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Urizen is not an economic powerhouse. There are a number of mines that produce magical materials, but there is rarely a surplus of anything else and the mountainous terrain makes the transport of bulk goods very difficult. Where they do excel is in the creation of magical implements. The masters of these professions are figures of influence and prestige in Urizen. While they rarely master the Realm Lores, the prevalence of wizards in Urizen means there is a constant demand for wands, staves, rods and ritual accoutrements of all sorts. Further, trinkets, amulets and talismans are popular with all levels of society – they represent tangible pieces of magical power that can mark status and wealth more effectively than any number of jewelled rings or necklaces.
  
Urizen is not an economic powerhouse. There are a number of mines that produce magical materials, but there is rarely a surplus of anything else. The individual monastaries tend to be a little self sufficient, and the mountainous terrain makes the transport of bulk goods very difficult.
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Some Urizen make a study of economics, the way that money moves around and influences the world. These scholars, called architects, see money as a powerful tool for influencing people and changing society for the better. Originally the architects were skilled masons, designing and constructing dwellings for the Urizen people. However the term has come to describe any individual who uses a meticulous approach to look for ways that investment and improvement can make the Empire more successful and effective.
  
The crafting of magical implements and treasures is a high calling in Urizen. The masters of these professions are figures of influence and prestige in Urizen. While they rarely master the Realm Lores, the prevalence of wizards in Urizen means there is a constant demand for wands, staves, rods and ritual accoutrements of all sorts. Further, trinkets, amulets and talismans are popular with all levels of society –they represent tangible pieces of magical power that can mark status and wealth more effectively than any number of jewelled rings or necklaces. While a Spire might have a craftsman or two among its population, it is also common for a Spire to focus all its efforts on creating beautiful and useful items for sale to other Spires.
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Architects disdain “shopkeepers”, people who buy things and simply wait for customers to purchase from them. Architects seek out individuals who can benefit from the skills or commodities they are selling and convince them to invest their money in whatever service the architect can provide. They make an effort to study the world around them to try to understand what improvements and investments are needed and who is best placed to carry that out. Through investment and mercantile activity they seek to change the world around them.
  
Urizen makes some effort to export education and wisdom. Their history of supplying advisors and teachers has developed over time into the role of the Pedagogue – a dedicated teacher who travels outside Urizen to advise and teach. Pedagogues often affect the dress and mannerisms of the people they live amongst, while maintaining accents that speak of their Urizen roots.  
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For many architects, this is nothing more than another expression of the Net of the Heavens, the idea that wealth is simply a tool and that they are seeking out the nodes, the people and moments in the net where wealth can be best employed to produce the most dramatic changes. Of course such opportunities might well yield some of the best profits, but riches are not the primary concern for most architects. The majority are driven by a desire to change the Empire, to strengthen and enrich it, so that it grows ever more perfect. A Merchant Prince of the League might bemoan the actions of a dozen imitators who copied his original idea – whereas a true Urizen architect would be delighted to achieve so much with so little personal effort.  
 
The academies of Urizen are seen as being some of the best in the Empire, and actively seek students from other Nations. There is a belief that by putting the children of influential families together it if possible to create bonds between them that they will carry into their adult lives. This has the dual purpose of exposing them to peers from other Nations forming an understanding of their similarities and a respect for their differences, as well as creating “networks” of individuals who know one another from school. An Urizen personal tutor is a symbol of prestige in some Nations, and any formal university is likely to have an Urizen professor or two in its faculty. By influencing and shaping other places of education, the Urizen philosophy can be presented to young people of other Nations.  
 
  
Some Urizen make a study of economics, the way that money moves around and influences the world. These scholars see money as a powerful tool for influencing people, in line with the Net of the Heavens. They study economic trends, and either amass money themselves or more commonly assist others to do so. Through investment and mercantile activity they seek to change the world around them.
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Individual spires sometimes raise funds by performing rituals for payment, for other spires or representatives from other nations. For some spires this is little more than a way to raise funds to pay for mana and materials for their own work. But spires where most of the mages are architects or spires dominated by architects proactively seek to sell their skills in this way. Magic is the most powerful tool for influencing the Net of the Heavens and mages who are architects strive to develop and perform rituals that can enhance the effectiveness of every part of the Empire. Such spires can grow wealthy indeed, if they are skilled at utilising their magical arete to transform and improve the Empire.
  
<quote>We've discussed that where Urizen excels is in gathering infromation - their technical and philosophical understanding of economic factors is very good. Not sure how to implement this in text though.</quote>
 
  
 
[[Category:Nations]]
 
[[Category:Nations]]
 
[[Category:Urizen]]
 
[[Category:Urizen]]

Revision as of 15:24, 27 July 2012

Urizen is not an economic powerhouse. There are a number of mines that produce magical materials, but there is rarely a surplus of anything else and the mountainous terrain makes the transport of bulk goods very difficult. Where they do excel is in the creation of magical implements. The masters of these professions are figures of influence and prestige in Urizen. While they rarely master the Realm Lores, the prevalence of wizards in Urizen means there is a constant demand for wands, staves, rods and ritual accoutrements of all sorts. Further, trinkets, amulets and talismans are popular with all levels of society – they represent tangible pieces of magical power that can mark status and wealth more effectively than any number of jewelled rings or necklaces.

Some Urizen make a study of economics, the way that money moves around and influences the world. These scholars, called architects, see money as a powerful tool for influencing people and changing society for the better. Originally the architects were skilled masons, designing and constructing dwellings for the Urizen people. However the term has come to describe any individual who uses a meticulous approach to look for ways that investment and improvement can make the Empire more successful and effective.

Architects disdain “shopkeepers”, people who buy things and simply wait for customers to purchase from them. Architects seek out individuals who can benefit from the skills or commodities they are selling and convince them to invest their money in whatever service the architect can provide. They make an effort to study the world around them to try to understand what improvements and investments are needed and who is best placed to carry that out. Through investment and mercantile activity they seek to change the world around them.

For many architects, this is nothing more than another expression of the Net of the Heavens, the idea that wealth is simply a tool and that they are seeking out the nodes, the people and moments in the net where wealth can be best employed to produce the most dramatic changes. Of course such opportunities might well yield some of the best profits, but riches are not the primary concern for most architects. The majority are driven by a desire to change the Empire, to strengthen and enrich it, so that it grows ever more perfect. A Merchant Prince of the League might bemoan the actions of a dozen imitators who copied his original idea – whereas a true Urizen architect would be delighted to achieve so much with so little personal effort.

Individual spires sometimes raise funds by performing rituals for payment, for other spires or representatives from other nations. For some spires this is little more than a way to raise funds to pay for mana and materials for their own work. But spires where most of the mages are architects or spires dominated by architects proactively seek to sell their skills in this way. Magic is the most powerful tool for influencing the Net of the Heavens and mages who are architects strive to develop and perform rituals that can enhance the effectiveness of every part of the Empire. Such spires can grow wealthy indeed, if they are skilled at utilising their magical arete to transform and improve the Empire.