The Farvian Magocracy
"Is it really that strange that I get what I want? Using force to achieve my goals is far better than stirring in wait for some rope to be lowered. I took what was in front of me, and I see nothing wrong with it."
-Ego, The Sorcerer King
Intro
A society of highly magical tieflings lies in the far northeast. Elitists to their cores, the Farvians believe a person's worth is dictated purely by their magical prowess - the weak will serve the strong. The society is normally in constant change as one wizard usurps another, but in recent years Ego, The Sorcerer King, has taken control, bringing terrifying stability to the country.Geography
Farvia lies northeast of the Crown Ocean and is located on the same continent as Salimstan, separated by a thick mountain range. The natural terrain is mostly a rocky tundra, spotted by pine trees and lakes. However, a significant portion of the terrain has been magically altered in populated areas, it's not uncommon to see tundra, jungle, desert, and rolling plains within a few miles of each other.The capital city, Varlay, is far inland, squarely in the centre of the country. Varlay embraces the fact that it's in a tundra, and it's expected that all its inhabitants will be able to magically provide their own warmth. At its centre is the Harnik Tower, the seat of power where the strongest mages duel for rulership.
History
Supposedly, the first inhabitants of Farvia were humans. They ruled a humble kingdom and focused mostly on survival. But some thousands of years ago, a horde of devils came directly from Avernus through a long-forgotten portal. Those devils quickly spread throughout the land, causing havoc and enslaving the population. The people were powerless to stop it, and they suffered for generations, in that time becoming tieflings. One day, the devils' grip on the region loosened thanks to an intense period of the Blood War, and the people of Farvia took the opportunity to stage a revolt. Already spread thin, the devils had no choice but to relinquish the domain, and have since been hated and feared by Farvians. Up until about 180 years ago, Farvia was not a magocracy, and was instead a loosely assembled kingdom where the royalty didn't hold much power. This changed abruptly when the royal family imploded as the second prince, a wizard, forcefully took control of the kingdom, expanding the domain of the monarchy to influence the day-to-day lives of the citizens. Many people didn't like this and tried to stop him, but were unsuccessful thanks to his high level of magic until one day a sorceress named Emerald defeated him singlehandedly. Thus began the cycle to succession where one spellcaster would defeat another for the throne. This process was formalized over the next thirty years, and the citizens soon came to realize this would not be changing anytime soon. They too took up magic, and before long magic was an expected part of society.Governance
The rulership of the Farvian Magocracy has passed from powerful spellcaster to powerful spellcaster, with each term of power usually only lasting a year or two before another came along and beat the person in power. That is until recently, when Ego, The Sorcerer King, stormed into Varlay and made it clear he was going to rule. He has held the country for just over 15 years, keeping his subordinates in line with his wicked magical potential. He has several higher-ups in his government, all of whom are masterful spellcasters in their own right.Farvian governments have never had the interests of the people in their mind; those within the country are expected to be able to take care of themselves. Instead, those on top change laws and practices to benefit themselves and suit their whims. One infamous case was a wizard with OCD who insisted that everybody wear precisely the same type of purple-blue robes, and had those who did not dress in line executed. Each government is hand-picked by the ruler so as to best suit their needs.
Inhabitants
Farvia is inhabited primarily by tieflings and a variety of creatures with infernal backgrounds. Lesser devils roam the territory, terrorizing the citizens. These devils do not mingle with society and are regularly hunted down.Farvia, being relatively inhospitable, is not home to many other creatures save for yetis and other such feral creatures who are able to survive the cold.
Culture
Farvians value self-reliance above all else. If you aren't able to fend for yourself, you probably aren't worthwhile. Children are released into the world without much care from their parents; they should learn to grow up the hard way. Those who look after others are not seen as weak or as lesser, just as foolish. "Why would you try to help them when you could be pursuing your own interests?"Most Farvians are driven by pure pragmatism and treat trampling on others as just a day's work instead of anything worth questioning. In the same vein, those trampled upon have a generally thick skin about it, blaming themselves for allowing it to happen. Personal interest is everything. If you don't have ambition and aren't working towards something, what are you even alive for?
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