Cabal, A Metropolis of Ruin and Factions--Discussion of Setting

[JackOfTales]

So I'm trying to figure out the best way to start bringing my setting here to be looked at for editing help and additions. Perhaps someone commenting on it will make me further certain aspects more or notice errors, incongruities and other things that I don't notice. I would also like to state that the campaign setting Cabal is located in is a collaborative project between a few DM's I met online. I wanted to find a home for Cabal and they seemed the most excited about my project.

 Section One: Introduction

Quick description
Cabal, in short, is a city. It is a metropolis established at some distant point in the past. No one knows who or what built it. All that is known that the stone used was hauled from many, many miles away from a mountain range. Over the past few hundred or so years people have filtered into this ruined metropolis to set up living. The buildings are in many cases still mostly intact. Why bother building a town when there's this giant source of stone and already well constructed houses for you to move into.

Size & Population
Cabal is massive. Easily a million or more people once lived in this city. However, the number of people in the city now is much less and it has been thousands of years without population. Monsters and plants have infested many areas of the city. A tree might be growing up from a former fountain, a forest could be where a city official's house once was. The people that have moved in have each moved in with their own intentions, cultures and the like.

Factions
The city itself is divided into 40 'Districts.' Of these districts many are still completely abandoned, but in some exist Factions. There are quite a few of these. A faction is essentially a group of people who have, in general, the same beliefs who live in one or more districts of the city. Many of them are at war. Imagine it as small towns within the city itself with wastelands of abandoned buildings, trees and monsters in between.

Keywords
So, what is Cabal? What is the point of this setting? There are four words I have tried to keep in mind when making it: Urban, Fantastic, Heroic, and Divided.
Each of these represents something I want in the city. It is obviously urban. And the divided part is easy to see in the Factions. So here I'll look at what I've been thinking with the other two.

Fantastic
This is a fantasy setting. I want to take the absurdity of real life, add magic, and throw it into the city. I've done this in several small ways: Places, Philosophy and Belief/Mythology. Examples. Places. The Library of Diff is a sentient, roving library that appears at random times in different places in the city. It is said to contain all knowledge of everything that has ever been and will ever be. Philosophy: [Can't find the file on this now..] I had a group of people who felt that the only true knowledge was that of no knowledge. As such, the idea to them that the sky is really filled with giant black birds, a portal to another dimension or just reflecting space are all equally sensible. This is actually derived from a real world philosophy. And finally, Belief/Mythology example: Star-Cutters, this is a belief found in scattered warriors of different factions. These soldiers cut a star shaped pattern over one eye to identify themself. A star-cut fighter is known to fight for no cause but the love of battle itself. They typically will nod to one another in warfare and, if on opposing sides, seek out the other to battle for the challenge. This is based on a myth that I've yet to think of/ make up.

Heroic
I'm using 4E for this game. Not that the mechanics are that important. But one thing I'd like to make noticed is that this is a heroic game. Players are not just a man with a sword, a girl that can use magic or such. That man with a sword from the moment they learned to use it was well noticed by his teachers that he was a natural. PC's are heroes from the moment they begin. Those around them that have seen them and watched them grow up have had the inkling that this is a person that can go places, that will be someone. Perhaps they'll become a member of the Council that rules this or that faction. Perhaps they'll become head priest to a church. Or maybe they'll just disappear and send exotic gifts home from strange new places.

This isn't a strange new concept, simply something I wanted to keep in mind when making the setting. NPC's are, in general, never the equal to a PC.

Cabal Properties

Population 21,000
Size 280 square miles

Natives versus New Worlders
This plane of existence where Cabal sits is not the only one, nor is it even a large or consequential realm. It was one hundred and twelve years ago that the great god of Light, Laris, brought forth the New Worlders into this realm. He did so to protect them from a threat of chaos. These New Worlders come not from one, but many worlds. Even after over a hundred years of time spent in this world, they are seen as trespassers by many.  [note=Design]This is an aspect of the world that I have no control over. It was decided before I threw my hat into the ring. While at first it seemed weak to me, I have come to find new hope within. This adds a new dimension of tenuous relations between PC's and possible NPCs. [/note]

Many of the races that walk through Cabal are considered New Worlders, but many individuals are natives. Prior to Laris's actions, there existed only dragonborn, humans, a few scattered elves,  orc and goblinoid tribes and finally the gnomes. The Great Movement, as many in Cabal now call the coming of the New Worlders brought the first eladrin, halflings and dwarves to the realm. Later, in the Second Coming, Tieflings, shifters and others were brought into the world.

The majority of the factions in Cabal are made up of New Worlders and have all been founded in the past hundred years. A few, like Union and Mirabel, are a mix of native and New Worlder peoples. Others are filled with racism against either the natives or the newcomers. This division has become more important than racial tensions to many of Cabal's citizens.

Age
Cabal the city has been around for approximately two thousand years. It was abandoned for a long, long time. The earliest re-inhabitants were the elves who eventually grew into the Children of the Storm. These oceanic elves were some of the first to develop ships, although this didn't come until much later. The movement of the elves to Cabal occurred about four hundred years ago. Since that time much has changed about the city.

There were always wandering groups of native dragonborn, humans and goblins in the city. Selections of these various groups eventually formed into the Junker faction to help one another for mutual protection. The only other faction to have its roots in 'new' history is the Underforge whose gnome inhabitants began to settle in the Feywild about an indeterminable time ago. The reason this time is unknown is simply because this race does not notice the passage of time. Indeed they grow old and age, but the traditionally they do not use calendars or track the passing years through written means.

Section Two: Magicks
On Magic
I've always liked the divisions of magic. Arcane magic is the magic of the world, of individuals, of words and of language. Divine Magic is something granted by a divine diety. A being of almost insurpassable power which is only further enhanced by the prayers of its followers. A divine miracle is a god's esssence.

Arcane Magic
Arcane Magic can be divided into many, many areas. The people of Cabal are varied and none really perform magic the same way. If Arcane magic is an art than there is sculpting, painting, drawing, dancing and more. No single form of arcane magic is necessarily the same.
 
Spells & Wizards
Wizards are your scholarly practitioners. They have colleges and traditions. This method is so ingrained in those who learn that they feel the only method to cast a spell is through the correction incantations and movements. Most, if not all, PC's will be from this sect. This is the formal learning. While not all schools teach the same, they typically use similar methods. Most factions will have their own wizard school and some even have several competing schools.
   Schools of Wizardry
Blume's Third District Wizard University
Located within Union's third district, this university was founded forty years ago by an eccentric wizard who wished to spread the art. The Headmaster, Aunton Clark Blume, passsed away fifteen years ago and passed the position over to a good friend's son, Lawrence Sansicole III. This man has established a hierarchy among the school which competes students against one another in order to progress through the training. The University typically graduates only a half-dozen individuals every year and many of those never achieve very much potential.

