The World of the Azure District

[MoonHunter]

http://www.strolen.com/content.php?node=1569

It was a simple post. It was not awsome or amazing, but it was not bad either.  It was a good solid post.  

Unfortunately, that post has come to take over my mind.  Like a seed crystal, things are growing out from it.  I want to know what has happened to bring things to this state? Who are the WitchHunters and where did they come from? What is the magic like here?  

These questions and more must be answered.

Azure District
Magic can only legally be practiced within one area of the city, with the caveat that no spell effect can exceed the boundries of the area. To do so invites either death OR stripping of one's powers.

Some people are considered innately magical so they can not leave the district without the magistrate's permission and a witchhunter guard.

The district gets its name by the good sized walls that are painted a bright blue that mark the magic district. There are blue lines painted parallel to the wall at each of the three district gates. Taking the Azure boundry to heart, many of the people who live in the area have taken to painting their roofs cobalt blue as well.

Inside the district, there are three areas.

Along the main roads, shops and shop fronts of a bizzare variety can be found. There are alchemists, spell sniffers, book sellers (mundane and otherwise), scolliers, fortune tellers, curse mongers, healers, pyrotechnics experts, professional spell casters, candlemakers, mirror crafters, magic tinkers (using little spells to fix/ clean/ tweak things), talismongers, shops filled with strange and unusual (catering to the needs of the area) and a purvayer of exotic/ magical animal parts. There is also a shop that re-sells things from the main market, for those that will not leave the district. Several of the braver food carters make a daily journey to the district fountain plaza, to sell their wares quickly to the natives here.

In all the but the eastern section of the district are the homes of the magic folk. These homes all have an antique charm of an older district, but they have interesting elements that sometimes scare mundane neighbors. Magelight lamp posts, illusions in the windows, glyphs of power and alchemical symbols upon the walls, and odd paint colors are some of the more tame additions to the homes.

The eastern section , where there the gate has been blocked, is the less desirable section of the district. The homes are more rundown, and usually broken down to apartments. Some of the creatures live here and in the undertunnels (but within the azure district). Some are homeless, others haunt the few green areas there. There are a few pubs here, where brew and others entertainments can be found. While most blue folk won't mention it, but this is the area where you can "know a guy, who knows a guy" who can get you dark and black magic spells, components, and items.

 

[MoonHunter]

Magic
The universe is a tapestry of magical threads.  Things are knots and probability are patterns in the tapestry.  

Blue is the color of magical threads.  When threads are manipulated, the blue light might occur.  

Most spells are of the probability manipulatin variety (+/- to rolls), or more intently creating a chance that something will actually happen... even though it was highly improbable.  Illusions and summoned (created) things are possible, as are motion effects (pull a string to cause movement).  

This scholarly magic does not require massive force of will or ego, just focus and dedication.


WitchHunter
The order of the Azure Glyph, or The Order of Argalas, are my "witch hunters".  They normally hate magic users, yet on each of their palms is a Azure Glyph (a Solomonic magical circle like thing). The glyph glows in the presence of magic or when they are evoking the Order's abilities to shield theselves from magic and unknot a spell.  Yes, the people who hate magic are forced to use it.  This does not make for the best temperment, but it does prevent them from being corrupted by magic.  

What happened
Witches occured.  They got their power from demons who lived in the threads.  The use of witch power disturbed the local threads, creating odd events and chaos.  Thus the King created the order.

There was probably some backlash from a previous magical catastrophy.  Thus the blue line quarrentines.  This way a person could be assured that their threads would not be messed without outside the wall. (yet they allow talismans and such because they are simple one thread/ pull magics normally).  



Okay.. Thoughts?

[Michael Jotne Slayer]

Instrumental to the torture and inevitable punishment of witches were the witch-finders.A witch-hunter could be someone who meticulously searched villages for individual witches, or it could be someone who devoted much of their time to the persecution of witches.

This is the basic of it as we all know it. The witch hunters should(in my opinion) be spiced up a little. They themselves should in a way be mystical. I envision these black clad men with glittering eyes always ending their sentences with; yes or no.

But it is true that you did see this neighbour of your wander the roofs of the city at night, Yes?

or;

Answer my question less the tounges of the fire seem pleasent too you, No?

The Inquisitors of the Argalas are the watchmen of humanity, tasked with rooting out the blight of heresy, mutation and treachery.

