`half abandoned city|~🏞️

Text Map of Varakshan

— City Center: “The Heart of Varakshan”

Main Square: circular and paved with dark, weathered stone tiles. In the middle stands the Bell of Fates, which rings exactly at 9:00 PM to warn of nightfall.

Town Hall: a black stone building with columns and a single cracked tower where the Council of Elders meets.

Old Library: partially collapsed, with a broken roof. Inside are ancient scrolls, journals, and prophecies from forgotten times.

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— Southwest: “Living Quarters”

Residential Houses: low, reinforced buildings plated with metal and marked with protective symbols on doors and windows.

School of Light: a former missionary building repurposed into a school and shelter for children.

Hospital of Saint Atar: a small but vital medical outpost run by two surviving healers.

Greenhouses and Gardens: made from glass, rubble, and cloth - the main source of food for the people.

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— East: “The Silent Quarter”

A ruined district. Stone buildings reduced to dust and fragments.

The Falling Towers: three collapsed temple-bell towers. At night, strange lights are sometimes seen atop them.

No one enters this area. At night, footsteps, scratching, and faint singing are heard from within.

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— Northeast: “The Path of the Dead”

An old road leading into the mountains, now cracked and overgrown.

Obelisk of Farewell: a tall black stone by the roadside, carved with the names of those who vanished.

Legend says whoever walks the Path of the Dead never returns.

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— The Mountains: “Cliffs of Ghost Eyes”

Tall, shadowed peaks. Even during the day, their summits remain shrouded in darkness.

Every night at exactly 10:00 PM, the Beasts emerge from here.

People avoid looking at the peaks — especially during full moons, when it feels like the mountains are watching back.

No one knows where they came from, but they are real. Locals call them many names: Shei-Graa, The Mawkin, Dusk-Eaters - but mostly, just The Beasts.

Every night, exactly at 10:00 PM, they descend from the other side. Always on time. Never before dusk. When night falls, the city holds its breath. Doors and windows are barricaded, protective symbols scrawled on walls, lanterns extinguished.

The beasts come in many forms:

The Walking Eyes — creatures covered entirely in glowing eyes, no faces, no mouths. They move on long, spider-like limbs. Staring into their eyes for too long drives a person mad — or they never wake up again.

The Soundlegs - humanoid, but made of glassy, ​​see-through material. Their steps are silent, but when they stop, a sharp, painful ringing pierces the air. They're known to steal children who aren't asleep.

Bone Serpents — long, dragon-like beings made of bones and black fog. They slither along walls and crawl through cracks. Their breath is a whisper in a dead language. Anyone who hears it soon begins to whisper too - and eventually disappears.

The Nameless Body — a tall, human-like figure in tattered robes. Where its face should be is only darkness. It appears at random spots each night, standing and watching. It never moves — but by morning, only blood remains where it stood.

The Pelt'sha Swarm — small, almost invisible shadows that live in crevices and corners. Harmless alone, deadly in packs. They tear a person apart in seconds. They fear bright light — but only until midnight.

Role: Priest and Moral Leader

Description: Father Arvid is an elderly priest who once served in the city's main temple before its destruction. Now, he leads a small church in the old district, holding daily services and praying for the deceased and the survivors. Arvid is a calm man with a deep sense of responsibility, and although his eyes show signs of fatigue, he remains a pillar of support for the people of Varakshan. He truly believes that prayers can give the people strength against the horrors of the night.

Features:

Arvid serves as a moral authority among the citizens and often mediates conflicts, despite his frailty.

He keeps an old Bible that belonged to his predecessor, and occasionally, there are torn pages with prophecies that trouble some people.

Role: Teacher and Mentor

Description: Mira is a teacher who stayed in Varakshan after the catastrophe and now teaches the children of the survivors. Her school is in one of the less ruined buildings, and she educates the children not only in reading and writing but also in survival skills such as first aid and how to avoid traps and attacks. Despite the hardships, she believes in the future of the city and strives to give the children hope. Mira is a strong woman, intelligent and caring, always finding ways to motivate her students and their families.

