Nova

Nova is the capital city (and, in fact, the only city) of the Osaedai people. It is a sprawling metropolis that rests atop the ocean, kept afloat by the magic of the Cymere Outcrops it is built around. These outcrops provide arcane energy to every part of the city, from glowing streetlights to magically-animate golems that patrol and defend it. The scattered Cymere outcrops of Nova jut up from tiny (less than 20 square meters) landmasses, reaching heights of 10 to 45 meters. The city is laid out like a giant rhombus, and districts where the plan overlaps with a Cymere outcrop are bare except for the crystals and heavily guarded.

Government

The highest authority in Nova a monarch who can trace their ancestry back to one of the pilgrims who founded the city-state alongside Osaeka. This monarch oversees affairs from an opulent seaside castle called the Grand Palace; the few who are allowed into its walls return with stories of wondrous magical amenities powered by Cymere. Contrary to the grandeur of the monarch, most day-to-day government actions are undertaken by a council of six appointed officials.

Infrastructure

Nova began as a flotilla of sailing vessels that floated through normal buoyancy. However, as the Osaedai who built the city learned to master the Cymere at their disposal, they were able to fabricate surfaces that held themselves (and many tons of additional weight) above the water through innate magic. What began as simple walkways between ships soon grew to roads, then highways; nowadays, the majority of Nova is built upon these floating platforms. This material is called gleamstone, although some (especially Vailun geologists) refer to it with the more technical term novatite. Gleamstone is a near-weightless bright gray stone with the texture of mica, though stronger than granite. It can float atop water while supporting over 1,000 pounds per square foot, can be carved into walls and bridges, and is immune to gradual wear. Gleamstone has never been found in nature and can only be created and altered by Nova's Cymere-powered construction devices; due to this, samples of the mineral are closely guarded by the Osaedai.