Dovylka, The City on the Edge of Darkness (d/oʊ/v/ɪɫk/'a)

The screams of sinners and saints, the damned and those fighting tooth and nail against the encroaching darkness mingle together, a symphony of death for the amusement of cruel gods. Dovylka, the Final Bastion must stand, lest the darkness spread.

To the farthest reaches of the frozen north sits Dovylka, the Unforgiving City. It is the current capital of the Tsardom of Chernov. A mighty nation in times past, who's influence once touched the four corners of the world has fallen into disarray. The Darkness, a corrupting mass of energy and its horrors made flesh has plagued the lands, changing the natural beauty into swamp like hellscapes. Tsar Igor Ivanovhich stands ready against the encroaching end, though the horrors that he has witnessed during the eclipse has changed him. A once valiant warrior has become paranoid, his wrath and suspicions making him into a dreadful person. Despite his shortcomings, he still commands enough respect to maintain his rule. With his immense power he has threatened smaller nations into vassalage, forcing them to send replacements to the war effort. Their military has held back the darkness thus far, but should Dovylka fall, it will mean the deaths of countless innocents.

Dovylka is looked upon by the ignorant as a canker, an open sore. A mockery of chivalry, nobility, freedom and justice. Those that see the truth know that it is the lesser of a far greater evil. The Tsar must wear the mantle of the oppressor, a tyrant of a man in order to ensure their survival. Through his orders all weapons have been monitored, wild magic is outlawed, and inquisitors walk the streets, seeking sedition. The inhabitants required to perform mandatory military service, and are required to have their whereabouts known at all time. Every birth must be reported to the inquisitors, for the child of man and beast to be inspected for any traces of the darkness upon it. The child that has the sign of the dark, Hexbloods as they are called, are taken from the capital to fortress monasteries where they are raised. These Hexbloods are indoctrinated to be elite soldiers, perfect agents of the nobility. These warriors return filled with a pure hatred towards the darkness and themselves, flagellant warriors who seek peace in death, and the solace that can be found in martyrdom.
Taxes are often spent on the purchase of slaves. Ransomed prisoners of war, criminals, undesirables, and those hopelessly indebted are sought in kingdoms afar off. Charlatans are often employed to incite rebellion in neighboring cities and among the vassals, gaining the trust of those that harbor traitorous intent before betraying them into the hands of the tyrant. Those bought are granted the Tsars Peace, forced to undergo extensive rituals and enchantments, until the body is left as little more than a husk. Though the haze their bodies are experimented on, turned into the tools of destruction. When they are sent outside the walls, or atop the battlements they are awakened once more, the blissful confusion leaves them, turning them into little more than beasts driven by fury and horror.

Government

The Laws

The Unforgivable

Animal Cruelty: The gods themselves have blessed the people with animals, set to be companions and as tools to aid in worship. Abusing an animal is to spit in the face of the gods and the ancestors who relied heavily upon them. The punishment for abusing an animal is to be held to the same suffering that the animal was put through. It is administered through mob justice.

Slander: The people in live in times of uncertainty, so a mans word and reputation are very important. It should be treated with the same grace as his sword arm. To slander someone is to invite dissent and harbor discourse and distrust. The punishment for slander is public floggings, having their lies branded into their skin. Repeated offenses results in the death penalty.

Treason: A dog which bites the hand that feeds it can no longer be trusted, for the dog no longer cares for its master. The people must conduct themselves with a pure loyalty, for it is the shield that protects all. Treason is truly unforgivable; those related to the traitor to the third generation are tried for the crime, so that the disease may be completely removed.

Murder: The people are the land, the land is the people. The Tsar cares for all under his rule, though he may not be able to truly show it. To kill a fellow citizen is nothing more than kin-slaying, for a brother in arms is bound by the blood they have shed together. The only appropriate punishment for this is hanging, the bodies of murderers then cast outside the city walls. They are impaled on stakes among the bodies of those who fight for the enemies.

Magic: Unlawful usage of magic is dangerous for several reasons. Magic is generally unpredictable, both with wild and controlled magic. Wild magic is chaotic in nature, and cannot be fully trusted by any that try to protect the city. Schools of magic are also banned, for their effects draw the powers of darkness towards the site of the place, causing much damage in it's wake. The punishment for using magic is having a magic-nulling band placed upon the users neck. The magic user is forced into hard labor, or sent to the gallows.

Deserter: The people are united in the fight against the darkness. Those too old, or unable to carry a sword are able to produce tools and supplies for the efforts. The children are able to work among animals, in farms, and provide support when asked. To desert your post is unforgivable. Individual deserters face a trail by their peers, and if a squad deserts they are decimated to half of their original size.

