Kaeryn-no-Han: The City of the Abyss

Kaeryn-no-Han is the heart of the Southlands, a sprawling and chaotic city built around the infamous pit known as Raiketsu, the Descent of Glory. Above ground, Kaeryn-no-Han is a dilapidated sprawl of wooden and stone slums, where the weak scrape by amid crime, trade, and desperation. Its alleys are alive with the clamor of merchants selling weapons, enchanted trinkets, and cursed goods, all while brawls and duels break out on every corner. The city is the gathering place for all four elemental demon races, who meet here to trade, fight, and shape the power struggles of the Southlands.

Despite the chaos above ground, the city’s true soul lies below, in the yawning chasm of Raiketsu. This massive, seemingly bottomless pit is both a battleground and a city in its own right. The further one descends into Raiketsu, the greater the wealth, prestige, and danger. Raiketsu is the lifeblood of Kaeryn-no-Han, driving its economy, defining its culture, and providing its most celebrated warriors.

Raiketsu: The Descent of Glory

Overview

Raiketsu is a vast, abyssal pit with 10 descending tiers, each with 10 floors that house fighters, patrons, merchants, and the infrastructure of miniature cities. Each floor grows wealthier and more opulent as one descends, with the bottom floors of each tier reserved for the strongest fighters, wealthiest patrons, and most exclusive luxuries. At the heart of Raiketsu is its fighting arena, where warriors battle for glory, wealth, and the chance to ascend to higher tiers.

The Structure of Raiketsu

1. Fighting Tiers:
   Raiketsu has 10 distinct tiers, each with its own combat theme. The arenas grow deadlier as fighters progress deeper into the abyss.
2. Miniature Cities:
   Every floor within a tier is like a city, with housing, shops, and training grounds. The wealthiest demons live near the bottom of each tier, close to the final floor where the strongest fighters dominate.
3. Top 10 Fighters:
   Each tier has its Top 10 Fighters, who are the most powerful and influential warriors at that level. These fighters either defend their position for prize money or attempt to ascend to the next tier.
4. Advancement:
   Fighters must defeat someone in the Top 10 of their tier or complete a trial to advance to the next tier. Advancing comes with greater risks but also greater rewards.
5. Motivations to Stay or Advance:
   • The prize money and rewards for being in the Top 10 of any tier escalate dramatically as one progresses.
   • Fighters unwilling to face the dangers of a higher tier may remain at their current level to dominate and maximize their profits.
   • Patrons play a significant role, investing resources into fighters in exchange for a share of their earnings.

Tiers of Raiketsu

1. The Iron Circle (Brutal Free-For-Alls)
   • Theme: A chaotic proving ground for new fighters.
   • Combat Style: Large-scale free-for-all battles.
   • Final Floor: "The Gate of Embers" – The Top 10 here are survivors of countless brutal matches.
2. The Ember Rings (Team Battles)
   • Theme: Team-based skirmishes to test strategy and coordination.
   • Combat Style: 5v5 team battles.
   • Final Floor: "The Forge of Bonds" – The Top 10 teams here dominate through cohesion and strength.
3. The Beast’s Maw (Team vs. Monsters)
   • Theme: Fighters face relentless waves of monsters.
   • Combat Style: Teams fight massive beasts and summoned creatures.
   • Final Floor: "The Predator’s Crown" – Teams that survive here are legendary hunters.
4. The Crimson Chains (Multi-Team Tactical Battles)
   • Theme: Large-scale skirmishes between multiple teams.
   • Combat Style: Multi-team battles with shifting alliances.
   • Final Floor: "The Breaking Point" – Dominance here requires cunning and brute force.
5. The Obsidian Fields (2v2 Biome Battles)
   • Theme: Combatants face unique terrains and biomes.
   • Combat Style: 2v2 matches on platforms designed to simulate forests, tundras, volcanoes, and more.
   • Final Floor: "The Elemental Crucible" – Fighters here master the elements themselves.
6. The Lunar Grounds (2v2 Advanced Biome Battles)
   • Theme: Intensified 2v2 battles with magical hazards.
   • Combat Style: Fighters face illusions, shifting terrain, and cursed zones.
   • Final Floor: "The Moonlit Crown" – Only the most adaptable survive here.
7. The Tempest Ring (2v2 High-Stakes Combat)
   • Theme: Rapid adaptation to chaotic, unpredictable conditions.
   • Combat Style: 2v2 matches with sudden environmental shifts like storms or earthquakes.
   • Final Floor: "The Thunder Throne" – Precision and agility define the Top 10.
8. The Ebon Maw (2v2 Deathmatches)
   • Theme: Pure, unrelenting brutality.
   • Combat Style: 2v2 deathmatches with no rules and minimal environmental tricks.
   • Final Floor: "The Black Crown" – Only the strongest and most ruthless survive here.
9. The Abyssal Spiral (Solo Endurance Battles)
   • Theme: An unforgiving gauntlet testing endurance and resolve.
   • Combat Style: Solo battles against waves of monsters and powerful summoned creatures.
   • Final Floor: "The Maw of Resilience" – The Top 10 are titans of survival.
10. The Void Sanctum (Solo Duels)

• Theme: The ultimate test of strength.
• Combat Style: One-on-one duels to establish the strongest fighter in Raiketsu.
• Final Floor: "The Abyssal Throne" – The Top 10 here are immortalized in demonic history.

Cultural and Economic Impact of Raiketsu

1. The Economy of Kaeryn-no-Han:
   • The city thrives on the gambling, commerce, and spectacle of Raiketsu.
   • Merchants in each level, trade enchanted weapons, magical trinkets, and rare resources to support fighters and patrons.
2. Patrons and Power Dynamics:
   • Wealthy patrons fund fighters, providing them with training, weapons, and resources in exchange for contracts that give them significant control over the fighters actions and images.
   • Patrons compete to control the best fighters, with rivalries among patrons often spilling into the city’s politics.
3. Fighters as Celebrities:
   • Fighters who dominate their tier are celebrated as heroes, their names spreading through the Southlands.
   • The Top 10 of each tier enjoy immense wealth and influence, often living like kings within their floor’s mini-city.