Thouran is the fabled floating city of arcanum, a spiraled sanctuary of magical thought and arcane innovation suspended high above the verdant Crescent Mountains of eastern Tolria. Wreathed in veils of protective mist and crowned by a luminous dome of Rift Energy, Thouran stands as a testament to the triumph of magical enlightenment over the brute entropy of the world. It is ruled by the Cabal of Concordance, a council of eight master magi representing each school of magic, who maintain order through collective wisdom and arcane consensus.
Founded in the early Fourth Age—also known as the Dawn of Man—Thouran is a magocracy of immense prestige, recognized across Tolria as a sovereign power of mystical and philosophical dominance. The city’s highest spire, the Cathedral of Concordance, is both seat of magical governance and symbolic heart of arcane unity.
Founding & Origins
Thouran was founded in the wake of the collapse of the Mytharil Empire, a civilization of ancient myth that once ruled the skies with floating cities and wielded arcane knowledge passed down from the gods themselves. In the early days of the Fourth Age, a fellowship of powerful mages, led by the enigmatic Archmage Alvalor the Wise, discovered a fragment of Mytharil lore—a relic known only as The Concordant.This relic was a crystalline obelisk infused with sigils of the eight foundational schools of magic: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. It possessed an ever-changing lattice of magical theory etched into its facets and whispered its secrets to those who listened long enough. Guided by its teachings, Alvalor and his disciples forged a floating city using stabilized Rift Pylons—constructs fueled by raw Rift Energy.
With the blessings of the relic and the sacrifice of Alvalor during the Third Continuum Crisis, his pupil Archmage Kelak Nilfard rose to the mantle of Archmage (and later as the Avatar of the Air). From this lineage, the leadership of Thouran has continued through its Cabal, up to the present Fifth Age, where Guy the Grateful now bears the mantle of Archmage.
City Structure & Architecture
Thouran is structured like a celestial spiral, built atop an inverted mountain suspended in the sky. Its tiers descend concentrically from the Cathedral of Concordance at the apex, with each level serving a distinct purpose in the civic, magical, and scholarly life of its citizens.- The Cathedral of Concordance: The central seat of the Cabal’s rule. Built of pale stone and trimmed with amethyst and gold, its central chamber holds the Ninefold Nonagon—a great table where the Cabal deliberates. Above, radiant windows shimmer with sigils of each school of magic.
- The Arcspire: The upper tier, home to guild halls, arcane laboratories, and prestigious research towers. Rift Pylons hover at cardinal points, feeding the city’s core with stable rift energy.
- The Spiral Market: A vast semi-open concourse of enchantment vendors, scroll merchants, alchemical bazaars, and arcanotechnicians. Notable locations include Goldfinger Co., the famed magical emporium.
- Mystique Quarter: A twisting web of parlors, fortune halls, illusion theaters, and dream parlors. Illusion magic here is so prevalent that no two streets look the same twice.
- The Lower Rings: The common districts for scholars, apprentices, and arcane artisans. Despite their humble designation, even the lowest ring levitates above the Crescent Range and features sweeping views of the continent below.
- The Rift Dome: A shimmering arcane shell that encloses the entire city. Powered by pylons etched with binding glyphs, it is keyed to Cabal-authenticated sigils and will annihilate unrecognized airships or trespasses long before they approach.
Government & Rule
Thouran is governed by the Cabal of Concordance, a ruling council composed of one magus for each school of magic. These individuals are not just politicians—they are the paragons of their disciplines. All decisions are reached by concord, though the Archmage has final say in times of deadlock or crisis.Over the years, the Cabal has proven remarkably resilient, though recent disappearances, like that of Magus Marquellin of Transmutation, have stirred unease. Nevertheless, Thouran remains one of the few powers in Tolria not under the heel of the Empire of Bastile.
Relations with the Empire of Bastile
Thouran’s isolationist policies have long protected it from imperial entanglement, but the tide may be turning. Following the assassination of Kelak Nilfard by a Bastilian fleet wielding a prototype Rift-Nova device, tensions have escalated. Imperial diplomacy has now turned to soft power—offering trade, collaboration, and technological exchange. Many in the Cabal fear it is a Trojan Horse. Others, like Magus Marquellin, argue for openness lest Thouran fall behind.Notable Locations
- Goldfinger Co. – Magic emporium of eccentric goblin enchanters.
- The Concordant Aetheneum – A floating, spiraled archive with wings for each school of magic.
- Pick-a-Pet! – An ethically questionable street vendor offering conjured pets and unstable elementals for adoption.
- The Twilight Garden – A public ritual park where planar alignments are charted and celebrated under dusklight rituals.
Symbolism & Lore
The emblem of Thouran and the Cabal is the Concordant Nonagon: a nine-pointed shape with radiant lines forming a crystalline lattice between each point. At its center rests a feathered quill, the eternal symbol of scholarship, transcription, and the preservation of magical thought.Whispers say the city breathes with the echo of the Mytharil Empire, that it is but one of seven cities which were shattered across the Prime Plane, each tied to a greater mystery buried in the Continuum’s fractured history.
Legacy
As the Fifth Age matures, Thouran stands at a crossroads. With threats from the Empire of Bastile, raw rift energy leaking from Unknown, and internal debate brewing among the Cabal, its fate remains uncertain. But one truth endures:As long as the winds of magic continue to flow and the rift pylons hum, Thouran shall not fall.