Magnos
From persecuted to powerful
Magnos is a nation in the Eastern Continent. It makes up much of the peninsula and surrounding isles south of Romanorum. It directly borders only Romanorum, but neighbors Harad and Al-Andalus via the Bay of Vergil. It is flanked by the Golden Sea to the east, and the Bay of Vergil to the south and west.
The capital of Magnos, Westport
Magnos is relatively small in comparison to most of the other nations, being the second smallest by landmass after Al-Andalus. Despite its size, the land is full of green and fertile lands and many other natural wonders. Magnos has deep, ancient forests, mountains, hills and rivers. The northern border of Magnos is the Tearflood, a large and storied river supposedly created by the tears of all of all peoples on Arda following the Last of The Primordial Wars. Regardless of the story's veracity, it enlivens the nearby land and the magically-tended farm fields and vineyards of Magnos.
The nation is largely split between two parts - continental Magnos and the nearby islands. Continental Magnos is a large peninsula that juts off the southern edge of the heartlands of Romanorum, while the islands are a series of mostly small islands that are sparsely populated, save for the island hosting the nation's capital, Westport. Between the continent and the isles is a remarkable natural wonder known as the Great Shield Reef, a haven for many species of aquatic life and a source of natural bounty of the people of Magnos. While a natural wonder, it is both a hindrance to shipping but also natural protection against coastal attacks, thus the reef is the "shield" of Magnos.
Unlike most nations with long and illustrious histories, Magnos is a relatively young nation on the world stage. The lands that make up modern-day Magnos were once the possessions of the massive and storied Romanoran Empire. To better understand why Magnos became an independent nation, it is important to be cognizant of the events in the Romanoran Empire that would lead to the formation of Magnos.
In the early days, even before the Romanoran Empire, the lands that would become Magnos were little more than the wandering grounds of nomadic elves who traversed the warm coasts and deep forests of continental Magnos. As the elves developed, some began to worship by ancient druidic practices, combining reverence of the Heaven's creation of nature and life along with the land, sea, air, and warmth the Primordial Lords provided. Thus, the elves of early Magnos differed in some extent to that of their northern neighbors, who solely worshiped the Heavens in its more common portfolios of light and life.
According to legend, it was due to these elven druids of old that the Primordial Fire first spoke to, amidst their fire-lit rituals deep in the ancient and sacred woods. These elves became the first orcs, by hosting spirits of the Primordial Fire. This new creation, and the first of the Children of the Primordials, were blessed by the Primordial Fire, had a strong affinity to it's magics. Emerging from the woods a changed people, it shocked their neighbors, the word spreading like wildfire among the early cities of the elves and their dwarven allies. Thus, believing that evil had corrupted their former friends and neighbors, did the elves and dwarves take up arms against the orcs and their new allies, the duergar.
Being powerful but few in number, they eventually lost the event known as the First Primordial War. Most of the orcs and duergar fled to the pristine and uninhabited lands that would now make up Harad, planning to one day retake their old homeland. Despite the war over, the other elves and dwarves who formed the new Romanoran Empire soon conquered continental Magnos, but looked upon the remaining druids in suspicion. Thus, were the first seeds sown of doubt in magic in the Romanoran Empire.
Time passed, and the Romanorans became more powerful, developing small towns in the lands that would be continental Magnos, and sailed to the neighboring isles. The gnomes and halflings, having recently been brought upon Arda, settled in these warm and temperate lands. Not long after, the Primordials began to speak to them as well, creating the svir and kobolds, and thus did the Second Primordial War ignite. Joined by the orcs and duergar from the south, and the new extraplanar horror, the Shadow, overran the Romanoran's defenses in these lands, killing or converting those who were too slow or never fled. Again did the Romanorans see the destruction wrought by their magics.
Magnos played no direct part of the Last of the Primordial Wars, but held a higher importance after the war. With the fresh start given by the Primordials and the Heavens, some of the orcs began to resettle in the ancient woods of continental Magnos, resuming their druidic rites along with the elven brothers of old. The svir, who were rarely seen after the Last of the Primordial War were said to have left through Magnos, and are still sometimes spotted in the area. Life continued under Romanoran control. Humans came to live in the area, some learning the ways of the local elves and orcs, others living in the coastal and farming communities in the area.
No sooner after the Shadow destroyed the fleet of the Romanoran prince Vergil, did a terrible plague grip the southern lands of Romanorum. While most claim it was the work of the Shadow or it's agents, it is known the plague was deadly and terrible. It raged for years throughout continental Magnos, claiming many lives. After years of research and prayers, did the mages, clerics, and druids of early Magnos discover a cure for the deadly disease. This act bought goodwill for the spellcasters of the region, but did little to sway the hearts and minds of many Romanorans, especially those unaffected by the plague.
As time passed, the Shadow was driven out of Arda, but the memories of the war and destruction caused by magic fester in the hearts of the Romanorans. No longer possessing any serious external enemies, they turned to persecute the mages and druids in their own lands. Most fled the pogroms from their fellow countrymen to the southern lands, where the people retained the memory of mages saving them from the plague. The leaders of the spellcasting communities of Romanorum met on the largest local island, then a small town named Westport. There, they coordinated a revolution and seceded from the Romanoran Empire.
