Babel - Chapter 1 - Locations and Towns

## About:

The following towns and locations played a significant part in chapter 1 of Babel, but ultimately either fell to ruin or obscurity. This wiki page functions as an archive for the towns and locations that have fallen from relevancy in the world regarding chapter 1. The contents of these towns are captured in-media-res, with a small blurb explaining what happened to them after the events of Chapter 1.

## Praneia

### History:

A Once Great Kingdom run by the Family House of Laevis, It was home to countless races and rather peaceful, Praneia was a northern kingdom that lived just on the outskirts of the Empire's reach. The land's harsh temperatures wracked the kingdom varying from harsh frigid winds, roaring storms and torrents of rain, and even during the hottest days. Despite this, the kingdom flourished and it inhabitants became accustomed to the onslaught of weather.

Prior to being ruled by Benedict Laevis, it was run by his father Aurelius Laevis. Aurelius was quite benevolent ruler who saw to it his people were thoroughly taken care of it was said he had even housed those he would see in the streets and was implored to cease doing so. Aurelius later had bore two children one of which was Benedict the flamboyant and loud oldest and Cecil the quiet yet kind youngest.

### After the Rebellion:

Despite the fall of the Verk Empire, Praneia fell victim to its demise...being completely obliterated by the Empire as their onslaught continued throughout Etera.

## Beacon

### History:

The easternmost town on Etera, Beacon stands apart from the other city-states and towns on the continent. Where most other towns were founded by farmers, traders, soldiers, or lords in one form or another, Beacon began as a home for pirates who longed to settle down, but knew they'd never have a place if anyone recognized them. That desire to have a home on dry land led to the formation of what would one day become the town of Beacon, its first buildings constructed from dismantled ships.

Over the years the town has grown to a respectable size, and serves as a relatively safe haven for pirates who've yet to give up their ways, but while that has given the town a grim reputation, it has also helped it prosper, even if laws are more lax there than most would be comfortable with, the people further inland not seeing any difference between those who live in the town and the pirates that they allow in their harbors. Unfortunately, the sentiment was shared by the Verk Empire, and Beacon was one of the first conquests during the early years of the empire's sudden expansion and the town has been occupied and simmering with resentment for much of the last several decades.

### After the Rebellion:

Years after Beacon was taken by the Verk Empire grueling weather rolled into the area, bringing with it an Animus Blizzard. Sweeping over the lands, this blizzard left Beacon a desolate graveyard filled with wights.

## Shilo's Hovel

Off the coast of the southern marshlands hides a town of questionable morality, where the law of the Empire does not reach, and the influence of the rebels have no value. It’s a den of anarchy, and all who search for immeasurable wealth and opportunity searches for this mysterious village.

### Description

At first glance the village appears rugged and falling apart. Several houses abandoned, windows shattered, and signs held by several rusty nails. The pathways are built over the marshland water, murky and the depth is unknown. The citizens of this village seem to wear patched out leathers and torn cloth, and those with finer clothes may be caught staring at newcomers who wander into their turf. Homeless folk near several different taverns scattered around the town. Wild animals strung up skinned and prepping for butchers such as birds and alligators. Barrels are set up as tables where ale and cards are used for entertainment. The town carries a presence of caution for anyone passing by.

### Government

Shilo’s Hovel separates themselves from any form of government. They supposedly follow a man of mystery who is revered as the Don. His reign over the town seemingly lasted for several decades now, and operates through a group of questionable men and women who are trained to accomplish unsavory tasks. In the town, coin rules, but everyone pays their cut to the Don and his family.

### The Law

The family does not concern themselves with the citizens who stick around the town, but unwritten rules have been enforced to keep a smidgen of civility. The barkeeps are valued members of the town, and causing havoc inside a tavern will result in forceful removal of troublemakers. Murder is considered untasteful inside the town and will incur a fine if done publicly. Those who refuse to pay their cut to the family seemingly disappear, all sells of services and goods in the town require a cut of 10% for the transactions total cost to keep in good faith with the Don. Lastly, anyone who tries to search out the Don and his identity usually find their corpses floating in the swamps outside the town.

