Mists

Leaders: Joseph Starling

Population: Approximately 450,000-500,000

Baronies: Dragon Lake, Foxfire Cradle, Crescent Coast, Moonshadow

Known For: Magic

Colors: Black, Red, and Silver

Major Cities: Polaris Port

Characters of Mists: Here

Description: The Isle of Mists is a beautiful land comprised of rolling green hills, murky swamps, mysterious remains of the prior demonic kingdom, and a host of dangerous creatures. The oldest principality after Gateway Isle itself, Mists was forged when the Champion sundered the lands forever apart. Once connected to the Isle of Gateway, Mists is the smallest of the five isles under the Keeper's dominion. The very center of the isle is the highest point found at Sorcery's Crest; mountains rise there into snowcapped peaks, though not comparable to Guardians' lofty heights. Four baronies are carved out of the isle, and numerous lordships each proud of their individuality and independence.

The Breath of Imperius is the name for the deadly, wondrous fog that once gathered here at night, and occasionally daylight, supposedly the source of all magic. Within its veil, many oddities were once found. Dark magics at moonless midnight ceremonies, strange experiments to create new creatures, subtle coalitions of unspoken purposes... much was hidden by the Breath, and now that it is gone, is only veiled by the shadow of night.

For more Mists specific information and questions, please visit the Mists FAQ.

Unless otherwise noted, NPC Barons or Lords are available for application

Barony of Dragon Lake

• Baronial Leadership: Steward Serenity Guybrush
  

  Seat of commerce and power, Dragon Lake barony commands a large portion of the duchy's wealth and population concentrated around the capital city, Polaris. The eastern edge of Mists holds the grand and magical metropolis of Polaris built upon the ruins of demonic holdings, its territory fully encompassing what has come to be called the Fang of Imperius. A tower of luminous silver stone stretching into the sky and coming to a sharpened tip, whatever it once housed was long ago cleared out to serve as the foremost place of arcane study, Academy of Imperius. The lordship of the Fang of Imperius serves as the major point of entry to the island, boasting some of its finest treasures and a deepwater harbour less than two hours by sail from Crossroads itself.
  
  Haven is the midway point on the highway between the Fang of Imperius and Shadrach's Folly, an idyllic lordship that contains nearly all the agriculturally active land in the duchy within its borders. Farms raise native magical herbs, sheep for their wool, and stranger animals among the emerald foothills. Further to the west, the boggy lordship of Shadrach's Folly was named for the infamous bandit who accidentally saved the life of the first Mogur; he was then hanged. Its fierce independence continues to this day among the bandits holed up in the caves and mysteries thought swallowed up in its mires.

  
  
  Lordships
  Fang of Imperius - Steward Macario Drazet
  Haven - NPC Aquila Solomandras
  Shadrach's Folly - NPC Lord Piper Guybrush
  

Barony of Foxfire Cradle

• Baronial Leadership: Vacant
  

  Drowned marshlands predominate across Arden Vale, a place where travel is considered deadly after dark, but harvesters brave the perils of the murky swamps to claim many prize components. Dark Waters held the perpetually-black inland lake, the largest on Mists, providing plentiful fish, eels, and reeds for magical use, though now rumors claim the lordship is little more than a wasteland, all life in the inky waters of the lordship abruptly extinct. Spirit's Settling is along a southwards flowing river rising from the central mountainous plateau, and due to its isolation, the community tends to be very hermetic and unwelcoming of outsiders. However, the lordship takes softened clays from the riverbed for magical components or to fashion pottery as the primary trade, often magical if not up to the sheer skill or beauty of Guardians' work.

  
  
  Lordships
  Dark Waters - Steward Missing
  Spirit's Settling - Presently Vacant
  Arden Vale - NPC Regent Gregory Bradshaw
  

Barony of Crescent Coast

• Baronial Leadership: Stewards Dyonith Zeloral & Ansel Tyce
  

  The northern beaches of the isle are part of the sprawling barony of Crescent Coast where the Breath of Imperius settles at night, drifting across the waters and driving the citizens indoors. The sand gathered in the barony is a treasured component, stained silver from the Breath and rumoured to hold enchantments as no other component can.
  
  Divers harvest coral from the sprawling reefs off of Enchanted Coral, used equally for components and artistic pursuits. Eleki Beach serves as a spot for sand-gathering and the collection of other components. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the Empire, Kraken Shoals boasts a small, thriving tourist industry drawing visitors across the Empire to see the unspoiled woodland and large tortoises populating the shoreline. Exports tend to be carved tortoiseshell items.

  
  
  Lordships
  Kraken Shoals - Vacant
  Enchanted Coral - Lord Dyonith Zeloral
  Eleki Beach - Regents Enoch & Denna Cooper
  

Barony of Moonshadow

• Baronial Leadership: Baron Joseph and Baroness Lazuli Starling
  

  The largest barony of Mists is Moonshadow, encompassing nearly the entire western half of the isle. Rugged peaks and deep valleys smooth into rolling hills in the long march towards the sea, terminating in a flat coastal plain hammered by storms. Least populated among the Mistian domains, its remote landscape and solitary people inspire the insular, sinister myths throughout the Empire.
  
