Brilliant Star

Overview

The Brilliant Star is located in Tomari in the Urizen territory of Redoubt. Custodianship of the Brilliant Star grants an Imperial title; a seat on the Imperial Bourse; and a seasonal bounty of valuable mithril.

The Resource

The Brilliant Star consists of a network of tunnels beneath the peaks of Tomari, overlooking the Urizen spire of Delving. Hailed as the most beautiful of all the star shaped tunnel complexes that underlie the south-eastern mountains, the walls of the Brilliant Star gleam slightly even when there is no other light. This eerie phosphorescence attracts scholars from all over Urizen; experiments have shown that the pale light from the walls actively promotes reasoned thought, and eases the understanding of difficult theoretical principles not only in magic but in all advanced disciplines including mathematics and natural philosophy.

Unfortunately, the tunnels are also part of an active mine, and do not welcome casual visitors who wish to study in the lucent effulgence of the tunnel walls. Over the centuries, this has lead to a number of unfortunate accidents, and both would-be scholars and miners alike have paid a tragic price for interference in the mine workings. On occasion these trespassers have actually interfered with the mine's production, whether accidentally through their unsanctioned presence; through the use of misplaced magic (the mines have an affinity for the realm of Day); or even through intentional interference.

According to the scholars who have studied the light, it becomes dimmer and "less conducive to thought" the less mithril ore there is in its vicinity. This means that the light is strongest in those areas where the mine workers are most active in extracting the mithril ore. On at least one occasion (during the reign of Emperor James), militant magicians have occupied lower sections of the mine and attempted to prevent workers from removing the precious ore. Unsurprisingly, this occupation lead to a near riot and lead to the tight security measures that persist to this day. Despite the presence of sentries and regular patrols, barely a season goes by without an ambitious student, or a wily master, sneaking past the workers to explore the Brilliant Star.

The Bourse Seat

Responsibilities

The Seat has no particular responsibilities; they simply receive a bounty of mithril which is theirs to do with as they will. If the Brilliant Star were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Seat to deal with those threats. Likewise, if any particular opportunity were to arise related to the Brilliant Star, the Seat would expect to be consulted as to how that opportunity might be resolved.

Powers

Seat on the Bourse

Custodianship of the Brilliant Star comes with a seat on the Imperial Bourse. For the most part, this Seat comes with no additional responsibilities. It is an Imperial title that grants the right to participate on the rare occasion when the Imperial Bourse as a body is required to make a decision.

Bounty of mithril

The Seat has control of a source of mithril and receives Bourse certificates to represent that control. They can dispense this resource as they choose. Production is 24 Imperial wains of mithril every season.

Appointment

As with all mithril Bourse seats, the holder of the title is determined during the Autumn Equinox. As an Imperial seat, any Imperial citizen may participate in the auction and hold the title.

Custodianship of the Brilliant Star is retained for a year, or until the citizen holding the seat dies, or steps down. An Imperial Bourse seat cannot be revoked by the Imperial Synod.