### History

The founding of Shilo’s Hovel is unknown, but the theory commonly shared is that the Family were once commonplace workers for the Empire during the rise of their power. They would construct roads, buildings, and whatever was requested by the Emperor, but when the time came to collect their pay. They were shorted a substantial amount they were quoted for their labor. This led to the stonemasons and carpenters to strike against the Emperor, but quickly their voices were silenced and bodies were littered as a revered leader of these workers made a drastic move to escape the Empire. His name was Shilo, and with several boats loaded with whatever these people could load quickly fled the Empire down to the unknown wilderness in the south.

It was a success if the town’s existence today was any indication. The man known as Shilo and his loyal followers constructed a town for themselves and over the years their families would survive and fend for themselves in the unforgiving swamplands. Shilo would catch fever though, as a vicious strain of cabin fever ravaged the villagers, and in his final moments appointed his son as the leader of the town. Nobody questioned Shilo’s final request and respected his son as though he were Shilo himself, but the young man was bitter of his father’s death. The unfair treatment of the Empire, and the way the world operated. He’ll change the mindset of the villagers from peacefully surviving, to capturing their promised fortunes from the bloodshed of the Empire.

It was this shift in direction where the Family was created. Those who were wrongfully betrayed by the actions of the Empire, and dedicated themselves to the cause of reclaiming their past dues. It has been over 20 years since the passing of Shilo, and the town turned into an organized sense of anarchy as they build up their fortune off the blood of the Empire, but their practices expanded and horizons opened. The shift from revenge to becoming a den of organized crime is unknown, but some say it may be the Don who made these recent changes. Behind closed doors, some say the Don is the son of Shilo’s son, and that the new leader seeks to expand their influence no matter the cost.

### After the Rebellion:

Strangely enough, Shilo's Hovel has been all but forgotten. It's not often you see inhabitants from this area anymore...and most of its history has seemingly gone with it.

## Light's End

### History

Nearly three centuries ago, a group of religious scholars from the Verk Empire followed a shooting star. The scholars traveled many miles to find the star within an open plain. The scholars found a holy relic that had fallen from what they thought were the Heavens, and embraced its power. The head priest who had lead the expedition declared that a city should be built on such holy soil.

Light’s End is built primarily from shiny metals that glow with long-forgotten magical purposes. The entire city is automated by constructs, leaving most of the population to spend their days praying. A great tree sits in the middle of the church over the impact site of the shooting star. The alien tree stands as a monument to the divine.

### Installation Nidhogg

Light’s End was the seed that grew the first Yggdrasillen. The group of scholars dedicated themselves to the fallen star, allowing its powers to flood into them. Their magic powers increased by tens of times, warping into half-fiends. The Council of Ten would use their new magic power to make a happy, lazy town to worship the star while the Council started to sate their hunger. Below Light’s End is Installation Nidhogg, the first research facility for the Ygdrassilens.

### After the Rebellion:

After the final stand made by the Rebellion against the Verk Empire, Light's End fell victim to a war-torn world...being destroyed in the process.

## Lab Four

### History

Lab Four got its start as part of an upper-level research school during the early years of the empire, when it was a place for aspiring wizards and wealthy-yet-modestly-magical children to spend some time. Thanks to the patronage of their families, the laboratory was soon awash in cash and began to move towards "exciting" research in order to keep the funds flowing in year after year.

As a scholarly institution, it was outside the initial reach of the bureaucracy in the empire's earlier years. That meant less oversight and more time spent with magic of all types. Few drew the attention of young nobles more than necromancy, however. Long considered a forbidden art by many, the fact that it took place within the confines of a school made the wealthy students feel it was acceptable. Year by year, they began to push the research further than the founders had ever dreamed it would go.

Emperor Darrien Verk spent his time in school, as wealthy royals still did, and was fully aware of Lab Four's existence and practices by the time he assumed the throne of the Empire. At that point, he nationalized the lab and gave it funding the lab had never even imagined. (Considering the number of wealthy families who'd contributed to it over the years, Lab Four could imagine *quite a lot*.)

Today, Lab Four is the heart of many plans to use necromancy of all types and styles for the benefit of the empire. It's also moved from its original location, away from the school and towards a more secluded area where people are less likely to stumble across it by chance. For those who know of it, rumors claim it's guarded by necromanced hulks grafted together with metal, strange creatures that scurry through vents, or even more dreadful monstrosities ready to be unleashed to do the empire's will... but how much of this is true remains to be seen.

### After the Rebellion:

Despite it being in a rather secluded area Lab Four also saw the harshities of the Rebellion's stand against the Empire, being destroyed like many other locations left to ruin.