Creus

Creus is a world undergoing rapid change; social, technological, political, and magical. A pre-industrial society, the citizens are using reciprocating flatrods and mechanical gearing to accomplish the first industrial revolution in history. The rise of industry and the spread of new forms of transportation and trade will upend the nation of Etoile; it is up to those living there to determine how. And in the mix, the mystery of magical talent has emerged, muddying the waters and accelerating the transformation of the world.   Roughly a hundred years ago, a war of unification was fought, and the entirety of the continent of Saibh was unified under a single government, which named itself the Etoile Principality. The war was less bloody than most - the upstart kingdom had more advanced technology and its people were the most prosperous of them all, so many other states simply didn't have the will to fight - those that did were quickly conquered. The first Princeps of Etoile made it his life's mission to culturally and philosophically unite the people of the world, and his successors have carried on his legacy to some success - the Principality is still the unquestioned hegemon. The world is large enough to have significant areas that the Principality is not sovereign over, but the wild frontier is just that, with no significant populations or civilizations known in the frontier.   Small scale conflicts still occur, but the majority of people lead peaceful and happy lives. Systems of Guilds have emerged to create order, with each Guild chartered by the central government and representing a certain type of trade, task, or skillset. Guilds serve as a guarantor of service; the bylaws of each Guild give assurances to their clients that tasks entrusted to them will be carried out with the highest level of skill and fidelity. Guild members are organized by skills and interests, with progression being a combination of merit and seniority. The Principality is structured and prosperous, and the feeling in the air in both the city and the countryside is that of optimism.   The discovery of magic and magecraft a decade ago was of much excitement, as the Wizard's Association is the first Guild to have been made in a generation. Young adults from across the world have been tested to see if they have the necessary talent, and upon exhibiting such they are heavily encouraged to enter a course of study at the Etoile Capital City's Academy. The Principality has declared a strategic interest in the research of Magecraft.