Hedge Magic
What formal wizards call the "Homebrew" of magic. Those who practice this art did not have the formal education or expansive study of magic that is taught to wizards. These hedge mages are almost unique in their casting endeavors. They are typically weaker in skill and never learn enough to become true magical powers, but they do manage to have powers that can be somewhat unique. It is not uncommon for a hedge mage to know spells that a wizard will never have heard of nor will they ever be able to cast.   [note]OOC: Hedge Magic is essentially for mixed power NPC magicians. They could have various monster powers converted into spells with altered flavor. However, a hedge mage will never be able to progress far in level and does not learn the plethora of spells a Wizard has access too.[/note]

Witchcraft
What is a witch and why are they different than other spellcasters?
A witch is traditionally female not because males do not have the capability, but simply because witches refuse to teach them. These women have a strict, traditional upbringing and the art is often passed down among the family. As one can expect, since it is typically passed through the family witches can indeed take husbands. Witches draw their power from nature. Not in any spiritual sense but quite literally. Through the usage of specific herbal recipes and other natural objects, including certain rocks and plants, a witch can cast magical spells. They access the same arcane pool that other casters have access to, it is simply that they access this magic and activate it by burning or ingesting combinations of ground materials.

Invocations
In general, Arcane magic stems from a mystical and presumably infinite source of reality altering power. This well of power is called various things by different wizardly schools and hedge mages in Cabal. Both wizards and hedge mages agree that magic stems from an ancient and otherworldly place. They also both agree that Warlocks cheat. A warlock's source of power is a subject of great debate by modern wizard practitioners. Whether they obtain power from the same source as wizards or from an actual entity much like a Cleric does is of great concern to those in scholarly pursuits. Either way, almost every arcane caster considers them cheaters.

Where a wizard learns through study and dedication and a hedge mage through trial and error, a warlock learns from something else entirely. They are simply told or granted power by signing into intricate pacts. These pacts are made with demons, spirits and the Void-birthed. Wizards consider the warlock to be the slacker of the wizard world much like they see hedge mages as a doctor would see a curmudgeon. In return, Warlocks consider themselves superior due to the ease at which they can obtain their magical power.

[spoiler="Infernal Pacts"]
 [ic=From 'A Priest's Handbook: The Life of Devona Truime'] 'To traffic with demons is to invite vice into one's life. Finding those who do so and teaching them a better way leads to a fulfillment of a worthy life goal.'[/ic]
[ic=From 'The Saga of the Flamespear']...and so black fire rose from the bowels of the earth and many heroes perished. Azrael said unto them, " I give this sacrifice so that I may walk free and full of power yet one more year." [/ic]

Society's Views
Making a pact with a creature from the Abyss is typically looked down upon. Chaining an infernal creature's power to oneself through a carefully decided pact is not for the faint of heart. Out of the three types of warlocks, the Infernals are the least trusted and most disliked by general society. Of course, some are great people but that doesn't stop you from wondering what being that close to a demon can do a person...

The Pact
The pact between demon and mortal must be tailored extremely well. The Blooddrinker faction has become an expert at this sort of pact and views it as their specialty. The power that the god Laris exerts over the world prevents (mostly) demons from easily getting to this plane. While the occasional accident happens, it is not a common occurrence. However, there is something about the material plane that draws demons. The very sins that Laris's preisthood preaches against are what the demons strive to experience. Vengeance, Lust and Greed are just three of these.

The pact between warlock and demon revolves around this desire. A warlock offers small, minor things in exchange for great power. The actual sacrifice depends on the demon involved. Some desire a specific meal on a specific day once a year. Others want physical contact with the warlock for even a brief moment. Others demand pain. But, one thing is prevalent in all infernal pacts and that is the necessity to give some earthly pleasure to the granter of power.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Fey Pacts"]
[ic=Estheria Thulansa, Shaman among the Children of the Storm]To walk in the Endless Forest and sing to the spirits of the water is the most terrifying task a Shaman must ever complete. [/ic]

[ic=Elgar Daidin, Warlock of the First Degree] We are alike, and yet not alike. To deal with a spirit is to walk through the mind of something so far from good or evil that it is almost more terrifying than the cruelest demon.[/ic]

Spirits
The feypact warlock is one who walks amidst the old spirits. The land of the Feywild is a wild place that is almost next door while in Cabal. Some sections of the city provide easy entrance into that realm. The Spirits are immortal beings tied to areas that are mirrored in the real world in part. Two of the most well known spirits are Oolonth and Lyialli'wians. Oolonth is an earth spirit that is typically used by warlocks who dwell with the Underforge faction. Once in the feywild there are well known rituals to bring forth the spirit. Lyialli'wians is the protective spirit of Cabal's northern river. It is known to be used for warlock pacts amidst the Nobleborn, Silver Wolf and Hand of Bone factions.

Society's Views

Of the three types of warlocks, Feypact warlocks are the most accepted. At least in certain circles. Unfortunately, most of Cabal's population sees a warlock as a warlock no matter where they obtain their power from. The two factions that make a distinct difference are the Underforge and the Children of the Storm. Amongst both factions Feypact warlocks are referred to as Shamans are given a higher respect over the other two pact warlocks.

The Pact
The pact between shaman and spirit is much different from the deal made between a demon and warlock. Attracting the Spirit is half of the battle. Elaborate carvings, scented candles and chanting must be performed for several hours and sometimes even days to bring it to the location. After which, the individual must sing and chant the pact forth. Where infernal pacts are typically written, fey pacts are communicated through sound and song.

What the fey request is always something very obscure. No one truly understands their minds or what they think to gain from the exchanges between warlock and spirit. In this way they are almost completely identical to a star pact agreement. A Spirit's request to sing a certain song on specific nights or to bury an exotic item in the dirt with a prayer.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Star Pacts"]
[ic=Sontan Eld'iw, Warlock of the Second Order]The others can have their Demons and Spirits, their sacrifices and their songs. No, we do not dally in such things. Our pacts are simple, the needs of the Void-Birthed even simplier.[/ic]
[ic=Older than the Gods]What is never created but born once? What has no name yet can eat your own?[/ic]

The Star pact warlocks make agreements with the oldest creatures in existence. Older than the gods, older than even the creator of the many planes, these things are simply called the Void-birthed. They have no names and no bodies but they are aware and powerful. Void-birthed are stuck in an existence between planes in a place that is difficult to enter and even harder to leave.

