Geography
The city is carved into enormous, deep-reaching roots from which a substance called amber is harvested by the Mantis.
Description
The mantis' building are carved in the wood of the enormous roots cerving as they city, or fashionned with amber.
The titan's pit
The Tian's Pit is a large chasm located on the city's edge, served as the prison for Hedroforn, who lied chained at the bottom of the dark abyss. The cavern above the pit rises tall, almost reaching the surface world, having been carved out by the gods of the giants during their battle against the titan.
Adventurer freed the Titan from its pit, and the areas now serves as a death sentence for Mantis' prisoners.
Hedroforn's reach
The titan Hedroforn stand in the middle of the city of blades, petrified, a primordial being now made of earth and stone. From its petrified body, large roots grow, reaching the enormous roots forming the city of blades.
History
Gods and titans
During the conflict between the giants of Voninmerike and the trolls of
Trolerike, the Hedroforn faced off against
Grolantor,
Memnor, and
Surtur. This battle concluded with the titan's imprisonment deep in the Underdark beneath the
Frosted heights in 4508 BD.
Left by the gods as a captive in this subterranean prison, the Hedroforn posed a threat to
Aq'id, whose inhabitants resided in these caves. The Hedroforn offered unspeakable power to the mantis in exchange for his freedom, yet despite the offers of power, the mantis refused to release it, recognizing the peril to their people.
Titan's freedom
A duo of adventurers,
Rose Fancy and
Lalia Herbier, were kidnapped by Mantis during an expedition in the Underdark after trespassing into their territory. Thrown into the Mantis' jail within the City of Blades, they met
Aelsthim, another prisoner.
Lalia noticed that the city is carved into enormous roots and tried to communicate with the plants. She learned that the city was built entirely within these roots, and the Mantis lived symbiotically with the tree. She also sensed the presence of a powerful entity that the plant couldn't fully identify, but its presence disturbed all natural life around the shaft where it was contained.
Lalia focused on this link and managed to reach into the mind of the entity, finding that it had a connection to plants, allowing communication. The entity, known as Hedroforn, begged Lalia for help. Learning of this exchange, Rose proposed a deal: if the entity freed them, they would free it. Hedroforn agreed and lashed out, drawing the attention of all guards and soldiers as its screams echoed through the city.
With the guards distracted, the group escaped. Rose suggested fleeing, but Lalia, feeling compelled by her promise, led the group further into the city to free Hedroforn. They witnessed the colossal shaft where the gargantuan Hedroforn was imprisoned. Its shape shifted based on what it consumed, and the guards complained about the
Death of another Mantis due to Hedroforn’s attacks.
Witnessing this, Aelsthim and Rose wanted to leave, but Lalia, still hearing Hedroforn's voice, refused. She pushed the group to help the titan. Sneaking into the chasm, they managed to break one of its bonds before getting caught. Hedroforn lashed out again, creating chaos that allowed the group to flee across the
Dark lake on a boat made of mushrooms. The flames rising within the city lit their way as the titan fought the Mantis, leaving the city in ruins.
Final Confrontation
THe tian, ragin within the city, cause chaos and destruction, but is soon slowed down by the power of an
Archdevil,
Elise.
However, many mantis are still forced to flee their homes, as the titan's rampage is only slowed, not stopped. THe heroes choosen by Elise, the very adventurers who freed the titan, Rose and Lalia return to the city of blades. As they approach the city, Elise's pressure on the titan, which had slowed and weakened its movements, ceases.
Elise grants them the knowledge of a curse she concocted specifically for the titan. This curse, if used properly, will stop the titan. With this curse in their possession, the ritual to curse the creature will be challenging to perform amidst the chaos of a fight. Lalia decides to prepare the ritual while Rose fight.
Rose faces the monster and sustains serious injuries but manages to keep it in check. However, in his rage, Hedroforn breaks the last bond chaining him and unleashes his full fury against the characters. Now free, Hedroforn rushes to Lalia and absorbs the druid, consuming her whole.
From within, Lalia manages to activate the curse. The curse spreads from her, turning Hedroforn's body to stone. He shouts in pain as his body stiffens but is ultimately frozen in place, turned to stone.
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