The City of Evernight is a lawless, sprawling metropolis in The Shadowfell, ruled by the ruthless Shadowlords and their enforcers, the sadistic Gloomguard. Founded upon ancient power and treachery, Evernight is a place where nearly anything goes—except for blasphemy against the Order of The Twin Moon and any form of dissidence against the Shadowlords' will. Those who oppose these two forces are swiftly dealt with by the Gloomguard, whose brutal enforcement of Shadowlord Decimus’ rule is driven more by their own sadistic pleasures than any sense of justice.
Nearly all semblance of law and order is absent in Evernight, save for the iron grip of the Gloomguard, who operate as both the city’s military and its law enforcement. Their cruel and self-serving nature leaves most citizens to fend for themselves, creating a city filled with cutthroats, thieves, and murderers who roam the streets unchecked. The Gloomguard’s presence ensures that no one openly challenges the Shadowlords or the religious Order of the Twin Moon, but otherwise, they let chaos reign, often acting in their own interests.
Evernight is a city where survival is the only law, and even that law can be bent, twisted, or broken at the whim of its shadowy rulers.
Architecture & Geography
The city is built upon the convergence of three major rivers of black, brackish waters, with each river splitting the city into three distinct sides connected by large Blackstone bridges. These rivers form the lifeblood of Evernight, coursing through its shadowy canals and past its towering, oppressive structures. The dark waters carry secrets and death through the city, with corpses and offerings to the Twin Moon often seen drifting in the current.
Onyx walls with towering black watchtowers encircle the city, serving as defenses against incursions from beyond the Shadowfell and rebellions from within. Manned by the Gloomguard, these walls protect the ruling Shadowlords and serve as a reminder to the citizens that no one escapes the watchful eyes of Shadowlord Decimus. Any whispers of rebellion are crushed before they can gain momentum, and the Gloomguard ensure that the city's dark status quo remains.
At the center of the city rises a massive obsidian mountain, a towering monument of black stone from which the Ebony Fortress was built. This fortress is the seat of power for the Shadowlords and stands as a symbol of their dominion over Evernight. Perched upon the peak of the obsidian mountain is a colossal Onyx Spire that pierces the darkened sky of the Shadowfell. It is here that the Shadowlords hold council, their machinations shaping the fate of both Evernight and the wider Shadowfell.
History & Founding
The Shadowlords, former champions of the Solir who were banished to the Shadowfell after the treachery of Malekith, founded Evernight upon the remnants of a dark and ancient power. After discovering the left hand of Valekith—the same Mythar archmage whom had fought with Emperor Ezekiel—the Shadowlords used its immense power to split Valekith's essence into equal parts. Each Shadowlord took a fragment of that power and used it to establish their reign over Evernight and the Shadowfell itself.
The city flourished under the dark rule of Shadowlord Nox, Shadowlord Decimus, and Shadowlord Mortis, who enforced their dominion with an iron hand. The Order of The Twin Moon, the dark pantheon of the Matron of Memories and Night Mother Nyx, holds sway over the spiritual life of Evernight, ensuring that blasphemers and heretics are rooted out and punished through ritual sacrifice. The tolling of the twin chapel bells serves as a reminder of their divine authority, sounding every time a sacrifice is made to appease the twin gods.
The Eclipse of Evernight
The Battle of the Four Armies would be the death knell for most of Evernight’s population. During the conflict, the city’s inhabitants were almost entirely decimated and consumed by the Soulmonger Crystals that powered the Floating City of Netheril. The destruction wrought by the Soulmonger reduced the bustling streets of Evernight to a near-empty ghost town, with only the most twisted and corrupted souls remaining. The few survivors who remain have been irrevocably changed, forever scarred by the battle and the dark magic that consumed their fellow citizens.