Holikan
Holikan is a northern province that rebelled against the Ossan government in an uprising led by its mayor, Myria Forl.
STORY
In a lightning-fast military campaign, Demir Grappo put down the Holikan rebellion in nine days. According to Ossan military customs, Demir is supposed to order the culling of one tenth of Holikan's citizens, including children and the elderly. Holikan's mayor Myria Forl begs Demir to spare her city, which he agrees to do after assessing that she sincerely cares about her province rather than personal ambition. However, during the surrender negotiation, the Ossan army begins to attack the city. Capric Vorcien reports that the Eighth had orders signed with Demir's personal seal to sack Holikan, orders which Demir never actually sent. Unable to stop the assault himself, Demir can only watch helplessly as the Ossan army kills every person in the city. The horror of the experience breaks Demir's mind, and Idrian Sepulki finds him cradling a dead Holikan child in his arms. Believing the massacre at Holikan to be his fault, Demir goes into self-imposed exile in the provinces for nine years, haunted by the tragedy. After the death of his mother draws him back to Ossa, he learns from Capric that most people have forgotten his connection to Holikan due to Adriana Grappo's fastidious manipulation of the story.
The trauma of his mistake at Holikan actually saves Demir's life later when he is exposed to fearglass. Withstanding the intense fear-inducing sorcery, he maintain his faculties because the fear he experienced at Holikan had been much worse. This allows Thessa Foleer to reverse his fearglass exposure with a piece of high-resonance braided godglass and save him. However, later, when he becomes close friends with Thessa, he learns that her parents had been killed at Holikan, which he knows will ruin his relationship with her.
During her investigation into Adriana's death, Kissandra Vorcien discovers that her brother Capric is actually the one who ordered the sack on Holikan. Somehow, Agrippo Stavri had one of the signed orders to sack the city, which he used to blackmail Capric into participating in Adriana's killing. When Demir learns of Capric's betrayal, he confronts him at the High Vorcien Club. Capric confesses under the influence of shackleglass, and Demir challenges him to a duel. The Cinders break up the fight before they can kill each other, and Father Vorcien confesses to Demir that he had ordered Capric to hamper Demir's political career in some way, but he had no idea Capric was capable of the cruelty necessary to order the death of hundreds of people just for political gain. Demir does not believe that Father Vorcien had nothing to do with the order, but he begrudgingly accepts a marriage contract to avoid a blood-feud between the Vorcien and the Grappo.
Still feeling guilty about not telling Thessa about Holikan, Demir later confesses his role in the attack despite the fact that it would destroy his relationship with her. Angry and believing Demir to be a monster, Thessa flees his tent and finds Idrian. Idrian explains that Demir had not intended to sack the city and that the event broke him. Thessa realizes her mistake and returns to apologize to Demir, who explains that Capric had been responsible. He promises Thessa that Capric will be punished, and Thessa agrees to reserve her hatred for Capric.
Type
City
Location under
