Southstone City
Southstone City is positioned in a somewhat-reclusive part of the Southstone Mountain Range, and is the southernmost city in Torvahl, hence the name. Unlike Trisea City to the east, which blends the cultures of Torvahl, Kalava'khir, and Daeamorant in mostly equal parts, Southstone is primarily Torvahlan, though some influence from Daeamorant does show itself in their architecture and general cultural values.
The reason for this blending is that while Southstone is technically a crossing point between Torvahl and Daeamorant, it is generally considered the more dangerous route, and those who can afford to travel across the Trisea almost invariably choose to take a ship across the sea rather than attempt the land route through the Southstone Mountains, for one very important reason: The Undead.
The Southstone Mountains, barring the lands around The Bastion to the northwest, are the highest concentration of Undead in Torvahl. However, despite The Bastion surpassing Southstone in sheer numbers, the Undead that plague in the dark forests and mountain passes around Southstone are notably more dangerous. This is because unlike the Undead that perpetually rise from bogs and marshes surrounding The Bastion, the Undead that exist around Southstone are considerably more cohesive and intelligent than their northwestern parallels. For while the shambling, ravenous corpses that assault the walls of The Bastion are indeed a threat to those making their way to the fortress city, they lack the intelligence necessary to mount a coordinated assault upon the city itself, and the high walls and armaments of the city are able to keep the endless hordes relatively in check. Southstone, however, has no such defenses, and the Undead surrounding it are made vastly more dangerous by another terrifying threat, in the form of the powerful, sentient Vampires lurking within the mountains.
One might go as far as to say Vampires are as much a part of Southstone's culture as the people themselves. The city's existence, the culture of the region, and the first and foremost concern of those living in Southstone are all defined by the vampiric threat outside the city's walls. The people of the city live their lives in fear of them, the Southstone branch of The Inquisitorium is dedicated to the destruction of them, and the city itself was established as a refuge for those travelling through the mountains to escape from them.
Vampires, as a whole, are largely a feral and bloodthirsty aberration, and with proper training can be dispatched with efficiency. However, this is not the only variety of these nightmarish creatures, and it is the other variant which keeps the people of Southstone in a perpetual state of fear, the Vampires that are commonly referred to as "Bloodwoken" or "Purebloods". While the former, more animalistic variant is indeed a threat far surpassing that of your average reanimated corpse, the Inquisitors of Southstone have specialized into becoming finely tuned exterminators of these "Fledglings", with the most exceptional Inquisitors able to dispatch a single Fledgeling with ease and possibly be able to handle two or three on their own despite a Vampire's inherently superior combat ability. Bloodwoken however, are another matter entirely.
A vampire is created in one of two ways, and though the latter has variation in origins, the end result remains the same. The first of these methods is what creates Fledglings, and is simply the result of a mortal becoming afflicted with Vampirism. If a mortal is bitten or ingests the blood of a Vampire, they will die in a matter of hours if untreated, and if the individual is not killed during the feeding process and instead dies to the affliction, they will be revived as a Fledgeling within a few days. It is the second method of becoming a Vampire that results in Bloodwoken: the direct conversion of a mortals very soul into that of a Vampire. This can happen in a few ways, but most commonly via a fiendish contract for immortality with the god Daemaskorn. The implication of this is that Bloodwoken are, with very few exceptions, created by deliberate intent on the part of the individual who becomes one, making them not only dangerous due to their changed Undead form, but also because those who become Bloodwoken are likely already those with a dark soul to begin with, often those with a resentment for the mortals which they are abandoning by becoming Vampires.
Unlike Fledgelings, which are driven by ravenous bloodlust and are nearly primal in their behavior, Bloodwoken retain their sentience. They are incredibly strong, blindingly fast, and devilishly clever, on top of possessing an inmate aptitude for spellcasting, particularly Necrotic magic. As if these traits were not enough to make them terrifying opponents they're also extraordinarily resilient even by Undead standards, with many of the methods for dispatching an Undead being largely ineffective in doing more than slowing them down. None of these traits are what make a Bloodwoken a creature unanimously feared by the residents of Southstone however, and it is their final ability that creates the perpetual atmosphere of dread that permeates the isolated city: the ability to nearly seamlessly disguise themselves within a population. A sufficiently powerful Bloodwoken can alter their appearance at will, making the trademark red eyes, pointed fangs, and deathly pale skin disappear on a whim. This ability is only made even more effective by their natural aptitude for mind-altering Enchantment spells and haunting allure. A careful Bloodwoken can dwell within a population for weeks, months, or years without arousing suspicion, all the while parasitically terrorizing the region's population.
