Carim

Carim is the land and city that Velka founded after she departed Anor Londo and Lordran in 171FA.
== History ==
=== The Founding of Carim ===
The Goddess Velka, wife of Lord Gwyn and mother of his children founded the city of Carim. When Seath the Scaleless took Velka for himself and impregnated her, she gave birth to twin crossbreeds named Priscilla and Yorshka, though Yorshka's birth was somehow kept secret. The Gods saw Priscilla as a threat, due to her draconic nature and began to fear both Velka and Priscilla. Velka, with help from the Painter Ariamis, constructed a Painted World to house her. She also had a weapon constructed, rumoured to be made by King Aldricius of Catarina (who constructed the famous magical sword Storm Ruler) and was said to have the ability to steal the souls of Gods and kill them, which in turn the weapon became known as the Lifehunt Scythe. Following this, the Gods began to loathe Velka and overtime wished her to not be in Anor Londo any longer, but began to leave Priscilla in peace as the Guardian of the Painted World. In the year 171FA, Velka departed the lands with many of her devoted followers, knowing that Priscilla was now safe.
Journeying far to the northern coast of the continent of Gorlewynn, Velka discovered a deep valley surrounded by black mountains, rumoured to be because of the amount of dragon fire that was unleashed on them burning them black. Here she settled the City that became known as Carim. Upon the founding of her city, she embraced her draconic heritage and godlike status to the full and sprouted great feathered wings resembling that of a Crow. She subsequently created the Covenant of Sin, specialising in doling out punishment to those that have sinned and created two enforcers of the Covenant: The Pardoners, tasked with seeking out those that have sinned and giving them the opportunity to repent for their sins and the Black Hands, assassins tasked with hunting those that refuse redemption and slaying them. Many of Velka's followers also embrace their worship of her, becoming transformed into a new race of beings known as the Corvians, with their image twisting into that like Velka's, growing feathers and wings, resembling that of a Corvidae, hence the name.
=== Velka's Rule ===
When Gwyn linked the First Flame, using his own body to kindle the fire and to stop the flame from fading, it was seen as a great sin by the Covenant of Sin, with Velka seeing this as the greatest sin of all. She names those who wish to become Lords of Cinder sinners as they were going against the natural order of the world and that the Linking of the First Flame being named as the First True Sin of the world. With this declaration as a warning to all, her son Gwyndolin creates the Blades of the Darkmoon, with a similar goal to that of the Covenant of Sin with the idea of killing all sinners that trespass in the City of Anor Londo and as a result allies itself to Velka's Covenant. Upon hearing this, Velka welcomes her sons new covenant creating a cross-continental alliance between the two, so that they do not impede each others progress and worship.
For hundreds of years there was peace in Carim until somewhat into the third age in 280FY, did something come to light and the attention of Velka. She discovered the existence of people who were being trained with the goal to usher in the next Lord of Cinder, constructing bonfires across Gorlewynn to help guide and link those to the First Flame and as such these 'Firekeepers' were deemed as sinners by Velka. But the most interesting one of all was hearing a rumour that a Firekeeper supposedly discovered the long lost entrance to the First Flame and so tasked one of her Knights named Lautrec to seek out this Firekeeper and cleanse her of her sin. Upon his arrival in Lordran in 284FY, Lautrec was unfortunately for him, captured and imprisoned within the Undead Burg by several of the Hollowed Undead that managed to overpower him. It was only until the Chosen Undead arrived in Lordran who was destined to become the next Lord of Cinder in 285FY. The Chosen Undead happened upon Knight Lautrec's prison within the Undead Burg and freed him, not knowing his true purpose. It was then that Lautrec made his way to the Firelink Shrine and slayed the Firekeeper that was there, burning out the flame that had been built there. Eventually the Chosen Undead discovered that the Firekeeper had been slain and only until he arrived in Anor Londo did he find Knight Lautrec with the Firekeeper's Soul in which the Undead duelled and slew Lautrec. Unfortunately for Velka, she never discovered whether or not Lautrec was successful in his quest, but he never returned, assuming that he was lost to the chaos of the Undead curse.
=== The Arrival of Rosaria ===
Nearly a thousand years did the workers of Carim attempt to cleanse the world of all sin and lived in relative peace in the north of Gorlewynn. But this would all change with the arrival of Rosaria, partner of Aldrich Saint of the Deep, in Carim as she brought troubles of her own. Velka welcomed her into the city willingly as she stated to be a distant relative of Gwynevere, which in turn would make her a distant relative of Velka herself. Telling Velka about how Aldrich kept her as a concubine and bared him many children of which he would then devour to make himself become more powerful, leaving her to loathe him and never have a child to love. Despite this, some of her children managed to escape and go on to do great things such as Anri and Horace, but it was only until Aldrich became powerful enough did Rosaria manage to escape Irithyll fleeing to the north and as such to Carim, leaving and abandoning her remaining child in Irithyll. This remaining child would eventually become the Dancer of the Boreal Valley, a twisted and tortured being who was transformed into a mindless beast by that of the new leader of Irithyll: The Pontiff Sulyvahn.
