Ixbaezia

Located in the Desolation, Ixbaezia is home to outlaws and exileds. Loosely bound by their lust for survival, the denizens of Ixbaezia work together, albeit sometimes reluctantly, to survive the icy wasteland.

Government

The city is split into 5 factions with equal power. Resources are scarce so they are divided evenly among its inhabitants. Although there are no formal laws, the people follow a code of ethics to ensure survival.

Defences

The city itself is a motley assortment of buildings built into the side of frozen mountains using the ice as a physical shield. The land itself has few defenses since they are not a necessity and resources are scarce. Of the few defenses, there is a wall to keep out wandering wildlife and a series of glyphs to warn the city of danger.

Guilds and Factions

The 5 factions that govern Ixbaezia are the Sworn, the Innocents, the Atoners, the Faceless, and the Watchers. Newcomers to the city are given a choice to join one of the factions or to be placed among them. Everyone has a part to play in the city and most do what needs to be done. The Sworn are warriors of Ixbaezia and act as hunters and the first line of defense. The Innocents are those who believe they were wrongly exiled. Most of them are Magical researchers who's experiments dabbled in the foul and were seen as too dangerous. Innocents act as arcane researchers and use their knowledge to improve the life of those in the city. The Atoners are those who have seen the wrong they've done and want to make up for it. They act as a general work force and do anything that needs to be done. They are the gatherers, farmers, herbalist, cleaners, chefs, teacher. The Faceless are a more secretive group who still have pull in society. They can acquire needed goods and still carry out their illicit activities from their new home. Lastly, the Watchers are peacekeepers and mediators. They make sure needs are met and that no one faction tries to dominate any other. Although the city may have started as mercenaries, bandits, and those cast out of society, those who choose to be a part of Ixbaezia are all fiercely loyal to their city. Many in the walls have been there for generations and are not exiled themselves and can rejoin society whenever they please.

History

Ixbaezia started as a small settlement when a group of exiled magi came in contact with a roving band of plunderers and thieves in the waste that is the Desolation. Story has it that the two groups immediately attacked one another, no one knowing who threw the first punch or spell. The battle raged on for days as the attacks and the cold claimed their lives one by one. Neither group would stop until the other was wiped out completely when the demon descended upon them. Seeing death itself in flesh and form caused both groups to, without a word, join together in the interest of survival. None of their attacks made a dent on the demon and as it pressed, they fled deeper and deeper into the Desolation. What was left of both groups were cornered as the demon chased them into the side of an ice mountain. Ready to accept defeat, many dropped to their knees and began to pray. Their blood and supplies littering the space around them. They prayed to any god that would save them, to any god that would protect them. A piece of coal stained in blood started glowing and melting the snow around it. One word rang through all of their minds, Safokang. So they prayed harder, scrambling to find coal and marking it in their blood and offering it to Safokang. The group was met with a warmth, their eyes shut tight and they whispered their prayer. They couldn't tell how much time had passed, was it seconds? Minutes? Hours? It didn't matter because when they opened their eyes, they were alone. With the demon gone, they rejoiced at the thought that they had a second chance at life. The group joined together and offered up one silent prayer to Safokang to protect the souls of all those who have fallen. With renewed vigor, the group decide to settle in the side of the mountain. The same mountain that spelled their doom now shined with the promise of second chances and reincarnation. The group set up the foundation that would eventually become Ixbaezia as it is known today.

Architecture

Most buildings are made of stone mined from the mountain that protects the city. Some of the larger buildings have bits of wood for support as well, but trees being scarce makes wood a commodity.

Alternative Name(s)

Bandit Town, The Exile

Type

City

Inhabitant Demonym

Bandits, Exiled, Lost Ones

Location under

The Desolation

Characters in Location

• Yarda