Urzgon, City of Flesh

The qukix reared up, neighing and snorting as they flailed about, those that weren't attached to our carts fled. Other members of the caravan attempted to chase after them, but gave up before long— we had something much more pressing than lost coin to worry about.

The ground beneath our feet began to shake violently, shortly followed by it starting to contract. It was as if some titanic thumb had been pressed into the surface of a tight cloth— yet this cloth was, until now, solid dirt and stone. We failed to hold ourselves upright as we were pulled inwards with it— some of us giving way to panic and screaming for a moment before the sensation suddenly stopped.

We now stood within a great crimson city— conjured forth from planes I dare not seek— made of putrid flesh, sinew, viscera, and bone. The hysterical screaming quickly resumed.

— A lost Rektouzk trader

Urzgon is a living city which appears at random to pick off lone travellers and on rare occasions larger groups such as entire armies. Few return from its walls— yet those who disappear are not killed, instead becoming permanent residents of its crimson walls. It is no more than legend to many, but to those unfortunate souls who have fallen victim to Urzgon— even the wildest tales depict a kinder horror than the reality.

An Alien Imitation

The city of Urzgon is a living settlement made from the flesh of many. Its only purpose seems to be to operate as a man-made city would— by maintaining its many roads, shops, homes, plazas, and other structures— and populate them. However, it cannot do so alone. Materials are needed— and for that it needs bodies. The means by which Urzgon appears and disappears are unknown, but animals and monsters are able to detect it well before any humans do— resulting in its make being primarily human. Those who spend enough time within the city's walls will become integrated into its vast form; some are pulled into nearby surfaces by numerous sticky tendrils, others are entrapped in pitfalls or crushed between the sharp-toothed jaws of an alleyway— crippling them, and making sure they cannot escape in time.

The sun above had begun to set, relenting its assault upon our backs as we frantically searched for an exit to this horrid place. It had to be somewhere— but our energy was wearing thin. Aouti was the first to collapse, hitting the wet, bloodied muscle that served as a street with a sickening squelch.

I tried to help her up but jumped backwards when I saw hundreds of fleshy, red tendrils embedding themselves into her skin.

— A lost Rektouzk trader

Regardless of how they are integrated, their bodies are picked for necessary parts. Thanks to their integration, their bodies can be controlled by Urzgon for this process— though they still may retain their own autonomy, it can be overridden.

Skin is often peeled or melted off alongside hair, teeth are forced out of one's skull by the sudden creation of powerful muscles in their gums, organs are often forced through new orifices and sucked into the city's greater vitals, and even entire limbs may be stripped of their skeletal structures. Unfortunately this does not mean death for these pitiful souls— the victims of Urzgon become its permanent citizens.

Klio and I scrambled to pull her free despite her flailing— until the skin on her back suddenly blew backwards— as a sail might when the wind blows behind it— and came off in our hands. I will never forget her screams, and I may never forgive myself for fleeing.

— A lost Rektouzk trader

Cells in a body

As an isolated settlement, Urzgon is self-sufficient. Integrated citizens must live normal lives— or at least, Urzgon's interpretation of normal lives. Some who fail to comply will be left as permanent fixtures along walls, floors, or ceilings. Others are forcibly moved about their daily schedules, including sleeping, waking, and "eating" horrid blends of fluids, fat, and flesh which are forced into their bodies by tubes protruding from their stomachs that suck the mixture up in their stead. They are assigned roles within the city, mimicking everything from loafers, shopkeepers and guards, to scholars and bankers.

They are controlled by a number of means, some are attached to the floor by way of lengthened spines which can move forward and backwards between muscles along the ground that push them along. Others are marionetted by series of tendons, sinew, and muscle along the ceiling and walls of a structure they may never leave. A fair amount of these puppeted inhabitants have simply stopped thinking— allowing themselves to be moved as the city wills, like leaves in the wind.

