MILLUCIS DISTRICT

[This entry seeks to describe the Millucis district as was its state towards the end of the fourth century.]

The western fringes of the Mareilon marketplace marked the boundary of the dark, run-down Millucis district. In the light of day, the Millucis was nothing more than a dirty, disease-infested hole. When night came to Mareilon, the notoriously crim-infested Millucis became a nightmare. Gangs roamed the streets armed with clubs and knives, looking for their rival gangs. The only people seen alone in the district at night were hurrying from some hidden brothel to the nearest tavern within running distance. As with any such district, the Millucis was a haven for thieves, escaped convicts, and even an odd mix of monsters from the outlying areas. Oddly enough, one could also find a large proportion of those from various religious orders, hoping to find new converts amidst the destitute, but those types did not go out at night, and they never stayed in the area too long anyway. Much of the population of Millicis frequented the taverns, drinking themselves into a stupor, because they had nowhere else to go. They hid there, from themselves, their lives, and their pain.

Even to those who lived their entire life in Mareilon, the Millucis seemed a mysterious and impenetrable world. Every now and then, a new mayor would burst onto the scene full of enthusiasm and promises for civic improvement. He would order tighter police involvement in the district, and would exert enormous energy towards ending the poverty of the area. Residents of the Millucis knew the routine well, and over the years it began to take on the appearance of a tired and unamusing ritual.

The city’s token police force, too lazy and unwilling to argue with whatever fresh young mayor had just taken office, made a grand show of marching through the district and cleaning out the scum from the darkest corners. In reality, nothing of the kind ever took place. The police, who had long since given up on the Millucis, went to the best tavern in the area, asked a few questions, took a few notes, drank some phlog, and went home. Several reports, filed in triplicate, would eventually reach the beautiful rosewood desk of the mayor telling him that the situation was hopeless, that the neighborhood was beyond recovery. In the meantime, every local resident quietly went along with the charade. Most told the police nothing, resentfulof the authority that the police claimed over them. Those frightened enough to answer the questions all said the same thing.
    "Can you name anyone who is involved with the local gangs," they would ask.
    "No. No, of course not," came the hurried answer.

The two most infamous gangs of Millucis were the Bloodworms and the Hellhounds (the later far more dangerous), until 393 when the Nightwings arose on the scene. In no time at all the Hounds, an established gang going back years before most could recall, found themselves scrambling to make up ground that vanished when the Wings came storming onto the street scene.

398 saw the birth of Zarfil's plans. This Millucis native, a descendant of Prince Argonel, sought to overthrow the current government of Mareilon and claim the city-state for his own. He was successful at uniting all of the rival gangs as one unit for his schemes. Throughout this ordeal, Zarfil organized large mobs to instigate riots in the streets, robbing and beating anyone who got in their way. Buildings were set aflame, and the entire unified Nightwing and Hellhound gangs began their revolution against the Mareilon government. They managed to possess the city and then set out to invade Galepath. In the process, most of the gang members were consumed by Nezgeth warriors from the Kovalli Desert. Because of this mishap, the Millucis district was cleansed of virtually all of its gang activity. Following this calamity, repair work began on the devastated district.

This district, along with the rest of Mareilon, was destroyed by the Endless Fire in 773 GUE.