I imagine them as quite hypocritical since they themselves use magic.
It takes one too kill one eyh?



Whylom there was dwelling in my country
An archdeacon, a man of high degree,
That boldly did execution
Or punishing of fornication
Or witchcraft

-- Chaucer, "Friar's Tale," Canterbury Tales

Well I can not think of anything else right now as I am rather tired, lets hope the balls start rolling.

                                          Sincerely, Michael

[Michael Jotne Slayer]

Some facts and hopefully some ideas....(hope,hope,hope)

Fact:

In 1647 Rhode Island Colony passed a law saying: "Witchcraft is forbidden by this present assembly to be used in this colony; and the penalty imposed by the authority that we are subject to is death." The colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut also passed laws against witchcraft. In 1648 a Massachusetts court even proposed that a special "witch finder" be appointed to watch people suspected of doing witchcraft.

Idea-

There could be a set of laws surrounding magic, this far I can see that you have mentioned;

Magic can only legally be practiced within one area of the city, with the caveat that no spell effect can exceed the boundries of the area. To do so invites either death OR stripping of one's powers.

Is all kinds of magic allowed within Azure? If not; what spells are forbidden?
Pagan magic, Arcane magic, Daemon magic?

There could be a whole set of laws that the witch hunters follow written by the king. You also mentioned that those that break the laws could be stripped of power or killed. How are they stripped of power? And in what ways are they killed? The fire?

Fact-

For several centuries, dominantly Christian societies believed that Satan was acting through human and animal servants. These beliefs can be seen as a reaction to emerging alternatives to the Christian hierarchial order, such as the worldly knowledge and cultural practices brought into a relatively backward Europe from the Middle East by those returning from the Crusades. Also targeted were surviving rites of Europe's indigenous pagan faiths, many of which still persisted among folk in the countryside, despite centuries of official Christianity. Over the centuries, there were extensive efforts to root out the supposed influence of Satan by various measures aimed at the people that were accused of being servants of Satan. People suspected of being "possessed" by Satan were put on trial.

Suggestion-

If black/pagan/Daemonic magic is outlawed and banned could there then be something connecting these three? Is there a Dark God perhaps?

Arf got to go. Be back later.

[Shadoweagle]

Thread Jacking... skip on over... or read with care

Ok, here is how my thoughts unfolded from this setting.

The city wakes up, one day, to find that within those blue walls, there is nothing but dust, rocks and dirt. The entire Azure district has disappeared in thin air! Even the people are gone. It is up to the PCs to discover what has happened to this area. Or perhaps they were within the district, buying supplies when the disappearance happened!

If so, in the middle of the night, whilst purchasing their supplies, the adventurers will abruptly feel a terrific tugging sensation, as though they had been pulled suddenly in a direction which was previously inconceivable. Following this would be a gut-wrenching feeling, and finally, the air would seem lighter, as though they were suddenly at a different altitude. Judging by the shopkeepers expression, they werent the only ones that felt this tug. Should the Players ask the right questions and go about the town, they would finally come to the relative of a great mage, who had died just recently by casting a spell greater than his limits. This mage, the relative confides, had been working on mass dimensional travel.

So, trapped in another dimension, with no mage in the town powerful enough to transport the town back, the adventurers must explore this new, unmapped land, fight unheard-of monsters and creatures, find towns and cities, and eventually find a mage or sect of magi which are powerful enough to transport the town back through dimensions. The adventurers must also manage to pursuade these magi, which may involve MORE quests: "Well, we WOULD do that for you, but we must reserve all our power. You see, the great lich Demodrius has been sighted recently in the abandoned cave, and we cant risk going out of town, leaving this place defenceless. Now... if you were to SLAY this lich, and bring us proof... THEN we might be able to help. And, perhaps offer slight monetary compensation, too."


But wait! What would these dimensional people think, when a town appears suddenly overnight, in a place where there used to be nothing but shrublands for miles!? They could think it a taboo 'ghost town', and not dare enter it. They could lay seige on it, thinking it some evil place. They could come in with open arms and buy the trinkets for sale, making the Azure district wealthy for when it returns.

