Vice (City)

Vice Proper

*"A life of sin is deplorable. A life without sin is wasted." -- Conrad Viedt, Ethics of Greed*

**Vice** is a city within the realm of Vice, and serves as its capital and only large city. It is well known as a trading port as well as a haven for smuggling, gambling, and other illegal enterprises.

## History

Vice is one of the oldest cities on the continent and one of the first settlements on Altmar after humans arrived from the South Islands. Originally built on the cliffside over the dwarven ruins of Old Byseah from which the city gets its name, Vice as grown steadily since and would later become a key city for trade along the East Coast. Due to the Dwarven Diaspora and earlier fall of that settlement at the end of the Dragonic War, no dwarves remained in Byseah and the ruins themselves were not discovered until excavations much later during the construction of the Vicean water system and cistern. Despite this, the many dwarf clans native to this area had a large impact in the initial shaping of Vice as they were important trading partners for early settlers and later victims of conquest by the Vicean Lords who came to rule the area around the city. Vice's growth was steady for most of its history as it slowly expanded outwards from the cliffs towards the nearby plains. The Realm's strong commitment to neutrality has kept the city safe from most major conflicts throughout Altmar's history, though during its early years the city suffered from raids by its dwarven neighbors before they were conquered and from various Talerian tribes the East, especially the Khazir

The most important event in the city's history was the Lord's Revolution, a bloody event that saw the deposition of the ruling king and transformed the city-state into a plutocratic republic. Battles were waged in the streets of Vice as the lords of the various Vicean districts, led by Feldrin Nolrin, inspired by the success of the burgeoning Cagilan Empire's successful republican system, sought to oust King Valen of Vice. Much of the city's outer districts were damaged and looted during the violence but the support of Vice's citizenry forced the king to surrender where he was executed in what is now Valen Park.

Recently, The Legends of Altmar entered Vice. During their adventures in the city they discovered demonic influences within the walls; influences which led to the corruption and death of Doge Pavel Jefferies. As a result a power vacuum opened in Vice's leadership leading to uncertainty and political instability. Currently Vice's lords all vie for control over the valuable city.

## Economy

Vice's outskirts are home to strong agriculture that supplies additional food to the city's many denizens, and orchards of tropical fruit provide traders with exotic goods for sale in far away lands. As a result of Vice's historic neutrality, their lands have rarely seen devastation, making agriculture a lucrative business in outer Vice, and leading to the city's general prosperity.

While agriculture is a worthwhile endeavor, the largest generator of wealth in Vice is trade. Traders come from all around in Vice's wide open marketplaces to sell goods from all over the world. As a result of political corruption and lax regulatory enforcement, many of the goods bought and sold in Vice's walls are illegal in most other places. These items include narcotics, weapons, magic items and other duty-free goods. Indeed Vice is well regarded as a haven for smugglers looking to make a dishonest living

Vice is also one of the most visited cities by travelers due to its status as a trading port as well as its beautiful and unique architecture. However its most famous attractions are its countless gambling halls, bars, brothels, and other sinful respites. Some estimate as much as 15 or 20% of Vice's total income comes from such establishments and they are taxed accordingly.

## Districts

It's impossible to discuss Vice without discussing the three districts that make up the city. Part of the social stratification that makes up Vicean society is a result of the city's partitioning and the soft caste system that comes as a result of the drawing of districts. In addition they serve distinct functions within the city.

### Kingside

Kingside is the smallest district within the city but the oldest and most influential. In this part of the city, built on the cliffs overlooking the bay. In Kingside, the wealthiest merchants, the most influential people, and the ruling class live lives of luxury and splendor. The finest goods, most succulent foods, and highest stakes are found within Kingside. The area is heavily guarded to keep the influencers safe, and the riff-raff out. Lords, politicians, and organized crime keep their headquarters in Kingside as they rule the rest of the city from the comfort of high society.

### Vice Proper

What most people think of when they think of Vice. Huge markets, traders from all over the world, and sinful establishments like gambling houses, brothels, and taverns. It is often said that any delight that could cross your mind can be found in Vice, and this is where it is found. Most of the towns craftsmen and merchants live in this part of the city, and the ports here run rampant with smuggling and other organized (and unorganized crime).

### Feldrin' Gate

While this district is named after the hero who turned Vice into a republic, the people of Feldrin's Gate have little representation, and none who will speak for them. Half of Feldrin's Gate is a shantytown, the other half is not much better. Home to Vice's poor and lost, the people of Feldrin's Gate live in squalor and poverty. Urchin scrub the streets for a copper piece, and the people here steal from each other just to get by and life on the streets of Vice is hard. This area is also home to Vice's standing army who patrol the city heavily and perform offensive and defensive drills to keep the city safe.

## Society

Vice is a stratified society, the wealthy live in luxury in Kingside, or Upper Vice, in large beautiful homes while the poor of the city live in hovels and shantytowns in Feldrin's Gate on the outskirts of the city. Vice proper is home to most of the middle class, traders (including smugglers), merchants and artisans are able to afford the modest homes in the city's middle districts. This has caused some tension between the social classes within Vice, but the wealthy stay firmly in power over the city's wealth and resources. In addition, social mobility in Vice is difficult due to the closed off nature of the city's districts. Citizens in Feldrin's Gate are not permitted to enter Vice proper without a pass, and Kingside is off limits except to nobles and the very wealthy. This only increases the gap between rich and poor even more.

Vicean society is also notoriously corrupt. Most of the upper echelon of Vicean society are criminals involved with smuggling or various other shady enterprises. Vicean nobility work within the city's government to make policies that enrich themselves at the expense of the city's other residents. This corruption extends down throughout all of Vicean society; merchants have no issues scamming naive visitors or working through loopholes to get a better deal, while many poor in Feldrin's Gate resort to thievery to make ends meet.

In other realms, particularly more religious societies,the people of Vice are sometimes viewed as immoral or cretinous due to their more lax regulations on things like gambling and prostitution. Slavery in the form of debt servants also exists in vice, particularly in the lower class districts. While much of the rest of Altmar looks down upon the open nature with which these things are practiced within Vice, to the citizens of the city they are fairly normal.

## *Bad Tidings*

The Legends of Altmar regrouped in Vice after a series of incidents far to the North left them separated. After deciding to meet with the Doge to determine the cause of his unusual behavior, they embarked on a series of escapades that led them into the Kingside district. There they met Hieronyous Blackheart who was under the corruptive influence of a Chaos Orb. The Doge, Pavel Jefferies was also corrupted by this vile artifact and the Legends slew him and escaped through Vice's underground sewers, and the ruins of Old Byseah, defeating Blackheart and saving the city from a demonic invasion from below.

The city served as the backdrop for the party's adventures during Chapter 6. They experienced the delights and dangers of the city including tracking down a group of vigilantes, meeting with an information broker, and breaking into a warehouse.

## Notable Residents

* Baravio Lanar (Formerly)
* Lady Velasco
* Fang
* Constance Borla
* Rift
* Hieronyous Blackheart
* Pavel Jefferies

## Trivia

* While in-universe Vice was named after Byseah, the old dwarven settlement beneath it, Vice's name was conceived to evoke its seedy nature and criminal undertones that permeated through the chapter that took place there.
* Vice is the first city to have its own map drawn.