"No Hats Allowed" - Archmage Erland Nimz
| Type | Large City |
|---|---|
| Government | Magocracy, later Monarchy |
| Location | Oppidan, Pteris |
| Inhabiting Race | Mostly Elf |
Jewelspar is an ancient elven city of immense size and spectacle in Oppidan, founded by Archmage Nimz, who was its ruler for over a millennium. It was also notable for its strict anti-magic laws after Nimz' death.
About
During the magocracy, laws in Jewelspar were strict in order to keep magic usage safe. Upon entering the city, all hats, hoods and other headwear will need to be removed. Signs outside the walls state: "Those who hide their heads from the elves above bring either great shame or great deception into the city walls and will be barred from entrance."
The city was very proud of its magic under Nimz, but one law specifically stopped the conjuring of creatures larger than 5 feet in size.
Specialties
In Oppidan, Jewelspar is considered to have the best:
- Perfumes
- New Spells
- Potions, Scrolls, Rods, and Wands
- Exotic Weapons
- Exotic Pets
- Books
- Weather
Notable Locations
City Sectors
- The Archmage's Spectacade (Later just called the Jewelspar Palace)
- Home of "The Golden Horn", which was showed off to tourists and locals as an instrument once owned by the Elf god Corellon himself.
- The Green Ghettos, a large southern sector of the city flourishing with plantlife that is home to the minority Wood Elven population of the city. This sector was shuttered and integrated at some point before 650 PR.
Institutions
- Jewelspar University
- Laergul, a Corellon-based Bardic College
- The Jewelspar Weather Machine (Built in the 400s PR)
- The Living Library, a veteran's home for elderly elves that served in wars including (but not limited to) The Holy War, Realm War I, and the War of the Essence. The elves retire here to live out their last decades in dignity and comfort. As Jewelspar's Elven society lacked proper libraries (record keeping being a very Human thing to do), this institution acted to preserve firsthand knowledge of bygone eras while also honoring those who lived that history and fought for peace. For at least some time, the Living Library existed as a satellite building to the city's central Spectacade.
- Many of the elves are in residence over 800 years old. Including veterans of the War of Essence: Nahtar (slayer), Maerondil (artist lover), Hravandawine (child of the wilderness), and Amluguilos (mountain of everlasting whiteness).
- The Sewers: Jewelspar was home to a basic sewage system that would dispose the city's waste out to sea, as well as provide ample opportunities for rogues and scoundrels to sneak under the city unnoticed.
- The QuassirClink: Jewelspar's high security prison.
- The Narrowcourt: a performing arts district that is home to a small collection of theaters owned by partner managers Franz Neddy and Guillaume D'Erlander including their flagship stage, the NeDNDerlander Theatre (stylization of "Neddy and D'Erlander"). Originally called The Forum Theatre, its new name was thought up and rechristened in the mid-PR era by Guillaume, who fancies himself a "marketing maestro" and heavily involves himself in the creative side of producing shows. Franz mostly sticks to bookkeeping and is the one truly responsible for keeping the theaters operating.
Other Places of Interest
- Jewelspar Summons Disposary
- The Disposary allowed potentially dangerous creatures, either transformed, summoned, conjured, or abjured, be disposed of in a safe environment by powerful forces…fighting volunteers in an arena. In return for destroying one of the monsters, the volunteer would be paid an amount relative to the dangers they faced in the arena.
- 50s style restaurant, "Poachers"
- Jewelspar Menagerie
- Raul's Costume Jewelry and Teapot Emporium, run by a bigoted elf named Raul "Hands-of-Steel" Veinhart.
- The Enduring Ruins
- Jewelspar Summons Disposary, an arena where volunteers can make money off of ridding the world of failed summons.
- The Gilded Vineyard, a winery/tavern.
Government
Elven Houses
Since its founding in the BR era until 693 PR, Jewelspar's governing forces were always lead by the archmage and founder-of-the-city Erland Nimz. During The Holy War and following Realm War, Nimz worked alongside 3 noble elven houses who resided with him at his palace.
House of Nimz - Patrons of the Future
- Founders of Brilliance and seekers of the Horn.
- Led by Erland Nimz, founder of the city.
- Established wealth/notoriety with reakthroughs in magic and selling of various trades/magics/secrets through The Fey Front.