When Londor rose up across the Eastern Continent of Dwyrain and as the continents joined due to the stagnation and consistent linking of the First Flame (much to the dismay of Velka), they began to seek out allies in the West and it seemed that Carim could become one of those possible allies. Velka, by this time, was mostly an underground leader, not really being seen and was mostly unheard of, but when missionaries from the Sable Church of Londor arrived in the city, Velka showed herself for one of the first times in a millennia to the people of Carim. It was then, in 1467FY that Velka decided to ally herself with that of Londor, since the principles of Carim and Londor were similar, they both coveted the Fading of the First Flame, not knowing that Londor wished to usurp the flames power for themselves. Despite this, Velka granted Londor the use of her Dark Miracles that she had been creating over the years whilst keeping the pact between Carim and Londor somewhat secretive. When Rosaria discovered the alliance between Velka and Londor however, she started a plan of her own. Londor, over time became experienced in the art of Lifedrain and as such, the Darkwraiths returned for the first time in centuries and Rosaria realised that, after much torment, these could be the key to creating a truly immortal child of her own. She began hunting the Darkwraiths of Londor and upon killing them ripped out their tongues. She also began to gain her own following, due to being the ex-wife of a Lord of Cinder who then began to do her bidding, creating a new covenant called the Rosaria's Fingers, a completely secret covenant that hunted the Darkwraiths for her. With hundreds of tongues now in her possession, she fused them magically into her womb, combining their dark magic and their life drain to create a new child, one that was truly immortal, yet free of the Darksign.
Velka eventually discovered the child and upon realising that Rosaria was never once pregnant with this child and realising its unique ability of not being of the Darksign, decided that it was against the natural order of the world and deemed the child a great sin. Little did Velka know, that Rosaria had been conspiring with Londor, stating that she knew that Velka had been betraying Londor and had been killing Darkwraiths, sacrificing them in ancient rituals. Londor, interestingly chose to believe Rosaria and when Velka came for Rosaria's child was she taken, captured and imprisoned by the Londorian's as they used her own nullifying dark miracle power against her. Rosaria proclaims that this child should be worshipped as a God, one that is born of the darkness and that is of the morals of Londor. Upon inspection, Londor realises that this child is born without the Darksign but could be reborn over and over making him truly immortal. As such Carim begins to worship this child as a new god, with Velka becoming imprisoned in the Painted World and Rosaria becomes the official new leader of Carim. Rosaria however allows the black hands of the Covenant of Sin to continue with their work, disregarding the rule that her child, which she now named Gwaed, was not a great sin and was to be left alone, but also worshipped as their new God.
=== A Loss Of Leadership ===
With Rosaria now the leader of Carim, she becomes revered as the mother of their new God, whilst also stating that Velka had abandoned them, with the population completely unaware that she had been imprisoned deep below the earth in the Painted World. An Archdeacon called Klimt from Irithyll, once worshipper of Aldrich of the Deep, subsequently heard of the rise in power of Rosaria and travelled to Carim, pledging his loyalty to her and her child. A great black Cathedral is constructed in Carim, atop the dungeon that holds the painted world and as such Velka's prison. She secretly however continues to hunt the Darkwraiths for her son, believing that he needs a steady stream of tongues to help in his rebirth process with Gwaed praying on the general population in secret, slaying them in horrific methods that gives rise to an urban legend called the Beast of Carim, not knowing that it was their newly worshipped god that did this. Rosaria's luck however was soon about to run out. In a regular meeting of the secret Rosaria's Fingers did the Sable Church discover the treachery that Rosaria had been committing. Discovering that of the tongues of the Darkwraiths, in 1605FY Londor became enraged to find out that Rosaria was infact the one that had been betraying them. The Sable Church then took Rosaria into custody, before delivering her to the Pontiff Sulyvahn in Irithyll, who subsequently had her imprisoned in the Cathedral of the Deep, so she would forever reside next to her deceased Lord of Cinder husband Aldrich of the Deep.
Gwaed was threatened that if he tried to fight, that Londor would have Rosaria killed. The Sable Church also informed Rosaria that Gwaed had been slain and without her powers present that the rebirth process could never bring him back. Gwaed was also informed that if he ever attempted to try and retrieve his mother, then Londor would kill her. It was then that Rosaria become ever mournful, now losing what she believed to be her only living child and had the knowledge that she would never be able to bring him back. The Rosaria's Fingers by this point then becomes just a covenant of worship instead of action, with many praying to her within the Cathedral of the Deep as well as those that come to pay tribute to Aldrich. Gwaed at this point goes on the run, living off of the land and at night often returning to Carim to fully embrace the Beast of Carim, as well as understanding that it wasn't the tongues that fuelled his power, but that of the blood and souls of any that he could kill and consume. Londor then started to construct their infamous High Towers of Morion inside of Carim. Londor however managed to keep the rule over Carim quite secretive to the rest of the world, installing a puppet to rule over Carim. The puppet in turn was a man of no renown named Roland, who essentially had no power and ruled in Londors place.
