Bête Noire

Vital Statistics

Name: Bête Noire

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Description

The city of Bête Noire is located on the dark side of Kalijor, in the shadow of a mostly inactive volcano that bears the same name.

Bête Noire is a city rivaling Rathalon in size and population, partially because it is one of the only major cities in the world that allows sentients to get away with some of the darker things in life, namely thievery, scamming, prostitution, and the occasional ‘accidental’ death. One of the other reason for its size is that it is one of the only cities on Kalijor where no one cares who you are or where you came from to get there. Rathalon may make claims to the contrary about their own policies, but rest assured that if you try to extort people there, or just happen to be a vampire, you will find yourself suddenly unwelcome.

Bête Noire is also a hub for all manner of travelers and adventurers that are on their way to somewhere. There are many still, as yet, unfound treasure troves and artifacts from before the Great War to be found on the dark side of Kalijor and those seeking these things need a place to stop, resupply, and recharge their batteries from time to time.

The city of Bête Noire is NOT part of the Kalijor portal network and thus, the only way for the average traveler to get there is to travel by foot. Surrounding the city and volcano of Bête Noire is the immense and inhospitable Plain of Sorrow which is plagued by all manner of undead and other monsters that will impede any road-weary travelers moving between Bête Noire and the Lich King’s Gate that leads back to the light side of Kalijor.

Features/Places of Note

The architecture in Bête Noire is as strange and varied as its inhabitants, ranging from simple mud and thatch structures to elaborate, multi-story buildings constructed of the finest imported stones and glass.

Within the always-open gates of Bête Noire an adventurer can find anything they may be looking for, from arms and armor, to livestock, and from hired muscle to hired companionship.

Government

There is no government in Bête Noire per se, rather it is overseen by a loose conglomeration of the merchants and profiteers that stand to gain, or loose, the most in the city’s day to day operations. This loose conglomeration takes regular meetings that move around, each member playing host in their own shop/facility at some point, and they hold authority over a form of ‘brute squad’ composed of local thugs and hit men, that is used to carry out any of their less popular mandates.

One must always watch one’s back while inside, and near, the city limits however, as there is little in the way of law enforcement and less in the way of government here. Matters of state are decided upon by a once-monthly meeting of business owners and ‘protection’ is offered by a gang of hired thus that are more or less left to their own designs as to how the ‘law’ should best be enforced.

History

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