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History of Taliesin

When the Infernal Event plunged the world into darkness for the second time, most of the wizards from the high court of Auberon traveled to the Mystic Peninsula and settled in the Fey Forest. From there, they founded Taliesin City with their human servants and formed the Society of Mages. While the rest of the world entered into the Second Age of Darkness, Taliesin City became a small beacon of light and civilization, at least for the mages that resided there. Cloistered within the the confines of their city, they kept the study of magic alive. After a millennia of seclusion the mages emerged from their towers within the city and started to travel the land. Some conquered nations with their magical power while others became advisors and councilors to kings and queens.While the mages were traveling from Taliesin City to gain power, many were traveling to Taliesin city to seek refuge. As wars raged across the continent, pogroms were conducted against various species and many were forced to relocate. Taliesin city became known as a place where anyone could settle down in, no matter how weird you were. Whether you were a large family of goblins, a half dragon, a human fighter, or an archduke of Hell, Taliesin City was a place were you could settle without fear. The population soon included about every race in the world of Nam, and boasted one of the largest populations.

Taliesin Today

Taliesin City is home to most of the mages of the world, but also to a vast number of other magical denizens. While a human farmer may move to a city to seek work when times are tough, there's not many options for a pixie, brownie, or even a troll or goblin. Taliesin City is that option, it's population is varied and full of every variety of human, demi-human, and magical sentient creature imaginable. Most of the creatures have self segragated themselves into districts, but one is still guarenteed to meet all sorts of fansatical townfolk with a walk down any street.All the gods are worshiped here, openly, good, neutral and evil. Though the patron god of the city is Boccob, his distance and neutrality have allowed a free exchange of ideas, even religious ideas. This is the city of a thousand cults. Many great cathedrals to the gods can be found here, and many of the religious orders have schools, training grounds and evangelical missions throught the city.The city is very old and has been built out into the fields, up into the air, down under the ground, and even under the water. Subways, skyways, and secret and magical passages of all sorts dominate the city. The city can appear, at times, to be a chaotic mess, and it would have surely fallen that way if it had not been for the monks of St. Cuthbert. Their order has patrolled and guarded the city from harm for millenia, preventing it from falling into chaos. The saints patrol the streets day and night, searching for criminals, and preventing citizens from commiting crimes. The clerics of St. Cuthbert act as the Judges for the cities legal system and agressively pursue those that would break the law.As diligent as the monks of St. Cuthbert are, Taliesin City has a thriving underground. Thieves, cut-throats, thugs, and all those that operate outside the law have managed to carve out a thriving home in Taliesin City. A variety of criminal organizations operate here, either as their home base or as one of their more profitable. Secret societies have also found a home in Taliesin City, weather it be the Society of Assassins, or the Illuminati. Cults to various new and coming gods also florish, and clerics of various demons, demi-gods, saints, and angels prowl the streets looking for converts.The city is the pinnacle of magical achievement of thurmalogical civilization of the modern world. While most of the countries of the northern kingdoms have barely established contact with it's immediate neighbors, Taliesin City has established permanent contact with the elemental planes, alternate prime material planes, and many of the outer planes of existence. It is a megalopolis of magic, where magical force powers a mighty civilization. A city of extreme goodness and evil, where devils and undead have citizenship, and where Angels maintain pastoral temples, Taliesin City contains all the extremes. The civilization falls off rapidly as one leaves the immediate environs of the city.The ruling Council of Mages that controls the Society of Mages and the city is more concerned with their own magical research and advancement than they are in the welfare of the average citizen of Taliesin. The egalitarian society of Taliesin is more an accident of the eclectic nature of Wizards than a deep philosophical conviction by the Council. The City is the stuff of legend, where anything is rumored to be available. It is held up both as the City of Dreams, a place to be emulated by all, a city of infamy, and a pestilence that should be avoided at all costs and should by destroyed if at all possible. A place of virtue and sin, all wrapped up together.

Districts of Taliesin: