Kallistratos
Kallistratos is a small kingdom in the northeast region of the subcontinent, along the borders of Euremyer, and butting up against Muscovan territory. While a small territory with a barely a few million residents, Kallistratos is nonetheless a formidable and influential actor on the world state. While nominally under the control of Exarch Leandra Lascares, the kingdom is in truth governed by a quasi-shadow council known as the Fraternity. Formed after the fall of empire, the Fraternity consists of partnership of magi that steer the kingdom toward forwarding their immediate interests.
While the existence of the Fraternity itself is an open secret among the public, its exact membership and agenda remain shrouded in mystery. What is generally known is that the Fraternity controls most aspects of the Kingdoms governance, and is primarily sustained by the Universities based at the heart of the Kingdom. It is generally presumed that the Fraternity has no ambition for territorial expanse, but their influence and cultural connections are considered highly valuable by political rivals, namely Euremyer.
While the Fraternity devote themselves to their studies and political maneuvers, the common populace are given only a passing consideration. Those that live in Kallistratos do so either because of nostalgia, or because they lack better alternatives. While life in the kingdom is overly bleak, many commoners are given little privileges or aspirations. Only those fortunate to both have the necessary skill and fortunage opportunity to gain sponsorship of a generous patron hope to make anything more than a meager living.
Structure
The Fraternity
The Fraternity began as a loose association of magi who, despite dissimilar origins, would be united in a singular purpose. As the Fraternity grew, its needs shifted and multiplied, and eventually required the division of responsibility and specialization. In time, there would be six major chapters (Aldapho, Nicene, Jayr, Rella, Ignatius, and Phrixus) that would form within the Fraternity, and serve as the structure for power within both the organization, and the larger realm of the Kingdom. Each Chapter specializes in a suite of magical disciplines, and utilize those talents to carry out different tasks, as required by the Fraternity as a whole. Additionally, each chapter has an Archon, selected from among their ranks, and approved by the others to serve. Along with their Precept lieutenants, the Archons serve as the defacto governing body of Kallistratos, and effectively decide all major sovereign policy. Where once the Fraternity was a closely-guarded secret, and enjoyed the benefit of doubt among the populace, its existence is all but an open secret among the public at present. It should be noted, that while people are aware of the Fraternities control in all but name over the activities of the kingdom, the exact membership is not as well known. Between the influx of foreigners and the lack of a singular culture among the Colleges helps provide anonymity to the Fraternity’s members.Aerbor University
The heart of Kallistatos lies in the campus of Aerbor University. Located primarily in Syttos, with affiliations in Sycatos and the Bael Lyceum, Aerbor University serve as the primary engine for the Kingdom's economy and political power. While the Bael Lyceum has managed to maintain more independence, based upon its legacy of neutrality, the Twin Universities of Syttos and Sycatos are firmly in the grip of the Fraternities' Archons. The University is composed of nearly two dozen colleges, and between them all, make up the largest educational network in the known civilization, with only the Divine college of Svain and the Sciettish Mysrian Priory being of similar caliber. Despite the political dominance of the latter, the Kallistrati Universities remain the most diverse and robust centers of knowledge in the world. For whatever other faults the Fraternity and its puppets have wrought upon their lands, it is a mark of distinction that the magi have managed to not only maintain, but improve the general education of much of the civilized world. Without their prudence, it is arguable that much of the knowledge gained during the empire’s rise would have been lost, leading to a great dark age of information. In addition to the diverse disciplines of arcane arts, the Aerbor University is responsible for the instruction of several other fields, including chemistry, arithmetics, architecture, engineering, botany, and medicine. While the Colleges still see a large interest in the study of magic, the strides made in the mundane arts have progressed at a steady pace, allowing the University to attract even more students. In turn, this growth has allowed the Kingdom and the Fraternity to remain formidable over the years.History
Under the rule of the High Warlocks, magic practitioners were almost always subjugated to state control. Unlike the autonomy provided the the provincial exarchs, the Imperial Magi were closely monitored and kept under strict control. While they enjoyed a unique status and privileges within the empire, they often spent much of their time investigating and hunting rogue arcanists, in order to preserve the Empire’s monopoly on arcane magic.
After the fall of the Empire, many of the Imperial Magi and their subordinates were left without clear direction. Less ambitious magi would scatter, pledge their services to whatever lords would shelter them, and some would even manage to develop a legacy of tutelage over the centuries. However, a greater portion of those wayward magi would decide to band together and carve out a territory of their own along the northeastern border of the empire. Determined not be be subjugated to the will of a singular ruler or territorial conqueror, this early fraternity of magi began a discreet campaign to subvert the normal order of authority in a small northeastern region.
Through an initially delicate balance of subterfuge, intimidation, and in a few cases, destructive military action, the fraternity of magi would claim a score of small territories in the region, and create a united front against outside aggressors. Perhaps more importantly, though, is the means by which they suborned the local patricians and elites to remain in their current stations, but in service to them. While the fraternity possessed a vast reserve of skilled arcanists and scholars, they lacked the personal or political clout to maintain order over a still substantial commoner population. Instead of installing themselves as rulers, they positioned themselves as puppet government that oversaw all major sovereignty decisions, and reward loyal vassal patricians that complied.
As territory within the fallen empire began to balkanize, the Fraternity implemented their final strategy to secure allies and prevent future aggression. Instead of sealing themselves in isolation, the newly formed Kallistrati kingdom began a discreet campaign of soliciting prospective students from across the realms to train under their instruction. With the memory of the magical splendor of the former empire still within memory for some societies, many nobles and governors acquiesced to the Kallistrati’s demands, in exchange for their offers.
From there, the Kallistrati worked to secure the loyalty of many of those prospective students. Some would leave their former homes to join the Kallistrati in order to pursue intellectual pursuits, or escape harsh rulers. Others would attend one of the several colleges that sprung up, and return to their homes after their instruction, and serve as a channel of information and protection for The Fraternity.
Without Knowledge, Chaos Reigns
Capital
Alternative Names
The Fraternity
Demonym
Kallistrati
Government System
Magocracy
Power Structure
Client state / puppet state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Comments