Veilspire
"Rise above all"
History
Veilspire once stood as an ancient hub for wizards, sorcerers, and all practitioners of magic, particularly those skilled in illusion and divination. Renowned for its vast library and a ruling council of powerful mages, it became the continent's capital for magical learning and innovation. As the city flourished, so too did the arrogance of its inhabitants. Great wizards constructed ever-taller towers, crafted in impossible shapes and proportions, showcasing their grandeur with the aid of magic—a testament to their pride.
The city accumulated immense wealth, with bustling shops selling some of the rarest artifacts in the land. Among these treasures were the famed Veilspire veils, magical garments that protected the wearer from abjuration and divination spells. These veils were coveted by nobles eager to shield themselves from the scheming machinations of rivals.
However, as the city's arrogance reached its peak, Golorrath, God of the Abyss grew resentful. In a day where his cruelty was most high, he cracked the earth beneath Veilspire, seeking to engulf the city and force its inhabitants into his dark domain. In this hour of peril, Vaelora, Goddess of Fate, was born. In a breathtaking display of power, she lifted the city into the air, along with the earth it rested upon. To the folk trapped beneath the chaotic swirl of falling stone, she bestowed wings and foresight, birthing the first Strix.
As the abyss expanded below, Veilspire's towering structures floated hundreds of meters above the earth, foiling the god of the Depths' plans. Waterfalls cascaded from the aether, nourishing the city and forming a lake over the abyss that lay below.
However, when the Sundering occurred, many of the rocks supporting Veilspire began to tumble down, with more drifting into the abyss over the years. With magic faltering, many residents abandoned the city, leaving behind empty schools and shuttered shops. The once-mighty mage council dwindled to a mere figment of its former self, replaced by a people's council that rose to power in the absence of magic.
Now
In the present day, Veilspire is divided into two realms: the noble and powerful, who reside high above, and the poor and destitute, who cling to life in the ruins that have fallen to earth but not sunk beneath the abyssal lake. They use ethers as currency, coins made from metal mined in the floating spires that has a particular lightness to it, almost floating through the air when tossed.
In a desperate bid to reclaim their former glory, the city has become the center for tinkering with God Shard for magical purposes, experimenting to replicate the lost powers of old. By inscribing runes on elemental stones and employing the right incantations, they found it to be possible to mimic the spells of the past.
Yet a lingering sense of desperation still hung over Veilspire, as the waterfalls from the aether have begun to dwindle, and the city gradually lists lower. But now, a new surge of excitement has emerged with the return of magic. Bit by bit, the powerful families of old are rediscovering their lost power—both metaphysical and political—as the city grapples with its tumultuous past and uncertain future.
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