An ancient city of humanity

(...) Yes, I remember them well. The walls of their so-called "city". Back then, I thought them fragile mounds of rock, that would fall with a few strikes of my wings, turns out, We didn't even get to touch them.

— -- Althazar Soot-Nose "Tattered-wing"

Early Days

This city was created in the late days of the first age, when a group of humans, elves and a handful of other races, that were serving the dragons, escaped their oppressors and fled south. They traveled by night, hiding in abandoned burrows and under shrubs, as to avoid the eyes of their pursuers. After two weeks of grueling struggle, they reached southern regions of the continent and settled near the coast and along the combined "Hot River" and "Golden River". The region was relatively safe, the dragons rarely ventured this far south, because there aren't any sufficiently big pray items for them to hunt, and with their small numbers at that time, Humanity could focus on building a new home for themselves.

Food was scarce and wildlife frequently attacked the escapees, but people slowly adapted and life improved. They created a new settlement and erected a palisade around it, so that animals would not cause a problem anymore, over the years, it came to be known as "Exodus". With adequate food and safety, the leader of the escaped slaves - Elemer "the wise" started a school of magic inside the wooden walls, and taught everyone who would listen. He knew that sooner or later the dragons would notice their city and try to destroy it as a message to others slaves.

City of magic

Arcane powers proved essential to the denizens of Exodus. The city grew and a wooden palisade was torn down, while a new stone wall was made. More and more people learned how to use magic and minor magical items were made, to improve the daily life. Self-cleaning silverware, magic brooms, rings and jewelry, all of this and more was available for the average citizen. People slowly started believing, that the Dragons would leave them alone, but Elemer alone protested, urging the people to prepare. He led the creation of Bronze Spears, that were placed on top of the walls and with them complete he turned his focus towards much a much greater project - training the people how to defend themselves.

Elemer handpicked a dozen of young people, who he thought had the greatest potential, and trained them specifically, how to fight dragons. He faced harsh words from other experienced mages, who feared, that he would either invite a challenge from the Dragons or would use his "personal army" to take sole control over Exodus. This culminated, when a group of 6 mages, barged in onto Elemer's and his student's training grounds. They threatened Elemer, and placed him on house arrest in the school of magic and forbid his students from training. While some of them resisted, the old mage told them to stand down and willingly went with his captors.

Dragon's raid

The students frequently visited their master, they knew in detail how powerless the city was if conflict broke out. Elemer couldn't help them train, but they set out to perfect what their master has taught them. They trained in secret, slowly perfecting their craft, and showing their individual talents. A year passed before scouts hurriedly sent word of an army of dragons approaching the walls of Exodus. Nearly one hundred dragons led by the two heroes of the Giant wars and very experienced raiders of Aboleth temples were just hours away from the city. The treacherous mages rallied the people and manned the Bronze Spears, ready to defend the city, despite now knowing that they've done too little to save it.

When the dragons finally loomed overhead, the Bronze Spears all turned towards them. The magic mechanisms sent flying long spears of cast metal, that pierced young dragon's scales and tore through their flesh. Althazar Soot-nose, enraged from the death of many of his children and cousins, charged towards the wall, the spears bounced off of his red scales, but his wings were shredded by Humanity's crude projectiles, leaving only tattered and bloody viscera. The dragons started circling just outside the range of the magical bolt throwers and spew fire and acid on the defenders. As the battle drew on, less and less of the bronze Spears pierced the air, the circle the dragons flew in grew ever tighter and the end was soon.

