Asphodel

Asphodel and the Despair Lands

The influence of the Underworld leaches life and colour from a peninsula south of the Nessian Wood. Here, the necropolis of Asphodel sprawls amid the bleak region called the Despair Lands.
The Returned of Asphodel seek to be left alone with their ennui. They rarely leave the city, venturing out only when spurred by fugues of emotion or fleeting memories. The streets are dusty and rarely walked, though the windows of dilapidated hovels glimmer with the staring masks of listless Returned. Asphodel is an echo of the grim cities of the Underworld, making it a tragically ironic home for those who risked so much to escape the land of the dead.

Coliseum of the Aphonai

Three ancient Returned called the Aphonai rule Asphodel. They wear simple, identical golden masks and long, drab robes, making them nearly impossible to distinguish from one another. From the Coliseum of the Aphonai, a perfectly circular stone building that stands at the heart of Asphodel, the leaders listen to cases brought before them and decide on the few matters of importance to the city. Trespassers caught within the city are often brought before the Aphonai for judgment. The elder Returned never speak, rendering their judgments only in gestures.

Order of Phaios

A cabal of mages known as the Order of Phaios defend Asphodel with their magic. The mages of the order devote themselves to studying arcane mysteries that could never be unraveled in a single life. Like all Returned, though, they have difficulty remembering what they learn. For this reason, the rooms of their order’s vaulted hall, the Stoa of Shadows, are covered with coded engravings that collect their wisdom. While the research of the Returned rarely leads them to epiphany, some of the few living mages who have stolen into the stoa escape with remarkable knowledge.

Hetos, the Bleak Mire

Asphodel perches at the edge of a sprawling marsh called the Hetos Mire. The necropolis stands on an elevated piece of land surrounded by treacherous bogs and tangled thickets. The inhospitable territory serves the Returned as a first line of defence against any intruders. Near the southern edge of Hetos stands an ages-old, crimson cypress called the Blood Tree. Colour from the tree bleeds into the surrounding bog, making the swamp waters look like a charnel pit. Vicious and venomous swamp creatures are drawn to the Blood Tree and frequently drag prey into its foul midst.