Dawnside

When Lorinian built her first Sunspire on the Ostren Plains, where the sun shines longest all year round, a community quickly gathered around it. Primarily composed of elven followers who regarded her as their Divine Mother, the settlement grew to include many races as other Elanni were drawn to Lorinian's shining beauty and the patient tolerance of her people. Under her doting guidance the ramshackle collection of admirers soon built a small city full of art and architecture that emphasized the appreciation of light.
As the inspiring elegance of the small but growing city began attracting more and more immigrants, Lorinian became disinterested in playing governess to the burgeoning population and turned the question of governance over to the people. In the subsequent discussions among the citizenry regarding how to proceed, the strongest voices tended to be those of the artists and architects whose work had made the city so alluring in the first place, and who had become quite wealthy as a consequence. Eventually it was decided that from among those who had been most productive and had the most popular support a group would be chosen by lots to serve as the first legislative body and create the city's charter. Finding this approach to be satisfactory to all involved, the city - soon designated "Dawnside" in honor of Lorinian's holiest time of day - determined this would be the course of all future elections. Certain regulations were developed, and a noble class of citizens were created; those with the wealth and social clout to be eligible for the electoral lottery.

Government

Though a demarchic aristocracy by charter, historically Dawnside has been something of a closet theocracy thanks to the slow interweaving of Lorinianite clergy into the major noble houses. The elven bloodlines in particular defer often to the temple thanks to their many long-lived marriages in the priestess-hood, creating a great deal of racial tension between races that lack elven longevity. Whether this was purposeful or not — as some speculate — Lorinian herself disavows politics and has steadfastly claimed neutrality since the city's founding.

Characters in Location

• Lorinian