Isles of Wenstir, Land of Mirrors

[ Andelour | Central Kingdom | It Imlour | Shaif | Wenstir ]

OVERVIEW

Race Ref:

Weapon Types:

Powers: Heuma Magi are the most magical of all the races, with five magical branches!  However, only three are available to rpers: Illusionists, Inductors, and Dowsers.

Heuma Magi are known for being elusive and flamboyant.  It's hard to get a straight answer from them... In a way, they are secretive like the Aefan, but where the Aefan will openly tell you 'no,' or 'that's private,' the Heuma Magi would rather confuse or talk around the issue, or change topics entirely rather than be fully upfront.  Thus, they get a reputation for being tricksters.  Of course, as always, these traits do not have to be present in your oc.  Perhaps their motto would be something like, "Razzle dazzle them!"

History

The Heuma Magi did not have any particular history in the Age of the Lost, as they were considered the same people as the regular Heuma. It was thanks to their presence among the other Heuma that the superstition arose over sapphires and rubies (corundums) being lucky stones in Shaif. They did not understand their powers during that age, and thus most were not able to explain anything they did.

The Age of Conflict changed all that. The first official Heuma Magi, a woman, was a seer who was granted many distinct visions. She answered the visions that prompted her to leave her country and travel to the Forbidden Lands. There, she received special instruction from the Sacred Beasts over her powers. Thanks to her guidance, she was able to bring hope to the soldiers, spur the various countries into action, and out-smart the armies on the other half. She passed her Mirror onto her successor, who then started gathering the other magi in secret, traveling extensively in search of them. It took several generations of such diligent work before they had gathered what they believed to be the last of the Magi who would join them in their exodus. Their leader at that time was a man named Wenstir. He hired scribes and heralds to publicize their group and call in any last stragglers from the remote corners of Shaif, and then a year later, while the king of Shaif was embroiled in a war, picked up their people and left, buying their own ships and traveling across the seas.  They landed on the islands shortly before Wenstir passed away, and named them after him. There, they found many gem deposits in the volcanic earth and built up their own civilization. The land was one of the least tainted of them, the Shadow having been far less concerned with uninhabited lands. After many years, once they had a handle on their powers, they sent emissaries to the various countries, offering their services as mediators in the ongoing turbulent warring.

During the Age of Progress, Wenstir enjoyed a strong position of respect among the various countries, which increasingly looked to Wenstiran emissaries for guidance for their countries.  At home, they founded their academies, first the Beryl and then later, the Airn. They were the first to formally institutionalize education (a system later adopted by Central and It Imlour).

The previous Sky Seer retroactively named the moment 300 years ago when Wenstir formally closed their borders as the start of the Age of the Spiral. Feeling as though their emissaries were being taken advantage of, the magi pulled their international contacts back and refused to offer their services anymore. Now, if one wishes to use their powers, one must travel to the only open port, L'Isola, and contract with one there. Alternatively, there are traveling magi who sell their services... though who knows how honest or accurate their abilities are. The Sky Seer does not formally lend his or her power to anyone, and neither do any of the state-sponsored magi.

The Land

Landtype: Archipelago, made of a series of low, forested islands with intermittent volcanoes and now-dormant mountains.  

There are two seasons: Wet and Dry

The northern islands get their fair share of the four seasons, but it is less drastic than other countries due to the equalizing warmth of oceanic currents from the equator. The equatorial islands are balmy and humid throughout the year, and the southern islands become a bit more temperate again, though not as drastic as the northern isles.

Notable Locations

Les Mirall — On the northernmost island is the capitol, Les Mirall. It's actual location not revealed, though the fact that it is hidden within a dense forest is widely known. To approach it, one can travel between two nearby lakes (this approach will take you through the Gate of Auro, or Gate of Gold), or one can travel to the town on the south end of the forest (which will bring you through the Gate of Argent, or Gate of Silver). Only those meant to enter can find their way through that forest. It's a government city, housing the two Councils and the Sky Seer.

The Academy (l'Academie Beryl) — is on a middle island, in a less forested area. A small town also surrounds it, and the town functions to support the students by selling books, clothes, and food.  At the Academy, students study the basics of their power as well as theories and general studies.

l'Universite Airn — Once graduating from the basics, students are free to either take up jobs or to continue onwards to higher education via apprenticeship.  Apprenticeships for combat magi (Inductors, Illusionists) are almost all sent to the l'Universite Airn on the southernmost island. That particular place is more of a fortress for the active defense of the islands than it is an actual school, and apprentices there observe a master and learn from them directly as they go about their job. The other three types can find masters who actively perform jobs related to their power in other places (usually specific people of power who volunteer to teach), though a few of them do also reside at l'Universite Airn.

