Here's a Preview of The largest bastion of Evil, the Betrayer's seat of power in Simarra; The Cradle of Life.
The Cradle of Life
“Oh she has fallen,
The gem of the world,
Light of Enâra,
Blessed Megath-tor has fallen!
Banished from your embrace,
We wander,
Beggers lost in darkness….”
-Harkon Beltoran
Once home to millions of people from a myriad cultures, the cradle of life is a ravaged shell of it’s former self. The utter domination of the Keza-Drak and the minions of Agärazôn is apparent in every conquered city and razed town in the near-1000 mile stretch of land that is the betrayer’s seat of power on Simarra. Over half a million Keza-Drak and roughly 300 thousand Sundaari occupy the cradle of life, imposing their will on a multitude of conquered, enslaved peoples, twisting them into mutated horrors to be unleashed on the free people of simarra. Even more of these wretched masses are fodder for the sacrificial pyres, offered up as tribute to Urkog-drall, the dread god Thûrak and a host of blood gods who have ascended since the dawn of the Age of Blood.
Estimated Population: 1.2 million
Major Settlements
Wealth of the region: Effectively unlimited.
Wealth Limit: No item cost over 60.
Major Organizations: Fundamentalist Keza-Drak, Keza-Drak loyal to Agärazôn, Morargrim, Sundarri Blood Lords, Zôrùn-Ahmrê, Renegade Arcanus Magi, Insurgent groups including the Shodon Warlords and the Sons of Simarra.
Places of Note
The cradle of life was once a lush, fertile region with wondrous natural beauty. In the 10 years since the invasion of the Keza-Drak, that beauty has been crushed under the iron boot of industry, forever marred by the despoilment of the land and rape of it’s natural resources. The land is dotted with iron fortresses, byzantine temples and alien buildings which burrow into the earth, sucking black oil and natural gas from the depths.
The Haddranath: Acting as a natural barrier for the north, south and western borders of the cradle of life, these rugged, heavily forested hills have been transfromed into a warren of mines where slaves plumb the earth for iron, copper, gold and silver ore or cut down trees. Keza-Drak outposts house garrisons who stand vigilant over the corridors leading into and out of the cradle of life. Ruins of smaller cities destroyed during the invasion and temples to the elder gods can also be found scattered across the Hadrannath. Some of these are used as bases of operations for brave insurgents who work to destabilize the region.
Thel-Kaza: Once a metropolis of unsurpassed beauty, the city once known as Megath-Tor has been transformed into a lawless, pestiferous tumor on the face of simarra. The city is a treacherous place where death and corruption are a way of life. The air is filled with the sickly stench of burning bodies, garbage and raw sewage. The pollution caused by the oil refineries and foundries has grown so bad that the city is in a perpetual state of twilight. All visceral desires can be sated in Thel-kaza. Pleasures of the flesh, drugs, poisons, weaponry, blood sport; all of these and many more red delights can be had, for a price.
Kael’ Zarack (The Undercity): Thel-kaza has been rebuilt over the centuries due to previous occupations by enemies and the need for expansion to fit a growing population. Technological advances also contributed to the growth of the city such as expanded sewage and waste systems and, most recently, mechanical sub-stations which operate various machinery. Due to structural concerns, many portions of the city remain intact deep below Thel-kaza. Indeed, some have even been expanded by various factions within the city. This warren of tunnels and sub-structures are used by insurgents as havens and bases of operation for their efforts to free their brethren and mount attacks against the Keza-Drak.
Thel-Zagron: Located in the center of the cradle of life, the city of Thel-Zagron is the base of operations for the Keza-Drak, housing three battalions of heavy infantry, two armored divisions consisting of battle tanks, reconnaissance drones and a number of support facilities including weapons manufacturing plants and fuel depots. Thel-Zargon is commanded by General Zagûm-Drak, overlord of the keza-drakian legions.
