Malrion
From Mizahar Lore
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This article is about a location with its own forum to roleplay in. You can find it here. |
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| Region | Eyktol | ||||
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| Notability | The Magelord and the Devoted | ||||
| Leader | The Magelord | ||||
| Population | 3,200 | ||||
| Races |
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| Languages | Common Tongue | ||||
| Currency | Miza | ||||
| Imports | Meats, Vegetables, Grains | ||||
| Exports | Cactus Wine, Jewelry | ||||
Contents |
City Overview
To visitors from the outside, Malrion looks rather intimidating. A twenty-foot tall stone wall surrounds the city with only three gates offering entry. It is said that the wall was raised from the desert floor to surround and protect the city from the harshness of the desert environment. The land around the city is flat, rocky and is covered in all manner of cactus. The gates leading into the city are open during the day and closed after sunset. Inside, three main roads offer access to six different city sectors. A handful of plazas, two large ones and a handful of smaller ones, act as both intersections between roads as well as gathering points for various city events, celebrations and addresses. The Main Road, Eastgate Road and Lord's Road, the three main roads in the city as well as the plazas, are made of sandstone shaped by the Magelord's magic. The six city sectors are not separated by any sort of wall or barrier save for the Devoted Sector which is sectioned off by bronze fences and gates. Most of the city lacks any real natural plant-life. The ground is sandy and littered with stones. There is a scattering of cacti growing here and there with some smaller ones in pots outside of homes and businesses. Oddly enough, there are few if any wells found in most of the common parts of the city.
Most who enter the city will arrive through the East Gate. The Eastgate Road runs east to west and from the Gate leads first through the Merchant Sector. This is where one will find a variety of businesses dealing in all manner of goods and services. The majority of the city's storage areas and warehouses can be found here as well. The most prominent businesses are located around a central market. The East Road leads from the East Gate to the Central Plaza where it intersects with the Main Road. The central market of the Merchant Sector is located north of the Central Plaza along the Main Road. Along with the various businesses that surround it, the market contains several booths, tents and stands where people peddle their wares. At night, lanterns hanging from posts line the primary roads, plazas and secondary paths, providing illumination.
The Eastgate Road extends west from the Central Plaza into the Housing Sector. This is where the majority of the city's inhabitants live. Houses built with clay bricks and ceramic tiled roofs, though small, offer shelter from the desert heat. The houses are neatly aligned with one another forming narrow alleyways. Lanterns hanging from posts illuminate some of the larger alleys while others remain dark at night. During the day, the sector is relatively safe and secure thanks to the Devoted. However, some amount of crime; petty theft and the occasional fight does occur outside of the Devoted's watchful eye. Close to the center of the Housing Sector is a small plaza that hosts a number of small gatherings.
From the central plaza, the Main Road runs north and south. North of the Central Plaza is the North Gate. South of the Plaza leads one past the Devoted Sector to the East and the Arena Sector to the West before finally meeting the Southern Plaza.
The Devoted Sector is where those who directly serve the Magelord and who manage the daily operations of the city itself live. It is sectioned off from the rest of the city by a ten-foot high bronze fence. A number of equally tall bronze gates offer entry. The Devoted live in villas surrounded by grassy lawns and separated from one another with more bronze fencing. The various estates owned by the Devoted differ in size and luxury depending on the status the Devoted maintains within the city and with the Magelord himself. Many have their own sources of fresh water, flowers and even trees. This sector appears almost alien compared to the rest of the city.
Across the Main Road from the Devoted Sector is the Arena Sector. As the name suggests, this sector is home to the city's Arena. The Arena serves as the primary source of entertainment for the entire city. It also has the rather convenient side-effect of being the primary diversion for the people; distracting them from the various difficulties involved with living under the Magelord's rule. Criminals, slaves and Champions of the Devoted all fight in the Arena for anything from glory to freedom with most doing so as punishment for crimes or status in the case of slaves. Also located in the sector is a training facility where slaves and criminals are turned into gladiators. There is also a housing compound for these gladiators and a cemetery for those who fall in the arena. There is even a tavern and brothel for both spectators as well as victorious gladiators.
South of the Southern Plaza is the Farming Sector. This is the smallest sector in the city and is where cactus farming takes place. The prickly pear cactus is farmed in this sector with juice made from it used in the creation of cactus wine, the city's primary export. The sector is owned by the Magelord, supervised by the Devoted and tended to by people specifically selected by the Devoted for service to the Magelord. These people are paid with a small supply of cactus wine which they may consume or sell as they see fit.
