Ekavaria
The Mage's Civilization, the most magical country which exists in the heart of the most magical area in the world. While perhaps not as old and knowledgeable as Gudai, Ekavarian society is one dedicated to education and the research of magical effects, and as such have quickly become the leaders in arcane research of all kinds.
Ekavaria is Formed by 9 major cities, with smaller towns and villages formed around these. The capital, Praen, lies at the center of the kingdom with eight cities each representing the Ekavarian Schools of magic forming a ring around the capital. Each major city handles the political affairs of itself and the settlements around it, only consulting the capital for broad policy matters. As such Each of the major cities often have wildly varying laws between them, however all cities strive toward the advancement of their chosen school.
Ekavaria's most notable policy on the international stage is its strong resistance towards the expansion of The Immortal Empire, specifically a rogue colony founded on the Maw often referred to as the False Empire. They've been locked in a brutal war for 20 years now, neither side finding a major advantage. Ekavaria's defensive enchantments make it incredibly difficult to take land, but their offensive capabilities were long neglected, and the empire seems to have a nearly infinite supply of men to throw into the war. In terms of non-violent diplomacy, most of Ekavaria's interactions with the surrounding states is in the trade of magical artifacts. As the largest source of magical artifacts on the continent, most civilizations try to stay peaceful in order to maintain the supply of enchanted goods.
Structure
The main political structure of Ekavaria is divided into 4 major levels, The Grand Archmage at the top, and the various High mages at the bottom.
Grand Archmage- The Greatest Mage in the kingdom at any given time and de facto ruler of the country. The Grand Archmage presides over the Council of Eight and has final say in major decisions made for the country. The Grand Archmage does not hold supreme power, and a two thirds agreement of the Council can overrule any individual decisions made by the Grand Archmage. The title of Grand Archmage is not one that is always held. the position is held only by any individual capable enough in all eight schools of magic to best each of the eight Archmages in a special wizards duel. The dual is not necessarily a combat, but instead a competitive test on magical ability. Anyone, no matter the source, may request this challenge, although a test of competence is usually conducted to see if the inquiry warrants serious attention. The Grand Archmage usually serves as the headmaster of the school of High Magic in Praen, although again this is not always the case.
Major Council of Eight: Immediately below the Grand Archmage, the Council of Eight is made up of the Eight Archmages of the Ekavarian schools of magic. The Council makes the majority of decisions which affect Ekavaria as a whole. Individually, each Archmage presides over a minor council of their own and make decisions for the founding city of their school. When a new Archmage is needed to be picked, all graduates of the related school of magic convene to vote on who should be raised as the new Archmage, including those who attended the college but did not gain high mage status. Anyone who passes the Archmages test is legally allowed to be nominated for the position, which technically includes those who are not high mages, although this has never actually happened.
Minor Councils of Eight: Smaller Councils found in each of the eight major Ekavarian cities, each council is presided over by the cities Archmage, and makes decisions for that city, the cities founding school, and major decisions for smaller cities and towns in the surrounding area. Each council member is considered a High Mage for their city. Members of the council are picked from the pool of high mages. When a council member needs to be replaced, all high mages for the area are summoned and vote on the replacement. This includes high mages who have completed the high mages test, but do not have any legal holdings.
High Mages: Anyone who successfully graduates from one of the eight schools of magic can apply to the school of High Magic located in Praen. Passing the program there gives one the title of high mage, which carries a number of legal ramifications, such as the ability to vote. Regions Outside the direct control of the major cities are given to High Mages, chosen amongst the pool of graduates that do not currently have legal holdings. These high mages serve as the rulers for those areas. High Mages are responsible for the protection and wellbeing of their people, as well as giving proper taxation to the major cities. Beyond that and a few required laws, high mages are generally allowed to rule their domain as they see fit. High Mages can be replaced at any time with another newly graduated high mage, with the decision resting on the nearest minor council of eight.
lower rulers: High mages will often appoint vassals of their own to run smaller sections of their holdings, though these vassals do not hold any official title.
