Southridge

Southridge. The shining star of the south-eastern border. Although not as glorious as the sister cities of Leona, Southridge City is by far nothing to turn a nose up at. With a multiple-tiered layout and a unique Caste society, Southridge City is quite unlike any of the other city. Though perhaps not as 'shining' as most are led to believe - For upon arrival at the city one is to find that the caste society system rules all, and you must wade through miles of crowded hell to reach the top of heaven. Crime runs rampant through the city, though strangely enough this works in the city's favor. Led in a very 'mafia'-esque way by three main families who each have a part in controlling some section of the organized crime, sitting atop it all is the fearsome, powerful, luxurious and regal Ashbury Family who, aside all of the power they have worked for, hold a high noble title in that they have a distant claim to the throne. That's right - Royal blood keeps the Ashburies atop their diamond perch where they can look down on all the rabble below. Be you here for innocent or insidious purposes, Southridge more than likely has exactly what you need.. and things you never knew you needed until now.

City Layout
The city rests on both a hill and in a basin. With this natural extreme geological divison, within the city, two areas has been formed around it, the Upper City and the Slums. These to areas of the city are then divded again with a large wall, at the base of the hill, barring those from the Slums from the people of the Upper City.

Upper City
Where the nobles, and rich business men live. There are theatres, fine dining restaurants, goldsmiths, smith who make decorative armor and weapons, high end magical shops, and so on and so forth. Clean, very beautiful but doesn't compare to Leona East or West. From the outside, and due to the height, it is the first thing you will see of Southridge, giving the illusion that the city is like the Uppercity everywhere.



The Slums
Where the poor, the thieves, the whore, the murderers, and everyother poor soul live. Becuase the Slums is mostly in the basin, it is tiered to accomadate the high population that lives there. Dirty and rundown, are what you would describe most of the Slums. There are some well kept buildings, but most of them are owned by the nobles or more successful criminals.

Crime
The slums is active with crime. Every part of the slum is infested with criminal activities, from drug dealing and production, stealing, murder and so on and so forth. Crime has become a daily part of everyone's life, where they take part in it, or deal with it, in some fashion or another. While some people commit these crimes, most others just want to get on with their daily lives, living how they are.

The amount of crime in the city, also make way for countless numbers of gangs, etching our their territories and making deals with others. Most of these gangs will work for for another more powerful than them, nobles, more successful organization, etc. These small gangs will fight with one another, to gain the approval of the higher-ups, money, or other rewards.

Noble Houses
There are many Noble Houses in Southridge, but the more powerful ones are the ones who dabble in the crime world of the City. Each houses varying in power and like the smaller gangs in the Slums, each one of them competing with one another to gain more power or the favor of a more powerful house. The most notable houses are House Blackstone, House Adle, and House Rosencrat, and above these three is House Ashbury, ruling house of Southridge.

House Blackstone
Blackstone is considered the strongest of the three. They are proud, loud, and love to have fun. The House Leader, Dredic Blackstone. A big thick man, embodying everything his house is. He isn't the fairest man, but looks doesn't deal with much, when you're a man in his position. His family hold a very tight grip on the drug trade. Every drug in Southridge is made and dealt by them, and because the nature of the trade he always has customers.

House Adle
 Adles are the second most powerful, of the three. They're the most volatile of houses. Highly unpredictable as the people in it. Zoalan, a wry skinny man, heads the family. Always with a smile that always seem to hide a secret. The small sly man, always dressed in the most expensive clothing, with a touch of foreign exotic. Though it may be a wonder why a man as chaotic in nature can rise so high in power, it's due to the nature of their work. They deal in hit men, assassinations, bounty hunting, and the theft and selling of information.

House Rosencrat


Weakest of the three, Rosencrat are a careful quiet like family, rarely making any loud noises, unless they have something plan. The Rosencrats is led by Lady Aniras Rosencrat, a wily woman in her late 40s. Though her husband is dead, she was the mastermind behind the family's workings, and now their head. Even in her late age, she is considered a beautiful woman. Her family dealt in human trafficking, and owning one of the more successful brothels in the city. A very high class one, where the usual customers are the rich crime lords, and even nobility. They own almost all of the other whore houses in the city.

History

Late History
...

Recent History
Everyone is on edge. It's a powder keg in Southridge, and anything can set it off. What started it was the Rosencrat, the least likely of culprits. They began to manufacture and deal their own drugs, thus making an Enemy of Blackstone. Blackstone made an alliance with Adle to tear Rosencrat apart and split up what's left. The problem was Rosencrat's eldest daughter. Said to be a spitting image of a younger Aniras. Her beauty and grace, made her the desire of most noble men. She was betrothed to the eldest son of Ashbury, who loved her very much. With this marriage, Rosencrat would have Ashbury as an ally thus pacifying Blackstone and Adle. Lord Ashbury wasn't content with this marriage. Blackstone offered his daughter to Ashbury and he agreed, thus breaking the betrothal between Rosencrat's and Ashbury's eldest. This also broke the betrothal between Blackstone's daughter, the one who was offered, and Adle's own son. Ashbury's own son was against this deal, believing Rosencrat's daughter was his one true love. So until the marriage is done, Blackstone doesn't have Ashbury's backing. Now the three Noble houses are antagonistic towards one another.