Overview
Luminaris is a fortified city in Varnhallow, near the northern desert border. During the Varnhallow temporal anomaly, it becomes a timerift contact point and the base for Xarion's rise as the divine patriarch Thalion Zenith.
Geography and Design
Luminaris stands where settled Varnhallow meets cold desert and barren northern terrain. High walls and towering gates shield it from desert winds and sandstorms. Roads lead into the open desert and toward other Varnhallow cities. The city can also be reached by skyship; during Xarion's elevation, closed roads and managed skyship traffic limit who can enter the city.
Inside the walls, Luminaris combines fortification with Varnhallow's iron-and-glass architecture. Dark iron and glass buildings, refracted lights, engraved stone pathways, essence-lit streets, markets, inns, elegant houses, factory facilities, domed greenhouses, riverbanks, and a government palace in the city's central district fill the city.
City Life
Luminaris is busy even at night. Its markets sell artifacts, food, garments, and other goods under lit awnings. Vendors, musicians, travelers, guards, and skyships keep the streets active. The city has class divisions and civic unease. Citizens respond strongly to public blessings and magical protection from the divine patriarchs.
Xarion earns coin and public attention in Luminaris by offering divine enchantments. Aelius works in a factory creating constructs for the city's transportation systems and airship fleets, and Thea uses air magic and cosmic barriers to halt the sandstorms around the city.
Government
Luminaris is governed by a divine patriarch under Eltaru. Wilfred rules the city before Xarion's rise and remains respected after withdrawing from public life. Frederick is Wilfred's closest advisor and later becomes Thalion's retainer.
After Wilfred prepares to step down, Xarion announces himself as a divine patriarch seeking Luminaris's leadership. Rhyzmar sorts the rival candidates into skeptics and oblivious candidates, and Aelius keeps the dangerous rivals from reaching the city. Benedict eventually announces Xarion as Luminaris's new divine patriarch under the name Thalion Zenith from the government palace balcony. During the transition, closed roads and controlled skyship traffic isolate the city and protect Xarion's position.
History
Rhyzmar arrives in Luminaris through a timerift and spends his first months learning the local language, reading, asking questions, and trying to find a way home. About ten years pass for him before Xarion, Aelius, and Thea find him near the city.
Xarion's group first enters Luminaris through its gates after arriving in Varnhallow. They stay at a travelers' inn, buy local clothing, learn the language, study Varnhallow's politics, and investigate the timerifts. Timerift activity later increases around Luminaris, prompting Eira's group to return.
Xarion uses Luminaris as the base for his rise inside Varnhallow. He wins crowds with enchantments and blessings, controls which rival patriarch candidates reach the city, secures Benedict's trust, and takes control after Wilfred's disappearance is blamed on the resistance. The city celebrates his formal elevation as Thalion Zenith with magic and fireworks.
Secrets and Mysteries
Wilfred's disappearance is engineered by Xarion and Aelius. After Xarion is positioned as Wilfred's successor, they intercept Wilfred on the road; Wilfred overloads before Aelius's white fire reaches him. The disappearance is blamed on the resistance, giving Xarion room to consolidate control of Luminaris.