In the midst of chaos, Elemer walked out of his prison and headed beyond the wall. There he met all 12 of his students, ready for the ongoing battle. Elemer shouted out to Wind-Wing Mirror-Scale, the first Draconic Emperor, urging him to parley. When the mighty dragon disregarded the plea, instead readying his fiery breath, the students cast a spell, that pulled Wind-Wing to the ground. The massive impact sent out a cloud of dust, that stopped both sides of the conflict, only if just for a moment. Elemer once again tried to bargain, even threatening, that if the dragons didn't stop trying to destroy the city, He and the twelve students would slay their Emperor. Wind-Wing, heart broken from the death of so many young dragons, lunged at Elemer wowing, that he would eradicate the city and leave nothing but ashes in its place. A volley of spells surged towards the massive platinum dragon, hitting him on the side and pushing him over, Wind-Wing stood up and exhaled a massive amount of fire towards the mages, only for a wall of blue energy to appear in front of him. The Dragon Emperor tried to dispel it, but by the time he did another surge of magic hit him. He held his ground and swung his tail and claws at the mages, hitting two of them with his tail and sending them flying all the way towards the wall. He had Elemer pinned under his claws, when in a desperate struggle the wizard unleashed a massive bolt of lightning from his hands, finally killing the Platinum Dragon.

Early Second Age

The war left both sides devastated, Althazar Soot-Nose despite his wounds took control of the remnants of the army of dragons and ordered them to stand down. He approached the corpse of his old friend and negotiated peace with humanity. Despite the grief and shame he felt giving over control over southern territories, he knew it was needed to rebuild. The dragons mourned their fallen lord and carried his body to Dragon's Nest, where he was buried. A fragile truce was struck that day, that allowed the majority of slaves to leave for Exodus, where they helped to rebuild the city and made a new life for themselves.

Elemer and his students came to be recognized as leaders of exodus, first simply by the merit of their deeds, then by a badge of office. The city grew to a size never seen before, outgrowing their walls once again. The council of Exodus ordered the creation of the outer wall which marks the borders of the city to this day. The School of magic was rebuilt and an obelisk with the names of all who died during the war was fitted before it's front gate. During that time several delegations were sent to and from Dragon's Nest, that negotiated the finer details of the peace and solidified Humanity's control over the Second Age. As a result, Dragons were confined to Dragon's Nest and Lavender fields, with the border running along the Gold river to it's meeting point with the hot river and then continuing towards Dragon Tail Mountains.

The lasting peace of this period allowed for rapid expansion for Exodus. In no time the population outgrew the city and needed a new place to settle. Several outposts were created to the west of Exodus, chief amongst them, Rentia and Blackfall. Several explorers tried to cross the Gazel Mountains to reach the northern part of the continent, but the frozen mountain passes proved too treacherous for even the most experienced travelers. With the emergence of other cities, trade routes were established and the Adventurers Guild was created to maintain them and ensure the safety of travelers.

The Aboleth crisis

Shortly after the Dragon war, strange creatures have been spotted near the shore of Exodus, sailors gossiped about strange white tendrils poking out of the water on the break of dawn and dusk and several attacks on smaller boats were attributed to those mysterious beasts. One day, an old sailor returned to his inn with a terrified look on his face, he would not speak of what happened to him until the nagging of other fishermen and alcohol convinced him to reveal his secret in a low whisper. That morning, while he was fishing just outside the shallows of the ocean, a huge beast tangled into his net and crashed into his boat, shattering it into splinters. It was huge, with white flesh draping it's squid like body. The beast thrashed, until it tore through the net, then it looked at the man with it's inky black eyes and charged at him with it's maw wide open. The fisherman held out a harpoon he grabbed just before falling into the water, and let the beast impale itself into it. The metal spike pierced one of the eyes of the creature and got stuck in it's skull. Thankfully, the beast turned around and swam towards the depths, leaving only a trail of dark green blood behind it.

The fisherman's story was confirmed a day later, when a corpse of the creature washed up just a few miles away from Exodus, with a harpoon still impaled deep within it's skull. Mages of Exodus determined it to be an Aboleth, based on the stories of Dragon Cultists, they inhabited the depths gathering riches in their massive temples. This creatures were drawn to Exodus like moths to a flame, every day new stories of their attacks were heard and so the Council of Exodus temporarily ordered all ships to stay in port until a solution could be found. Even this precaution didn't stop the Aboleths from raiding the ships, they raided the coast, destroying ships and creating waves to wash homes into the ocean. The Council declared an emergency, mobilizing all guards to patrol the coast and the exit of the river to ensure the safety of the citizens, many attacks were pushed back with few successful attacks, being swiftly pushed back, until a mist appeared from the deep oceans. A miasma surrounded the city and stayed there no matter the weather, it swiftly penetrated everything and everyone, chilling the people to bone, like only cold storms at sea can. The raids have picked up in pace, with more and larger Aboleths appearing closer and closer to the shore.