History
Initial Founding
Ekavaria was created 200 years ago following the collapse of the previous kingdom which had united nearly the entire continent. This marks it as the oldest country in the maw, but not nearly as old as many of the ancient civilizations on the northern and southern continents. A congregation of newly displaced wizards formed banded together to form what would eventually become Praecan after finding work as court wizards for the various barbarian camps distasteful. The collection of the most powerful mages in the Maw at the time forming a city state resulted in a very powerful organization, and they quickly expanded outward to found nine other major cities, eight of which now make up Ekavaria. After the foundation of these settlements the expansion quickly stopped, the Council satisfied with their land, more interested now with turning inward to focus on their studies. But knowledge exists to be shared, and one of the Archmages eventually opened the first school of magic dedicated to the teaching of his favorite techniques to the general populace. This first school was the School of Power. Not wishing to be outdone, the other Archmages quickly founded schools inside the cities which they had been given control over.Civil War
Tensions between the rival schools quickly intensified, and not twenty years after the formation of Ekavaria, civil war began to loom over the land. Voragus, a city dedicated to the study of other planes, quickly desired expansion, and quickly grew dissatisfied with edicts of peace sent out from the capital. Their dissatisfaction spread, and before long all but a singular city were calling for the capital to either change, or to stamp out rebellion growing in Proventis. When war was finally declared by the city of power against the capital, every other city also took the opportunity to establish independence. Only Tirk, the city of change, allied itself with the Praecan. Each of the major cities believed themselves superior schools of magic compared to each of the other, and many believed they deserved the spot as capital. Without a dedicated school of its own the rebellious cities believed the capital wouldn't pose a threat. The war lasted only three months. The Grand Archmage at the time was Natus Ere, a reclusive figure said to have been the adviser to the old king which had ruled the land before. Said to be quiet and focused only on his studies, the Archmages feared little any contribution he might make. In only a single week seven of the great cities fell,one per day, conquered only by the singular figure of Natus Ere hovering over each city. He single handedly decimated each of the cities armies then felled the lone Archmages in individual combat. Seeing the frightful power their Grand Archmage held each city quickly surrendered. Only the first city to declare rebellion, Voragus, was left. Having scryed the defeat of his fellow rebels, the Archmage of Voragus realized he would not be able to defeat Natus. He began to search frantically for a way to stave off the Grand Archmage. In a sleepless craze he found it, a long forgotten pact hidden in the depths of the city. The Archmage called upon the Ancient Entity to give protection to the city, giving his soul to the beast in exchange for its power and protection, and protection it did give. When Natus arrived at Voragus, he found a horrid abomination where the city once stood. The entire settlement was covered in untold nightmares, it's populace all either hiding inside cellars or have given themselves over to horrific flood. The city itself had become a writhing mass of eyes, mouths, and fleshy tendrils. Said to have fought the army of horror for eight days straight, The Grand Archmage finally collapsed, saved only by a teleportation spell from the other Archmages, united once again against the Eldritch Horror. But Natus hadn't escaped unharmed, a blackened spike had lodged itself inside of the Grand Archmage, staining him with a black corruption. But the council had no time to rest, and Natus immediately began to look for a way to destroy the Abomination Voragus now was. He arrived upon only a single conclusion, a forbidden magic found within the vaults of the ancient library in Praecan, and the Grand Archmage recognized it as the only hope of pushing back the now expanding tide of evil. for a week straight, every able minded mage helped develop the technique, a truly horrific invocation dubbed the Voidfire Bomb. The magic eradicated the very existence of a being touched by the voidfire it produced leaving not even a soul behind. The Archmages debated whether or not even such a dire situation as this one warranted the use of such magic, but it was inevitably decided it had to be done. After such tireless work, the spell was finally completed. The pitch black orb was summoned above the city, and released. Those living in villages miles away reported seeing an unimaginably massive pillar of black fire rising up from old city, and the shockwave could be felt two cities away. At the site of attack, only a large crater remained where the city once stood, covered in pitch black flames. Flames said to burn to this day.Rebuilding
The victory was a somber one, and the entire kingdom lamented that such a Incantation as the Voidfire Bomb was needed to end it The losses didn't end at Voragus, The wounds the Grand Archmage received from the beast finally caught up to him. Only a day after the war's end, Grand Archmage Natus Ere died. But not all was for naught, the war had taught the remaining Archmages the danger of unrestrained searching for power, and the value of cooperation between the schools of magic. Voragus, and along with it the school of Contact. In its stead a new city and school were to be founded, Modestia, The City of Restraint. The Council began to search for a new Archmage to oversee the creation of this new school, and they eventually came upon a quiet mage who had helped develop the containment shield used in the Voidfire Bomb. The newly created school would focus on the protection and nullification of magical effects. A city specifically designed to hold the others in check, so that another civil war wouldn't happen again. Instead of the high mages produced by the other major colleges, the school of Restraint produced Kardi, anti-mages who would serve as judges as policemen for the other cities. While the Archmages and a large portion of the population decided to work together following the war, there were some still bitter at the shear one-sidedness of their defeat. One man in particular, a mage studying at the College of Mortality in Estis whose name has been scrubbed from history, was furious at the bitter defeat, as well as the subsequent cooperation of the cities. Gathering a number of followers, he began to call for a Estis to continue its attempts at secession, claiming that With the Grand Archmages death the city would easily be capable of becoming independent. Desiring no more war and seeing violent tendencies in a number of the new protesters, The Archmage of Mortality sent on order for the arrest of this new leader, who took his followers and fled the city, heading east to begin researching a new project. The man would eventually become known as The Scarlet king.Demography and Population
Ekavaria hold a population of roughly 15 million citizens
3% of the population lives in the major cities
Each of the major cities hold roughly 50,000 people in them
Territories
The Ekavarian Kingdom is approximately 900 miles across with a land area of 631,000 sq miles
Their are nine major cities of Ekavaria, each surrounded by smaller towns and villages which provide food and raw resources for the major cities.
