The City of Ravensridge

The city of Ravensridge; nearly a millennium old and brimming with life, both in the aristocratic spotlight and the lowlife shadows. The current year is 966, three great houses sit at the peak of power, dictating the goings on behind the guise of a mayor with no power. The High Court orchestrates the more mundane errands of running a city, and the Black Fist operate as the city guard, keeping the poor citizens in line, and the wealthy citizens with light pockets. Gangs run rampant in the poor districts of the city, and crime is widespread and abundant.

Society
Ravensridge is heavily matriarchal and classist; the most revered members of society are both women and nobles. Men are often considered the brawn behind an operation, while women supply the much more essential brains. Hedonism is generally an accepted practice, and highborn parties are usually lavish events with abundant prostitutes, snuff (a common opiate drug), and alcohol beyond measure. Many commodities drive the lifestyle of the rich in the city. The City itself is divided into districts that show the clear distinction between the classes that inhabit them.

Classes
The class system in Ravensridge is a simple one, you are either wealthy or not. If you are not, you either own your own business, or you do not. If you fall into the latter bracket, you are considered to be at the bottom of the food chain. A simple, 'high, middle, low, class system can be fit to this model. The nobles of the city further divide themselves into subclasses of wealth; the richest few tend to be beyond the societal need to respect their peers if they have the most coin. Pine Cliff is the upper class district of the city.

The middle class exist in a hardworking, but somewhat comfortable grey area. Usually the people and families in this class have small businesses that provide just enough revenue to live comfortably, but not enough to ascend to the status of noble. Ratridge is the middle class district of the city.

If you had the misfortune to be born into poverty, or found yourself there by your own means, then you belong to the lower class. There exists a small distinction between members at this level, dictated by whether you live within the city walls, or beyond them. If you are within the city walls, you are most likely a labourer or some kind, or a successful criminal. If you are beyond the walls however, you are most likely, diseased, outcast, or broke. The life expectancy of a non-farmer living outside of the city walls is more than half that of the inner-wall citizens. These two districts are the Undergutter (inner city), and Drainage Creek (outer city).

Politics
The city is currently under total rule by Empress Josephine the tenth, and resides in the Josphean Duchy. By this merit, the rule is considered a monarchy, but within the city it operates much more like a bias democracy to the public. In truth, within the city, one great house usually holds the most power which falls into the category of an Oligarchy system. Currently, a Mayor is elected by citizens residing in Pine Cliff, Ratridge and the Fineries. That mayor then has a board of advisors (The High Court) that suggest or oversee varying parts of municipal duties. House Abaddon hold the most power, and many know it, as such if the High Court makes a ruling the Abaddons disagree with, the ruling will most likely be revoked.

Culture
The culture of Ravensridge is most akin to victorian era London with a gothic twist.

Houses
The city is home to many houses, three of which constantly battle to be the unspoken lords within the walls. Minor houses all scramble to back the house with the most power, and a dynamism of fluxing allegiance and loyalty makes for a complex system of relationships among the many families. Most houses tend to have garnered wealth by process of monopoly over a particular trade or resource; the wealth of the city is dependant entirely on the families that drive it.

Law
Ravensridge has a somewhat loose law system that is enforced by The Black Fist, members of House Nightingale, and some members of the Order of the Dawn. Punishments can range from public whippings, stake burnings, forced into slavery or Dog-Branding; a form of cruel branding done by the Black Fist where an Iron Clamp shaped like the maw of a dog is heated red and clasped around the torso to leave the mark of a dog bite in scorched flesh. These punishments are usually reserved for the lower class citizens, and middle to upper class citizens have the opportunity to testify in a rudimentary court system. A judge hears arguments from both sides, often represented by lawyers, and makes a decision both on verdict and punishment.

Gangs
In the poorer districts of the city, gangs run rampant, often fighting between themselves for territory or ancient blood feuds. The corruption of the Black Fist lends itself well to this culture, as many gangs are in mutual agreements with patrol officers, exchanging bribes for blind eyes. Gangs have been known to settle disputes in the Brawling Pits, or in more uncivilised manners such as arson, vandalism and murder.

Slavery
Slavery is common in the city and is often the punishment for criminals, given no prison system currently exists. House Barlow is the main purveyor of slaves, and often puts them to work in the Barlow Mines. Many wealthy houses have slaves that work as cooks, cleaners, butlers and the like; this has developed a culture of dehumanisation which folk from other cities often find detestable.

Religion
Ravensridge has a complex historical relationship with organised religions, and currently sits at a somewhat level ground with it. The most prominent religion currently is Caecusism, devotees of the High Church; a monotheistic religion with a sour outlook on other religions. A few chapels exist to worship, along with a Synod of the High Church and the Order of the Dawn, a sect of the religion devoted to purging the land of unnatural beings. Tensions run high between the High Church and the three Great Houses, which are all openly opposed to religion. The High Church retains its influence however, as the neighbouring city of Fortcley is a bastion of Caecusism, and hold many tenuous trade routes to and from Ravensridge.

Mysticism
The citizens of Ravensridge are a superstitious bunch, but with good reason. Many members of the city, both nobles or otherwise, suffer from a supernatural ailment of some kind. From a bloodline of werewolves in the Nightingale Family, to the Vampires in House Barlow, it seems everyone has something to hide. The Abaddons are known witches, and are the only public group to display their use of magic; an esoteric art these days. Among other magic users however, there exists many cults who hide underground and perform rituals involving all kinds of black magic. Fringe Covens still exist, but the secrecy they must take to remain anonymous is paramount, given the metaphorical bounty the Abaddons have put on all other witches heads.

Beyond the ailments of the common folk, the geographical surrounds of the city offer the surreal in plenty. The Darkmarsh is home to a horde of creatures known as Deep Fiends. These creatures emerge from slumber every hundred years or so to wreck havoc on anything nearby. Deeper in the Darkmarsh, and eldritch horror is said to lie dormant, an entity of unimaginable power and hunger that may one day awake and begin its feast. The nearby Ghostwood is home to all manner of spectres, ghosts, banshees and poltergiests. It is said that the deceased who have reason to stay awake in the forest and are dammed to wander the woods until whatever force keeps them there, breaks hold. The supernatural presence in the woods has given the trees a distinct, lightweight yet strong property, which has made it quite valuable to those with tenacity.

Demons crop up from time to time in the mortal realm, most commonly by foolish cultists toying with forces beyond their control. Some demons, though very few, have made a home in Ravensridge. The Drow Family, have been cursed with a demonic bloodline; now members of the Drow family must battle with a demonic alter ego that fights to control their physical body. One notable member battling said affliction is Thelius Drow, the current mayor of the city.