The ruined fortress-city of Jaipon stands at the edge of Blisterswamp, its towers still visible above the jungle canopy after two centuries of abandonment. Once the seat of the Jaipon Confederacy, it fell to the Krell during the Consumption and has remained untouched ever since—a monument to what the insects destroyed.
History
The Jaipon Confederacy was a political alliance of seven city-states that controlled the western Krell Lands for nearly four centuries before the Consumption. The fortress-city of Jaipon served as the confederacy's administrative capital, housing the Council of Seven and serving as the repository for the alliance's collective treasury.
The confederacy's founders chose the site deliberately. Blisterswamp protected the western approaches; the jungle terrain complicated assault from other directions; the city's walls and towers provided layered defenses against conventional enemies. The strategy worked for generations.
When the Krell came, they came from the north—directions the confederacy's defenses weren't designed to handle. The other six cities fell first, their refugees flooding toward Jaipon. The fortress-city held for three years, its walls protecting a swelling population of survivors, before the insects found a way through.
What happened inside during those final days is unknown. No one escaped to tell the story.
The Ruins
Jaipon's outer walls remain standing, thirty feet of stone and earth that the jungle hasn't managed to topple. The main gates are closed and apparently intact—massive iron-bound doors that no one has opened from either side in over two centuries.
Within the walls, towers rise above the canopy. Observers from safe distances have counted at least a dozen still standing, though partial collapses have taken others. The layout suggests a city designed for defense at multiple levels, with inner walls, fortified buildings, and what appear to be underground sections.
The Krell left the structures intact. They had no use for stone walls and human architecture. Whatever they wanted from Jaipon, it wasn't the buildings.
What Might Remain
The Jaipon Confederacy was wealthy. Four centuries of trade, taxation, and resource extraction had filled the treasury vaults with gold, gems, and magical artifacts accumulated from across eastern Ve. When the other cities fell, their portable wealth was sent to Jaipon for safekeeping.
If the vaults weren't emptied before the fall—and there's no evidence they were—their contents still lie beneath the ruins. Conservative estimates suggest wealth comparable to a small kingdom's annual revenue. Optimistic estimates are considerably higher.
Beyond treasure, Jaipon likely contains:
- Historical records — The confederacy's archives, documenting the lost civilizations of eastern Ve
- Magical artifacts — Items accumulated over four centuries from across the region
- The bodies — Whatever happened to Jaipon's final population
The Approaches
Reaching Jaipon requires crossing either Krell territory or Blisterswamp—both options carry extreme risk.
From the north — Through the jungle past Snakemarsh, avoiding Krell patrol routes. This is the longer, more commonly attempted route. Expedition teams from Yuki typically take this approach, spending weeks in Krell territory before reaching the fortress-city's northern gates.
From the west — Across Blisterswamp from Chimean territory. Faster but physically brutal. The few successful crossings have emerged onto the fortress-city's western walls, which might offer entry points the Krell haven't thought to monitor.
Both approaches end at sealed gates and walls. Getting into the city presents its own challenges.
Krell Activity
The Krell maintain an unusual presence around Jaipon. Scout patrols circle the walls regularly, more frequently than terrain or resources would seem to justify. Workers have been observed examining the walls, though they don't damage them. Occasionally, larger groups gather near the gates for unknown purposes before dispersing.
This behavior has generated speculation:
- Something inside attracts them — Pheromone traces from the final siege, perhaps, or something older
- Something inside repels them — Like the Winger Mountains, Jaipon might contain defenses the Krell can't overcome
- The city is important to them — For reasons that don't translate to human understanding
Whatever the explanation, the Krell presence makes approaching Jaipon dangerous. The insects don't inhabit the city, but they watch it.
Expeditions
Multiple expeditions have attempted to reach Jaipon over the past two centuries. Most failed in Krell territory before reaching the city. A handful reached the walls. None have returned with confirmed entry.
The most recent serious attempt, roughly thirty years ago, involved a well-funded Chimean expedition that crossed Blisterswamp with specialized equipment. They reached the western walls and found what appeared to be a breach—a section where the stonework had partially collapsed. Radio contact (via Aether communication devices) continued for two days after they entered.
Then silence. No survivors. No bodies. No explanation.
Yuki's records list the expedition as "presumed lost to interior hazards." What those hazards might be, no one knows.