Description
The City of Magic is home to not only the largest population of mages in the world, but the largest population in general. Its sprawling streets extend deep into the resource-rich island of Tísma Major, and the climate is controlled year-round by an arcane weather device, ensuring fertile soils can grow their magically enhanced crops. It is a land of plenty, thought to have more wealth and power in a single city than the rest of The Republic combined.
Visitors are often stunned by the sights and sounds of such a towering city, with more people than one can conceive and more power on casual display than an outsider could imagine. Everywhere one turns they are within the eyeline of some great wonder or other, markets that deal in gold and platinum instead of copper and silver, and schools that overflow with magic. In almost every metric that matters to The Republic, Olsíri is the greatest city the world has ever seen.
But for all of its wonder and its power, there is a flaw in the soul of the Capital that only an outsider could ever hope to see; the city has flown so high that its people have forgotten the feel of the ground. They are arrogant and wasteful, eager to insult the other regions and peoples of their own nation, truly believing themselves the greatest achivement of mortalkind. Terákans are violent barbarians, Prótans are zealots that need to be put in their place, and even the learned folk of Kosí are simply attempting to immitate their majesty.
It is a society so deep in their own cups that it cannot even dream of a risk to itself, so full of hubris that they they have begun to abandon the Gods in favour of their mages and Immortals. One wonders how long these attitudes can continue before a breaking point is reached and it splinters their precious Republic.
People & Organisations
The Senate
The rulers of the the entire region of Tísma, elected by its mages just like everywhere else in The Republic. What sets the senate in Olsíri apart from the rest is that they also rule the city, in place of any monarchy or governorship. This, on paper, makes The City of Magic the most democratic place in the world, with a senate building that even the most mundance of folks can enter to demand action.
In reality, or at least according to popular opinion, The Senate here is corrupt and lazy, more willing to accept bribes to prevent positive change than petitions to enact it. Further, accusations of weakness and cowardice abound, as many claim there is a small council of unelected mages that is easily able to bully the larger organisation into making any decision they wish. The senators, of course, deny all such accusations, claiming that as the beating heart of democracy, if actions are desired by the majority of mages, they will be taken without hesitation or interference.
Starkeeper Dorothéa Akrióne
The only Òssan Heirophant based outside of
Katarn, Dorothéa officially holds one of the most important offices in the world. She is the highest archpriest of
Olsír, serving as the link between the arcane and the divine. She is responsible for maintaining the faith of her great city, and working with both The Senate and The Octagon in matters of law and education.
In truth, she is treated as little more than a librarian by most, afforded no respect and granted no voice. Only those of significant age, responsibility, or understanding treat her in accordance with her station, and they are much rarer than the impudent masses she deals with on a daily basis.
High Mage Typhónis Rhul
The use of magic relating to capturing full souls and altering spirits is extremely highly regulated, with special licenses granted and closely kept track of by
Vhul'xo himself used to identify those permitted to use it. Typhónis is one such license holder, and has spent his life studying a field once created by a High Lord of old called Soulsmithing - the act of transmuting a person's very soul into weapons, items, and materials.
It is blasphemous work, despicable in the eyes of the Gods, for it prevents a soul reaching The Underworld and turns the beauty of a living thing into mere trinkets and toys. Despite many assassination attempts from religious opponents, Typhónis continues his work undeterred, stating that all fields of study are valid and glorious in the eyes of The Assembly.
High Mage Zárron Úrlos
Perhaps the highest ranking Tiefling in the world, Zárron the Listener is perhaps also one of the maddest. He was found one day outside the doors to the Sky Palace, eyes vacant and ear to the door as though he might hear something inside. Leaping from master to master and displaying incredible talent with magic, he rose quickly to the rank of Transmutation Savant and then High Mage despite his odd behaviours.
The source of his power is claimed to be his fey-like ears, which can "hear the heartbeat of the earth and the name of the wind" - he claims that every door and cloud and blade of grass is alive, just waiting to hear you speak to them. Regardless of the truth of this, he is able to alter the world around him with astonishing skill - animating an army of bricks to assemble a house on their own, whispering to a bonfire to calm it to embers, and even on one occasion telling the entire Transmutation tower to simply start walking around the city.