I can't fight it. Aouti is strung up by her ribcage on a wall, Klio is trapped within that tavern, pouring those putrid beverages with little rest. I haven't seen the others in days— and I don't think there's any hope of escape for myself. Perhaps I should be grateful that I can even move about, but the pain....with the sun upon my skinless form, even fallen dust, spittle, or hair— the pain is unbearable.

— A lost Rektouzk trader

Organic Construction

Urzgon is built to mimic human construction, and seems to take after Zilopnou architectural styles in particular— though it differs in a great number of respects and many structures fail to resemble anything man-made. The "ground" upon which Urzgon sits is made primarily from red-white connective tissue, with variations in color and exact make throughout— making for often uneven ground.

Streets along this ground are made of protruding muscle which run in two parallel rows, leaving a small gap between them through which denizens trapped within the city can be pushed wherever they may need to go.

Buildings themselves are made most commonly out of skeletal frames covered in muscle, connective tissue, and fat which often protrudes outside their already sloppy rectangular forms. Organs embedded within tend to jut out just under the surface of these walls and connect to various orifices along their outside perimeters— often releasing liquids of unsavory color and smell. A fair number of structures have their skeletal structures exposed, creating strange twisted forms with pointed ends reaching towards the sky. Small lines of sinew connect across these bone-spires as if to mimic clotheslines. Over their roofs are often stretched great tarps of skin, and openings such as windows or doors are surrounded by long wiry hairs.

Due to the many muscles and tendons that make up these structures— many are moving constantly. The city seems as if to rhythmically dance in tune with its great heart beating, structures gently expanding and contracting— or even twisting about.

The ground, too, seems to move gently with the filling and emptying of gigantic hidden lungs. One can only assume that Urzgon breathes through the various cylindrical towers that dominate its otherwise short skyline.

Living within any of these structures is particularly unpleasant, not just for the smells and morbidity of it all— but the constant heat everything radiates as well.

In either an attempt to make the city seem more "natural" or to simply mimic what human cities often do, Urzgon is also sparsely littered with trees...of a sort. These trees are made of hardened bone, and covered in a thin layer of pink flesh. From their branches sprouts not leaves, not fruit— but teeth.

Needless to say, they do little to make Urzgon's residents feel any less uneasy.

Type

City

Population

865

A wall of flesh

A high wall surrounds the city, made of hardened bone that curves inward— as if to prevent anyone from climbing out.
Not that any of Urzgon's denizens could climb out— but this is most likely to keep new arrivals from making their escapes.
Along the wall's bottom grows a thin layer of red tissue, with various veins climbing over the bone's surface like vines.
At the very bottom— where the city touches the ground— are hundreds of thousands of thin, writhing tendrils which seem to be used to pull in any living things that get caught underneath it.

---

A grand entrance stands open along the otherwise smooth wall, bordered by two grand fleshy towers lined with teeth— like a great mouth with which to devour all who dare enter.
Only a lucky few make their way here before they are integrated, and only fools attempt to enter.

Unyielding death

Those integrated into the city go on to live unnaturally long lives— with nutrients directly pumped into them by the veins and tissue connecting them to Urzgon— and their own organs sucked out.
Typically the brain is left untouched, and it is only when this fails that the integrated are finally granted death.
This often leads to them living for hundreds of years at a time, making tales of the city particularly interesting to scholars attempting to reconstruct histories long forgotten.
One's role within the city, unfortunately, does not end with death. One's body may continue to be puppeted, especially if they were one of those who had control forcibly revoked.
Others will have their bodies stripped for all its remaining parts and nutrients.

Hands

Hands are those who hunt down newcomers to the city.
More often than not, this is not to warn them— but to take out their frustrations upon them or simply regain some semblance of control in their own lives.
This usually involves stalling the newcomer with talk, chase, or even assault in order to ensure that they are integrated into Urzgon.

The worst days are those where new victims arrive. They remind me of what I once was— what I lost. What I wish I could be. And I hate them for it.

— A lost Rektouzk trader

Most look upon them as traitors, but as Urzgon will not allow them to— they cannot stop the hands from their cruelty.

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