Zenith

Regions of Zenith

Overview

The mountains of Zenith are the tallest in the nation, and perhaps the Empire, and the air here is still and cold. The spires tend towards the contemplative, the night sky is rarely concealed by clouds making the territory perfect for stargazers. Many religious thinkers and philosophers also reside in Zenith, where they claim that the rarefied air helps them maintain a sense of detachment and clarity.

Zenith is well known for its abundant magical auras and many spires have experimented with arrays of metal mirrors that focus the light of the sun into internal chambers to try enhance the production of magical crystals. Zenith also has some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Nation, with apparently bottomless mountain lakes providing succulent fish to supplement the diet of the inhabitants.

Somewhere to the east of Zenith lies the nation of Axos. Between the two nations is a mountainous area that the Urizen call the Mountains of the Moon. Explorers claim that the area is impassable, but there are stories of hidden or hard to find passes that allow access to an unknown territory that lies within.

Major Features

Arch of the Sky

Before the Druj invastion of 381YE, the Arch of the Sky was a collection of spires on the tallest mountain in Zenith. Stargazers and astronomancers from all of Empire gathered here to observe the night skies, and debate the Net of the Heavens. One of the most prestigious schools of astronomancy, it was also one of the finest observatories in Urizen, if not the Empire.

The flood waters unleashed by the destruction of the Golden Cascade did not reach the spire itself of course, but even as the dam was being smashed apart Druj guerillas were moving into position. Many of the astronomancers and star-watchers had already retreated, but a handful of magicians and sentinels remained behind in the hope of holding the orc invaders at bay. Such hope was in vain. Less than a week after the Autumn Equinox, the eastern orcs captured and looted the Arch of the Sky. What they could not carry away was reduced to ashes and broken ruins.

The Halls of Knowledge expand the Empire's understanding
of magical lore.

The Halls of Knowledge

When Zenith was added to the Empire, the Urizen proposed that the Empire should have a second seat of magical study, in addition to the Lyceum. Rather than threaten the Lyceum, the new academy would help unite the magicians of Urizen and allow them to pool their magical lore for the benefit of the Empire. Instead of building their academy of magic around an existing spire, they created an entirely new one and called it the Halls of Knowledge. A number of respected theorists and seers travelled to the new academy, and a Provost was appointed to help co-ordinate their research - and to encourage other Urizen magicians to offer their assistance. It soon became known as a centre for prognostication and the study of Day magic - to this day some of the best diviners in the civil service spend time studying in the peaks of Zenith to hone their abilities.

The Provost of the Halls of Knowledge is an Imperial title appointed each Winter by those citizens of Urizen who control mana sites.

Endsmeet

This spire in south-western Occursion studies interaction between people, and has particular interest in times like the present, the times between thrones. It is now home to refugees from Spiral, particularly those who brought with them the great library of Ankarien.

The Starlight Drift of Shimmering Snow

High in the mountains of Occlusion, the Starlight Drift is a site of great natural beauty - and naturally high magical auras. Impurities in the rock, similar to the material used to make lightstones, capture sunlight and slowly release it after sunset. At night, especially cold winter nights when the sky is particularly clear, the entire cliff shimmers and sparkles like distant stars or falling snow.

While there is no regio here, magicians from nearby Endsmeet have long been aware that the flows of mana here are particularly strong. In Autumn 378YE, the Imperial Senate voted to take advantage of these flows to create a sinecure, overseen by the Custodian of the Starlight Drift. Despite some mild concerns that construction here would damage the great beauty of the area, it was completed without mishap and the mithril collectors stand some distance from the base of the cliff face itself.

Bountiful Autumn

The lakes of Zenith are deep, but of particular interest are the two bodies of water known together as "Bountiful Autumn". Found in Occursion, their shores were once regarded as a particularly fortuitous place to marry for the success of the new family. Although modern Urizen have found little support for these claims, it is worth noting that the lakes lie within a strong regio tied to the Autumn realm. To this day, it is still traditional to eat fish from the lakes at a wedding, or to present them (fresh or cooked) as gifts to particularly close friends. Ritual magic used to create bonds between individuals is said to be especially potent when performed at these lakes, or using pure water gathered from their depths at certain specific times of year (the exact times are closely guarded secrets shared only by the spires that stand on the mountainsides above the lakes).

The Tower of the Fall

The Tower of the Fall is a lonely tower beside a waterfall, high in the mountains of Occursion. The action of the falling water and the natural shape of the pool below leads to the natural formation of crystal mana - but access to the mana in previous years was almost impossible. Cunning construction, and a series of baffles that change the flow of the water, has both enhanced the formation of the crystals and allowed much more convenient access to them, without destroying the magical synergies that caused their creation in the first place.

In Summer 379YE, the Crystal Architect of the Spires announced that work would begin on improving access to the magical bounty, and the Imperial title of Keeper of the Tower of the Fall was created to oversee the resultant sinecure. More details about the history and nature of the caves can be found here.

Regions

Clypion

High in the mountains of Clypion stand the Halls of Knowledge, one of the greatest Imperial colleges dedicated to the study of magic. It attracts students, lecturers, and magical theoreticians from across the Empire.

