Brilliance

Magic

Close to the Mistery, magic blows in cycles on the wind. Beware the shimmering gales, as they have decimated many a fleet of airships.

— Leon Sprack’s Guide to the Magic Systems

Brilliance exists in a strange limbo state, as far as magic goes—the magical particles tend to ebb and flow on the breeze, and while there are magic forecasts, there is no way to know for certain. This leads to strange accidents (such as potholes in carts where a concentrated draft of magic transformed the wood into a potato, or a mechànique becoming sentient due to long exposure).

As the word “mechànique” suggests, magic users from this region of Eluthisura are known as méchanques; they are known more for their artinanal clockwork craftsmanship than their manipulation of magic. Indeed, magic is a secondary feature of their craft.

Structure

As any Brillian will tell you, part of the charm of Brilliance is walking through the streets and trying to glimpse peeks of sky between the turrets of the buildings towering all around.

— The Countryperson’s Guide to Brilliance

Brilliance is a city-state that expanded slowly from the size of a small town. As such, only “Brilliance proper” is actually considered to be Brilliance by most mapmakers; the mercantile district, shipyard, barracks, wall-regions, and outer guard turrets are all relatively recent additions that function as protections and fringe areas for Brilliance — though they are slowly integrating to a more cohesive whole.

Gallery

History

How does one make a great settlement that will last generations? Well, if the founders of Brilliance are to be believed, it is quite simply a matter of luck.

— Brilliance: the Birth of the Pale City (1428-1518)

The founding of Brilliance was not the result of a well-thought-out plan, despite some of the local stories bandied about; in fact, it was the result of a fleeing encampment of fugitives from a region south of the Forest of Silence. They had been the latest prisoners taken in the feudal battles going on during those decades.

Key locations

• The Dripping Pen
  The Dripping Pen is a small book-and-print shop in the heart of Brilliance. At the corner of Slipper and Whistle, its cozy interior is overflowing with the lacy smell of old paper.
• The Estate-Houses
  A rich person, finding themselves in Brilliance, will likely live in one of these estates. More than likely, if they are old money.
• The Mercantile District
  
• The Shipyards
  

Residents & travelers

• 
  Candor Marcheska
• 
  Vielle Marcheska
• 
  Merrell Belkerst
• 
  Amos Tarvels
• 
  Sock
• 
  Lady Eleanor May
• 
  Leonard Sprack
• 
  Teal
• 
  Anna

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  [BRILL·ee·ans]