Middlemist, the Magnolian Border Town (off-map)

[Tee]

Population: 132,400
Culture: Archaic Astyan/Magnolian

Government: Council of Guilds




Exerpt From Ancient Tribes Of Aegis, Vol III, c 1064AC:

     In the beginning, Kraus brought with him the Divine, and among these walked the Twins; Rhodos, of Destruction, and Dahra, of Creation; imbued with some essence of the Creator, they walked together until the coming of the Queen of Demons. Apart, Creation roamed the world alone, while Destruction wrought Its grim work. The Divine came upon an island, crowned by peaks, a pond at the very center, and here Creation rested, in sorrow and loneliness.

     But when Creation looked again, there were a people present, watchful; and the Divine grew astonished, for they had built for Creation a crude shrine around It. And so Dahra, of Creation beheld for the first time the tribe of the Clever Ones. And it is said that the tears of Creation filled their pond with Divine essence, and the people of hidden Magnolia knew peace until the end of days.

     But some of the Clever People drank too deeply, and theirs came the serpent's gaze of the Twin; Destruction, and ever in the Magnolian's hearts was the risk of it being released. And so the ones who could not control it and be civilized, as time passed, were sent away to the west, and the sandstone mountains. Visitors, too, would be sent here -- to Middlemist, and then onwards, whereever they desire; so long as it is not Magnolia, and the Pool of Creation's Tears.




Middlemist is a border town on the edge of Magnolian territory (such as it is); it is populated entirely by distant descendants of archaic Magnolians, Astyan refugees, and other various people who have passed through Magnolian lands and sent on their way. Magnolia itself largely ignores the town and hasn't bothered to contact them in some centuries; the town itself is fully independent and quite self-sustaining.

They at least keep themselves occupied -- both with the sheer act of invention and creation (golems have always been especially popular), as well as with numerous festivals. A yearly tournament - the Endless Tourney - is typically held, though actual residents will be quick to inform anyone that due to a technicality over a thousand years ago in the rules, the tourney has just never actually ended and nobody has ever been crowned winner.

Cut off from all other contacts, Middlemist has had long millenia to form their own particular culture and heritage, though their population hasn't appreciably gained much over that time due to relative lack of immigration or trade. They have no standing army (or militia to speak of), no ports larger than fishing docks, and have only vague knowledge of anything outside Magnolian borders.

However, the strong ex-Magnolian heritage of the population (as well as mixing of various other people, for instance Astyan refugees who stayed rather than crossed the mountains) has led to a robust focus on invention and creation. Much of their existence is constant experimentation, whether or not it ends in failure, and society in Middlemist is highly specialized in specific, narrow fields. Inventors, musicians, architects, and other artisans are highly valued and respected in the town's society. Though generally rather harmless and initially naive to Essharan ways, most Middlemist residents are not pacifists like the true Magnolians.

Due to Middlemist's close proximity to Esshar (just over the mountains), it's the closest destination for eager and curious explorers - often their failed attempts end up in what people mistake for attacks by Magnolian inventions (such as runaway airships!). And perhaps some few have made it through the hidden passes to Esshar.. Often mistaken for Magnolians.