The passes between Clypion and Proceris house a cluster of spires keen to take advantage of the relative seclusion of their foothills. The spires are all "related" - formed initially by settlers originating in the nearby Arch of the Sky, and later by successive generations gathered from among these daughter-spires as their populations grew. The spires of the "Clypion Alliance" maintain cordial relations, and each tends to specialise in study of impractical esoterica. Critics suggest that the magi of Clypion see practical applications of theory or magic as somehow beneath them. There have been spires devoted to the study of boundaries, of ageing, of ceremonies, of symbols, and perhaps most recursively, to the study of the studies of other spires...

Several of the older spires are starting to feel a little crowded, and it is likely that a new spire will be formed within the next few years - there is likely to be fierce competition between the Clypion spires to determine the location and focus of this new spire.
Keywords: Hilly

Iteri

The plains of Iteri in western Zenith are home to the river Utique, a tributary of the Couros which flows from Redoubt in the south. The land here is rich in fine clay and valuable dragonbone deposits, both of which contribute to a reputation for producing beautiful ceramics. Iteri also boasts the ancient Spire Calator near the foot of Mount Lutum, where the secrets of ushabti production are believed to have first been codified. The artisans of Urizen still gather here to study and perfect the craft of these valuable magical constructs. The spire is known as much for its art as for the practical application of the artificer's craft. An ongoing debate between those who favour artistic form over practical function has so far lasted nearly 150 years without any clear victor - it is unlikely a resolution will ever be reached. Some magi send their students to Spire Calator specifically to study the arts of formal debate.

Along the banks of the Couros stands the Gardens of Pallas sinecure.

Lustri

Lustri is heavily forested, and home to many carefully cultivated preserves. It is known both for the quality of its iridescent gloaming and the beggarwood trees that provide wood, bark, and lye to artisans across Urizen. The deeper parts of the woods have a bad reputation, however - there are many stories of encounters between travellers and dangerous creatures such as the tulpas said to have escaped from the Spire of Twisting Shadows.

The Spire of Twisting Shadows was an ancient structure dedicated to the treatment (and, functionally, incarceration) of those who suffer long term spiritual or mental damage due to exposure to magic. Most of the inmates are were voluntarily, but a few are restrained for their own safety. The spire had a grim reputation, unsurprisingly. A significant portion of the patients here had been hurt due to overuse or misuse of astronomancy - permanently twisted by exposure to a tulpa. The physics of the Spire of Twisting Shadows has a great deal of practical experience dealing with magical curses as well as more esoteric maladicaments, and was always interested in reports of new malign enchantments - or the opportunity to study them.

In Summer 380YE, during the ascent of the red star, the Spire of Twisting Shadows was destroyed following a riot among the patients. The ruins are widely believed to be haunted by the ghosts of the staff and inmates who died in its fall.
Keywords: Forest

Occursion

More than any other region in Zenith, Occursion is a home to spires dedicated to religious philosophy and many illuminates and questors have their homes here. The northernmost slopes of these mountains enjoy a particularly still, cold, dry air which is believed to aid contemplation, and focus the mind. Priests here practice meditative arts and subtle magics that allow them to explore their own thoughts, and often receive unique insights into the natures of the virtues and the philosophies of the Way. The Tower of the Fall is believed to have been built as a retreat for just such an exploration of the inner magic of the spirit, before the discovery of the crystal mana in the pools below.

Of particular note are the famous spire of Endsmeet, and the Hall of the Risen Sun, a beautiful edifice of white granite, polished marble, and orichalcum mirrors which serves as a great cathedral for the faithful of Zenith (and Urizen as a whole). Dedicated to the virtues of Pride and Ambition, the Illuminates combine study of the Way with mastery of the Net of the Heavens and are known to be quite active in political affairs of the territory, nation, and (from time to time) the Empire itself. Since the reign of Emperor Walter they have been somewhat reticent about involving themselves in wider affairs - but during the reign of the late Empress Britta there were signs this spire was beginning to pay close attention to affairs of the Synod and Senate once more.
Keywords: Hills

Proceris

Much of the region of Proceris lies in the shadows of the lofty peaks that surround it. While there are few spires here besides the Arch of the Sky in the north, there are settlements devoted to what little agriculture the Urizen and their ushabti can muster in this chilly climate. Proceris actually has a fascinating microclimate for those that are interested in such matters, with many frost hollows and sun traps that provide unique opportunities to the spires that live here. The region is sparsely populated, even for Urizen, and what spires there are tend to explore somewhat mundane, practical matters such as farming and economy - architects in particular often find reasons to visit or live in Proceris, and many of the magicians here focus their studies on the secrets of Spring and Autumn magic.

Perhaps the richest farmers in Urizen live in Proceris, three spires that between them maintain and work the Golden Cascade - a series of terraces carved into the foothills and supported both with powerful ritual magic, expertly constructed aqueducts, and great polished mirrors that ensure that the fields here receive as much sunlight as possible all year round. The golden cascade is seen by many as a wonder of the Empire, and while it has been copied by a few other spires not match the size and fertility of this great farm.

The Storm Vault is found in Proceris, in the mountains above Echostorm Spire.

OOC Notes

• Since the Druj invasion of Summer 381YE, the Druj control Lustri and Occursion. The Urizen control the remaining regions and it remains an Imperial territory.