Living ENWorld:Rivenblight
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[edit] Rivenblight
Location: Some 250 miles North of Orussus, located in a hilly region between the forests of The Silverwood to the North, the hilly woods of Larkenwold Reach to the South ,the Vastermarch (a region of plains and rich fertile grasslands, as well as light woods) to the West and the hostile Human realm of Hendralia sitting to the East. Rivenblight is the largest congregation of Elvenkind in all of Enworld, with every race of Elvenkind being represented, even the Drow...
Rivenblight, Independent Metropolis
Population: 89,430 (77% Elvish, 35% High, 17% Wood, 13% Grey, 7% Half-Elf, 4% Drow, 1% Half-Drow, 11% Human, 6% Gnome, 3% Dwarf, 2% Halfling, 1% Half-Orc)
Government: Oligarchy (the Council of Nine, made up of the leading Guilds,Houses and Clans from the surrounding lands as well as the City).
Religion: All, particularly Grendath and Hyrag.
Imports: All manner of trade goods, much coming from the Vastermarch, which borders many lands and comprises an astounding array of Trade prospects.
Exports: Worked crafts of all sorts, renowned for musical instruments and pigments for use in painting as well as finished works of literature. The last century has seen Rivenblight exporting a growing trade in weapons and armor, as the World around them demands a higher and higher quality of Arms. As well, there are ruins and entrances to the Underdark in Rivenblight, giving rise to opportunities to secure riches untold of.
Alignments: All, with Chaotic Good,Neutral,Neutral Good and Lawful Neutral being predominant. It is an odd phenomenon that amidst the carefree nature that elves are known for, there exists a very ordered and structured way of life in Rivenblight. In a land where the slightest mis-step could bring about a Duel, knowing the Law is crucial.
Politics: With three of its four borders comprised of bastions of Elvenkind, Rivenblight would seem an ideal place to live for an elf. However, Hendralia sits upon the Eastern border of the City, a land that feels no love towards Rivenblight. Indeed, antipathy and even outright hatred for the Elves is kept in check only by the massed might of the Houses, Clans and Guilds therein, should they ally against an external threat (which they have done before). Hendralia feels that the Elven city is stifling its trade opportunities, as the elven nations were far less organized (thus, Hendralia fared far better) before the city arose. This is a long-standing Grudge, as Rivenblight was founded some 500 years ago (then known as Beryl), but the Hendralians have a long memory.
[edit] History
Rivenblight was once a thriving trade center utilized as a middle ground between the Grey Elves of Larkenwold Reach, the Wood Elves of the Silverwood and the High Elves of the cities of the Vastermarch. As well, humans, Dwarves and Halflings all came to trade in the great Metropolis. In those bygone days, the City was known as Beryl. All of this changed one dire day some 300 years ago, when a Cataclysmic Earthquake literally split the city in twain, half of it sliding into a great crater/cleft, much of it and thousands of it's residents all destroyed and killed. Diviners and Seers sought the cause, and though no definitive source was evident, it was surmised that the Drow had a hand in the Foul deed.
"Looking down on the place, it seems to have been the victim of some sort of disaster. The earth appears to have been rent in two in the midst of the city, with potions having been heaved violently up into the air. There's a large chasm cutting through the city, plunged into perpetual darkness. At the top of the chasm, the buildings are at odd angles, and many of them are clearly damaged. The architectural style is elven, but the great rip in the landscape seems ominous."
Though none blamed the others for the catastrophe, the various elves all became suspicious of the other Guild Houses, Clans and Trade Unions. Many sought to profit from the sorrow of others during this time of trouble. Food importation and crafts, housing and jealousy of what others still had (when some had lost all) quickly escalated into open hostility and Warfare among the Elves.
Some groups fought along racial lines, some for their Guilds and some fought as mercenaries for whomever paid the most coin, food or had the sweetest promises of things to come.
