation came the growth of mercantile guilds and their respective banks. And now, with new contact with the outside world, taqat is garnering interest from researchers and businessmen alike.
Though most assume that taqat can only be found in Ksetrom, there has been evidence of very minute amounts of taqat scattered down deep within the Terran Depths. One must wonder if its presence lingers in other lands across the seas.
 
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Special thanks to @Ceron @supernal @King and my offworld friend Eric T. for helping me craft this article by providing ideas, feedback, and much needed moral support.

What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
It would be like sleep without dreams.
- Werner Herzog
 
The South Sea
At 325.20 million square kilometers in area, the South Sea is the largest division of Valucre’s world ocean. Its reach easily spans over forty-six percent of the planet’s water surface and nearly one-third of the total surface area, making it larger than all of the world's land area combined, and touches more continents than any other ocean on the planet. It is the home of the two primary masses: Iselyr and Tellus Mater, which reside in the southwest and southeast of the of its boundaries, respectively.
Hugging the southern edges of Terrenus, the South Sea shallows into what is known as the Barnstable Coast. A mass of islets and barrier islands, numbering in the hundreds, pepper this dangerous, rocky shoreline all the way from east to west. These islands have become a sanctuary for pirates, desperate to escape the reach of the law. Furthermore, all of Terrenus's major rivers, such as those snaking from the bellies of Ponkapoag Lake and Coconino Marsh, empty themselves into this ocean.
However, the South Sea is most famous and studied for: the E’lvroe Abyss and Yuuja. Marine biologists with the necessary funds and equipment to best both the ocean and its volatile creatures also whisper of a highly advanced submarine culture dwelling in the murky depths, though there has been little evidence to support this claim. All official documentation has been kept under lock and key in the vaults of Ignatz, with very little offered to the general public.
Pirates, Sky and Sea
With the introduction of the Monroe Engine, the once sea-bound sailors, who were forced to wager their lives against terrible storms and hurricanes, and the ever-ravenous Yuuja, found reprieve in the skies. Powerful, wealthy merchants were able to lift both their ships and cargo into the clouds, and cross the treacherous oceans free of worry. However, such a wonderful thing did not remain so. Through black markets and sheer force, treasure-obsessed pirates and other thieving criminals managed to get their hands on this groundbreaking technology.
While many pirates lack the funds or skill to either purchase or steal such a device, there are those who have managed to acquire their own. Not only has this broadened their scope of possible victims, but likewise increase their chances of escape (as many standard policing ships still lack Monroe Cores).
The Yuuja
The Yuuja are enormous, hybrid-like creatures, and one of the most infamous deviants of the South Sea (known for devastating entire clusters of ships at a time). Incredibly hostile and notably vicious, these creatures use their massive bodies, tentacles and scythe-like arms to shred apart their victims; they track through a combination of uncanny sound and scent, as their eyes are generally covered by an adjustable plate of thick, hardened scales during feeding (to prevent injury). Carnivorous by nature, they feed on anything smaller than themselves, with a particular taste for whale. At nearly forty meters in length, and weighing in at over three hundred tons, their naturally heavy-armored body makes these monsters difficult to kill for even the most armed and capable of Terrenus ships. It is believed that the Yuuja use the E'lvroe Abyss as their mating grounds.
Commander Athena Prothero wrote concerning the Yuuja:
Growing up as the daughter of a sailor in Casper, I heard stories of these things. But, I never believed the tales until my tenth year as an Admiral in the Terran Fleet. We ran across it, dead and broken along the Barnstable Coast, as we neared the port of Last Chance. Even with half of its corpse missing-- most likely torn away by one of its own savage kin --the damned thing was nearly half the length of our ship. The sole remaining scythe upon its underbelly could have sheared our vessel clean in twain, and with but one of its mangled tentacles could the creature have easily devoured my entire crew of two hundred men and women.
City of Tethys
Comfortably nuzzled along the ocean floor of the South Sea, the glory that is the City of Tethys is said to have evolved out of a growing conurbation of neighboring submarine cultures. Early records indicated the mega-city to be just under 6,300 kilometers (3,914.639 miles) long and 2,340 kilometers wide (1454.009 miles), and commanding a population numbering in the hundreds of thousands according to the most recent census data, which is several years old; how much of this has changed is unknown. They also suggested that, at least on a very general level, the majority of Tethys sustained itself via an intricately developed magical system that both reinforced the elaborate, ornate structures throughout the city. Later findings also proposed that this same magical system served as one of the city's primary energy sources, with the other most likely being natural volcanic activity occurring along the sea floor. Initial reports suggested a strong presence of advanced technology as well, though it's believed such a thing was simply used for transportation throughout the city.
Home to a plethora of aquatic lifeforms, ranging from merfolk to the more humanoid Syfae, Tethys is a cultural melting pot. Surprisingly, despite being a relatively new city, Tethys boasts an unnatural level of cohesion between its varying people. While not necessarily a utopia, as the city still suffers crime and injustice no different than any other, its considerably short history is devoid of any notable civil wars or periods of unrest. In spite of this, Tethys still faces a seemingly growing wall of challenges as the years progress.
With its northern tip located so closely to the E'lvroe Abyss (only fifty kilometers away), that region of the city is often subject of costly Yuuja attacks and has since been ruled as uninhabitable. This fluctuates with the seasons, with an average of twelve attacks per month when the beasts are in mating. Defensive resources have been pooled into the area to alleviate some of the pressure, but even then there is only so much they can do. The northern regions seem to be stuck in a perpetual cycle of reconstruction, which means other areas-- some of which are in desperate need of renovation --must be neglected indefinitely. Likewise, with the bulk of their military forces (which also serves as their police) being stationed at the northern borders, the crime rate in the central and southern divisions has raised dramatically.

