The City and its People

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Authorities in the city
Unlike most other places in this part of the world, World's Mouth is ruled by a merchant's council. For hundreds of years the traders of the city have kept their power, using a system of minimum earnings, possessions and heavy fees to make sure that only those who are wealthy may join the governing body.

Presiding over the council are nine magistrates. These are men who have spent over fifteen active years in the council; they're elected by vote, and serve for three years. Magistrates often get re-elected, however, and most serve at least nine years. Their function is to enforce the will of the council in the city, and to preside over council meetings. They wield tremendous influence both within the council and everyday life.

The merchant's council usually counts eighty voting members. Merchants need to meet certain standards to get a place in the council; generally, the eighty most 'successful' and 'established' traders in World's Mouth gain entry. Once certain qualifications are met, new members are admitted by vote of the other councillors.

Working under the guidance of the council is the city's law enforcement unit. Each Magistrate is responsible for maintaining a part of the city's guard force, and this is often a matter of some prestige. As a result, the city guard is a well-trained, well-equipped force, known for employing the latest in weaponry and, sometimes to the embarrassment of the soldiers, fashion. Loyal councillors with some military background often function as leaders to the city guard, as the magistrates themselves are far too busy to bother with such trivial details.

Rivalling the Council in influence and authority are the mages of the city. United in the wizard's guild, the three colleges within Mouth city walls have a special and rather intricate relationship with the magistrates. The Mages do not openly admit it, but they too keep a small group of men in reserve, who are trained in both the arts of war and thaumaturgy. While grossly outnumbered in relation to other powers in the city, the wizard's guild can call upon its magic and extraordinary fighting force to more than even the odds.
With such power at their fingertips, it is no wonder that the mages have become irritated at their relatively low political power. Moving into position to demand a part of taxes and influence in the ruling of the city, the guild is wading into the political fray, with all the ensuing chaos one would expect.

Other guilds exist within the city, such as the artisan's guild and the shipping guild. While they often bicker amongst themselves, they are a powerful force, both politically and physically. Allowed by law to employ armed forces, each guild has impressive financial resources and maintains a considerable body of trained men to 'protect its assets'. Sabotage is not uncommon, and history is riddled with instances where guild warfare took place in the streets. As a result of all this, both wizards and council have only a slippery grasp on the guilds - should they choose to unite, their forces and resources would surely be a match for either party.

Nobles in World's Mouth
Of course, the merchants' council hasn't always ruled in World's Mouth. Once, centuries ago, the city was ruled by nobles, as was any place. But somehow, somewhere, they got outsmarted, and now, they watch passively as others rule what is rightfully theirs. Their birthright is being violated, they still feel, but there is nothing that can be done.

Or is there?

One group among the small community of nobles is very vocal on the point. This is the Gaylocke family.

The name goes back centuries, and among noblemen, the Gaylockes have always been the first and foremost. They are the very symbol of what it means to be of good breeding, and the most infuriated of all over the reign of the merchants. Within the noble community of World's Mouth, they are the representatives and speakers; often in history, the head of the Noble Council was a Gaylocke.

With the death of old Garimande Gaylocke a year ago, the power has now fallen to Chanton Gaylocke, a young and ambitious man, who is determined to put the nobles back in charge, and more than charismatic enough to get the others to follow him. So slowly, the noblemen of World's Mouth are extending their tendrils and fangs, placing their agents, feeling out the territory. And with their increased activity, the political hotbed has only become more dangerous.

Magic in World's Mouth
Allied in the Wizard's Guild, the magicians of World's Mouth are an influential and powerful lot. The three colleges have existed within the city for centuries, and have become a part of World's Mouth daily existence. Officials have always cautiously tread around the wizards, never attempting to impose specific laws upon them, or levy a heavier tax, etc. The wizards have recently decided, however, that just this is not enough, and are moving to gain more influence within the city's administration.

The Guild itself however, which is the political platform for the magicians, is a pit of vipers. Riddled with political ambition, rivalry and backstabbing, it has yet to make an effective move. To the outside world, however, the wizards present a unified face, one that they are willing to preserve even at the cost of lives.

Three colleges exist within World's Mouth: Prismatic, Sophus and Ghearan. Together with the group of mages known as the Independents, this comes to four factions of wizards, hopelessly divided over almost any issue. Additionally, each group has its distinct style or lack thereof, and great rivalry exists between them. Twice before, in history, such tension erupted into a mage war, and tensions today are once again high enough. One spark, and who knows what could happen...

Prismatic college has existed almost as long as the city itself has. It is the largest of the three colleges, and has always been so. Often accused by other colleges to teach a much too bland and standardized style of magic, the college is indeed strict in its tutoring, allowing a pupil only little room to put a personal touch on his style. The mentors instead focus on raw power, teaching methods to empower a spell. A Prismatic's approach to magic is rough and quick, and such power is wielded with deadly effect.

Sophus college is the oldest of the three. As they tell the tale, World's Mouth was formed around a trade outpost, which in turn stood next to the newly erected Sophus College, for protection. Consequently, they see themselves as the founders of mage society within World's Mouth. Others may not agree, but well, noblesse oblige, right? Sophus teaches the role of a mage as leader, as first among equals. Alongside tutoring in magic skills such as divination and charm, the college offers a large selection of classes to improve a mage's learning of more mundane things, and his social prowess.

Ghearan College is the youngest and smallest of the three. Teaching mastery of magic through perfection of self, other mages see Ghearans as eccentric at best, utterly batty at worst. Ghearan philosophy states that a perfected soul may be used to weave more powerful spells, and a perfect body as a tool to attain the perfect soul. In order to reach this, pupils are taught several skills of self-focus and self-perfection, and are given hours of physical exercise as well as mental. It is this last trait of Ghearan education that keeps many mages from seeking schooling with the college, even though Ghearan teaches a few magic skills not easily available elsewhere in the city.

The Independents are those who did not wish to join a college, either because they didn't agree with the styles, or because of very real and dangerous rivalries. Most just want to get on with the business of magic without too many people bothering them, but some simply found that the colleges had no room for their enormous ambitions. It is this diversity that has given the independent mage community in World's Mouth a reputation for the unexpected.

Generally disliked by the other mages, independent mages are not welcomed into the wizard's guild. Voices both within and without the guild are calling for the admission, but unification has yet to be approved.
Independent mentors often leave students a great deal of freedom in developing their own, personal style of spell casting. What skills a mentor might impart upon his people depends upon the mentor himself, and his training.