Bloodgem Park
Located along Bloodgem Road in Sigil, spanning the Lady's Ward and the Lower Ward at the end of Abyssal Avenue, Bloodgem Park is one of the few significant areas of greenery within the city. It is by far the largest park in Sigil, spanning nearly a full half-mile across and nearly a quarter-mile wide. It's an attractive destination for those across the city, with many choosing to use it for various performance pieces, open-air productions, or public displays. Officially, the park is a ward of the city, but laws placed on the books around its founding prevent the city from acting to reduce its area or enforce fees or fares for its usage, to the continual ire of some within the city.
The park was established around five hundred years ago, first founded by a small order of Arborean druids seeking to have a location where they could relax within the city's bounds. Unfortunately, the only location they could obtain with their collected funds large enough to support such a project was directly across from the Temple of the Abyss; however, with the addition of high walls in that building's general direction to block the worst of the sights, and minor standing spellwork to deaden the noise, it soon became quite the pleasant resting spot. Enchantments by the druid circle ensured that the air and water would be clear of pollution, and special arrangements with the Fraternity of Order ensured that laws would be placed on the books of Sigil to prevent any that would seek to destroy this small segment of nature or deprive the people of Sigil.
Massacre of Bloodgem Park
On the 26th day of the month of Savorus, in the 127th year of Factol Hashkar, one of the largest known slayings by the Lady of Pain took place within the walls of Bloodgem Park. In the week leading up to that date, the city had seen the slow growth of the cult of Those Who Court the Lady, a cult founded by Trolan of Ecstasy, an escapee of a Godsmen asylum, devoted to the love and adoration of the Lady of Pain. Though composed largely of Clueless from Ecstasy, a good number of Sigilian citizens were caught up in it as well.
By late afternoon of Savorus 26, the cult counted upwards of 120 members, all gathered in Bloodgem Park that day for a public ritual and courting of the Lady of Pain. Within moments of its beginning, the Lady appeared upon Bloodgem Road, floating towards the park. Though none in her path were harmed, her shadow fell upon the entirety of the cult one by one upon arriving at the park, slicing and flaying each member and killing them where they stood.
The aftermath saw an immediate declaration by the Hall of Speakers of not only the illegality of such a cult, but the utter barminess. Additionally, a shared declaration was released by the Harmonium and the Bleak Cabal to seek out and either arrest or commit the members of such cults in the future for their own safety, before they could again reach such a point. Dabus asked for comment had no acknowledgement of either the cult or the event, though they did aid Dustmen in the cleanup and collection of the bodies. In the week following the event, a combined project by the Society of Sensation, the Dustmen, and the Godsmen resulted in the erection of a black marble plinth on the site of the massacre, upon which were engraved the names of each of the 124 dead, that despite their foolishness they would not be forgotten.
References
- Harbinger House