The Blackway district, nestled within the lower tiers of Coia City, possesses a grim and storied past. Its exact founding date remains unknown, but its establishment coincided with an era when the Bukhara Spire Gateways were cruelly turned toward the slave trade. Originally, Blackway served as a holding pen and auction block for the countless unfortunate souls dragged across planes. The sheer misery and suffering of that period left a profound, psychic stain upon its very cobblestones, a mark that no amount of scrubbing could ever remove.
Following the devastating Civil War and the subsequent collapse of the slave trade, Blackway fell into profound destitution. Guilt and the desperate need for escapism became the two primary currencies among its remaining population. Merchant families sought to assuage their consciences, while the impoverished descendants of both slaves and slavers alike yearned for solace.
In response to this spiritual and existential crisis, temples dedicated to every deity, major and minor, rapidly sprung up on nearly every street corner, offering promises of salvation. Simultaneously, an equal number of pubs, opium dens, and brothels were erected across the district. These establishments provided a grim escape, numbing the pain of existence for many. It is a common saying in Coia City that "In Blackway you can sin on the ground floor and be forgiven on the roof."
Currently, the district finds itself a hotbed for the Unchained movement, attracting the focused attention of Redevus Branch agents. These agents actively preach against what they perceive as the tyranny of magic. While celebrated elsewhere, the Dragonbone Vanguard is viewed with deep suspicion by Blackway's locals, who fear that any disruption to their fragile status quo will only bring more suffering to the impoverished residents.
Amidst this tension, the Cult of Velsharoon has begun to infiltrate Blackway's criminal underworld, further destabilizing the fragile peace. Anti-magic sentiment is boiling over among the impoverished population, contributing to an atmosphere of intense unrest. The district teeters precariously on the brink of anarchy.
Despite the chaos, Blackway holds three mundane secrets, fiercely guarded by locals not out of malice, but out of a deep-seated desire for privacy. The terrifying demonic gargoyle perched above the Pig and Whistle tavern is not a magical ward; its hollow belly is actually used by the tavern owner to illegally age wheels of cheese, avoiding taxes. The High Priest of the Sanctum of Tears does not receive divine visions, but rather suffers from severe indigestion, interpreting his stomach rumbles as holy signals during silent prayer. Finally, the Red Velvet brothel's exclusive VIP room is merely a front for a weekly high-stakes knitting circle, where the district's elderly matrons gamble with buttons instead of gold.
