Dawn's Edge
| Dawn's Edge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Creator | Xero |
| Information | |
| Type | Town |
| Leader | Lady S'andera |
| Population | Circa 350 |
| Races | Humans Asvar |
| Affiliation | Sunstalkers |
| Location | North Livanin |
| Districts | |
| Bargainer's Shelter (Commercial) Fighter's Shelter (Industrial and Military) The Brink (Residential) King's Approach (Miscellaneous) | |
In ages long past the kingdom of Luxfordia was throned by the just and devoted Lionheart lineage - Pious yet true, they would be remembered as a monarchy that brought prosperity to the kingdom and a rekindled faith in the divine.
As the third to rule in his family, Crusader King Marcus Lionheart II was just as devoted to the crown as his grandfather Louis Marcus Lionheart, the first Lionheart to rule, as well as his mother Queen Bella Lionheart. Sadly the young king lacked an advisor who sought long-lasting peace over continued bloodshed as Voris Hool, Duke of treacherous Ironwatch, became the one to whisper in his ears words of uncertainty and imminent threats from the south. Yet Marcus was not one to take a sword to the throat of supposed enemies even at the suspect of war, he was cautious and prepared his kingdom's defences first and foremost, forming the Divine Crusade in 1100 which helped purge wild monsters from his lands and reinforce the holy words of Divinism onto his people.
Voris Hool was cunning and hellbent on lighting a new conflict between the Humans of Luxfordia and the Senkh of Chronos. He hired Senkh mercenaries to launch an attack on the town of King's Crossing which was enough for Louis to finally act aggressively in response, rallying his Divine Crusade and marching them forth into the canyons and to the desert to begin a war that Chronos feared would come eventually.
Where the canyons split open to reveal the vast barren deserts of Livanin, Marcus would have his masons give rise to a mighty fortress he named Dawn's Edge to garrison his units and protect them from the harsh climates of the lands beyond. Even with the spark of conflict burning in his blood, he remained cautious and waited for the Senkh to throw themselves at the mighty walls of Dawn's Edge to know war was truly afoot - it never happened, and despite Voris' claiming the Senkh must be too weak to attack making them vulnerable to theirs, Marcus did not yield himself to the faults of the past. The war, albeit quick and without many casualties, would end thanks to Archbishop David Enos, a friend of Marcus' who also oversaw the development of the Crusade. It would be David who secretly met with the Pharaoh of Chronos and relayed the truth to the King. In return, Marcus would see to it that the Senkh were given aid to recoup from the short conflict that arouse and that Voris Hool, the man behind this deceitful act, would rot in Van'Glaar for the rest of his days.
Following the conflict, Dawn's Edge would remain as a foothold at the entrance of the desert yet it would become a neutral town belonging to both Luxfordia and Chronos, a place between these two kingdoms where negotiations could be held when required.
The Lionheart Monarchy would last for well over a thousand years during which a Senkh-Human hybrid would take to the throne, uniting the two people even tighter. Yet the past would not be forgotten so easily and those of Ironwatch who still held onto ancient hatreds wished for the conquest of their allies. Having won over the people with radical claims and his Royal Reclamation Campaign in late 2300s, Edward Greymoore IV would end the Lionheart monarchy and establish his bloodline as the royal rulers of Luxfordia. With a strong hatred for both hybrids and non-Humans, Edward would have Dawn's Edge under the control of Luxfordia which angered their long-time allies and neighbours, breaking the pact they sealed between their nations.
Edward's son, High King Yvain Greymoore, would see a war between Humanity and Senkh erupt in Livanin which caused a century-long stalemate as Dawn's Edge proved itself too fortified a settlement to break through. Three centuries later, Yvain Greymoore III experienced the Senkh gaining control over Dawn's Edge but he saw to it that it would swiftly be recaptured.
