the stewards (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thestewards) wrote2018-12-09 05:15 pm
thestewards) wrote2018-12-09 05:15 pm
draega
“
joy sorrow death birth celebration spirals of power and endless abysses plunging into the darkness the darkness the Darkness all around linked together by webs the webs they stretch into darkness touching worlds so many worlds and lives with a little bit of darkness in all of us within all of us all of them within strangers within Strangers within friends and the city the city just to the left of the heart of the world I've seen the city in my dreams in my webs in the webs I weave so many webs searching searching searching
— ???
THE CITY CALLED DRAEGA
Capital city of Hayll in the Realm of Terreille, Draega is the center of all culture in Terreille. Over the years, what that means has changed. First, Draega was the heart of Hayll, a glittering gem in the Realm of Light. Under the rule of Hayll's self-appointed High Priestess, Draega became the center of all society, but not for the benefit of society. The horrors that the High Priestess committed in the name of the pursuit of power soaked into the ground and twisted the city.
And then the Cataclysm came, wiping out almost everyone in the city and leaving it a starved corpse.
Much of Draega stands in ruin now. Buildings crack and crumble. The once magnificent buildings are patchwork and frail, but life continues. As it always does, life continues. The residents do what they can to rebuild and to eke out a life in what remains of their broken, shattered world.
THE EBON COUNCIL
For the past five hundred years, the Ebon Council ruled over Draega with an iron fist. Originally formed shortly after the Great War as an alliance against the landens, the Ebon Council has ruled in the absence of a Queen in Draega since its inception. Recently, due largely to a loss of power because of the Guilds' presence, it became possible for a Queen to set up her court in Draega. This forced the Council to be less of a council and more of a special interest group. They seek to subjugate the landen people and make the Blood the unquestioned authorities in the land once more. As a general whole, they despise any technological progress the Guild makes. They want to see greater restrictions on the sale of Guild goods and services and to see the landens return to living in separate communities.
Not everyone who wears the Jewels will is an active member of the Ebon Council, but most will tell you they generally support the Council's actions.
The Council stands in direct opposition to the Guilds. They see no issue with sabotaging research or damaging Guild buildings. If a Guild member goes missing, it’s an open secret that the Council was behind the disappearance. Often, the Council will outright brag when they kill a prominent Guild leader.
It would be easy to mistake the Ebon Council for a group of evil sociopaths, but it is important to remember that the Council clings desperately to what they know, to what is familiar. Though they have lost much, they understand that without the Blood, the land will fail, and they will trample anyone who comes between them and keeping the land alive.
This map was drawn by a proportionally-challenged mod. The scale of this map is whimsical and subject to change without warning.
ONE: THE OLD TOWN BAZAAR
The Old Town Bazaar is home to the remaining middle class of Blood and landen residents. The buildings here are worn and rough, but it's a safer part of town where the wealthy can shop and pretend the world isn't pulling everything it has for one last showing.
For someone looking for fresh fruit or vegetables and fine(ish) clothing, the Old Town Bazaar is the place to go. Locals often differentiate between the residential streets and the shopping and restaurants, calling the former Old Town and the latter the Bazaar.
Where all the streets converge stands a pavilion with thirteen pillars, each made of a different marble set with precious stones that reflect one of the Jewels. Unlike other places of interest in Draega, there is no residual fear or despair at the pavilion. The pavilion is new: shortly after setting up her court, Fayura ripped out whatever building used to stand here and built the pavilion in its place as a social project.
For someone looking for fresh fruit or vegetables and fine(ish) clothing, the Old Town Bazaar is the place to go. Locals often differentiate between the residential streets and the shopping and restaurants, calling the former Old Town and the latter the Bazaar.
Where all the streets converge stands a pavilion with thirteen pillars, each made of a different marble set with precious stones that reflect one of the Jewels. Unlike other places of interest in Draega, there is no residual fear or despair at the pavilion. The pavilion is new: shortly after setting up her court, Fayura ripped out whatever building used to stand here and built the pavilion in its place as a social project.