Into this came the Drow, stealing forth from below, as some of Rivenblight (as the former City was now known) was now permanently in the dark, shaded by the walls of the crater that fully a third of the city had fallen into. As well, Gnolls and Goblins, Orcs and Ogres used the strife as a distraction so that they might take up residence in the Ruins of Rivenblight as well (perhaps aided by the Drow, who use these as fodder in their armies). Rivenblight was a dangerous place indeed.
Now, some three centuries later, the Elves still live in an Uneasy situation, though open Warfare between them is now a thing of the past. The ruined towers near the lip of the chasm have been preserved as monuments to the disaster and ensuing wars. They aren't representative of the state of the city as a whole. Dwarves have begun entering the Ruins looking for treasures, 'plots' sold off by Elven Lords for a share of the profits.
"Somewhat nervously, the party travels closer to the city. It's larger than it first appeared, as the buildings are decorated in a variety of natural shapes and at first glance do not appear to be buildings at all. The damaged buildings at the lip of the chasm are more apparent, as the artistry inherent in their form was apparently greatly disrupted in the disaster.
As it gets darker, lights go on all around the city. If you didn't know you were looking at a city, you might mistake it for a forest flooded with multicolored fireflies."
The Human Realm of Hendralia sits on the Eastern border of the city, a hostile presence not strong enough to depose the Elves and plunder their city, yet too strong for the Elves to remove.
Many eyes look to this Ancient and Rich place, from Lands abroad and Lands Below...
[edit] Modern Rivenblight
Rivenblight is not as big as Orussus, but the city is very tall, with many towers and minarets. Also, the third that sunk into the pit is roughly a half mile deep. In the centuries since it was changed, the Elves and their Dwarf and Gnome masons have built downwards along the cliff-face, so the city is split into three livable sections: The Upper City, the third of Rivenblight not affected by the cataclysm, where the oldest towers still stand tall. The Middle City, carved into the walls of the crater itself. And the Sub City, located at the bottom of the cliff, sunken into the scarred earth, but not quite so deep as the Crater, which takes up the remaining third of Rivenblight.
Today, there are many Drow in Rivenblight, masquerading as other Elves for whatever agenda sends them forth from the Underdark. The good elves are divided into many camps of Family, Guild or Social-Class based structure as well as racially oriented. Several such camps are the Greenmoon Society, comprised mostly of Wood Elves, the House of Dawn, a Grey Elf group of Wizards and Bards, and Clan Darmyth, a High Elf family with attendant servants.
There are also many Dwarves and Gnomes, Halflings and Humans. Just east of Rivenblight is the hostile human nation of Hendralia. Even without its surface neighbors to deal with, Rivenblight itself is teeming with undead, drow and other horrible creatures that should never see the light of day, as a third of it fell into a crater several hundred years ago. Sprawling amounts of former city have been buried in the Crater, and rumors tell of connections to the Underdark. Tales tell of treasure and wonders to be found within the crater, but with the reward comes great risk.
[edit] Buildings
The Belching Orc Inn
Green Griffon - a tavern
[edit] Characters
There are Eldritch Knights, Theurges, Horizon Walkers, and Grey Elves in Rivenblight.
There is an elven weapon smith of some fame by the name of Dyallin of Rivenblight
Uriel's PC Silvercat is from Rivenblight
[edit] Public Status
Uriel, the creator of Rivenblight, encourages players and DMs alike to create Houses, Guilds, Clans, etc. DMs, adventures should be mainly espionage in the city proper or 'dungeon delving' in the sunken parts of the ancient city, which have many passages to the Underdark.
Uriel - Swashbucklers fit the archetype far better than a fighter, which really isn't designed for roof-top battles, duels on causeways overlooking five hundred foot drops and running battles between buildings. Neither is the Rogue, which can do most of that well (and far better than a fighter), but relies on backstabbing and ambush, where the Elves of Rivenblight are honorable adversaries with very strict rules of engagement. Sure, there are Rogues skulking amongst the shadows, and plate armored fighters serving in the Houses, but the bulk of the folk waging war in the City don't fit into either archetype.