High Mage Melia Òsa
The only living one-time apprentice to High Lord Protagoras, Melia was trained by the greatest Abjurer the world has ever seen. As a result her mastery over Abjuration magics in general is almost unmatched, granting her a foundation from which she could study the field of Antimagic - a field often reviled and feared by other mages, for it nulifies their powers and makes them no better than any common plebian.
She has been working on ways to target individual schools of magic, to one day be able to silence all Evocation magic in an area for example, or prevent any Transmuters and druids shapeshifting whenever they enter a building. For her work she has been threatened and lobbied against, for it could represent a great shifting of power away from The Assembly in centuries to come.
High Mage Talara Lokáris
Evocation master of The Octagon, with such a mastery over her spells that they can deal what she has (for now) labelled simply as "Arcane" damage - the purest essence of magic tied to no elements or deities, able to pierce through almost any barrier and harm a creature no matter their elemental protection.
Though the arcane hybrid rarely invites others to the highest floor of her tower, she has gained a reputation for demanding any visitors cast their strongest spells against some form of magical target to assess or learn from, and in general conversation seems to have a hard time focusing on matters at hand.
High Mage Erlathan Aletheos
It is rare to see an elf approaching 500 years and more in civilised lands, for theirs was a generation that was slaughtered and damned, and the resentment and fear runs deeper than one can imagine. And yet, in the heart of The Republic, Erlathan stands as one of the world's greatest Diviners, able to make incredible predictions of the future that border on
The Oracle of Pylona's. Though this particular aspect of divination seems to only be a minor interest to the ancient being - they are far more interested in "seeing the world as the Gods do, as its truest self."
They are known to be able to easily see through and dispel any illusion, peer into the realm of dreams while wide awake, and according to some, bear witness to a person's very mind and soul. They are one of the only people in the city able to enter all of the highest floors of The Octagon without issue, and seem to have invited more mages into the Divination room than any other archmage in any of the other towers.
High Mage Herkáleon Múrlos
Several of the Council of Eight rarely leave their towers, and some such as Erlathan rarely even leave their rooms on the top floors. But of all eight High Mages, Herkáleon is almost never seen in person, for he never leaves and rarely invites outsiders in. His room has a great glass window through which he can see the city, and for all tasks he sends his familiars.
Aside from holding a mastery of conjuration magic that allows him to have dozens of familiars active at once, Herkáleon's greatest asset lies in an entity named Valákas, who has served him for many years and seems capable of assuming any form desired. In place of summoning individual celestials or fiends or elementals (all of which he can do!), he simply imbues Valákas with holy, unholy, or elemental energies and the strange creature assumes the desired shape.
High Mage Calista Khaligo
Thought by many to be the truest and highest power in Olsíri, Calista is a woman with many talents in addition to her mastery of enchantment magics. Rumours abound, claiming that she owns half the businesses in the city, has spies in every region of the Republic, and holds the entire Senate in her palm. Of course, such things are near impossible to prove, and the fact such rumours are allowed to exist surely show that she needs no secrets or spies?
Her contributions to the Enchantment school are varied and many, but her most impressive works all revolve around memories - exploring them, exploiting them, creating and changing them.
High Mage Ilandra Dai
Ilandra is The Octagon's highest master of Illusion magic, and also its greatest troublemaker. She is known to outsiders for using her own hair as a spellcasting focus, somehow altering her wild mane of locks into images and faces to tell puppet-show-like stories, but known within The Octagon for disguising herself as students, teachers, and even other High Mages. Her (technically illegal) infiltration missions cause havoc in the other towers, but are allowed due to her "valuable contributions to training all mages in illusion-identification tactics". Notably, she has not successfully infiltrated the Divination tower in years.
Despite her general antics, she is clearly an extremely talented illusionist, and has been developing a series of spells that create something she calls "subjective reality" - illusions implanted into the mind of a single individual that become real *only* for that individual. They might see an illusory bridge and can walk across it, but it is naught but empty space for all others.
Philosopher-Magistrate Isokratis Zygópos
An older mage and philosopher of some renown within Olsiri, giving lectures and speeches about the need for balance in all things. He is a man of integrity and honesty, and has been trusted by the
Xanómenes Family to look after and train
Mikrispítha Xanómenes to safely control her potent lightning magics.
Some time ago he spent hours in conversation with
Fearghal, discussing the philosophy of the Mithral Lord's ideology in great detail. After the encounter, he wrote a letter to
The Exotics explaining just how extreme the strange man's goals were.
