Xinstock

Xinstock is the capital of The Xinsi Empire and the jewel of the empire. The city was founded in 421 PC, the year Maxim, first emperor of Xinsi, was crowned; he declared himself emperor before he had an empire to rule, and the empire itself began only in 716 PC. During The Skyfire the whole city was teleported away into the northern sea, where it still sits; New Xinstock has grown up on its old physical site, in the crater lake it left behind. It is dominated by the Sapphire Sepulchre, a thousand-foot tower of blue glass. Beneath the city lie the ruins of an older, elven city: in 1019 an archaeologist was researching "the older city below this one", and Cirella helped the Fatemakers find "the city beneath the city". The Fatemakers' sessions spell it Xinstok and Zinstok.

Campaign 1

In 1019 PC Xinstock was the centre of the Fatemakers' world:

• the Duke's masquerade and the Seven Orchards blackmail affair;
• the Psycore and the Deathtower;
• the unmasking of the emperor's advisor Sim as a dragon;
• the Council of 13;
• the party's own home, the Arthouse, by the canal.

The Battle for Xinstock (a one-shot played on 2021-04-26) covered what happened in the city while the party was in Luktow. During The Skyfire the Arthouse's residents (Squirt, Orryn Thimblefoot, Seven, the Duke and Flind) accidentally teleported the whole city far into the northern sea near Summers End. The Arthouse exploded. The crater left behind filled to become the lake of New Xinstock, and Igor Kuznetsov's family drowned in the flood. Loghoth Graveltank died on the parapets fighting elemental forces before the city vanished. The Fatemakers' final battle was fought in the ruins the city left behind, where they killed The Aspect, Ulamog, and ended the Skyfire.

Afterwards the canal, now full of seawater, became lined with shrines to the dead, which became an annual memorial tradition. Habir became archmage under Owund's influence. Squirt briefly sat on the council and then opened the House of Fate bar by the new docks. Cut off from its farmland, the city now relies on trade with the Bragglands.

Campaign 3

On 2024-07-31 (real date) the party stayed at the Ragged Loon, visited the temples and an old apartment, and was guided by one of Owund's wards; a five-mark rune carved into a skirting board matched The Dimensional Cube. After tea with Owund they teleported to the Elemental Plane of Water. The adventure Return to the Ransom Manse begins in the underwater ruins of Xinstock. Reid Ransom has old ties to the city through the Dread Hollow Snags job and Rick Soko, who runs merchant trips between Xinstock and Rookfall.

Campaign 4

The SCP list "island city" Xinstock among the five cities where they operate.

Districts (Scabard)

Defined by the Sapphire Sepulchre, an immense blue glass structure extending 1000 feet into the sky at its centre. the city of Xinstock was visually and metaphorically the jewel of the empire.

Originally located 10 miles inland from the dock city of xyz, during the events of The Skyfire, a small group of adventurers residing in The Arthouse; Squirt, Orryn Thimlefoot, Seven, Duke Feriland, and Flind The Flail; inadvertently transported the entire city to its current location far in the north ocean near Summers End.

The former location is now made up of a floating town in the crater lake that was formed, that town is known as New Xinstock.

Xinstock can be broken down into several wards:

The Seven Orchards is an upmarket area of brownstone type residences, notable for the 7 large fig trees that separate the main thoroughfare. It is likely the wealthiest part of the city and is home to Owund Burmen, The Thimblefoot Family, The Kuznetsov Family and many more. Most of the wealthier families in the city have residences here.

Temple Row is a section in the north of the city dedicated to priestly actions. Most deities are represented here, notable facilities are to Gond and Helm as well as Beshaba, Chauntea, Cyric, Deneir, Eldath, Lathander, Mystra and some lesser known sects. Temple Row also has a bank. This is also the location of The Ragged Loon, a famous Inn with comfortable rooms.

The Western Bank, is a slum city, that in some spaces has sunken into the sewers to reveal ruins of the city that was in this location before Xinstock

The Old District is an area of aged stone structures along the southern bank of the Xinstock Canal. This is the location of The Arthouse.

Hotford is a residential district near to the eastern wall where the middle class, clergy and many of the constabulary live. It is also the Location of the indoctrination centres of the Psycore.

The Iron Star is the area in which the Sapphire Sepulchre is located, along with many of the businesses, stores and facilities.

The Castle is a ceremonial meeting place of the Council of Xinstock and the historical home of the Unseen Emperor. Surrounding the fortress, there are few buildings, but a small one-story pub known as the Mercers Arms is a notable exception.

The walls of Xinstock were formerly defensive, but now they are more decorative and covered in small piers and built docks that extend into the Sea for fishing and other nautical activities.