Rioting: Rioting is simply allowing the darkness a free passage into the city. The darkness does not need much to grow. There does not need be fires, or dead bodies lining the streets. Protests, are enough to break the unity of the people. They are chased away. Flogging and mandatory military service are common punishments.

Illegal

Robbery: Theft harms those in the community. It is not a joke. A thief, when caught is put on trial. If it was out of necessity, the thief is sent to repay what was lost by working for the person they tried to rob. If it was for unjust reasons, the punishment is flogging. A foreigner who is caught stealing, or someone who tries to rob the nobles has their hands removed.

Breaking Curfew: The Curfew has been set up for the protection of the citizens. It allows peace of mind, and that no one would be tempted by the whispers, the shadows of the wind. Breaking Curfew is punishable by house arrest.

Tax Evasion: Taxes fuel the war effort. Avoiding taxes is an act of treason. Those that do not pay their taxes, when discovered, are required to pay the amount owed with interest. Failure to pay results in compensation in alternative ways.

Horse Stealing: To steal another mans horse is considered a grave offense, though the punishment is decided by the victim.

The Taxes

The Great Families

The Clans, or the great families pay a tax based off of their combined buildings, income, and outside partnerships. The whole clan is taxed twenty percent of their earnings, though it it split among all of them. The wealthiest clan members often pay the majority of the tax for favors and cheaper labor by their kin.

The Unlanded

The unlanded, or those without a clan are taxed far less, though more frequently. Once a week the unlanded must provide their ransom based off their worth, with a tithe of what they had produced that week. Someone working the fields may have to bring seed, or crops. A hunter brings salted meat.

The Outsider

Adventurers, and outsiders must pay a fee to enter the city, and a fee to leave the city.

Defences

The City is one of the most heavily guarded in the known world. Outside the city is the first line of defense, known as the Wall of Atonement. It is made of wood and stone, with the bodies of the fallen thrown upon it. Criminals, slaves, and the Hex bloods guard this wall. It has been taken taken over many times, the defenders fighting like madmen against the masses, buying time for the warnings to reach the city. Between the city and the wall are pitfalls and trenches, where those destined to die meet their gruesome end.
The city itself is surrounded by impenetrable stone walls. The first line of walls stand at forty feet tall, and are large enough to hold twice the number of defenders as other cities are able to. The Eastern wall is divided among the Great Families, who compete with each other for prestige. The wall has two mighty towers for each of the Great Families, though they are given a great deal of autonomy. The remaining walls are guarded by a mixture of the unlanded, and those directly under the command of the Tsar.
The second walls are found deep within the city, protecting the noble family and the inhabitants near the center. Behind these walls are a carefully laid out labyrinth of moving walls, archer towers, and dead ends. When it finally seems as though the exit has been found, the walls move, leading to another dead end, or the sight of an ambush. Those that live within this district are carefully chosen by the nobility, hand picked to serve in the coming of the end.

Industry & Trade

The city has cut off trade with the outside world, sharing its trade rights for supplies for the end times.
The inhabitants work in the smiths, hidden quarries and the forests under the protection of specialized guards. There are breweries that use the elderly, in order to help the courage of the soldiers

Infrastructure

There are several watch towers, windmills and watermills, and storage buildings built. There are two laboratories, and a medical camps. There is a well functioning sewage system, with watchers patrolling it twice a week.

Districts

The city is divided into districts, run by the major clans, though the base of their operations are on the Eastern Walls. Though monitored closely by the nobility, the clans are able to rule their portions of the city as they deem fit. The more prosperous families control more swaths of the cities than others.
The Trade District: The market streets are constantly buzzing, as the great families sponsor businesses and the arts to generate revenue.
The Midnight Harbor: The midnight harbor, or the wall, is where the seats of power for each of the families lies. Before the Eclipse, there was a powerful river that flowed here.
The Old Market: The old market is quarantined after a magical outburst summoned creatures of the darkness. It is currently blocked off.
Black Village: The Blackened village sits outside of the walls, where farmers dwell.
Gloom Road: The gloom road and its adjacent area was once a prominent road, that now leads into the darkness. The bodies of captives, those that would serve the darkness are impaled along this road, a warning for any that would attack the city.
The Grey Gate: There is little that is truly black and white. The grey gate is where hundreds of slaves are brought in every day.
Five Rocks: The housing district, built around the five rocks, of the five great families.

Guilds and Factions

Factions of the Nobility

The Silent Hooves: The mounted Inquisitors of the nobility. They guard over the city, acting as the eyes and ears of the Tsar. Following the traditions of the Horse-warriors that they are descendants of, they are rarely seen without their mount, the bond between them inseparable. Galloping to and fro, they act as messengers and defend against the dark powers.

