The Peering Eye

Az-Ylar

Map of The Emirate of Az-Ylar.

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Overview

Land of Magic
Az-Ylar is known near and far as a land where magic rules. This is to the same extent that the Skill rules Bigany. Visitors to the country are somewhat disappointed at the lack of magical occurrences. The reasons for this are simple: There are not that many Wizards in Az-Ylar, indeed as a country it has some of the tightest ordinances known governing the use of magic.

Geography
The country is generally depicted as a barren desert though this is not strictly the case. The area immediately around the capital is quite fertile, though this may be due to magical enhancement. There are several Oasis scattered throughout the country and these are where settlements are concentrated.

The oases are supported by The Church. The Cults that are primarily associated with water, earth, fertility, etc. etc. are very dominant in the Oasis towns. Druids also play an important role in maintaining the oasis. The Desert Druids and Desert Rangers are also very protective of the so called 'barren' wasteland, wanting to preserve it as it is.

Arcane secret tomes hint that the desert is not only unnatural but magically sustained. This would further suggest that the 'desert' of Az-Ylar is maintained as a defensive measure and to ensure that the Nation is dependent on it's spellcasters. This would mean that if the Arcane casters stopped their work, the oasis would overrun the environment and the Temperate Climate would return. This would be bad for all the powers that be.

Population
The populace is of mixed origin. The Mainstay of the settled populace is human living in small villages near oasis or wells. There are a small number of Halflings who have settled some of the more remote regions with permission of the Vizier. Finally there is at least one community of Gnomes known to exist, dwelling high on the side of a mountain having few dealings with the outside world.

The Tribes of Az-Ylar
The Majority of the populace consists of nomadic tribes who travel the desert living is they have always done, amongst these peoples the rule of the grand vizier is a distant thing and each tribe is governed by its own laws. The tribes exist in a constant state of war with humanoid tribes who fight for the same resources. The Grand Vizier, doesn't care remotely about these people, as long as they behave.

Relations with the World
Most of the country has nomadic tribal horsemen that enjoy open trading with the rest of the world.

Interesting Facts
Druids, Elemental Clerics and the Desert maintain the desert when one shouldn’t exist.

Adventurers
The desert is vast and home to a significant number of adventurers hideaways. These vary from simple huts to elaborate fortresses though all are well hidden from the casual observer. Some have lain desolate for centuries with the death of their owners.

Power Groups

The Grand Vizier
The latest in a long line of magic wielding rulers, he is one of the most powerful mages on the planet. Powerful enough that Bigany has never threatened the dubious borders of his country - despite the high levels of banditry and the like on the trade routes. Rumour persists that The Grand Vizier may be the same individual who founded Az-Ylar, which would make him old beyond human reckoning…
Rules Az-Ylar with absolute authority. The law is very harsh and enforced ruthlessly. The Grand Vizier also presides of the greatest school of magic in Radharc, know as the Halls of the Maaji.
Quote: “The Grand Vizier, doesn't care remotely about these people, as long as they behave.” Bigany Trader

Government
The royal family is rumoured to be of mixed human and draconic blood, a rumour fueled by the use of draconic as the official language of court. This of course makes the proceeds by far more difficult for spies and outsiders unfamiliar with the language and dialect used to penetrate the mystery that surrounds the throne. There are always several foreign emissaries in the Al-Shahn Court, of human and non-human lineage.

The Grand Vizier and his court have little interest in their realm. They allow a large number of devoted civil servants to monitor and govern the kingdom on their behalf, allowing them to engage in the magical research which is their passion. The servants are fanatically loyal -the results of the geas they swore, but retain enough independence to be corrupt in 'unimportant matters'. This fact is doubtless known to the royals but is tolerated for some reason. The country is an ill run inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy which would not survive were it not for the cabal of powerful wizards who occupy it. The Humanoid hordes from the north or the Torlandish Empire to the east would long since have overrun its defenses.

