Beneath the glow of neon lights, it’s easy to forget there is a whole world outside of the greatest city in Asphodel. Dis stands as a testament to humanity’s ambition, having redirected the flow of entire leylines in order to fuel technological advancement—all those left behind in the eternal rat race of progress be damned. Yet such a challenge against the natural order could not go eternally unpunished, and the Champions arrive at the eve of the 160th anniversary of DisCorp to witness the beginning of the end. Even as the world rots around them, will profit and pleasure play the final trumpet, or will the citizens hear an answer to their cries for salvation?
At the very center of DisCorp stands the Tower of Dis. Once an ancient holy site, now it is filled to the brim with the fruits of progress—thousands of servers powered by the World Seed have filled every crevice within it. Some even whisper that the tower is deeper than it is tall, and that its lowest floor cryogenically preserves DisCorp’s greatest treasure. Whether that is the World Seed, the Goddess herself, or something else entirely, none of the handful of people who have clearance have ever spoken of it.
Dis
Lower Plane
For hundreds of years, a small settlement thrived on the lush fields of Asphodel Meadows. They had been tasked by the Goddess Harmonia with protecting the World Seed and saw themselves as the stewards of their world. It was only a hundred and sixty years ago when a humble merchant sowed the beginnings of a great economic empire with the establishment of DisCorp, a company focused on bending the arc of humanity towards the path of progress. Almost immediately, the city grew beyond the meadow, and that fertile land blessed by Harmonia turned into a dust bowl covered in crumbling buildings. Now the three Districts that comprised this original settlement are collectively known as the Lower Plane.District 01 | Asphodel Meadows
Despite its florid name, this is widely considered to be the city’s wasteland. Too poor to warrant a District Manager, even organized crime has failed to take the government’s place. The people of this district find themselves at a complete standstill, unable to rise to the wealthier districts and unable to make the journey to the towns beyond Dis—yet even in the wastes, flowers bloom between the concrete cracks, and pockets of hope exist amidst the slums. Due to a failed attempt at revitalizing the slums sixty years ago, this district is home to Limbus Station, the final stop of the Charon Express, as well as the dilapidated Epicurean Institute.
District 02 | The Carmine Haze
A dizzying labyrinth of alleys, gutters, and dens, this red-light district is the heart of Dis’ underworld and the territory of the Leonidas family. Here is where people from all districts come to trade their myriad skills for money; whether you seek a pleasant or bloody evening depends solely on which escort you follow. While outlawed on paper, such practices have been tacitly accepted by the government, which has designated the youngest daughter of the Leonidas family, Fran, as District Manager. Many of the city’s neediest see it as the gateway to the other districts—what most don’t know is that the sentiment is quite literal, as many of the maintenance tunnels that snake underneath the other districts originate here.District 03 | Cerberus’ Maw
Thought to hold the belly of the beast, this district manages the bulk of food production for the city. It also supplies smaller kitchens, spread across every part of Dis, that provide food for the hungry—yet the locals know they’re nothing but traps. The District Manager, Hog, couldn’t care less about those desperate enough to seek out one of his “feedholes,” and so various criminal organizations have monopolized them with bloody consequences. Some have even recently taken to calling it “the slaughterhouse district.”Higher Plane
District 04 | Fortune’s Row
A shopping district dotted with bustling casinos, its glamorous nightlife has enticed no small number of fools to bet their meager savings on a prayer and a dream. On almost every corner you can find helpful droids in the image of DisCorp’s beloved mascot, Sinon, to help you make your next DisCorp purchase. As of late, many smaller businesses of various legal shades have begun to encroach upon DisCorp’s monopoly on the area: The Prodigals, well-known among clubs and debt collectors for their hired muscle, and the mysterious VelTech, selling low-tech accessories for those seeking to live a simpler life, have steadily made names for themselves.District 05 | Bedlam Borough
A housing district full of Dis’ richest and brightest young minds, those from the Lower Plane rarely ever set foot here, and the few that try will likely be escorted out by the Legionnaire’s Watch before they can get a good look. On the surface, it appears to be completely devoid of the grime that characterizes most of the other districts, but the strange flux of leylines and obscene amounts of wealth have twisted many of the inhabitants' hearts. An undercurrent of rage seems to fuel every daily interaction, and the Legionnaire’s Watch heavily patrols the area to protect them from not only outside threats but also their own wrathful demons. Even Legion’s Academy, the topmost school in Dis, has heavily limited media coverage in recent years due to an epidemic of violence. Somehow, despite this persistent unrest, District Manager Lapith embodies the ideal District 05 citizen; he is widely known as a jolly man with a passion for the sciences.District 06 | DisCorp Headquarters
Once, the megacorporation of DisCorp had been contained inside this singular district. Now this is merely the entrance to a new plane accessible only via a complex system of keycards and company clearance. Here reside most of the front-facing staff that keep the day-to-day operations of DisCorp and, in turn, Dis itself running. Beyond the Headquarters are a trio of districts that house Dis’ military, the DisCorp Science Federation, and the Tower of Dis: the data center at the heart of Dis that powers the entire system.Tower of Dis
Leran
An agricultural town a few miles away from Dis, Leran’s idyllic pastures and bright festivals appear completely at odds with the origins of its more technologically inclined neighbor. Here the people still sing and dance to the ancient songs of the Divine Comedy, the holy scripture penned during the time the Goddess still walked upon Asphodel. Yet this peaceful existence is under threat, for every year their crops and cattle fight against drought and disease, and many believe it's only a matter of time before their land becomes barren just as Asphodel Meadows did. In a bid to prevent this, the Primum Ordo, keepers of the Goddess Harmonia’s legends, set up a branch office in Leran to discover the source of the looming ecological collapse. Although far from their home city and facing intense pressure from DisCorp, the religious organization seeks to help the people suffering under those who abuse the Goddess’ bounty.
Archive Chronicles