Okazon, the city of the damned, floats like a carcass in the hectic tide of the Crying Sea. The dark rocky crags of the Felshield cliffs shield the settlement from the worst of the hellish storms of the sea, elevating it out of reach of the waves and providing an excellent stronghold against pirate fleets and creatures of the depths.
Built in the Age of Bone by the Korothor mage tribes, Okazon lies at the crux of two abyssal leylines, an ultimate confluence of demonic energy. Inherent with that energy comes great promise of power yet great risk of punishment. The Korothor, under the leadership of Avanast the Splinterer, harnessed the energy to enslave the powers of the Abyss, and soon became a major world power, threatening the might of even the Sindar Conquest. In this time, they constructed the Magnid Karim, a powerful and renowned sanctuary of magic and knowledge. With time, the gluttony of the city grew too great, and the demons broke free, massacring the Korothor and retreating to the Abyss.
With the fall of the Korothor, the Anthan Theocracy sent a small pilgrimage to the isle, tasked with forming a monastery and safeguarding the island’s power from further misuse. Underprepared for the harsh environment, many of the expedition passed in the early years, leaving but a few loyalists in the island’s charge.
The island then lay fallow for an age, before the allure of its powers once more drew people to its shores, this time the Rogue Armada of Captain Koss of the Sindar Navy, now known as the Crimson Fleet Pirates. The Anthan expedition, by then known as the Order of Extir, after their leader, gave little resistance, simply claiming their right to the monastery grounds. The pirates rebuilt the city, using its opportune location as a base of operations and a stronghold against the Navy, and it soon became a major haven for illicit trade and vagrants. Koss appointed his brother, Alvi, as the first Thane of Okazon. He failed to account for his brother’s greed. Whilst the armada was away, he recruited a militia of Khorod warriors, creatures larger than any man, often believed to be descended from demons, with wicked curling horns and skin thicker than leather. When the armada returned, they were easily repelled by the mercenaries with the advantage of Felshield, and Koss retreated, swearing vengeance on his brother and the city who harbored him.
As the rekindled city grew stronger, mages of all varieties were drawn to the city in pursuit of the knowledge held in the walls of the Magnid Karim, much to the displeasure of the Order. Soon a group of more powerful wizards emerged, forming the Conclave of Avanast, named for the city’s founder. The Order begins to aggressively recruit and convert from the first youthful generation the city has seen, bolstering their ranks and their doctrine.
Generations pass. The feud between the Crimson Fleet and Okazon waxes and wanes, but never disappears. The Conclave and the Order reach an uneasy peace. The line of Thanes continues, each more power hungry and incompetent than the last, each pretending to be in control of the chaotic mess of a city that they have inherited.
Now it is the Age of Stars. War has finally broken out between the Khesid Empire and Sindar, the two large nations between who’s shores lies Okazon. The clashing navies of the two nations in tandem with the ever more aggressive Crimson Fleet has practically ceased trade through the city, causing catastrophic economic collapse. The Thane, a greasy young man named Jorid, faces incredible discontent from the general populace, using the barely restrained and aggressive militia as an emergency policing force. The Order has grown lazy and corrupt, and many think too entrenched in their traditions to be effective. A new sect, led by the charismatic Envold Armist, challenges the authority of the Old Guard. The mages of the conclave, inscrutable as always, seal their doors to all. The people of the city barely survive off of the meager fishing industry, and fresh water becomes an invaluable commodity.