With such terrors outside (or, a more frightening notion, inside) the walls of Southstone, you'd be forgiven for wondering why such a city exists at all. However, Southstone serves a very important purpose in Torvahl, for the city, (or, more accurately, the Inquisitors within it) is largely why Vampires are rarely seen north of the mountains where the city is located. Through the combined efforts of brave Inquisitors mounting hunting expeditions outside the walls, diligent surveillance within, and a number of powerful divine wards throughout the mountains, Southstone largely keeps vampires from establishing a foothold beyond the mountains, a duty which the Inquisitors take very seriously despite the main branch of the Inquisitorium occasionally not treating the Southstone branch with the well-earned respect it deserves. This is perhaps a testament to the Southstone branch's efficacy, for were they not such proficient Vampire Hunters, it would not take long for the rest of the Inquisitorium to recognize the threat Vampirism poses. Relations between the branches is anything but antagonistic however, and they frequently operate in tandem when necessary, even if the Southstone branch occasionally needs to send envoys to Torvahlis to request additional resources and remind their brethren of the threat the Undead pose to the country at large.
This environment has created a culture of wariness, melancholy, and dread among those who populate Southstone, but through generations of living in the region, the people of Southstone have developed a number of commendable traits in defiance of their situation. Southstone's populace is determined, resilient, and adaptive. The constant threat of death has created a culture with a strong religious focus, partly owing to the immigration from Daeamorant where religion is simply a part of life. The people of Southstone do not fear death, for death is far preferable to the Undead alternative which might await them, and while a person's passing is still filled with melancholy and reverence, funerals are more jovial affairs than might be found elsewhere in Torvahl. "Jovial" here is used loosely however, as people from Southstone are famously macabre in their sense of humor and not especially expressive, which results in most outside the region finding them either dreary or overly serious in their demeanor. Unsurprisingly, someone viewed in Southstone as being a jokester of sorts among the population might find themselves being treated with confusion or be perceived as dour by those north of the mountains who do not share their dark, sometimes irreverent sense of humor. Additionally, those of Southstone are survivalists, with even children as young as 10 (in human years) being notably mature, alert, and self-sufficent, often being capable hunters, good fighters, or simply hardworking, with all of them displaying an unflinching resolve beyond that of those living elsewhere in the country. Growing up in Southstone can be difficult and scary, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a city that produces more capable adults in Torvahl.
Due to this combination of traits, many who grow up in Southstone opt to remain there, despite it's dangers. Many who leave the city for easier homes tend to find themselves feeling out of place, as the stark contrast in upbringing tends to make them not "fit in" in other regions. Southstone is also primarily composed of Humans, Half-Elves, and the occasional Elf, for as one might expect it is not a place that is found especially appealing by the more jovial races such as Halflings or Gnomes, and the culture of the region being viewed as fairly foreign by most outsiders from other parts of Torvahl. In fact, the people who are likely to most feel at home should they relocate to Southstone are Daeamorans, though the distinct Torvahlan roots of the region make even them feel somewhat out of place. Because of these factors, Southstone exists as somewhat of an anomaly, such that the people there tend to identify as being "Southstoners" more than Torvahlans or Daeamorans. The societal infrastructure of Southstone is reflective of this, with the city largely being governed and policed by the Inquisitorium branch there, with the head of the branch serving as something of a governor in addition to their role as an Inquisitor. While there is an official governor of Southstone, they're largely figurehead, generally deferring to the Inquisitor in charge.
This governmental structure results in far less of a power struggle than one might expect for a two major reasons: First, a livelihood driven by survival leaves little room for trivialities, luxuries, or political scheming. Southstone is highly communal, as traits such as vigilance, accountability, and empathy are not just admirable but necessary for survival. Second, and perhaps more strangely for those outside of the city, the people of Southstone trust the Inquisitorium almost implicitly. Owing largely to the first reason, the Inquisitors of Southstone are far more personable and less of an independent organization than the Inquisitorium throughout the rest of Torvahl. They maintain the uniforms and underlying tenants of their order, but as a whole, Southstone Inquisitors are far more integrated into the regular population than those elsewhere, with nearly all of their order being those who were born and raised in the city. Southstone Inquisitors are more prone or ornamentation in their attire, the intimidating masks worn by Inquisitors are both less intimidating and worn far less often, and the members of the order in Southstone are both more empathetic and more attuned to the wants and needs of the people they protect. This has resulted in a situation where Inquisitors in Southstone are not viewed with the same trepidation as Inquisitors elsewhere, and additionally lead fairly normal lives by Southstone standards, with some having families or participating in social affairs in addition to their duties as an Inquisitor. This should not be misinterpreted as complacency however, as Southstone Inquisitors are universally willing to drop what they're doing or lay down their lives in protection of the city's people at a moment's notice. This, in turn, has over time resulted in a notable difference in how they're perceived by the general populace, with most in Southstone admiring the Inquisitorium branch, and becoming an Inquisitor being viewed as something deserving of no small amount of respect and, arguably, an equal amount of trust.
Overall, Southstone exists as a unique pocket of Torvahlan culture, and despite the constant threats they face, to this day it remains arguably one Torvahl's cities most deserving of respect, even if cultural barriers cause them to generally be underappreciated outside of the city.
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City
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