Society's Views
No one knows what to make of Starpact warlocks. Infernal warlocks are looked down upon, Fey warlocks are difficult to understand or comprehend and those who deal with the Void-birthed are simply confusing. They are almost indistinguishable from the others in terms of general appearance and attitude. The difficulty comes from understanding what type of person would make the type of pact that Star-pact warlocks always make.

The Pact
One might ask what a creature older than gods could possibly want. They existed before physical pleasures and have no desire or want for them like the demons. Music and song does not seem to even be noticed by the Void-birthed, if they can even hear. No, what a void-birthed wants is far, far crueler than anything the other pacts give up. What a warlock gives up in their simple pact is their right to be memory. When a star-pact warlock dies, so does their name. Their parents will know that they birthed a child, but will be wrought with the inability to know that child's name. Friends, family and allies will be unable to name the hero who helped them. Bards and stories will be unable to distinguish their actions.

Not only does the star-pact one lose their name upon death, but the ability to be named. Attempts have been made to set names to important warlocks of the past only for everyone to forget what they had attempted to name them as. They will be known only by titles.  

[/spoiler]

[JackOfTales]

Section Three: Factions

In this area I'll start going over each faction in turn. Since I already have a large amount of this done in the wiki, I'll translate some here.
[spoiler=Blooddrinkers]
 [note=Design Notes]The Blooddrinkers were originally designed to be a cruel, essentially evil faction. They're how I envisage some truly insane tieflings.[/note]

 Origin
The blood drinkers were once a fairly peaceful group from a nearby town.The ruins of Cabal were known to them but left alone because of the monster infestation in the city. This town was a small, walled settlement populated by tieflings, humans and a few Halflings. They had traveled here from the Holy Land of Karthinto start a frontier town using several resources in the area including lumber and gold. The ruins of Cabal were left alone for fear of death. Unfortunately, a red dragon attack left the town in ruins. The survivors fled into the walls of Cabal seeking shelter. They were led by a demon priest, Grimori  into the ruins. Grimori's leadership allowed him to easily shape the beliefs of his followers. Soon enough those who were not tiefling were subjected to slavery. The group began to call itself the Blood Drinkers and stayed relatively low-key until about six years ago when the major influx of trade began to occur.

Beliefs
The Blood Drinkers worship the demon prince Grazzt. They believe that they are his mortal children and have been placed on this world in order to wreak havoc. Other races are nothing but slaves to them to be used and thrown away as they wish. Tieflings not of the Blood Drinkers are seen as heretics and are often kidnapped in order to sacrifice to Grazzt. It is seen as a great honor to drink the blood of one of these heretics. The faction also drinks the blood of their greatest foes when taken.

Temples
Within the faction there is one mighty temple. Named the Infernal Cathedral of Dar'Kisev this building was once an ancient church but has been retrofitted by the faction. It has a high, cathedral ceiling with elaborate arches; from these arches have been hung the bodies of the defeated. The stained glass windows have been replaced with specially crafted windows depicting various seens of the Abyss. Demons with whips torture helpless souls in one window while seductive succubi tempt pious paladins in another. The pillars within the church have been left relatively untouched and still hold carvings of various ancient battles. Stone statues of Grimori and other famous tiefling heroes have been erected along the walls out of stone harvested beneath the city. The altar is set upon a great platform surrounded by cages crafted out of the bones of slaughtered victims. A drain funnels from the altar into several bowls around the platform where blood is collected to be taken by the chosen. Each stone pew has been fitted with the skulls of enemies.

Racial Composition
While the tieflings firmly believe they are the chosen of Grazzt they are far from stupid. They make heavy use of slavery in their armies resulting in many powerful warriors rising the ranks. An example of one of these devoted is Tiela "Berserk Eyes". This crazed warrior once slaughtered a host of Chosen of Culedphal with a singe dagger, and it was this event that elevated her from slave to valued lieutenant of the guild.

Dwellings
Blood Drinkers have taken up inhabiting where one river exits the city walls. The buildings still standing in this region were mostly small, one story houses made of stone with only a little elaboration. It is suspected that these were middle class homes like most of the houses in Cabal. A large portion of these houses had collapsed and thus much of the architecture looks different from the rest of the city. The architecture in this area emphasizes tall, wide doorways and tall peaked roofs. Many of the stone buildings have been darkened with ash to make the entire area more '˜infernal.' Slaves are kept in large wooden structures in a former market area. These pens are constantly guarded and watched.

Resources
The faction has a massive waterfall located in the Under-City beneath the streets. Where the waterfall crashes down is a lengthy vein of diamond and coal. The river that flows out of this falls into a seemingly bottomless pit just three miles down. However, spiraling up out of this is a great cavern of iron. The Blooddrinkers are not sure where the iron vein ends yet.

Games
The faction may believe they are mortal demons, but they are not all ruthless soldiers. A common game children play is called Beat the Slave which usually is exactly that. Another common game entails leaping over a burning fire and taking turns making the fire higher, and higher. This game is based off of an old legend about the tiefling hero Azrael Flamespear. The legend states that in order to fight off a well armored dragonborn hero, Azrael had to run over a mile of burning coal.

Music
Blood Drinker music commonly makes use of melodic music that causes shudders through the listener. Their music often brings to mind cruel punishments and unholy places. Common instruments include the drum, violin and harp.

Fashion
Blood Drinkers favor yellow, red, black and orange colors made from whatever fabrics they can get their hands on since they have to trade with the Savuy for fabric. Common fabrics are silk and leather. Male members of the tribe wear brightly colored shirts with wide sleeves, vests and dark colored pants. Women are generally expected to wear dresses unless they are warriors in which case they dress like the men in the same bright colored shirts and pants although generally without vests. The more fashionable and elaborate dresses have flame and demon-like figures embroidered into them. More common dresses feature simple colors with tight, corset-like tops and wide bottoms. Leather boots with metal tips and heels are fashionable for both genders although the non-warrior women prefer a dainty, sleek look.

Male Names Azazel, Azrael, Azrial, Belial, Belioch, Erlick, Niffen, Ictinik, Kronik, Cronic, Kronial, Marak, Makir, Moloch, Rashak, Rashuk, Bathin
 

Female Names Azrial, Aziuen, Belian, Erieal, Ghedi, Nif, Nef, Newf, Kali, Kroni, Ronek, Mara, Maka, Raha, Rashnu

Holidays
Celebi I Sanguine Also, the Ceremony of Blood Taking. This ceremony occurs once a month on the full moon and it is required for all members to attend if they can. During the ceremony, the priests read sermons, sing prayers to the demon lord and sacrifice a captured warrior or a slave. The priests will then choose several honored tieflings to drink the blood of the sacrificed.

