Environments
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[edit] Borderlands
After my encounter with the savage dune thresher (see Encounter with
Burrowing Death, entry 004), one might think it natural were I hesitant to
venture into the wastes surrounding Caldeum. Those who have set foot upon the
Borderlands' burning yellow landscape and looked out upon its miles of barren
sand roiling with terrible wildlife would surely agree with this sentiment.
It was not always thus. In years past, I could have ventured forth with no
concern for my safety. Though the Borderlands are among the most savage habitats
in our world, even these deadly lands were no match for the superior resolve of
Caldeum in its prime.
The Borderlands were originally devoid of any but the most hardened (some would
say crazed) prospectors until the great military city of Lut Bahadur (literally,
"city of the gate") was built to keep the lacuni in their cliff dwellings safely
away from Caldeum. Lut Bahadur's solitary watch over the desolate wastes came to
an end four hundred years ago when precious ore was discovered in the region
known as the Stinging Winds. The town of Alcarnus was quickly established as the
center of all mining in the area, with several other smaller settlements
springing up in its wake. When the Dahlgur oasis was discovered and a third town
was erected there, Caldeum's dominance over the Borderlands was complete. The
Borderlands could reliably depend on fresh supplies of food and water from
Dahlgur's caravans, protected by the might of Caldeum's Dune Guard.
But Hakan II, our young and inexperienced sovereign, has seen fit to withdraw
the support of Caldeum from the wastes and leave those who live there to their
own devices. Now, no caravan is safe, and refugees from the Borderlands beat
against the gates of Caldeum in an endless wave of displaced humanity, desperate
for the salvation our city once provided. I have spoken with many of these poor
folk at length, and the tales they share would give even the most stalwart
adventurer pause. Though their stories of a secret cult intent on raising a
demonic army are obviously embellished due to their lack of knowledge pertaining
to such things, their hysteria and suffering have convinced me that something
terrible indeed stalks the Borderlands.
[edit] New Tristram
We have all heard the tales associated with Tristram. The very mention of its
name brings to mind images of undead monstrosities, demonic possession, monarchy
driven to lunacy, and, of course, the greatest legend of all: the Lord of Terror
unleashed. Although many now claim that a peculiar mold upon the bread or
perhaps a fouling of the water drove the populace mad with visions, I have seen
too much in my varied travels to dismiss such stories out of hand. It is within
this context, then, that I have to say my journey to what is now called "New
Tristram" was somewhat of a disappointment.
New Tristram has been in existence for several years, though the exact date of
its founding is unclear. Originally simply a collection of merchants looking to
profit on adventurers and travelers drawn by legends of riches within the old
cathedral, it slowly set down roots and became an established town. As soon as
the cathedral was looted bare, however, the adventurers and travelers stopped
coming, and New Tristram found itself in decline. The town is now comprised
mostly of depressing shacks; the inn is the only building that looks even the
least bit habitable.
Before I took my leave of this dreary place, I was cornered by an eccentric old
man who seemed to have an endless supply of anecdotes and folksy wisdom to
impart. He went on about there still being much of value deep within the
cathedral in the form of tomes of ancient origin and wisdom. I will have to take
his word for it, for I must admit that while I did explore the burnt remains of
the "old" Tristram, I lacked the intestinal fortitude to do much more than take
a few hesitating steps within that infamous cathedral of legend.
[edit] Caldeum
Caldeum was once the proudest city in all of Kehjistan, the trade capital of
the entire world. Caldeum was never seen as the heart of the empire, even though
it rivaled Viz-jun, and later Kurast, in size, and those who called Caldeum
their home liked it that way. Even when the Mage Clan Wars erupted, the battles
were never tolerated to affect trade in Caldeum, for while politics and magic
may be important, trifling with trade is a serious matter. Let Kurast see itself
as the center of the world, they would say. We'll keep our free exchange of
goods, currency, and ideas, thank you very much.
But the pride I once held in this great city has become tarnished and dull. In
looking back on it all, now, I would have to say that this rot infecting our
city started when a good number of Kurast's nobles fled their homes and took up
residence in Caldeum. I have heard all the horrific and unbelievable rumors as
to why they fled their great city, but the reasons did not concern us. It was
their attitude that held our concern. As relief at being safe from whatever
drove them here faded, their mood changed to entitlement and then, ultimately,
to arrogance. They had no trouble demanding their "rightful" place on the trade
consortium council governing our city, and they were prepared to use their
wealth to hire the mercenaries needed to see their ambitions through.
I was initially dubious when the emperor of Kehjistan emerged to confront this
quickly deteriorating situation. But the charm, leadership, and intelligence
that he brought to bear as he quickly resolved the conflict between our council
and the Kurast nobles were nothing less than masterful. When the people fully
supported him in his role as our emperor, I saw this achievement as nothing
short of a miracle. Though we had always been part of the empire of Kehjistan,
and therefore under his rule, we had always behaved as if we were a free entity,
beholden to no one but ourselves. It truly seemed at the time that catastrophe
had been averted, but now it has become all too apparent that it was merely
hidden beneath a thin veneer of civility.
This veneer began to shred when Emperor Hakan became ill. His influence started
to wane, and the mood in Caldeum changed with his health. As he got worse, so
did our once fair city.
When he died and his ineffectual child heir took the throne, Caldeum began to
circle the abyss. Our list of ills seems never-ending: the state of our
downtrodden and the slums they are forced to live in, our incompetent
leadership, the reemergence of the intolerant Zakarum, and their quarrels with
our mage class...I could go on for pages.
It is all too much for one to bear, really.
