Draiocht

Pronunciation: DREE-uhkht
The fabled city of Draíocht: a place of magic and natural wonder.

Font of Magic

It's said that in ages past, the Druids of the The Black Forest discovered a natural font of water spewing water in a great geyser high into the air, yet no water fell. It is said that the Druids discovered that their powers expanded considerably while in the presence of the font, and so they revered the font as the source of all natural magic. Many Druids rejected this claim and moved on, however those who remained formed a small city: the only known permanent settlement of Druids in the world.

City of Wonder

The Druids of Draíocht believed that the power of nature does not belong to any individual or group, nor should knowledge of the natural world remain secret. Thus the city of Draíocht opened its doors to travelers and wanderers. The first visitors had become lost in the forest and stumbled across Draíocht by accident. Starving, lost, and nearly dead, they saw Draíocht as a miracle sent from the gods.
These wanderers brought knowledge of Draíocht back to their home city and eventually word spread of its existence. Draíocht is not an easy city to locate (due in part to the magic of The Black Forest) and many have failed to ever find it. However, those who do unfailing report on its beauty and wonder.

Present Day

Ever since the Inquisition, Draíocht has completely disappeared. No one has seen the city in centuries and the city has fallen into myth and legend. Many people of the shorter-lived races believe that Draíocht is nothing more than a fable, however there are those of the longer-lived races -- elves chief among them -- who claim to have seen Draíocht with their own eyes.

Demographics

The vast majority of the city are elven druids, though some of the druids are of other racial backgrounds (in decreasing order of prevalence: half-elves, humans, firbolgs, halflings, and others). Inhabitants who are not druids tend to either be priests of nature gods who seek solitude, elvish wanderers who simply enjoy Draíocht, and other individuals appreciative of the natural beauty of Draíocht. There are also a few scholars with the intention to study the strange magic of the Font (though only Archdruids are allowed to see the Font itself).

Government

The city is ruled by a council of Druids (called the General Council) -- which is open to any and all Druids willing to participate -- though final decisions are made by a High Council of 5 Archdruids -- Druids powerful in the ways of nature (which, incidentally, also grants them powers of long life).
By tradition and law of Draíocht, the High Council will often arbitrate meetings of the General Council, provide perspective and wisdom when needed, but will generally accept the consensus of the General Council as law, and the General Council looks to the Archdruids for guidance and typically accept their word on priciple. Thus, it is an extremely momentous occasion when the High Council overrules the General Council.
Additionally, Druids from other tribes are welcomed as siblings to the General Council, and their council is heard with equal weight. Archdruids from other tribes are treated with the same respect afforded to the other Archdruids, but are not admitted onto the High Council.

Defences

The defenses of the city are similarly wondrous. There are braziers all around and throughout the city, each carved with intricate druidic markings. These braziers, if all lit, surround the city with an incredibly powerful protection spell. A transparent dome encircles the city, creating a tangible barrier against creatures and physical objects which were beyond the limits of the dome when it was created, and against spells and other magical effects. In essence, it completely isolates the city from the outside world. However, these braziers are only able to burn for a few hours before they succumb to the magic they're channeling and crumble to dust.
It is also said that there is a secret, secondary set of braziers in an intricate maze of tunnels beneath the city that, when all lit, can cause the city to disappear from the world. Though much more complex than the defenses, the Druids can tend to these braziers to keep them lit for millennia.

Industry & Trade

The Druids of Draíocht are more than capable of ensuring there is enough food to support the settlement, regardless of season and without incident. Life in Draíocht is one of plenty as far as food.

Architecture

The city is designed entirely by the Druids. The city has very few constructions (in the traditional sense) and instead is composed primarily of intricately decorated caves, magically formed trees, and permanent tents.

Type

City

Location under

The Black Forest