Nebresk

Nebresk: The Shadowed City

Nebresk is a sprawling, grim city in the heart of The Shadowfell. Life here is defined by constant fear, poverty, and the uneasy balance between two powerful factions: the Crimson Covenant and the Duskwatch. The cobbled streets of Nebresk are perpetually shrouded in a damp mist that never fully clears, while the ever-present gloom of The Shadowfell strips the city of warmth or hope. Though a semblance of order is maintained by these factions, it’s the common folk who bear the brunt of their indifference and violence.

The Crimson Covenant

• The Crimson Covenant is a wealthy and influential religious organization within Nebresk. They see it as their divine duty to rid the city of the vampire scourge that stalks its shadows. The Covenant’s mission to "cleanse" Nebresk of all undead is often more performative than effective, leading many to criticize them as self-righteous zealots. They rule with a façade of faith, promising divine intervention and salvation to the people, while neglecting the true issues plaguing the city.


• Despite their outward claims of righteousness, the Crimson Covenant’s wealth is built on the suffering of Nebresk’s citizens. They impose heavy taxes, forcing the struggling populace to pay exorbitantly to attend masses and partake in the Covenant’s so-called "blessings." Majestic churches, adorned with crimson banners and embellished statues, loom over the surrounding slums. It is not uncommon to see sickly beggars and destitute children lingering across the street from these opulent places of worship, pleading for help that rarely comes.


• The priests and paladins of the Covenant see their role as one of divine purification, cleansing the city of any perceived corruption. However, their focus on eradicating vampires and undead often leaves the citizens to fend for themselves against poverty, crime, and sickness. The Crimson Covenant offers salvation, but only to those who can afford to believe.

The Duskwatch

• While the Crimson Covenant maintains its illusion of holy purpose, the Duskwatch embraces a much grittier reality. The Duskwatch is a gang of thugs, enforcers, and brutes who enforce their own twisted sense of order through fear and violence. They control the black market, collecting bribes from merchants and extorting the desperate citizens of Nebresk. In the streets under their influence, betrayal and insubordination are met with swift, brutal punishment.


• The Duskwatch’s power comes from their control over illicit trade. Poisons, stolen goods, and dark relics all pass through their hands before reaching the city’s underbelly. They deal in secrets, silence those who speak too freely, and provide protection to those who pay their dues. Despite their cruelty, many citizens are forced to rely on them to survive in a city where the law is both harsh and indifferent.


• The Duskwatch and the Crimson Covenant may hate each other, but they both understand the importance of maintaining the current balance. Each faction keeps to its own territory, and any direct conflict is avoided to prevent a citywide catastrophe. This leaves the citizens caught in the middle, forced to walk a careful line to avoid the wrath of either side.

Life in Nebresk

The city of Nebresk is full of murky alleys, dilapidated homes, and shadowed corners where danger always lurks. Despite the pervading gloom, life in the city goes on. Taverns and inns offer temporary refuge from the darkness outside, while markets and shops serve the needs of the weary and the cunning.

• The Beggar’s Coin: A small, decrepit tavern frequented by the downtrodden and the desperate. The drinks are cheap, and the barkeep doesn’t ask questions, making it a favorite haunt of the Duskwatch’s lower ranks and informants.
• The Black Lantern: An inn located on the edge of the Duskwatch’s territory. It’s known for offering relative safety to travelers who are willing to pay extra for locked doors and discretion. Rumors say that the Duskwatch owns the place, but no one dares ask.
• The Crimson Chalice: A grand inn situated near the largest Covenant church. The rooms are luxurious and come with the Covenant’s blessings, but the prices are steep, and only the truly pious (or wealthy) stay here.
• Whisper’s End Market: A marketplace for the darker side of Nebresk, where one can find poison sellers, relic traders, and secret brokers. The Duskwatch keeps a close watch on these streets, ensuring that no one sells without their approval.
• The Bloodied Reliquary: A shop run by an eccentric ex-priest of the Covenant. It’s rumored that the shop sells cursed relics and forbidden artifacts, but only to those who can speak the code word.

Surviving Nebresk

Navigating life in Nebresk requires an understanding of the city’s unspoken rules. Those who draw too much attention from the Covenant risk being accused of heresy or worse, while those who cross the Duskwatch often disappear without a trace. The citizens of Nebresk live in the shadows of these two factions, knowing that one wrong move could spell their doom.
In Nebresk, hope is a rare commodity. Faith is for sale, and protection is only offered to those who know the right people or can pay the right price. For everyone else, survival means staying out of the light and avoiding the gaze of both the Covenant’s righteous eyes and the Duskwatch’s cruel blades.