Editing Diaphane (section)

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Diaphane is mainly a blue-water fleet. Its huge warships have crystal tree masts, armored in prisms and glass coral, with gossamer sails and cruel rammed prows for boarding. The few river boats of the Diaphane hegemony are glass-bottomed, with sail propulsion.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The flagship of Diaphane is a ship with [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] mast growing out of a ship armoured in Prisms and edged with clear coral like growths, and gossamer clear sails that are perpetually pushed by the Wind captured by the magicians and priest of the City-State, with long range optics and a ghostly almost otherworldy quality.  And really, really big - dwarfing the naval craft of other nations. The ship has a dedicated crew armed for boarding, and a cruel shaped prow for ramming made up of a jagged and fearsome visage of the face of one of the Invisible creatures of the spirit world. The ship has no real long range ability, as the purpose of the craft is to capture and harness those who defy Diaphane. Those who fall into the maw are fused with the craft, becoming twisted clear faces perpetually screaming in silence, and if seen through the spirit world, it is a ship of pure grace and cruelty, used to intimidate those who vie to control the seas. Held out of the water, and a representation of the power and skill of projects, perhaps a relic of the Golden Age.

Those staffing the vessel are of the highest station, and because of its majesty, it has not actually engaged in much fighting, but rather is used as a tool of statecraft to impress the surrounding States, and keep Iridos within the fold.

-- by stephen_dean

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro