Urizen

"Where there is darkness, we will make light."

The mountains of Urizen rest on three pillars.

The first is magic – for the Urizen are a people where magical prowess is seen as the highest achievement. There are few places in the world where magicians are respected as they are in Urizen, but magic alone does not control the Nation. Magic is a tool, a means to an end, forged through study, honed by reason and wielded with the certainty of men and women who know they are wise enough to do so safely.

The second is reason – only those who understand the world are fit to shape it. Through education and thought men and women learn about the world and the things in it and are better suited to make decisions that change the world. Architects bridge the mountains and focus light to illuminate great halls with a handful of candles. Scholars debate the meaning of existence, and engineers construct engines of war to bring swift ruin to their enemies.

The third is ambition – the Urizen want nothing less than the perfection of all humanity. They seek excellence in themselves, in everything they do. They carve mountains into cities, educate the ignorant and seek to shape the fate of Nations, all with a confidence and dedication that flows from the certainty that they are right to do so.

This is a Nation of timeless tranquillity preserved by strength, of decisive action guided by reason, of majestic spires and citadels reaching toward the sky. It is a Nation of magic, where magic is king.

It is a realm that understands the most important lesson of magic – that a single individual can change the world if they have sufficient will to do so.

Five things to know about Urizen

• They study magic as the highest discipline.
• They live their lives by reason. Rationality and logic are the tools with which they pick apart the secrets of creation.
• They aspire to excellence. Not just for themselves, but for the Empire and the rest of humanity.
• They seek mastery. Not only of themselves, but of the world around them.
• Education is the greatest gift one can give. People who understand the world are simply better than people who do not.

What the citizens of Urizen are not

• Pacifists or procrastinators. They are reasonable people, but are quite prepared to fight to get what they want - they're just likely to consider for a moment if violence is the best course of action before they attack.
• Unarmed combatants. When the Urizen think of martial skills, they think of weapons. Wrestling or even touching your enemies is a distasteful idea. Much better to keep them at bay and overwhelm them with your consummate weapon skills than let them get close to you.

The nation

Core brief

• The people
• Culture and customs
• Look and feel

Further reading

• History
• Leadership
• Economic interests
• Military concerns
• Religious beliefs
• Magical traditions
• Hearth magic
• Lineage and species attitudes
• Territories
• Children
• Music
• Costumes

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