Zagûm-Drak is a ruthless commander, known for his tendancy to slay his subordinates for even the slightest provocation. Zagûm once had all of his personal advisors crucified in his war room because one of them was late to a council meeting. They were left that way for weeks, forced to continue counseling the commander right up until they died. After, Zagûm-drak forced his new delegation of advisors to ritually eat the remains of the previous group so that they might learn from their predecessor’s mistakes.
Kaz-Rakhûl (The rats nest): A sprawling, walled ghetto composed of tents, shacks and squalid tenements outside the walls of Thel-kaza, Kaz-Rakhul is a disease-ridden cesspool where the slaves are forced to live when they aren’t serving their masters. The rats nest is home to thousands upon thousands of people from all different races and creeds. For the most part, the races live in communities segregated according to race. These individual districts are ran by Keza-Drak-appointed Nailheads; overseers chosen from the general slave population who regularly meet to discuss various issues that affect the overall welfare of the rats nest. Not all nailheads have their brethren’s best interests at heart, however.
More than a few nailheads have become corrupt, using their somewhat elevated status to set themselves up as slum lords within the rats nest. They use the threat of Keza-drakian intervention to maintain their control of those people in their sectors, living in old taverns, apartments or warehouses that are easily defended by their grunts. The nailheads and their henchmen are the eyes and the ears of the Keza-Drak, providing information about potential uprisings and insurgent activity in exchange for additional rations, alcohol, drugs and cushy assignments.
Rumors
Some say that the fundamentalist faction of Keza-Drak are planning on abandoning this war and going back to their homeworld; a development that would drastically reduce Agärazôn’s forces, weakening his hold on remote bases of operation. Zagûm-Drak has responded to this percieved threat by attacking fundamentalist-held outposts in the cradle of life in addition to bolstering defenses in Thel-kaza, where infighting in various quarters of the city have broken out between the two factions.
Some slaves, primarily shodon oracles - have also been receiving visions hinting at a possible new ally in the war for Simarra, the Crone of the Fell Marshes in Northern Talmosia. More insurgents have been slipping into the rats nest via tunnels deep underground. Some say that a slave uprising will happen very soon.
The Cradle of Life
“Oh she has fallen,
The gem of the world,
Light of Enâra,
Blessed Megath-tor has fallen!
Banished from your embrace,
We wander,
Beggers lost in darkness….”
-Harkon Beltoran
Once home to millions of people from a myriad cultures, the cradle of life is a ravaged shell of it’s former self. The utter domination of the Keza-Drak and the minions of Agärazôn is apparent in every conquered city and razed town in the near-1000 mile stretch of land that is the betrayer’s seat of power on Simarra. Over half a million Keza-Drak and roughly 300 thousand Sundaari occupy the cradle of life, imposing their will on a multitude of conquered, enslaved peoples, twisting them into mutated horrors to be unleashed on the free people of simarra. Even more of these wretched masses are fodder for the sacrificial pyres, offered up as tribute to Urkog-drall, the dread god Thûrak and a host of blood gods who have ascended since the dawn of the Age of Blood.
Estimated Population: 1.2 million
Major Settlements
Wealth of the region: Effectively unlimited.
Wealth Limit: No item cost over 60.
Major Organizations: Fundamentalist Keza-Drak, Keza-Drak loyal to Agärazôn, Morargrim, Sundarri Blood Lords, Zôrùn-Ahmrê, Renegade Arcanus Magi, Insurgent groups including the Shodon Warlords and the Sons of Simarra.
Places of Note
The cradle of life was once a lush, fertile region with wondrous natural beauty. In the 10 years since the invasion of the Keza-Drak, that beauty has been crushed under the iron boot of industry, forever marred by the despoilment of the land and rape of it’s natural resources. The land is dotted with iron fortresses, byzantine temples and alien buildings which burrow into the earth, sucking black oil and natural gas from the depths.
