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<quote>Where there is darkness, we will make light.</quote>
The mountains of Urizen rest on three pillars.
The first is magic – for the Urizen are a people where magical prowess is seen as the highest achievement. There are few places in the world where magicians are respected as they are in Urizen, but magic alone does not control the Nation. Magic is a tool, a means to an ends, forged through study, honed by reason and wielded with the certainty of men and women who know they are wise enough to do so safely. 
The second is reason – only those who understand the world are fit to shape it. Through education and thought men and women learn about the world and the things in it and are better suited to make decisions that affect their peers. Architects bridge the mountains and focus light to illuminate great halls with a handful of candles. Scholars debate the meaning of existence, and engineers construct machines of war to bring swift ruin to their enemies.


<quote>Where there is darkness, we will make light.</quote>
The third is ambition – the Urizen want nothing less than the perfection of all humanity. They seek excellence in themselves, in everything they do. They carve mountains into cities, educate the ignorant and seek to shape the fate of Nations, all with a confidence and dedication that flows from the certainty that they are right to do so.
 
This is a Nation of timeless tranquillity preserved by strength, of decisive action guided by reason, of majestic spires and citadels reaching toward the sky. It is a Nation of magic, where magic is king.


Basic text.
It is a realm that understands the most important lesson of magic – that a single individual can change the world if they have sufficient will to do so.


===Five things to know about Urizen===
===Five things to know about Urizen===
*'''Life is competition, and someone is always keeping score.''' Citizens of the League love to compete – in commerce, in entertainment, even in love.
*'''The study magic as the highest discipline.''
*'''Keep your loyalties close, like the rings on your fingers.''' League loyalties are fiercely held and hard to break.
*'''They live their lives by reason.''' Rationality and logic are the tools with which they pick apart the secrets of creation.
*'''Coin counts, and everything costs.''' In the League wealth is status - this is the land of conspicuous consumption.
*'''They aspire to excellence.''' Not just for themselves, but for the Empire and the rest of humanity.
*'''Everything is on show, like a mask on your face.''' Performance runs through the heart of the nation.
*'''They seek mastery.''' Not only of themselves, but of the world around them.
*'''Keep your wit sharp, but your blade sharper.''' Citizens of the League pride themselves on their charm and intellect, but they’ll never, <i>ever</i> shy from a fight.
*'''Education is the greatest gift one can give.''' People who understand the world are simply better than people who do not.


===What the citizens of Urizen are not===
===What the citizens of Urizen are not===
* '''Popinjays.''' While appearance and social standing are important, looking good and making witty comments is no substitute for actual deeds. Scratch the surface of the League and beneath you find a Nation of ruthless, ambitious people absolutely committed to their goals.
* '''Hermits.''' They live on top of mountains, but do so to gain perspective rather than to separate themselves from the rest of the world.
* '''DaVincian Inventors.''' Citizens of the League are creative, and they love trinkets and gew-gaws, but Empire is not a game that supports the invention of new technologies. League characters are audacious, rather than inventive.
* '''Pacifists.''' They are reasonable people, but are quite prepared to fight to get what they want - they're just likely to consider for a moment if violence is the best course of action before they attack.
* '''Organised Criminals.''' The League is not home to Mafia families, and they have a cultural respect for the law because it helps create a shared understanding of the "rules of engagement".
* '''Italian.''' While the cities of the Italian Renaissance are part of the inspiration for the League, they are not the ''only'' inspiration. The cities of the Hanseatic League, Rennaisance Prague and the County of Flanders are all part of the flavour of the League.


==The Nation==
==The Nation==

Revision as of 09:24, 19 July 2012

This selection of articles can be downloaded as a PDF book (or as html only)
This is a placeholder page for content that PD are actively working on.

Where there is darkness, we will make light.

The mountains of Urizen rest on three pillars.

The first is magic – for the Urizen are a people where magical prowess is seen as the highest achievement. There are few places in the world where magicians are respected as they are in Urizen, but magic alone does not control the Nation. Magic is a tool, a means to an ends, forged through study, honed by reason and wielded with the certainty of men and women who know they are wise enough to do so safely.

The second is reason – only those who understand the world are fit to shape it. Through education and thought men and women learn about the world and the things in it and are better suited to make decisions that affect their peers. Architects bridge the mountains and focus light to illuminate great halls with a handful of candles. Scholars debate the meaning of existence, and engineers construct machines of war to bring swift ruin to their enemies.

The third is ambition – the Urizen want nothing less than the perfection of all humanity. They seek excellence in themselves, in everything they do. They carve mountains into cities, educate the ignorant and seek to shape the fate of Nations, all with a confidence and dedication that flows from the certainty that they are right to do so.

This is a Nation of timeless tranquillity preserved by strength, of decisive action guided by reason, of majestic spires and citadels reaching toward the sky. It is a Nation of magic, where magic is king.

It is a realm that understands the most important lesson of magic – that a single individual can change the world if they have sufficient will to do so.

Five things to know about Urizen

  • 'The study magic as the highest discipline.
  • They live their lives by reason. Rationality and logic are the tools with which they pick apart the secrets of creation.
  • They aspire to excellence. Not just for themselves, but for the Empire and the rest of humanity.
  • They seek mastery. Not only of themselves, but of the world around them.
  • Education is the greatest gift one can give. People who understand the world are simply better than people who do not.

What the citizens of Urizen are not

  • Hermits. They live on top of mountains, but do so to gain perspective rather than to separate themselves from the rest of the world.
  • Pacifists. They are reasonable people, but are quite prepared to fight to get what they want - they're just likely to consider for a moment if violence is the best course of action before they attack.

The Nation