The war was short but brutal, with the spellcasters of the new nation of Magnos driving out the Romanoran Legions with a hail of fireballs, peals of lightning, and great ice shards. They mages now concocting thoughts of domination themselves, advanced until they reached the Tearflood, and again remembering their purpose was to liberate rather than become new tyrants, halted their advance. They then set up a magical barrier at the border, and then set to developing their newfound nation.
Since then, Magnos has developed into a powerhouse of magical research, and with the application of magic in everything from agriculture to civil engineering, became prosperous as well. The nation is an open invitation for persecuted spellcasters the world over, and also serves as the world's primary educators of the proper use and responsibility that magic carries.
Magnos, by its nature as a safe haven for spellcasters, is diverse in peoples and cultures. It is one of few lands, and the only in the Eastern Continent, where humans are not the majority group. Regardless of their ancestry or backgrounds, the people of Magnos are galvanized by a common praxis - the use of magic. In Magnos, any such capacity to cast spells or use magical spell-like abilities (such as psions) is called Power. The peoples of Magnos consider it to be a worthy ideal, or even art, to be a potent caster or Power-user.
All kinds of spellcasters live in Magnos, each drawing upon one or more magical traditions such as sorcerer bloodlines, arcane and occult magics, druidic magics, and the more typical domains of Heavens and Primordial clerics. Each have their role in Magnos society, and everyone benefits from the magical skill of their neighbors. In a sense, even Shadow magic is permitted and researched in Magnos, as long as it is not aligned with Shadow-worship. Such projects are under tight control and scrutiny, but is still far more freedom than offered by most other nations.
As a result of the importance of magic here, it is entwined with many aspects of life in Magnos. Farms are frequently watered by magical pipelines, some even tended to by enchanted tools. Streetlights are empowered by magical light spells, being more reliable than the candles and torches seen in other cities. Thanks to magic, art is taken to new heights, with everything from statues to homes built in interesting and often gravity-defying ways. All in all, it is said to be an enchanting land to travel through.
While life in Magnos is ideal for those with magical talent or Power, life can be more difficult for those without it. These people are called the "Powerless", which is true in both in lacking a "Power" and having little say or position in their nation. While laws in Magnos are rarely intentionally skewed in favor of spellcasters, but the emphasis the Magnosi place in the power of magic can make life difficult for the Powerless. By law, they are not allowed to go to the capital Westport, and many Powerless struggle to use the increasing amount of magical tools that have made Magnos successful in fields such as agriculture or building. As a result, the Powerless are often to relegated to the most menial of tasks and often live in poverty. Many Magnosi believe such treatment is unfair, but real change for the lives of the Powerless has been slow.
Magnos, as stated earlier, has been and continues to be a safe haven for spellcasters the world over. Many persecuted mages, especially from Romanorum and Harad, find a home and a life here they thought they could have nowhere else. Such people, who likely had received no magical instruction before, can be taught to use or channel their magical ability. Education is a role that Magnos takes in pride, sporting numerous educational facilities throughout the nation from early childhood to graduate studies, for those with and without Power. In rare cases, powerful nobles may In general, most Magnosi take magic seriously, and a large part of their education is to use their power for the greater good than selfish means.
In Arda, magic and religion are often intertwined. Clerics and druids, for example, venerate deities, and the study and devotion of the clerics empower them with the ability to channel magic from their deities power through themselves. In some cases, such as druids, worship multiple divine entities or the nature they created. As one of the most common sources of magical power, religion tends to be a large factor in the lives of the Magnosi, especially for those clerics and druids who are reliant on divine power.
Unlike the other nations of the Eastern Continent, Primordial worship is the most common among the peoples of Magnos, with Heavens worship being the second most prevalent. This is due to several reasons - the first is a larger than average number of the Children of the Primordials (orcs, duergar, svir, kobolds) who live in Magnos than the other nations. Secondly, many mages, regardless of their source of power, worship one or more of the Primordial Lords in the belief of the Primordial Lords empowering their spells or revealing divine knowledge to them. Lastly, the religious tolerance seen in Magnos allowed Primordial worship to flourish where the faiths had been suppressed elsewhere.
Among Primordial worshipers, the Primordial Fire and Primordial Water are chief among them. The Primordial Fire, who represents the dual nature of fire as a source of light and warmth as well as it's acrid flames, the Firelord resonates with many followers even outside of its original orcish supplicants. The Primordial Water is also popular among the alchemists and artificers of Magnos, as the Primordial Water's portfolio is the study of science and technology. The Goddess, as often called by it's followers, is often counted as the divine muse for many new advancements, from magical to mundane.
While Primordial worship is more common in Magnos than in other nations, Heavens worship still plays a large part in the lives of the Magnosi. As in the nations outside of Magnos, the clerics of the Heavens are frequently act as healers and moral counselors. They set up monasteries and hospitals for the sick and poor, and champion the Powerless and other vulnerable members of society. In numerous cases, clerics in Magnos take on new studies, becoming scholars of magic themselves, and further contribute to Magnosi society.