The Wizards
As for the wizards the occasional reports that do leak from the confines of the imperial court in its magically warded fortress-palace hint at convoluted power struggles and occasional suspicious deaths'. Hence the Az-Ylari Expression. A Wizard who has tired of looking for broken glass in his dinner, is tired of life.' Despite all this, past attempts to monopolise on internal difficulties, have resulted in the assailants being met by a strong, unified and belligerent response.
Quote: 'A Wizard who has tired of looking for broken glass in his dinner, is tired of life. – Ezechial Al’Hasan Maaji Wizard

The Nobility
The Royal family are more of a clan, a group of half a dozen intermarried families who between them control all of the magic of the country. Outsiders are not encouraged, though it is normal that a particularly fine specimen will be added to the gene pool in each generation; this fact has tended to make wizards or sorcerers from other countries reluctant to visit the court of Az-Ylar unless protected by diplomatic status. There has been rumour in recent years of at least one of the families offering high rewards for someone with psionic talents. This has of course been denied by all of the royal families.

The Church
The Church supports the oases. The Cults that are primarily associated with water, earth, fertility, etc. etc. are very dominant in the Oasis towns. Druids also play an important role in maintaining the oasis. The Desert Druids and Desert Rangers are also very protective of the so called 'barren' wasteland, wanting to preserve it as it is (for some reason).

Religion

Observance of religion is somewhere between Bigany and Torland in its practice. However, there are several local variants on the official church policy.

Shale
The Priesthood of Draíocht is forbidden, with church sanction, to those who have not been passed to join by the throne. This generally involves a personal interview with the Grand Vizier of the time. Members of the priesthood are forbidden from holding public office in Az-Ylar.

The Cult of Draíocht
The Cult of Draíocht has a strong influence over the use of Magic within Az-Ylar, ensuring that their God’s will on the proliferation of magic is imposed.
This suits the Grand Vizier for two reasons. Firstly, having all the magic contained within his grasp is a great advantage. The fact that the Church would control magic proliferation for him is another bonus.
Secondly, the Priests ensured that there was no backlash from either the Gods or the Fallen when his powerful magic was wielded. The Priests allowed him to deduce just how far he could bend the balance. The Grand Vizier is a powerful enough individual to commune with Draíocht without the assistance of a High Priest.
Now that the restraints has been removed from Magical learning, the Grand Vizier is happy to continue working with the church as they will ensure that all Az-Ylar Wizards are trained in their joint academy. As long as both sides serve each others purposes the alliance will continue.

The Cult of Draíocht feel superior to their Bigany cousins in the realms of creation and arcane practice but envy the size of the vast libraries of the Church of the Moons in Bigany. Only the books in the Grand Vizier's personal library have not been copied and sent to the Great Library of Bigany. The balance is shifting back to the Bigany Cult since the liberating of magic. (The Priests no longer refer to themselves as the 'Church of Draíocht' and have reverted to the correct, less controversial, 'Cult of Draíocht')

The Cycles
The Cycles are strongly followed and the nomadic tribes have a particular fondness for the more action oriented deities. There is a small following amongst the royalty and certain other nobles for sub sects of the church of the moons.

The Shale & Charon Elementalists
The elementalist sects have seen a resurgence in recent years, these are usually brotherhoods based in remote strongholds governed by authoritarian and often insane leaders. While frowned upon by official church and state policy these priests display powers granted from their deities and thus have so far escaped censure. There are perhaps a half dozen sects known to exist.

Wizards

The Wizards of Az-Ylar
Az-Ylar is known near and far as a land where magic rules. This is to the same extent that the powers of the mind rule in Bigany. The wizards who perform this magic are known as “Shi’Ar”. Visitors to the country are somewhat disappointed at the lack of magical occurrences. The reasons for this are simple: There are not that many Wizards in Az-Ylar, indeed as a country it has some of the tightest ordinances known governing the use of magic.