What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
It would be like sleep without dreams.
- Werner Herzog
 
The South Sea
At 325.20 million square kilometers in area, the South Sea is the largest division of Valucre’s world ocean. Its reach easily spans over forty-six percent of the planet’s water surface and nearly one-third of the total surface area, making it larger than all of the world's land area combined, and touches more continents than any other ocean on the planet. It is the home of the two primary masses: Iselyr and Tellus Mater, which reside in the southwest and southeast of the of its boundaries, respectively.
Hugging the southern edges of Terrenus, the South Sea shallows into what is known as the Barnstable Coast. A mass of islets and barrier islands, numbering in the hundreds, pepper this dangerous, rocky shoreline all the way from east to west. These islands have become a sanctuary for pirates, desperate to escape the reach of the law. Furthermore, all of Terrenus's major rivers, such as those snaking from the bellies of Ponkapoag Lake and Coconino Marsh, empty themselves into this ocean.
However, the South Sea is most famous and studied for: the E’lvroe Abyss and Yuuja. Marine biologists with the necessary funds and equipment to best both the ocean and its volatile creatures also whisper of a highly advanced submarine culture dwelling in the murky depths, though there has been little evidence to support this claim. All official documentation has been kept under lock and key in the vaults of Ignatz, with very little offered to the general public.
Pirates, Sky and Sea
With the introduction of the Monroe Engine, the once sea-bound sailors, who were forced to wager their lives against terrible storms and hurricanes, and the ever-ravenous Yuuja, found reprieve in the skies. Powerful, wealthy merchants were able to lift both their ships and cargo into the clouds, and cross the treacherous oceans free of worry. However, such a wonderful thing did not remain so. Through black markets and sheer force, treasure-obsessed pirates and other thieving criminals managed to get their hands on this groundbreaking technology.
While many pirates lack the funds or skill to either purchase or steal such a device, there are those who have managed to acquire their own. Not only has this broadened their scope of possible victims, but likewise increase their chances of escape (as many standard policing ships still lack Monroe Cores).
The Yuuja
The Yuuja are enormous, hybrid-like creatures, and one of the most infamous deviants of the South Sea (known for devastating entire clusters of ships at a time). Incredibly hostile and notably vicious, these creatures use their massive bodies, tentacles and scythe-like arms to shred apart their victims; they track through a combination of uncanny sound and scent, as their eyes are generally covered by an adjustable plate of thick, hardened scales during feeding (to prevent injury). Carnivorous by nature, they feed on anything smaller than themselves, with a particular taste for whale. At nearly forty meters in length, and weighing in at over three hundred tons, their naturally heavy-armored body makes these monsters difficult to kill for even the most armed and capable of Terrenus ships. It is believed that the Yuuja use the E'lvroe Abyss as their mating grounds.
Commander Athena Prothero wrote concerning the Yuuja:
Growing up as the daughter of a sailor in Casper, I heard stories of these things. But, I never believed the tales until my tenth year as an Admiral in the Terran Fleet. We ran across it, dead and broken along the Barnstable Coast, as we neared the port of Last Chance. Even with half of its corpse missing-- most likely torn away by one of its own savage kin --the damned thing was nearly half the length of our ship. The sole remaining scythe upon its underbelly could have sheared our vessel clean in twain, and with but one of its mangled tentacles could the creature have easily devoured my entire crew of two hundred men and women.
City of Tethys
