MistHallow
"Misty steps are best unfollowed"
History
Misthallow, an ancient city steeped in quiet reverence and tradition, has long held an intimate connection with the dead. In ages past, its people revered Malakar, God of Death himself, drawing their purpose and rituals from his domain. Yet as life flourished across the land, Malakar grew discontented, seeking to expand his influence as the world around him teemed with vitality. With the help of other gods, he unleashed plagues, deadly beasts, and, most ominously, the restless undead, spreading his touch wherever life thrived.
Misthallow’s sister city—its true name now lost—once shared in this worship, until the god’s domain overtook it entirely, transforming it into the Forgotten Citadel. The undead miasma radiating from this ruin corrupted all it touched, edging ever closer to Misthallow’s borders. In this dire time, Raiar, God of Rebirth ascended, and with the aid of Nyssa, god of enchantments and barriers, conjured the sacred mists that now envelop the city. These magical mists extended as far as the Forgotten Citadel, pacifying the undead and creating a safe boundary against the deathly influence beyond.
Feeling betrayed by their god’s destructive thirst, the people of Misthallow turned their devotion to Raiar, who embodied a gentler approach to death: rest, peace, and the cyclical renewal of nature. In time, Raiar blessed Misthallow with the Hall of the Dead, a grand structure where the spirits of the deceased could return each spring. On this day, Misthallow’s families could reunite with their ancestors, sharing stories and wisdom before the spirits returned to Raiar’s halls once more. In some cases, these spirits also chose to stay behind with the living, joining their loved ones in a second life. Over time, the city’s ancestral homes grew to accommodate generations of both the living and the departed, creating a society rich in heritage.
Misthallow’s governance is also unique, overseen by two Emperors: the Living Emperor, or "Seed," and the Dead Emperor, or "Bloom." Each time a Seed Emperor passes, he is succeeded by a new Seed and reclaims his place as the Bloom of Misthallow’s ancient lineage, creating a continuum of leadership that honors both past and present.
During the Heavenly Clash , Misthallow was a fervent defender and supporter of the new gods, especially Raiar and Nyssa. Yet in the aftermath of the Sundering, Misthallow’s connection to Raiar’s Hall was severed. The dead, once able to pass freely between worlds, now linger until their essence fades in what has become known as their “True Death.”
Now
An eerie silence pervades the city, its once-lively ancestral homes quieting as spirits gradually vanish. The Bloom Emperor, seated on his throne for over two centuries, shows signs of fading, his long-standing essence dimming. Each season, the city’s protective mists recede, and the grip of the Forgotten Citadel stretches ever closer.
Yet despite this growing sense of loss, Misthallow endures. Ornate wooden towers rise high above the city, flowering trees shade the streets, and the fragrance of incense and tea fills the air. These scents are so intertwined with daily life that pressed blocks of tea and bundles of incense now serve as currency. In the face of encroaching darkness, Misthallow’s rituals continue as echoes of a time when life and death were held in delicate, harmonious balance.
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