Zarathar
"You've heard of the splendours that Zarathar has to offer. We all have, the revelries along with the heartaches. Some ephemeral beauty betwixt the surface world and the Shadowfell, a city of unfettered passion smothered with the sweetest of lies. A light shining in darkness, luring the purest of hearts to turn rotten.
If it's not the men or women, it's the music that will make your heart and body sing. You are surrounded, you see? For the walls, the steps, and the bridge to your heart was created out of an Old Flame that was never snuffed to begin with. O' blessed are we to be surrounded by love! Memories of invincible love, that which we cannot undo.
We Drows don't know how to be silent when our hearts are talking. For in our tongue we do not say 'I love you', we say 'I love'. People pass one another, forever strangers. But mark my words, there will come a day where we won't have enough clothes to dress all of the people we've become!
I will take off my mask. I'll show you where it hurts. Perhaps then you will have the bravery to show yours too."
- Ajhas Resnais, excerpt from "Light is Shadow: Illusionist's of the Nouvelle Vague".
Structure
The Versilhouette Court
Zarathar is governed by an ancient regime, a hereditary monarchy ruled by the Ensorceler Dynasty. The Ensorcelers claims Shadowfell as their birthright, they have a stronger affinity to the Shadowfell than most Drow Houses - effortlessly embracing their creativity through illusory magic. Zarathar had councils and parliaments scattered around the country, that is until the ingenious Queen Éphémère Fantômette, the betrothed of the late King Blanche Ensorceler IX, disbanded the council and its representatives in favour of using her Simulacrums to govern the entire country with an iron fist. Fantômette's Echo Chamber
The administrative, social, and legislative structures of Zarathar are lead entirely by a collective of illusory rulers created by Éphémère Fantômette using the Old Flame. The body doubles are shuffled weekly so as to confuse the general populace in order to thwart assassination attempts and sabotages. Despite her body doubles being scattered all over the country, power is still centralised from the queen for she is both omnipresent and omnipotent. In her rule, Éphémère Fantômette has created a peaceful albeit authoritative reign. Afterall, no monarch is in jeopardy when every voice is in unison. The Fell-Hands
Warlocks in service of their country and queen. Blessed by Queen Éphémère Fantômette herself, the military is endowed with arms created from the Old Flame. Also known as "Hexblades", the warlocks of Zarathar draw their power directly from the Shadowfell and surge it into their weapons. Three noble houses coalesce into Zarathar's modern military; House Seydoux represents the military police in charge of defending the country both above and underground, House Sanson are the executioners responsible for entertaining the masses at the gallows, and House Sparda scouts the Shadowfell for magical discoveries and exploits in regards to spells from the School of Illusions.
Zarathar is governed by an ancient regime, a hereditary monarchy ruled by the Ensorceler Dynasty. The Ensorcelers claims Shadowfell as their birthright, they have a stronger affinity to the Shadowfell than most Drow Houses - effortlessly embracing their creativity through illusory magic. Zarathar had councils and parliaments scattered around the country, that is until the ingenious Queen Éphémère Fantômette, the betrothed of the late King Blanche Ensorceler IX, disbanded the council and its representatives in favour of using her Simulacrums to govern the entire country with an iron fist. Fantômette's Echo Chamber
The administrative, social, and legislative structures of Zarathar are lead entirely by a collective of illusory rulers created by Éphémère Fantômette using the Old Flame. The body doubles are shuffled weekly so as to confuse the general populace in order to thwart assassination attempts and sabotages. Despite her body doubles being scattered all over the country, power is still centralised from the queen for she is both omnipresent and omnipotent. In her rule, Éphémère Fantômette has created a peaceful albeit authoritative reign. Afterall, no monarch is in jeopardy when every voice is in unison. The Fell-Hands
Warlocks in service of their country and queen. Blessed by Queen Éphémère Fantômette herself, the military is endowed with arms created from the Old Flame. Also known as "Hexblades", the warlocks of Zarathar draw their power directly from the Shadowfell and surge it into their weapons. Three noble houses coalesce into Zarathar's modern military; House Seydoux represents the military police in charge of defending the country both above and underground, House Sanson are the executioners responsible for entertaining the masses at the gallows, and House Sparda scouts the Shadowfell for magical discoveries and exploits in regards to spells from the School of Illusions.
Culture
In the city of love, nocturne is the host of an eternal masquerade. Scattered are the ephemeral candles as lovers share their fragile hearts, that is, before it slips away. The citizens of Zarthar romanticises love, the majority falls in love with the feeling and not the person. Masks are an essential piece in Zarathar's fashion, it is a declaration of the embracement of illusions. To denounce one's mask is to spit on King Blanche Ensorceler IX's journey in claiming the great fire that casts the darkest of shadows. Young couples can be seen carrying a single candle, upon burning turns the air into a scent that is utmost carnal. They embrace each other, knowing that the love they carry, though fleeting, is pure and innocent. Should the candle burn out or fade away, so too their love.