Warlock Pacts
These pacts are traditionally made at the age of sixteen and a vast majority of teiflings make the pacts even if they never gain much power from them. A lesser infernal being is contacted from a vast list of demons and devils held by the Threefold Pact, a book held by the temple of Grazzt. Many of these demon names are adopted for children also.
 [note=On Warlocks]Obviously, every blooddrinker is not a warlock. This pact is made whether or not they even become a warlock. The difference is in the intent and whether or not a demon is truly contacted. It is considered an honor to gain power from this, but those who don't are simply destined for something else. I also considered using it to describe how/where the Tiefling racial comes from, but this would be a failure since this isn't the only group of tieflings in the world.[/note]

The name of the book stems from the agreements made about these infernal pacts. This agreement always holds three important aspects: Nathwar, Bareen, and Kanaweeth. Nathwar means literally '˜To Give' and details the aspects of what a young teifling will do for infernal power. The standard agreement is one favor per year of a lesser respect. A lesser respect means a deed such as the burning of particular incense, ingestion of a particular food, burning gold or some other minor ritual.

These rituals do not give the infernal anything other than an aspect of the material plane. Some crave gold, thus a teifling will burn gold. Others crave desire, so the teifling must whisper the demon's name during an intimate act whether it is kissing or simply touching or something sexual, others may want to experience a particular scent or taste thus the need for burning incense, eating a particular food or other some such. In general during this ritual the infernal being passes some of its essence into the teifling in return for temporarily experiencing one of the teifling's senses.

Bareen is the taking, it refers to the taking of the infernal's essence during the above ritual. Kanaweeth is the third aspect and refers to the seal or the agreement to the details of the bargain for a period of time. The typical period of time is that of life, since a teifling does not want to have to renegotiate the agreement every year.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Hand of Bone]
History
The shamans will say that the tribes united long ago in defense against a great foe and simply never separated thereafter. No one is sure if this is true or not, and the origins of the faction have been lost to time.

The goblinoids of the Hand of Bone have been around since before the first of the other races found the city. They had developed a unique culture that even included several native dragonborn and humans amidst them. True difficulty did not come until 32 N.R. for this is when the Silver Wolves rose up from the nearby forests.

The bands of shifters and humans were scorned by the Hand of Bone. These new comers did not respect their ancestors and actually buried them beneath the earth! This was a travesty to the faction and they began a religious war to scourge the city of these newcomers. The long-standing friction between these two factions has remained to present day.

Leadership
The Hand of Bone is ruled by its priests. The High Priest is traditionally the eldest priest amongst the tribe whether he be goblinoids, human, dragonborn or some other race. The word of the priest is law although even he has to conform to a code of tradition that was written years ago.
     
      Role of the High Priest
The High Priest is expected to deal with conflict within the faction. When disputes arise over various aspects the High Priest will rule upon who is right in the matter. Most often this involves whoever has donated the most to the temples recently. The High Priest also dictates punishment for those who break the sacred tenants of tradition. In addition, he or she appoints a Counselor of War as the leader of the factions' soldiers. While the High Priest makes decisions on when to attack other factions this aspect is most often left up to the Counselor of War.

    Role of Counselor of War
The Counselor of War is the executive of military action. This position is esteemed among the warriors of the faction and is typically held by a hero of both battle and tactics. Duties of the counselor include any aspect connected to that of war. This includes dealing with prisoners of war, military actions, appointing leadership positions within the army and even policing the district itself. The current position is held by the Slayer of a Hundred Wolves, The Whirling Scythe, Counselor Sook Wolfkiller.
   
    The Code of Tradition
This written scroll has been replicated and now stands as a large, stone monument within the center of the faction's district for all to see. Travelers are expected to conform to the rules of the faction. Many of the rules are common and simple enough. They dictate that there shall be no murder or theft within the palisade. In addition, all people of an older age are to be given utmost respect.

Beliefs
   The Hand of Bone has a strict set of beliefs focused around ancestor worship. They believe that the spirits of the dead can give advice from beyond the grave in addition to providing a source for their mystical powers.  [note=Future Design]Mysticism and Shamanism within the Hand of Bone have different connotations then they do elsewhere. In general, mysticism is the study and practice of divine magic while shamanism is the study and practice of arcane magic.[/note]
 
   Death & Burial
They worship their ancestors and feel that good luck and fortune comes to a family that treats its ancestors with the best of care. When a member of the faction dies the family typically entombs them within a large, family crypt behind the house. This stone cairn has a door that is opened on these occasions. The body will then be placed inside on a rack where it will eventually decay and fall into a pit at the bottom. In front of this cairn is a small temple where candles and food are burned every week for the family's dead to enjoy.

    Temples
There is one temple within the district. This structure of stone has been built by the faction from the stone of the city. It is fairly small and much of it is taken up by walls of crypts. Within these crypts are placed the priests and heroes of the faction. It is considered a great honor to be accepted within these walls once deceased. The priests dwell at the temple and hold important rituals there. This is where the ceremony of wrapping the deceased in leather bandages occurs prior to them being brought to the family crypt.

Dwellings
The Hand of Bone lives in the upper east corner of Cabal in a former apartment district. As such, many of the buildings are tall and divided into many rooms. Important families have entire floors to themselves. The lower floors of these buildings are often blocked off completely with stone. A large portion of the population travels by use of wooden bridges between the apartments. This creates a sort of canyon feel while in the territory. Those closer to or at ground levels are poor and considered lowly in position. Those who live in the highest floors are the richest and most esteemed members. Enemies coming into the faction are easily defeated by swarms of arrows and rocks from above.

Fashion
Hand of Bone clothing styles tend toward a very elaborate style. Earrings, necklaces and bracelets are accepted by both men and women in all degrees of station. One can typically tell who is of higher station by the number of piercings and amount of jewelry on the person. Popular colors tend towards a mix of dark and bright. It is rare to see a Hand of Bone member wearing simply one color or only one tone of color. A combination of black, dark red, white or grey with bright orange, bright green or bright yellow is typical.

Resources
The Bones do not have any single strong trading resource. This has been a large cause for their battle to take over the Kanyon district gearhouse and area because the district itself is also situated on top of adamantine pillars which make for a solid trading resource. When the Hand of Bone does have possession of the district they make ample use of its mines. When they do not they rely upon art and jewelry along with some wood or stone gathered from a quarry outside the city.