Magnos is a magocracy. In other words, it is a nation ruled by mages and other magic users who live in Magnos. As earlier stated, education is an important part of life in Magnos, and here teachers of magic and related studies wield incredible power and influence. This is mirrored in the way Magnos governs and set relations within and outside of it's borders. Laws are set by a series of magical education faculty known as the Council of Twenty-Two. The Council is made up from the deans from twenty-three magical studies and disciplines such as Conjuration, Natural Sciences, or War Magic. The intent is that such a council, with knowledge of such a wide array of subjects, should be able to determine fair and logical laws for their people.
From this Council of Twenty-Two, an Archmagister is elected from among their number, representing not only their own department but also is the face of their nation. Thus, the governing body is made of twenty-two councilors and the Archmagister who represent twenty-three fields of study. The Archmagister is a tenured position, meaning that a person who accepts will serve for life or until they abdicate. In a nation where competition and magical talent is incredible, the Archmagister is often a person of exceptional knowledge and magical prowess.
While law is argued and legislated by the Archmagister and the Council, it is supported by a number of hereditary lords who maintain law and order, especially in the continental part of Magnos. These local lords are called "Margraves", and they are the descendants of the Romanoran Senators who gave the spellcasters shelter in their time of persecution. It is unusual, but not impossible, for new Margraves to be created. People who provide great services to Magnos may be gifted lands to rule in their name, and for their children to inherit.
Magnos, in comparison to their neighbors, has a relatively small military. The standing army of Magnos is known as the Spellguard. The Spellguard is a force that consists of numerous units of disciplined spellswords, wizards, and other spellcasters who are famous for their integration of magic in military tactics. As capable spellcasters, they are formidable foes to meet upon the battlefield with their precise and deadly magics. While they are numerically fewer than other armies, their magical capacity has made a powerful impact on the world stage. Their effectiveness has even made the military-minded Romanorans to reconsider the use of magic in their own legions.
The Spellguard is most famous for their golden-colored armor. The armor, not only protective in nature against sword and magic, is stylish and its finely-polished surface handily reflects light spells, which is used to disorient their enemies. In addition to their duties of protecting the borders, the Spellguards also act to support town guards, act as customs agents, and investigate crimes that involve magic. Most of the Spellguard is elven, meaning they have numerous years of experience and training, but their non-elven members are still important aspects of their force. The Spellguard is led by the dean of War Magic, who makes up a part of the Council of Twenty-Two. In cases where the dean of War Magic becomes the Archmagister, the dean will select a second-in-command to lead the Spellguard while the Archmagister serves their tenure.
While an economy is an important aspect of any nation, Magnos has become prosperous, but not for traditional reasons. Their prosperity is not because of shrewd trade deals or abundant natural resources, but because their creation of magical tools have increased yields of food and other necessities with less physical labor. These magical tools, largely being produced only by craftsmen in Magnos, are extremely sought after in other nations and such magical tools fetch great sums in the markets of powerful merchants or landowners.
In addition, the magical and mundane research performed in Magnos has created new methods of agriculture and mining which are less invasive but similarly or sometimes even more effective to the methods of their neighbors. Thus, most Magnosi live lives of general prosperity. The only exception is that of the Powerless, who without skill or capacity of magic are unable to use magical tools effectively. Such peoples often live performing menial work that allows them to eke out a living.
Magnos sends and receives envoys from numerous nations, from both near and far. Realistically, most nations engage in diplomacy with Magnos with two objectives - to trade for magical goods, or in support in matters relating to spellcasters. In the later case, some countries, such as Harad or historically the Romanoran Empire, sought to deport spellcasters to Magnos. Harad and (until recently) Romanorum determined mages to be undesirables they wanted out of their lands. Romanorum, in recent history, has reversed course, and now seeks to repatriate the spellcasters they once deported.
On the opposite end, the Magnosi engage in diplomacy to maintain stable relations with their neighbors in regards to both military and trade purposes. They also do so to advocate for the expansion of mage's rights in other nations, especially where spellcasters are persecuted. The Magnosi have also advocated for the creation of new Magnosi-style of schools to export their teaching and philosophy abroad.
See Also: The Story So Far
Following the recovery of the tomes of the Shadow-worshiper Quietus from the S.L.Y. archives in Harad, Torchmaster Torval sent Gregor and Zelt (joined by Selena and More) to find a translator for the tomes. The tomes were written in Shadowscript, which is known by very few outside the fetchlings and the Shadow-worshipers. Torval sent you to find a friend and ally of the Torches, the dean of language studies, Sendor. It was revealed that Selena was the ex-wife of Sendor, and she was originally hesitant to go see him again. Gregor helped convince her make the trip, and the party sailed from Augustus to the seaside city of Creci with the help of the orcish captain, Old Salt.