The Haddranath: Acting as a natural barrier for the north, south and western borders of the cradle of life, these rugged, heavily forested hills have been transfromed into a warren of mines where slaves plumb the earth for iron, copper, gold and silver ore or cut down trees. Keza-Drak outposts house garrisons who stand vigilant over the corridors leading into and out of the cradle of life. Ruins of smaller cities destroyed during the invasion and temples to the elder gods can also be found scattered across the Hadrannath. Some of these are used as bases of operations for brave insurgents who work to destabilize the region.
Thel-Kaza: Once a metropolis of unsurpassed beauty, the city once known as Megath-Tor has been transformed into a lawless, pestiferous tumor on the face of simarra. The city is a treacherous place where death and corruption are a way of life. The air is filled with the sickly stench of burning bodies, garbage and raw sewage. The pollution caused by the oil refineries and foundries has grown so bad that the city is in a perpetual state of twilight. All visceral desires can be sated in Thel-kaza. Pleasures of the flesh, drugs, poisons, weaponry, blood sport; all of these and many more red delights can be had, for a price.
Kael’ Zarack (The Undercity): Thel-kaza has been rebuilt over the centuries due to previous occupations by enemies and the need for expansion to fit a growing population. Technological advances also contributed to the growth of the city such as expanded sewage and waste systems and, most recently, mechanical sub-stations which operate various machinery. Due to structural concerns, many portions of the city remain intact deep below Thel-kaza. Indeed, some have even been expanded by various factions within the city. This warren of tunnels and sub-structures are used by insurgents as havens and bases of operation for their efforts to free their brethren and mount attacks against the Keza-Drak.
Thel-Zagron: Located in the center of the cradle of life, the city of Thel-Zagron is the base of operations for the Keza-Drak, housing three battalions of heavy infantry, two armored divisions consisting of battle tanks, reconnaissance drones and a number of support facilities including weapons manufacturing plants and fuel depots. Thel-Zargon is commanded by General Zagûm-Drak, overlord of the keza-drakian legions.
Zagûm-Drak is a ruthless commander, known for his tendancy to slay his subordinates for even the slightest provocation. Zagûm once had all of his personal advisors crucified in his war room because one of them was late to a council meeting. They were left that way for weeks, forced to continue counseling the commander right up until they died. After, Zagûm-drak forced his new delegation of advisors to ritually eat the remains of the previous group so that they might learn from their predecessor’s mistakes.
Kaz-Rakhûl (The rats nest): A sprawling, walled ghetto composed of tents, shacks and squalid tenements outside the walls of Thel-kaza, Kaz-Rakhul is a disease-ridden cesspool where the slaves are forced to live when they aren’t serving their masters. The rats nest is home to thousands upon thousands of people from all different races and creeds. For the most part, the races live in communities segregated according to race. These individual districts are ran by Keza-Drak-appointed Nailheads; overseers chosen from the general slave population who regularly meet to discuss various issues that affect the overall welfare of the rats nest. Not all nailheads have their brethren’s best interests at heart, however.
More than a few nailheads have become corrupt, using their somewhat elevated status to set themselves up as slum lords within the rats nest. They use the threat of Keza-drakian intervention to maintain their control of those people in their sectors, living in old taverns, apartments or warehouses that are easily defended by their grunts. The nailheads and their henchmen are the eyes and the ears of the Keza-Drak, providing information about potential uprisings and insurgent activity in exchange for additional rations, alcohol, drugs and cushy assignments.
Rumors
Some say that the fundamentalist faction of Keza-Drak are planning on abandoning this war and going back to their homeworld; a development that would drastically reduce Agärazôn’s forces, weakening his hold on remote bases of operation. Zagûm-Drak has responded to this percieved threat by attacking fundamentalist-held outposts in the cradle of life in addition to bolstering defenses in Thel-kaza, where infighting in various quarters of the city have broken out between the two factions.
Some slaves, primarily shodon oracles - have also been receiving visions hinting at a possible new ally in the war for Simarra, the Crone of the Fell Marshes in Northern Talmosia. More insurgents have been slipping into the rats nest via tunnels deep underground. Some say that a slave uprising will happen very soon.
