The End of the Road

In the far southwest of the Great Desert Kingdom, high in the foothills where the Great Southern Range extends from the The Great Western Mountains and near the headwaters of the Desert River lies a small town known as The End of the Road (Dormoa).
Dormoa is a rather non-descript town, far from any other settlement, at the very end of the Desert Road that runs along the banks of the Desert River, nearly 1000 miles from the ford where the road splits, with the main fork heading north to Okkudo, the capital of the Great Desert Kingdom. It is supported by some mining, logging, and farming. Few travelers venture there, with one exception: the End of the Road is a sanctuary city, a place of refuge for those accused of capital crimes they did not commit. Most of the few travelers that make the long, arduous journey to the End of the Road truly believe they are innocent, but cannot receive justice anywhere else.
Within the Sanctuary of Baiyamuta in Dormoa, people can request refuge within the city. Usually, that is automatically granted. All refugees must swear never to leave the city. If a refugee leaves the city without having undergone the Trial of Exposure to give an account for her life, the refugee may never again enter the city. Whatever fate awaits them then is their own.
For a refugee, the Trial of Exposure will establish guilt or innocence, but at great cost and risk. The fee to be paid to the Sanctuary of Baiyamuta is significant (though it is sometimes reduced or waived), but that is an insignificant obstacle in comparison to the Trial itself.
At the Trial, the refugee stands before the three Judges of the Court of Examination. Each of the Judges is a powerful Magus skilled in divination magic. The Trial lasts many hours. The Judges, using spells of divination and compulsion, examine every aspect of the refugee's life and temperament, including, but not limited to, the details of whatever incident caused the refugee to seek sanctuary. The details and truth of everything the refugee has done, from her age of responsibility (which the Judges determine for each individual during the Trial) to the present lay exposed to the Court. For most, the Trial is a deeply humbling and humiliating experience. At the end of the Trial, the Judges consult and vote: Worthy or Unworthy. The verdict isn't just regarding the truth of the incident that brought the refugee to Dormoa; it is a verdict on the refugee's very life - worthy to continue living, or unworthy.
Those unanimously voted to be Worthy are given a certificate establishing their unquestioned innocence. They are free to leave Dormoa, and may return at any time. The authorities of most countries and settlements respect the Certificate of Definite Innocence and will drop any charges pending against person holding the certificate. Anyone exacting retribution against a person holding a Certificate of Definite Innocence is considered guilty of murder.
For those receiving a split vote, the path forward is less clear. If the Judges vote 2 to 1 in favor of being Worthy, the refugee may choose to receive a Certificate of Contingent Innocence. They are free to leave Dormoa, and may return at any time. However, many countries and settlements do not respect a Certificate of Contingent Innocence as proof that the refugee did not commit the crime for which they were charged. Often, though, they will at least reconsider any previous verdict of guilt. If the refugee chooses to stay in Dormoa, she may establish residence there as a citizen with all rights and privileges.
If the Judges vote 2 to 1 that the refugee is Unworthy, the refugee may choose to leave the city to face whatever justice (or injustice) awaits. Those that choose to leave may not return. If the refugee chooses to stay, he may establish residence there, but is sentenced to perform menial labor for as long as the Judges decide. Only after completing the sentence without causing any trouble can the refugee become a full citizen. However, even after becoming a full citizen, if the refugee leaves Dormoa, he may not return.
As all of the Judges see all of the aspects of the refugee's life and temperament, such split decisions are not common.
If the Judges vote unanimously that the refugee is unworthy, the refugee is immediately put to death by hanging. Given that these outcomes are well-known and thoroughly explained before the Trial of Exposure, a unanimous vote of Unworthy is very rare.

Government

Dormoa is run as an extension of The Sanctuary of Baiyamuta. The priests of Baiyamuta administer the town, organize the Trials of Exposure, issue certificates of innocence, and in general handle all of the needs of the town and townspeople. Generally, refugees serve as merchants, craftspeople, laborers, and farmers.

Defences

The roughly rectangular central core of the city is enclosed within a well-constructed wall of cut stone, approximately 25 feet (7.5 meters) high and ten feet (three meters) thick, with a walkway on top and crenelations. There is a single portcullis gate of heavy iron at the east end of the wall that controls access.
The Baiyamuta Legion, heavily armored and armed priests, patrol the streets and guard the gate of Dormoa, especially inside the city wall, but they also patrol outside the walls in squads of six.

Infrastructure

Though not large, as a sanctuary city, Dormoa has relatively good infrastructure. There are several wells, the major streets are paved, and the central part of the town is surrounded by a well-constructed stone wall about 25 feet (7.4 meters) high. The town has ditch latrines at places along the outside wall where slop buckets can be emptied.
Conditions outside of the main core of the town are not under the administration of The Sanctuary of Baiyamuta are are less organized and not as well maintained, with dirt roads, crudely constructed and haphazardly placed buildings and tents, and much more crime and violence.

Districts

Dormoa is not a large town. There are only two distinct districts: the main core of the city surrounded by a stone wall and entered only through a heavy iron gate, and everything outside the wall.

Geography

Dormoa lies in a relatively dry valley in the foothills of the mountains of the Great Southern Range and the Great Western Mountains.

Climate

Dormoa is generally warm and dry year-round. Lying not far south the the Derkomai equator and in the rain shadow of the mountains, very little rain falls. However, there are many springs and streams in the area, fed by melting snow, so the valley is green and full of vegetation, while the surrounding hills are mostly bare.

Population

Approximately 1000

Inhabitant Demonym

Dormoans

Owning Organization

The Sanctuary of Baiyamuta