Comfortably nuzzled along the ocean floor of the South Sea, the glory that is the City of Tethys is said to have evolved out of a growing conurbation of neighboring submarine cultures. Early records indicated the mega-city to be just under 6,300 kilometers (3,914.639 miles) long and 2,340 kilometers wide (1454.009 miles), and commanding a population numbering in the hundreds of thousands according to the most recent census data, which is several years old; how much of this has changed is unknown. They also suggested that, at least on a very general level, the majority of Tethys sustained itself via an intricately developed magical system that both reinforced the elaborate, ornate structures throughout the city. Later findings also proposed that this same magical system served as one of the city's primary energy sources, with the other most likely being natural volcanic activity occurring along the sea floor. Initial reports suggested a strong presence of advanced technology as well, though it's believed such a thing was simply used for transportation throughout the city.
Home to a plethora of aquatic lifeforms, ranging from merfolk to the more humanoid Syfae, Tethys is a cultural melting pot. Surprisingly, despite being a relatively new city, Tethys boasts an unnatural level of cohesion between its varying people. While not necessarily a utopia, as the city still suffers crime and injustice no different than any other, its considerably short history is devoid of any notable civil wars or periods of unrest. In spite of this, Tethys still faces a seemingly growing wall of challenges as the years progress.
With its northern tip located so closely to the E'lvroe Abyss (only fifty kilometers away), that region of the city is often subject of costly Yuuja attacks and has since been ruled as uninhabitable. This fluctuates with the seasons, with an average of twelve attacks per month when the beasts are in mating. Defensive resources have been pooled into the area to alleviate some of the pressure, but even then there is only so much they can do. The northern regions seem to be stuck in a perpetual cycle of reconstruction, which means other areas-- some of which are in desperate need of renovation --must be neglected indefinitely. Likewise, with the bulk of their military forces (which also serves as their police) being stationed at the northern borders, the crime rate in the central and southern divisions has raised dramatically.

Regent: Sauriel, Immortal Emperor of the Arcane East.
Contact: King
Vicar: Annalise Bronte.
Umbra, the Red City, is the religious capital of the Arcane East under the current rule of the Orisian Empire. It is also the birthplace and religious mecca of the Sitraic Faith (also known as the Imperial Faith), located deep in a valley at the foot of the Cold Mountains, south of the Great Barrier.
Umbra currently has a population of approximately 5,450,000.
 
GEOGRAPHY
Topography
The City of Umbra sits at the mouth of the largest valley found along the length of the Cold Mountains, surrounded by steep mountainous flanks and large bodies of fresh water. Large plots of farmland hedge the roads leading to and from the city, north and south; though, they grow smaller and more neighborly -- to the point of being modest-sized towns or villages -- the closer one is to the Red City.
The vast majority of the city’s fresh water comes from the Umbral Valley, located behind the Red City, home to two of the four nearby lakes. A network of natural tributaries from the Cold Mountains feed into these lakes, while an intricate, man-made irrigation system guides the fresh water into the Red City and its surrounding dependents.
The Bloodmage Mountains, colloquially known as the Great Barrier, the Abyssal Enclave, and the Enleva Barony are all established north of the Red City, well within questing distance but comfortably out of sight.
To the west and south, the great plains of the Arcane East, colloquially referred to as the Jade Sea, stretches on deep into the horizon, defining and shaping a vast portion of the Empire’s domain. This vibrant sheet of emerald is broken only by the occasional upturned stone or outcropping, the explosion of a dense thicket, or the lazy smokestack of a faraway village or tribal settlement.
 
