Serdtse

City of Glory

**Serdtse**, (pronounced /sərdts/) was one of the major cities of Zemlya, and is now the capital of Western Zemlya, led by Lord Anosov Slava through a long and bloody war for 284 years. The city has been under attack constantly due to it being the largest settlement close to the war front. This has led the city to become a burned-out shell of what it used to be, quite a lot of the districts lie in ruins covered in black soot, and the entire eastern side of the city has been transformed into thick walls and rows of bunkers and defensible positions.

## Description

### Geography

The city lies upon undulating hills, the centre of the city lies in a valley between the largest of these hills, sheltered from the elements and most invaders. The rest covers the steep hills and has expanded circularly from Blesk Lake, and its feeding water sources. The highest point of the city is home to the Grounds of Slava, named after the noble family, this is where all the champions put forth from Serdtse were trained, to compete in the Pobeda Games.

### Architecture

What remains of the architecture of the original city, has a certain beauty to it, like flowers struggling in the desert. They are simple homes, made for a comfortable life, an ordinary life. Far-flung from the violence of the last three centuries. The new architecture is simple in most places designed to give shelter to many of the citizens of the city who no longer have a home. Almost all residential now have a simple bunker to protect from shells. The walls and bunkers built on the eastern side of the city are all dark grey stone, thick and solid, in a place where they've been damaged enough you can see the huge skeleton of steel that keeps them solid under the fire.

## Society

### Demographics

The culture of the city is focused on ensuring that the war effort continues. Most of the industry has been shifted towards the production of armaments, swords, guns and artillery being the main equipment. Along with outfitting the soldiers with proper clothing and their cavalry with the gear necessary for horses. This allows the citizens to earn Ration Tokens that can be traded for food water and other comforts if they have enough, with the government suppliers. The military in the city has complete power over the city and holds all the supplies of *Red Deus* in order to further the war effort.

## History

### Introduction of Red Deus

*Red Deus* was first introduced into Serdtse 700 years ago with the signing of a non-aggression pact with Conamar. The power wasn't understated by the people of Zemlya, especially Serdtse as they trained the best army on the continent of Kellner, the city soon became obsessed with implicating it into the training of their forces and ways to quickly administer it were then bought from Conamar when they were developed. This sudden surge in power and influence within Serdtse is said to have inspired their misalignment with loyalty to the royal family of Zemlya.

### Start of the Civil War

The war started when Lord Anosov Slava, the leader of the city of Serdtse, claimed that the leader of Zemlya, Queen Tausheva Razum, was benefitting themselves by hoarding large supplies of *Red Deus* from the people and using them to supply their soldiers for future invasion plans. He held a document that seemingly stated such plans very plainly. However, this has been vehemently denied by Queen Tausheva, claiming that the plan is a fake and an excuse for a rising against the royal family. Lord Anosov, resented these denials of his claim and started rising his people against this regime, eventually, the war started when the first shot was fired at a "parade" of Serdtse troops, journeying past Razum by an unknown and perhaps long-dead soldier in the Razum regiments. The battle has been waged between the two sides, with a continuous stalemate presenting itself between the two, other countries supplying both sides of the conflict took to referring to the two as Western Zemlya and Eastern Zemlya to avoid any apparent favouritism.

### The Beast Scourge

There have been some problems with these creatures within the city. Often when large-scale attacks take place destroying large swathes of the city and killing many, the people who are sent to try and recover any survivors report being attacked by these "Beasts". The reports were often deemed as insubordination, to not carry out their duties in dangerous areas near the beginning of the war. However it seems that these claims carry more weight as these reports do not receive punishment as often. It is noted that there is usually no presence of Hunters of Conamar despite seeming evidence to suggest the presence of "Beasts". This is due to the Hunters not being allowed to interfere with the war, and they fear being used by the governments of each side to have to fight in the war under the guise of doing their usual role. Some are still seen in smaller settlements routeing out "Beasts" where they are found.