After an attack by naval fetchlings, they arrived in Creci safely. There, they took part in the time-honored tradition of the Midnight Duelists. Little known to the party, the city has been rocked by a series of serial kidnappings. In response, the local lord, Margrave Alma, locked down the city, including the party after the Margrave's own son was kidnapped. In order to lift the lockdown, the party joined the investigation. While out investigating, Selena was ambushed and her son, More, was kidnapped. Following his abductors, they followed them to an abandoned warehouse.
Getting a closer look at the warehouse, it was revealed that the warehouse was the base of operations for a gang of fetchling artificers who were kidnapping vulnerable people with magical power to drain of their magical energy. Their aim was to create the Mage-Ring, a long-distance magical teleportation device which they could use as the Shadow's foothold in Magnos. To use it over such a great distance requires great magical energy, which is why the fetchlings stole their victims.
Rather than engaging the enemy directly, the party instead called upon the large Spellguard detachment in Creci, and surrounded the warehouse, and quickly raiding it. They took numerous fetchlings prisoner, and liberated the remaining kidnapping victims, including More and the Margrave's son. The Margrave rewarded the party for uncovering the plot and saving her son, and sent the party off on the VIP quarters of the great magical steamship The Pride of Magnos to Westport.
Arriving in Westport, they were greeted by a strange envoy of the Archmagister, Ferandis, who offered to take them to see the Archmagister. Soon after entering the city proper, More became seriously ill, and much to Ferandis' disdain, took him to Cleric's Hall, Westport's primary hospital. There, they were met by Selena's brother, Carus, who was also the personal physician of the Archmagister. He determined More had ley sickness from the change in magical pressure upon entering the city. Soon after, the Archmagister came himself to check in on the party. He was surprised to see his ex-wife, Selena again, but gave her space considering the situation.
Following More's recovery, the Archmagister offered to help translate the Shadowscript tomes, and even teach Zelt how to read Shadowscript himself. By translating the tomes, they uncovered hidden magics and eldritch knowledge about the world they lived in, but also that the Shadow was weak to Sunmetal. In the meantime, Gregor learned history and spells at the great library in Westport, and Zelt took on a position as an assistant professor of Natural Sciences. During the process, the Archmagister invited them to attend a lecture by a cleric and scholar of the Primordial Water, Miziens. The scholar claimed to have narrowed down the city of the svir, and by extension, the ancient temple of the Primordial Water.
Archmagister Sendor then sent the party to acquire the Sunmetal from the svir city. Joined by Miziens, the party ventured to the svir city, and were shocked to find the svir in league with the Shadow. There they saw a regal but golden-chained fetchling, who was called the Tyrant. He claimed to speak for the Gilded Dragon the Shadow, and commanded the svir and fetchlings there. The svir and fetchlings were ordered to move the last remaining Sunmetal for safekeeping in the Blood Fortress of Thuban to keep it away from the Shadow's enemies. Fortunately, the party foiled their schemes, and recovered the remaining Sunmetal.
Traveling back, the party found that Sendor and Selena had mended their relationship. To celebrate their victory, Sendor invited the party to a small personal dinner at his home. Arriving at the appointed time, they found Sendor struggling with Ferandis, revealed to be a fetchling spy, over the Sunmetal. Ferandis fled after seeing the party, and Sendor told them that his marriage failed over after their first son died of disease. Sendor belived he could ultimately mend their relationship by reviving their dead son, he tried to use the Sunmetal as a powerful reagent to overcome the normal limitations of the resurrection spell. Seeing how his selfish actions endangered the greater world, he gave the Sunmetal back to the party for safekeeping. He returned to Selena, determined to be a better husband and a father to More.
A part of Geography and Regions See Also
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Geography
Magnos is relatively small in comparison to most of the other nations, being the second smallest by landmass after Al-Andalus. Despite its size, the land is full of green and fertile lands and many other natural wonders. Magnos has deep, ancient forests, mountains, hills and rivers. The northern border of Magnos is the Tearflood, a large and storied river supposedly created by the tears of all of all peoples on Arda following the Last of The Primordial Wars. Regardless of the story's veracity, it enlivens the nearby land and the magically-tended farm fields and vineyards of Magnos.
The nation is largely split between two parts - continental Magnos and the nearby islands. Continental Magnos is a large peninsula that juts off the southern edge of the heartlands of Romanorum, while the islands are a series of mostly small islands that are sparsely populated, save for the island hosting the nation's capital, Westport. Between the continent and the isles is a remarkable natural wonder known as the Great Shield Reef, a haven for many species of aquatic life and a source of natural bounty of the people of Magnos. While a natural wonder, it is both a hindrance to shipping but also natural protection against coastal attacks, thus the reef is the "shield" of Magnos.
History
Unlike most nations with long and illustrious histories, Magnos is a relatively young nation on the world stage. The lands that make up modern-day Magnos were once the possessions of the massive and storied Romanoran Empire. To better understand why Magnos became an independent nation, it is important to be cognizant of the events in the Romanoran Empire that would lead to the formation of Magnos.
In the early days, even before the Romanoran Empire, the lands that would become Magnos were little more than the wandering grounds of nomadic elves who traversed the warm coasts and deep forests of continental Magnos. As the elves developed, some began to worship by ancient druidic practices, combining reverence of the Heaven's creation of nature and life along with the land, sea, air, and warmth the Primordial Lords provided. Thus, the elves of early Magnos differed in some extent to that of their northern neighbors, who solely worshiped the Heavens in its more common portfolios of light and life.