The Lord's Sector is located east of the Southern Plaza and is accessed via the Lord's Road. This sector is dominated by the Magelord's Palace, a luxurious structure adorned with marble pillars, floors and walls topped with a golden dome. The Palace is surrounded by grass with a scattering of small trees and fountains. The Palace overlooks a small plaza containing a central founding in the shape of the Magelord. The Magelord as well as the Grand Prelate, the greatest of the Devoted, live in the Palace
The Weather
Malrion's weather is, not surprisingly, hot and dry for the majority of the year. Cloud cover is almost non-existent.
The Winter offers slightly more comfortable daytime temperatures topping out in the upper 50s °F with nighttime lows in the mid to upper 30s. As with the rest of the Seasons, there is barely three inches of rain average for the entire season.
Spring brings warmer temperatures but not real increase in rainfall with the average for the season remaining at around three inches. The daytime temperatures reach between 65 and 85 °F with nighttime lows of 40 to 55 °F.
Summer temperatures are between 90 and 100 °F during the day and get as low as 65 to 75 °F. There is no humidity to speak of and rainfall for the entire season is, at best, half an inch. The heat is oppressive and dangerous to be out in uncovered.
Autumn is relatively moderate with daytime highs between 65 and 90 °F and lows during the night of 45 and 65 °F. Rainfall is around one and a half inches for the season.
Year-round there are occasional dry, hot windstorms that can reach gusts of 50 mph and carry great clouds of sand, dust and pebbles. It is these storms that the city wall was mainly meant to protect against.
History
The city of Malrion is a relatively young city having only existed for around 200 years. It's founding as well as its entire history is tied to its current ruler, the Magelord. Roughly 200 years ago, there lived a young wizard named, Malrion. Unlike the wizards before the Valterrian, Malrion was not formally trained with the years of study and practice that the wizards old enjoyed. In fact, during the first few centuries following the Valterrian, magic had lost its once great reputation and those who practiced it were forced into hiding. Fear drove the survivors of the Valterrian to widely shun the practice of magic and demonize its users. While some places, such as Sahova, supported and even embraced magic, so many more did not. Malrion, despite the dangers, sought out magic in hopes of at least touching on some fragment of magic’s past grandeur. With few great cities still existing or still in their early stages of growth, Malrion was, like many others at the time, a wanderer. It was a dangerous time for all, not just those who practiced magic. His family had been lost to such dangers which left Malrion to wander alone. It was during his travels that his interest in magic caught the attention of another wanderer, a reimancer whose name has been lost to history. This reimancer, a woman slightly older than Malrion, saw a kindred spirit in the young man and took him on as not only a student but also a companion.
The reimancer shared her knowledge of magic with Malrion and made him a reimancer as well. Together they explored the gifts magic offered while quickly falling in love with one another. Unfortunately, this was not a story that was destined for a happy ending. One evening, while enjoying a rare stay at an inn and taking comfort from the sturdy roof and walls the place had to offer, the two lovers were set upon by a desperate individual. A man, his hand lined with deep crimson veins, the mark of Krysus, broke into the couple’s room and assaulted them both. He managed to stun Malrion before brutally gutting the reimancer before she could unleash her magic upon him. The man turned to Malrion just as he was regaining his composure. Malrion, seeing what had happened to the only person that mattered in his life, became enraged and quickly produced a spray of molten rock directed at the source of his rage. The man’s face was coated in the lava ball and died instantly. Rushing to the reimancer’s side, Malrion cried out in vain for there was nothing he could do, she died in his arms without a word. When he was able to function, Malrion searched the small inn only to find that the murderer had killed the few others inside. Returning to the killer’s body, Malrion saw the mark on the man’s hand. Later he would discover that the man was a servant of Krysus, Goddess of Pain and Murder.
The events of that night set Malrion down a road that would forever change everything that he was. It was a symbolic event that awakened ideas and feelings that he already harbored but until that point had not given much serious thought. Malrion had always wondered why the gods had allowed the Valterrian to rain devastation upon the land as well as their followers. He had sometimes questioned why so much pain and loss was experienced by those who gave their lives to the gods. He never chose to worship or give any faith to a particular deity due mainly to that perceived hypocrisy. After that night however, his rejection grew exponentially. For the next few years, Malrion continued to wander, all the while embracing an ever greater study of magic. He thought that magic might help him discover why the gods fostered so much faith in themselves from their followers while at the same time allowing them to suffer. This hunger for magic even led him to embrace more ancient practices such as malediction as well as forbidden ones such as leeching. Yet, as his grasp of magic grew, his understanding of the gods and their mechanisms did not. Of course he learned much about the gods and their followers, the odd relationship they shared was lost to him. The obvious answer would have been to give his faith to one and seek their mark but such a thing was seen by Malrion as allowing his love to die in vain. He did however stumble across a place rumored to be overflowing with wild djed. His study of leeching had revealed the awesome potential of such a source. Perhaps with access to this source, Malrion would finally have the ability to take his practice of magic to a new level; one which could provide the answers he so desperately wanted.