Phantom's Masquerade
The social status of a person can be measured by how deep underground you reside in Zarathar. Peasants belong on the surface world, while the bourgeoisie are always deep within the earth. In the Château de Versilhouette, the nobility indulge in ceaseless revelry, the air in the palace is clouded by lust when it comes to their games and festivities. Fear not, for every one is masked, there is no shame to express the slightest bit of licentiousness. Though the palace is dangerously close to the Shadowfell, the affinity to illusions are multiplied tenfold. Queen Éphémère Fantômette frequently invites illusionists into her palace to entertain the guests during the masked ball, and upon seeing young talent the Queen gains a better understanding on the potential of the plane of shadows. The Nouvelle Vague
A group of mages who are ex-Versilhouette representatives from Ensorceler's rule. Post-disbandment, these illusionists considered themselves as 'light-makers', they are akin to playwrights except the plays that they create must solely be from illusions. Scorners of their own kind, the piece of mind of their stories usually revolves around the unmasking of oneself, embracing vulnerability, and an engagement with the social and political upheavals of Zarathar, often making use of irony or exploring existential themes. Many of the founding members such as Godard, Resnais, Varda, Malle, and Bresson are all anti-masquerade. Electric Éclectique Festival
A collective of generational talents, these are the bards who have untapped the true potential of the Magic Mouth spell. Their ingenuity and artistry are unrivalled, creating sounds that electrify and jolt our bodies to the very core, tunes that are otherwise otherworldly and ethereal to the mortal ear. These artists promote inclusivity above all else, using masks not as a symbol of deceit or pompousness, but rather as a sign of universality and freedom. A mask allows us to be unfettered from our race, gender, culture, and social class. The roster of bards that usually perform using Magic Mouth tables are, Modjo, Paradis, and the famous Warforge duo known as Cast Punk. Retrouvailles of The Red Locks
Neo-Sunites who dyed their hair with fiery red, they wish to take a pilgrimage to Mt. Folamour and follow the path of King Blanche Ensorceler IX. These Drows are self-proclaimed purists who firmly believe that love is blind. The birth of love should not be from mere physical attraction, it should be from the connection of two souls. These zealous Drows trek seven days and seven nights to reach the peak of the mountain, burning their eyes out by gazing into searing sun. While perched atop Mt. Folamour, the now blinded pilgrims form a courtship with each other in hopes of witnessing true love.
The social status of a person can be measured by how deep underground you reside in Zarathar. Peasants belong on the surface world, while the bourgeoisie are always deep within the earth. In the Château de Versilhouette, the nobility indulge in ceaseless revelry, the air in the palace is clouded by lust when it comes to their games and festivities. Fear not, for every one is masked, there is no shame to express the slightest bit of licentiousness. Though the palace is dangerously close to the Shadowfell, the affinity to illusions are multiplied tenfold. Queen Éphémère Fantômette frequently invites illusionists into her palace to entertain the guests during the masked ball, and upon seeing young talent the Queen gains a better understanding on the potential of the plane of shadows. The Nouvelle Vague
A group of mages who are ex-Versilhouette representatives from Ensorceler's rule. Post-disbandment, these illusionists considered themselves as 'light-makers', they are akin to playwrights except the plays that they create must solely be from illusions. Scorners of their own kind, the piece of mind of their stories usually revolves around the unmasking of oneself, embracing vulnerability, and an engagement with the social and political upheavals of Zarathar, often making use of irony or exploring existential themes. Many of the founding members such as Godard, Resnais, Varda, Malle, and Bresson are all anti-masquerade. Electric Éclectique Festival
A collective of generational talents, these are the bards who have untapped the true potential of the Magic Mouth spell. Their ingenuity and artistry are unrivalled, creating sounds that electrify and jolt our bodies to the very core, tunes that are otherwise otherworldly and ethereal to the mortal ear. These artists promote inclusivity above all else, using masks not as a symbol of deceit or pompousness, but rather as a sign of universality and freedom. A mask allows us to be unfettered from our race, gender, culture, and social class. The roster of bards that usually perform using Magic Mouth tables are, Modjo, Paradis, and the famous Warforge duo known as Cast Punk. Retrouvailles of The Red Locks
Neo-Sunites who dyed their hair with fiery red, they wish to take a pilgrimage to Mt. Folamour and follow the path of King Blanche Ensorceler IX. These Drows are self-proclaimed purists who firmly believe that love is blind. The birth of love should not be from mere physical attraction, it should be from the connection of two souls. These zealous Drows trek seven days and seven nights to reach the peak of the mountain, burning their eyes out by gazing into searing sun. While perched atop Mt. Folamour, the now blinded pilgrims form a courtship with each other in hopes of witnessing true love.
Public Agenda
Zarathar is the helm of Izeran propaganda, it is prevalent that the country's geo-political advantage lies in it's centrality in Muria. Propaganda includes that would have popular appeal and reach the masses: newspapers, pamphlets and engravings for mass distribution, cartoons and caricatures, plays, songs and public monuments. More invasive methods are through the usage of the spell Dream and Project Image. The zeitgeist of Queen Éphémère Fantômette's twilight years is driven by the power of art, or rather how it captures our hearts.
The country has a deep admiration and respect for illusions, deeming it as the perfect tool to pull heart strings and to fool the mind's eye. The subtext inside most art from Zarathar pertains to passion, nostalgia, sacrifice, and the splendours of Midnight, lest the Nouvelle Vague has something to say against it. Foreign powers are increasingly worried with Zarathar's rapid development in the exploitation of Nebula Gas, especially Crystallis.
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Gold
Legislative Body
Fantômette's Echo Chamber
Judicial Body
Fantômette's Echo Chamber, The Fell-Hands (House Sanson)
Executive Body
The Fell-Hands (House Seydoux)
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
