Zraggodh
Nestled along the Ashveil River, Zraggodh is a fortified frontier city in the fiery kingdom of Emberfall, serving as both a strategic trade hub and a cultural bastion of the kingdom’s infernal ethos. Though not home to the royal seat, it is often called “The Burning Gate” for its proximity to Emberfall’s borders and its role as a gateway for commerce, war, and ritual.
Demographics
Life in Zraggodh is harsh but full of purpose. The strong dominate, the weak obey, and almost every citizen is trained in arms or flamecraft. Combat tournaments and magical trials are held weekly, and oaths are sworn in flame before being branded into flesh. Children are taught to revere fire, endure pain, and honor the Infernal Lineage that empowers Emberfall.
Despite its brutality, Zraggodh is deeply proud, with a vibrant culture of artistry in fire-glass, scarification, dance, and ritual combat.
Defences
Zraggodh is surrounded by black stone walls, scorched by generations of volcanic ash and magical fire. Its architecture is brutalist and jagged, blending obsidian, iron, and magma-brick. Spiked towers and glyph-etched bastions line the walls, manned by ash-armored sentries and firebound war-beasts. At night, braziers of ever-burning flame cast eerie red light over the city.
Districts
1. The Emberdocks –
The river port hums with lava-barges and obsidian-hulled vessels, carrying brimstone ore, enchanted obsidian, and firewater in and out of the city. Ferrymen are often fire cultists or half-demon bargemasters who charge tolls in coin, blood, or arcane favors.
2. The Cinder Market –
A bustling open-air market under wrought-iron arches. Goods include infernal relics, demonbound weapons, volcanic spices, molten glass art, and contracts of power written in branded skin. Public duels, sacrifices, and fire rites are common in the square.
3. The Pyrestep –
Zraggodh’s religious and spiritual district, home to shrines, flame altars, and the Temple of the Scorching Will, where blood-duel champions and fire-seers preach the will of the Flamebound Pantheon. Priests here are both oracles and executioners.
4. The Smoldering Warrens –
A dense sprawl of tenements, forges, and lava-fed bathhouses. Many of Zraggodh’s 4,567 citizens live here, including smiths, mercenaries, warlocks, and bonded infernal servants. Infernal guilds run protection rackets and recruit gladiators from these smoky streets.
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