Unfortunately, Malrion had already had more than his fair share of overgiving events and his mind was not quite right. His grief and anger were exacerbated by the overgiving which served to drive him in a way that was nothing short of near mindless obsession. Following the rumors of the source to the south, Malrion traveled to the desert region of Eyktol. There he spent nearly five years combing the desert for the source. By this time, his body was feeling the effects of his leeching and a man of nearly 30 years of age was physically becoming a man of over 50. His obsession would not allow him to give up his search and into his fifth year of searching, Malrion found the source.
Already a master or close to it in many magical disciplines, his discovery of the source indeed opened up an entirely new world to him. The source indeed was overflowing with wild djed of a sort Malrion had never before encountered. It provided him with immense amounts of excess djed in which he used to fashion himself a tower. This creation of this tower did not go unnoticed by the nomads who wandered Eyktol’s desert. Seeing these people as wanderers like himself, Malrion greeted them with welcome and kindness. He provided them with water created through the use of his reimancy and offered them protection from the dangers the desert had to offer. In turn, the nomads restored some semblance of humanity to Malrion; something he had forgotten years ago. Word of Malrion’s generosity spread quickly and more and more nomads came to him seeking water and protection which Malrion gladly provided. Eventually, the nomads became less nomadic and began a more permanent settlement around Malrion’s tower. Tents soon became huts then cottages. After a few years, Malrion realized that there was something more to it all as a small but growing village had arisen. It was then that Malrion began to realize there were other forces at work in all that was happening. The village, affectionately named Malrion by the people who lived there, was seen by Malrion the man as something far more symbolic. He provided that which the people wanted and needed and in return they provided companionship and a way for him to feel loved again.
That was it; that was the answer he had been looking for since the night his love was taken from him. It was the answer as to why the gods did what they did. It seemed so simple yet so powerful. Unknown to Malrion was the fact that the source of wild djed he built his tower upon was where an ancient god had fallen. Even in death, the god’s essence was influencing Malrion and the people who were beginning to love him. It was a subtle influence, easily dismissed as a natural evolution of society. Although he didn’t know the nature of the source and didn’t recognize its effects for what they were, he did finally understand why the gods needed the faithful. The devotion of the people fueled the gods on a spiritual level which is why they were encouraged to be faithful. The gods provided their marks as a way to foster this connection and despite whatever atrocities the gods may visit upon the faithful out of whatever divine whims they may have, they needed the people and the people needed them.
Thus it was then that Malrion fully embraced the people. However, he didn’t do so simply because he was a good person. Instead, he did so mostly out of defiance to the gods. If he, a mortal, could do what the gods did, he would display the ultimate rejection of them and show that they were not needed. He called upon the source to provide him with the djed needed to expand the village. He crafted larger buildings, roads and even a wall around the small city that was growing around him. With the support of the people, he named himself the leader of Malrion and took on the name the people had given him, Magelord. The Magelord, realizing that as powerful as he had become, could not do everything. So he went to the people and asked for them to offer up as a tribute not only to him but to the city and its collective inhabitants, their daughters. Not just any daughter would do as the Magelord wanted girls who reminded him of the woman he loved and lost; the woman whose death led him down this path. Only the prettiest, most intelligent, strong-willed and skilled were chosen. In return for their tribute, the Magelord granted those who did so greater amounts of water and more preferred housing.
The first few girls, the Magelord took on as students. He taught them reimancy along with a scattering of other magical knowledge. He encouraged their training in arts of diplomacy, politics, law and combat and showered them with fatherly love. In return, the girls now women, became completely and utterly devoted to him. This extreme devotion opened another strange doorway to the Magelord. Over time, as more of these girls grew up completely devoted to him, the Magelord began to experience something unexpected. The effects of his unparalleled amounts of leeching from the source were put in check. Although at that point he appeared and moved as a man in his late sixties though only being in his forties, the effects of leeching ceased to increase. No matter how much he leeched from the source, he grew no weaker. In fact, the Magelord ceased to age altogether. While the effects of overgiving were seriously reduced, the Magelord’s mind still continued to slowly suffer the impact. The woman became known as the Devoted and began managing the daily routines of running a small city in the name of the Magelord. The first of his students, a woman named Serati, was named Grand Prelate, head of the Devoted and the Magelord’s wife. Over the many years that have passed, the Magelord has had a number of wives, each chosen from among the Devoted and granted the title of Grand Prelate.
