The garden of Espean

Tucked away in the very east of the erilintski spires is a small but incredibly prosperous city-state. It is run by a council of warlocks, all tied together in a pact to a single archfey and patron of the "garden": Espean. Rather than extend his reach across nardish, he chose to concentrate his time and energy building a stronghold, so he could play with the lives of those in his power to his heart's content. Originally a changeling stronghold after the wave, the garden of espean has grown milder in it's chaotic tendancies and now seems content to merely exist, watching the messy lives of mortals within it's walls.

Structure

The garden of espean is believed to be ruled by an archfey of the same name. It selects it's governing council by who is granted magical gifts by their patron, the nature and strength of these gifts dictating what role they will play. Moreover, the members of the city-state who must make significant desisions often have extended conversaitons with their ruler, and must follow his instruction. The highest members of the council (usually between 8 and 20 people) are considered by neigbouring powers to be equivilent to high lords, although call themselves 'lightbringers'.

Culture

Within the garden, Espean is everything. He, very literally, gives and takes everything within it's walls. Naturally, most of the population strive to live up to the ideals he sets, of self improvement, and the betterment of yourself and your peers. Crime is unusually low for an area in the spires; whilst many criminals end up in the garden they often change their ways, by choice or by force.

Public Agenda

Espeans look inwards, not outwards, to see where to direct their energy or to look for how to solve a problem. They are largely peaceful except for the few occasions they have chased down one of their own who wronged them. On one occasion the entire fighting population of the city lay siege to a city belonging to a neighbouring nation because they were harbouring someone the espeans wanted dead. It was during this time that much of what is now general knowledge was discovered, and the garden is still largely secretive.

Assets

The garden of espean, whilst built on the bad quality earth of the spires foothills, manages to have an excellent supply of a wide range of foods and natural materials. The source of this is the huge amount of magical power poured into the area by it's patron. Most of it's population live inside a small walled city, farming the rich land around it. Such a prize has tempted invaders in the past, but this happens much less since one party succeeded, only to find the remaining occupants had dissapeared and the area suddenly suffered a terrible drought.

Demography and Population

The garden has, quite predictably, a relatively high density of changelings, making up 9% of the population (and 20% of the council). Otherwise, the population is spread in much a similar way to the rest of the spires, as the garden has the policy of "so long as you join us, you are one of us."

Religion

It is not called worship, or religion, but every member of the city-state is expected to respect and follow the word of Espean. Private worship of other entities is permitted so long as it does not cause you to fail in your duties. Preaching these religions is forbidden, and will get a preacher jailtime, or death if they refuse to stop. The principles of the garden (as they are called) direct a practitioner to strive to be the best they can, and to bring out the best in others. It heavily discourages selfish and cruel acts, but also does not put particular stress on doing the good thing. You are encouraged to find joy in what you do, as you are doing it well and that is something to be proud of. It teaches that personal freedoms and lesuire time are weaknesses of a society, rather than things to strive for.

Grow ceaselessly, my children of this earth

Type

Geopolitical, City-state

Alternative Names

The garden of sin/trickery/etc., Espean