Rexxentrum

The majestic capital of the Dwendalian Empire was founded in the year 514 PD. The central location and plentiful surrounding resources of the region made Rexxentrum the most favorable place to oversee the rule and expansion of the freshly established Dwendalian Empire. Over the next three centuries, Rexxentrum grew to become the largest city in Wildemount, and the cultural and military center of Western Wynandir.
At the core of all imperial politics are the nobles, politicians, and wealthy elite who live within the city or own property there. Grandiose displays of wealth and power are common among the inner wards, while sprawling poverty consumes the outer districts and slums beyond the protective walls of the city. Cobblestone streets twist and mingle through the bustling neighborhoods, cart merchants and street performers vying for the attention and patronage of passersby throughout the cold summer months and the even colder winter.
Glowing orbs of arcane fire flicker at the tops of dark iron lamp poles at major intersections, lighting the evening air, while colorful flowers adorn the inner archways of each neighborhood entryway. Buildings cluster close and reach toward the sky, often snow-dappled with long wooden slats placed between rooftops for riffraff to skitter across the city unseen. Although the city teems with life and activity, it is also full of lawkeepers and military watch, with griffon riders occasionally circling overhead above the ever-patrolling Crownsguard and the nearby Righteous Brand headquarters.
The massive and beautiful center for arcane study known as the Soltryce Academy is located in the Candles, a thin crescent of a neighborhood marked by the tall and imposing tower homes of all eight leading members of the Cerberus Assembly, each unique and imposing in its own way. The beating heart of the city, and of the empire, lies positioned within the arc of the Candles in the terrace of Castle Ungebroch. From within the castle halls, King Bertrand Dwendal and his council of chosen authorities oversee all matters of state.

Magic Masters

Much of the empire’s prosperity over the centuries stems from the Cerberus Assembly, a union of the nation’s most powerful mages working directly for the Crown. These arcane practitioners and scholars aid the king in engaging foreign interests, in developing magical technology to better oversee the land and enforce his will, and making use of the rare relics that the Crown confiscates from unearthed sites of pre-Calamity might. This arrangement affords the assembly homes in the Candles and across the major cities of the empire, as well as access to every Dwendalian political figure. Thus, members of the assembly are extremely influential and, by the nature of their arrangement, very carefully watched by the king. Most civilians swap rumors of demonic pacts and demigod-level magics at the assembly’s disposal, adding to their aura of mystique among the common folk. When an assembly mage walks the streets of Rexxentrum or attends the halls of an establishment within the city, it is an event that everyone will be talking about for days to come.

Rule with a Golden Fist

The resource-rich economy of Rexxentrum supports a powerful guild and merchant class, who work directly with the Crown under the watch of Guildmaster Kai Arness. Any permanent place of business is required to join a corresponding guild, paying an annual fee on top of their taxes to the Crown, and to follow the guild’s requirements for conditions of operations. Some complain that these conditions are often manipulated on a case-by-case basis to remove competition between similar interests, but cries of corruption within the guilds fall on deaf ears. This has led to a rapid growth of mobile businesses on street corners and shops that move between districts to avoid inspection by Crownsguard or guild members.

Politics and Persecution

Historically, public displays of unease under the king’s rule were often met with brutal punishment. However, the previous king, Everard Dwendal, loosened the laws applying to public discourse. This gave rise to a number of political figures who gathered the unhappy populace behind their philosophies. In response, King Everard established the Augen Trust, a network of spies working for the king to blackmail or corrupt these politicians. With these high-profile dissenters under the thumb of the Crown, controlling political discourse became easier, and politics within the empire became a tense game of cat and mouse. Forthright nobles and frustrated guild heads unswayed by propaganda, gold, or threats still dissent publicly, testing the boundaries of their influence. King Bertrand’s patience with public objections to his policies grows ever thinner, and he is enacting even more stringent laws against public criticism of the Crown.

A Growing Unrest

In the wake of frustrated citizens, neglected concerns, and a clear caste system, the common folk of Rexxentrum are disenfranchised. The rallying call of war has brought some renewed imperial pride, but whispers of discontent have continued, coalescing into a small group of rebels within the capital that call themselves the Locksmiths. Wary of the history of failed rebellions in the empire, they gather information and gradually inspire the common folk to question authority, waiting for the right moment to ignite a revolution with a chance of success. With the Crown distracted by war and the populace brimming with poverty and discontentment, that time might come sooner than anyone thinks.

Demographics

81% humans, 8% dwarves, 6% halflings, 5% other races

Government

King Bertrand Dwendal rules the capital himself. No starosta holds office within Rexxentrum. Prime Arbiter Sydnock Truscan oversees all major matters of law that do not require the attention of the king, while Guildmaster Kai Arness works with the various guilds of the city to ensure smooth trade both within and beyond the walls of Rexxentrum. Beneath Sydnock is the head of Rexxentrum’s Crownsguard, Watchmaster Brunda Gleshin, who ensures that the laws of the empire are enforced in the streets of the capital.

Defences

Crownsguard patrol all major streets, while the bulk of the Righteous Brand soldiers within the empire are stationed in the King’s Bastion to defend the capital city.

Crime

The capital city harbors a diverse criminal underground both within and beneath the streets. Surviving Myriad leaders remain hidden in plain sight throughout the city, including the beloved Iris Bethelas, who is organizing the syndicate’s return to power. Independent crime rings plague trade centers and busy districts where there are easy gold and gullible cityfolk. The populace is simply too large for the Crownsguard to oversee every corner of cobblestone where laws are bent or broken. Now, with the collective attention of the law focused on the war in the east, thieves and cutpurses are upping their game, and crime is on the rise within Rexxentrum.

