Founded: 689 AR
Government Type: Despotism
Leader(s): Bel
Population: Unknown
Area: the Obsidian Wastes
Official Language(s): Common
Currency: Umbrals
Overview
Found within the black sands of the Obsidian Wastes, east of the Spine of Taris, and south of the Rivers of Fire. Known for its exports of obsidian arms and exquisite jewelry, the city-state of Belad is ruled by the capricious corruptor Bel, the masked sorcerer known for lavish festivals full of debauchery, and whose power quelled the flowing rivers of lava in the Ashlands.
The city is hewn from the volcanic rock, with the ominous organic structure of Bel’s Palace at its center. Called forth by corrupting magics, and shaped by flowing lava, the palace of Bel looms over the rest of the city, and serves as a reminder of the oppressive power of the masked Throne. The rest of the city is constructed of bricks fashioned from the black sands, which feature decorative obsidian designs across their facades.
Belad society is built upon a caste structure organized into familial houses, with a culture that interweaves the use of ornately decorated masks. These houses, resembling small organizations more than individual households, all wear similar designed masks as a form of unity. These masks present a unified familial front for social interactions, politics, or negotiations when dealing with other houses or outsiders.
Elite houses are able to afford hand-crafted masks fashioned from rare and costly materials, displaying their opulence for all to see. This exclusive luxury underlines their elevated status and limits the possibility of fraud.
The masks also offer a type of anonymity, protecting individual members from repercussions for undertaking socially unacceptable tasks on behalf of their house, such as espionage, theft, or murder.
A luxury not afforded the city’s less fortunate, the masks are as much a status symbol as they are a fashion statement. Creating a forgery of an established house’s mask is an offense punishable by death, as is masquerading as a member of a house other than your own. Still, it’s common to find obviously cheap knockoffs in the city’s market, and shifting trends keep the mask makers in business. Though some traditionalist families maintain their historic mask designs despite changing fashion. The heads of the upper echelon of houses are known by their identifiable masks, and under the decree of Bel, control all aspects of trade and manufacturing within the city. That is, until they lose his favor.
With obsidian at its heart and masks as its face, Belad stands as a city-state defined by both its dark resources and its complex social customs.