Founded: Unknown
Government Type: Theocracy
Leader(s): The Illuminators
Population: Unknown
Region: Barren Valley
Official Language(s): Asuran, Common
Currency: Sols
Overview
Located near the mouth of a dried riverbed, formed by the ancient river for which the city takes its name, Wrend stands as a city-state marked by a ruthless and bloody religion, a rigid caste system, and unique architecture. The indomitable faith of its people driving a relentless war with Astarte Ruk.
Its architecture draws inspiration from the grace and elegance of the desert, blending ornate design with large geometric shapes. Featuring delicate arches, intricately carved column-lined streets, and hidden courtyards, adorned with mosaic-tiled fountains, like little oases providing respite from the twin sun’s harsh rays. These structures harken back to the Age of Abundance and stand as testaments to Wrend’s enduring cultural value. Dominating the skyline, the Temples of the Twin Suns rise majestically above the cityscape, their imposing white ziggurat forms glistening red with rivers of sacrificial blood and hiding elaborate labyrinthine tunnels within. These grand edifices serve as the heart of Wrend’s faith, their ornately carved terraces and blood soaked steps symbolic of the brutal and oppressive, yet secretive nature of the city.
Wrend is ruled by an oppressive priest caste, overseen by the heralds of Kyra & Kiran, the enigmatic Asuras known as The Illuminators Jazir and Zahira. These self-proclaimed avatars of the Twin Suns wield absolute power, their jointly delivered edicts considered divine law. The people of Wrend are subjected to aggressive military conscription, their lives and futures sacrificed for Wrend’s religious crusades and the endless war with Astarte Ruk necessary to fuel their mass blood sacrifice rituals. But perhaps one of the most sinister aspects of Wrend’s rule is its stranglehold on knowledge. Upon entering the city gates, all tablets, writings, and scrolls are ruthlessly confiscated and destroyed by the priests. The Illuminators and their acolytes ensure that they alone control the narrative and the collective memory of the city.
Within Wrend’s walls, the flow of information is tightly controlled, dissent is silenced without mercy, and any hint of opposition is eradicated. The city stands as a stark embodiment of the Illuminator’s vision, where the people are kept in the dark, their minds shackled, and their lives offered up as sacrifices in a relentless war for dominance. The only source of light, the Illuminator’s themselves, empowered through the continuous, bloody rituals performed at their command.
Wrend, a city veiled in secrecy and oppression, continues to wage its war against the encroaching forces of Astarte Ruk, all the while guarding its ancient knowledge with a zeal that rivals its fervent faith in the Twin Suns.