The city of Darkstar rose up from the surrounding blackness. Somehow it still stood, defiant against the ever enroaching darkness. Its grand lighthouse outshone all, an almost obscene remnant from a bygone time that had no business existing in this world.

Its lights could be seen further than any other settlement, shining in the void like a beacon of hope, a promise of stability.

Like an anglerfish lure, leading prey to its maw.

The denizens of Darkstar are proud, and for a reason. Their city is ancient beyond all memory. Its lights have been shining forever, as far as anyone with a finite lifespan is concerned. And they will continue to shine, even as the world around darkens.
It will be the last lamplight before eternal darkness. Once the penultimate light winks out, Darkstar will rule as the one-eyed king of a blind land. The lords and ladies of the city know their destiny, and guard it jealously.

The laws of Darkstar are simple: No one may enter without offering tribute. A light-speck will guarantee entry. Any crime against your fellow citizens is punished harshly, with loss of limbs. Any attempt to take light away from the city, even a single light-speck, will get you blinded. Finally, a Darkstar resident must be whole; missing parts of your body is grounds for permanent exile.

The city is divided into three parts; The lowest of them is the Dregs. Not part of the city proper, it's built on rafts floating in the bay under the cliffs. Home to all newcomers who couldn't offer satisfactory tribute to enter, as well as exiles from the city with nowhere else to go. They survive by mudlarking and dredging up things from the water the currents bring in, hoping to one day dig up something valuable enough to allow them entry.

The middling level is the Sprawl, home to the workers of the city. Safer than many places outside the city, but it nevertheless has plenty of dark alleys for unsuspecting newcomers to be dragged into, and laws only half-apply. Watch your back here.

The top level is the Summit, a safe haven for the well-connected and respected members of society to go about their business, such as studying the ancient archives or preying on the residents of the lower districts to satisfy their peculiar appetites.

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In which I attempt to paint scenery and write stuff wow