Magi
The Magi are a people addicted to magic and to learning all that they can about it. How it interacts with their world, how to keep it in balance, and how to master ones own mind to connect with the power within themselves.However this single fascination has led to a single center of power among the Magi, leaving all those who choose not to become part of the city, to be left with little support.
Serenity
At the heart of the Magi culture and center of power is the city of Serenity. The largest city of the Magi empire by many times it is built around the base of the largest single piece of Aethersteel known. Measuring almost 400 Meters in Diameter the spire of pure Aethersteel stands over 12 stories tall, making it a visible beacon of the city from all around. The presence of this monolith provides an abundance of aetherial energy to everyone in a wide range around the city. Even those one hundred kilometers away are greatly effected.
Serenity is home to the Serenity Academy of Magic and is the center of learning for young aspiring mages. Scholars travel far and wide to find those who are able to touch the Aethers without the presence of the monolith, then bring them back to study.
Serenity is also the headquarters of the Grand Council, the ruling body of the Magi.
Grand Council
A council formed of representatives from each of the schools of magic and the cities that have been granted seats among the assembled. While anyone is permitted to bring their petition before the mages of the Grand Council only those who are granted a seat may vote. The Grand Council makes ruling for all of the Magi people, though having their edicts carried out in the farthest cities from the center of Serenity proves difficult and has caused much unrest over the ‘unfairness’ of representation by Drabs.
Arch Mage
The Arch Mage presides over the Council and is the strongest and wisest of all the mages, voted into his position for life by all of the Grand Mages of each school of Magic. The Arch Mage makes the deciding vote int he event of a tie and can be granted special powers when needed. Many say that while the Arch Mage may not overtly have much power, that they have infact been passing secrets down from Arch Mage to Arch Mage for generations. Secrets that could destroy the very foundation of everything.
Magic and Drabs
Even with the massive amounts of Aethers that surround Serenity and impact its surrounding cities there are still found those who do not possess the required patience or self control to channel Aetherial Magic. These individuals are known disparagingly as ‘Drabs’. While Drabs do not need to lack total control of Aethers their skill level with them is simply not enough to warrant admission to the Serenity Academy. Many of these individuals take up jobs as laborers or craftsman. Some enlist into the army to defend the mages in battle.
Yet some are not satisfied with their place in the universe and have turned to, less scrupulous means of gaining the power they desire. Tech mages are one of these, through use of what is surely dark magic they have fused technology with their bodies to grant them access to channel lighting. Still others feel the taint of the Void Aether, but that is all I will say on that matter
Drakonic Battle Lords
While most Mages seek to extend their knowledge and to master the arts within the boarders of Influence of Serenity there does exist a small sect who believes that their own quest for knowledge is actually achieved through practical use. These mages and drabs travel far outside of the realm of influence of Serenity and operate as the law in the lawless cities.
Due to the distrust of Mages, who have done little for the outlying cities and their sometimes constant assault by elementals all Drakonic Battle Lords are instructed in the use of the sword and the horse. They form a traveling military of sorts, commanded by their Lord Captain Commander they police the people, fight off the Elementals, and have become masters of the use of Magic in combat. Some would say that their practical use of magic makes them even more powerful than the mages who have done nothing but study.
Ways of War
As the further one gets from Serenity, the harder it becomes to draw upon Aethers, mages in combat must spend a sizable amount of time drawing the energies to themselves. While this can be augmented with pieces of Aethersteel it still leaves many magic users defenseless until they can gather the energies they need. This is why the Drabs of the military are so important. Many of them work as Knights and Swordsman who will defend the channelers and mages until they can fire off their attacks.
From time to time specialists of various abstract forms of magic will make their presence on the battlefield known, and it is always a boon to those in the fight when a Grand Mage brings forth their massive strength.
Though to their enemies the Magi may seem to be poorly guarded and lacking in offense, anyone who has done battle with them knows this is far from the truth. Magical runes, dramatic spells, and all manor charms litter the battlefield along side armored knights and masters of the blade. Let no one take the Magi unaware, it will be the last mistake they ever make.
Legion
The Magi find the Legion to be pure barbarians. Simple mined in their actions and singular in their intentions, destruction. While at the same time they fear them, the drabs of the community have taken this as a sign of an opportunity to change the tides of their social status. Tech mages, and Swordsman now aggressively press their advantages against Legion defenses. For once finding a foe that they can excel against.
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Teknocrats
The Magi and the Teknocrats both seek Aethersteel as a primary element in their society. As such the scarcity of the mineral leads them to many brutal conflicts. Where the Magi attempt to embrace the power of the aether, to understand and relate tot eh Nexus. The Teknocrats however seek to squeeze every drop of power from the aethers. to force them to bend to their will and to push the Nexus to the brink of breaking all for the purpose of advancement.
