Arkenfort

CharacterPower is for those who can take and keep it; for all others, there is slavery. The higher you struggle to the top, the farther you get away from slavery, but you only completely abandon it if there's no one above you. Strength is freedom, but it needs to be a strength of body, mind and soul to bring you to the top.

DescriptionThe city of Arkenfort has a very interesting history indeed, which is even written down in the ancient local library. Millennia ago, this place was an independent village in the Outlands. After being razed and plundered by various armies again and again, the locals decided to strike back, and within a few centuries, the whole place became so militaristic that it shifted towards Acheron.

When Acheron's gate-town was sucked into the plane later, Arkenfort slid further and became the gate-town itself. The citizens turned ever more to an evil social structure, defying all intrusion into their lives. Their idea was that what they took belonged to them, but no one should try out this attitude on themselves.

As time passed, the military structures developed into more political ones, and again the town began to slide. It shifted along the Great Ring, until it replaced the former gate-town to Baator (which had been sucked in, as well). From there on, it didn't take more than a century until Arkenfort joined the Plane of Baator.

Astonishingly, this city still doesn't belong to the baatezu. It's rumored that all this shifting was initiated by a cunning cornugon as his final mission before promotion, and that he was already sure of his new rank when Arkenfort came to Baator.

But many of his plans involved the ruler of Arkenfort, the locally still famous Lord Markunarr. This hobgoblin was partially responsible for the shifting, as his deals with said cornugon made him influence the citizen so much that the burg shifted to Baator. But as the baatezu came to take over the burg, Markunaar presented his last contract, and presented a loophole stating that Arkenfort should forever remain within the hands of mortal rulers, and even made sure that the baatezu couldn't set up puppet lords. The genius hobgoblin had peeled the fiends in their own game, and they couldn't do anything about it. Legends tell that the cornugon was immediately demoted or even executed, although he's said to have found a way to "legally" put Markunaar into the dead-book before he was punished (if that's true, his death surely wasn't an easy one). Thus, Arkenfort stayed independent within Baator, always ruled by some cunning and powerful mortal.

There have been countless Lords of Arkenfort since these events, and the town is actually flourishing within the wastelands of Avernus. It might be, though, that the current Lord is a bit too power-hungry for his own good. Araskec Ashheart, a fire genasi, has changed his own title into Godking, and forces Arkenfort's citizen to worship him as a god, so he might become divine one day.

Visitors to this city are strongly treated as outsiders. They are allowed to trade and talk, but if they want to interfere with the way things are, they lose their status as visitors, are called to the Godking, and given a citizen status. Of these, there are several, and depending on the situation, the Godking Araskec can be grateful and make a visitor a noble, or he can doom him by ranking him as a lifeslave.

In Arkenfort, it's usually better not to get involved in things (this place is in Baator, berk). The top rank, of course, is that of Godking (formerly just Lord). The Godking is the absolute ruler, and his word is law. He can arbitrarily change someone's ranking (even that of otherwise unchangeable), claim other citizens' slaves and other possessions as his own, and generally does as he pleases. Of course, even a tyrant such as Araskec Ashheart knows it's better not to nurture people's hatred too much, but there are surely few people in town who like him, and definitely no one who considers him his friend.

The Godking is also responsible for saying which noble has to provide the police forces of Arkenfort at any given time. This, of course, is a great show of gratitude, and gives great political power into the particular noble's hand, so it's something the nobles work for all the time.

The rank of Nobles is currently given to about fifty bashers. A noble can never drop in rank again (except by the word of the Godking), but can become Lord of Arkenfort himself if the former Lord dies. Then, all the nobles are allowed to battle in formal duels (one vs. one), until there are no challengers anymore to one noble. Of course, this system means that killing the Godking is the first step to claim the throne, but no noble has dared this up to now, especially not considering that it's still very hard to win the title of Lord afterwards. The nobles are responsible for the military forces of Arkenfort. Every noble needs to establish a force of at least ten soldiers of lower ranks, which can become part of the local police if the Godking demands it. The nobles also rule over the Merchant class - all merchants have to give 90% of what they earn to their superior noble, and they may make no contract without agreement of the noble (who usually don't allow deals with fiends, naturally).

The nobles own most of the lifeslaves in town, as they hate being challenged (see below). Every noble has about ten to twenty lifeslaves working for him. The Merchants are also those who make up most of the noble's military forces. There are about thousand members of the merchant rank in Arkenfort, and nearly half of them serve also as soldiers. Every merchant owns a couple of slaves, and often also a lifeslave or three. These work for him, producing the goods he needs to live, and those the Merchant sells to other citizen and visitors. The Merchant has to give shelter and food to his slaves (not necessarily good shelter and food, of course), but he can treat lifeslaves as he wants to. To rise to the rank of Noble, a Merchant has to challenge a Noble. This doesn't need to be formal; even an ambush is perfectly allowed. It should be successful, though, or the Merchant falls down the ladder, becoming a slave of the Noble he has challenged. All of his property becomes that of the Noble, as well, and even if the sod rises again in rank, he's got to start from scratch. A challenge is won as soon as the Merchant has cut off one piece of the Noble's body, be it a finger, piece of skin or just some hair, so most Nobles try to frighten their inferiors so much that they don't even dare to think about this option.

Below the Merchants are the Slaves. These poor sods live a life of work, pain, and more work. They're the property of Merchants, and a few of the weaker (or particularly powerful) Nobles, and have to do whatever their "owners" command. This goes so far that even raping or killing a slave is allowed for the owner. Slaves aren't utterly lost, though: They have almost no rights, but at least keep the right to challenge their superiors. Similar to Merchants challenging the Nobles, they've got to win against a Merchant to rise in rank. To win such a challenge, though, the Slave has to kill the Merchant. Merchants usually walk the streets in heavy armor, accompanied by powerful slave-soldiers who're treated exceptionally well by the Merchants. A slave who fails in an attempt to kill a Merchant drops to the very bottom of the chain. He becomes a lifeslave, a sod who's doomed to stay in this rank until he dies.

Lifeslaves have lost each and every right, and are nothing but simple property in Arkenfort. They're also the ones threatening the system most often. There have been several occurrences of lifeslave revolts, but the Nobles' military forces have put down all of them, with few survivors among the lifeslaves.

SitesThough there are many interesting places here, the most important one for visitors usually is the Wheel of Avernus. It's a small dark-red fortress-tower; inhabited by berks who call themselves the "Lawlords", members of a sect that's originated in Mechanus. These barmies believe that mortals can't comprehend the greater meaning of the planes, and should simply try to fit in the system as the planeborn beings demand.

Here in Arkenfort, they're currently trying to find out if people really act here, as they should. The baatezu work hard to persuade them the burg should be in their hands, but although the Lawlords may be complete leatherheads, they're not utterly stupid. Anyway, the Lawlords approach all visitors in town, explain the dark of things to them, and even agree to accompany them if asked for.

There are about twenty Lawlords in Arkenfort, led by the old sage Karen Darkbreaker, and most of them are Lawful Neutral, giving visitors at least a slightly better company than usual for this plane. Note, though, that no one who's not a member of their sect is allowed to enter their "headquarter", as they call the small fortress they dwell in.

The most important site in town is, of course, the Godking's residence. The Realm Palace is a grand structure of dark red and brown stones, mixed with golden ornaments and enforcements. It's placed at one edge of the town, probably in the case the ruler has to flee fast. Anyone who wants to make deals with Godking Araskec Ashheart has to approach the two ogre mage guards, known spellslingers of both mage and priest spells (though which god they serve is unknown - Araskec claims he's granting the spells, but that's most probably just a lie). Actually, there are eight such guards, working in shifts. They're canny bashers, indeed, and can spot a troublemaker before he knows himself he's a troublemaker. Still, the ogre mages all pretend to be friendly and helpful. One can be sure that they're far more helpful if they're given a bit of "bonus salary", of course.

Within the palace, dozens of nobles work for the Godking (though what exactly they do, no one but themselves knows), and they all have their guards at their side, providing protection for themselves and the Godking at the same time. The Godking himself is always guarded by a force of hundred skilled soldiers, mainly humans, but also including several tieflings, orc, and bugbears, and even a fire giant. Several of them are known spellslingers.

In the exact center of town, there's another place related to Ashheart: The Godking Temple. It's actually not more than a shrine, about thirty feet tall, twenty feet long and twenty feet wide. It's carved from some black marble, and within is a small, but impressive altar of white marble, with many small gemstones and jewelry set into the stone. Behind stands a three-foot tall statue of the Godking, said to be made from pure gold (though some claim it's actually stone with just a gold surface).

Everyone in town has to worship the Godking at least once per day here, and those who deny him this worship are usually demoted to Lifeslave rank. Araskec Ashheart even has a priest: a human sod who has a contract with him to help him get out of a baatezu contract. He's escaped the fiends with Ashheart's help, but for the rest of his life, he's got to act here as a temple servant, making sure everyone keeps to the proper rituals of worship.

The best inn for visitors is The Rotten Mindflayer, a kip that's been built by a plane-traveling mage, Oshtaer Morown, a decade ago. The blood is said to have mastered the most powerful spells, and is now retiring from his adventuring life to care for his studies a bit more. Visitors rarely see the mage, though he seems to sense mages who might have interesting new spells to share. Morown is rumored to have mastered the art of illusion beyond normal comprehension, and with his magic he assures the safety of all people within his inn.

The Fireball Hall is an expensive festhall, which might remember some of a sensate party hall in the Lady's Ward, though it's completely built from the red stones of Avernus. The nobles come here every evening to party and relax, to start some new intrigues or make big deals. Visitors are only allowed in if they accompany a noble, but then again, they can easily gain some powerful allies - and enemies -here.

The most unusual place in this whole burg might be the Fading Dust Library. It's run by the Dustman scholar Ruukh, a human with dark red skin and strikingly yellow eyes. The library consists of a few thousand books and scrolls, but can only be accessed for money, magic or food. Some of the works here contain the detailed history of the whole burg, some hidden tomes tell great darks about the baatezu and their places and schemes, and others consist of such topics as cooking, hunting or crafting musical instruments. Only a few dozen books contain novels and poems, but these are said to be among the best stories found within the Outer Planes.

Locals usually call Ruukh "The Deadman". He really makes the impression of a guardian undead, despite the fact he's totally alive. He only acts if approached, and then in a way so calm and uncaring that it sends shivers up one's spine. It would astonish everyone in town if they knew he's actually a very passionate member of the Revolutionary League, slowly and secretly gathering friends among the less evil slaves in town. He hopes to make the whole burg shift into the Outlands again, giving it a chance for an all-new start. If he doesn't manage this, he hopes to at least free those slaves in town who he considers at least slightly good-hearted, deep in their core.

Somewhere between the Godking Temple and the Godking's Realm Palace, there's a highly guarded place. It's a strangely shining chunk of rock, sunk into the ground. At first glance, it looks strange, but not too strange for a place like Avernus. Still, this is one of the most important bits of the burg, keeping the whole thing intact: It's The Shieldstone, an artifact crafted by a servant of the ancient Lord of Arkenfort, Markunaar. The stone created The Shield, a magical force field that can be traversed by anyone quite easily, but that keeps the constant Fireballs of Avernus out (they explode at the shield). Of course, if a fireball comes up within the city, that's just too bad for the locals, but as it happened two or three times a day, they got used to it.

Special ConditionsDue to The Shield surrounding the whole burg, there's just a 5% chance every hour that a fireball detonates in Arkenfort. Considering the burg's size, there should be a chance of no more than 5% that there are visitors near the place of explosion.

Principal Non player CharactersThe most important man in town is, of course, Godking Araskec Ashheart [Pl/male fire genasi/Mage 18, Fighter 16/ LE]. It could be a result of his genasi nature, or the first signs of his plans coming true, but he's astonishingly long-lived. The cutter's already over 200 years old, ruling the burg since nearly 160 years now, but he looks as if he's just forty. His red skin fits perfectly to his hair, which consists of a blazing flame emanating from his head, and he dresses in dark-red garments, covered in rich jewelry, and wearing several potent magical items (among them an amulet of non-detection, so a "Detect Magic" won't show anything).

Despite his evil heart, he's actually doing some good things now and then, at least relatively speaking. He brings visitors to town as he often makes risk full deals with the baatezu. He offers them something they long for (magic, information, and things like that), and for that, they allow him to take over the deal of someone the fiends have made a contract with. Ashheart always lets himself be paid highly for this, and states right out that he won't be merciful to the sod. If a berk has sold himself to the owner of the contract, he'll then become a slave of the Godking, plain and simple. But, as the Godking tends to state, at least he's got no use for a berk's soul, and he doesn't waste time luring the sods into further contracts, as the baatezu tend to do.

The deals he offers are never pleasant, but usually still better than what the baatezu offer. The sentence that usually convinces people of his offers is the following: "It's as easy as this- you either choose to trust me, or you choose to trust the baatezu. " Talking about baatezu, a few fiends actually live in the town. They're not allowed to rule this place, but that doesn't stop them from toying with the mortals here.

The Godking would be shocked to know that a very historical figure is also in town - a fiend called Llardh [Pl/male fiend (cornugon)/LE], the creature the historical texts talk about as the one who's initiated all the shifting of Arkenfort. He's been kicked down the ladder of ranks after he was cheated by a mere mortal, but now he's climbed up again to cornugon status, and he's filled with the raging fury of millennia to finally claim what he considers his very property. He's the one who's lured a Godsmen factor into town, giving Araskec Ashheart the idea of becoming a god in the first place.

Llardh is convinced the genasi has the potential to rise beyond mere mortality if worshipped enough by the locals, and as soon as Ashheart does turn into something more, he breaks the contract that Llardh made with Markunarr in the beginning. Then, the whole thing will have lost its worth, and the cornugon will capture Ashheart and set himself up as ruler of Arkenfort. Then, finally, he will be able to set some other plans in motion, plans that he is waiting to unleash since millennia now.