As is the case though with any city, not all was perfect. Not everyone living in Malrion loved the Magelord. Many saw him as a necessary evil; a powerful figure who provided for them yet still allowed some amounts of pain and suffering to occur. Sadly, the irony of this was lost to the Magelord. In an effort to combat small pockets of discourse and the potential for uprising among these displeased individuals, the Magelord began enacting laws meant to foster security. To many, these laws are just and deserved while to equally as many the laws are alien and dangerous. Nevertheless, the city of Malrion has existed for nearly 200 years and though it has slowed in its physical growth, the city continues to prosper as a whole and stands as a symbol, at least in the Magelord’s twisted mind, as the ultimate defiance to the gods.
Politics
At the top of everything that is Malrion, there is the Magelord. Beneath him there is the city government.
Malrion's government is set up into four small, separate organizations. Each of these governing bodies is named after one of the elements; reflecting the Magelord's fondness for Reimancy. Each is referred to as a House and is made up of a number of Devoted along with some of their Chosen and a collection of specialized slaves and free citizens. The House of Earth is responsible for operating/maintaining the cactus farms, water ration disbursement, city roads, festivals and tax collection. They are also responsible for the management of slave labor. The House of Fire is responsible for the initial training of the Devoted and their Chosen in the art of combat. They also have a hand in the operation of the Arena. The House of Water is responsible for enforcing the Magelord's laws and administering justice. They are also responsible for managing movement into and out of the city gates, business licenses, trade operations and property. The House of Air is responsible for training the Devoted in their unique use of magic. They are also responsible for the acquisition of any Pre-Valterrian texts and or artifacts and research associated with said finds. Each of these Houses is overseen by a high ranking Devoted who answers to the High Prelate. The High Prelate is responsible for keeping a watchful eye on each House with her Chosen informing of her of any suspicious/outrageous behavior that is deemed intolerable.
Each of the four Devoted who run the four Houses of Government advise the Grand Prelate on city operations/happenings. These four Devoted are known as the High Devoted. Each of the High Devoted rule over other lesser Devoted who help operate each House.
Each Devoted, from the Grand Prelate to the High Devoted to the rest, have what they call, Chosen. The Chosen are selected from slaves as well as free citizens to serve the Devoted in whatever way seems appropriate to the particular Devoted. The Chosen usually serve as enforcers, bodyguards or advisors with lesser duties performed by slaves or the occasional favored free citizen. Becoming the Chosen of a Devoted is considered the ultimate prize of anyone fighting in the arena. The Chosen, while not having nearly the power and influence of the Devoted, do maintain a somewhat protected status in the daily operations of the city. In the end however, they live only to serve the Devoted.
Economy
Malrion remains, as it has been since its founding, a source of trade within the Eyktol region. Outside trade comes mainly from the various desert nomads and caravans that are able to make there way through the harsh desert environment. In addition, there are occasional caravans that travel to and from the coast of the South Suvan Sea. These caravans bring goods from the lands outside of Eyktol including fish, fruits, vegetables and many other unique items into the city. Although trade and barter remain a part of Malrion's economy, the Miza has been adopted as the city's primary form of currency.
A secondary and somewhat nefarious form of currency also exists within Malrion in the form of Water Keys. A Water Key is a special magecraft item crafted by the Magelord and the Devoted that looks like a moderately ornate copper key with a small clear quartz crystal embedded in it. The magic of the key is activated when a person places their thumb on the crystal and says, "I give of myself". The key will then activate and leech a small amount of djed from the person as long as they hold their bare, uncovered thumb on the crystal. The maximum amount taken is not enough to truly harm the person but it may leave them feeling tired and/or unfocused for a short time. The crystal in the key will glow blue; its intensity depending on the amount of djed given. The key may then be used at the Water Dispensary; the elaborately carved stone statue of the Magelord located in the Southern Plaza. The empowered key may be put into a receiving keyhole in the base of the statue and turned. When this is done, the statue pours fresh water from its open hands; enough water to fill a five gallon bucket if the key is fully charged. When the key is removed from the keyhole, the crystal will return to being clear, the key no longer charged with djed. Each key may only be charged once per day. While the keys themselves are forged by the Devoted, the crystals are made by the Magelord and transfer the collected djed to special glyphed "batteries" within the Dispensary which are collected and presented to the Magelord. Water Keys cost 100 gold mizas and are distributed by the House of Earth although they are strict in how many are sold. These keys have however managed to wind up on the black market where they can be purchased for 300 gold mizas but without the scrutiny of the House of Earth. Black market deals involving Water Keys has become a rather lucrative business for some.
