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True History of Consul's Landing (GM Only)

This document contains the full, secret history. Players know only the "public record" version.

The City

Consul's Landing is a vertical metropolis built directly into a sheer cliff face (the Great Ascent). It was built as a sanctuary from "The Wasting." The city has three tiers: - High District: Opulent apex, ruled by the High Council. Clean air, disconnected from reality. - Mid-Levels (Craftsman's Quarter): Industrial heart. Steam, forges, gear-works. Many workers are "Augmented" -- half-construct citizens with mechanical limbs. - Undercity: Lawless labyrinth of decommissioned plumbing. No political representation. Criminal syndicates thrive here.

The True History

The Great Ascent (The Founding)

The city was built as a sanctuary for those fleeing the Wasting. Dwarven Kings provided stone and foundations; gnomish constructs provided labor to build upward.

Maliki's War (200 Years Ago)

Maliki, a genius gnome inventor/necromancer, sought to "cleanse" the world of biological life. He views flesh as "dissident" and inefficient. He waged a 200-year civil war using soul-powered constructs.

The Secret of Constructs: The public believes constructs run on "Arcane Batteries." This is a massive lie maintained by the Engineers Guild. They actually run on Soul Stones -- gems that trap living souls and burn their energy as fuel. Most are powered by fragmented souls of criminals or animals.

Maliki's Current Status: NOT dead. He is operating from the Gear Icon (his river fortress). He no longer has a physical body -- he is a "Ghost-in-the-Machine" dwelling within the fortress's core.

The Gear Icon (River Fortress)

Originally the Gnomish Royal Palace -- a place of art, music, and peace. Maliki seized it in a single night of slaughter 200 years ago. He turned it into his primary workshop and perfected Soul Stone technology using the trapped souls of the Gnomish Royalty to power the fortress's defenses.

Key Secret: Security constructs in the fortress still recognize The General (Parallax) as their commander and may cease fire or obey his orders.

The Dwarven Fall

King Bilfur went insane and attacked Glaurung (Father of Dragons), triggering the collapse of the deep mines.

The Deepest Secret (known only to Brom Goldfinger): Bilfur didn't vanish. He was transformed into a massive, living engine that now physically supports the foundation of Consul's Landing. He is the "Titan in the Basement."

The Dark Secret: Soul Stones

  • Most "mindless" constructs are powered by fragmented souls of criminals or animals.
  • The General is unique: he has a "High-Grade" stone containing a Dragonborne Champion's soul, robust enough to retain consciousness.
  • Alysande Thorne is secretly buying stolen hearts to build a private army, unknowingly using stones that leak necromantic corruption into the city.
  • The Thieves' Guild scavenged the original "Construct Hearts" from Maliki's defeated army years ago and now hoards them.

The Mercury Pact

The Vane family legacy is built on a massive betrayal. Caspian Vane's grandfather was part of a secret society called the "Mercury Pact" and sold out the city's original founders to the Thieves' Guild. Evidence is hidden in a Vuitton-crafted journal using the family's "Secret Stitch."

Psychic Echoes & The Ghost Connection

Because of the high concentration of necromancy from the war, "Psychic Echoes" are common. Splinter's Ghost Sensei is one such echo -- a lingering psychic projection of Maliki's hatred, designed to keep Ratfolk and Dragonborne fighting each other so they cannot unite against the constructs. It may specifically be picking up on the Dragonborne soul within The General's heart.