The Maginatrix Confederation

The Maginatrix is a voluntary federation of city-states all unified under a mutual government that engages in the free exchange of resources, research, and trade. They operate under a self-labeled meritocracy where the most capable and learned spellcasters are granted the right to rule. The choice of rulership for each city is arbitrated within the nation's capital, with the most deserving Magisters being granted a ten-year commission under which they are given the freedom to guide the community as they see fit. The capital, Astronal, is a newtek installation that floats a mile above the ground and hosts the Magisters Academy, the largest order of spellcasters on Aramanth.
Laws within each community can vary wildly, with only a number of permanently affirmed rights being universal across the cities, the rest is left to each ruler to dictate for the duration of his tenure. Order is upheld by a small army of automatons produced in Astronel and distributed to the communities. Usually, operational control over the guardian machines is granted to a local guild of glaives pledging service to the ruling and are directed to use them to protect their cities and uphold its laws. The machines are (usually) semi-sentient and contain the mental capacity to engage both in non-lethal arbitration of the laws and, when needed, community outreach.
Aside from having an appointed ruler and automated force of guards, membership in the Confederation comes with some notable benefits, namely in the form of stable, usable tek, steady food, and certain luxuries rarely seen in other parts of the world, like standardized education and safe inter-city transit. These benefits are such that despite the cold climate common to the communities in the confederation, they are some of the more clean, comfortable, and prosperous communities on Aramanth.
When everything is going well, anyway.

Structure

The government is organized around the rulership of the Magisters who are trained at the Academy on Astronal. Those declaring interest for rulership over a community are given training in not only magic and tek, but also law and governance. Those with magical ability may be sought out or invited to take a position in Maginatrix society, but anyone is able to petition to be tested for admission into the Academy. By law, anyone who meets the criteria are granted access to the floating city for training. The Academy prides itself on its neutrality towards entrants, with, in theory, nothing considered outside of a petitioner's knowledge and ability.
Non-citizens are likewise allowed to petition for training, and attendance at the Academy is the easiest way for a foreigner to gain citizenship. Upon completion of their sometimes decades-long training, if a student wishes to pledge themselves to the Heiron Council and the wellbeing of the Maginatrix Confederation they are given seals of citizenship along with their diploma.
For those without the ability to practice magic, there are other ways to gain citizenship--namely service in the Society for Exploration and Reclamation, or SER. The SER holds its headquarters in Astronal and employs adventures from the world over to help in the work of scavenging from Ancients ruins. Those with a decade's employ in the SER can apply for citizenship, and citizenship is required to attain any of the governing ranks in the Society.

Culture

Even with the general liniancy the Heiron Council has over the rulers they instal over communities, the greater ease of travel, culture, and education has led to a defined culture in the Maginatrix communities. Curiosity, cleverness, and reason are all qualities held in high esteem among the federated cities, and bards can make a good living traveling the roads and skyways between communities if they can create art of interest to the people there.
One recognizable side effect to the Magister governance is the hierarchy that has formed around them. Spellcasters and those important enough to live in the floating capital are generally seen as preeminent in society. Below that people can find themselves judged on their intellect and ability to make use of it. Even those who do jobs necessary for the cities are sometimes looked down upon if that job is not particularly mentally challenging.

Public Agenda

The Maginatrix's primary goal is the study of magic and tek and a better understanding of both. To that end, the Society for Exploration and Reclamation maintains a number of adventurer groups constantly setting out to explore ancient ruins to reclaim lost lore. This often puts the Maginatrix at odds with the Arkveil Theocratic Communion, who they see as squandering their findings on a foolish attempt to leave the planet, or the Exult Church, who sees both as too reckless in their disruption of areas of anciet

History

The Maginatrix originated during the Voidgate War when a group of mages and elven traitors discovered an ancient ruin while fleeing a group of Novagleam Night Blades, a highly trained team of assassins. Within the ruin they discovered the controls for what turned out to be an ancient Void Station still partially operational. Discovering this, the group was able to use the buried station's defenses to fend off the Night Blades, and ultimately escape by taking the ruin back into the air.
Naming the now floating structure Astronal, the dilapidated Void Station would ultimately become the base of operations for those fighting against Novagleam in the north, and it is there the final plan would be hatched to destroy the Void Gates and finally end the elven invasion.
After the war, Astronal was filled with a number of spellcasters, fighters, rogues, and many others who had lost their homes to the elves. It was ultimately decided that a new government be formed there, in that floating station. A government purposed towards building an understanding of tek and magic so that should another invasion occur, by the elves or anyone else, the peoples of Aramanth would be better prepared to fend them off.

Religion

Exultism remains the primary faith practiced within the federated Maginatrix communities. When the Commonwealth withdrew it was the Exult Priests who worked to help those then-small communities survive the harsh climate with many lives saved as a result. The Maginatrix would come later and transform these communities into well equipped, well-resourced cities, but the people's commitment to Exultism has yet to fade.
The exception to this is, of course, Astronal itself. While the Heiron Council does have a nominal number of Exult Priests among their number, they exist in advisory roles only. Other, more spiritual faiths are sometimes practiced among the people, but are left to private affairs in modest shrines and temples.

From the Past, We Build the Future

Founding Date

57 FE

Type

Geopolitical, Magocracy

Capital

Astronal

Alternative Names

The Maginatrix, the League of Magister States

Demonym

Magi

Leader

Slaine

Leader Title

High Overseer

Head of Government

Heiron Council

Government System

Electocracy

Power Structure

Federation

Economic System

Palace economy

Currency

The Krisos

Location

Cape of the Maw

Neighboring Nations

• The Kingdom of Lionen