The city exports a special cactus wine made only in Malrion. It is a prized delicacy that has begun to spread to places outside of Malrion and provides a nice boost to the economy. Also, jewelry made from the shells of a unique species of giant desert beetle is growing in popularity and serves as another growing export.
Culture
The culture within Malrion is heavily influenced by the Magelord as well as the desert that surrounds it. As a small and relatively young city mostly isolated from the influences of the outside world, various cultural elements can seem somewhat alien to outsiders.
Buildings
Most of the core buildings and infrastructure of Malrion have been constructed by the Magelord and the Devoted through the use of Reimancy. As such they are made of a mixture of desert sandstone mixed with djed solidified into stone. Buildings that have been built in recent decades are built from sandstone and clay. The average free citizen home is built with sandstone walls and ceramic roofing tiles. Floors are usually made of baked clay bricks with furnishings being quite modest. Mercantile buildings such as the average shops and merchant homes are built of the same materials as the free citizen homes but are usually a bit sturdier with more robust furnishings and overall interior design. Curtains and tapestries made from cactus silk adorn homes and businesses alike and is a common material for building adornments and furnishings. Although the quality varies depending on social-economic status, cactus silk is available to all. The villas that house the Devoted and the buildings that directly serve them are luxurious in comparison to the merchants and free citizens. They are crafted from a mixture of desert stone as well as reimancy and usually take the form of granite. These buildings are often have marbleized patterns inside and out. Pillars and domes are popular architectural elements and often incorporate polished copper in their design. These buildings are adorned with the finest interior elements and furnishings and tend to remain cooler in the heat of the day and a bit warmer on cool nights. The main roads throughout the city are made from sandstone and reimancy as are the city walls. There is usually some uniform pattern to the design of the city with the various sectors setup in mostly grid-like patterns.
Diet
Certain types of food enjoyed by those outside of the desert are either rare, uncommon or simply not found in Malrion. Most of the food available to the average free citizen of the city comes from the plentiful numbers of cacti that grow inside and out of the city. Cactus juice, cactus wine, cactus fruit and any other edible part of the plant makes up a large part of a person's diet in Malrion. Livestock are not plentiful and hunting for meat is not easy or productive on a large enough scale to serve most people. As an alternative, the people have come to rely on a species of giant desert beetle common in the region around Malrion. Known as dewbugs, these beetles grow to be as large as a large dog or even small pony. They survive by collecting moisture from the occasional desert fog that forms at night (thus the name, dewbug) and feeding on dead plants and animals. The dewbugs are quite common around the outskirts of Malrion although most vary in size from that of a rat to a mid-size dog. Their shells are good for making jewelry, weapons and armor as well as tools and utensils. The rest of the beetle is used in various dishes such as soups and stews and can even been roasted. For those who can afford it, various imports are also enjoyed. The most common and widely available are foods made from grain as it is the most easily imported. Dried fish, fruits and vegetables are also available as are the occasional dried exotic meats.
Holidays/Celebrations
Military/Law Enforcement
Malrion does not maintain a formal military. The city's size does not warrant a military and its location prevents it from being of any real use to any outside force. They do however have a rather strict law enforcement group in the form of the Devoted and their Chosen. They are responsible for enforcing all of the Magelord's laws. While the House of Water is responsible for directly enforcing the Magelord's laws, all of the Devoted have the enforcement authority. Punishments for breaking the laws are often harsh and depend on which law is broken more than the degree to which it was broken. Public executions, while rare, do happen but mostly a person who breaks the laws can start by having their water keys confiscated and go from there. The most common form of punishment is being forced to fight in the arena. If the accused criminal wins a fight, they are allowed to go free yet still lose their water key but may be allowed to pay 100 mizas to keep it. The more severe crimes may cause the accused to be sold as a slave to the highest bidder. If there are no bids, they are then used for the training of other arena gladiators. Banishment from the city is also an option for those who commit some of the more severe crimes. There is no judge or jury to decide these things, it is up to the Devoted of the House of Water what to do.