Ágios Kylax Kryfos
A fairly young but surprisingly serious priest of Olsír serving at her main temple in the city. Had a conversation with
Odessa Deo when she first arrived looking for allies or contacts, and initially declined her request to become an Ágios herself due to distrusting the strange foreigner regardless of her fine robes, holy symbols, and slight divine magics. He begrudgingly agreed to allow Odessa to transport herself to him with magic, and months later inducted her into priesthood following her divine trial.
Inxikmalar "Sheek" Ker'los
Sheek is a red dragonborn who has reached such an age that his scales have lost their lustre, but his amber eyes remain ever watchful. He is one of the curators of Zarligantír's draconic museum, watching over the many exhibits and offering information to the many visitors. His manners of speech are less refined than most folk in the city, and he is prone to blunt statements and direct questions, leading to a reputation for rudeness, though he is far past the age of caring.
Mágos Breeze Viator
Breeze is an air genasi who has a rare mastery over teleportation magics, capable of creating arcane doors and permanent teleportation circles in record time. She also has a talent for arriving or sending folk safely to a destination regardless of if she's familiar with it or not. In recent times she has used these skills to assist with Chyreum's Festival of Change, and to facilitate a surprise attack on
The Menagerie by teleporting scores of mages to the starting point.
Places & Landmarks
Úrlos Palace
The pinnacle of arcane achivement in The Republic, Úrlos is a staggeringly opulant palace that rests far above the city, held aloft by enchantments to match the mages of old. Shining marble walls are painted with lapis lazuli and inlaid with specks of gold to make it appear like tiny stars against an azure sky, with a stairway wide enough to giants bordered by spiraling rails of multicoloured metals.
Flowing beneath the steps is an everflowing stream that splits and runs off either side of the floating island, forming eternal twin waterfalls that sparkle with scintillating colours as they fall towards the city to be collected in springs and grates below. Bordering this artificial river and climbing all along the walls are lucious vines and flowers that could have one mistaking the island for a botanical paradise instead of a home fit for Gods and Immortals.
At the top of the stairway over the river are a set of enormous doors that seem to have been carved from garguantuan sheets of shimmering silver, until one gets close enough to see or feel the rings, knots, and lines of some kind of otherworldy lumber. Notably, the doors bear no symbols, handles, hinges, or knockers that could be used to grant entry, and all attempts to move them with strength or with magic over the centuries have failed.
Mysterious as it is magical, theories abound as to the purpose of the palace. It is commonly believed that the weather device which governs the climate of Tísma Major resides within, leading many to the idea that it houses countless other artifacts of unbelievable power or riches beyond imagining. Of course, such rumours inevitably lure in the greedy or adventurous, with a multitude of folk over the years attempting to sneak, teleport, or otherwise break their way in. None have ever succeeded, and it seems the only ones with permission to enter are Tisian Senators, Óssan Consuls, or the Immortals themselves.
Floating Bands of Olsíri
Below the soaring palace fly three great rings, each larger than the one above it. Known also as the Rings of Lútus, these bands are the world's only Skyport; a location to construct, repair, and house the twenty (and increasing) or so
Airships that exist across The Varolain. They are connected to each other by long bridges with plenty of space between them so that even the largest ships can fit comfortably in the gaps.
The largest, outermost band even has a section dedicated to housing and utilities, as some of the greatest mages of the age spend their entire lives on these bands, dedicated to mastering and improving upon these technological wonders.
Colossus Arkános
Modelled after its much older sibling in
Katarn, the Colossus of Olsíri is much smaller and more lithe than its colossal kin, but still easily towers more 150 feet tall with a shining bronze spear almost as long. It differs from the original in Katarn in two other ways: it patrols the area around Olsíri constantly, rather than resting as a statue until needed, and is capable of throwing its spear incredible distances, then summoning it back into its mighty hand.
Tisian Gates
There is a thin strait of water that connects the Tisian Gulf to the greater Varolian, with a tall bridge reaching over it, reinforced by magic and reportedly capable of warding the strait below from unwanted entry. Atop the centre of this bridge is a wide, circular platform, designed to be a resting place for the Colossus which patrols the region. The Colossus Arkános is rarely needed, and the warding on the gates has not been used within living memory, but the two together seem capable of thwarting an invasion of any kind or strength.