According to legend, it was due to these elven druids of old that the Primordial Fire first spoke to, amidst their fire-lit rituals deep in the ancient and sacred woods. These elves became the first orcs, by hosting spirits of the Primordial Fire. This new creation, and the first of the Children of the Primordials, were blessed by the Primordial Fire, had a strong affinity to it's magics. Emerging from the woods a changed people, it shocked their neighbors, the word spreading like wildfire among the early cities of the elves and their dwarven allies. Thus, believing that evil had corrupted their former friends and neighbors, did the elves and dwarves take up arms against the orcs and their new allies, the duergar.
Being powerful but few in number, they eventually lost the event known as the First Primordial War. Most of the orcs and duergar fled to the pristine and uninhabited lands that would now make up Harad, planning to one day retake their old homeland. Despite the war over, the other elves and dwarves who formed the new Romanoran Empire soon conquered continental Magnos, but looked upon the remaining druids in suspicion. Thus, were the first seeds sown of doubt in magic in the Romanoran Empire.
Time passed, and the Romanorans became more powerful, developing small towns in the lands that would be continental Magnos, and sailed to the neighboring isles. The gnomes and halflings, having recently been brought upon Arda, settled in these warm and temperate lands. Not long after, the Primordials began to speak to them as well, creating the svir and kobolds, and thus did the Second Primordial War ignite. Joined by the orcs and duergar from the south, and the new extraplanar horror, the Shadow, overran the Romanoran's defenses in these lands, killing or converting those who were too slow or never fled. Again did the Romanorans see the destruction wrought by their magics.
Magnos played no direct part of the Last of the Primordial Wars, but held a higher importance after the war. With the fresh start given by the Primordials and the Heavens, some of the orcs began to resettle in the ancient woods of continental Magnos, resuming their druidic rites along with the elven brothers of old. The svir, who were rarely seen after the Last of the Primordial War were said to have left through Magnos, and are still sometimes spotted in the area. Life continued under Romanoran control. Humans came to live in the area, some learning the ways of the local elves and orcs, others living in the coastal and farming communities in the area.
No sooner after the Shadow destroyed the fleet of the Romanoran prince Vergil, did a terrible plague grip the southern lands of Romanorum. While most claim it was the work of the Shadow or it's agents, it is known the plague was deadly and terrible. It raged for years throughout continental Magnos, claiming many lives. After years of research and prayers, did the mages, clerics, and druids of early Magnos discover a cure for the deadly disease. This act bought goodwill for the spellcasters of the region, but did little to sway the hearts and minds of many Romanorans, especially those unaffected by the plague.
As time passed, the Shadow was driven out of Arda, but the memories of the war and destruction caused by magic fester in the hearts of the Romanorans. No longer possessing any serious external enemies, they turned to persecute the mages and druids in their own lands. Most fled the pogroms from their fellow countrymen to the southern lands, where the people retained the memory of mages saving them from the plague. The leaders of the spellcasting communities of Romanorum met on the largest local island, then a small town named Westport. There, they coordinated a revolution and seceded from the Romanoran Empire.
The war was short but brutal, with the spellcasters of the new nation of Magnos driving out the Romanoran Legions with a hail of fireballs, peals of lightning, and great ice shards. They mages now concocting thoughts of domination themselves, advanced until they reached the Tearflood, and again remembering their purpose was to liberate rather than become new tyrants, halted their advance. They then set up a magical barrier at the border, and then set to developing their newfound nation.
Since then, Magnos has developed into a powerhouse of magical research, and with the application of magic in everything from agriculture to civil engineering, became prosperous as well. The nation is an open invitation for persecuted spellcasters the world over, and also serves as the world's primary educators of the proper use and responsibility that magic carries.
People and Culture
Magnos, by its nature as a safe haven for spellcasters, is diverse in peoples and cultures. It is one of few lands, and the only in the Eastern Continent, where humans are not the majority group. Regardless of their ancestry or backgrounds, the people of Magnos are galvanized by a common praxis - the use of magic. In Magnos, any such capacity to cast spells or use magical spell-like abilities (such as psions) is called Power. The peoples of Magnos consider it to be a worthy ideal, or even art, to be a potent caster or Power-user.
All kinds of spellcasters live in Magnos, each drawing upon one or more magical traditions such as sorcerer bloodlines, arcane and occult magics, druidic magics, and the more typical domains of Heavens and Primordial clerics. Each have their role in Magnos society, and everyone benefits from the magical skill of their neighbors. In a sense, even Shadow magic is permitted and researched in Magnos, as long as it is not aligned with Shadow-worship. Such projects are under tight control and scrutiny, but is still far more freedom than offered by most other nations.
As a result of the importance of magic here, it is entwined with many aspects of life in Magnos. Farms are frequently watered by magical pipelines, some even tended to by enchanted tools. Streetlights are empowered by magical light spells, being more reliable than the candles and torches seen in other cities. Thanks to magic, art is taken to new heights, with everything from statues to homes built in interesting and often gravity-defying ways. All in all, it is said to be an enchanting land to travel through.
