Larmes
Come one, come all and revel in the spectacle of the Festival of Magicks! Our arcanists are unmatched and you won't find a show quite like this anywhere else in Fragmentia. Place your bets, turn in your cards, and make a little mischief...we won't tell. As the great Magick Mistress herself says, magic unravels the secrets in all things and let nothing stand in the way of your ambitions, for there is something to be found for everyone here in Larmes. Need a charm for that love that just won't stick around? We've got you covered. Need a curse for that pesky competition down the street? Child's play. Darlings, this is the city of solutions, the city of power, the city of making your dreams reality. Step through the gates and discover what has been waiting for you.
Demographics
45% human, 32% half-elf, 9% elf, 7% dragonborn, 5% halfling, 2% other races
Government
Larmes is operated under the Council of Acadia, a group of eight high-ranking and tenured members of the College of Existence. Council members serve for life, and when a position becomes vacant, another official is selected. Each council member is also the head of one of the schools of magic at the College of Existence, and thus they are also selected from that school if the council has a vacancy. The eighth member of the council is selected amongst the dragonborn sorcerers of Acadia and they serve as the head librarian of the Archives of Acadia. The council's current members are Lady Mysteria of the North (School of Enchantment), Pixis (School of Illusion), Gabriel de Luca II (School of Conjuration), Yves St. Vincent (School of Transmutation), Balran the Tempest (School of Evocation), Krisyra (School of Divination), Vyuxiros Aster (School of Abjuration), and Otiyax Clathtecnul of Acadia (Archives of Acadia).
All eight members of the council have equal voting rights and they maintain the neutrality and teachings of the College of Existence as well as the daily operations of the city. They must each be present to make any major decisions, however, they operate their schools according to their own jurisdiction.
Defences
Larmes is protected by large stone walls that surround the city, and inner walls that create the city's well-known eight-pointed star shape. At each point of the star is a council member's wizard tower, equipped with wards and arcane weapons. Council members are also each assigned to a district and walls in case of attack, acting as the protectors of their designated location. In major emergencies, students from each of the various schools are assigned positioned on top of the battlements, beside the council members and their teachers.
Boats patrol the Pool of Tears, but large ships do not have easy access through the narrow and rocky strait leading from the ocean into the massive lake. Larmes uses the Pool of Tears to their advantage, and have many capable ships for deterring those that would still try to force entry through the entrance at the Pool of Tears.
The Arcane Guard
Arcanists and fighters who have dedicated their lives to understanding the schools of magic and protecting those that would seek to take advantage of the mysteries Larmes contains. There are several divisions in the Arcane Guard, though most come from the schools of Abjuration or Evocation. Those who come from either of these schools are usually exceptional in their fields, and act as guards to the council, patrol the streets, and enforce laws regarding the safe use of magic. Other divisions are less arcana focused and comprise of members not magically inclined, though they are usually used for situations requiring more brute force. The Arcane Guard are exceptional and world-renowned.
Industry & Trade
Larmes is the hub of information and knowledge exchange in Fragmentia. It has the most shops per capita in the business of magical items and spell-casting necessities, and most students who leave Larmes after finishing their studies at the College of Existence are encouraged to continue magical trading in their hometowns. Larmes has been known to bring a number of nobles to their school from even as far as the Eladrin Kingdom, sealing trade deals for Larmes all across the continent. Though Larmes claims to remain strictly neutral in political conflict, they have a hand in almost any of the magic coming out of any of the kingdoms or empires in Fragmentia.
They have also developed a rather fruitful fishing industry, securing various trade alliances with the Assembly of Concorde and the Eladrin Kingdom and even some of the islands in the Pieces where the seas are much harsher. Though magic is their number one asset--and they have a bit of a monopoly on the market--they have found a number of other ways to support themselves and secure their more secret political agendas through trade.
Guilds and Factions
The College of Existence
Larmes, though it maintains an outside image of political neutrality, is no stranger to politics within its own walls. The College of Existence has become a governing body in its own right, and with a majority of the citizens in Larmes either students, alumni, teachers, or investors, the school is heavily politicized and makes a majority of the decisions within its walls. Expeditions and grants are decided upon by the Council of Acadia, and many are driven to acquire the best assets for their own schools, while funds for the city's infrastructure and outside trade are directly dependent upon the culture and politics of the college. The college is highly competitive and choosing the correct school could mean everything, especially for students seeking a future in the politics of Larmes.