La Sirèn — This island is just off the coast of the main port of the country.  It is specifically set aside for the casino that inhabits the island, which is vastly popular with foreigners.

L'Isola — The main port of the country and the only port open for foreign ships to land at. They have the most foreign influence, therefore, and the highest foreign-race population.  It's something of a tourist town with a lot of wares being sold and tours given.

Powers

Heuma are the people of the stone, and Heuma Magi, a group of people within Heuma ranks, are able to utilize powers of the Earth by using certain gemstones.  These gemstones are drawn to people who can utilize their channels (or conversely, people who can use them are drawn to them). To use these powers, Heuma Magi must have the appropriate gemstone on them or within a couple feet of them.

To cast difficult or high-end spells, it is safest to cast them from inside a metal ring. It gives the spells a boost in power (depending on the types of metal present).

There are five types of magi.  Two classes are not available to rpers, due to difficulty in rping them as well as general OP status.

Available Powers

1) Illusionists — people able to bend the visual spectrum of reality

Gemstone :: Topaz (Blue is best; other colors are okay)
Tools :: mirrors, wands&staffs
Use your powers to provide light for the party! Or, in opposite, provide them with some shade when crossing the intense sun of the desert... It takes a great deal of concentration and time to do things of more finite detail, so the illusionist will most likely not be fighting at the same time.  However, the raw power of a flash can work wonders in the middle of battle.  Especially since illusionists (who remember to) can also shade their ally's eyes! They can also cast night-vision spells on people (a spell that enhances the light hitting their eyes) or invisibility spells (beware it doesn't control sound, of course!) Illusionists are also useful for summoning fog — of course, it is not physical fog, but rather a magical mist used to confuse and hide a number of people.

2) Inductors — people who harness the Earth's eternal torment (aka, inner heat) to shoot out energy beams

Gemstone :: Garnet
Tools :: focus guns, wands&staffs
Zap things!  Kind of.  The inductors use heat, though the beams they concentrate and shoot from their foci are lightly visible as well (obviously, moreso at night).  They use these beams to pierce their enemies from afar...or light up the campfire! They are by and far the most offensively-powered of the magi. Keep in mind the size of the beams allowed are very small (no wider than an inch.) If it's wider than an inch, it loses its ability to pierce and merely becomes harmless heat waves. Useful in snowy regions, though!

3) Dowsers — those who can find things

Gemstone: Citrine (yellow is best; however, other colors can work)
Tools: chance type, wands&staffs
Dowsers are the pathfinders, the leaders, the navigators! Using their powers, they can locate places, things, people, or beasts from far away. However, this power takes time, because the spell they cast requires a lot of parameters and description. Not to mention it is a tricky power... usually, a piece of what they are looking for or a near replica of it is required to locate the appropriate target. That, and the presence of metals between the target and the dowser can disrupt or confuse long-distance attempts. Of course, the closer you are, the more precise the spells get!

Unavailable Powers

4) Foreseers — people who can gain access to knowledge of the future.

Gemstone :: Corundums (sapphires and rubies)
Tools :: tarot cards, mirrors, smoke from fire, throwing bones, dice
The leader of the Isles of Wenstir, the Sky Seer, is always a foreseer that has been groomed for this position from a group of possible candidates. They use their abilities most often in government jobs, as mayors or administrators, to lead others on the best paths their powers show them.  Even weak ones are often counselors.

5) Truthsayers — people who can determine the truth.

Gemstone :: Diamond
Tools :: staffs, dice, pendulums, wands
Truthsayers almost always are hired in government work.  These magi can force the truth from speakers, or at least determine whether or not a person is lying. They usually act as judges, or sometimes as diplomats.

How they Cast

» To cast, magi must focus their power and then trace a shape in the air or onto an object. These shapes always form a circle. When the circle is completed, the spell is cast, utilizing some of the magi's power. (Inductors who use guns draw with the gun. They actually cast the spell before they shoot, and the gun holds their spell in place using various metal contraptions so they can aim their beam properly.  When they pull the trigger, the metals inside the gun open up to release the spell inside.)

» Magi require their corresponding gemstone in order to utilize their powers. If they do not have the required gemstone near them, they are powerless.