Cityscape
The City of Umbra—home of Lana'thel, the palatial temple—is a swell of curves and high walls and enormous, tapered spires. Most of the buildings are built from white stone, though various colors have become common with the importation of taqat to reinforce the structures’ stability.
Like the mountain chain at its side, the City of Umbra is built upward, with many of the structures being packed close together. This often gives the illusion of them being somewhat squat, despite most buildings being three stories tall. Many homes and businesses are built onto the imposing walls of the city separating its three great districts, draped like fine jewelry. These home and shops are connected to the rest of the city through various portals and gateways.
Lana’thel palace, the First Temple and largest structure in all the Red City, is located at the peak of this mountainous city. Birthplace of the Imperial Faith, it is the holiest and most sacred of locations, and likewise the only temple to Sauriel’s name in all of Umbra. Lana’thel dominates the entirety of the uppermost district, with all other structures of the area either built into it or under its imposing arches.
In spite of its archaic appearance, beautiful though it may be, the Red City is the result of progressive civil engineering. That the majority homes support features such as central heat, insulation, and indoor plumbing is credited to the work of the city’s people rather than magi-tech or magic. However, this is not to say that the latter has not accentuated the residents’ manner of living, assisting in things such as transportation, communication, and entertainment.
 
Climate
Situated between the rolling plains of the Eastern Lands and a valley at the foot of the Cold Mountains, Umbra has been known to experience a variety of climates. These range from the bitter and extreme -- namely during the winter, when terrible winds and magestorms from the Cold Mountains roll down the slopes and over the city -- to the comfortable and pleasant.
More recently, the weather -- even in the heart of winter -- has been decidedly pleasant. Many credit this to the Blood God’s presence, blessing the seat of his power. However, this “blessing” does not shield them in full from their surroundings. In the winter, it snows; in the spring, it rains; in the summer it swelters, and in the fall, it withers and cools.
 
Flora and Fauna
As a city of Genesaris, common flora and fauna can be found in abundance around the city and its territories. These listed below are merely a few that are exclusive to the Red City and its immediate demesne.
Celeste (Flower): A small, star-shaped yellow flower that grows in great abundance both in and out of the Red City. They are best known for their silky petals, which dance and sway even when there is no breeze to guide them.
Emberstone Roses (Flower): These strange, unique flowers can be found growing along the city’s outermost wall. Their name is derived from their-stone like petals, which appear to ignite like smoldering embers while in bloom. Surprisingly, these flames and embers do not produce heat, and are cool to the touch.
Storm Sprites (Elemental): Otherwise known as “storm spirits,” these small, floating elementals have the appearance of a thundering storm cloud. These harmless sprites tend to gather in valleys along the Cold Mountains’ flanks, subject to frequent rains, feeding off the latent energies. Storm sprites are rather social creatures, drawn to the bioelectric framework of living creatures, and have been known to follow large groups traveling to and from the Red City.
Umbral Bass (Fish): Colloquially known as the “colossal bass,” these enormous fish inhabit the posterior lakes of the Red City, and frequent the frigid rivers coursing up and down the Cold Mountains. Known for their larger than life size, the umbral bass is known to reach weights over one hundred pounds (when fully matured). After several cases of accidental deaths, wherein men and women have been pulled into the water by the fish, and then dragged to the depths as they tangled in their line, individuals have taken to a buddy-system when fishing for these particular behemoths.
Ahamkara (Animal): These pale, heavily-scaled, leech-like worms are bred and cultivated exclusively within the Red City. Used in the Ritual of Purification, it is said that they drain the “bad blood” from their Sanguinist host, in preparation for the three week period where the believer absolves -- in the name of Sauriel -- themselves through prayer, penance, the repentance of sins, atonement, and self-denial. When the ritual is complete, they are detached from the host and crushed in the palm; the mingled blood forms a “mark” when placed upon living flesh, which does not dissipate for thirty days.
 
