Dorith's End

Millennia ago, a great catastrophe tore away a chunk of the City. A malfunction? The activation of some ancient weapon? A collision with a titanic chunk of lost dark matter? Whatever the cause, a great hole was shorn right through the ground and the labyrinth of machinery beneath, wiping out potentially millions of inhabitants. One large spur of metal juts out into this Abyss: Dorith's End. Once an ordinary urban street, its now-unique positioning has given rise to an unusual culture.

The main effects of the disaster on those living in Dorith's End were technological: all the underlying systems were torn away, leaving the med-centers dead, the hydraulics silent, and the calorie-nodes empty. The Enders had to learn to survive, and the scarcity they lived in gave rise to a sharply ascetic society. The disaster was a punishment for excess - in fact, the fate of the City as a whole was a punishment for excess. Humanity, by clinging to its basest desires, had made the fight against entropy all but unwinnable. By renouncing pleasures of the flesh and embracing the lost art of cy-augmentation, the Enders were able to pull through their dark age and spread their religion far and wide.

In the modern day, Dorith's End is home to House Leibowitz, which rules through its religious influence and the approval of the clergy. Most of the inhabitants are minor cyborgs, with more powerful citizens such as knights, clergymen, and magistrates possessing great amounts of augmentation, sometimes exceeding their remainder of flesh. Merchants are looked down upon for their excessive ways and aversion to augment (since outsiders often shy away from augments, which is bad for business).

Dorith's End produces mechanical augments in surplus, and often find buyers in the injured or Ascensionists. They also manufacture many other types of machinery. They harvest their components from the gravitized rubble floating throughout the Abyss, sailing specially designed ships on the tides of the gaping hole's latent connection to the City's gravity. Their grav ships function elsewhere in the City, though not as well - still, this gives them nigh-uncontested air power. The machinery they export is usually used to purchase food imports, as past Receivers have given them only minute calorie allotments.

## Noble Houses

### House Leibowitz

Of all the Great Houses, Leibowitz is the most devout. Of all the devout Houses, Leibowitz is the greatest. As a result, the family has often taken up the role of moral guardian of the City and defender of the Church throughout history. The other devout Houses gather behind Leibowitz, and the lesser Houses of the holy land - Dorith’s End - are all sworn vassals to House Leibowitz. Various Lords Leibowitz have held both the Receivery of the City and the High Partakership of the Church over the centuries. While this has led to great advancement in the Church’s influence, it has also led to a (some say dangerous) meshing of the Church’s power with that of Leibowitz, and (some claim) the gradual corruption of the once pious House. Currently ruled by Lord Iblis Leibowitz.

### House Redwater

Known for their devotion to the Church, for their passion for clerical education, for their ability to reproduce with extraordinary speed, and for their consequent omnipresence throughout the ranks of the clergy, House Redwater is one of House Leibowitz’ oldest vassals, and the only other Noble House to be more represented in the clergy than House Leibowitz. Currently ruled by Lord Grayson Redwater.

### House Zarine

The most influential of the scavenger families, House Zarine rose to power through daring. Their ships go further and take greater risks than any other, and as a result they uncover the most unique and valuable finds. They govern the Point, which is exactly what is sounds like -- the very end of the End. Currently ruled by Lady Petra Zarine.

### House Taylor

An ancestor’s skill at business raised this family to the level of nobility. The Taylors own a large number of ports, and employ many scavenger crews. As such, they are a critical part of the Material production of Dorith’s End, and also often come up with Food or Tech along the way. Since they own many grav-ships, they are also important to the maintenance of the militia.

### House Arkay

The Arkays are heavily involved with the hydroponics of Dorith’s End, but it is said that they maintain - at great expense - a small orchard of actual trees, which produce a fruit known as the “ahliv.”

### House Talab

The Talabi often send groups of scouts beyond the edges of the realm, searching for valuable technology and new lands.