The Venomous Demesne

Where the Veil cannot be lifted.

The Venomous Demesne is a tiefling community and culture. It is a small city hidden completely by magic at the southern edge of the Black Water Lake.The Demense is ruled by an alliance of four tiefling families, and the members of these families are powerful casters delving into many paths of magic: there are warlocks, clerics, and wizards of all schools. Their powers are vast, but grounded in dark bargains made in the past. To most outsiders, their traditions seem arbitrary and cruel. The price of magic is often paid for in pain and blood. Duels are an important part of their culture – never to the death, as they are still too few in number to squander noble blood so casually, but always with a painful cost for the loser.

Demographics

The population consists of both humans and tieflings, though many of the humans have minor signs of infernal heritage, even if they don't have the full racial attributes.

Government

An alliance of four tiefling families rule the small city, mostly known as the Council of Four. House Allegro, House Molesh , House Orenda, and House Umbra

Defences

A mystic veil that conceals the city so well that many in Khorvaire believe the city to be a myth. Many family members of each of the houses are all powerful warlocks, wizards, and clerics.

History

The Sarlonan nation of Ohr Kaluun was infamous for delving into dark magics. In the depths of their war labyrinths, the mage-lords of Ohr Kaluun forged pacts with infernal spirits and tapped into the powers of the planes. Over generations this twisted the blood of the nobles, producing the first tieflings. This corruption didn’t go unnoticed. Khaleshite crusaders fought bitterly against Ohr Kaluun, and fear of the demonic taint of Ohr Kaluun spreading across Sarlona was a cornerstone of the civil strife that resulted in the Sundering. The civilization of Ohr Kaluun was wiped out during the Sundering, but a small force of nobles and their retainers escaped across the sea. These refugees created a hidden enclave on the west coast of Khorvaire. Over the course of centuries, they regained a portion of their pride and power. They inspired fear in the savage creatures that lived around them, and their realm became known as the Venomous Demesne. The tiefling lords were largely content in their isolation until the Daughters of Sora Kell rose to power in the region and sought to unify the wilds into the nation of Droaam . Sora Teraza herself came to the Venomous Demesne, bypassing the mystical concealment as if it didn’t exist. She spoke to the Council of Four, and none know what she said. But in the days that followed, the noble lines sent representatives to the Great Crag and joined in the grand experiment of Droaam.

"We've spent weeks walking the Black Water Lake, Silas. I'm telling you nothing's here!"
-Ora Vuun
"One more week please! Something has called me here and I fear it won't leave me until I find what it wants."
-Silas Vuun

Type

City

Population

4,800

Owning Organization

The Council of Four

Characters in Location