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Children of the Storm]
[note=Design]This was the first faction detailed out and is still possibly my favorite. This tribe of elves stems from the forest-like elf perception but in a new location. Rather than having tree forts or being nomadic hunters, these are settled traders that are tied closely to the sea.[/note]

Who they are
The Children of the Storm are a small elven tribe dwelling near harsh, coastal waters. They are experts at the use of two-handed swords and longbows and also have a love for the sea. They have unique features such as dark green to blue hair, eyes the various colors of the ocean and pale skin that is often tanned from exposure to the sun during long sailing days. In the past twenty years the Children have allowed expert sailors and pirates to join their ranks in hopes of increasing territory and protecting themselves against aquatic threats. These other races are expected to follow the same traditions as the elves.

Origin Story
It is said that Lyaie was not present during the creation of the world. As such, she missed the chance to create her own. The Children of the Storm do not know or care who originally created their race. They are the chosen, the unique among them. At some point a terrible famine and draught plagued their people and they looked to the weather for aid. They made supplications, prayers and war in the name of gaining rain for their region. Finally, they managed to gain Lyaie's interest by defeating a mighty champion of her own creation. This beast looked like a dragon and yet could fly with no wings and had six legs. It breathed gouts of lightning and could shake the very world with its thunder. The elven tribe saw it as a last chance to gain the gods' attention. They cared not which god, simply that someone, anyone bring them reprieve.

Champion upon champion of the elves fell to the creature's fangs, breath and claws. Finally they brought it down with the very last of them dancing upon its corpse. Lyaie was impressed with the determination and vigor of these little creatures that she began to call her Storm Children after the great uproar she claimed they caused for her. Rather than bringing them rain she caught the entire tribe in a great whirlwind and carried them away to the coast where they live to this day. Here they had plenty of water but no trees and thus learned a new way to survive. Even while being a harsh mistress, it is said that in times of great need that Lyaie herself will walk from the heavens to confront the foes of the Children of the Storm.

Beliefs
Lyiae is the primary goddess of the children. Whether Lyiae is a male or female is debated since some of the far reaches of the tribe seem to worship a male version, however, Lyiae will be referred to as a female for ease. She is a goddess of weather, both good and bad and seen as the sole creator of the Children of the Storm. When approached by other elvish tribes they do not disagree with a polytheistic view of religion, rather they simply state that they will give their worship to none other than Lyiae.

   Idols
Statues of Lyiae portray her as a thin, athletic elvish female who could be considered a male if it weren't for unique facial features and ever so slight breasts. Some claim that the same image is used for the male form, simply that he is made more muscular. Her hair is long and wild, often portrayed as flailing about wildly. She holds a two-handed sword bearing her personal inscription which can be translated into 'Life is a Tempest.' She is seen as an even-handed goddess prone to rapid changes of personality that can only be predicted by the wisest sailor.

Rituals
Children of the Storm dwelling by the oceans often will send their dead to Lyiae on a small raft dressed in blue and green clothes. Also, a particular festival called the Day of Rains is held as a holy day once per year. For some reason it always seems to rain on this day. Whether it is coincidence or not is unknown. During the Day of Rains the tribe will make a large fire where each family makes a sacrifice. This sacrifice is traditionally a token of fish, silver, or a trophy won from an enemy. Then the Lightning Dance will occur. This event involves an intricate dance that is both sensuous and violent. The entire tribe will partake in this although often the young or elders will sit out and simply watch. The dance is accompanied by traditional music making the sound of a storm. On days when the day culminates in particularly harsh weather the elves take it as a sign of good luck for the coming year.

Priests
The clerics of Lyiae are respected within the tribe. They are considered protectors and often accompany the warriors into battle to wreak havoc with weather magic. Some worshippers of Lyiae have the ability to transform into fearsome beasts. The clerics dress in white, yellow or dark blue robes but don battle armor for war. They are approached for signs of good sailing, healing and advice by the various members of the tribe. The tribe's Chieftain considers the head priest to Lyiae to be his second in command and religious advisor. The high priest often does not interfere in political matters unless it is of highest importance to the goddess. In which case, the chieftain rarely dismisses the demands of the priests.

Temples
Children of the Storm erect small shrines to Lyiae. These shrines are made out of either the rocks of the ocean or driftwood and contain paintings and stone statues of the goddess and her exploits. Trophies from past battles are often found adorning places of honor inside the shrine as gifts to the goddess and her priests.

Leadership
This is considered a great position won not just through prowess in battle but through leadership and wisdom. The position of leadership in the tribe is taken by the chieftain who is chosen during the Trial by Sea whenever the last chieftain passes away. The chieftain also uses the high priest and a council of elders for advice.

Chieftain Role
The role of the chieftain is primarily secular leadership. He serves as a judge for all crimes within the tribe and since the tribes are typically relatively small (less than two hundred individuals) it is easy to pull this off. He plans raids on nearby races and either leads them personally or chooses a Warchief to lead the battle. The Chieftain converses with the head priest on issues of religious importance such as new opponents coming to the area and atypical weather. He also oversees the construction and sale of ships. The elves have a thriving business selling powerful sailing vessels to allies or those nearby that they do not see as a hostile threat. The chieftain leads all negotiations with foreign dignitaries and most major trades with merchants but most allow their people to take care of minor, personal trades themselves.

Role of Council of Elders
This council consists of the ten oldest elven heads of family. Due to their age they are seen as wise and intelligent. They advise the chieftain on affairs of secular nature including war, diplomacy and trade. The chieftain does not have to abide by the council's advice although at times to do so would bring the entire tribe against him.

Trial By Sea
When the chieftain passes away a great ceremony is held for his passing. He is sent to the waters in typical Children of the Sea fashion but is accompanied by sacrifices made to the waters to Lyiae to aid his passing. After the ceremony the eldest of the tribe gather and set a day between two days and a week of the chief's death ritual to hold the Trial by Sea. To gain permission to join the trial a young elf must perform three duties.

First Rite
The first rite dictates that the elf must bring an offering to the council of elders. This offering is typically a type of fish. The rarer or larger the fish the better and more likely it is to gain the acknowledgement of the elders. This offering is then burnt within the old chieftain's home and offered to Lyiae. The council acknowledges the elf's claim by painting a black mark on his face with the ash.

Second Rite
The second rite entails exiting the council's tent after the first rite and calling for acceptance by the tribe. After the first rite the entire tribe will gather before the tent. The elf must then ask the tribe if they would accept him as leader if he wins the trial. A majority of the elven families must cheer for the elf if he is to take the trial.

