Xyra

Xyra is a city state located in central Antanides, situated in the Kaladian Moutains in the Twin Peaks Pass, north of the ruins of Shahar-Khet. It was started in 98 CA by a cabal of arcane casters led by Xyratis Estrano. It was intended to be a safe haven for wizards and other magical traditions to come and study out of the reach of either judicial or ecclesiastical reprisal. Estrano especially had need of this haven so that he could continue to perfect his blasphemous art of drawing souls from people to create warforged soldiers. He was, however, in the minority and many of the spell casters simply wanted to research and excel at their craft. For many years Estrano ruled the city as its first Archmage, and while his treatment of slave volunteers was detestable, it could not be argued that he brought in a huge portion of the city's revenue and put them on the map as a considerable independent power.

While the creation and sale of warforged has long since become illegal, Xyra is still a poweful contender in the production of more standard constructs as well as other fabulous magical devices and weapons that makes them one of the richest of the City States. From simple animated toys played with by the Imperial heirs of Latanera, to the impressive Iron Golem known as the Collosus of Atalos who guards the gates of the royal palace in Erabissia, the mark of Xyra can be found across Antanides.

While founded by wizards, Xyra is by no means only peopled by wizards. Other arcane spell casters (sorcerers, magi, summoners, eldritch knights, etc.) have also found a place there over the centuries, as well as more scholarly minded priests of worshiping gods of magic. Mnath is especially revered throughout the Xyra and is the closest thing to a patron god that the city has, but he is not he only one with a few other temples dedicated to Hessa and other gods of scholarly and magical interest. There's even a priest of Yog-Sothoth, though he is considered strange and contrary even by Xyra's standards. Aside from these are those that simply wish to learn and study, the city counts thousands of mundane scholars and experts on various subjects. But outnumbering all the rest of these put together are the common people of the city (bakers, shop keepers, city watch, etc.) men and women who despite having nothing to do with the city's purpose, are its life blood and keep it running, despite what the wizards in their towers might think.

Government Structure

Governmentally speaking, Xyra is a magocracy. It is ruled by a republican council of seven representatives, known as the Septemvirates. These seven councilors serve as legislators and judges over the city, maintaining the number of seven, in order to break ties in votes. The councilors are selected by a vote from all registered magic-using citizens. Taken from the greatest minds of the city, as well as the strictest and most fervent guardians of arcane magic, the councilors maintain order in Xyra, whilst each fulfilling a unique public service deemed important to wizardkind. Therefore, on the council, there is a Master of Libraries, Master of Education, Master of the Commonwealth, Master of War, Master of Making, Master of Adjudication, and Master of Mysteries.

Alongside this, the council elects, from the most powerful of Wizard stock, and executive. An Archmage. The Archmage commands the most power of any individual in the city. He is the public face of the city, as well as the steward of the safety of the city. Wizards are not only wealthy in magical treasures, but also in secretive knowledge, and it is a full time job keeping such treasures safe from the outside world. In addition to the Archmage's already magnificent magical powers, he is, upon election, placed at the center of a powerful spellform that is tied to the city itself. This spellform, among other things, enables the Archmage to detect, or analyze (or even dispel) any spells or magical effects that are cast within the city limits. It also maintains the various protective magics that encircle the city, including a city-wide Dimensional Anchor effect, which prevents all teleportation, planar movement, and summoning spells in the area. When these sorts of spells are taught at the academy, the students leave the city limits in order to practice. As protector of the realm, The Archmage also commands the city watch.