The Major Cities
Praen- The capital and largest of the cities, the college here is devoted to universalism and the training of government officials. Tirk- The city of change, Tirk is the source of many of the countries major mining operations, and is also the location of the countries national mint. Mafect- The city of Emotion Estis- The city of mortalityEducation
Education is considered a vital part of Ekavarian Culture. The majority of the population living outside the major cities receive education from their parents for most of their early lives, and taught their parents trade. If the family is a member of the Church of Eights, the child will likely receive religious education at the church on the designated day of their patron. Those who take a particular liking to the church may become acolytes at the church, and receive training to become a member of clergy. When the child becomes an adult they may apprentice themselves to some tradesmen and learn their ways, or simply continue the trade of their parents.
For those who live in a major city, or whose parents hold a strong enough desire for their child to receive an education, there are the Low Schools. The low schools are divided into three levels, and the first level is open to anyone who wishes to enter. The first school will allow anyone to receive education at it no matter the circumstances. So long as one is able to travel to one of the major cities, they can enter. One of the laws binding high mages is that once per year, the high mage will send a caravan across their domain to see if anyone is willing to enroll at the low schools, and provide them safe passage to the nearest major city. In each of the major cities is a district built for the purpose of housing hopefuls to the low schools, and working in these districts is considered an honorable job.
At the low schools, students are taught Aspethurgy, as well as history, mathematics, literature, and the natural sciences. Generally however everything taught is related back to Aspethurgic theory. While magic is the major topic of study, it's unlikely students will learn to cast anything during their time at the first school. At the end of a 3 year period of study, students take the test of first knowledge. Successfully passing the test of first knowledge grants one the ability to move on to the higher schools, but failure means the student is no longer allowed in the program. the test can be retaken as much as one likes, and one doesn't need to have completed the first school to take the test, however tests are only given once per year. Traditionally, students who passed the test are also given an Aspethurgic tattoo, which they carry with them the rest of their life.
Type
Geopolitical, Magocracy
Demonym
Ekavarian
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Magocracy
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Magically inscribed pieces of paper known as Primiters, often abbreviated to simply prims
Transmutation counterfeiting was a large enough problem that The High Council of Eight decided to switch from using the standard coins of the locals and began dolling out paper with anti-counterfeit runes to combat the issue. One visiting the civilization can have their coin swapped for such papers in Allagis, where the coin is verified before being given the money. There are banks in the other cities where one can perform such transactions, but they take much longer and have a larger tax.
Legislative Body
The Highest level Decisions are made by the Major Council of Eight, the eight Archmages of the Ekavarian schools of magic, and the Grand Archmage who presides over the others. the council normally meets once a year to discuss matters which effect the entire civilization, although they may meet in other circumstances for emergency matters. Each of the nine major cities in Ekavaria are governed by their own minor council of 8, made up of 8 Powerful mages of the cities major school and and presided over by the schools Archmage.
Judicial Body
Laws are carried out by Kardi, mortals whose souls seem to be a void in the Aether and thus exist in a near constant anti-magic field. Such creatures are unable to cast magic, and as such have no school with which to be biased towards. they are also considered to be particularly unfeeling and make excellent anti-mages, allowing them to logically interpret laws and carry them out against even powerful mages.
Location
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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