Clester
Clester is a haunting town shrouded in shadow and superstition, embodying the lingering darkness left by the collapse of two neighboring cities, Adheath and Trealing. Isolated and distrusted, it harbors some of Technara's worst human traits—greed, secrecy, and desperation. Clester’s residents, plagued by poverty and fear, cling to survival while surrounded by the remnants of faded glory and abandoned tech while some believe that the flow of the scar is slowly poisoning the town.
Demographics
Population: 8,000
- Humans: 70%
- Elves: 10%
- Gnomes: 5%
- Others: 15%
Government
The government of Clester is a harsh, autocratic council known for exploiting fear and control over its citizens. This council comprises influential leaders from key factions, each vying for power. Public punishment and informants help them maintain control, while they rely on shady deals and black-market alliances to keep the economy functioning. The council prioritizes its own gain and security, often at the expense of Clester's poorest residents. Residents largely distrust their leaders, but fear of retaliation keeps them compliant.
Council Overseer Corin Vale: The de facto leader responsible for final decisions and keeping faction leaders in line, often using manipulation and intimidation.
Nightwatch Captain Alsen Marrow: Head of the enforcers who patrol the streets at night, loyal to the council and ruthless in enforcing their control.
Trade Arbitrator Lirian Gray: Manages Clester's black-market deals and oversees resource acquisition from nearby ruins or traveling traders.
Industry & Trade
Scrap Salvage: Collecting metals, tech remnants, and components from abandoned tech.
Alchemy and Black Market Enchantments: Crafting dubious potions and illegal enchantments from what little magical resources remain.
Infrastructure
The town is a mix of crumbling structures and patched-up tech, barely functioning on scavenged parts. Most buildings are weathered, fortified with rusted metal and wooden barricades. In place of consistent lighting, dark alleyways are punctuated by dim, flickering lamps powered by unstable Aetherium shards, casting an eerie glow.
Districts
The Shambles: Clester’s largest district. Narrow alleys and decayed homes are filled with residents eking out a living, while street gangs and pickpockets rule the shadows.
The Slag Pits: An industrial zone where citizens sift through rubble and discarded tech from the ruined cities. The air is thick with ash and the smell of melted metal, and scavengers work relentlessly for salvageable scraps.
The Sanctuary of Ash: A twisted chapel where residents pay homage to the god of death and destruction. The atmosphere is reverent but unsettling, with rumors of blood rituals and hauntings tied to the town’s history.
The Forgotten Yards: On the outskirts lies a graveyard of defunct machinery from the city’s prime. This district has taken on mythic proportions, with urban legends of cursed machines and apparitions haunting scavengers who dare to enter.
Guilds and Factions
The Black Furnace: An underground faction that operates illicit forges and alchemical labs. They smelt salvaged materials and create potions with forbidden ingredients, catering to both local residents and shady out-of-town clients.
The Ashen Hand: A cultish group tied to the Sanctuary of Ash. They claim to commune with the spirits of the fallen cities, drawing followers with promises of protection and access to hidden powers.
History
Clester rose as a refuge for those displaced by the destruction of Adheath and Trealing. When the Abericlase went dark, Clester attracted exiles, outcasts, and the desperate. The town grew in isolation and paranoia, with a history filled with violent power struggles, occult practices, and questionable trade deals. Now, it’s more a ghost of the cities that fell, held together by fear, desperation, and the iron grip of its ruling council.
Natural Resources
Decay Ore: A mineral unique to the area, with volatile properties used in dark alchemical brews and rituals.
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