Dragons of Tirenia

This world map is actually "The Cottoniana", an ancient Anglo-Saxon world map. But it's extremely close to how I've always imagined Tellaia looking! It's arranged so that east is at the top, like many other medieval maps - because the Garden of Eden was supposed to be somewhere in Asia. It also has Jerusalem as the centre of the world, while Tellaian mapmakers tend to make Auromia be the centre of their maps. However, the 'real-world but not' look is correct. The enlarged Mediterranean, with the rest of the map curling around it, is absolutely what I've been imagining. And in this map, Italy is a massive subcontinent, which is absolutely true for Tellaia!  Art: 'The Cottoniana Map'. Artist unknown, c. 995.

Mezziano is a city in northern Tirenia, in fertile plains bordered by multiple rivers. It serves as the main trade route for goods travelling across the northern mountains. As a result, it is an extremely prosperous city, and was historically seen as a rival for the great city of Auromia itself. From the beginning, the silver dragons who live near Mezziano have been its protectors. They were curious about the humans, and kept a watchful eye on them. This is also why there is such a high proportion of silver dragonborn in the city. Mezziano was absorbed into the Auromian Empire after a brief war - the gold dragons thinking that the long-term benefits of unity would outweigh the short-term suffering, while the silver dragons believed that the ends could not justify the violent means. The silver dragons soon sued for peace, wishing an end to the destructive conflict. Mezziano entered the Empire on favourable terms, and those silver dragons that were willing (and later, other dragons a...

There is an inner magic in humanity. It is this magic that lets their souls mingle with those of other races, and which lets them access the magic of the world around them. There are a few, however, who have learned to turn their gaze inwards, and draw power from themselves.  Being a mystic is an inherently personal thing, requiring self-knowledge. Most mystics therefore are self-trained, or apprenticed to another mystic who guides them. There are a few gymnasia that can teach this, as many mystics promote self-knowledge and self-examination in the community around them. These philosophers are not always popular for doing so. Art: 'An Allegorical Figure of Calliope'. Cosimo Tura, c. 1460.

The world sees artificers as a type of wizard, who have focused on technology over magic. It is artificers who are responsible for the creation of the cannons that have become a standard part of the army, and artificers who are researching smaller hand-cannons now. Mechanical clocks and the press are also both new creations of artificers. While these devices are extremely rare at the moment, they will only become more common, and will transform the world.  Art: 'A Goldsmith In His Shop'. Petrus Christus, 1449.

Wizards are those who have learned to manipulate the magical forces of the earth through study and ritual. Much of their learning was pioneered by the legendary wizard-king Mercurio of the Eight Ways. He codified and mastered all eight of the paths of magic which wizards today now follow, and connected the study of magic with the study of chemistry, physics, biology, and astrology. Most wizards today need a patron, and so many serve guilds, nobles or dragons who are able to finance their studies. Many also learn their arts at one of the many universities in Tirenia. There are wizards there who identify likely students and take them under their wing. Many wizards keep in touch with their colleagues, to share information. The largest network of wizards is the Rememberers. This group is concerned about the censorship of knowledge and the rewriting of history by the dragons, and works to preserve knowledge from being lost. Art: 'Dante Alighieri'. Luca Signorelli, c. 1500. ...

Warlocks are those who access magical power through an intermediary, after making some sort of pact or covenant with them. All three groups of the Host have warlocks, although demons have by far the most: it is their preferred way to meddle in the world. The angels, meanwhile, have created very few warlocks throughout the history of Tirenia, and fairies tend to do so haphazardly, as the situation arises.  However, there is one more force that has begun to create warlocks. People who have been infected with the Great Death and survived have begun to manifest strange magical powers. Did they make a bargain with the intelligence controlling the Great Death? Or, having left its mark on them, can it force a pact on others against their will? The motives of the Great Death are inscrutable, but its work in Tellaia has only just begun... Art: "The Witches' Sabbath." Francisco Goya, 1798.

There are some who are born with the ability to use magic naturally. Often this is because of some accident around their birth. The energy that funnels along ley-lines bubbles and burns, and children born upon a confluence may have an instinctive ability to draw upon their power. If the child is born during a mighty storm, or during an eclipse, they may be able to draw upon the lightning or the shadows to aid them. The other way in which sorcerers are created is by being descended from an inherently magical being. Most often, this occurs among dragon-born, who are often able to use some part of their progenitor's great power. For this reason, sorcerers are often adopted (sometimes forcibly) into noble families: anyone who wields such power must be descended from a dragon. Art: "Circe Offering The Cup To Ulysses." John William Waterhouse, 1891.