Morrow

Regions of Morrow

Overview

The spires of Morrow are amongst the oldest in Urizen, dating back to the nation's birth. The heart of the Heliopticon is here, making it a centre of communication for the Nation. The miracle of the Heliopticon is administered from this territory, and most spires maintain a series of prisms, lenses and mirrors atop their tallest roof in order to pass on the flickering messages that keep the nation in constant communication.

Many spires in Morrow inhabit some of the original buildings discovered on the mountaintops by the first Urizen to ascend the mountains. Large open buildings, with doorways and halls just larger than a human might need, they create a sense of open space that has set the pattern for all Urizen architecture.

Despite its great age Morrow moves inexorably forward, and many of its spires are undergoing constant reconstruction and improvement. It is said that “no two days find the same Morrow” as the Urizen constantly strive to perfect their land even further. A project may take a decade or even more to come to fruition, but the Urizen pride themselves on vision and their desire to perfect their world.

Major Features

The mountains of Morrow are cold.

Canterspire

Over time, a number of spires built around the same high peak have merged to form one whole, the Canterspire. In any other country, it would be called a town, and would sprawl like a nest of termites. As this is Urizen, the merge was carefully planned and executed over centuries. Each Spire specialises in one of the pillars of Urizen philosophy, and they are defended by a network of citadels sitting on the lower peaks.

Overlooking the preternaturally still lake known to the Urizen as the Eye of Morrow. Many of the inhabitants of the spire are concerned with the training and preparation of the next generation of Imperial heroes, and it houses the Canterspire Academy, an august educational institution which over sees the Imperial Academy for Young Heroes in Anvil. Although it is an Urizen institution they accept trainees and scholars from all over the Empire. In particular, there is a long-established relationship with certain Navarr Stridings. These stridings make it their business to find orphans and other lost souls on their travels throughout the Empire and deliver them to Canterspire in order to discover their place in the Great Dance (or the Net of the Heavens, depending who you ask). There has been a recent flurry of activity in the Imperial Senate surrounding the Academy, including the construction of an extensive new annex dedicated to encouraging the study of the Way among the students.

The Canterspire Circle

The Canterspire Circle (or more correctly, Circles) is a Bourse resource located in Operus. Custodianship of the Circle is an Imperial Title that brings with it a Seat on the Imperial Bourse. It produces 22 Imperial wains of weirwood every season. Control is allocated to any Imperial citizen by open auction during the Winter Solstice.

The Caves of the Claw

The Caves of the Claw are a series of deep caves recently excavated by ushabti associated with the citadel of Phoenix Reach. While local records mentioned "bloody crystals" the exact location of the Caves was a secret lost to modern Urizen. Their position was uncovered by the Minister of Historical Research in 378YE, and initial explorations determined that they were rich in subterranean mana flows and crystal mana.

In Spring 379YE, the newly appointed Crystal Architect of the Spires announced that work would begin on developing and expanding the magical auras here, and the Imperial title of Custodian of the Claw was created to oversee the resultant sinecure. More details about the history and nature of the caves can be found here.

Snow lies on the high peaks of Morrow throughout the year.

Gardens of Morrow

Announceed in Summer 380YE by then civilian commissioner Juliana of Phoenix Reach, the Gardens of Morrow were finally completed shortly before the Summer Solstice 381YE. OOC Note: The Gardens of Morrow are a great work that provides a share of 75 herbs spread amongst those Urizen citizens of Morrow who own herb gardens each season, following attendance at the Anvil Summit )

Sunspire

This spire watches the forests of Therunin as much as it does the skies and heavens. If any outside Navarr understand the Vallorn, it is the Urizen of Sunspire. Navarri vates are known to visit here to exchange news and knowledge.

Highwatch

A citadel that focuses on military science and leadership rather than the combat skills of individuals. It is where the Urizen met Giovanni the Peacemaker to negotiate their incorporation into the Empire.

The Weave

A spire dedicated to the study of the Net of the Heavens.

The Eye of Morrow

A small lake at the foot of the mountain that holds the Canterspire. Famed as a place of meditation. The air in this valley is remarkably still, and sound carries a vast distance. A perhaps misleading message is carved into a rock that stands next to the lake - it is in the Imperial tongue, and simply states "The Eye is Closed". That message has been there as long as any can remember.

The Heliopticon

A network of communication devices using bronze mirrors, maintained and used by Urizen since time out of mind.

