About Reliquary and the Surrounding Lands



The City

The city of Reliquary itself is set in a steep, fairly arid valley about a half-mile across and some fifteen miles long, surrounded by tall stone cliffs. The cliffs are made up of layers of brown, orange, and tan rock. Buildings are strung out along the valley floor, built on the heights above, or carved into the cliffs themselves. Those that are carved into the cliffs never extend too far into them, however, because sharing these cliffs with the government buildings and warrens of tennant dwellings are the upper tunnels of the necropolis. Government buildings like the Tomb Warden's headquarters tend to be carved higher up on the cliff face. At ground level are the public entrances to the necropolis and some of the more popular temples. The entrances to the necropolis are well-guarded, with careful records kept of who goes in and who comes out- and in what state. People who do not check out with the guards within six hours of their predicted departure time typically wind up having search parties of Wardens sent after them. Some of these missing persons are never found- prey to the many traps, diseases, and perils of the necropolis complex, which often plays home to hungry undead or evil, unlicensed cults.

Aboveground, though, Reliquary is much like any other city that happens to play host to dozens upon dozens of religious temples and orders. Because it is a destination site for so many, the markets are extremely extensive and rare items and materials can be found relatively easily- though not necessarily at much lower prices. It is very easy to find lodgings at a hostel or inn at almost every level of luxury.

The Necropolis

The necropolis is the major draw of Reliquary. Predating most currently-existing civilizations, the necropolis complex extends below the city for several miles, and outward underneath it, covering a square area much larger than the city itself. It contains numerous catacombs, private tombs and burial sites, underground temples, even hostels for visiting pilgrims, along with more sacred sights, relics, and artifacts than most sane people would care to count. These sites are guarded by magical protections and traps both magical and mechanical in nature, not to mention the many, many denizens of the deep tunnels.

Environment 

There are many dangers within the Reliquary necropolis: undead, vermin, aberrations, unnatural ecology, disease, maze-like passages, vertical drops, collapsed tunnels, no natural food, total darkness, hidden shrines to evil gods and the cults that worship them, hiding felons, hiding were-creatures, lost passages, traps both magical and mundane, hundreds of thousands of crypts and catacombs in various states of repair, and traces of ancient and inexplicable civilizations. These are the hazards that characters must be prepared to overcome.

The most common hazards are those faced every day: food, water, light, safe resting areas, getting lost, and disease. The characters should have contingencies for each of these permanent problems.

All sorts of creatures live in Reliquary. On the upper levels, these are mostly vermin, stray animals, small humanoids, and skeletons and zombies left over from the last necromancer who tried to take over the city. Deeper down, the hazards get worse. Aberrations abound. The undead grow more powerful. Unholy or magically contaminated areas grow more plentiful. Deep down, the hazards are very dangerous, and few will speak of them.

As if the hazards were not enough, there are also mission objectives that involve the environment. The characters may need to fix masonry, metal fittings, pumps, pipes, and other underground artifacts that keep most of the city's levels breathable and free of standing water. They must be able to negotiate tiny passages, cave-ins, vertical drops, and open spaces. Finally, they must be able to find their way about and not get lost.

Religion

See Religions in Reliquary 

Around Reliquary

The area around the city of Reliquary is surprisingly varied, with a number of different environment types.

Some thirty miles to the north lies Dapplewood Forest and the Dapplewood Sanitarium.