Third Rite
The final rite requires the applicant to build a single-man sailing ship. Upon completion of this final act he is ready for the trial.
Trial: The trial itself gathers all the applicants on the shore of the ocean. They must set sail on the ships they built and head for a pre-set destination. This varies depending on where the tribe is. It could be a particular rock out in sea, an island or the tip of the bay. The destination is typically three full day's sail away and the elf is expected to make way with no supplies other then the ship, three spears and a net. The first elf to arrive (also commonly the only one to return) is the chosen leader. As proof that they went to the location, another elf is stationed at the location to give the applicants an oyster pearl. If the applicant returns without the pearl then they cannot become leader. If they lose the pearl they cannot get another.

Sailing
The Children of the Storm are excellent ship builders. They design and sail the superbly fast ships with excellent handling. While they may not be the best, they may be the best in their region. These ships typically have triangle sails with sleek, simple designs. As a symbol to Lyiae all ships have a storm cloud burned onto the hull before being used or sold. Building a ship is a religious and fulfilling event for this tribe. For smaller vessels, a single elf will often search for the perfect wood and even weave his own sails from specially chosen cloth. Larger ships are a tribal event that requires lots of participation and is taken as both serious work and a fun activity. The sails on the ships are made of specially prepared plant fibers obtained from a type of reed that only grows in brackish water where heavy rain occurs. This reed is called the Goddess Reed in reference to Lyiae. The fibers are gathered and blessed by the priests of the tribe before being woven into sails. They are specially treated to throw off water and work well even during stormy weather. Children of the Storm vessels are prized due to the fact that they can sail in even the harshest weather without fear. Some say that it is because the vessels are blessed by Lyiae and only while those on board promise no harm to the Children that the vessels will sail well.

Dwellings
Children of the Storm build their houses for practicality and defense. A typical dwelling will be located thirty feet above ground, although some will argue that thirty-five feet is a must have. The structure will be built either on a rocky outcropping, the side of a cliff or in trees. The building itself will be made out of wood and decorated with carvings of storms, battles and sailing. These three things are their most sacred events. These dwellings, called Orivs [Oriv singular] have an average of five rooms. Two rooms will be bedrooms for the occupants, one room will be for food preparation, one room will be the main room where food is eaten and guests entertained and one room will hold the family's most precious possessions or be another bedroom. Orivs are decorated with war trophies, pieces of prizes vessels, driftwood and tapestries of Lyiae or important events in the tribe's history.

The area where the Children dwell is referred to simply as 'The Docks" by the other factions. Unlike the major factions, the Children do not have access to a gearhouse for food. Instead their food comes from the ocean, trade with Rhenquist and the Savuy and nearby villages.

Family
The Children live in family units of four to six. This group is made up of the oldest of the family first. If a house can no longer house the entire family unit then the youngest are expected to move into a nearby Oriv. These elves have strong family bonds and value their ancestors greatly. Each home will hold a record of the family tree going back until the beginning of the tribe's beginning. This record is also kept by the tribe's shrine in case one is lost to fire or other hazards.

Music & Games
Children of the Storm play a range of music most of it very similar to that of the elves of Rhenquist. They prefer melodic, haunting tunes but also harsh, crashing beats. Common instruments include various percussion and wood-wind instruments. Stringed instruments are rare since strings go bad quickly in humid, salty sea air.

The most popular games played by this group are windsurfing and kitesurfing. Both of these sports are similar to the sports of their name in real life. Children of the Storm often use old sails to build kites for kitesurfing. Yearly contests are held for speed, tricks and jumps in kitesurfing and for speed and tricks in windsurfing.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Nobleborn]
[note=Design]The nobleborn are what happens when you mix extreme corruption with lots of money. It's my second favorite faction due to the social extremes it has.[/note]

History
Originally a small band of human nobles from the Holy Land of Karthin seeking their own fortune, this group has grown from that. While not all of them can claim noble blood it is the image that matters. Rich merchants, elaborate swashbucklers and young nobles joined together in this area partly because of the architecture and partly because of the nearby gold mine beneath. Calling themselves the Nobleborn they hope to use large amounts of money and armed might to gain the city and create a capital upon which to start an empire.

Leadership[/b]
[note=Design] I see the Nobleborn leadership as a sort of corrupted form of the English system[/note]
he Nobleborn is filled with the arrogant and demanding. There is a strong need for order amongst them that will satisfy the needs of everyone. As a result, a form of democracy has come about. Two councils make decisions, the Noble Council and the Council of Twelve. This is much like a Parliamentary democracy except there is no strong executive power or even a hint of one. While a single individual may reign supreme in the Council of Twelve for a short time, no one has wrested power to be considered a President or Prime Minister.

Role of Council of Twelve
As the primary ruling body, the Council of Twelve meets within one of the former noble houses. The Council is made up of twelve individuals who achieve their position by obtaining a majority vote within the Noble Council. This council is the one that determines policy, new law, trade agreements and war issues.

Role of Noble Council
his council is made up of one member from each noble house. The houses have been created by literally who lives in what house. As a result there is some debate amongst those who live with one another but disagree on aspects of policy. The member who goes to the Noble Council is agreed upon amongst the noble house by its own methods. This is typically a vote or a duel depending on the relationships within. This member rules for two years before a new vote or duel is called. The Noble Council votes into position the Council of Twelve and handles matters of justice when someone is said to have performed a criminal action.

Culture

Dwellings
The extravagant architecture in this quarter is the best preserved of any area. Buildings have large, arching ceilings and several half-standing ruins were obviously once great cathedrals. The majority of the standing houses have three or four floors. The streets have been cleared of dirt, grass and plants to reveal the cobbles beneath although alleyways and backyard areas have been left as is. Many of these buildings have many rooms and, despite the noble nature of the inhabitants, are occupied by more than one family or individual. Often those without family will either house together or with a family in one of the spare rooms.

Resources
The Nobleborn sit above a gold mine. Literally. They are the richest faction and are traders only in the sense that they help fund the city's economy with flows of gold. Why would they want to help anyone else? Well it brings in more trade and products which they can buy for themselves. Although the Savuy are the primary traders in Cabal, the Nobleborn hold the strings to supply. They have to rely upon the Savuy's trade routes and alliances with the other factions but with their vast supply of gold they often can buy out almost every product the Savuy bring into the town. This results in them then going to nearby factions and trading products not found in Cabal for stores of armor, weapons, iron, cotton and other non-perishable goods.