While life in Magnos is ideal for those with magical talent or Power, life can be more difficult for those without it. These people are called the "Powerless", which is true in both in lacking a "Power" and having little say or position in their nation. While laws in Magnos are rarely intentionally skewed in favor of spellcasters, but the emphasis the Magnosi place in the power of magic can make life difficult for the Powerless. By law, they are not allowed to go to the capital Westport, and many Powerless struggle to use the increasing amount of magical tools that have made Magnos successful in fields such as agriculture or building. As a result, the Powerless are often to relegated to the most menial of tasks and often live in poverty. Many Magnosi believe such treatment is unfair, but real change for the lives of the Powerless has been slow.
Magnos, as stated earlier, has been and continues to be a safe haven for spellcasters the world over. Many persecuted mages, especially from Romanorum and Harad, find a home and a life here they thought they could have nowhere else. Such people, who likely had received no magical instruction before, can be taught to use or channel their magical ability. Education is a role that Magnos takes in pride, sporting numerous educational facilities throughout the nation from early childhood to graduate studies, for those with and without Power. In rare cases, powerful nobles may In general, most Magnosi take magic seriously, and a large part of their education is to use their power for the greater good than selfish means.
Religion
In Arda, magic and religion are often intertwined. Clerics and druids, for example, venerate deities, and the study and devotion of the clerics empower them with the ability to channel magic from their deities power through themselves. In some cases, such as druids, worship multiple divine entities or the nature they created. As one of the most common sources of magical power, religion tends to be a large factor in the lives of the Magnosi, especially for those clerics and druids who are reliant on divine power.
Unlike the other nations of the Eastern Continent, Primordial worship is the most common among the peoples of Magnos, with Heavens worship being the second most prevalent. This is due to several reasons - the first is a larger than average number of the Children of the Primordials (orcs, duergar, svir, kobolds) who live in Magnos than the other nations. Secondly, many mages, regardless of their source of power, worship one or more of the Primordial Lords in the belief of the Primordial Lords empowering their spells or revealing divine knowledge to them. Lastly, the religious tolerance seen in Magnos allowed Primordial worship to flourish where the faiths had been suppressed elsewhere.
Among Primordial worshipers, the Primordial Fire and Primordial Water are chief among them. The Primordial Fire, who represents the dual nature of fire as a source of light and warmth as well as it's acrid flames, the Firelord resonates with many followers even outside of its original orcish supplicants. The Primordial Water is also popular among the alchemists and artificers of Magnos, as the Primordial Water's portfolio is the study of science and technology. The Goddess, as often called by it's followers, is often counted as the divine muse for many new advancements, from magical to mundane.
While Primordial worship is more common in Magnos than in other nations, Heavens worship still plays a large part in the lives of the Magnosi. As in the nations outside of Magnos, the clerics of the Heavens are frequently act as healers and moral counselors. They set up monasteries and hospitals for the sick and poor, and champion the Powerless and other vulnerable members of society. In numerous cases, clerics in Magnos take on new studies, becoming scholars of magic themselves, and further contribute to Magnosi society.
Government
Magnos is a magocracy. In other words, it is a nation ruled by mages and other magic users who live in Magnos. As earlier stated, education is an important part of life in Magnos, and here teachers of magic and related studies wield incredible power and influence. This is mirrored in the way Magnos governs and set relations within and outside of it's borders. Laws are set by a series of magical education faculty known as the Council of Twenty-Two. The Council is made up from the deans from twenty-three magical studies and disciplines such as Conjuration, Natural Sciences, or War Magic. The intent is that such a council, with knowledge of such a wide array of subjects, should be able to determine fair and logical laws for their people.
From this Council of Twenty-Two, an Archmagister is elected from among their number, representing not only their own department but also is the face of their nation. Thus, the governing body is made of twenty-two councilors and the Archmagister who represent twenty-three fields of study. The Archmagister is a tenured position, meaning that a person who accepts will serve for life or until they abdicate. In a nation where competition and magical talent is incredible, the Archmagister is often a person of exceptional knowledge and magical prowess.
While law is argued and legislated by the Archmagister and the Council, it is supported by a number of hereditary lords who maintain law and order, especially in the continental part of Magnos. These local lords are called "Margraves", and they are the descendants of the Romanoran Senators who gave the spellcasters shelter in their time of persecution. It is unusual, but not impossible, for new Margraves to be created. People who provide great services to Magnos may be gifted lands to rule in their name, and for their children to inherit.
Military
Magnos, in comparison to their neighbors, has a relatively small military. The standing army of Magnos is known as the Spellguard. The Spellguard is a force that consists of numerous units of disciplined spellswords, wizards, and other spellcasters who are famous for their integration of magic in military tactics. As capable spellcasters, they are formidable foes to meet upon the battlefield with their precise and deadly magics. While they are numerically fewer than other armies, their magical capacity has made a powerful impact on the world stage. Their effectiveness has even made the military-minded Romanorans to reconsider the use of magic in their own legions.
