Djelvskar

With the benefit of hindsight, many deem the city now known as Djevlskar to be an unheeded warning about hubris and the dangers of power. That perhaps if more had learnt from the mistakes that turned the pristine city into a cursed wasteland, perhaps the Age of War would not have kept escalating.
Once known as Sverde, the city was founded as a center of research and development. It many ways, it served as a companion to the hidden city of Arnbolt, though more focused on esoteric developments and theoretical new inventions.
It was lead by a prideful bunch. When other factions managed to overtake theirk ingdom, changing the course of war with new brilliant creations, they decided to prove their worth.
The experiment would see the entire region at the mercy of an arch demon with none to spare. In a single day, the city of Sverde went from a prisitine and fortified place of learning to a haunted landscape infused with demonic malice. So quick was its doom that no aid could ever have gotten there in time. All that could be done was taking in the terrified survivors and seal the area with potent runestones.
Despite this, life continued in the city now known as Djevlskar. Some were descendants of the original inhabitants, who managed to survive despite everything. Others were once local fauna, altered by the occult energy now infusing the area. Life in Djevlskar is rough, to say the least, but life yet finds a way.

Demographics

The primary inhabitants are now various native animals enhanced by the qliphoth corruption to the point of achieving sapience, primarily wolves and bears. A clan of kobolds also opted to stay behind and has managed to thrive despite the areas current contamination.

Government

The area is loosely governed by a number of independant groups that have a loose agreement to support on another.

Defences

The two great walls of the city have crumpled in some areas due to the now swampy terrain, but much of it still holds. The cursed swamp itself also acts as a defence, slowly drinking the vitality of anyone wading through it.

Industry & Trade

Industry is mostly production of tools and equipment on a small scale. A few of the city's forges and factories have been repurposed and now slowly churns out equipment. Trade with teh outside world is non-existant.

Infrastructure

The city used to have a functioning sewer system, although now its clogged with bog muck and worse. The pipework of teh city, which once brough in fresh water, has corroded and crumbled. Though in some areas, the native kobolds have co-opted the old structure to suck up, filter, boil and deliver water from the swamp, even allowing other natives access in exchange for promises of aid or defence.

Districts

The city was once divided between the commons and the court. The commons was the majority of the city, protected by the outer wall, while the court house the leadership and elite, sequestered in the city's center. The division still sorta exists, with the most powerful groups holding the center as their territory.

Assets

The natives of Djevlskar have become quite skilled at harnessing the qliphoth that permeates the area, infusing it into things to create potent magic items. These items are corruptive, so buyer beware.

History

Djevlskar, then known as Sverde, was founded in 122 BTF. It was founded by nobility for the purpose of developing new magical weapons of war to the kingdom of Beinneachda.
In 136 AW, as Beinneachda got more and more involved with the ongoing conflicts, pressure mounted to develop equipment that could provide an edge. It this regard, Beinneachda had been showed up by the technology of Tokkenburg and the magic of Magush. The leaders of Sverde woved to develop a weapon that would turn their kingdom into the greatest nation of them all.
In 141 AW, the finalized proposal was sent to the king's court. The leaders of Sverde proposed to co-op some of the methods of the Surune Empire, who had summoned demons to aid them in some of their latest battles. But instead of relying upon demons, they'd summon a powerful arch demon, drain their essence into a magical construct, that would then wield the demon's power on their behalf. The court replied with a denial, stating that the summoning of demons was too risky and doing it for the explicit purpose of ripping out their magical essence seemed dishonourable and unbecoming of the dignity of Beinneachda. The leaders of Sverde concluded that the court was held back by fear and would change their minds once they saw how succesful their creation would be.
In 156 AW, after much preperation, an arch demon was conjured, to have their essence ripped out and fuel a war machine. The demon they ended up summoning Dahlia, The Queen of Blood,. And for all their preparations, there was one thing they were unaware of. Dahlia had the ability to breach summoning circles from the inside. The exact events that followed are not documented. Survivors report the skies above ripping open to reveal a crimson moon, turning day into night. How an unnatural darkness descending upon the city, filled with teeth and claws. How the cold, hard ground turned into soggy, red muck, that curled around limbs and sucked unfortunates into the spreading morass. These nightmares made manifest hunted the survivors even as they fled the city, chasing them over a vast area and consuming many in the process. By the time the court was made aware, the city had fallen and the entire area infused with demon qliphoth. To prevent its spread, dwarven smiths erected a circle of runestones to keep the morass contained. The city was abandoned, but would soon be known under a different name. Unbeknownst to most, however, survivors remained. And they managed to thrive within the devastated city.

Tourism

The daring occasionally approaches the barrier of runestones, though few cross. Warlocks and others interested in demonology sometimes enter, to look for qliphoth infused plants and materials.

Architecture

Djevlskar was built to last, with the buildings formed from thich, solid stone. Even the Court was heavily reinforced, as much to discourage enemies as to contain the experiment that would be run. After its fall, the once glorious walls are now covered with grime and many streets are submerged in red mud, but still it stands.

Geography

The city was once surrounded by relatively flat, frozen plains. With the curse, this has now been replaced with a cursed swamp, twisted trees growing out of the cold, soggy mud.

Natural Resources

The cursed trees that stick out of the mud are usuable for construction, though those who cut them down tend to in turn cut themself on the trees' thorns.

RUINED SETTLEMENT
156 AW

Founding Date

122 BTF

Alternative Name(s)

Sverde

Population

9712

Inhabitant Demonym

Djevlskab