DEMOGRAPHICS
Culture
The City of Umbra is a haven for beings who seek unity, spiritual evolution and enlightenment. This evolution, or enlightenment, generally takes shape in conforming to the Sitraic Faith (the only religion legally practiced within the borders of the Red City). While populated predominantly by humans and vampires, lycans, elves, and beings of other unique origins have also come to call the city home. Whatever their race, descent, or social status, the people of Umbra exist as a people driven by their common cause to strengthen their city, the Empire, and disseminate the benevolence and righteousness of their dark god, for the betterment of all beings, throughout Genesaris.
Alternatively, life in Umbra is not one of the placid utopian dreams. As it is written among the Faith's Sanguinar’s holy tomes, “only the strong survive the darkest nights”; the citizenry of the Red City stand firmly behind the principle that the weak are food for the strong, and misfortune brought on by any manner of weakness is just deserved. They believe that true strength can never be given, but instead, it must be taken -- earned through blood and sweat, yours of your enemy's. However, remaining true to Sitraic beliefs, they also believe you are only as strong as your weakest neighbor. This circular manner of thinking has led to the establishment of an incredibly close-knit community, even amongst varying social echelons.
And since they pride themselves as the moral vanguard of the Empire, the people of Umbra adopt seemingly draconian measures to ensure their moral code remains untarnished. Crime of any form is harshly punished; there are no misdemeanors within the Red City. This seeming cruelty is countered by a thorough justice system, one that incorporates fair and just consideration of all the circumstances involved.
 
Economy
As the religious heart of the Orisian Empire, and one-third founder of the SUN Trading Company, the City of Umbra has established itself as one of the wealthiest cities in all of Genesaris. It swells from the just imperial taxes imposed on kingdoms and domains within its borders, though survives quite well with its own exports, which vary from crops, meats, magi-tech, and luxurious goods. And while it deals in all manner of currency, though exchange rates differ, the preferred coinage is the imperial alhm: a gold-minted coin, slightly larger than a quarter, stamped with the imperial sigil on one side (heads), and a three-eyed hawk on the other (tails).
 
Major Companies and Institutions
Imir, the Institute of War: The famed “Battle School of Umbra,” named after the late prince Imir of Tevka. Men and women travel from near and far for the chance to learn from some of the most revered warriors Genesaris has ever known.
Bronte, Academy of the Arcane: The Institute of War’s sister institution, named after the late king Pharaoh Bronte IV of Tevka. Arguably the most prestigious school of the occult in all of Genesaris, Bronte is said to stand alone at the frontier of magical study and comprehension.
S.U.N Trading Company Headquarters: A massive corporate building serving as an abroad headquarters for the SUN trading company.
The Intermediary: The largest, most lavish tavern and inn in all of Umbra. It is a must-see for any adventurer, quester, hunter, or mercenary looking for honest (or not so honest) work.
 
PARKS AND RECREATION
Landmarks and Monuments
The Kings of Old Arena: A large, bulbous arena located on the southern border between Nomisma and Uldritch. Fully equipped, with magically reinforced rooms and a slew of both real and practice weaponry, it is a place where individuals can come to practice their skills both physical and supernatural.
The Ivory Square Garden: The largest inner-city garden in all of Umbra, this beautiful stretch of vibrant emerald grass is teeming with enormous clusters of flowers: roses, lilies, lilacs, lotus, and everything in between. The park also houses a large playground, which unfurls along its backside the full length of the Ivory Square Market.
Lana’thel, the First Temple: The palatial fortress of the Immortal Emperor, Lana’thel derives its name as the birthplace of the Imperial Faith. The Red City has since then become a place of great pilgrimage for all the religiously devout, as a Faithful's greatest honor is to behold the origin of their faith and mighty deity. Lana’thel is the largest structure in all of Umbra, a mountain of walls and spires and towers of white stone reaching deep into the sky above, and bathing the city below in its shadow.
 
GOVERNMENT
Local Government
The Umbral Vanguard and Justicar Courts: These are the courts of the Vanguards and Justicars of Umbra, police forces tasked with protecting, monitoring and patrolling Nomisma and, to a lesser extent, Uldritch. These buildings, serving as both court and prison, are used to settle common disputes among the people: property damage, breach of contract, disorderly behavior and the like. Offenses of higher caliber -- assault, murder, forced feeding -- are handled by the Inquisition.
 