TWO: THE QUEEN'S RESIDENCE
Just north of the docks and the Old Town Bazaar, the Queen’s Residence used to be the best inn in Draega. Over the past several hundred years, it has undergone many renovations. A hodgepodge of building styles blend together on its facade, and inside its halls are a labyrinthine maze. Here, Queen Fayura lives with her Consort, Steward, and Master of the Guard. While the residence is large enough to support her entire court, most of them live in the city itself as part of her attempt to foster positive relationships between her court and the locals.
The residence is largely available to the public (another of Fayura's policies). With the exception of the Queen's private garden, the court's personal quarters, and places like the laundry and the kitchen (where the staff is at work), the residence is open to visitors. There are public receiving rooms where Fayura sees visitors and hears requests from her people, a grand ballroom where she hosts parties (invitations are based on a lottery ensuring anyone has a chance of visiting), and a public library where anyone can borrow a book from the Steward.
All Blood homes are marked by their power, but the Queen's Residence is kept clean. Tangled webs meant to absorb the psychic power of the Blood exist in every room, carefully integrated into the decor or tucked in hard to see places. The residence has no psychic residue. For landens and the lighter Jeweled Blood, this makes the residence much more comfortable. The darker Jeweled Blood find the lack of psychic power in the residence bizarre, but have noted on occasion that there is a great power in Fayura's Court, something that sings in the abyss.
The residence is largely available to the public (another of Fayura's policies). With the exception of the Queen's private garden, the court's personal quarters, and places like the laundry and the kitchen (where the staff is at work), the residence is open to visitors. There are public receiving rooms where Fayura sees visitors and hears requests from her people, a grand ballroom where she hosts parties (invitations are based on a lottery ensuring anyone has a chance of visiting), and a public library where anyone can borrow a book from the Steward.
All Blood homes are marked by their power, but the Queen's Residence is kept clean. Tangled webs meant to absorb the psychic power of the Blood exist in every room, carefully integrated into the decor or tucked in hard to see places. The residence has no psychic residue. For landens and the lighter Jeweled Blood, this makes the residence much more comfortable. The darker Jeweled Blood find the lack of psychic power in the residence bizarre, but have noted on occasion that there is a great power in Fayura's Court, something that sings in the abyss.
THREE: THE EBON COUNCIL
Few people like traveling to the Ebon Council's building. The sprawling estate was once the Queen's Residence, and no matter how much the walls are scrubbed and how many tangled webs are hung in its halls, the psychic stench of fear and despair lingers. The Blood take their tempers from those psychic scents. Even the most mild-mannered witch grows uncomfortable and irritable in the halls of the Ebon Council.
Surrounding the building are old theaters and museums, re-purposed into administrative residences. They are in better repair than many other buildings in Draega. Behind the Council building and against the Heartsblood River is an amphitheater meant for orators and outdoor plays, but like the Council building, it reeks with lingering psychic fear.
Surrounding the building are old theaters and museums, re-purposed into administrative residences. They are in better repair than many other buildings in Draega. Behind the Council building and against the Heartsblood River is an amphitheater meant for orators and outdoor plays, but like the Council building, it reeks with lingering psychic fear.
FOUR: THE GUILD HALLS
Centuries ago, the landens took over the large university campus in Draega, turning the buildings into their Guild Halls. They would have overrun the administrative buildings around the Ebon Council if they could stand the dark temper of the Blood who live and work there.
All the Guild Halls are connected by underground tunnels. Many of the Guild Masters live in the small residences across from the Guild Halls, called Wall Town. Since research is done primarily on campus, the Masters want to be close to their projects.
The buildings themselves vary in appearance inside, though outside they are all red brick. From the austere Medic Hall to the veritable hunting lodge of the Hunter and Crafter Hall, each building has decorations that reflect its trade. You can barely take two steps in the Tinkers Hall without tripping on a dropped gizmo or misplaced gadget. The Transporters seem to have forgotten to finish the Hall of Motion, leaving pipes and wiring exposed. The Elektriline Hall glitters and glows, lit up inside and out with neon lights.