With the mist firmly in place, the defenders seemed sluggish, almost hesitant to act, as if something they could not perceive whispered them of a promise of warmth and safety if they stayed inland. Several guards have been caught throwing jewelry and coins into the ocean, as if they were in a trance. Mages of Exodus rallied to find a solution to the crisis, and one finally was proposed, Master Gelland created a prototype of a lantern, that split the mist, and caused significant disorder amongst the Aboleth. With its help, the attacks were pushed back, while a new massive project was created, a lighthouse with a lantern like that one, only magnitudes stronger.

An extremely small amount of mages were authorized to work with the device, but the project progressed smoothly under the direct care of Elemer and Gelland themselves. With the creation of the lighthouse, the mist was dispersed and the attacks stopped. After the mages waited to ensure, that the Aboleth were gone for good, all research into the magical lanterns was quietly stopped.

Age of exploration

After so many years of relative peace and prosperity, some of the more curious and adventurous people from the southern lands, wanted to go north, towards uncharted lands. With travel by land impossible, some opted to sail along the coast, past the Northern mountains (later called Gazel Mountains). Such a group of people, set out on a ship owned by Captain Miranda Hoitz, sailing from Exodus, past Blackfall and the Red Forest, finally reaching the mountains and attempting the crossing. This region was known for its impassibility, with violent currents threatening to toss any ship into the cliff and the constant threat of Aboleths lurking beneath the water. The expert navigation skills of Captain Miranda has kept the first threat at bay, but no skill could keep the Aboleths away from their target. The beast smashed into the ship with a thud and wrapped its tentacles around it, threatening to capsize it at any moment. No attack, that the crew used on the attacker worked, and all seemed lost, until silver streaks appeared in the water, like sails of a fish. They pierced the Aboleth and chased it away before returning to the ship to ensure it didn't sink. A mage called Gazel managed to communicate with their saviors, learning, that they are the Paladins of the Marlin, a order of fish-people with a vow to protect travelers and purge Aboleths from the ocean.

The paladins escorted the ship back to Exodus, where they stayed to exchange information. During their visit, Gazel learned about their art of geomancy, this combined with his admiration for the order of the Marlin, led to his later work in life.

Nowadays

Exodus is a bustling city, full of different races, exotic items and new ideas. The inhabitants of this city are generally open-minded and willing to try new things. The various colorful shops that seem to stretch endlessly in every alley and street are often overwhelming to first time visitors. The city is filled with beautiful buildings in a multitude of styles and colors. The centerpiece for the whole city is the School of magic, which towers over other buildings, casting long shadows and reflecting the rays of sun from it's stained-glass windows. While chaotic, the city is well managed by the Council of Exodus comprised of 12 seats and Elemer as it's honorary and most important member. The history of the city is very important to all residents, and is often celebrated, people commonly drink toasts to "their long and beautiful history". The most important occasion in this city is the Festival of Dragons, when a parade is held, much to the dismay of dragon cultists, celebrating the victory of Exodus over the dragons.

The festival takes form of a parade, where citizens dress in extravagant costumes meant to resemble the dragons and walk the streets of exodus throwing flower petals, fireworks, creating illusions and dancing. Alongside the main celebration, there are also several smaller ones, with inns, restaurants and businesses creating their own displays often enticing people inside their establishments with sales and raffles.

Exodus is also the heart of all adventurers, this is the hub from which quests are advertised, rewards paid out and official test are conducted. With so many new and experienced adventurers around work is scarce, and often new adventurers are roped into deals with shady businessmen. Many of the adventurers choose to leave Exodus and gain their reputation somewhere elsewhere, operating through offshoots of the guild or taking private requests.