(An Unseelie Hold)
At the edge of a city, lays an abandoned and burnt out shell of a church. Stories sometimes are told of the priest who went insane there, locking his parishoners into the burning building to purify them for he knew something unholy was within them. Some of the kids say that if you walk in the ruins of it, you can hear the souls (or maybe it's the devils that dragged them down?) talking, laughing, and more.
| They really should listen more often to the children, they're closer to being right than anyone else after all. If one pushes the seared remains of the altar just so, one can find a passage, leading down into the true freehold.
On the edge of the Duchy, many Unseelie make their home here. Law is more lax, though few are stupid enough to see if they can force Jude's hand by Ravaging where he would hear about it. Few of the Seelie, especially few of the Seelie Noblity know of the place, save perhaps by rumor. For a time, it was commoner run, but early winter, that changed. The Dark Kin attacked what they thought would be easy prey, and did succeed in killing the Troll who protected the flames. Much to their surprise though, they were repulsed by the the Unseelie commoners, who also gained help from a mysterious Sidhe of the Winter Court, who is rumored to be Houseless. Whoever he is, that sidhe is suspected of now being the holder of the flames and Master of the Descent. Some say he is sworn to the Viscountess Taelara, others that he remains his independence. The irony of this being he is never if ever seen, so it pretty much runs like a commoner hold still. A satyr named Jace often acts as his mouth piece, and a corby has been hired to provide protection. Any sidhe here are viewed with suspcion, lest they seem 'unseelie' enough, and even then, they're watched. Denizens are now killed on sight. The Hold itself is now oppulent, almost calling to certain victorian gentleman's clubs where a touch of wicked vice was indulged in away from public eyes. A dark wood bar with a chimerical bartender, who seems highly empathic and willing to listen serves drinks, and dimly lit tables adorn the room. Gambling is big here, everything from poker, to dice, to duels in a fighting circle. Some halls have been carved into the stone beyond, but most of that is off limits.
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