- The Nimz bloodline originated out of the fey lands later known as Glendoveer, and during the Realm War, the Nimz family had heavy pull among powers in The Fey Front.
- Patronate Benefits: Reduced prices in the city, access to private wares and federal goods. Extra magical items.
- Patronage Restrictions: Those who worked under the House of Nimz were to follow one strict requirement: they were not to harm a hair on the head of any elves. Failing to do so, to hurt an elf, is considered mortal sin under the House of Nimz, which dedicated itself to protecting elves everywhere.
- Patronage Quest: Those who wanted to secure the patronage of the House of Nimz were required to invent a new spell, and to break it down and teach it to Nimz, or to otherwise do a fetch quest for a strange ingredient or obscure item that would help Nimz devise new spells himself. During the Realm War, Nimz would often ask for help in devising spells that gave the Glendoveer armies an advantage on The Fey Front.
- One fetch quest that Nimz gave the OathWielders was the retrieve a bone fragment from the decaying bones of Valhazzeth.
House of Olorona - Patrons of the Present
- The Bastards of Olidammara.
- Led by Meriel Olorona.
- They built their notoriety/wealth through performance and arts. They worked from being performers to supporting supporters, including bards, tale-tellers, and practitioners of more obscure arts.
- The House of Olorona cherished the arts, and following in the laughing god's steps, enjoyed good natured schemes and stories shared over hard drinks. They had a lot of pull with similar jovial houses in Galik.
- Patronage Benefits: 15,000 coin, good for use in Galik or other cities supporting the Galic Coin.
- Patronage Restriction: "You must not become predictable, once a day, make an important choice based on unpredictable and whimsical nature and seek out the entertainment brought by the random roll of the dice."
- Patronage Quest: To earn the patronage of the House of Olorona, a prank must be played on another member of the Olarona family staying in the palace, something using the following items: A Candle, a Disguise Kit, a Vial of Old Porridge, and a small brass instrument called a Blow-Horn.
House of Elhorn - Patrons of the Past
- Knowledge Seekers and Deepthinkers.
- Led by Ailuuin Elhorn.
- The House of Elhorn had heavy pull with exploration and scholarly based houses, mostly based out of the Kiston Realm and the Kingdom of Xender Pleth.
- The source of their wealth/notoriety was contractual work preserving family crests, heirlooms, scrolls, and other prestigious items.
- Patronage Benefits: 3000 coin and a Ring of Recovery .
- Patronage Restrictions: While under the banner of the Elhorn Nobility, There shall be no destruction or theft of any important holy war relics, scrolls, or otherwise notable artifacts, including vessels carrying said artifacts.
- Patronage Quest: The tests of the Elhorn House changed frequently depending on what sort of field they were conducting research and studying in. One such test was philosophically based, requiring the applicants to recite three examples of "dialetheism", or the concept that something can be true, while its negation is also true. An example being "I move", a simple statement that is both true in the defining sense that one is a moving creature, while its negation "I do not move" is true in the relative sense (assuming the speaker is standing still).
House of Eriolhen - Children of the Streets
- The Eriolhen House is not an official house of Jewelspar, nor do they have any titles or power. The Eriolhen house was a made up name that the city's orphans banded under. Several safe houses located around the city's feytouched ghettos would provide shelter to the children, who otherwise would rely on street cons and acts of guilt and manipulation to get food and care from the city's more respected residents.
- Particularly in the 400s-500s PR, Jewelspar has more orphan children than ever before, and they live like rats, avoiding police, stealing, and knowing the insides and outsides of life on the streets.
- Visitors to Jewelspar could learn many secrets from the Eriolhen house, as well as get small favors such as smuggling goods or people across the city. However, these rewards would require payment of their own, often in the form of money or food.
- After 466 PR, many of the Eriolhen moved to the House of Tenorixion, a children's shelter founded by Maverick Tabernacle.
Sole Magicarch
All of that changed when the Cavalry Rush sought to take down nobility ruled leaderships around the realm. After the Rush, Nimz himself continued to rule, with no claim to royal blood, and watched (faithful to his people) as the various nobles and royals of the other houses were forcefully evicted from his palace, alongside several of his own family members. Leaving the founder to rule alone among his servants and kinsmen.