The Spellguard is most famous for their golden-colored armor. The armor, not only protective in nature against sword and magic, is stylish and its finely-polished surface handily reflects light spells, which is used to disorient their enemies. In addition to their duties of protecting the borders, the Spellguards also act to support town guards, act as customs agents, and investigate crimes that involve magic. Most of the Spellguard is elven, meaning they have numerous years of experience and training, but their non-elven members are still important aspects of their force. The Spellguard is led by the dean of War Magic, who makes up a part of the Council of Twenty-Two. In cases where the dean of War Magic becomes the Archmagister, the dean will select a second-in-command to lead the Spellguard while the Archmagister serves their tenure.
Organizations
- Council of Twenty-Two - The political heart of Magnos, the Council consists of twenty-two members from across twenty-three departments. The last department is represented by the twenty-third member and leader of the Council, the Archmagister. Over time, new departments gain representation, and other departments merge, but there are always twenty-three total representatives.
- Magnosi Spellguard - The military arm of the Magnosi government. These golden-armored spellswords and mages are the cornerstone of order in Magnos, being the spine of Magnos defense and supports order in local towns and crime investigations. It is always led by the dean of War Magic department.
- The Midnight Duelists - In the city of Creci, citizens take on the guise of masked duelists. Every night, they go out on the streets of the city to take part in magical or physical (non-fatal) duels against each other. While most foreigners are discouraged to stay inside at night, many find the spectacle to hard to resist to watch or even join in!
- The Torches - The Torches, much like in the other nations of the Eatsern Continent have a base in Magnos. The Torch base in Magnos is in the city of Creci, along the Eastern coast of continental Magnos. The Torches here benefit greatly from Magnos experienced mages and access to their magical technology.
- S.L.Y. - The Secret League of Yew also maintains a nest in Magnos, but they are closer to the hivemind of Magnos' magical and mundane research. Based in the capital, Westport, they operate out of a small alchemical store that acts as the front for the pilfering of magical and technological secrets. Contracts for assassinations are rare here, but there is no lack of work to steal trade secrets or to spoil the work of a rival researcher.
Economy
While an economy is an important aspect of any nation, Magnos has become prosperous, but not for traditional reasons. Their prosperity is not because of shrewd trade deals or abundant natural resources, but because their creation of magical tools have increased yields of food and other necessities with less physical labor. These magical tools, largely being produced only by craftsmen in Magnos, are extremely sought after in other nations and such magical tools fetch great sums in the markets of powerful merchants or landowners.
In addition, the magical and mundane research performed in Magnos has created new methods of agriculture and mining which are less invasive but similarly or sometimes even more effective to the methods of their neighbors. Thus, most Magnosi live lives of general prosperity. The only exception is that of the Powerless, who without skill or capacity of magic are unable to use magical tools effectively. Such peoples often live performing menial work that allows them to eke out a living.
Relations
Magnos sends and receives envoys from numerous nations, from both near and far. Realistically, most nations engage in diplomacy with Magnos with two objectives - to trade for magical goods, or in support in matters relating to spellcasters. In the later case, some countries, such as Harad or historically the Romanoran Empire, sought to deport spellcasters to Magnos. Harad and (until recently) Romanorum determined mages to be undesirables they wanted out of their lands. Romanorum, in recent history, has reversed course, and now seeks to repatriate the spellcasters they once deported.
On the opposite end, the Magnosi engage in diplomacy to maintain stable relations with their neighbors in regards to both military and trade purposes. They also do so to advocate for the expansion of mage's rights in other nations, especially where spellcasters are persecuted. The Magnosi have also advocated for the creation of new Magnosi-style of schools to export their teaching and philosophy abroad.
Locations of Interest
- Westport - The capital of Magnos. It is a vast and wonderful city that takes up much of the island it is based on. The city is home to numerous magical and architectural wonders that have made the city famous. Those who do not possess Power can't enter the city without a specific permit. In addition, the city exudes a tremendous amount of magical energy. This overwhelming magical energy can make young spellcasters or Powerless physically ill, as their bodies aren't accustomed to regulating exterior magical energy in and out of their bodies. This illness is called "Ley Sickness". While most of the island is the city and suburbs, the eastern part of the island is a dedicated nature sanctuary where druids practice ancient rites as they had in days of old.
- "City" - The believed homeland of the svir. After the Last of The Primordial Wars, the svir left Romanorum to make their own homeland. They sailed to the isles off the coast of Magnos, digging deep into the earth, and found great amounts of Sunmetal. They built a large domed city deep underground, harnessing the nearby Golden Sea for power and worship as an extension of the Primordial Water.
- Creci - The second-largest city in Magnos after Westport. It is the largest on continental Magnos. It is where the Torch base is located in Magnos, and also the primary training grounds of the Spellguard. It is also home of the Midnight Duelists, making Creci a popular destination for travelers looking to watch or join in on the spectacle of the masked duelists. The city is also home to a great floating castle built upon the remains of a comet, called Comet Keep.
