Hewliss

Flag of the city of Hewliss

Hewliss

**Hewliss** (pronounced *HEW-liss*) is a city-state and a prominent member of the Sisters. It is located near the source of the River Hewliss and abuts the Spine mountain range. It has an ominous reputation among some kith in Tretch (and some in Yulia) that regard the city as an abomination due to **Hewliss**' tolerance of undeath and their unwillingness to share their advanced knowledge of all things magical and mundane.

## History

In the 8800s AR, Melichor Verasmus Hewliss longed for a city that rooted itself deeply in the ideals of technological and magical advancement. He was born in the city of Lakeshield and studied under some of the finest sages in the Arboreal Academy of Queensmont. Still, he was not satisfied as his knowledge and ability quickly surpassed those of his teachers. He gathered any like-minded scholars he could and set out for a new land to start their city.

He found Yulia and traveled up the river that would one day bear his name, drawn to the inherent magical power rippling from the Spine. At the site that would eventually become the location of the Pyramid Stone, he is thought to have finally devised a powerful new ritual that he later termed the Purchase.

In only a few years, they founded the College of Hewliss in 8992 AR and eventually formally founded the city of **Hewliss** around 9000 AR. He had his followers put out a call across Chebeth that any who wished to live in a new nation wholly devoted to the advancement of learning would be welcome here.

After just 35 years, the city of **Hewliss** exploded in population as word of the college and its founder's acceptance of undeath drew creatures from far and wide. It was invited to join the Sisters, a Yulian confederation of city-states in 9037 AR.

### Tensions with Tretch, the summit

In 9874 AR the Breckish Colonial Company, on behalf of the Breckish League, founded a colony on the western coast of Yulia they called First Landing. The Sisters were insulted that a Tretchi power had thought it prudent to found a colony on lands they on which they claimed suzerainty and soon enacted a land blockade enforced by Abdead horseborn patrols from **Hewliss**.

Due to increasing tensions between the Breckish League, the Kingdom of Garranagrad, the Sylvan Queendom, and the Sisters, a trans-continental diplomatic Summit for the Wide Ocean was scheduled to be held in **Hewliss** in 9879 AR. Weeks before it was to begin, **Hewliss** was attacked by the armies of Avernus, the first plane of the Hells. Despite being taken unaware, the forces of the city were able to repulse the assault. **Hewliss** was assisted by Minders from neighboring Girad-Upon-High who had been gathering in the city. Following this attack, Daoud, the Rector of the College of Hewliss at that time, extracted a ceasefire from Thavius Kreeg, an envoy from Avernus.

The summit was able to held on time and instead of thawing relations between the continents of Tretch and Yulia, it served to provide the Sisters a moment for grandstanding. The immediate effects were for the Breckish colony of First Landing to be allowed to trade overland with both **Hewliss** and Lithrock. The other major news from the summit was that the Free Cities of the Broken Fingers would be admitted as new members of the Sisters, the first expansion on that confederation in hundreds of years.

### Arcane graffiti, return of Hewliss, temporary evacuation

Later, early in the year 9880 AR, **Hewliss** was beset by a plague of strange arcane graffiti. It was believed to be the beginnings of some kind of malevolent ritual though no perpetrators were initially identified. Also during this time, the Council of Lichdeans were made aware that Melichor Verasmus Hewliss' soul was still intact and living in a magical ring. Distracted by attempting to resurrect their lost founder and a promise of some new "golden age", the leadership of the city were ineffective in stemming or stopping the spread of that strange graffiti.

After a few months, the graffiti had spread throughout the city and was slowly becoming "activated." The few city leaders that raised concern over this were sidelined. An adventuring party including Ametrine, Dram Angrin, Elizabeth Anders, Athiraj-Gold-Mask, Ivor, Yardak Truefinger, and Rokket Skimgold encountered a number of strange golems that seemed to be affected by this activated graffiti. Together with a resurrected Melichor Verasmus Hewliss, they attempted to clean the graffiti using magical means but this did not prove effective on a large scale. Additionally, the graffiti appeared to begin spreading across Hewliss' new stone body.

Due to this crisis, the city was ordered to evacuate with most of the Lichdeans and the resurrected Hewliss himself staying behind to attempt to stabilize the graffiti's effects. Hasan was ordered to lead some citizens north towards Lithrock, some citizens were led to the lands south closer to Mykatten, and even more boarded ships to evacuate via the Wide Ocean. Both Mr. Calaca and Mr. Biscuits were known to leave the city by sea after packing up a number of their shop's magic items.

## Geography

This region in western Yulia is mostly a chapparal climate, which is characterized by warm to hot, dry summers, and mild, fairly wet winters.

### Districts

#### The Outerworks

This is the northern part of **Hewliss**, located just outside the city walls. It is home to numerous farms tended by contracted zombie laborers and is also the site of the flesh factories that produce more zombies from those that have signed their deaths away to **Hewliss**.

#### Evenside

A part of the larger International District but also considered a borough on its own, Evenside has the distinction of being an enclave of kith that live in **Hewliss** because they have nowhere else to go. While not the Vampiric poor of the Shatters, the denizens of Evenside are still destitute relative to the affluence of the rest of the city.

#### The International District

Less a true district than a term for the portion of **Hewliss** proper that lies north of the river, the International District is the only part of the city open to traders and travelers from outside the Sisters' purview. Areas that are technically covered by this classification are Evenside, the Shatters, and the North Docks. There are numerous small shrines here to various sea-related deities, namely Sobek and the Sealord.