The Court of Red Hooves The Red Hooves are the elite Inquisitors, and those that have successfully led small campaigns outside the walls. Court members are given prestigious red stallions to use. They are specialized in single combat, and discerning lies and falsehoods. Wherever evil tries to take root, they are there to fight against it.

The Great Families

House Dovyn: The Trappers of the Fallen Keep. House Dovyn hold the far left wall. Though they are considered the weakest among the other great families, their expert traps and guerilla warfare is an invaluable asset. Many of them are located in The Old Market, aiding in tracking the last of the Darkness. They are associated with the wolf, and the element of air.
House Kovash: The Righteous Zealots The House Kavash believes that they are the closest to the gods. They have a hegemony over temples, and produce a great deal of holy warriors. They are positioned on the left battlement, though their clerics are scattered throughout. They refuse to compete with the other Great Families. They are often associated with the white rabbit.
House Lushyn: The Lords under the Tsars Banner Lushyn has been placed at the centerfold, their mighty warriors unyielding in the face of the Darkness. They are well known for their courage, and fearlessness, symbolized by the bear. They are often seen as unkempt, and hard to get along with outside of battle.
House Chesnov: The Horsemen of the East Before the East fell, many horsemen would come tho this city to help fight in foreign wars. In the aftermath of the eclipse, the horsemen realized that they no longer had a home to go to. They are associated with the unicorn, a free and wild people who would plunge itself into the heart of evil.
House Avekov: The Sell-swords It is hard to be free of a bad reputation, and the House of Avekov knows this too well. A family that once prided itself on its capabilities in magic, now must use their skills to track down renegade students, who refuse to follow the magic ban.

Points of interest

Tavern

The Slumbering Fools: In the civic quarter, where the streets are filled with revelings sits a small tavern. A donations box waits outside, money going to help the local community. The tavern looks more akin to a cabin, with flowers growing around it, and there are many books on the counter and along the walls. The tavern keeper is a young foreign elf woman, who dresses in very stereotypical barkeep clothing. She can barely speak common, and is a bit hostile to any she perceives as an outsider.
The Smiling Skull: A quiet tavern in the trade district. The streets have the smell of damp earth, and many homeless sit outside this tavern. It is a popular destination, for the owner takes in any who need a place to stay. The tavern is the polar opposite from the madness outside. The tavern keeper is a middle aged man, who wears the same simple clothing every day. His face is tight, and often sullen. His eyes are a dark blue, with a mean look to them. His jet black hair hangs loosely on his head.

Blacksmith

The Steel Chain: Run by the Dovyn, the Steel Chain is offers a great deal of support to the military and are well respected by the nobility. They are set up beside one of the guard towers. The owner is recognized easily by his battered two handed axe, and long unkempt hair. His clothing are stained with dirt and blood. He is quiet, anti-social and is known for zoning out of conversations.

The White Breastplate: Specializing in armor, the white breastplate is focused on trying to keep the old traditions. Their creations are intricate and have a solemn beauty to them, a reflection of better times. They are located in the temple ward, and they act as a second set of eyes for the local guards. The boss is a human male. He carries around a set of whips on his belt, each with the engraving of a bears head on the hilt. His hair is a light brown and he holds the bearings of nobility. He is very friendly, and has a crush on his rivals younger sister.

Alchemist

The Mad Flower: Located in the farms outside the city, in Black Town. The Mad Flower is filled with remedies for physical and mental ailment. Those that have witnessed the horrors beyond the walls often come here in order to find something that will help them forget. The owner is a stocky woman, unlanded with auburn hair. She refuses to take money as payment, only requesting trinkets or bobbles to barter with later.

Geography

The city is built on the edge of the known world, where the cold is almost all year round. There is a glassy sea to the north, and a large dip into the earth, where chaos reigns eastward of the walls. These are the ancestral lands, the birthright of the people now blackened, an overgrown watery swamp that consumes all in its path.
Outside the city walls are areas of carnage, fields littered with the remains of the fallen. Hundreds if stakes have been built, the bodies of their captured enemies facing towards the darkness, as a warning for any who would dare set foot in the empire.

Climate

The climate is very predictable. Most of the year is cold, with a couple months where the weather is similar to spring.

Natural Resources

A lot of wood is found in the evergreen forests, and the few farms grow cabbage, turnips and leeks. Wild boar, elk, and moose are still found in large enough quantities.

Alternative Name(s)

The Black City

Type

Large city

Population

21,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Dovyakans

Additional Rulers/Owners

• Yelizaveta

Ruling/Owning Rank

Tsar

Owning Organization

Chernov