Holtswain Academy

Repositories of power in the South are places like Holtswain Academy. The schools of magic fund research, expeditions, and provide protection to political figures. They concentrate talent, money, and resources then apply each to gather more influence and power. Holtswain is a major political force in the Kingdom of Irisa.
In a reflection of the will of the academy all commerce and the majority of the population has been concentrated in the Auguston Citadel. The surrounding lands are little more than an extended serfdom with no signification towns. In the citadel the academy is spread across five monumental towers. Each tower has a different focus on the use of magic and is led by a High Wizard. The five High Wizards are part of the royal court and advise the king.
The King bows to most of the Academy's desires, but the royal family has an ace up their sleeve. The Holy Order of Light and Sun Temple counter the military and political influence of the academy. The King uses the two factions to keep his power. The political manuevering in the Irisa Courts are legendary.
Like the Sun Temple, the academy recruits new apprentice wizards at a young age and sequesters them into the towers for rigorous training. The academy elevates wizards making research breakthroughs and completing successful expeditions, saying everyone with magical ability can advance.
In reality most recruits remain obscure, working long hours, and any significant findings are claimed by superiors. A significant number of fiend-touched magic sensitive people have collected in the Citadel. Rumors say they are the product of experimentation by the academy. Magic relics collected on expeditions are locked into vaults for use by only the high wizards and their closest aides. Powerful propoganda efforts turn most of the facts into heresay so the general populace turns a blind eye as long as their standard of living is stable.
A few recruits have escaped to the Wildlands in the North, including a well known relic hunter, Vladar Umarov. He published a riveting tale of his last expedition that resulted in his defection to the Avast Library in Etonia. Other high profile defections have happened in the last year, including one of the daughters of the king - though she was an illegitmate daughter.