Labyrinthine

Controlled by: The Mages’ Guild at Labyrinthine
Capitol: Clock Tower at Labyrinthine
Official language: Infernal common
Common languages: Elvish (high), abyssal
Inhabitant races: Various
Population as of AC 1411: ~ 34,000
Demonym: Labyrinthian
Approximate form of government: Aristocratic Oligarchy
Head of State: Eight Lords of the Clock Tower

Within the middle-northern section of Terre, just above Lake Akardia, is the torn and ravaged wetlands of Albion’s March, and at the heart of these Fractured Kingdoms sits the Ringed Sea, and a small and unassuming island, if not for the constant shroud of storm clouds, striking lightning bolts of arcane energy towards the tip of the rock spires rising up from the ground and the sea. This trecherous, maze-like island is known as Labyrinthine, the ‘divine land’ for all netheric arcane practitioners of Terre, in which Lords and associates of the Mages’ Guild govern over the arcane society within the chambers of the Clock Tower at Labyrinthine.

The Folly of Storm

Labyrinthine is a fitting name for the island. Protruding rocks, whether naturally forming or maliciously manipulated, form walls, spires, and pillars, a giant labyrinth of stone and storm. The land is void of life of any form, a misfortune brought by the fortunes of the Mages’ Guild - the Folly of Storm.

While the arcane torrents originated from the Shattered Gate, that source has long dried out since the destruction of the Gate in the hands of the Verzae Legion. As the torrents shift and shy away from Verzae territory, they twist and refocus in the sky above Labyrinthine, one of the three foci on Terre, deep within the lightning in the eye of the storm.

The Folly of Storm itself is a tempest of crackling and swirling arcane energy, rendering casual entries to Labyrinthine neigh impossible. Mages trained enough in the arcane arts can form protective spells around them and their companions to shield them from such harms, but such feat is still one that requires masterful manipulation of the arcane torrents, and can lead to disasters with one single slip of the mind. Much of the traffic enters and leaves through Bound, the Gateway City south of the Ringed Sea in Albion’s March, where the Mages’ Guild have set up teleportation circles for safe passage; Nonetheless, traversing the storm in flesh and spirit is considered a rite of passage for spellcasters across the continent.

The Mages’ Guild

The Mages’ Guild is formed under the skys of Labyrinthine quite naturally - despite the unnatural nature of the netheric arcane - as mages converge and frequent this land to study the Folly of Storm, netheric arcane energy with such concentration that are unseen in other places on Terre.

Throughout the centuries the Mages’ Guild have largely remained neutral to political affairs, devoting themselves into the study and preservation of the arcane arts. The Guild is currently devoted to three major objectives: Preservative, the regulation of netheric arcane and the containment of dangerous magic; Merchantile, the commercialization and development of spells, alchemy, and mage-crafting; Academic, the theoretical research of the inner mechanisms of mana, elements, spellcasting, and magic. While for many reasons the Mages’ Guild and the Verzae Legion have conflicting ideals, the regulation of magic is indeed a shared interest between the two factions, up to a difference in magnitudes, which allowed a stance of non-interference, a brittle truce.

Although many mages associate themselves with the Guild, not all are in accord with their ideals, and even more are unfavorable of being under the constant regulation and supervision of some organization. Many voices in the Clock Tower are pushing for the establishment of magic laws to enforce some degree of regulation upon the arcane society of Terre, adding complexity to the already sophisticated and on edge political landscape within the Clock Tower.

Clock Tower at Labyrinthine

Deep within Labyrinthine, at the center of the eye of the storm, the Clock Tower of Labyrinthine stands at heights rivalling that of the Viridian Grove, a result of centuries upon centuries of arcane construction. The internals of the Tower comprise of hallways, chambers, mechanisms and such, that often defies common sense in the eyes of outsiders.

The residents of the Clock Tower are mostly associates or researchers of the Guild. This includes aspiring mages and researchers, studying the ebbs and flows of the arcane torrents and how to effectively master them. The Arcanists’ College at Labyrinthine is undoubtedly the only form of higher education in netheric spellcasting in Terre, and entries to the College are pursued and envied by all aspiring practitioners.

On top of all the hierarchies, the domain of the Mages’ Guild is divided into eight departments, each lorded by a different aristocratic family of Labyrinthine.

Department of mystic warding, aliased Westergaard, under Lord Karsten-Frederik Westergaard. Faculties over abjuration magic, the study of protection and denial.
Department of creation, aliased Wollovique, under Lord Wollovique Jasae-Ri. Faculties over conjuration magic, the study of creation and production.
Department of astromancy, aliased Aslingarde, under Lord Felix Aslingarde De Meyer. Faculties over divination magic, the study of foresight and interpretation.
Department of spellbinding, aliased D’Alessandro, under Lord Camille D’Alessandro. Faculties over enchantment magic, the study of charm and curse.
Department of elementary foundations, aliased Kellerhals, under Lord Benedict Kellerhals Faroin. Faculties over evocation magic, the study of elements and process.
Department of mirage artistry, aliased Mannerheim, under Lord Sjolvick Mannerheim. Faculties over illusion magic, the study of imitation and fallacy.
Department of spiritual advention, aliased Strahdholme, under Lord Eliott Strahdholme. Faculties over necromancy magic, the study of death and mercy.
Department of applied alchemy, aliased Van der Borre, under Lord Matthijs van der Borre. Faculties over transmutation magic, the study of change and potential.

The powers and influences of the Guild also extend deep into the internal affairs of the Clock Tower. While externally, the Eight Lords of the Clock Tower and the eight aristocratic families under their name agree for the shared interests, internally power struggles and bureaucratic conflicts infest their affairs and agendas. The Preservationists and the Merchantilists each aim to drive the political aim of the Guild in their direction, away from that of the other, and the Academicians would like nothing more than the silencing of the other two factions, as well as that of the Verzae Legion to some extent. This constant fight for the control of Tower politics significantly slowed down the bureaucratic effectiveness of the Guild, but few of those in power is willing to recognize it, and fewer is willing to change the status quo.

The Hidden Lord

The Eight Lords holds immense power over the arcane society of Terre, but even they reserve some respect, or even fear, to the Archmage of Labyrinthine, a title of little external renown, yet overwhelming internal influence. As an individual predating the founding of the Mages’ Guild centuries ago, the Archmage is the zenith of netheric arcane practitioners, commanding energies magnitudes above those weaved by any other.

In truth, only a few, if any, individuals have witnessed the works of the Archmage, but the unspoken understanding within the Clock Tower is that the combined power of the eight Lords are still inferior to that. Perhaps fortunate for them, the Archmage has little interest in the political matters and internal affairs of Labyrinthine, and pretty much little interest in mortal affairs at all. It is said that they indulge themselves in arcane researches and masteries over the mystic energies layers of complexities above comprehension within their private quarters in the clock room. The aristocrats of Labyrinthine refer to the shadow above as ‘The Hidden Lord’ - a fitting name.