All the Guild Halls are connected by underground tunnels. Many of the Guild Masters live in the small residences across from the Guild Halls, called Wall Town. Since research is done primarily on campus, the Masters want to be close to their projects.
The buildings themselves vary in appearance inside, though outside they are all red brick. From the austere Medic Hall to the veritable hunting lodge of the Hunter and Crafter Hall, each building has decorations that reflect its trade. You can barely take two steps in the Tinkers Hall without tripping on a dropped gizmo or misplaced gadget. The Transporters seem to have forgotten to finish the Hall of Motion, leaving pipes and wiring exposed. The Elektriline Hall glitters and glows, lit up inside and out with neon lights.
FIVE: RIVER NORTH
North of the river and the Guild Halls is River North, where landens who don't work in and for the Guilds make their homes. This part of the city is heavily monitored by Queen Fayura's court, because Fayura is no fool. She knows well that if tensions grow too high, the landens will pour into River East and murder the Blood who live there. They will tear up the gardens and libraries and altars—and that will kill the heart of the Blood.
In general, shopping here is cheaper than it is in Old Town. That's not to say the quality of the goods suffer. In many industries, the River North provides superior goods. It is home to the best textile shopping—whether for clothes or for fabric—in all of Draega. It is also one of two places where you can buy products made by the Guilds. Guild services can only be purchased from the Guilds itself, but here can be found the Muters, the Seekers, the Far-talkers.
In general, shopping here is cheaper than it is in Old Town. That's not to say the quality of the goods suffer. In many industries, the River North provides superior goods. It is home to the best textile shopping—whether for clothes or for fabric—in all of Draega. It is also one of two places where you can buy products made by the Guilds. Guild services can only be purchased from the Guilds itself, but here can be found the Muters, the Seekers, the Far-talkers.
SIX: THE SLUMS
Poverty is everywhere in Terreille, and in spite of Queen Fayura's best efforts to make sure everyone who comes to her city is cared for, the slums persist. A hodgepodge of hovels and mud, of Blood and landen, the slums are the worst place for anyone to live in the city. Both entrances are guarded by members of Fayura's court. Whenever someone new comes to the city, they inevitably end up in the slums unless they have a fair amount of money or previously established connections.
The Council and the Guilds recruit from the slums with equal fervor. Here they can find the people who are the angriest, the ones who want to see the other side fail and hurt.
The Council and the Guilds recruit from the slums with equal fervor. Here they can find the people who are the angriest, the ones who want to see the other side fail and hurt.
SEVEN: RIVER EAST
Here live the Blood, steeped in power. River East is an uncomfortable area of town for the landens because of how thickly the Blood's power carpets the buildings and ground here. The homes are larger than they are in the Old Town Bazaar and in the landen district, making them expensive to heat or cool both in terms of e-line technology and power. As far as the landens are concerned, River East is the most dangerous place to live. Reaching this part of Draega from other neighborhoods is time-consuming, and the city's second entrance is located here. In an emergency, residents will be on their own. The Blood, of course, are not bothered by this.
River East is home to the city's library and most of its parks. At the southern most point in the neighborhood stands the one altar in all of Draega. It is a large building though unassuming from the outside.
River East is home to the city's library and most of its parks. At the southern most point in the neighborhood stands the one altar in all of Draega. It is a large building though unassuming from the outside.
EIGHT: THE DOCKS
Draega is a walled city, and Queen Fayura's court patrol its walls to keep it safe. The easiest way to access the city is via the Heartsblood River to the south east. The docks are a bustling place that smell of refuse and fish but is full of color and trinkets from the war-roughened lands beyond. Here, the people of Draega can hear the most rumors. Sailors from other Territories come and go, mingling with the local population of natives, refugees, and Strangers. Of all places in the city, the docks are the best guarded by all factions in Draega. The Guilds, the Ebon Council, and Queen Fayura's court are all very careful about who gets into their city.
And who gets out.
And who gets out.