Imperial Government
Inquisition High Command: One of several enormous, reinforced monoliths built into the flanks of Lana’thel, the Inquisition High Command holds barracks, training grounds, armories, torture chambers, prisons, and personal forges of the Imperial Guard. The notable feature of this facility is the massive rose window at the front, though the glass is dark from the outside.
 
Military
The Hand of the Emperor (Imperial Legion): The military forces of Umbra, known as the Hand of the Emperor, or the Hand, make up one of the smallest percentages of the Imperial Legion (the combined forces of all the Carmine Empire and its domains). The Hand is responsible for handling all matters of the Red City, namely defending the holy mecca and its surrounding areas should they ever fall under attack. Because of this, their various divisions -- such as the Knights of the Fang, or Knights of the Firstborn -- are often considered the Legion's elite forces.
— 1 Vicar.
— 2 Zodiac Knights
— 25 High Inquisitors.
— 500 Inquisitors.
— 50,000 Police Force Personnel (Vanguards and Justicars).
— 190,000 Imperial Military Forces (knight-templars, battlemages, dragoons, etc.).
 
EDUCATION
Under the Immortal Emperor’s rule, education throughout all of Umbra – and to a greater extent, the Empire itself – has flourished to an all-time high. The Red City hosts two of the most prestigious postgraduate institutions in all Genesaris: Imir, the Institute of War (teaching swordsmanship, archery, equipment maintenance, battle arcanum, field medic training, and tactical command operations) and Bronte, Academy of the Arcane (teaching alchemy, bioscience, craftsmanship, healing/curative skills, arcane theory and comprehension, and practical applications of the arcane).
 
TRANSPORTATION
Roads, Walkways, and Bridges: Given the vertical establishment of the city, the primary method of travel consists of an intricate system built on cobblestone roads, stone walkways, and both narrow and wide bridges. This web of travel connects the various walls, sectors, and cloisters of the Red City. Cabbies: Whether they are horse-drawn, magic-fueled, or some engineering miracle of the occult and technology (magi-tech), cabs -- or carriages -- are the leading method of transportation throughout the city. Short-Portals: Called “short” due to the very small amount of distance they allow one to travel, these short-distance portals can teleport an individual from one area to another within the same district. They are most commonly employed to assist those living on the city walls enter and leave the city proper. Riverways (Uldritch): Available only to those living in the lowest district of the city, the slums, the riverways are likewise coterminous with the labyrinthine sewer system shouldering the weight of the city. There is nothing romantic, or captive, about these passages. They are, however, incredibly useful.  
NOTABLE RESIDENTS
Rafael Bartolome: Sauriel, God of Blood and Lord of Veins; the Immortal Emperor of the Carmine Empire, he serves as the ultimate authority of Umbra and all its territories.
Irene Gabriela DuGrace: The Black Queen of Orisia, Lady Mother of the Sitraic Faith, fiance of the emperor, she is to become the first empress to ever rule alongside him.
Rou Ji: A controversial figure since her arrival in the Dominion, the former thief and con-woman has still managed to climb the social and political ladder to unprecedented heights, though some question the morality of her methods. As An'She, she is one of the most powerful and wealthy women in the empire, with a direct link to the emperor, himself.
Gabriel Cantor: Nephew of Rafael by way of the youngest of his late sisters, Gabriel is a living remnant of the once proud House Bartolome. He serves as the emperor's most trusted confidant and dangerous agent.
Zenahriel Zacharias Darkness: Mate of the Blood God and High Lord to the rest of Genesaris, Zenahriel serves as the Emperor’s second-in-command and chief advisor. He is revered even higher than the High Priest, and worshiped as fearsomely as Sauriel.
Athyon Yor: Lord Imperator of the Carmine-Orisian Empire, Athyon serves as the head of state in the absence of the emperor. Rafael has instilled a great deal of power and agency in this enigma of a man, who seems single-minded in his ambition to see a unified Genesaris under the Carmine banner.
Kirena Yor: Wife of Athyon, the Lady Imperator was once the most trusted agent in Queen Raveena's court. Since her union with Athyon, the former courtesan has devoted every ounce of her skills and resources to the realization of her husband's dreams and the founding of their family.
Cecil Anselme Bartolome: Father of the Imperial Faith, and god-appointed High Priest (known cruelly as the High Inquisitor), Cecil is both maddening whisper and roaring thunder to the Faith’s vast congregation. Through his obsessive efforts and unrelenting zeal, the roots of the Great Tree span far and wide across the continent.
Lady Annalise Bronte: Niece of the late Pharaoh Bronte IV, Lady Annalise now serves as the High Vicar, protector of the Red City, and head of all the Church’s “militant” operations. Second only to the Chantress in religious matters, and the Great One in political affairs, she is arguably the most powerful woman in all the Empire.
 