» Metal affects Heuma magic. Certain types of metal dull it, others attract it, others warp it, and some amplify it. The most anti-magic metal out there is lead. Gold is the best amplifier.

» One Heuma Magi can only have one type of power and cannot choose their power (they are born with it).

» Power is hereditary. However, what kind of power is not. (So truthsaying parents can have a child who is a dowser)

Culture

Houses :: The most typically European-esque of houses, usually built from brick or wood with tiled roofs (a technique they stole from Andelour) or shingles.

Food :: Being an island nation, they have adapted to fishing culture over the years. They have more arable land than Shaif ever did, so some parts of the larger islands also produce wheat-based products (what lands that are not used for silk production, that is). Meat is typically the fish variety, and land-based animal meat is expensive.

Clothing :: Most Wenstirans wear silk, which is produced heavily in their country, and cotton textiles. Over-robes are popular, as is a lot of jewelry — the more delicate the wiring, the more gems in it, the better. Wenstir has a lot of gems in it, and they produce a lot of jewelry thereof. There are also special colored sashes given to state-employed magi, and students at the Academie Beryl are provided with short robes with trousers or shirts underneath until they graduate.  

» The Seer of the Sky wears midnight indigo, scattered with stars.  
» State Defenders wear purple
» Judges wear black (lower/local courts) and black with white trim (supreme court)
» Policemen/Detectives wear red
→ Gold is usually also worked into the designs (due to its amplification properties)

Leisure :: Being the home of the world's casino, and also the home of guess-based magical powers (some of which use dice or throwing bones), Wenstir's major type of fun revolves around card or dice games.  Cheaters are severely punished, so watch out~ 8D

Music :: Taking tradition from Shaif, they do a lot of percussion-works in their music. However, this has mixed with instruments of Central, the woodwinds and brass, and now has become what we of the real world would consider more traditional orchestral music.

Pets :: Heuma Magi are the same as Heuma; they don't have any particularly special pet outside of the normal ones. However, various pet types also do not reject Heuma Magi as much as other races, so tame versions of any time can become Heuma Magi pets.  Ask for more information!

(Pets can be used in battle - read the pets section for more information!)

Jobs and Demographics

Wenstir is mostly Heuma Magi, with very few of the other races — the most insular of any of the countries. It is estimated perhaps 10% of the total population is not Heuma Magi.

Daily Life Jobs
The people of Wenstir rely heavily on the sea for supply, though they also buy a lot of things from other countries. Some of the islands are large enough for farming and production. They also produce a lot of silk for trading and export, which also ends up making up the majority of their clothing and fashion.

Therefore, jobs are :: Weavers, tailors, miners (gem mines dot the countryside), jewelers, metalsmiths, farmers, fishermen, butchers, bakers, tour guides, traders, and various other jobs.  

Special jobs are :: casino attendants, tour guides, silk production, magi services.

Government

The main governing body is a partially democratic system, consisting of two councils led by the Sky Seer. The Council of Sages consists of powerful and respected magi, typically selected from either the academies or well-known professionals. There are two from each type of magical power. The Council of Provinces are elected leaders from each of the islands — and another from each major city. These two councils propose ideas and discuss possibilities, and present their final plan to the Sky Seer.

Leader :: The Sky Seer is the strongest and most reliable foreseer at that time. Usually all foreseers are groomed from a young age as their potential is realized. The pool of potential Sky Seer candidates slowly diminishes as the talented outpace the average. Sometimes, the previous Sky Seer can get visions of who will follow them; otherwise, the Council of Sages convenes after the Sky Seers death, and appoints the next Sky Seer themselves. This is the one decision the Council of Sages can do without approval of the Council of Provinces. The Sky Seer has veto or approval power over anything the two councils create. They can also enact decrees without the Councils' approval, though seldom do.

Military

The Universite Airn serves first and foremost as the first fortress of the country. There are several divisions, divided by naval or land, then by support or active battle units, and then further divided by jobs.

Active: Long-distance and close-quarter. While the Inductor classes typically fall into the long-distance type, the long-distance battle groups also include archers. Close-quarter types usually wield magic-friendly weapons.

Passive: Battle support or healers. Battle supporters typically are foreseers or illusionists — foreseers to predict the flow of battle and offer tactical advice, illusionists to trick or deceive the opposition during battle. Healers take the wounded from battle and, obviously, try to heal them.

Navy and Army versions both have their respective versions of active or passive units~ The only thing that changes is whether they are on a boat or on land.