The Grand Vizier, latest in a long line of magic wielding rulers is one of the most powerful mages on the planet. Powerful enough that Bigany has never threatened the dubious borders of his country - despite the high levels of banditry and the like on the trade routes. The Royal family are more of a clan, a group of half a dozen intermarried families who between them control all of the magic of the country. Outsiders are not encouraged, though it is normal that a particularly fine specimen will be added to the gene pool in each generation; this fact has tended to make wizards or sorcerers from other countries reluctant to visit the court of Az-Ylar unless protected by diplomatic status. There has been rumour in recent years of at least one of the families offering high rewards for someone with psionic talents. This has of course been denied by all of the royal families.

The country is generally depicted as a barren desert though this is not strictly the case. The area immediately around the ca ital is quite fertile, although this may be due to magical enhancement. There are several Oases scattered throughout the country and these are where settlements are concentrated. The church of the moons is resent at these Oases with the cults associated with the gods of Water and Earth prominent. Druids are also important in keeping these Oases, however, in typical Druid fashion they occasionally let an Oasis dry in the name of reserving the balance. This occasionally leads to confrontation between cycles Clerics and the Druids. Druids and Rangers are also active in ensuring that agriculture and irrigation to not encroach too much on the ‘desert garden’

The populace is of mixed origin, the royal family is rumored to be of mixed human and draconic blood, a rumour fueled by the use of draconic as the official language of court. This of course makes the proceeds by far more difficult for spies and outsiders unfamiliar with the language and dialect used to penetrate the mystery that surrounds the throne. The Mainstay of the settled populace is human living in small villages near oasis or wells. There are a small number of Halflings who have settled some of the more remote regions with permission of the crown. Finally there is at least one community of Gnomes known to exist, dwelling high on the side of a mountain having few dealings with the outside world. The Majority of the populace consists of nomadic tribes who travel the desert living is they have always done, amongst these peoples the rule of the grand vizier is a distant thing and each tribe is governed by its own laws. The tribes exist in a constant state of war with humanoid tribes who fight for the same resources. The Grand Vizier seems not to care too much about these tribes and their antics, however, when he does act it tends to result in entire tribes being destroyed in the process.

Observance of religion is somewhere between Bigany and Torland in its practice. However, there are several local variants on the official church policy. The priesthood of Draíocht is forbidden, with church sanction, to those who have not been assed to join by the throne. This generally involves a personal interview with the Grand Vizier of the time. Members of the priesthood are forbidden from holding public office in Az-Ylar. The Cycles are strongly followed and the nomadic tribes have a particular fondness for the more action-oriented deities. There is a small following amongst the royalty and certain other nobles for sub sects of the church of the moons. The elementalist sects have seen resurgence in recent years, these are usually brotherhoods based in remote strongholds governed by authoritarian and often insane leaders. While frowned u on by official church and state policy these priests display powers granted from their deities and thus have so far escaped censure. There are perhaps a half dozen sects known to exist.

The desert is vast and home to a significant number of adventurer’s hide-a ways. These vary from simple huts to elaborate fortresses though all are well hidden from the casual observer. Some have lain desolate for centuries with the death of their owners.
The Grand Vizier and his court have little interest in their realm. They allow a large number of devoted civil servants to monitor and govern the kingdom on their behalf, allowing them to engage in the magical research that is their passion. The servants are fanatically loyal -the results of the gees they swore, but retain enough independence to be corrupt in 'unimportant matters'. This fact is doubtless known to the royals but is tolerated for some reason. The country is an ill run inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy who would not survive were it not for the cabal of powerful wizards who occupy it. The Humanoid hordes from the north or the Torlandish Empire to the east would long since have overrun its defenses. As for the wizards, the occasional re orts that do leak from the confines of the imperial court in its magically warded fortress- palace hint at convoluted power struggles and occasional suspicious deaths, for all this past attempts to monopolise on internal difficulties have resulted in the assailants being met by a strong, unified and belligerent response. As one exile put it: “A Wizard who has tired of looking for broken glass in his dinner, is tired of life”

Geography

The country is generally depicted as a barren desert though this is not strictly the case. The area immediately around the capital is quite fertile, though this may be due to magical enhancement. There are several Oasis scattered throughout the country and these are where settlements are concentrated.