The Devoted
The Devoted are all woman who serve the Magelord in many ways. They are primarily tasked to operate the various functions of the city. Depending on what House they serve, the Devoted may function in politics, mercantilism, city infrastructure or any other operation related to the running of the city, including one of the most important ones, law enforcement. Each of the Devoted are women, chosen at a young age by the Magelord, to serve him. Before the Magelord chooses a Devoted, the young girl is approached by an existing Devoted. This is done either by the girl's family presenting her to a Devoted or the Devoted noticing the girl and approaching the family first. Only the most attractive girls are chosen. Either way, the girl is taken from her family. If the encounter is a well received one on by sides, the family is offered a water key in exchange for the girl. If the family resists the encounter, the girl is still taken and if things become violent, the Devoted always gets the girl. The girl is then adopted by the Devoted who chose her and is trained by each of the four Houses in a variety of basic skills that are vital to being a Devoted; basic reading and writing, politics, trade, combat and magic theory. She is also taught that the Magelord is the most important person in her life. This part of the training is the most important and is the primary piece of training that, if the girl is unable to accept, will ultimately lead to her failure at becoming a Devoted. This training normally takes five years to complete. When the Devoted are satisfied that the girl is ready, they present her to the Magelord at his palace. If the girl does not meet the Devoted's expectations at any point, her training stops and she either remains in the home of the one who adopted her as a servant, or she is sold off as a slave (extreme cases).
Once taken to the Magelord, he decides if the girl is pretty enough, skilled enough and faithful enough to him. This usually involves the girl displaying a particularly useful talent as well as performing some task to prove her devotion. If he is satisfied, the Magelord will signify his approval by personally initiating the girl into reimancy. Occasionally he will initiate one into leeching however this is rare as it limits the girl's lifespan, beauty and usefulness in the long-term.
Once she is approved by the Magelord, the new Devoted chooses a House to serve based on her knowledge and what she is most skilled at. She remains in the home of the one who adopted her until she has shown herself capable of being on her own. When this happens, she may choose her own villa if one is available or work to construct her own. Then she may also name her Chosen. All of the Devoted dress in loose, flowing cactus silk robes and carry all manner of weapons, the types of which best suit their individual skill and tastes.
While the Devoted run the day-to-day operations of the city and work to enforce laws and maintain the survival of the city as a whole, they are not always good people. They possess a great amount of influence and control over anyone and everything in the city. Such control tends to have a corrupting effect on those most open to it. As such, there are many Devoted who are selfish, mean and oftentimes cruel to those they are tasked to oversee. The Devoted do not necessarily all get along with each other and there are instances of infighting from time to time. Usually this involves sabotage of operations or even assault and/or assassinations of a Devoted's Chosen. Bribery of a Devoted by a free citizen is not unheard of nor is a Devoted's overreaction to perceived slights to them by others. Such transgressions by his Devoted are usually intentionally overlooked or outright ignored by the Magelord as he sees it as necessary; a way of blowing off steam considering the stress that their duties often gives them. The Devoted also remind the Magelord of the first woman he ever loved and ultimately lost so he allows them quite a bit of freedom.
The Devoted are led by the Grand Prelate. She is a woman of extreme skill and even strong devotion to the Magelord. She is also his wife, chosen from his Devoted as the best.
The Chosen
There are a relatively small number of Devoted when compared to the roughly 3,200 people living in Malrion. Because of this, the Devoted are allowed to name a small number of men as their personal entourage. These men are known as the Chosen. The name comes from the fact that most of the Chosen picked from those who fight in the Arena. Since the overwhelming majority of those who fight as gladiators in the arena are or were slaves, being chosen by the Devoted is one of the greatest honors available to them. The Chosen are still technically slaves, complete with a special collar, yet they are given great amounts of freedom. The Chosen are tasked to serve the Devoted in any way they see fit. This can be as bodyguards, enforcers or even in a few cases, parts of a Devoted's male harem. Whatever their duties to the Devoted, the Chosen are usually branded in some way to mark them as belonging to a particular Devoted. This takes the form of an actual brand burnt on their flesh symbolizing who they are and who they serve. The collars they wear are magecrafted so that a single word from the Devoted who owns them will instantly fill the Chosen's lungs with water, drowning them on the spot.
The Chosen are allowed to carry weapons and can usually act however they wish as long as it doesn't violate their Devoted's wishes and doesn't tarnish the Devoted's name and/or reputation within the city. They are not allowed to have families as the Devoted and her other Chosen are considered family. That being said, some Devoted will actually attempt a sort of controlled breeding of their Chosen with hand-picked women as a way of continuing what they perceive as a particularly strong bloodline. This is normally done in hopes of having a female child who may grow up to become a Devoted.