HISTORY
Canon
In the grim future, there is only war: Seeing the recent exchange of power as an opportunity to rise up from the squalor of the slums, a small band of the poor and discontent storm the streets of Nomisma, inciting fear and terror through violence. The rebellion is quickly brought to an end, with all participants publicly executed.
Blood Pact: Hosting a meeting between the Shawnee chieftain, Nogusta ‘Blaidd’ Diotrephes, accompanied by his daughter, Nara, a tenuous treaty is established between the Terrenus barony and Genesaris city-state.
Ascension: Seeking to obtain the power of gods, Rafael beseeches his closest companion, the High Lord, Zenahriel, to bestow unto him the might of his kind. It is a dangerous transformation, one the vampyre narrowly survives -- yet he awakens as the first ever Genesarian Blood God.
A Celebration in Red: The Feeding: The Blood God hosts an extravagant masquerade ball, known as the Feeding, in celebration of traditions from his past life. Among the guests are various night-born nobles, ancient eldritch horrors, and lovely mortals stumbling into a new life.
Bedridden: After invoking his true strength for the first time since his ascension, to wake Zenahriel from his Great Sleep, the Blood God’s vessel is terribly damaged. He is forced to his bed for several weeks, feeding off the people of Umbra. The Blood God’s feeding-maiden, Elisha, is tasked with discovering plots against the king.
The Price of Existence: In the aftermath of their catastrophic battle with the Desolation God in the Abyssal Enclave, Zenahriel is gravely wounded. Rafael, stricken with grief, is unable to bring himself to leave the High Lord's side. He tends to him day and night, hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
Unrepentant Vows Spoken: By decree of the Sitraic Faith, the Immortal Emperor Rafael Bartolome and bride-to-be, Irene Gabriela DuGrace, Black Queen of Orisia, partake in the engagement ceremony known as the Tethering.
Moonlight Sonata: Following their official engagement, tension remains at an all-time high between the two cousins. Hoping to alleviate some of the pressure, Rafael tries to reason with his cousin. Negotiations break down, and cruel words and harsh truths are thrown instead.
Runaway Bride: Unable to endure the custody of her cousin any longer, Gabriela and her close confidant, the wild fae Eluvie, attempt a daring escape. However, their efforts prove futile and they are both punished severely for their transgressions.
The Loss of Faith: With her spirit all but crushed beneath the heel of her cousin, Gabriela sinks into a deep depression. She is visited by a loyal ally, one she hopes will prove brave enough to deliver her child away from the cruel fate awaiting him at the hands of her angered cousin.
Retinue: Hoping to increase his arsenal of living weapons, Athyon Yor, Lord Imperator of the Carmine Empire, schedules a meeting with the daughter of the late Terran warlord, Nogusta. Eager to put her skills to the test, Nara finds his offer rather appealing.
A Contract of Kings: In yet another move to secure a stable of powerful allies for the Empire, the Lord Imperator once again schedules a meeting member of the Breakers. The two come to terms relatively quickly, and a deal is struck.
Ace of Diamonds, Ace of Spades: Wanting to express his gratitude to close friend, Raveena of Hyperion, the Lord Imperator meets with two of her closest confidants to deliver a gift. The meeting goes awry, however, when Athyon and one of Raveena's envoys, Kirena, become rather enamored with each other. Their sordid rendezvous is underscored by news of the assassination attempt on Raveena and Gabriela.
The Mountaintop: News of a valiant knight, Reinhard Paendrag, and his efforts to protect innocent villagers from the horrors of the Whispernight reaches the Red City. Seeing a splendid opportunity, the Lord Imperator schedules a meeting and inducts the knight into the fold of Carmine's hierarchy.
Into the Rose Garden: Seeking to solidify their hastily-formed relationship, Kirena decides to move to the Red City permanently. She is greeted by the emperor, himself. The two share a brief conversation regarding her future in the Empire, which by all accounts appears bright.
Of Gods and Men: The Kadian Emperor pays the Red City an unexpected visit and finds himself greeted by Rafael and his mate, Zenahriel. A wide range of topics are discussed, the most prominent of which is the future of Genesaris and its place on the international stage.
Past
 

