Bethalon

The city of outcasts

On any map of Prostesa, wandering eyes may run over a blemish on a distinctly colorful land. A mass of dark clouds and fast winds make viewing from afar endlessly difficult. Around this blemish is a fainter stain, represented by the drying grass and fair lack of civilization aside from a towering castle in the distance, barred from the rest of the world by forboding black gates.

Prostesans know Bethalon well, and opinions tend to vary on the city, but everyone knows what it is at its core: the town of outcasts. Bethalon is the city of refuge for those looking to flee from their former lives, and as a result, it has harbored many mages over its lifespan. When a foreigner gazes upon Bethalon, they see only the near barren landscape and bare bones city. Nowhere in their mind would they expect what lies just beneath the surface.

Old Bethalon - what most aboveground call it - is a city hidden in the Underdark. Whereas the world above is quiet and serene (albeit giving a sense of mourning), the underground is far more rambunctious and active. Diplomats and criminals permeate every inch of this city, and one would be wise to constantly watch their back.

Demographics

In Bethalon, a lower-class citizen can easily make his way up through the ranks if he knows the right people. Those that are poor in Bethalon are people who haven't put in the effort to make a living or ones that had everything they knew and loved stripped away from them. As such, there's no concrete ratio of rich or poor as matters can fluctuate greatly over time.

Bethalon is unique in that it’s comprised of races that the world above would find abhorrent and shun vehemently. The drow and duergar take up most of Old Bethalon, but right behind them are kenku and quaggoths, the latter of which being typical servants of the drow. To name every race that exists in Old Bethalon would be futile, but one thing is for certain: a visitor will be astounded at the unlikely relationships formed down in this portion of the Underdark.

Metasurp

For as long as anyone could remember, Illithids were never welcome in Old Bethalon, but during one particular invasion by the monstrosities, a sizable portion of the town was affected by them. The Makarans were the ones that created the monstrosity known as the Metasurp: a humanoid that, instead of being overtaken by the Illithid tadpole, merged with it and stabilized its mind, enacting a transformation.

It's unknown how the process came to fruition, but one day, a former pureblood duergar stumbled out onto the streets just after its transformation. Though it was a bit bigger than a typical dwarf, everyone knew what it used to be. The tentacles drooping off of its face gave away its horrifying secret. No more hostile than the average duergar, Metasurps display a few of the powers of an Illithid (notably, their mind blasts) and have no need for brain tissue. Despite their apparent "harmlessness", they're met with more suspicion than other races in Bethalon. As a result, they are mostly seen scraping the bottom of Bethalon's social classes.

Government

Bethalon is an oligarchy headed by three nobles that have made their way up the ranks of society by likely any means necessary. For each noble there's a council of like-minded individuals that promote their noble's beliefs and helps them maintain firm control over the population. To outsiders, this method of usurping and sabotage looks chaotic, but Bethians know better. They praise resourcefulness and cunning, and a liar with a silver tongue is more liable to garner support than an honest-hearted individual.

Defences

Everyone knows well that the clouds that loom over Bethalon are magical. It's unknown what they do outside of blocking vision from above and the rays of the sun. Surrounding Bethalon are various towers and walls, yet they aren't armed with mages or soldiers. At first glance, it looks like Bethalon has no defenses, but only a fool would be tricked by this.

Industry & Trade

Bethalon is a trading hub much like the other large cities in Prostesa. For those looking to strike gold, Bethalon is a bit dubious. One must weigh their options if they choose here as a selling point, for though the faults cut deep, the benefits are bountiful. On the surface, almost no activity can be seen, but deep below in the Underdark, a constant rhythm is kept in trading.

Visitors to Old Bethalon would say that it appears that there's simply no moment of rest for any of the workers. This is not entirely untrue; great pride is taken in a Bethian's profession, and as they are proud, they've created a game of constantly attempting to out-do competitors.

Assets

Magic stores are prevalent here in many ways, but they're more often cursed than not. The shopkeepers love to play a game with their customers. They may sell their cursed items at a discounted price or swindle the buyers out of double the regular price of an item if it's safe. It's all on the customer to identify the signs and know when they're being fooled.

Guilds and Factions

As Bethalon harbors outcasts, it's only natural that the guilds and factions within Old Bethalon are just as dangerous as the creatures that live in the Underdark.

One of the most prominent, The Makarans, are known for having an iron grip on a sizeable part of the underground city. Their name echoes throughout the caverns every day. To displease them is to seal one's own fate. They assist citizens in forgery and help criminals elude the law constantly, yet they've committed far more heinous acts in their time than simple crimes, such as the creation of the Metasurps. They are the sole culprit of the reason why Old Bethalon is a dangerous place for foreigners. The unsuspecting would find themselves caught in a deal with a Makaran, and a bounty would be placed on their heads if the debt was not fulfilled in the end. Some cracked under the pressure and took their own lives while others attempted to flee. The latter scarcely found success.

The Tetrites, a rival group of the Makarans, deal almost exclusively with the Triarch of Bethalon. Through lies, blood-feuds, bribery, and careful negotiation, they have managed to seat at least one official in the Triarch that manages to agree with their policies. Every decision that the Triarch has made, the Tetrites have had some influence in it. They're even harder to pinpoint than the Makarans. Should one fail to fulfill a deal made by a Tetrite, they're almost guaranteed to be outed as a criminal. They are capable of being reliable allies or terrible enemies, though not as bad as the Makarans.

These two groups would grow out of control were it not for one last faction, the Eye of Bec. The newest of the three groups, the Eye deals specifically in cleansing Old Bethalon of the Makarans and Tetrites. The birth of this faction has somewhat loosely united the Makarans and the Tetrites, as neither wishes for their faction to fall to ruin, and it has also managed to create safer parts of the city for visitors. Ever since this faction's creation, it has managed to pull in a steady amount of recruits, much to the growing fear of the other two factions.

History

Originally a small settlement underground, Bethalon gradually expanded when the duergar became curious of the world above their own. Having never seen the sun, they began an expedition to the surface and were shocked by the amount of light that emanated from what they found was the sun. A strange fascination and joy took over their hearts as they built a small town on the surface, and it became by happenstance that other races had begun escaping from the Underdark and traveling to the surface world as well. The drow were the ones that cast the magic clouds that loom over Bethalon, protecting them from the rays of the sun in majority of the town. Strangely enough, the sunlight's beauty had somewhat humbled the Bethians, and it's believed that it was the sun's existence that helped Bethalon become so oddly stable despite the crime.

At some point, the descendants of Bethalon traversed the rest of the world before forming the city now known as Port Brigges. It's not uncommon to find traces of Bethian culture in the city.

Geography

Bethians are known for having a strange fascination with the sun and the rays it gives off. Despite the dark clouds covering a major portion of the city, sunlight still beams through gaps in the clouds. However, these rays are only in very specific parts of the city and are mostly for the viewing purposes of Bethians. They experience an indescribable happiness at the sight of it. A foreigner would describe the streams of sunlight in a mostly dark city as beautifully haunting.

Alternative Name(s)

The Bridge of Dusk

Type

Large city

Population

52,000 citizens (including the ones underground)

Inhabitant Demonym

Bethians

Characters in Location

• Daniel
• Vito