Places of Interest
Malrion is a city that provides a number of wonders for both free citizens and visitors alike. Some of the more notable locations include:
The Market
While not as grand as some of the other trade centers of Mizahar, Malrion's market serves its purpose well. Amidst its colorfully adorned stalls and tents, people from both inside and outside of the city ply their wares to those willing to trade. Items that are common in other cities around Mizahar are often considered uncommon or even rare in Malrion. Such items can sometimes be found in the Market.
The Arena
Large enough to seat 2,500 spectators with standing room for another 500, the Arena serves as the central form of city entertainment. The Devoted hold a variety of games here where slaves/gladiators are pitted against one another in a fight to the death for the enjoyment of others. Accused criminals are also made to fight in the arena either to prove their innocence or simply to die to the applause of those watching. As a bonus to the Arena, a rather popular tavern as well as a brothel are located just out front of the main entrance.
The Cactus Farms
Located in the Farming Sector, the Cactus farms are where the majority of the city's prickly pear cactus crop is grown and managed. Here, organized plots for growing this succulent cactus are tended to and the valuable plant is harvested. It is from these plants that the city's popular cactus wine is produced. The wine is exported and sold to a growing number of other locations across Mizahar and serves as Malrion's primary cash crop. It is the cactus wine that brings in the most mizas from outside the city.
The Magelord's Palace
A towering mass of pillars, domes and marbled granite, the Palace is home to the Magelord himself. Surrounded by immaculately pruned flower gardens and grassy lawns, the Palace is a symbol of the Magelord's control over the desert itself. Water flows from fountains and the smell of fresh flowers fills the surrounding air. Few free citizens are ever allowed inside with only the Devoted able to come and go freely. It is also here that the Grand Prelate, the Magelord's wife, holds residence. The Palace holds not only countless symbols of influence, wealth and mastery but also no small amount of mystery as it serves as the heart of Malrion and holds great secrets about the Magelord and the nature of his immense power.
Society
Malrion was founded by a man of the same name who gathered together a number of desert nomads with the idea that they all could benefit each other through shared trade, security and understanding. As the city grew and developed, the man named Malrion became the Magelord and the desert nomads who camped out around the Magelord's tower became the free citizens of the city of Malrion. The nomads brought with them a variety of beliefs and ideas, most of which have been adapted, assimilated or forgotten over the years to form the foundation of the city; influenced and shaped by the Magelord of course. The Magelord is the one who set a series of key laws that are considered sacred. His Devoted not only enforce these laws but also see to it that the city runs, more or less, smoothly. Daily life in Malrion consists of people leaving their homes for work. Average people living in Malrion are considered Free Citizens. Free citizens all have the right to live and pursue work in Malrion. They can purchase a home or land to build one and they can attempt to become one of the merchants and own their own business. In return for the rights a free citizen enjoys, they must pay the taxes imposed by the Magelord and obey the Magelord's laws. Breaking of the laws or failure to pay taxes results in potential loss of rights or worse. Free citizens may own slaves if they can afford them however the cost of maintaining a slave can be prohibitive.
Merchants in Malrion are made up of free citizens as well as visitors from places other than Malrion who offer goods and/or services within the city. Merchants have the capacity to enjoy a bit more freedom within the city due mainly to their increased wealth. They are able to purchase and/or build their businesses and homes within the Merchant Sector. Due to their increased wealth, merchants are also able to purchase larger numbers of water keys. This not only allows for greater comfort but also more flexibility with their businesses. The taxes merchants pay to the House of Earth combined with the taxes paid by free citizens helps to pay for city operations; including compensation to the Devoted. Merchants may own slaves and many do as they are in a better position to afford them.
The Devoted and the four Houses that keep the city running are at the top of Malrion's society. They are given almost complete freedom to live as they see fit as long as they keep in mind that their lives belong to the Magelord. They do not pay taxes and have unlimited access to water thanks to their focus on water reimancy. They have no need for water keys however they do get a seasonal supply of them to use as they see fit. The Devoted oversee all city operations and enforce laws. They own the majority of the slaves in the city as well as gladiators and the Chosen.
The Chosen are slaves who have proven themselves as useful enough to be chosen by the Devoted. The Chosen, while still technically slaves, have more freedom. They are considered extensions of the Devoted they serve and thus enjoy certain protections. They have rights on par with free citizens and when there is a conflict or confrontation between free citizens and the Chosen, the Chosen usually have authority second only to the Devoted.
