Curst

Bleak and dusty, Curst's little more than a collection of shanties perched on the edge of Carceri, where those exiled from elsewhere on the Outlands dream out their bitter lives

Government

Burgher Tovus Giljaf is the absolute master of Curst. Once factol of the Athar, Tovus was cast out by his own followers when he attempted too much. He strove for the glory of his faction, but his followers were shallow and could only see doom in his edicts. The ungrateful berks turned stag against his bold vision, his plans to once and for all make the philosophy of the Athar absolute truth for everyone, and they threw him out of the Cage. But they can't lock the doors against him. He'll be back . . . someday. Until then, he'll just have to bide time in this birdcage, building up power for his grand return.

Defences

Curst is vigorously patrolled by the Wall Watch. In addition to guarding the town walls (as the name implies), the Wall Watch mans the gates and keeps relative peace within the town. As noted earlier, the Wall Watch is mostly concerned with people leaving, but it maintains careful records of all comings and goings through the gates. A typical Wall Watch patrol has petitioner fighters, led by a planar fighter/wizard. The overall commander of the watch is Baron Yurel Zarnthaskar, a deposed lord who dreams of the day he can hang the ungrateful berks who drove him from his prime-material fief from a leafless tree

Infrastructure

With so many cutters plotting their glorious returns, Curst has always been a good market for bashers ready to sell their swords. Most mercenaries gather at the Quartered Man, a smoky alehouse in the outermost ring. The owner, Abascis the Sweaty ran a fine shop in Sigil until he short-changed the factol of the Mercykillers. Quick packing got the leatherhead out of the city before the guard arrived, but the Mercykillers have a standing warrant for his punishment. Abascis likes to keep a few bravos around, just in case the Mercykillers come to collect their warrant, so he gives swordsmen and wizards a good price on drinks.
Everyone else pays a coin or two higher than normal prices. Brasicols, a dingy shop in the second ring from the wall, specializes in traps and infernal devices little presents that can be sent to enemies. Brasicol has a whole list of enemies, those who stole his inventions and made fortunes from them. He'll make poison-prick jewelry cases, wind-up spell bombs, and other devices, all starting at just 1,000 gp. Also, he'll do free jobs for any wizard who'll open a gate to his old prime material world long enough for Brasicol to send a "gift" through. Although it's a bitter cage, Curst makes good wines, probably so a bubber can flush out his sorrows. The best of these is heartwine, a slightly sour and heady drink made from razorvine. It sells for 100 gp a bottle and is prized by gourmands in Sigil. The production process is a secret known only to the Cilenei Brothers, two elves from the Prime Material Plane. Both are wizards, so figure the process is magical in nature. Heartwine's the only useful thing ever made from the cursed weed, short of barricades.

Assets

Unlike many gate towns, Curst's portal is little-used and little-appreciated. The Gate to Carceri stands in the center of town in Gate Square, a great four-sides archway of black razorvine, its center holding a dark-red glow that grows to a engulf any that step within, sending them to Othrys. Few use the portal, however: most Tartareans are bound to Carceri, and few Outlanders wish to risk becoming imprisoned themselves. Also located in Gate Square are the offices of the Burgher and his underlings and the city treasury, though few have call to visit either.

Type

Town

Population

15,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Cursters