Alatrea, the sprawling city on the cliffs[]
The Walled City[]
The original walled city of Alatrea was founded in 380 in a joint effort between The Society and the founding members of Reaching Hope College of Aspiring Minds who paid the Dreamer Antiok to craft their grand magical walls to keep out the Nightmares infesting The Realm.
And so that's what he did, Antiok had a vast stockpile of white marble brought down from Markorn to the North and an equal amount of Gleaming Stone from the Barrier Range in the south of Oneiros. With his powerful spells and numerous construct minions he built the walls of the city in just under two weeks. Impressive considering the masterfull craftsmanship of the walls and their size, standing 40' around the entire length, encircling an area about 5 miles across.
Shortly after that they sold off the remaining plots of land and those buildings originally built back then stand to this day.
The Walled City:[]
>Reaching Hope College for Aspiring Minds
Established at the founding of the Walled City of Alatrea with the help and support of The Society the two factions of since grown apart, the school remaining as neutral as possible in worldly events to keep a clinical and unbiased view although that can be hard. The sprawling complex of mansions turned schoolhouses and dormitories fill the grand estate, but as of now they remain empty. The school having been forced to temporarily close their doors as the Nightmares infested and ravaged the city below, the investors and influential families decided it could not keep their students safe any longer and forced them to close until the situation was changed.
>Clifftop Manse
The house of one of the three surviving adventurers who originally delved below the bluffs, the family now believed cursed by the layman is reduced to but one member, a young man taken care of by the spectral butler of the house. The boy, Kaladril Krowley is now assumed to be 21, tho none have seen sign of his life divinations say he remains among the living, and in training. The house remains locked and Kaladrill remains but a name, the priests of the Asylum are looked to for guidance.
Rumor has it Kaladrill has been trained since he could walk to hunt down and destroy The Cult of Nightmares using the tools his bloodline had refined over years of hardwork and experience, and one day he would open the doors to his house and stride forth, that day would mark the first day of The Cults defeat.
>Pool of Unoth
A marvelous 20' tall statue of Saint Eliza, one of Unoths angels, overlooks a 15' diameter pristine pool of holy water. Sculpted by the Dreaming architect Antiok as his gift to the Walled City and blessed by Unoth and the angel it depicts the pool permanently provides extremely refreshing water untainted by any of the greater cities pollutants. Resurrection spells cast by devotees of Unoth on targets submerged in the pool do not require material components.
>Aberforths Asylum for the Mentally Sundered
The temple of Unoth built by and named after Saint Aberforth stands tall, nine stories this massive temple was built to accommodate the mentally ill while the followers of Unoth treat them of their ailments. The temples walls and grounds have been made resistant to the harmful effects of most spells and dampening all magic from non-devotees across the board. This magical dampening field serves to mitigate the worst effects of the curses and ailments plaguing the patients.
>The Lantern Hearth
Greater Alatrea[]
The greater city of Alatrea is made up of the accumulation of years of urban growth. Viewed from a distance the city looks like a rotten patchwork quilt of architectural styles marking the surges of growth through the city's history.
Never filled for long each area has only been typically fully occupied for the years of that areas boom before slowly declining to about 1 in 3 buildings being occupied in most regions away from the main road. Over ~140 years this process has repeated itself time and time again creating the sprawling mess of Greater Alatrea you may find today.
During the Cult of Nightmares rise to power Alatrea was hit hard, the Cult found their workings much more receptive in this area of The Realm due to unknown forces permeating the region. To this day they still do not know the true source of this Nightmare-receptive magic comes from; to the benefit of all of Oneiros.
In 362 AEN a cell of the proto-Cult of Nightmares came together deep in the twisting tunnels and caves deep below the bluffs of the city and stretching out beneath the oceans waves. They successfully tainted a dreaming nexus and connected it to the long sealed and forgotten Fane to Monthara they found, drawing The Realm to the Great Old Ones attention, who immediately realized at least a portion of the potential and began his scheming. That old cult had no connections to the greater world and was quickly and easily isolated and brought under Montharas control. A brave team of heros descended deep into the complex below the cliffs as knews of the twisted cults workings was found out, how they kidnapped people from across The Realm with their magics and brought them deep below for experimentation in their corrupted darkness. Only three of the members of that nine member party returned from below the tunnels and it was by their recommendation the defensible, Walled City of Alatrea be constructed atop the bluff to guard in case of resurgence from below. Even this much is only known to scholars of The Society, those deeply knowledgeable in the worlds affairs, and those with access to more esoteric means of information. But what that failed and corrupted cult had been working at deep below in the dark was never revealed to the greater world.
So in 521.AEN the Cult of Nightmares in the form it's known now had been solidly reformed and the heads of The Cult gathered, having realized a faint glimmer of the citys history and knowing its proclivity to Nightmare they set to work.
Alatrea was their first concerted effort, commiting atrocious rituals spread throughout key points of magical focus throughout the city they overturned the magical nature of the city back to Nightmare and thinned the veil between the Material and the Outer Realms even further in the region.
The ensuing madness and rioting that occurred in the opening weeks of the Cults actions only further fanned the flames of the cities dark proclivities the magic permeating the city began to reflect that, and once the Husks began to form and the first Nightmares pulled themselves from the aether to torment the city, it's death knell was tolled.
The Greater Alatrea is now mostly home to the Husks, spawned from the city itself as a dark reflection of the cities memories of itself. The LampLighters keep enchanted Street Lamps lit and empowered where they line the main road up through the city, granting passage from the cities base up to the Walled City above.
Agreeable Locations[]
A) The Gatehouse of Ferone
A large stone keep sitting beside the start of the Winding Road where the LampLighters station themselves to meet visitors to the city and informing them of the cities danger. It's here where visitors typically meet with a LampLighter who will guide them up through the city.
B) The Enduring Tower
A single stone tower, owned by Bazwell the Chain. Although not a worshipper of Belas, he would call himself an appreciator. He is a binder and arcanist who utilizes the city as his personal testing grounds while the wards surrounding his tower give him a secure laboratory. He uses a magical telescope setup to survery the stars, granted to him by the High House of Stars so he may trawl the skies seekings sign of astal beings for him to wrangle and bind.
C) Fenwood House
A moderately sized mansion set just of the Winding Road it stands an imposing sight of safety within the city. A massive gothic manor owned and operated by the Fenwood family as a part high class hotel and part safehouse. Offering a safe staging ground for investigators to work their aims within the city.
D) The Lantern Stand
The new midpoint for the Lamp Lighters since The Fallen Lantern Hall which was quarantined by Sir Edmund when he trapped a Nightmare in a magical ritual game to keep it trapped within that building so it can't keep ravaging the Winding Road.
E) Longhouse of Yadib
A religiously defended safehouse for any who respect the laws of hospitality within its grounds. As long as you promise no ill intent you are allowed within the longhouse and will be treated with dignity and granted a place to rest and a meal to eat. More wealthy travelers may pay to increase their accommodations.
Neutral and Hostile Locations[]
1 > The Mansion of Stained Glass
2 > The Mannequin House
3 > Keep of The BaleRider
4 > The Familys Farm
5 > Fallen Lantern Hall
6 > The Hungry House
7 > The Laughing Furnace
8 > The Clocktower
9 > Tower of the Mazeprince
10 > Baba Yarushes Hut