“At Dawnspire, they teach that a capital is defined by roads, treaties, and the reach of its messengers. Zaleskiy Gorod taught me that a capital can survive after all three have failed.”
— Taki of the Eastern Mission, Dawnspire Graduate

Zaleskiy Gorod, commonly called the City of Shadows, is the capital of Barovia and the largest settlement in the valley. Approximately 20,000 people live within its walls and surrounding districts. Timber houses, workshops, market halls, warehouses, shrines, and crowded residential streets spread eastward from the Iron Gate, while the Citadel and the Cathedral of First Light rise above the rooftops. Castle Ravenloft remains visible beyond the city upon its distant stone pillar, less a neighboring seat of power than a permanent threat overlooking the realm.

Since the Battle of Ashwain Stones fifty years ago, Zaleskiy Gorod has had little meaningful trade or communication with the world beyond Barovia. The Mists disrupt roads, messages vanish, and travelers arrive rarely enough.