In 1609FY, a man known as Morne arrived in Carim, one of the last devoted worshippers of the Goddess Caitha, who originated in the Eastern Continent of Dwyrain. Caitha was adopted into the Way of White covenant and now with no gods left to worship, many turned to Caitha and the Way of White. Going completely against the ideas that Velka had in the original days of the creation of the First Sin, Carim, under the influence of Morne begins to train their own firekeepers to send into the world, with blessing from Roland (or more likely Londor) and these firekeepers would be accompanied by Knights, whose armour was constructed in the image of Morne's and as such becomes the first true fighting force of Carim. The story of how Morne had served Caitha acted as an inspiration for the Knights of Carim that would dedicate their lives to attend a single Firekeeper Maiden.
=== Londor Has Fallen ===
In the year 1699FY, The Ashen One, the destined warrior to become the next Lord of Cinder instead let the flame fade, for the first time in history. Londors goal for their entire history has been to usurp the First Flame and with the First Flame now fading their ultimate plan has failed and yet the worst was yet to come. In the East, one of the lands of which Londor had subjugated known as the Eastern Lands and a man residing there known as Ren began his own plot to rebel against the Sable Church, officially initiating it in 2AD of the Fourth Age as Londor planned its march against Lorithia (renamed from Lothric as the Ashen One became King). As the rebellion began, Ren mounted is dragon and slew some of the great armies of hollowed undead as well as Yuria, one of the leaders of the Sable Church. Simultaneously, a woman called Muriel initiates her own rebellion in Mirrah, which was also taken by Londor (Mirrah's capital of Mirmark was also chosen as Londors capital, renamed to Morion). Ren flew to help Muriel with her rebellion and as such the great forces of Londor were destroyed and only one Sable Church leader remained.
As the healing process began across the world, the continents once again split apart and the remaining forces of Londor, who were attempting to move Westward were trapped on the western part of a new reformed Dwyrain. As such, power in Carim also collapsed as there was no one there to hold the values of Londor and resulted in being ruled solely by Roland, but it wasn't to last for long. Upon hearing of the news of Londor, Gwaed goes to the Cathedral of the Deep and kills all the deacons and people who are there and retrieves his mother, Rosaria, breaking her free from her prison. Rosaria, now knowing that her child had lived all this time, vowed revenge on Londor, with Gwaed informing her that they had already fallen, they travelled to Carim, slaying the puppet ruler Roland and taking power once again. The rule of Rosaria and Gwaed were never challenged and as such ruled in 'relative peace' for the rest of the Fourth Age. Gwaed however, ruled just as terribly as Londor did, with the creation of ritual killings once a month to satiate his appetite as well as his continuation of his night time stalking's and murders, quenching the thirst for the thrill of the hunt. He became revered as a God and worshipped, with people simply eventually agreeing to the ritual killings, offering up sacrifices to him.
This was effectively the process for over the course of the entire of the Age of Dark and other than rituals and night hunts, the city became very much secluded from the rest of the world, taking no part in the War of the Hollowed Realms. But when the First Flame resurged back into existence, a new and unique Age of Fire was created. The First Flame in this case instantly began consuming the Darksign on all living beings, therefore thrusting the undead curse once again into the world without the need of it to be fading. In the years following, it was perceived that the Great Souls that had been sacrificed to the First Flame were released back into the world, with some of them fragmenting to represent other aspects of the life on the planet. Whilst a large majority of the souls split up and were scattered all over the world, several of them interestingly found their way to Gwaed. Gwaed in turn claimed several of these new souls, making him one of the most powerful beings in the world. The souls of which Gwaed claimed were that of the Soul of Blood, Shadow and the most interesting one of Rebirth, which allowed him to resurrect as many times as he pleased without hollowing, making the power of his mother: Rosaria, effectively pointless. The Soul of Shadow gave him the ability to blend in with the shadows, becoming completely concealed and one with darkness, allowing him to get away with atrocities that he began to commit across the continent and avoiding the repercussions and those that did know about his power within Carim, feared his power to much to stand against him. 
=== The Wielders of Darkness ===
The Wielders of the Dark will appear in Carim.
== City Layout ==
Carim's land consists of the single city of the same name and is located on the Northern Coast of Gorlewynn on the Northern Shores. The city is in a valley with great black marbled mountains on all sides. By the sea is the Grand Cathedral of Carim and the main township residing all the way up to the Cathedral.
=== Notable Locations: ===
* Grand Cathedral of Carim: A great black cathedral built and commissioned by Rosaria.
* Carim Township: The main portion of the city and main residential area.
* Port of The North: The port leading to the sea called the Northern Shores at the most northern part of Gorlewynn.
* The High Towers: Great towers built originally to mimic those of Londors Capital Morion, now used as glorified watch towers.