In essence, they only have access to nearby factions: Underforge, Union, Silver Wolves, and the Hand of Bone for their own trade routes. Unfortunately, Union refuses to trade with them because they see the Nobleborn as complete and utter bastards. The faction does not have its own fleet and cannot compete directly with the Savuy but they do manage to undercut them by buying out large portions of Underforge arms and armour. This forces the Savuy to go to the Nobleborn to trade back Nobleborn gold for the Underforge's well crafted iron items. The Nobleborn of course sell these products for a much higher price leading to them getting a large portion of their gold back.

Population
The Nobleborn may be led by former nobles and make nobility a point in their attempts to gain control of the city, but not all members of the faction are of this ilk. Indeed, the rich gold mines beneath the faction have encouraged many merchants, miners and other settlers from various parts of the world to gather here in hopes of becoming rich and affluent. Also, it is difficult to dispute the high payments given to any who serve the noble houses as cooks, butlers and other jobs. Even the lowest member of the faction is still considered to be part of a noble house. While on the outside, and even some say from the inside, the faction looks very elitist it is still somewhat fair.

Art
Many of the Nobleborn consider the application of art forms to be a great asset to the group and as such many either participate themselves or are patrons of the arts. Elaborate paintings, sculpture, classical music and plays are common here. One building has even been converted into a theater that hosts a small art gallery. Due to the corrupt peculiarities of the faction, there are also some very extreme forms of art. For example, one group calls themselves the Blood Artists and they paint exclusively using the blood and organs from people stolen off the street. The fights that occur in the arena are also considered a type of artistic dance even though that dance ends in someone dying.

Crime
The few Nobleborn who stoop to thievery consider it an art form and could even give any good Junker a solid run for best thief. Assassination is commonplace as nobles vie for position within the Council. Drugs and prostitution are rampant among the faction and while it is illegal according to the code there is little done about it. Criminal enterprises and organized crime flourish within the corrupt social environment of the faction.

Etiquette and Masks
Nobleborn are very particular about their etiquette. Proper manners, chivalry and standards of action and dress and expected from even the lowest servant. When out and about in the streets it is considered unusual to see another Nobleborn without a mask on. This is because assassinations, drug use and prostitution occur behind every curtain. No one wants to be affiliated with these common day crimes even though almost everyone participates in one aspect or another of it. It is considered bad form to be known as a practitioner of any of the above aspects of culture despite the knowledge that all the nobles perform them.

Fashion
Women are expected to dress appropriately for their sex. The Nobleborn are rather chauvinistic when it comes to females. Men are expected to dress in their best if attending any event; anything less than this will draw rude comment. Jewelry is common on both males and females. A particular aspect of culture that has cropped up in the last eight years is that of masks. All Nobleborn wear elaborate masks over their faces to conceal their true identities. For more on the masks see Corruption below.

Education
The Academy of Cabal is a small, two floored structure that teaches an array of subjects from geography to magical arts. Most, if not all, Nobleborn have attended some classes here. The academy is supported by the Council and as such is free for all members.

Corruption[/size]
The Nobleborn are perceived as degenerate and corrupt by many if not all the nobles outside of Cabal and even much of Cabal's population. A reason for this is because of the constant drugs, sex and assassinations occurring within the group. Positions within the Council are highly desired and can be obtained through bribery, sex or murder. It has become commonplace to wear a mask over one's face because it simply does not do to be known as a prostitute, drug trafficker, drug user or various other vile aspects that have become part of Nobleborn culture. While these things are common the group still upholds an attempt at etiquette where such things are looked down upon and said to be '˜rare.' These masks range from simple, white masks with paintings on them to elaborate headpieces depicting various monsters.

[size=16Celebrations & Holidays[/size]
The Masquerade of Secrets
A giant ball that is held for seven nights between March 7th to March 14th. Each of these balls has a theme that is unique to that Masquerade. The theme will determine décor and the costumes worn to the ball. During the Masquerade a great game of investigation, betrayal, drama and secrets is played. This game sets each couple against all the other couples to determine which member of the seven hosts is who. For you see, the Masquerade is planned by every member of the nobleborn but seven individuals are selected to hide their features and host one night of the ball. These hosts determine the theme for their night. At any time during the ball, a couple can attempt to state which host is really whom. For example, the Swan is truly Damien Lanceour. If the couple gets even one name wrong, then they can no longer participate in the Masquerade.
[/spoiler]

[JackOfTales]

Reserved for more information

[JackOfTales]

Finally, last reserve. Hope I don't need more room.

[LordVreeg]

I like the idea...very contained, but a huge amount of adventuring potential and mystery.
how many inhabitants now?  how many governmental formats?  is it in another country?  What level of cutlrue are the scavenging inhabitants?  when was it rediscoverd?

[JackOfTales]

I like the idea...very contained, but a huge amount of adventuring potential and mystery.

This is a major point of it. Something that's just a single city and yet  I can have many adventures that start and end there.

how many inhabitants now?  how many governmental formats?  is it in another country?  What level of cutlrue are the scavenging inhabitants?  when was it rediscoverd?

1) How many Inhabitants?
Since there are so many factions, there is no consensus on how many individuals live in the city. Some estimate no more than 20,000 while others say at least 120,000.

2) How many governmental formats?
Cabal has several democracies, 2 theocracies, a tribal chieftain, and a pseudo-monarchy.

3) What level of culture are the scavenging people at?
Cabal is located in an area of dense wilderness. It is almost impossible to reach by land with only a few small villages around it. However, it has a great port that is its main mode of transportation. Due to the resources within the city itself [several mines underneath and tunnels going deeper than anyone has ever gone.], it has become a major trading location.

4) What level of culture are scavenging inhabitants?
This isn't an easy question but I'll keep it short.
First, what does scavenging mean? There is an entire faction dedicated to scavenging who call themselves Junkers. I will presume that you mean people who are not in a faction and instead are in unsupported areas of the city.

These individuals range from many races: human to goblin to orc to dragonborn. In general they live in a situation akin to a very poor village. They grow their own food on top of houses, allow cattle to wander deserted areas where buildings have been pulled down or have been torn apart by trees. They trade what meager things they can find in the tunnels and city to nearby factions in exchange for other supplies.

Each faction possesses unique resources.  For example, two have iron mines, one has a salt and crystal mine, another has a gold mine. This is another reason why Cabal is so crazily unique. Not only is it a large, abandoned city built by unknowns, but it is completely self-sufficient. Food primarily comes from magical warehouses called 'Gearhouses' [lame name but I couldn't think of anything] that refer to the giant turning gears on either side of them. These houses produce masses of food and each faction possesses one and is built around that gearhouse. It is really because of these warehouses that the factions have power in the city.


