City of Asylon

Asylon is a newly founded village in northern Sirith, in the embrace of Skytop Forest near the eastern coast. Asylon is a refuge and safe harbor of the Vagabonds, and the self-proclaimed capital city of Digend’s vision for a new world.

Asylon is accepting of visitors from any faction, as long as they are peaceful. Those living in the city permanently belong to the **Asylon** faction.

Currently Asylon is small, but it is rapidly growing.

## Location

Asylon is located in the Skytop Forest, within seeing distance of the eastern coastline. The area has been terraformed to place the town on an elevated plateau, with gentle slopes and a lush green forest surrounding it.

The town looks both very normal, and very, very strange. Although at first it might appear like any well-built small settlement of Hireath, closer inspection reveals the unnatural nature of each and every structure. Nothing in the city was built - it was *made*. The main materials are white and clear stone, similar to quartz, white living treematter, and bone. Some surfaces are opalescent and reflect the colors of the rainbow.  The surfaces are smooth and seamless, mixing different materials effortlessly. The roads are paved with a seamless, light pink smooth stone.

As new settlers have arrived, they have brought their own history and color with them. Colorful banners, graffitti, posters and various other additions decorate homes and small shop fronts alike.

The city is organized around Sanctuary, with buildings circling it from all directions. Although the placement of the buildings is orderly, making the city easy to navigate, their functions are not. Homes, budding businesses and small gardens are mixed and matched freely, propping up organically as new people arrive. There is no division by rank or wealth.

Organized, comfortable chaos is the best way to describe the layout. This holds true especially as the town is constantly expanding, new buildings rising from the ground as they are needed.

Notably the architecture of the town is also varied and highly mixed. Digend has made an effort to make each of her new followers feel at home, and so Aodhian grandeur, Breimian compact homes, War Forged farmhouses and many other variants sit comfortably side by side, each made to the taste of their inhabitant.

The forest immediately surrounding the town consists solely of plants capable of providing food - fruit trees, berry brushes, herbs and wild vegetables provide an edible forest. Water is provided by several wells around town.

Although the town appears open and unprotected to one inside it, it's actually protected by Digend’s magic, and a powerful magically conjured storm. As such, there are no defensive structures within the settlement, other than simple ones constructed by enterprising citizens.

### Named places

Following locations were added as per the wishes of her followers. They are staffed by residents of Asylon.

#### Persephone’s Animal Sanctuary:

A place where wild animals and familiars may be cared for, providing safety and love. The Sanctuary is very large, and centrally located, visible from the Sanctum hill.

#### Lillie’s Tavern:

A cosy tavern on the edge of the central plaza. Offers food, drink and bed for those who have yet to find their own, and also offers entertainment in the form of song and dance.

#### Aurora’s First Aid House:

A small clinic specializing in first aid. They grow many of their own herbs and have a sizeable greenhouse.

#### Alois’ Home:

A personal home for Alois. The location of it is private.

### Sanctuary

Sanctuary is the largest building in town, and located in the very center of the main plateau. Its constructed of a bone-like opalescent material, and grows straight out of the very ground it stands on. It resembles a fairly small watchtower in appearance, but has a roof reminiscent of a gothic cathedral. Around 30 feet tall, the Sanctuary is visible from everywhere in town, and seems to grow taller as necessary.

On the roof of the Sanctuary sits a large crystal, similar to the energy channeling crystals of Breim. The crystal is pale, and emanates with a faint pink light.

Inside the Sanctuary is made of the same opalescent material, but with living, dark brown wooden flooring to accent it. The halls of the Sanctuary are spacious and sparsely decorated with living flowers, butterflies and moths. It's common to see bedrolls and kapsacks in the corners, as many new arrivals spend their first nights within the Sanctuary.

Most notably, Sanctuary is the home of Digend, and where she will personally meet her followers, and occasionally grant their wishes.

### Arriving in Asylon

Asylon is personally and fiercely protected by Digend, who uses the crystal atop Sanctuary to channel a magical, violent storm. This storm is designed to test new arrivals - even if they arrive with someone who has previously visited Asylon - but is ultimately harmless to those seeking shelter. The storm serves also to hide Asylon from the outside world: Asylon is completely hidden from view from afar, and only by braving the storm can a new soul gain entrance.

Should Asylon be approached by someone who wishes Digend or her people ill, the storm will turn violent, and repel them. Such arrivals will never be able to find Asylon, being constantly led astray by this magical defense.

The Towers of Digend act as a beacons for those looking to find Asylon.

Asylon can be found through Missionaries, and those choosing to stay may place its flag on their reference sheets.

Find the Asylon reference base here.

## Culture

The cultural climate of Asylon is free thinking, experimental and tolerant. Asylon welcomes people from all walks of life, and as a result, different cultural backgrounds are also represented. As such, a visitor to Asylon may see Seroran style artistry, or witness a War Forged combat practice. Freedom and luck are revered. Art is emphasized not for its beauty, but as a form of freedom of expression.

As the settlement is still very small, it is yet to develop any real culture of its own - instead it is a melting pot of different influences and ideas.

Worship of Digend is public and reverent. Her followers are encouraged to bring along new members to join Asylon.

### Society

The society exists in a state of peaceful anarchy. There is no hierarchy beyond Digend as the god-ruler, but also the servant of her people; all of her people are equal, and although they have different skills and pasts, each is free to pursue their dreams and passions. There are no real laws, per se, but the society operates under the principle of “complete freedom as long as it does not limit the freedom of another”.

The storm is capable of ousting serious troublemakers, and even killing them. Digend is committed to her promise of Asylon being a true safe haven for her people - this includes dealing with people who don’t respect the rights of others.

Currently the permanent population of the settlement is small, but quickly growing. Many of the inhabitants are transient, coming to Asylon to rest and exchange news before heading out into the wilds of Hireath once more.

## History

The “construction”, or more accurately creation, of Asylon began in the spring of 1701 as the Bone Tower rose. Using arcane energies on the contient of Sirith, and her own growing powers, Digend made the town emerge from the earth.

Her project was finalized in summer 1701 when a party near The Point activated her magical defenses by touching the Bone Tower - a temporary conduit to conjure up the storm - and another party’s wish for shelter allowed her to permanently tie the storm to Asylon to fulfill their wish.

During that same summer, Digend’s Ascendant recruited people to act as Missionaries to bring in new people to live within the settlement.

Currently Asylon is steadily growing - each new arrival adds to the size of the town, and the strength of its protective barrier.