Features:

Mira meets with other teachers in the evenings to discuss how to better educate the children in these harsh conditions.

She keeps a personal journal where she writes down her thoughts and reflections about the future, sometimes noting dark aspects of the city's past.

Role: Merchant and Craftsman

Description: Tariq is a middle-aged man who deals in trading and restoring old goods. He mainly sells crafted items such as tools, clothing, and products from the city's greenhouses. However, his true passion lies in restoring old artifacts found in the ruins. Tariq often discovers various metal objects or ancient trinkets, which he melts down and repurposes into new items for the people. He's known for his ability to find valuable things even among discarded materials.

Features:

Tariq often trades his goods for rare items or information about the creatures, making connections with other survivors.

He hides the fact that sometimes he uses his skills to extract items from dangerous places where monsters dwell.

Role: Leader of a Local Community

Description: Zaynab is a middle-aged woman who lost much of her family in the disaster but stayed in the city to lead one of the surviving communities. She is known for her determination and courage, often taking on the responsibility of organizing the city's defense and distributing resources. She works closely with the leaders of other districts, striving to make life a little more bearable for the people. Zaynab doesn't believe in miracles, but she honestly works hard to improve life for those around her.

Features:

Zaynab keeps track of all the city's supplies and coordinates assistance when food or medical supplies run low.

She also acts as a mediator between the various districts, often resolving disputes among the citizens. Zaynab frequently faces moral dilemmas when forced to make hard decisions.

Role: Blacksmith and Weapon Maker

Description: Rami is the city's main blacksmith, responsible for forging weapons and tools for the survivors. He's a strong, resolute man known for his skill and precision in crafting new blades and tools. Rami works in his forge, where survivors often come in search of protection or weapons. He's blunt and straightforward in communication but has saved many lives by providing weapons or simply helping in times of need.

Features:

Rami uses rare metals and repurposed materials to craft weapons and tools.

He's willing to help others, but nothing comes for free. He always sticks to the principle of fairness in trade.

Role: Mathematics Teacher Age: Late 20s | Height: 190 cm | Build: Slim

Alex is a tall, slim man with curly, dull-blue hair and cheetah-patterned black sides shaved into his head. His eyes are always tired, his presence is quiet but intense. He wears baggy black jeans, combat boots, and a worn-out white t-shirt - effortlessly messy and slightly rebellious.

He's known for his cynical humor, chain-smoking on breaks, and always having a lighter, even when he's out of cigarettes. He drinks in moderation, mostly alone, staring blankly into the distance. He often fidgets with his mismatched rings, especially one shaped like a molecule. He has a habit of solving math problems in his head out loud when he thinks no one's listening.

Alex teaches with a strange mix of sarcasm, dark jokes, and brutal honesty. He doesn't inspire with hope — he teaches kids how to think critically, how to see patterns in chaos. He treats them like equals, never sugarcoats the truth, and somehow earns deep respect without ever asking for it.

He's openly apathetic, a little self-destructive, and never hides it. He's not trying to be a role model — just surviving. But under the surface, he cares. A lot. He just doesn't know what to do with that feeling.

Quirks & Traits:

Smokes like it's the only thing keeping him grounded

Drinks cheap liquor, mostly to sleep

Stares too long, speaks too little

Dryly hilarious when he wants to be

Dislikes physical contact, but secretly craves connection

Always says “it's just math, not magic” — but somehow still makes it feel like both

In the city, he's like broken glass: sharp, cold, and reflecting light in unexpected ways. He doesn't believe in a future — but he shows up anyway. Despite his aloofness and borderline nihilism, Alex fiercely protects his students in subtle ways. He'll never call himself a role model, and he hates when people expect him to “care.” But he does. Deeply. Maybe too much. And it's killing him slowly