City Of Sin

Prologue

Prologue

Spring. It had always been a season that brought euphoria to the many races, transcending mere continents and planes of existence.

Of course, there were exceptions even to that. The world had myriad planes, large masses of continents, and legions of races with billions upon billions of living creatures. Small they may each be, but in total they far exceeded what most presumed.

The world was exceedingly complicated, so much so that even the gods couldn't understand all of it. Life and death were ever-intertwined, the energy of the stars caught up in an incessant cycle of creation and destruction. The heavens too were intricate, a curtain of glittering stars hung upon the boundless night sky oblivious to the gazes of those beneath them. To some they represented hope, and to others annihilation. A few saw in them the transcendent stillness of ancient times, while others the natural movement of the laws of the world.

To most people. The stars were emblems of the gods. To some sages, they represented planes, continents, and boundless assorted worlds. They were infinite, their destruction only foreseen by few. They would fall eventually, unseen by most of the beings that fell with them, oblivious to their own mortality until death came knocking upon their doors.

Spring was also common, present in any random plane of existence. However, this specific plane had only two seasons: in spring all things grew vibrant as nature came back to life, and in autumn deathly silence enveloped the world as they went into hibernation. The prime material plane's laws dictated the seasons, having them cycle every twelve years.

Three suns hung high up in the sky, with huge white stars lining the horizon. The radiance of the suns and stars intermingled, strengthening each other so much that the stars could be seen clearly even in the day, just like the ring of colourful lights beyond that was the source of countless beautiful legends across the world.

There was more than one continent in this plane made mostly of ocean, the carrier of life. A sixth of the world was land, and from a bird's eye view the planet radiated a deep violet glow that was magnificent and enigmatic. Six moons circled it, at least three visible each clear night. They all glowed in different colours, being the foundation of magic in civilisation.

Mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests littered continent, making for vibrant colours of their own. However, violet was still key, the largest and most important of them all. The majestic mountain ranges spanned 10,000 kilometers at minimum, with peaks higher than 10,000 metres common themselves. Cities of various sizes dotted the continent like stars.

The most magnificent of them towered atop the tallest of peaks at 20,000 metres high and sharp as a blade. It was littered with spiraling skyscrapers, glowing with a metallic sheen. The thick violet of the world loomed around it, growing bright and dull as if it was breathing with life.

At the centre of this large city was a 3000 metre tall spire, emitting violet light from its violet tip that formed a splendid band around it. Atop this spire stood a majestic being, a well-built man above the waist with reversed joints at the legs leading to huge hooves. His blue skin did not tarnish his dignity, tens of tentacles waving along his cheek and chin with a life of their own. He was dressed in bizarre armour with a metallic sheen, certain parts of it like the shoulder pads actually integrated into his body.

The man was old, time having left deep marks on his skin. Numerous runes floated around the room he was in, seemingly moving irregularly at first but following the orbit of the stars if one looked close. The ten metre tall wall in front of him was completely transparent, giving him a panoramic view of the outside world and the miraculous city atop the miles-tall mountain peak. From his position he could see the obvious arc of the horizon, and if one squinted hard enough they would feel like they were looking at the entire world.