And just for ADDED mind-warping, the laws of physics and magic in this new dimension? they are nothing like what they were in the home dimension. Firstly, perhaps gravity is slightly higher or lower. Perhaps people can breathe underwater for longer... or shorter   . "Aah, its just a small swim to the other side, a child could hold their breaths for that long!"
Or maybe the water is HEAVIER on peoples bodies and weighs people down when they try to swim.
And about the magic casting: The parties mage preps up to cast a cliche fireball... and from his cupped hands, out pops three bubbles, floating up to the cavern roof. But surprise! The bubbles are of hydrogen! They pop on the caverns roof and combust with a 'BANG!'. Cave-ins ensue

Ok, now I've veered completely off the Azure district and changed it to a new dimension Sorry ^_^

[Michael Jotne Slayer]

I like this plot story. It makes the place become more alive right away.
I consider it a good way of fleshing out a setting or a place.
Once there is a story surrounding it my imagination sparks further possible
ideas. I am talking in general now, not only conserning the Azure district.

[MoonHunter]

So where are we at this point.  We need a rest of the world.

thinking... thinking....

I could go against personal type and put together a para-european tolkienesk psuedo-medieval world.

Okay. that is over.

I am thinking a Mercedes Lackey/ Heralds sort of world. Central Kings/ Queens, nobles ruling over estates/ regions, people not bound to the land but tied to it due to taxes or indentured debt. (What is the German concept for Good Tennant?).  I am thinking a single church, with one (or more) gods aspects. Even if there are more than one diety, if you are a cleric you are a servant of all of them.  

The world needs strong central authorities. It needs a culture that spans several countries (like a religion).  There was once a big empire (perhaps run by magical senators/ nobles) but it has fallen.  

Thoughts?

[MoonHunter]

I just revived this setting. I am working on a prison from the same world. maybe I will do a check list for the setting.

[MoonHunter]

I am thinking about this setting again. So which things need to be done.

It is a world where magic is not "wonderful". Certain magics are listed as downright "Evil" in popular opinion, law, and faith (Summon and entreating of demons and spirits, mind magics (including telepathy, charm, and sleep), magics that can harm (what other purpose does fireball serve but to be a weapon... so what does a civilian mage need with that?), soul bindings, etc). Magic has been associated with assassinations, rebellions, evil overlords (including the creation of orcs and other evil races), and so on... thus is not seen as a positive thing. Thus some magic is acceptable, but needs to be closely scruitinized.

Practioners are licensed by the local government/ church... certified, just like scientists and doctors were in the Late Medieval/ Renaissance period of Europe. Where magic can be safely practiced (for others to avoid being accidently tainted) is restricted. Given their history with magic, as I see it, they seem very justified.
http://www.strolen.com/content.php?node=2403

Things to be Done

*Magic of the Azure District
     This should be a system of magic with a little work
     It should also include some elements of its Dark Magic.

*History of Magic for the World of the Azure District.
  Why magic is revilled, why it has to be quarentines
  This can be appended onto any world.
      Then the local wizardly aid to last "Time of Troubles"

*The Order of Argalas - Witchhunters

*Hexel Manacles (Spell stopping things)

Maybes
Religion of the World of the Azure District (maybe)  (on second thought take any of my monotheistics that allow for magic or any centralized church.

World of Azure District.   Of course this is attached to my mercenaries pieces

Remember:
Azure District       Locations  (Neighborhoods)  (Any)
The district gets its name by the good sized walls that are painted a bright blue that mark the magic district. That wall is watched by the Witchhunter guard.
 
Helioglyph's       Locations  (Establishment)  (Other)
Helioglyph (his magical name) is a Talismonger, a maker of charms, talismans, holy items, and so on. This is the place where those seeking fine craftsmanship and good symbolism come. If you are looking for enchanted items, go elsewhere.

Summer Word Aka Helioglyph       NPCs  (Minor)  (Mercantile)
Some time magic users are less magical than one expects.

Blue'd Tower       Locations  (Fortification)  (Any)
Most towers and baileys are defensive, protecting defenders from attackers. This keep tower and bailey is used to protect everyone else from what is within. 

[manfred]

Perhaps magic has been used along too many changes of the system, so it has been denigrated by anyone that was threatened by it. And once the hate-campaign is started, it may never need to stop.

If magic is not too weak and hard to get, there need to be effective weapons against it. Perhaps the Witchhunters have a magicial tradition of its own (besides the glyph thing), of which the only purpose is to find, resist, and break apart any magics. Could be a purely spiritual technique, so they could still believe that with a mere force of will, they can resist the evil powers of the witches they guard people against. Their devotion would make them pretty dangerous, so most magic-users would think twoce before performing any spells in the public.