School of Abjuration
(Lead by Vyuxiros Aster) This school is responsible for developing the wards on the city's outer walls and in the city's many arcane defenses. It is because of this school's knowledge in abjuration magic that Larmes withstood the siege by the Couronnée Empire and why many believe Larmes will never fall. Casters from this school also make up a number of recruits in the Arcane Guard, most going on to directly protect members of the Council of Acadia. In recent years, Vyuxiros Aster has also set up some alliances with nobles in the Eladrin Kingdom, training elves to protect themselves and go on to provide protection to the noble families.
School of Conjuration
(Lead by Gabriel de Luca II) Concerned with summoning and teleportation. The School of Conjuration handles all magical transport coming in and out from Larmes, and they have established a number of teleportation circles around Fragmentia. Members of the Arcane Guard selected from this school protect and assist in the use of teleportation circles. They also investigate misuse of conjuration magic in the city. Most notably, however, is their recent work in researching the portals and rifts opening throughout Fragmentia. Some of this research has come back fruitful, and Gabriel de Luca II has secured several contracts with the Assembly of Concorde in closing rifts to the Feywild in the Whisper Woods.
School of Divination
(Lead by Krisyra) Diviners have become a mainstay within Larmes, and huge draws for tourism to the city. Though many who study under the School of Divination tend to go back to their homes or lead nomadic lifestyles on the road, many of Fragmentia's nobility have sought diviners from Krisyra directly. Divination is seen as a noble school to serve, and one that can lead to riches and power. Krisyra has made a name for her school in the political world and in Larmes, her apprentices are highly sought after. Krisyra has become known as the Driver of Fate in some circles of the city.
School of Enchantment
(Lead by Lady Mysteria of the North) Many nobles come to the college to study in the School of Enchantment, learning the ways of enchanting and bewitching others. Lady Mysteria's school and pupils are perhaps the least politically neutral of all, and Lady Mysteria herself has several ties with the Eladrin Kingdom that she has yet to relinquish. Many enchanters, however, have gone on to become prominent shopkeepers in the city and outside of it, securing special deals with Larmes and the rest of Fragmentia. Many of Larmes's entertainment houses are also owned by alumni of the School of Enchantment.
School of Evocation
(Lead by Balran the Tempest) Known amongst students as the "School of Battle Mages", Balran the Tempest has established his school as the main enforcement in Larmes. These students go through rigorous study and training under the ancient Eladrin elf, and many go on to serve in the Arcane Guard. This school is extremely competitive and only the strong-of-heart do well under Balran's tutelage.
School of Illusion
(Lead by Pixis) Members of the School of Illusion are no strangers to being called gimmicks of the college or tricksters. They are perhaps taken seriously the least of all the schools, and yet, Pixis guides her students with a careful and steady hand. They are responsible for major celebrations in the city, including the Festival of Magicks, and they have their own sector within the Arcane Guard specifically to target and discombobulate high-level spell-casters on the wrong side of the law.
School of Transmutation
(Lead by Yves St. Vincent) Some of the strongest and most dangerous wizards in Larmes reside in this school, though it is perhaps the most mysterious of them all. They are concerned with manipulating the energy of the world. Yves St. Vincent does not take part in much political rabble, though there are talks that he and his students are working on something large within the Archives of Acadia, leading to much speculation and rumor. Yves has perhaps the most access to the library of all the council members, and his claim to the archives has so far gone undisputed.
The Archivists of Acadia
Since the discovery of the Archives of Acadia in 446 FP, knowledge-seekers from around the world have come to make sense of the library's mysterious new acquisitions and shifting stacks and wings. By 486 FP, a coalition of interested parties developed and dedicated themselves to protecting and understanding the archives. They became known as the Archivists of Acadia, and in the beginning, they were mostly dragonborn from the Acadia Range.
Over time, the Archivists of Acadia has grown to a massive guild with a rigorous initiation process. Initiates must either be graduates of the College of Existence, dragonborn scholars from the main lineages in the Acadia Range, or possess a letter of recommendation directly from a member of the Council of Acadia. There are several ranks within the Archivists, but becoming a member extends new access to the Archives and the potential for specialized grants for research and expedition requests for acquisitions.
There main purpose is to catalogue the newly arriving books, study the wild magic of the archives, map the newly conjured wings and stacks, and to delve deeper into the archives to shed light on lost artifacts. There are several other libraries around Fragmentia, including at the Dark Gateway, Concorde, and the Nexus in Calamité that work extensively with the main archive in Larmes.