#### The Shatters

Truly the poorest of the poor make their homes in the Shatters, pushed against the rising cliffs of the Spine. This district is notable for hosting **Hewliss**' small population of Vampires. This district is also a favorite of recently admitted students to the College of Hewliss. The Rusty Neck, a tavern in the area, has the notoriety or fame (you pick) of being a place in **Hewliss** that resourceful students can find exotic casting materials, exam answers, and other items procured through less-than-ethical means. A monastery operated by the Bloodhunter Order of the Mutant is also located in this district, carved into a cliff and burrowed into the Spine.

#### North Docks

Where the lion's share of **Hewliss**' shipping is done. The North Docks are open to ships outside the Sisters and as such, are often full of transports from all over Tretch and Yulia, providing the city and the college with a wealth of resources.

#### Pyramid Stone

The Pyramid Stone is a stone ziggurat and one of the first buildings ever constructed in **Hewliss**. It houses the chamber used by the Council of Lichdeans, many of the Lichdeans' residences, as well as extremely advanced labs, spellbinding chambers, workshops, and restricted libraries. It was also once the home of the founder of the city and college itself, Melichor Verasmus Hewliss.

#### Collegiate District

The true city-center of **Hewliss**, this district houses most of the buildings that house the labs, classrooms, and warehouses of the College of Hewliss. This district is marked by the Hewlian Stone, a massive pyramid along the riverfront and the Pyramid Stone to the south. An immaculately manicured promenade is maintained by many of the city's "maintenance zombies."

#### Riverfront District

A beautiful portion of the riverfront, adorned with shops, cafes, and numerous street performers, the Riverfront district is a favorite among recently admitted students and long-time residents alike. A boardwalk snakes its way along the coast and the nearby views of the Great Lighthouse make this district a destination for tourists from the other Sisters.

#### Charnellan

The most affluent and "posh" section of **Hewliss**, Charnellan is where those Abdead not conscripted by the college make their homes in large ornate mansions. This area is also home to some nice restaurants and shops frequented by only the richest Hewlians. Notable landmarks here are the Ossuary House as well as most official embassies from the other Sisters. The newest of their number, the Corlsport Embassy building, was gifted to Fizzik Idelb by Xoraxes himself.

#### Hewlian Stone

A large stone pyramid that resides near the southern riverfront, the Hewlian Stone is one of the tallest structures in the city, usurped only by the Pyramid Stone. The central library, the School of Cartography, and the School of Planar Cosmology are based in this building. Hasan keeps his offices just off the map room in the library.

#### Hewliss Memorial Park

One of the only Sisters to have an intentional parkland within its city limits, the Hewliss Memorial Park was built after the presumed death of the founder. It features examples of flora from all over Yulia and those that could not normally survive in **Hewliss**' warm climate have been magically altered to do so. There is a statue of Melichor Verasmus Hewliss located in the center of the park which features a very lifelike representation of the famous wizard pointing east towards the Spine.

## Government

The city of **Hewliss** is officially ruled by the Council of Lichdeans from the College of Hewliss, and by extension, the Rector. In reality, the city's day-to-day governance fell upon the Hewlian Guard and some civilian organizations, notably the Longscale.

### The Contracted

Citizens and naturalized students of the College of Hewliss would often be offered a deal known as The Contract. Signatories of this deal were known as "The Contracted." In essence, the citizen-in-question agreed to surrender their body for undead labor following their natural death. In exchange, the Contracted were given a regular monthly stipend and preferred status in housing.

## Defense

Hewliss maintains a small military known as the Hewlian Guard. They also project their power by sending patrols of Abdead centaur-like humanoids in the lands far north and south of the city. If the situation calls for it, **Hewliss** has been known to mobilize the entire college to fight for the city, the power of which is quite formidable.

## Commerce

The College of Hewliss tightly controls the export of their most advanced scientific and magical knowledge and technology.

**A list of notable shops and taverns.**

* Atelier Hewliss, by Magnus Pfluck
* Calaca, Biscuits & Sons: Magical Items Procured and Made.
* The Puppet's Strings
* The Rusty Neck

## Organizations

There are shrines and churches to not just the Prime Deities but to many stranger and lesser known scattered throughout the city. Numerous merchant guilds run most of the businesses. The College of Hewliss is also an inescapable presence throughout the city with many dormitories, lecture halls, labs, and buildings specific to the various Schools consume most of the city center. The Longscale were founded here and operate out of a large, six story building located in the Charnellan District of **Hewliss**.

**List of organizations based in or otherwise associated with Hewliss.**

* **The Bloodhunter Order of the Mutant** - maintains their primary monastery in the International District.
* **The College of Hewliss** - maintains various campuses, buildings, laboratories, workshops, and libraries spread throughout the city. Notably a large presence in the Collegiate District, the Outerworks, South Docks, the Pyramid Stone, and the Hewlian Stone.
* **The Longscale** - runs a gentleman's club in the Ossuary House in Charnellan, also runs a number of businesses under various connected holding companies throughout the city.
* **Renewal Too** - A study group from the college that evolved into a small movement. They've recently opened a few artificer's shops to generate money for their movement.

## Notable people

* Melichor Verasmus Hewliss
* Hasan
* Samuel Destmalchian
* Xoraxes