If Zenith is the soul, then Morrow is the heart of Urizen.

Regions

Altis

Quality: Hills
At the northernmost border of Urizen is the region of Altis, home to the citadel of Highwatch and known for particularly rich tempest jade mines. Many of the caves within the mountains here possess unique, resonant acoustics and several spires are positioned specifically to study or make use of these properties.

The Spire of the Canticle is perhaps the most famous of these spires. Known for producing some of the most beautiful, haunting, and eerie music in the modern Empire, their finest works must be enjoyed in situ as they incorporate the esoteric acoustic effects provided by the echoing caves. Over many years the Spire of the Canticle has "fine tuned" the properties of the caves, creating the Cathedral Cavern deep within the cold stone of the mountains. A premier performing venue in the eastern Empire, those who know how to exploit the unique acoustics can produce truly remarkable musical performances. Unsurprisingly, Altis is a common destination for lovers of music and poetry from across the Empire.

Numerous stories speak of crystals brought out from the deeper tempest jade mines that possess remarkable properties for storing and reproducing music created in their presence. These songstones are much sought after, but rarely mined. Experiments have shown that their magic is much stronger if they are left where they are found, and several chambers have been hollowed out around them to exploit their properties. Many of these caverns have (perhaps coincidentally) become strong regio connected to the realms of Day, Night, and occasionally Summer.

Caeli

Quality: Hills
The towering peaks of Caeli are not the tallest in Urizen - those are in Zenith - but their beauty is unparalleled. On a clear day, an observer can gaze across the entire territory. The Seat of the Arbiter is a unique magical location that takes advantage of this property; a carved stone throne at the heart of a powerful regio tied to the realm of Day. Any magician who sits in the chair can gain a bird's eye view of any location in Morrow. The Spire of the Arbiter's Seat protects and oversees the regio and its divinatory treasure. They are well-known for being excellent hosts and inveterate gossips.

On the tallest mountain in Caeli sits the tower heart of the entire Heliopticon network and the spires and citadels that are devoted to its study, function, maintenance and protection.

Between the Heliopticon heart and the Seat of the Arbiter, it is no surprise that Caeli has more than its fair share of magicians with have an interest in communication, magical and mundane. As such, these spires are not for those whose study needs demand quiet contemplation or solitude.

Operus

Quality: Hills
This region boasts some of the oldest spires in Urizen, including The Weave. Like its newer sister spire the tragic Arch of the Sky that once stood in Zenith, this spire is dedicated to the study of the Net of the Heavens. The seers and stargazers of the Arch have a reputation for radical interpretations of this key Urizen philosophy. They are credited as being the source of the school of thought that believes that places as well as people and events act as nodes in the net, and that particularly significant locations could be identified through study of the stars.

Operus is also the site of the Auric Horizon, an influential spire known for its expertise with the divinations of both Day and Night. Politically active, the spire is occasionally linked with heretical philosophies that have caused friction with the Synod in the past. The alleged "prophet" (or charlatan, depending who one asks) Abraxus Whitespire spent his last years here, and it is said to have been where he wrote the Abraxian prophecies. In the centuries since, successive firebrands and especially ambitious magi have secured Auric Horizon's reputation for involvement (and occasionally interference) in Imperial affairs.

The Canterspire Circle, a rich weirwood forest, grows on the lower slopes of Operus. One of the richest spires in Urizen, the Spire of Golden Wood overlooks the forest, and owns some of the richest farms and beggarwood forests in Urizen. They are widely known both for their fine quality mutton, and for the delicate yellow dyes they prepare using the heather that grows in great profusion around their homes. Indeed, many of the spires of Operus are known for a signature dye, or type of leather.

Peregro

Peregro is one of the most volatile regions of Morrow, known for several hot springs and even a few superheated geysers. Several spires harness the waters to provide heating, or make a study of the complex currents that run beneath the surface of the earth. It is also the location of the Glorious Fountain of Dawn and Dusk. Magicians theorise that there is a great deal of subterranean activity in this region, and predict that one day - probably far in the future - they might lead to a serious disaster - perhaps even a volcanic eruption.

Ravion

A remarkably flat region of western Urizen, Morrow is home to a number of spires and citadels including the academy of Canterspire, and the citadel of Phoenix Reach. it is also the location of the newly rediscovered Caves of the Claw.

OOC Notes

• The regions of Morrow are in Urizen (and by extension, Imperial) hands making this a staunchly Imperial territory.