Deepspell
Ingenuity and magic
Deepspell, the Arcane City. Located in The Free Cities of Alderun. Deepspell is home to a prosperous city, and the Kerketh Academy. The presence of the academy is what defines the city. Any and all who prove themselves qualified to learn at the academy can come to study Arcana. Given that they can afford the cost of tuition. The city’s economy is based on the needs of the Academy. Be it supplies, amenities, or recreation.
Kerketh Academy is known for its ingenuity in the field of Artificing. Its Artificers are some of the best in the world. The city’s close proximity to the campus has filled its homes and businesses with Apparatum. Varying from simple appliances that, to complex devices that revolutionize ones way of life. The only city comparable to its ingenuity is the far western city of Ryze.
# Overview
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Main Opportunity | Deepspell is located far within the The Fetterpeak Mountains, and is full of those who seek the scholarly pursuit of Arcana. Most of which have a genuine adoration for the city. This makes for a city only a fool would invade. The Academy floods the city with a steady economy and Apparatum that revolutionize the city. Anyone who can prove themselves (and afford tuition) may learn the ways of magic here. |
| Main Challenge | The members of the Academy are always seeking new things to create and learn, pushing the boundaries of Zol. Unfortunately when you invent something, you also invent its problem. The city frequently finds itself on the receiving end of experiments gone wrong, political drama within the academy, synthesized intoxicants made by students looking to pay for tuition, and Apparatum that create as many barriers as they take down. |
| Climate | Temperate/High Altitude |
| Cuisine | Farmed goods, hearty meat-and-potatoes meals, wild game, magically created foods, ales and mead |
| Export | Education, Apparatum |
| Size | Large |
| Outer Villages | Few |
| City Leader | Lady Zed Dion |
| Primary Language(s) | None |
| Majority Racial Group(s) | None |
| Majority Religion(s) | Trinity-Centric, Polytheism |
# Major Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Distinguishing Features | Mountain location, large population compared to small size, Kerketh Academy |
| Architecture | Many high towers unique to one another, Jettying |
| Color(s) | Blue, Yellow, Cream, and Orange |
| Symbolism | The Ferric Alphabet symbol for cognitive energy above the symbol for information energy |
| Defenses | Surrounding mountains, High concentration of Casters, city garrison |
# People Groups
| Group | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cityfolk | Social Class | The common folk of the city with no academic merit. Varys from mid to low class |
| Nobility | Social Class | The wealthy population of the city. Status is typically achieved by success with business associated with Kerketh Academy or political station. |
| Students | Social Class/Academic Station | Those who attend Kerketh Academy. Made up of many races, ages and backgrounds of varying financial success. This group has its own unique hierarchy within related to academic level. |
| The Preceptors | Social Class/Academic Station | The second highest level within Kerketh Academy. These individuals are researchers given resources by the academy, and act as the professors of the more entry-level classes. |
| The Arch Mages | Social Class/Academic Station | The highest level of academic at Kerketh Academy. Only a set number of these are selected for this station at the academy, one for each of the major studies, and one to lead the whole group called the Magnate |
| The Discredited | Social Class/Criminal | Those who have been thrown out of the academy for malpractice, or violating some other rule. These individuals are avoided by those involved with the academy like the plague. However these indivduals are not bounded by rules like those of the academy. Some of these individuals provide secret criminal services. |
# Goods and Services
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Illio | Keep | The city’s main keep |
| Kerketh Convergence | Teleportation Circle | The city’s main teleportation circle |
| Deepspell Convergence | Teleportation Circle | The academy’s teleportation circle |
| Deepspell Station | Train Station | They city’s main train station |
| Kerketh Station | Train Station | They academy’s own train station. Built for ease of use as the academy was the largest player in The Iron Tracks construction. |
| Kerketh Academy | College | One of Zol’s three major academic institutions. Kerketh academy is known for its acceptance of anyone who can prove themselves, and ingenuity in the field of Iron Light. The institution is known for looking foreword into Zol’s hopeful horizon. |
| The Apparium | Magic Shop | The city’s magic shop, owned by the academy. Known for selling rare magical objects and a wide plethora of Apparatum. |
| Three Springs | Residential | A large swathe of rental properties mostly populated by students. |
| Slot Alley | Market | A nexus of narrow alleyways filled with shops and taverns. |
| The Rablavan | Tavern | The drinking establishment most popular with the students. Known for being very rowdy. |
| Ostilles' | Tavern | A quiet cousin to The Rablavan. Frequented by students and professors who look to share drinks and conversations of magic, history, and philosophy. |
| The Hidden Nook | Tavern | A dark and dingy tavern that the far end of Clay Crest. Known for being a place where you can hire the services of one of the Discredited. |
# Authority
The city itself is governed by the Alderian Seat Lady Zed Dion, a very efficient and beautiful elf woman. Lady Dion is well liked by both the city and the academy as she manages the chaos that a population largely made up of foreign, magical students can bring.
The academy itself has its own rules and restrictions, and is overseen by The Arch Mages and The Magnate. The city and the academy work in harmony to keep a careful balance between the two entities. This functions well for the most part, but there are the occasional conflicts that vary in intensity.
The city is well protected by its garrison and vast magical resources.
# Laws
The city subscribes to the Alderian Laws as well as enforcing its own laws. Note that any crime already existing within the Alderian Laws that could are committed more efficiently via the usage of magic (assault, thievery, detrimental Necromancy, etc.) are punished with a much higher severity than the other free cities.
| Law | Severity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Discredited Services | High | Those discredited by the academy are not allowed to sell their magical services, nor are individuals allowed to hire them. |
| Restricted Production of Apparatum | Medium/High | Those who produce Apparatum of categories deemed dangerous by the academy without documented permission are punished. |
# Modern Importance
In the current day and age, Deepspell is known to create the best Apparatum in all of eastern Zol.
# Historical Importance
The city is extremely hard to take by siege due to its location and mages. During the Alderian Rebellion the city was only able to be taken by rebels because of students within the school that sympathized with their cause.
# Other Things of Note
- Many conspiracy theories exist about the academy. Some of which have truth to them:
- The towers of the university reach up far beyond what you see from the outside. Containing ‘pocket dimensions’ that only the high ranking members of the school can reach
- The academy is secretly connected to The Kybis Assembly’s campus in Archaic via underground tunnels that travel through The Fetterpeak Mountains.
- The academy has a long standing rivalry with The Kybis Assembly.