Black Ridge
Bisected from the remainder of the Black Range Mountain Chain by the Great Pine Barrens, the Black Ridge mountain cluster winds south where its rugged slopes feed into the south-eastern Barnstable Coast and South Sea. While lacking the glorious feats of elevation found elsewhere in the world, such as within Blaurg Mountain and its sister chain, the Black Range, Black Ridge still possesses an impressive view of Palgard to the west, the entirety of the Barrens’ separating blanket to the north, and Herbie’s bed to the east at its highest point.
Black Range’s highest peaks are defined by Ormond (also known as ‘Spear Mountain’, or ‘Protective Bear’) and Chermona (also known as ‘Sacred One’). Located at the north of the band, at the outer most edge of the Barrens, Ormond boasts an impressive height of 31,000 feet (9889.8 meters) above sea level. His sister, Chermona, rests comfortably at the center of the range, several kilometers from her sibling, with a height of 37,000 feet (11277.6 meters).
Mount Ormond
Situated at the most northern point of the range's expanse, Mount Ormond poses an intimidating challenge for any who seek to breach Black Ridge’s boundaries by way of the Barrens. With unnaturally difficult slopes, drastic changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature, and one of the highest points in the entire cloister, many have come to plan their travels avoiding Mount Ormond, in spite of adding nearly three days’ worth of time to their journey.
Even so, Ormond is deceptively beautiful. As a gateway into the Barrens, the precipitous behemoth serves as a focus for the swell of mystic and natural energies coagulating at its basin and seeping into the earth. These energies strengthen as they funnel up the mountain, only to be released into the sky as a series of vibrant, magical aurorae throughout the day.
It is said that Ormond is also home to a steadily growing clan of elemental-worshiping trolls, known by locals of the Barrens as the I’ntua.
Mount Chermona
Mount Chermona stands tall and proud at the heart of Black Ridge, stabbing into the ocean of bubbling, stormy clouds above like an dagger of rock and soil. As turbulent storms – brewed by her brother’s aurorae – sweep south over the remainder of the range, they catch upon Chermona’s slopes and then climb to linger above her peaks. She, like the rest of the stout earthen array, is forever plagued by dark skies, savage winds, and snow and hale. These storms gather strength at Urae’s Rest, sometimes becoming preternatural super-storms, and at their pinnacle, may cast their shadow as far west as Moonwood, and as far east as the cities of Ashville and Last Chance.
This perpetual sequence of storms secludes Black Ridge to utter darkness, wherein the name for the mountain chain is derived. And it is this terrible weather than has made Chermona the breeding grounds for unsavory, terrifying creatures such as: mountain and cave trolls, goblins, giants, archons, and mygalae.
Urea’s rest
The jewel of Black Ridge, sitting dutifully upon Chermona’s crown of black clouds and white snow, Urea’s Rest (also known as the ‘Heart of Black Ridge’, or simply ‘the Heart’) is a sanctum that very few know of. A nexus of magical power, energy comparable to that which emits from the Shawnee Glacier pours out from this mystical place and bleeds throughout the entirety of Black Range, promoting the seemingly unconquerable conditions through its death-zone. Here, temperatures plummet to an astounding negative -40° Celsius. Winds reach speeds up to 210 mph, which move sharpened fragments of ice and shale in a maelstrom of deadly debris.
At the eye of the storm, a fragment of Urea’s egg remains. Over the millennia, the jagged crystal splinter has been reshaped and remolded by its own powerful energies, and is now nothing more than a sphere floating several meters off the snowy earth. Some say that to possess this crystal would give the wielder control over all dragons in the world, though this is simply speculation based off of folklore.