Alescia

Alescia is the massive city that sits in the dead center of the realm, perfectly central to all six other territories. The city is laid out as seven concentric rings of land with moats and waterfalls in between, with several bridges leading to the center structure; a massive ivory tower that houses the governmental workings of Alescia, including the Council of Six.

Alescia is not only a center for bureaucracy, but for is also a massive hub for trade between territories. Wealth flows through the rings of Alescia just as freely as the rivers that lead to it do, and with it comes knowledge. The city has several centers for learning for nearly any magical or martial discipline you can imagine, and if you look hard enough you can find markets where secrets sell quicker than any luxury goods.

## Notable Locations in Alescia

### The Druidic Circle of Alescia

Though many druidic circles exist across the realm, the one located in Alescia is perhaps one of the most powerful, as well as the most unusual. Unlike most druidic circles which are located in remote forests, the Alescian circle exists within the city on the second ring. The strong focus of nature magic concentrated there has allowed massive trees to take hold on the ring itself, and has created a small portion of dense and beautiful forest. Here building are build directly into the trunks of massive trees. The Circle houses a selection of the most powerful druids in the land, including Ketorolac Ondansetron, and serves as a hub of knowledge of the druidic arts, a safe haven for those who practice the natural arts, and as a pilgrimage spot for those seeking training.

### The Dragon's Hoard

A magical item shop owned by the brass dragonborn Baestra, father of Threen who the party saved from a group of bandits who had cornered her in an alleyway to do terrible things. As a reward, he gifted the players a magical item a piece, and emphasized they would always be welcome back anytime they had the gold to spend there!

### Taverns

Alescia has several taverns than a Kraken has teeth. Scattered throughout the rings, ranging from beer halls to seedy back rooms used for dark dealings, to high society hangouts. The party visited two, the Last Pour and the Boars Hoof, causing a bit of a scene at the latter when they encountered Kizzik Smallshank, the goblin who accused them of causing the Desecration of Abbington.

### The Historium

The Historium is a pulbic repository of knowledge seated on the first ring of Alescia. Five floors chock full of books, tomes, and pamphlets cover nearly any topic you could hope to learn about. From history to homonyms, combat to cookery, magic to migratory patterns of Swallows, nearly anything that could be learned or written has a home in the endless bookshelves of the historium. The party encountered a gnome named (though nobody bothered to ask) Horwin Gulnedias, who told them the broad outlines of a terrible prophecy that was linked to the symbol found after the Desecration of Abbington. Though he refused to elaborate, he implied terrible consequences if the prophecy was to be brought to fruition.

### The Tower of Alescia

At the center of Alescia, lies the Tower of Alescia, which serves as the nerve center of the governing bodies of the realm. Representatives from all corners of Elucia are constantly coming and going here to negotiate trade, settle disputes, and meet with the Council of Six, who's chambers make up the top floors of the tower.

The heaquarters of the Inquisition are also housed within the Tower, and Inquistors are sometimes seen coming and going from the great lift that lies at the center of the tower, but few have ever been allowed within the secret chambers of the Inquisition.

Unbeknownst to most, the great lift at the center of the tower also extends downward. Far below ground, The Sanctum was created to house prisoners who could attune to blood magic. The Inquisition oversees the harvesting of "The Reagent" to fuel the production of Realm Shards by the Geomancers of Alescia.

### The Sanctum

A secret prison located deep below the Tower of Alescia. The Sanctum was originally built shortly after the Council of Six was founded, and its operation is overseen by The Inquisition. The Sanctum houses hundreds of prisoners, descended from the original prisoners; captives who were able to attune to blood magic. The Sanctum exists to harvest the blood of it's prisoners to be used by the Geomancer's Guild to infuse Realm Shards with magic. This blood is known as "The Reagent" to the Geomancers, and only a very select few among the highest ranks of Geomancers know it's true origin.

Several forms of magical dampening are present in The Sanctum in order to keep it's occupants complaint, and unable to access the very magic for which they are being used. This was sucessful, and no recorded uprisings until Sanguen led the uprising which was the eventual downfall of the sanctum in it's entirety.

The party learned of the existence of the Sanctum after meeting with Sanguen in Bhaalerei, and attempted to find evidence to verify his claims. The party learned that the Inquisitors who guarded the Sanctum had a secret entrance in and out in a nearby village, hidden underneath a jewelry shop, and three inquisitors were seen coming and going every few weeks. The party discovered The Sanctum now mostly destroyed, as well as Pennance, one of the Inquisitors who was guarding the prison during the uprising, who was now guarding the mostly sealed rift to the blood realm.

The party defeated Pennance after he attacked them, and when Xophren attempted to reopen the rift, the Inquisitor gave the remainder of his life force to permanently seal the rift.