Industry & Trade

Rexxentrum is the largest city in Wildemount and the seat of the Dwendalian Empire’s power, enabling massive volumes of trade in and out of the city. Most any goods, services, and places of business can be found within the city walls.

Guilds and Factions

Grand temples to empire-approved gods can be found throughout the city, while the most powerful guilds in the empire vie for power and influence. The Cerberus Assembly takes an active role in political affairs, while the deep-rooted Myriad weaves tapestries of crime and corruption throughout the city.

Geography

The city spreads across the tallgrass fields south of the Pearlbow Wilderness, its walls forming a distended pentagon. Farmland around the north and east sides of the city are dotted with farmsteads and small rural communities that provide food for the capital. The northeast side of the wall curves around a trio of immense, fortified towers surrounded by barracks known as the King’s Bastion, where the central force of the Righteous Brand military trains and resides. Within the outer walls of the city are seven major districts: the Mosaic Ward, the Mudtop Ward, the Tangles, the Shimmer Ward, the Academy Grounds, the Candles, and Castle Ungebroch Terrace.
Mosaic Ward. A sprawl of impoverished neighborhoods are hidden behind colorful banners and small fences that segregate this ratty residential district from the central thoroughfares and avenues. The region, which encompasses most of the southern and southwestern regions of the city along the outer walls, is a hotbed for crime and violence. Crownsguard interest in policing the region wavers, and opportunists often use the lack of military presence to victimize poorer citizens. This has led to a growing collection of vigilantes and self-appointed protectors of the Mosaics.
Mudtop Ward. The northern end of the city houses its own large slum, known as the Mudtop Ward. The cobblestone streets of the city were never quite built up to the northern wall, causing this area to be rife with mud and muck year round, leaving the denizens cold, ornery, and prone to illness. Many of the sick and diseased are relegated to the Mudtop to be forgotten. However, some healers have come to their aid, as well as some priests who wish to remedy the unjust conditions of the poor, becoming local heroes for their selfless work.
The Tangles. This western region of Rexxentrum houses the working class folk of the city. It is here that most of the city’s general commerce takes place. Dozens of smaller streets branch off major roads to create a labyrinth of twisting neighborhoods and industrial districts. The network of major roads converges to form three major plazas across the district, where shops, inns, and various forms of entertainment can be found. The Platinum Veranda plaza lies at the northern end of the Tangles, where the more expensive homes and luxurious entertainment can be found, as well as the central temple to Bahamut, called the Dragon Seat.
Near the southern end of the Tangles is the Vigil’s Circle, a marketplace built around a loop of road that surrounds the Tower of Writ, the temple to Erathis where the Prime Arbiter delivers his judgment. All manner of commerce takes place here, while the nearby Claykeep prison looms as an ominous reminder to any who might seek to break the laws of the land.
The Court of Colors, on the western edge of the Tangles, is the largest of the three main plazas. The Court is a winding knot of streets, each of which is wholly dedicated to traders who come from far-off places to sell their exotic wares, while artists and performers bring an air of lively celebration despite the gray and dreary skies of the region. It’s within this lively area that the Rexxentrum Archive of the Cobalt Soul can be found. Near the southern wall of the Shimmer Ward is the Chantry of the Dawn, the ancient temple to the Dawn Father on which the city was originally founded, now restored and expanded into an awe-inspiring cathedral.
Shimmer Ward. Within the inner walls of the city, the Shimmer Ward is where the noble houses and guild leaders of Rexxentrum dwell. Here, beautiful gardens and museums celebrate Zemnian culture, and specialist merchants promote their unique wares. The debate forum is rarely used aside from holidays, where intellectuals will challenge each other to arguments about philosophy and history. Cottages and tasteful estates sit behind tall fences and walls, and a pair of open squares host occasional galas when the local elite are in need of socialization.
Academy Grounds. To the northwest of the castle lie the Academy Grounds, a well-kept and heavily guarded campus where the halls and towers of the Soltryce Academy reside. A college of higher learning for all pursuits related to the arcane arts, the Soltryce Academy is all but exclusively a school for wealthy scions, though a number of rare talents found in the wild are offered entry every year. Each subject’s curriculum is tailored so that the young mind is indoctrinated to support the interests of the empire, and the Cerberus Assembly is always looking for prodigies with exemplary talent to take under its wing.
The Candles. East of the castle stands the collection of eight tall spires that house the members of the Cerberus Assembly. Each tower has its own unique appearance. The original Candles were built to the specifications of the original leading members of the Cerberus Assembly. In the years since, each tower has been magically altered to the taste of their successors. This creates a jagged and subtly unsettling sight visible from any point in the city.
Castle Ungebroch Terrace. Standing vigilant in the center of the inner walls is the Castle Ungebroch Terrace, a small district of compact military outposts that surround Castle Ungebroch. The dark stone of the castle splits into numerous towers, while high-arched stained glass windows dress the exterior of each floor of the citadel. Within the shadowy halls of the castle, lit by flickering torchlight, the king rules with his family and councilors at his beck and call.

Type

Large city

Population

205,200

Location under

Zemni Fields

Owner/Ruler

Bertrand Dwendal

Owning Organization

Dwendalian Empire

Related Historical Events

• 836 P.D.
  Attack on Rexxentrum