True Monarchy
After Nimz' death in 695 PR, a power vacuum formed, and was eventually filled by a group of anti-magic forces, led by the Luddite family, notably, the once-criminal-on-the-streets Hillevi would marry the Luddite son and become reigning Queen of the city for a period of time in the 750s PR. Jewelspar's militia under the luddite at one point included Captain Vimes and Commissioner Carrot.
History
Founding (795 BR)
The elves who live in Jewelspar have all slowly migrated over the centuries from Isonhound, where Elves originated from in the realm. Depending on who you choose to believe, Elves were born out of those woodlands, or were shepherded to those lands by Corellon, ushered from the homeland of Arborea. Typically it depends on how religious an elf on what story they believe.
City Under Fire: Valhazzith in the Holy War (826-995 BR)
Activity During the Realm War (0-33 PR)
During this time, Jewelspar had a sizeable market, but that would pale compared to the massive magic-mart that would pop up in the coming centuries.
Cavalry Rush: Eviction of the Nobles (368-390 PR)
The Golden Age (400-650 PR)
During this era, Jewelspar had two main districts, the southern Feytouched district that was flush with greenery, and the High District, full of the gleaming brilliant architecture the city is famous for. The Wood Elves of the city formed a naturally organized ghetto in the green district, and their common ground caused them to rise up with controversial opinions in many ways, but perhaps their most controversial action was their dislike of Jewelspar's requirements to take off hats.
The Oppidan War (693-695 PR)
Post-Nimz: The Luddites (After 695 PR)
After the founder Archmage Nimz was disposed of in 693 PR, a power vacuum immediately formed, with various parties in the city seeking to have the ruling seat of power. Some said their links to Jewelspar's noble families gave them a claim, but ultimately the choice was given to the people to elect their new king.
After the disasters the occurred in Nimz' final weeks as ruler (including several gateways to the Shadowfell being opened on people's houses, a break out at the zoo, and an increasing number of missing persons cases, not to mention the city nearly going to war with Dardin in The Oppidan War) the people ultimately decided to swing to the other side of the spectrum. While Nimz embraced the magical and turned Jewelspar into a glamorous city of wonder, the elected family, the Luddites, outlawed magic and pushed the city to outlaw a variety of "dangerous" magical activities such as spell casting and item artificing.
Ironically, the city did keep a faction of "anit-mages" who themselves were mages, dedicated to dispelling other magic.
After the new laws were enacting, a mass exodus out of Jewelspar encouraged the growth of nearby Granite, Lunas, and Rwendia. Those who stayed behind often did not care much for magic anyway. When asked why the city has such strict anti-magic laws, citizens of Jewelspar tend to be hushed. Many people lost loved ones during the Oppidan War to the various dangers that popped up in the city, and while many of the citizens later regretted enacting such authoritarian laws, most eventually agreed it was "For the Best".
Eventually King Trenton's son Zachary Luddite took the throne, and his first official proclamation once again legalized spellcasting and arcane practices.
Storm Giant's Rage
In 745 PR, a storm giant appeared in the city and laid waste to the southern district. A variety of platoons manned by Captain Vimes of the city guard (also assisted by Julian Winter, Juris and Braeden) eventually took down the Giant, but the writing on the wall was clear: there were factions in the city who resented magic and were pushing to ban it once again. These suspicions were confirmed when a note appeared attached to the front gate of the city's palace, crafted from scraps of the Oppidan Expose parchment:
"Stop thE magIc or ThE giants keep COMiNg"
It was eventually discovered that the attack on the city was a hit ordered by one of the city's military leaders, a man known as Colonel Khaki, paying a very large sum to the magical weapon purveyors known as the Dark Sons.
Shadespar
In the Shadowfell, the echo of Jewelspar became a hub of great activity. Shadespar, due to its massive size, became home to many criminals and creatures of the Shadowfell looking for shelter. A faction of Shadar Kai who long took up residence in the echo of Archmage Nimz' citadel, calling themselves the "Shadespar Clan", attempted to break the planar boundaries and bleed the Shadowfell into Jewelspar. The attempts were successful, and several permanent portals to Shadespar opened around the most abandoned alleys. However, their attempts to pull Jewelspar entirely into the Shadowfell failed as the mages of Jewelspar, led by Kale Rodale, blocked the planar energies.