The Octagon
The city's largest park is in the shape of a massive octagon covered in grass, plants, benches, and fountains. Far more noteworthy than the park itself, however, are the eight spacious mage towers, one sitting at each corner. It is a space dedicated to the study and practice of magic, with each tower dedicated to one of the eight major schools of magic. Here mages young and old experiment to push the boundaries of what is known, inventing new spells, discussing arcane theories, or debating the value of each area of expertise.
The towers all have unique identies and even seem capable of casting their own spells, or at least amplifying the powers of those inside. Thanks to factional rivalry, it is not uncommon to see a fireball or lightning bolt twice the size any mortal mage could conjure sent flying from the Evocation tower to test the Abjuration tower's warding, or the Illusion tower turning invisible to provoke the Divination into searching for it. The mages of each school seem similarly contentious, with constant arguments being heard across the park at all hours of the day.
The insides of each tower are at least similar, usually having a spiral staircase in the centre with many rooms extending from it on each floor. The rooms can be used for everything and anything, with scholars allowed to study or experiment however they wish - skeletons may be being conjured in one room of Necromancy while right next door one of only a few lecturers in the area explain which curses are most effective for each purpose.
There is a loose pattern in which the more powerful mages tend to claim spaces higher up their respective towers, though this is not always the case. What is always the case, though, is that the highest floor at the top of each tower is off limits to mages below a certain caliber - enchantment or abjuration wards prevent any entry unless one is a master of their craft, or is given permission from one who is. Many rumours abound about what exists inside these archmage floors, but few ever find out.
Moreso than any of the other academies and arcane universities in the city, The Octagon highlights the fact that the mages of Olsíri are scholars, not warriors. They are so focused on the theories and intellectual possibilities of magic that they neglect practical applications of it just as they neglect their own bodies; any passing adventurer or trained soldier could likely slay some of these mages in one or two strikes, regardless of how powerful their magic is.
Traveller's Walkway
The Cosmic Path is a theory that explains how
The Wanderer is able to permit mages to travel anywhere and everywhere near instantly using teleportation magics. Said to be a divine, unknowable construct that connects the realms of
Olsír,
Éda,
The Oneiroi, and
Haroch, The Path is a passage from the heart of creation to the edge of eternity.
Of course, such an idea would be impossible for any mortal, and perhaps even any Immortal, to replicate. It did, however, serve as inspiration for a form of magical roadway across the city that would allow much easier transportation for all, whether Mágos or Plebian. And so the Traveller's Walkway was created: a miles-long road of tiles connected by magic that constantly circles around itself, allowing for someone to step onto it in one part of the city, wait a few minutes, and step off into a different part.
It is, rather expectedly, one of the busiest streets in the city, and a few clever vendors have set up market stalls on top of the road, to have their business moved around the city to be visited by far more people. Recently a law came into place to prevent these stalls, for they obstruct foot traffic and can make the walkway less convenient to use. This has not stopped some of the more determined merchants though, and they have become quite adept at disassembling their stalls when they smell trouble.
Since the walkway was created over a generation ago Olsíri has expanded quite a bit, and discussions have started up about expanding the road or changing its route across the city. Though the logistical and architectural nightmare this would create does, unfortunately, make it unlikely for the road to see changes anytime soon.
Monument of Immortality
Looming over one of the widest forums in the city are five statues, one for each of The Immortals. Extremely detailed and painted so well that they appear life-like in all aspects other than their extreme size, golden plaques are affixed to each statue's base detailing the name of each Immortal, along with their many, many titles. At the base of each gold inlay is a number that seems to magically increase every so often, shifting the metal to erase the old figure and carve in a new.
What the numbers represent is a matter of some debate in the city; some claim them to be the number of people each Immortal has killed, others the wealth they've accumulated or the number of assassination attempts they've survived. Recently the theory has caught on that it could be how many servants an Immortal has created or mages that they've sponsored. Whatever they represent, Vhul'xo has the highest figure by far, followed by Osera and Aesk fairly close together, and Zarligantír holding the smallest number by quite some margin.
Museum of Draconic History
At the edge of the city overlooking the Tisian Gulf stands a mighty oval building, filled with the greatest repositories of draconic knowledge in the world. Several collected skeletons stand posed and suspended by magic or by wires with placards detailing when they were found, along with any known myths of the dragon while they lived. In smaller spaces there are skeletons or anatomy diagrams of
dragonborn and Half-dragons, often with comparisons and differences between the two species written in books or placards beside them.
