Kyovashad

"The city of Kyovashad is the perfect expression of this region. The width and depth of its moat alone suggest that it was built to repel threats of immense proportions. The walls are less those of a town than a fortress under constant siege."

- Lorath Nahr^(src)

Kyovashad

Kyovashad is a town located in the Fractured Peaks.

Lore

The entrance to Kyovashad

Kyovashad is the capital of the Fractured Peaks, and numerous towns throughout the region pay tithes. It is the headquarters of the Cathedral of Light, which has de facto (and apparently de jure) control over both Kyovashad and the Fractured peaks as a whole.

Kyovashad is a militaristic settlement and heavily defended, providing refuge to those who reside within its borders. Smaller defensive structures are located outside the town proper. Kyovashad itself has a gate, and is surrounded by steep stone walls, along with a deep, cavernous moat, designed to ward off any unwelcome visitors. Inside the walls, Kyovashad's architecture is typical of that found in the rest of the Peaks. Making use of the wood from the many forests in the region, the town's structures are clad with natural pine boards and birch shingles. The structures are densely packed together, and as with most dwellings in Sanctuary these buildings are very much function over form.

The slums of Kyovashad

The city's inhabitants don't live equally, and Kyovashad features slums, where the downtrodden seek shelter from the extreme elements. And yet, by the standards of Sanctuary (at least by the Reign of Enmity), the people here are far better off than most of humanity. Despite their grim environs, the people of Kyovashad are generous and good-humored. They have a deep respect for privacy, for no-one survives in Kyovashad alone, and the people of the Fractured Peaks do not have the luxury of choosing their comrades.

Culture

"That is why I refused to perform the ceremony. There is nothing holy about it."

- Lorath Nahr^(src)

To enter Kyovashad, one must take part in a cleansing ritual. The individual must take a tablet of cedarwood, inscribe it with the sin that troubles them the most, then toss the tablet into a brazier. In doing so, supposedly, the Light would cleanse away their sin. While the ritual is a superstition, many take comfort in it.

Lorath Nahr speculated that the ritual has its roots before the coming of the Cathedral of Light, and that the Cathedral had subsumed it into its own structure. He speculated that the original ritual may have served to foster trust by expunging past offenses to more quickly integrate a newcomer or stranger into the community; a symbolic way of saying that one's past did not matter, so long as it remained there.

The people of Kyovashad have historically commemorated Midwinter Blight. The commemoration was suppressed by the Cathedral of Light, but revived in the winter of 1336.

History

Kyovashad existed as a city well before the Cathedral of Light. Lorath Nahr speculated that it had been erected to repel threats of immense proportions. After the Cathedral made the city its base of power, things changed. The Cathedral asserts its control over the city, and in time, the Fractured Peaks as a whole.

Knights Penitent keep the people of Kyovashad away from the Cathedral

After Lilith's return to Sanctuary, Fallen strayed closer to Kyovashad than they had previously. Later in the year, as the Blood Harvest intensified, the people of Kyovashad turned to the Cathedral for help. They received no answer but shut doors and the spears and shields of Knights Penitent.

With the coming of winter, Midwinter Blight was revived. While the Cathedral was not happy, the people sought a return to their roots.

In-game

Kyovashad

Kyovashad is explorable in Diablo IV. It will be the first town that most players visit after completing the Prologue. Reaching Kyovashad grants the player the title of "Initial Casualty." Kyovashad is located in the center of the zone, and is easily the largest town in the zone (in-game at least).

It holds a waypoint, as well as the World Tier statue.

Areas

• Cathedral of Light
• East Gatehouse
• Kyovashad Gatehouse
• Midwinter Ward (lore only)

NPCs

• Cormond (Season of the Malignant only)
• Demyan (occultist)
• Gileon (Midwinter Blight only)
• Guard Boza
• Hunter Erys (Season of Blood only)
• Krystyna
• Lidka (healer)
• Lorath Nahr (prologue only)
• Lizveth (purveyor of curiosities)
• Oskar (stable master)
• Veroka (alchemist)
• Voszalko (side quest only)
• Vyrtan (Season of the Malignant only)
• Zivek (blacksmith)

Points of Interest

• Holy Decree: By order of Reverend Mother Prava, blacksmiths shall now devote half their time to forging armaments for the Knights Penitent.
  • The note is found outside Zivek's shop
• Notice Board: At the start of the new month, Reverend Mother Prava will hold a sunrise sermon in celebration of the Divine Advent, the day Father Inarius returned to the world.
  • The board is found northwest of the town waypoint.
• Stocks: The wood is branded with a phrase: Let this be the first step on your journey to the Light.
• The Knight Penitent: Blessed are the Knights Penitent who stand at the Father's side, for they will earn a place in the Heavens.
  • The statue is found southwest of the town waypoint, at the base of the flights of stairs.
• Travelers Beware!: Once a promising and devout member of the Knights Penitent, the heretic Sir Lynna has renounced the Light and now lives in darkness. The faithful should avoid Kulsik Plateau, where she has been seen most recently.
  • The board is found northwest of the waypoint, just a few steps away.

Development

Kyovashad has been likened to a "medieval settlement." It is designed to feel oppressive, frigid, and harsh." It is intended that the player draw similarities between Kyovashad with slum-type encampments. The dreary atmosphere is reinforced by the design details of frayed cloth, broken shelters, and general unhappiness. It is intended that Kyovashad gives players a reprieve from the Fractured Peaks with its earthly and "lived in" tones, as opposed to the Peaks' cooler, frigid palette.