History
Early arcanists went on an expedition through Fragmentia in search of magic artifacts from before the Shattering. What they found instead would become one of the continent's greatest mysteries, and it was tucked in rubble on the Crying Peninsula. Buried beneath the earth they uncovered a massive building somehow still largely intact and as they unearthed and entered it, they found an enormous and strange library. New of the library traveled quickly throughout the Wild Half and soon people began to flock toward it. Sorcerers from the Acadia Range sought to see if there were similarities between this archive and the city they found in the mountains, while other arcane users sought new understanding of long-lost magic. A city began to form around this ruin and by 492 FP, the city become the Larmes now known today.
Larmes was established as a beacon of arcane study and ancient research. by 514 FP, the first Council of Acadia was formed and they operated a small school that would become the precursor to the College of Existence. It was open to those who could travel to Larmes and who showed promise in the arcane arts, though the schools were less defined at this point.
Eventually, Larmes grew and the College developed alongside it. Worshipers of Blancha began to spread her teachings throughout the city, bringing competitive desires and hunger for power. Larmes decided to set itself as a place of political neutrality following the attack by the Couronnée Empire, though they have not always succeeded in remaining that way.
The influence of the College of Existence has spread throughout Fragmentia and people travel from all over the continent to study there, often to bring political advantage to their homelands. In 748 FP, researchers stumbled upon something in the archives that they have kept under tight wraps since, saying only that this discovery could have world-ending consequences. This has left the world with much speculation and concern.
Tourism
People flock to the Festival of Magicks each year, eager to see new feats of arcana and to congratulate graduates from the College of Existence. The Festival is an incredible occasion with magic unrivaled by any other city each year. Those of magical talents also come during the Festival to acquire spellcasting components and magical items they can't find anywhere else, while also paying their respects to the Champion Blancha at her statue in Quartier de Blancha.
Those looking for the strange and the truly mystical often find themselves on the road to Larmes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the wizard towers or the campus of the College of Existence for themselves. There is truly nothing else like it in Fragmentia.
Architecture
Larmes was made in the image of Blancha and her symbol, the eight-pointed star. There is a wizard tower at each point and these towers loom over the city as beacons of knowledge and power. They are made of grey brick and many have murals painted near the bottoms to depict the city's founding and the initial discovery of the Archives of Acadia. The towers are the homes and offices of the Council of Acadia and they serve as the connection points for the city's main gates. At the center of the city is the College of Existence, an elaborate and large campus with beautiful and exotic fauna gathered from across Fragmentia and unnaturally grown through the use of magic. Each point of the eight-pointed star also signifies a district of the city.
Quartier de Blancha serves as the center of administration and religious devotion, though Larmes is not particularly a religious city outside its worship of Blancha. At the helm of this district is the Tower of Abjuration and the Offices of Warding and Arcane Protection. Blancha's massive statue can be found at the center of this district, standing over 25 feet tall and carved in pure white stone. Offering are often left at the statue's feet. The city prison and base of operations for the Arcane Guard are also found in this district.
Quartier d'Acadia houses a majority of the city's shops and commercial locations lined along a long strip of road with colorful signs and displays, some magically enhanced though they are regulated. There are also a few taverns and inns spread through here, including some well-known brothels and entertainment venues. The majority of this district is colorful and lively, though it is a bit heavier in crime and is known for pickpockets.
Quartier de Mystra is home to the city's wealthier residents and those with influence on the Council of Acadia, while Quartier de Luca and Quartier de Monique are home to the lower and middle class residents. These three districts are almost strictly residential, though there are some high-end shops within the Quartier de Mystra, which is made entirely with white stone. The other two are in the usual grey style of the rest of the city.
Quartier de Giselle hosts a myriad of industrial locations, residences, and commercial interests. It is the only district in the city without proper organization and has become somewhat of a cluster, with buildings and shops building on top of one another with the aid of magic. Many students have found their housing here and it has become associated with the College of Existence as a hub for student activity, drinking, and study.
Quartier d'Existence serves as an extension to the College of Existence, with training grounds and extra classes where some professors teach public lectures. There is a large park here that has drawn many tourists due to its beauty and ethereal feeling.
Geography
Larmes sits at the top of some hills at the southern end of the Crying Peninsula along the Pool of Tears. It is surrounding by lush, rolling hills and though the Pool of Tears connects with the ocean, it is fresh water. There are many surrounding villages that benefit from the proximity of the magical city, and many fisherman have made their home along the banks of the lake near Larmes. Many have said that Larmes feels like it is in a world of its own, being so far from the rest of civilization, yet a cut above the rest of it. The sunset over the Pool of Tears is known to be one of the most beautiful in all of Fragmentia.
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