Magnimar

The city of Magnimar (pronounced MAG-nih-mahr) stands as one bigger and more prominent city-states of Varisia. Founded bby Korvosan dissenters in 4608 AR, the City of Monuments now stands on its own. Although, the city is mired in political corruption and greed that threaten to drown the city of darkness and despair.

Geography
Magnimar is a large city located on the southwestern coast of Varisia where the Yondabakari River empties into the Varisian Gulf. The city is surrounded by the mostly inhospitable Mushfens. The city itself is defined by two colossal landmarks which predate modern civilization by thousands of years or more. The Irespan is an ancient Thassilonian ruin, the easternmost end of a giant bridge which has now crumbled into the sea. This enormous relic stretched from Magnimar's other most noticeable feature, the three-hundred-foot tall cliff which cuts the city in two known as the Seacleft.

Irespan
The Irespan, sometimes called the Giant's Bridge, is the largest and most impressive monument in all of Magnimar and overshadows the city's poorest district known as Underbridge. The Irespan is actually the remains of an enormous bridge that stretches into the Varisian Gulf, standing over 300 feet above the sea and over 100 feet wide. It is, like most of the monuments that dot the Varisian landscape, a remnant of ancient Thassilon.

City Districts
While these unavoidable monuments provide natural dividers to the city's three major districts (the Summit atop the cliff, the Shore below, and the Shadow under the Irespan, residents recognize nine city districts within Magnimar.

The Summit
The wealthiest communities in Magnimar are located in the Summit atop the rise of the Seacleft, as are the city's centers of government, education, and arts. The Summit contains the following three city districts:


 * Alabaster District, incorporating the neighborhoods of Marble District and the Stylobate. It is the location of the villas of the old noble families, and places like Serpert's Run.
 * Capital District, incorporating the neighborhood of Bridgeward, and locations like Usher's Hall and the Pediment Building.
 * Naos, incorporating the neighborhoods of Grand Arch and Vista, locations like the Triodea, Heidmanor, adn the reamins of Darvengian Villa.

The Shore
Home to the majority of Magnimar's working class, the Shore contains Magnimar's coasts and docks, and the following five city districts:


 * Beacon's Point, incorporating the neighborhood of Rag's End
 * Dockway, incorporating the Bazaar of Sails, and with locations like Bent Pike and the Fang.
 * Keystone, incorporating the neighborhoods of The Marches and Silver Shore, featuring the promiment Cathedral of Abadar
 * Lowcleft, incorporating the neighborhoods of The Brickhurst District and Trollskull Alley, including locations like Gilded Cage
 * Ordellia, incorporating Kyver's Islet, and including locations like The Rose and Rake theatre.

The Shadow
The Shadow district is the most derelict in the city and houses only the single city district of Underbridge. It is home to the seediest of Magnimar's inhabitants and most members of the government take an "out of sight, out of mind" approach to the district's problems.


 * Underbridge, with has locations like the famous Well of Valor, and the Church of Sarenrae.

Holdings
Magnimar has begun to slowly expand her sphere of influence to encompass many nearby settlements and communities.[8] These communities tend to be healthier than those of Magnimar's main rival Korvosa.


 * Galduria
 * Nybor
 * Ravenmoor
 * Sandpoint
 * Turtleback Ferry
 * Wartle
 * Wolf's Ear

Government
Magnimar is ruled by two official political bodies: the Council of Ushers and the Office of the Lord-Mayor. This two-tiered system was established at the city's founding to ensure that no single person ever had too much control. Despite the idealist intentions of the city's founders, over the last century both offices have become more power-hungry and less effective at representing the needs of the city-state's citizens.

Council of Ushers

 * Main article: Council of Ushers

The Council of Ushers serves as the legislature of Magnimar and currently contains 117 members. Of these, many are nobles whose families have held seats for generations, back to the time when the Council was but fifteen members large. With many more seats now that there are noble families, dozens of seats are filled with scheming merchants and greedy power-seekers, as well as a frustrated number of genuinely altruistic activists and honest merchants all vying to have their personal causes (many of which are entirely self-serving) heard and passed into law. The Council meets in austere Usher's Hall in Capital District.

Office of the Lord-Mayor

 * Main article: Office of the Lord-Mayor

In theory restricted by the council of Ushers, the lord-mayor is by far the most powerful person in Magnimar. This immense power normally results in corruption. Many of Magnimar's political matters are determined not by who is right, or at least most persuasive, but who brings the lord-mayor the most lavish and impressive bribe. While in theory the lord-mayor must uphold the mandates of the Council of Ushers, previous Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras frequently ignored them when they have not been to his liking. This corruption ended in Haldmeer Grobaras stealing 500,000 gold coins and fleeing the city.

After Haldmeer Grobaras, both following lord-mayor, Alistair Symmirkkova, and the current lord-mayor Sabriyya Kalmeralm, have not being able to set halt the city from spiraling even further out of control. Recently, another emergency election has been called forward with the aim to replace the ineffective Sabriyya. Lady Nicoletti Glycia-Brucal announced her candidacy with Lady Lilianne Jelleryn being the only one brave enough to oppose her in the face of an election that looks rigged in Lady Glycia-Brucal's favor.

Justice Court

 * Main article: Justice Court

When legal arbitration is needed above and beyond what the city guard themselves can handle, the legal system of Magnimar calls upon the Justice Court. This body of 13 Justices is the highest court in the city state and rules on disagreements as well as the guilt or innocent of those accused of particularly heinous crimes. The Court meets in the Pediment Building which also serves as a prison for the city's most hardened criminals, located in a dungeon deep beneath the building called "the Hells."

Economy
Compared to its sister city Korvosa, Magnimar tends to put few restrictions on trade and traders. It openly encourages the formation of trade guilds, and generally is a place where almost anyone (given good connections and a healthy amount of luck) can make something of him or herself. Because of these attitudes, even though Magnimar is still smaller than Korvosa in terms of both population and trade, it may soon grow to outstrip its neighbor. Although, with the corruption in the city growing, it is starting to cut out the those that can not afford the multitude of bribes and '"extra fees" that the guilds have been allowed to get away with.

Religion
A lot of the common citizenry pay homage to the Empyreal lords. While there are no formal temples, there are several private meeting places and personal shrines that are devoted to Arshea, Ashava, Ragathiel, Sinaskakti, Soralyon, and Ylimancha.

There are several temples through out the city belonging to gods like Calistria, Desna, Erastil, Iomedae, and Pharasma. The largest temple building in the city belongs to Abadar. Recently the there has been a resurgence of Sarenrae reverence with the reconstruction of the church in Underbridge. While there is rumor that there is going to be a temple devoted to both Shelyn and Nocticula that has garnered some interest, particularly the former.