Hewn City

Location from acotar-mist-and-fury by

The brutal Court of Nightmares carved into a mountain's heart, a city of cruelty and fear that masks the existence of Velaris from the world.

Deep beneath the mountains of the Night Court lies the Hewn City, the seat of the Court of Nightmares and the public face the High Lord shows to Prythian. It is a place of ancient stone, ancient grudges, and older cruelties, where the lesser fae serve the High Fae who rule through fear and the whisper of a blood ruby. Here, the Night Court's true heart—Velaris, the City of Starlight—is hidden behind a mask of terror, and no outsider who enters this place ever suspects the gentle city that exists a winnow away.

Appearance

A vast cavern-city of black stone and sharp angles, lit by guttering torches and cold faelights that cast long, dancing shadows. The air is thick with the scent of stone dust, smoke, and old blood; the floors are polished to a mirror sheen by centuries of footsteps. Every surface is carved—walls, pillars, thrones—with scenes of torment and victory, the artistry as exquisite as the cruelty it depicts.

Also known as: The Court of Nightmares, The Hewn City, The Mountain Court, The Dark City

What They Know

• The Hewn City was carved by the first High Lords of Night, using magic and slave labor over centuries, to be a fortress and a throne room for the cruelest court in Prythian.
• It is the only part of the Night Court that outsiders—High Lords, emissaries, and enemies—are ever permitted to see; Velaris is kept secret by ancient wards and the High Lord's will.
• The city is governed by the High Lord of Night, but day-to-day rule falls to the Steward, Keir, who answers to Rhysand with a mix of fear and resentment.
• Blood rubies are issued from here: a single gem sent to a target marks them for death, and every mercenary in the territory knows to collect.
• The Court of Nightmares convenes in the great hall for feasts, judgments, and entertainments that would make a mortal faint—cruelty is the coin of this court.
• The Hewn City is connected to the Prison by old tunnels sealed with magic, and to Velaris by a single winnowing point known only to the Inner Circle.

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