Finally, Yvain Greymoore IV would launch the notorious Grand War which saw the world plunged into a full-on war against a mighty Kingdom of Luxfordia. Mere weeks into the war, Livanin had become a neutral territory as the Senkh retreated into their capital and became locked in time stasis to save themselves from the unstoppable war machine, allowing Yvain to establish the Sunstalker unit in Dawn's Edge and in smaller encampments throughout the desert to lie in wait for the Senkh to one day return. To this day, the Sunstalkers under the rule of Lady S'andera control this ancient and well fortified town.
Though the Senkh came out of stasis and were able to re-establish their kingdom, the dormancy they remained in allowed the Sunstalkers to gain a lot of control over the desert, causing them to remain a constant threat to this day. As war is costly to both sides, the Sunstalkers instead result to thievery and the control over the flow of people moving between Azura and Livanin, forcing heavy tolls onto certain folk not of pure Human ancestry who wish to pass through the town. Furthermore, the Sunstalker's matriarchal system causes men to be viewed discriminatorily, to the point that most of the town is locked away from them An exceptional bond has, however, been made with the Shrevir who inhabit the canyons, who work together to control the flow even further no matter the gender or heritage.
Districts
Commercial: The Bargainer's Shelter is the west half of Dawn's Edge. A commercial hub which includes many luxurious businesses that sell goods native to the desert including but not limited to "Raffa's Mining & Gemwork", a shop established in the shadow of the canyon cliffs where a gem-rich mine is located; "Cassandra's Bounty", Dawn's Edge medicinal and herbal shop; "Goldrod Shoppe", a small business dealing in ancient and magical artefacts; "Wealthhold Bank", Dawn's Edge treasury; "Razan Daher's House of Knowledge", a library curated by the only notable male business owner in this side of Dawn's Edge; and "The Alsabar", Dawn's Edge go-to place for great refreshing drinks, stomach-filling foods and a strong social nightlife.
Special mention must be made for "Madam Salma's Oasis Of Pleasure", located on a clifftop oasis at the southern end of the Shelter. Madam Salma herself is a rich influencer who has taken control over Bargainer's Shelter by the throat by owning the only major source of water in Dawn's Edge and controlling its flow down to Duze's Blessing, a lake that runs through the shelter to provide fertile land for the businesses there. Madam Salma's Oasis of Pleasure is a rich-woman's paradise, a brothel that deals in night-time housing and the trading of captured slaves for use of labour and pleasure.
Industrial and Military: The Fighter's Shelter is the east half of Dawn's Edge. It is home to the physical workforce of the town as well as its leadership and military, the Sunstalkers. Here the Sunstalkers gather for their commands and training of both new recruits and veterans, while "Daybreak Labour" handles the manpower of the town's labour union, dealing in architecture and repairs. A couple of shops are also located here - "Mazer's Masonry", a business dealing in tools of the trade; and "Garbs of Olivia", a shop that crafts and sells high-quality leather clothing and armour.
Lady S'andera's Palace is found overlooking this side of town. It is a luxurious manor built to house the champion of the Sunstalkers. From its towers she watches over the town and in its command centre she issues out orders to her highest women in power, making sure everything runs according to her plans.
Residential: More of a general district that serves as the road through the Divine Northgate to Azura and the Forsaken Southgate to Livanin, the Brink is the only place where men and non-humans are allowed to dwell. It includes an inn, a church and a market - the bare minimum a traveller may need when passing through the town. As mentioned previously, the two gates to the town are located here and a toll must be paid by any not found to be "allies of the Sunstalkers" at both gates, each priced at a lethal 50g.
The Far Off Stable, located near the Divine Northgate, takes in any traveller's animal mount for a generous fee of 5g upfront and 2g per 24 hours, caring for them and protecting them from the heat of the desert. Any traveller traveling atop a mount is recommended to leave them here, as the desert may be too much for them to handle.
Miscellaneous: Though not a technical part of Dawn's Edge, the northern exit features a camp full of tents from unwanted or unfortunate people who couldn't pay the toll. Known as King's Approach, this place is riddled with the poor often times Senkh seeking passage back to their homeland but are often left to die to the heat or unyielding nature of the canyons.