Slaves are made up of criminals who are not seen as enough of a threat to be executed outright. Those whose offenses are minor in scope are able to be purchased by free citizens and merchants alike. Others who are a bit more violent or unpredictable, are often trained to become gladiators in the Arena. Most slaves, regardless of their offenses or nature, undergo training in the Arena Sector. This training can be anything from combat in the Arena to simply being broken in a way that makes them more subservient to potential buyers.
Although not specifically required, most adult free citizens find themselves in need of work in order to survive. Being homeless is extremely difficult in Malrion. Even if one has a water key, not having a secure place to live leaves them open to hardship. They are more at risk of being victims of crime, the desert heat as well as abuse by those who have more than them. There is also the matter of taxes as all free citizens, regardless of personal situations, must pay taxes. Those who cannot, end up as slaves.
Crime
Crime in Malrion is not as uncommon as one may think considering the control the Magelord and his Devoted have over the city. The socioeconomic divide in the city drives many an individual to commit crimes in order to make their lives somewhat better than others. Theft and assaults are the more common of what is considered to be minor crimes. Theft of water keys is always a threat as water is obviously in high demand in the desert. Most of the minor or secondary crimes, are dealt with by the Devoted and their Chosen in quick and sometimes harsh ways. There is no council, jury, judge or any real formal structure available to handle disputes, accusations or justice. Instead, secondary crimes are handled on an eye-for-an-eye type of system. Secondary crimes include, theft, rape or unjustified assault or murder. Of course if any crime that would otherwise be deemed secondary is committed against a Devoted or their Chosen, it becomes much more serious. Punishment for secondary crimes depends upon the nature of the crime. Theft results in the immediate removal of one's arm at the elbow. Rape results in the immediate removal of the offender's genitals. Unjustified assault or murder is decided upon by the attending Devoted but usually results in the accused being sent to the Arena for overall judgement via combat. The Devoted and to a lesser degree, their Chosen, have quite a bit of leeway when it comes to enforcing secondary laws. Note that these laws apply to free citizens and not slaves.
Where things get serious is when it comes to the Primary Laws. The Primary Laws of Malrion are those laws set by the Magelord himself. Breaking these laws are in effect, a personal slight against the Magelord and result in extreme punishments. The Magelord has decreed the following laws to be sacred and unyielding:
No free citizen shall openly worship or show faith in any divine entity. Only faith in the Magelord is allowed. This includes use of gnosis or open display of gnosis marks. Those caught breaking this law shall be arrested, stripped, bound, blindfolded and led deep into the desert where they will be released into the hands of whatever deity they feel will protect them.
No free citizen shall engage in the use of magic unless specifically authorized to do so in the service of the Magelord or his Devoted. Those caught breaking this law will be taken before the Magelord. Only the Devoted are allowed free use of magic. (Note that those taken before the Magelord are never seen or heard from again.)
No free citizen shall be allowed to own/wield a metal weapon of any sort. Only the Devoted and the Chosen are allowed to own/wield metal weapons. Metal tools and implements needed for the operation of one's occupation are allowed within reason. Those caught breaking this law will have their items confiscated and themselves sent to the Arena.
Clothing colored in white is forbidden to be worn by free citizens. Only the Devoted may wear white clothing as it is a sign of their purity and devotion to the Magelord. Those caught breaking this law will receive 10 lashes from a barbed chain whip in the Lord's Plaza near the Palace.
No free Citizen shall interfere with the duties of a Devoted or their Chosen. Those caught breaking this law will be punished in accordance to the Devoted or Chosen who have been targeted. This may result in anything from lashing to the Arena to immediate execution depending on the wishes of the victim.
Few dare break the Primary Laws however it does happen from time to time. While the Devoted and their Chosen may sometimes overlook some small crimes; usually through bribery, they almost never overlook the breaking of Primary Laws. In the rare instance that they do, it is always because they have been convinced through extreme and nearly unimaginable bribery. The Devoted are basically immune to punishment for breaking any Secondary Law and Primary Laws, for the most part, don't apply to them anyway. If a Devoted were to break a Primary Law that applies to them and are caught by another Devoted or Chosen, they would be taken before the Magelord for judgement. The Chosen are given quite a bit of freedom when it comes to breaking secondary laws however, if in doing so they tarnish or otherwise harm their Devoted's reputation or status among their peers, that Chosen will be dispatched without mercy. If a Chosen breaks a Primary Law, they are also dispatched without mercy; sometimes in public as an example that nobody is above the laws of the Magelord and his Devoted.