5) When was it rediscovered?
I don't have the timeline in front of me now, but awhile ago. The current calendar year is 112 N.R. [No idea what it stands for, this city of mine is actually based in ANOTHER Dm's campaign. There's at least three of us working within it and I must ask what it stands for..] Each group that develops into a faction comes at a different time. I believe the oldest was the Children of the Storm, tribal coastal elves, who were there several hundred years ago. (No more than 500 and no less than 200) Suffice to say, they more or less own the ports. It had approximately 2,000-5,000 years before the Children came upon it.

[JackOfTales]

Updated some bits on magic theory and application

[Steel General]

Any ideas on a basic layout of the city?

[JackOfTales]

40 districts with idea on where specific ones lay. There's two rivers running through the city and a wall around the entire metropolis, although its collapsing in parts. the two rivers combine within the city and then empty out into a bay. The walls encompass down to the beach and there are small stone towers remaining in the water.

I have alot of ideas but...I'm awful at making maps. Or rather, I'm good at making maps on the computer but have no type of city-making tools. I can make world maps with CC3 and battlemaps/small area maps with Dundjinni but neither makes an easy way to craft a city map. I should probably go and get the new city builder by ProFantasy but don't have the money at the moment.

I have almost the whole city designed out in my head from where factions are located to where a few dungeon ideas are to where unique areas such as Afterlife Co. are located.

[Snargash Moonclaw]

I really like the concept/premise. It's unclear so far how big the geographic scope is in terms of square miles - your districts, even if contiguous (w/out any "no-man's land" between,) could still be of any size and things like "a forest could be where a city official's house once was," rather than a grove of trees make it more confusing at present. Inter/trans-dimensional pockets though could explain that not only nicely but make the over-all landscape and terrain even more intriguing, e.g., how close the fey-world can be in some places - what from a nearby rooftop looks like a grove where a mansion once stood could in fact be a forest in the fey-realm once entered.

As for mapping, AutoRealm might fill the gap you're looking for - being free it's at least no cost to check it out if you haven't already.

[JackOfTales]

I really like the concept/premise. It's unclear so far how big the geographic scope is in terms of square miles - your districts, even if contiguous (w/out any "no-man's land" between,) could still be of any size and things like "a forest could be where a city official's house once was," rather than a grove of trees make it more confusing at present. Inter/trans-dimensional pockets though could explain that not only nicely but make the over-all landscape and terrain even more intriguing, e.g., how close the fey-world can be in some places - what from a nearby rooftop looks like a grove where a mansion once stood could in fact be a forest in the fey-realm once entered.

As for mapping, AutoRealm might fill the gap you're looking for - being free it's at least no cost to check it out if you haven't already.

I suppose I'd be forced to address this eventually. I've never actually considered the actual square mileage of the city. I envisaged this giant, black mark seen from the sky that stretches for miles with small pockets of civilization within it. Of course due to the size all of those pockets are either 1) along one of the two rivers going through the city or 2) near the wall where they can easily exit and enter the city.

This city was placed in a collaborative setting with other DMs. They already have the whole population grid/size thing figured out so they gave me the biggest city that was the furthest away from any established country. I named it Cabal. I have a population of around 21,000 to work with.

So..
1)  How big is Cabal in square miles? How big is each district? How many people does it have?

Population: 21,000
Total Geographic Size: 250 square miles  [note]I wanted the city to be slightly smaller than New York City.[/note]  
How big is each District: 250 square miles divided by 40 Districts = 6 1/4 square miles per district.

2) Cabal & Feywild Distortions
Actually, this is not quite what I meant but I like that idea better. From one place it may look like a small wasteland of rock and collapsed buildings with a few scattered trees but as you walk deeper into that area you find more and more trees until you're no longer in Cabal.

EDIT: 3) Also, I've never looked at AutoRealm nor heard of it..going to do that now.

[Pellanor]

Random interesting note: My home city of Calgary has a population of just over one million people, is 280 square miles and has two rivers running through it. We have a number of fairly large parks, including Fish Creek Park which is just over 5 square miles.

Also with 21000 people per square mile, you've got about the same population density as the US does. In fact the Faroe Islands are about twice the size as your city and has the same population density.


Anyway, I like what you're going for here. It sounds quite interesting.

[JackOfTales]

I think you read it wrong. It's 21,000 total on a plot of 250 square miles. Is that small then though? But looking over, I fail at reading numbers. LA definitely has over 780 square miles so I'm going to up Cabal's size..no idea to what though.

When it was first built I wanted it to fit a population of 4-5 million. Suggestions?

[Ninja D!]

First of all, I won't lie to you : There is something about the format of your post that I simply do not like.  I don't know exactly what it is, though.  That is what has kept me from posting my thoughts here so far despite the fact that this seems like an interesting setting.  Right now, I will suck it up and try to tell you what I think anyway.

As for your introduction (which I include to be everything through the Heroic headline) it is well written.  It give a good idea of the setting without telling us everything.  Nicely done.

I like how you have presented different ways that magic is used by different people and groups and that you have left it open for there to be many more.  I do hope, however, that you will eventually detail some of these different thoughts on magic.  As you have it now, everything here seems like one vague example.  Of course, you mention that this is not all that you have...if you have certain schools of thought (relating to magic) detailed and not posted, I would like to hear about them.

I really like that you have broken down Warlocks by pacts and described how people view them.  That is well conceived and well executed.  Will you be adopting more pacts as they are officially released, created on the internet, or perhaps designed by you?

Being that I'm tired, that is all I have for the moment.  If you're answering questions, some of my favorite things to see in other settings are detailed takes on magic and, even more so, goblins.

[Pellanor]

Right, I said 21000 per square mile, but really meant 21000 per 250 square miles, which is 84 per square mile. The entire USA is 80 per square mile.

As for fitting 4-5 million it could be done. It really depends on how tightly packed together the people are. Calgary has the lowest population density of all cities over 1 million in North America, at 1,360.2/km² (3,522.9/sq mi). Where as New York has a density of 27,147/sq mi (10,482/km²), 7.7 times as much. The greatest population density I could find is Mumbai in India with 21,880 /km² (56,669 /sq mi), which is over twice that of New York.

Uruk was a city back in Sumer and later Babylonia, around 3000 BC, with a population density of apx 11,000 /km² at its height, though of significantly smaller land area. That would give you a population of just over 7,000,000.
see also