Darkscape

Darkscape is a city in the southern desert of Vash Prime. It is believed to be the oldest city of all of Atharia and is home to the Origin Riftgate and the Abyssal Riftgate.

It is currently the capital city of the Alliance of Vae.

## History

Darkscape's earliest origins are truly unknown. Many believe it was given to the land when Atharia was first born, to house the Origin Riftgate, by the Creator. Others believe the city is of Woven-make, as it looks very similar to other Woven cities in Vash Prime. Regardless, it is widely accepted to be the oldest city in all of Atharia.

The oldest recorded mention of Darkscape is believed to be from the year of 84, upon a reed paper written in what appeared to be blood. When translated, the text reads:

"*To the north be stone walls and a spire. Family wishes to travel in seek of goods, yet I have seen hungry black birds rest above the pillars and stone men walk out. I will convince family to move north.*"

It is believed to be written by some sort of ancestor to the Sandkin, Humans who settled in Vash Prime and adapted. Judging by the presence of some sort of predatorial bird in the city and what could very much be Runics traveling through, it is likely the city was inhabited.

The first proof of actual settled residents of Darkscape date back to the year of 150. This proof is in the form of actual records written by some citizens and stored in the "Library & Record Hall of Darkscape", a building established in the same year. There are common records held in the building, containing family names that are believed to be Weavers.

In the year of 256, the Woven people established the Silver Nation, or Illido Nami, with Darkscape being declared the capital city. This Silver Nation slowly expanded across the land of Vash Prime, even building a few cities on the coasts of neighboring continents and islands. At this time in history, there was very little warfare and it was a prosperous time; many people of foreign lands traveled far to settle within the area, which is the reason behind the diverse population of the modern Darkscape. The grand cities of the Silver Nation, such as Darkscape, would not be matched for a long time.

In the year of 945, the Weavers deconstructed a large portion of the outer wall, in order to quadruple the size of the city.

Darkscape remained the peaceful capital of the young world until the year of 1046, when the Woven people discovered magic and established the Runic Alphabet. Within days of the discovery, the Woven race completely vanished from the surface of Atharia. Legend has it that the Woven people used their knowledge of magic, which even today is unparalled, and reopened the sealed Origin Riftgate or perhaps opened their own hidden one. With them, they took the knowledge of binding magic to words and runes, leaving us with very few magic words and runes to use.

Through the next era, Darkscape was captured again and again by hostile Sandkin, Orcish, and other tribes who roamed the once peaceful land under the grace of the Silver Nation. The city became a shadow of its former self.

With the creation of the Alliance of Vae in the year of 1776, the city was officially established as the capital of the nation after being taken from the hands of the bandit king Ekoe Ja'mor. Prosperity resumed and trade flowed through the city; an estimated seven hundred trade routes either originated, passed through, or ended in Darkscape. The Alliance of Vae held the city for almost more than a thousand years, restoring it to its original glory. However, in 3041, the Athariath Order, seeking to claim the entire realm of Atharia, expanded into the southern coast of Vash Prime, taking Darkscape in the Battle of Green. This battle is known as being the cruelest of all recorded history. After this battle, all three major nations in existense agreed to ban the produce, storage, and use of Greensting, an extremely dangerous magical weapon.

In the hands of the Athariath Order, Darkscape continued to exist as the most popular trade center in the realm. However, racism did decline greatly, allowing more foreigners to settle in the city. The city wall was once again deconstructed, and 75 square miles worth, or 120 kilometers, was added to the city.

In the year of 3192, the Athariath Order, using previously unknown documents left behind in the city of Darkscape by the Weavers, managed to create a rift. This rift, when opened, released several horrible beasts, alien to the Atharia. Almost a hundred escaped before the rift, named the Abyssal Riftgate, before it could be sealed. However, many lives were taken. It is unknown why the Athariath Order created this rift, however, many believe the rift could lead to the Woven race and their envied secrets. In response to the opening of the rift, the Alliance of Vae, who were forced to move north and reform, launched an attack on the city and finally reclaimed it, as well as the sealed Abyssal Rift, in the year of 3194.

## Architecture

Darkscape's architecture is very distinct. Rugged pillars form a wall around the outside perimeter of the city. Each cardinal direction hosts a single, open arched gateway where people can move in and out of the city.

Within these outer walls are small trading posts, bars, stables, and auctions. All of the poor also live within the outer wall, as housing within the inner wall is much more expensive.

   Within the inner wall rests around ten square miles worth of buildings, homes, stores, and government offices. The Origin and Abyssal Riftgates are also located at the center of the city, beneath the grand spire.

The grand spire, also known as the heart of the city, is also the traditional resting place of whomever rules over the city. Many kings and queens have sat at the Obsidian Throne of Darkscape: the sophisticated rulers of the Silver Nation, the countless savage bandit kings, the great queens of the Alliance of Vae, the emperors of the Athariath Order, and now, in the present, the Archpriestess Syla the Beautiful of the reformed Alliance of Vae sits at the Obsidian Throne.

The Obsidian Throne is a throne, accompanied by two pillars, crafted of the mysterious Weaver's Obsidian. Weaver's Obsidian is a mineral that has never been harvested from the earth, as the throne is believed to have been created when the city was built by unknown means. Rumor has it that touching the odd black mineral over prolonged times gradually drives you insan and power-hungry. Behind the throne is a statue of an armor-suited maiden. Her purpose is unknown, but many have claimed to hear voices from the Darkscape Maiden, which she is known as.

## Population

The following populations are all estimates found in the "Library and Record Hall of Darkscape".

* **Araki -**20,000
* **Blood Orc -**5,000
* **Dark Elf -**1,000,000
* **Dark Skin -**10,000
* **Draconian -**1,000
* **Drow -**10,000
* **Human -**50,000
* **Jade Elf -**10,000
* **Kobold -**5,000
* **Moon Elf -**900,000
* **Naga -**1,000
* **Orc -**35,000
* **Raxian -**40,000
* **Runic -**750,000
* **Sandkin -**700,000
* **Semiraxian -**10,000
* **Sky Elf -**5,000
* **Snow Elf -**15,000
* **Sun Elf -**15,000
* **Treekin -**10,000
* **Void Elf -**1,000

At their peak, there were an estimated fifteen million Weavers living in the city.

## Size

Darkscape, when it was first found, was around 50 square miles, or 80 square kilometers. However, as the Weavers began expanding the city, it reached a massive 200 square miles, or 322 square kilometers, by the year of 945. It would stay at this size until the Athariath Order took control of the city, when the order to increase size of the wall to allow room for the expected flux of Elven people was issued in 3073. The city was now 275 square miles, or 443 square kilometers, across.

Darkscape is the largest known city of Atharia.

## Food and Trade

Almost all of Darkscape's food supply is imported. The soil near the city is too dry to grow anything. Most of the food is imported from the south, from Eraeyan farmlands.

Darkscape is the world's largest Runic exporter, producing and exporting an estimated 20,000 Runics per year. Darkscape also manufactures much of the Atharia's weaponry and mechanical parts, being situated directly adjacent to thousands of rich iron deposits.