Vitsenholm crest

Vitsenholm

The City of Beasts — a floating magocracy above desert ruins

Vitsenholm floating above the desert

Overview

Perched like a mirage above the scorched desert sands, Vitsenholm—the City of Beasts—hovers 300 feet aloft, a titanic relic of ancient power. Its foundations were forged not by mortal hands, but by the activation of an otherworldly artefact embedded in a buried metallic city found in 921 CR. Suddenly awakened, the city ascended into the sky and resections suspended by arcane engines that pulse with enigmatic energies. A realm of scholarship and wild wonder, it shimmers on the horizon—a sanctuary for the beast races and those drawn to the magic that hums in its core. This is a city of whispered secrets, magical brilliance, and creatures that blink at the limits of legend.

Travel here is a journey itself: either by the wings of Aarakocra or via the teleportation ring on the desert floor, which catapults visitors into the floating realm. Once aboard expect narrow, solemn corridors lit by glowing runes and the hum of magic. Markets teem with potent potions and shimmering scrolls—still, they pale before the true wonders hidden in the sealed lower levels.

Tongues of every race swirl together with the scent of exotic spices and the quiet crackle of arcane wards.

Beware, though: from beyond the Barrier, lizard-like dragon riders attack—swift and sudden assaults that shatter serenity. Who these assailants are is still a mystery.

Districts & Governance

  • Magocracy of Seven — six guild Magisters + one elected seat (4-year term).
  • Guild administration — law, research, engine, cultivation, antiquities, defence.
  • Arcane civil service embedded across rings/sectors.

Peoples & Customs

  • Majority Aarakocra & Thri-Kreen; Leonin, Loxodon, Tabaxi common; elves/humans visiting.
  • Rites secular-arcane (guild oaths; ancestor–scholarly tradition).
  • Insignia appears city-wide; meaning unknown (active study, no consensus).

Access & Hazards

  • Arrival via Aarakocra flight or desert teleportation ring.
  • Lower levels sealed; rumours of archives & machinery beneath the core.
  • Threat raids by lizardlike dragon riders beyond the Barrier (motive unclear).

Economy & Trade

  • Magical research & consulting; enchanted goods & scrollwork.
  • Artefact recovery from the buried city; academic exchanges.
  • Limited lay commerce; guild charters control markets & permits.

Threats & Hazards

  • Engine dependency: disruption risks city stability and anti-magic shield.
  • External raids from drake riders; purpose and origin unconfirmed.
  • Internal risk: sealed zones below (contamination, constructs, or wards).

Places of Note

The Raven Claw (Outer Ring)

The Raven Claw (Outer Ring)

A modest inn with warm meals and jumbled laughter—anchored by a statue of a terrified Kenku. Speculation over its presence circulates like smoke through the dining hall, but the staff smiles and turns away, and the shadowed eyes of the statue seem to stare with knowing dread.

The House of Thorns (Outer Ring)

The House of Thorns (Outer Ring)

A bathhouse and brothel that serves all—curves and claws welcome. Overseen by Noda Deq, an Owlkin proprietor, its many alcoves offer solace, secrets, and a fragrant blend of oils steeped in forbidden alchemy.

The Great Engine Chamber (Central Core)

The Great Engine Chamber (Central Core)

A cathedral of metal and magic at the city’s heart. The engine pulses with incandescent engravings and the City’s anti-magic shield spreads outward from here, a protective cocoon shimmering like a heat-haze.

The Forbidden Grotto (Lower Core)

The Forbidden Grotto (Lower Core)

Behind sealed doors lies a labyrinth of black fungus—its spores drift in the stale air, whispering madness. Rumours say the floor below contains vast archives and strange machinery left untouched since the city was originally abandoned.

The Observatory of Seeing (Upper Core)

The Observatory of Seeing (Upper Core)

Perched atop the administrative sector, its dome holds telescopes and crystal orbs. Magical resonance drifts through the lenses, recording the far desert dunes—or perhaps the stars that bleed between realms.

Guilded Promenade (Central to Outer Ring)

Guilded Promenade (Central to Outer Ring)

A broad, covered walkway lined with stalls offering resplendent scrolls, trinkets, and flickering potions. Here, whispers from the Antiquity Guild recruit daring explorers—and midnight auctions tempt rogues yearning to taste artifacts forbidden to ordinary sight.