It is a public space, with anyone in the city able to come and go as they please, staffed exclusively by dragonkin acting as everything from guides to security. Fairly recently a new building was attached to the exterior of the museum, though is much smaller. It is the head branch of Zarligantír's new publishing company, filled with endless scrolls, tomes, research papers, maps, and more. It has quickly become the go-to place in the city for magical inks and papers, though has yet to succeed in parting many of the mages from their secrets.
Reaching out from the rooftop of the building is a massive bridge, hundreds of feet long extending backwards into the city, as a way to reach the museum without needing to navigate the complicated, overflowing streets between. When the museum's creator is in the city, citizens are advised to not use the bridge, for it also serves as a landing platform whenever the most powerful creature in the world is using his greater draconic form.
Maker's Corner
One of the most recent changes in the city came about in the "Maker's Corner", a district dedicated to craftsmen, chefs, and artists of all kinds. Previously it was one of the few areas a Plebian could guarantee themselves honest work, but it has since been overtaken by mages peddling goods created in a fraction of the time and with twice the quality of any crafter in the area. Most use magic to near instantly turn raw materials into finished clothing, jewellery, and other such items, and a rare few have even begun to enchant items not for themselves, but for anyone with the money to buy it.
There are a miriad of businesses and specialties in the Corner, but no structure in the area is nearly as impressive as The Floral Forge; an impossible, shapeshifting workshop that seems overwhelmingly enchanted, as no natural mechanism exists that could explain how it works. Every so often, every brick, metal sheet, tile on the exterior of the building animates and climbs around an interior shell to take on the appearance of some form of flower; two of the favourites are a wide lily, its petals stretching outwards to shade the other workshops around it, and a tall rose, the bricks climbing so high and spreading so thin that it seems close to collapse, with interwoven metal plates forming the beautiful thorns and head.
For all of its beauty and the ease with which magic can provide for any need, there have been a great deal of protests and complaints concerning the changes, for many craftsmen without arcane power have been put out of business or struggle to survive against such overwhelming odds.
Stardust Academy
Possibly the largest single academic institution in the world, the Stardust Academy does not teach magic as the name might suggest. It is instead equipped and staffed to teach any mundane field of study imaginable, from politics to philosophy, biology to religion. Despite the lack of magical subject matters here, a majority of the students are mages either from Olsíri itself, or across the world; there is a staggering enrollment fee to match its prestigious reputation, acting as a barrier to entry for any but the richest of plebians outside the city, but those who can afford to enter tend to become some of the most educated folk The Republic has to offer.
Alori's School of Blades
Founded by
Telío Alori in the years that he was truly ranked amongst The Immortals in more than name only, the school itself is a simple building for housing its students. What draws more eyes is the wide, circular sandpit surrounded by a dome of shimmering blue energy right in front of the entrance that contains any wayward magics, protecting the area around it.
It is a place to study and practice the practical applications of magic, more specifically on the combined use of arcane and physical prowess - mixing swordplay and spells in a singular fighting style. A clone of Telío himself stands as the grandmaster, preaching the importance of "deception, misdirection, and elegance", often utilising invisibility, illusions, and teleportation magics to confuse opponents while deftly slashing at them with fine elven blades.
It is an open secret in Olsíri that Telío is no longer a true Immortal in the ways that matter; ever since his fall from grace, the school has gone from unpopular - as war magic was already a massively undervalued skillset in this city - to almost completely abandoned.
Temple of Olsír
While not particularly remarkable by Olsíri standards, this temple dedicated to the most important God in The Republic has a simple eight-pointed star in its tympanon rather than any elabroate carvings or figures, and within the massive building stand eight grand statues of Olsír, each depicting her in a feminine form wearing heavy robes covered in constellations. Each statue has a different set of constellations, different hairstyles, and each holds a unique pose with its arms and head.
Senate Building
The exterior of the senate building is the same as a temple, though the interior hall has been converted into a theatre of sorts, with a semicircle of tiered seating all facing towards a speaker's platform at the back of the building. Unlike many other places of governance across The Varolian, the Senate of Tísma is open to the public, who can enter and air their grievances or ask for aid at their leisure.
History
Nights of Terror
The Hurricane
"Vengeance" Against Katarn
Úrlos' Stolen Magic
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