  The top of the highest peak at the isle's center sits Sorcery's Crest. Almost nobody lives there and there are no real exports, but the open-air pavilion serves as venue for all official magical duels of sorcery among ranking mages. Gryphon's Reach lies downslope, the reclusive lordship occasionally rumored to be the place where magical animal experiments occur.
  
  Nestled in the southern hills, landlocked Midnight Lagoon is a sprawling body of water glowing luminous beneath the moonlight, the liquid often sought and harvested at particular times as a component. The lake is also used for ceremonial bathing for magic spells. Neighbouring Banshee's Shriek is an odd anomaly, so named because of the way the wind seems to scream as it tears through oceanside cliffs riddled with holes. Inland from the coast is a forbidding, purportedly forest of gnarled, twisted trees with only one safe road through it. Whispers of cults abound in Wraith's Watch, where the people are often thought odd, even by other mages.
  
  The holdings of Medusa's Graveyard set amongst the horrific, sprawling gardens of some past demonic overlord are studded by sculptures rumored to be actual petrified humans. Vines and plants have grown up around the statues, providing many odd flora for components and attracting some rather unique fauna.

  
  
  Lordships
  Gryphon's Reach - NPC Templeton Nash
  Wraith's Watch - NPC Lord Joachim Windermere
  Medusa's Graveyard - Vacant, NOT OPEN FOR APP
  Banshee's Shriek - NPC Lady Gemma Verover
  Midnight Lagoon - Steward Citrine Montaigu
  Sorcery's Crest - Dioptase Montaigu
  

While all isles contribute their individual specialties to Gateway's overall economic engine, Mists holds a special place in inter-island and international trade. Few other places in all Ikol possess any sort of arcane tradition, much less one as richly developed as found in the westerly duchy. The practice of producing magical objects ranging from mere fripperies to enhance an outfit up to highly coveted treasures like unbreakable blades goes back nearly to Mists' foundation, and Mistian enchanters are true experts in their craft sought by those with the means to afford their wares.

Though a smaller proportion of Mistians participate in producing tangible goods than elsewhere in the empire, their contributions dramatically elevate the standard of living enjoyed by all but the poorest residents. Light globes illuminate homes and businesses and labour-saving devices can be found aboard ships and within workshops. With few materials otherwise for trade, limited activity in primary industries like forestry and mining serves mostly to provide components for magical consumption and enchantment purposes. The lack of manufacturing forces innovation in other areas, particularly among human services catering to the diverse and often very specific needs of scholars and mages forming the backbone of the working population.

Mists boasts an active knowledge economy where information is a commodity to be bought, sold, traded and cultivated like any other, be it Guardians steel or Green Fields wheat. Beyond printed books, they trade in the knowledge of spells, academic study, or ideas. Mages study much of their lives to perfect their craft, developing new arcane formulas or researching deeply into many fields to attain mastery.

Housing
Mistian homes depend largely upon where they are made. In the swamp areas, they're largely wood and occasionally uplifted on stilts above soggy ground. In hilly areas, they are often stone and set slightly into the slope. In cities, wood or stone predominate.

Most homes are fairly small as it is rare for people to live with extended family. If a mage is a member of a magely order, they might live in the hall of that order.

Education
The amount of education a person gets on Mists is largely dependent on what their family can afford. A place in the Academy Imperius is in no way guaranteed for anyone except those blessed to be born into wealth or nobility. A very few exceptions are made for the especially gifted who can find patronage, most of the time parents must endure the full cost of seeing their children educated.

Education at the academy beyond Journeyman can continue for those who can afford the increased cost, some mages remaining there until they reach Master. Those who wish to remain while studying until High Mage status do so performing in the capacity as a teacher while continuing to study. Those who do not wish to remain must find private instruction, either in the form of apprenticeship to an elder mage, or tutoring, the latter being costly and most often reserved for those of noble blood.

Very nearly every child is taken to the cave at the age of five, this is tradition, children rounded up by villages, but this does not ensure education. Nearly every child of the isle is taught to control and manipulate their magic to some degree, but not all are taught enough to go beyond the very basics, and these are the children you will often see grow up to work the menial jobs, hard labor, waiting tables and tending bars. Those that are afforded higher education are given the better jobs, frequently due to being highborn and having the privilege of connection.

Marriage
Marriage is important on Mists, but more important than that is the ability to trace a bloodline. Be someone trueborn or a bastard, their lineage is meticulously documented, this job often done by midwives in the smaller villages and appointed officials in larger cities.

Death
Because of necromancy, for generations burning the bodies of the dead has been a tradition on Mists. Even if a tomb is constructed for someone who can afford it, it's most often ashes that rest there rather than a body.

Clothing
Mages of stature often wear robes to signify magical rank, position within an order, or sphere. For those not inclined to wearing robes, the female garments tend toward full-length skirts and sleeves (although shorter sleeves are acceptable in summer), while trousers or breeches for men are paired with a full shirt, at minimum. Fabrics are often as linen, cotton and wool for the lower to middle classes and velvet, silk, and satin for the privileged.