- Great Shield Reef - A large coral reef that exists off the eastern coast of Magnos. It is home to many species of aquatic sea life. The coral formations are difficult to traverse by foreign sea men who are unfamiliar with it, making it a "shield" for Magnos against naval aggression.
Shadows Over Arda
See Also: The Story So Far
Following the recovery of the tomes of the Shadow-worshiper Quietus from the S.L.Y. archives in Harad, Torchmaster Torval sent Gregor and Zelt (joined by Selena and More) to find a translator for the tomes. The tomes were written in Shadowscript, which is known by very few outside the fetchlings and the Shadow-worshipers. Torval sent you to find a friend and ally of the Torches, the dean of language studies, Sendor. It was revealed that Selena was the ex-wife of Sendor, and she was originally hesitant to go see him again. Gregor helped convince her make the trip, and the party sailed from Augustus to the seaside city of Creci with the help of the orcish captain, Old Salt.
After an attack by naval fetchlings, they arrived in Creci safely. There, they took part in the time-honored tradition of the Midnight Duelists. Little known to the party, the city has been rocked by a series of serial kidnappings. In response, the local lord, Margrave Alma, locked down the city, including the party after the Margrave's own son was kidnapped. In order to lift the lockdown, the party joined the investigation. While out investigating, Selena was ambushed and her son, More, was kidnapped. Following his abductors, they followed them to an abandoned warehouse.
Getting a closer look at the warehouse, it was revealed that the warehouse was the base of operations for a gang of fetchling artificers who were kidnapping vulnerable people with magical power to drain of their magical energy. Their aim was to create the Mage-Ring, a long-distance magical teleportation device which they could use as the Shadow's foothold in Magnos. To use it over such a great distance requires great magical energy, which is why the fetchlings stole their victims.
Rather than engaging the enemy directly, the party instead called upon the large Spellguard detachment in Creci, and surrounded the warehouse, and quickly raiding it. They took numerous fetchlings prisoner, and liberated the remaining kidnapping victims, including More and the Margrave's son. The Margrave rewarded the party for uncovering the plot and saving her son, and sent the party off on the VIP quarters of the great magical steamship The Pride of Magnos to Westport.
Arriving in Westport, they were greeted by a strange envoy of the Archmagister, Ferandis, who offered to take them to see the Archmagister. Soon after entering the city proper, More became seriously ill, and much to Ferandis' disdain, took him to Cleric's Hall, Westport's primary hospital. There, they were met by Selena's brother, Carus, who was also the personal physician of the Archmagister. He determined More had ley sickness from the change in magical pressure upon entering the city. Soon after, the Archmagister came himself to check in on the party. He was surprised to see his ex-wife, Selena again, but gave her space considering the situation.
Following More's recovery, the Archmagister offered to help translate the Shadowscript tomes, and even teach Zelt how to read Shadowscript himself. By translating the tomes, they uncovered hidden magics and eldritch knowledge about the world they lived in, but also that the Shadow was weak to Sunmetal. In the meantime, Gregor learned history and spells at the great library in Westport, and Zelt took on a position as an assistant professor of Natural Sciences. During the process, the Archmagister invited them to attend a lecture by a cleric and scholar of the Primordial Water, Miziens. The scholar claimed to have narrowed down the city of the svir, and by extension, the ancient temple of the Primordial Water.
Archmagister Sendor then sent the party to acquire the Sunmetal from the svir city. Joined by Miziens, the party ventured to the svir city, and were shocked to find the svir in league with the Shadow. There they saw a regal but golden-chained fetchling, who was called the Tyrant. He claimed to speak for the Gilded Dragon the Shadow, and commanded the svir and fetchlings there. The svir and fetchlings were ordered to move the last remaining Sunmetal for safekeeping in the Blood Fortress of Thuban to keep it away from the Shadow's enemies. Fortunately, the party foiled their schemes, and recovered the remaining Sunmetal.
Traveling back, the party found that Sendor and Selena had mended their relationship. To celebrate their victory, Sendor invited the party to a small personal dinner at his home. Arriving at the appointed time, they found Sendor struggling with Ferandis, revealed to be a fetchling spy, over the Sunmetal. Ferandis fled after seeing the party, and Sendor told them that his marriage failed over after their first son died of disease. Sendor belived he could ultimately mend their relationship by reviving their dead son, he tried to use the Sunmetal as a powerful reagent to overcome the normal limitations of the resurrection spell. Seeing how his selfish actions endangered the greater world, he gave the Sunmetal back to the party for safekeeping. He returned to Selena, determined to be a better husband and a father to More.
Trivia
- Magnos is loosely-based on the city of mages, Magnostadt, from Magi.
See Also
A part of Geography and Regions See Also
Quick Reference:
Type
Region
Region: Eastern Continent
Government: Magocracy (Rule by mages)
National Language: Magnosi Elvish
Ancestry: 40% Elf, 15% Half-Elf, 15% Men, 10% Gnome, 10% Orc, 5% Kobold, 5% Other or un-described mixed ancestry
Religion: 50% Primordial, 35% Heavens, 5% Druidism, 10% Other
General Alignment: Neutral Good
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