The World of Emporium

[SilntAngl5]

The Country of Rekōdo
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On the planet called Emproium is a country called Rekōdo. Rekōdo is a world where the people live and dress similarly to that of late 1800s Western Europe. The clothing ranges from victorian to a mechanical steampunk. Any style is accepted because in Rekōdo, almost anything is possible. For one who is not from Rekōdo, visiting for the first time can be quite the experience. There are pegasus-drawn carriages to flying automobiles, flying umbrellas to gargoyle pulls, giant tethered balloons and moons in the sky, and singing fountains. If you can imagine it, and if you cannot, it will be in Rekōdo Country.

It is also a world of magik and mystery, boasting what some may find eerie, strange or mystical in origin. It is a country of magik that thoroughly encourages its children to study deeply into its magikal use and history just as they do with all their academics. As the people of Rekōdo dedicate their lives to their academics and magikal practice, it's only natural that they have public libraries. Chronicling is particularly important in the hearts of people from Rekōdo. The name of their country, after all, means "record."

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The Central Library of Rekōdo boasts over one million books, both written and magikal. Every person is born with the ability to use magik and is encouraged to develop their abilities as much as they are encouraged to further themselves academically.

The Central Library

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The library is opened at all hours and hosts books containing ever subject imagined. There are even books of prophecy that spills their secrets to those who turn their pages. There are books that will shelf themselves when they are done. Whatever can be imagined exists within the Central Library. One has but to go inside to see.

The Most Sacred Texts

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The most sacred text of the people of Rekōdo is the Book of Memories (sometimes referred to as the Book of Secrets). It contains the recordings of past rulers dating back to the beginning of Rekōdo's founding and with it the life account of the last person to touch it. No one is allowed to lay their hands upon the Book of Memories except the current ruler. Anyone who touches it will have their life recorded onto its pages. Only the rulers are allowed to view the pasts of the rulers before them. Otherwise all the secrets of the country would be laid bare.

There are other, more minor books that have restricted access. There are Books of Prophecy that, when opened will have words appear on their pages of the next major prophecy to come true. There are other prophecy books inclined to write specific futuristic predictions of those who open their pages. These cannot be checked out without the highest levels of permission. They are held in the same secretive chamber in the library as the Book of Memories.

The Laws of Magik

The Laws of Magik are simple and taught and strictly adhered to from early on:

1.) Make no weapon of magik or might that will kill another
2.) Never use magik to force the will of another
3.) Never use magik to kill unless your magik is needed to fight against those who mean Rekōdo harm or unless using it to save your life or the life of another

For rulers in power, a fourth and fifth oath are required and they are bound to obey it by the magik of their world:

4.) Speak no words and force no one to speak words that are not true
5.) Protect the rulers of Rekōdo from harm by another unless they are tried and found guilty of a crime

These are the laws bound by magik by which all in Rekōdo Country must abide. The use of magik to travel through time is also strictly forbidden. Time travel can be messy and no one in Rekōdo wants to clean up after it.

Those Who Rule in Rekōdo Country

Those who are to rule a world containing magik as this one does must be able to control and manipulate magiks to a great extent. Leaders are chosen initially for heir magikal prowess. When they have children, those children are tested to see if they inherited their predecessors ability to control and create magik. If they are, it is the second child who is to rule unless the first shows an outstanding sum of magikal ability over the younger sibling. Traditionally, it is the younger child who will rule and the older who will be their life-guardian. If there is no second sibling, the first will rule and a cousin (or other relative) will be their Life Guardian or one will be appointed of a person with remarkable magik abilities (usually from a prominent family).

There is a High Magik Council of Rekōdo, which deals with the use magiks and magical studies and laws. They are a group of five of the highest magik wielders in the Five provinces of Rekōdo. They serve as both law makers and peace keepers, judges in courts ad disputes and solvers of all problems related to the inheritance of the leadership of Rekōdo. Their leadership is both given and elected. When one of the Magik Elders dies, the magikal spirit in them, the one that founded the province, passes on their knowledge of their people and powers to the next in line. This is chosen mainly by the spirit but also by an under council who trains and watches the growth of the youth in the province. If one is not chosen, they may be elected by the people there, though such a case has not happened in many centuries.

The Five Provinces Rekōdo Country

As stated above, each High Council Magikman in Rekōdo is the governor-of-sorts for their region. Each region specializes in a specific type of magik and the powers of the people born on the soil of that region, minus a few exceptions, adhere mainly to that specialty. Education and magical lore, tutelage, and upbringing is based on all of Rekōdo, but a focus is always placed on the magikal epicenter of the region's study.

[Shadowseldil]

*Ding-ding*
A groan escaped the lips of a ten-year old girl.
*Ding-Ding*
She rolled over in her bed and fumbled on her nightstand, looking for the button that controlled the lamp.
*Ding-ding*
Her hand pressed the button, and a dull orange glow lit the small bedroom as the firelight sprang across the wick.
*Ding-Ding*
She yawned. Pushing aside a stuffed griffin, she put on her slippers.
*Ding-ding*
"I'm coming," she said wearily and in frustration. She reached the small circle of glass housed in a brass contraption. She turned a couple of dials and pressed a button. A face appeared on the glass.
"Felicity," a garbled speaker said, "I need you down here right away."
"But it's not even five o'clock yet," Felicity half-whined.
"It's almost five, and this is an emergency. I wouldn't have bothered you otherwise."
She huffed, "Alright, Felix," she said in less than happy tones, "I'll be there soon."
She pushed the button and turned the knobs. "I'll have to fix that speaker soon," she said to herself as she got dressed, "It's not right, getting me out of bed this early. A girl needs her beauty sleep." She threw on her work clothes and went into the main room. Her apartment was littered with gears and sprockets, springs and wires, a couple of geometric shapes of unusual substances, greasy cloths here and there, and several pamphlets of houses for sale. By the door was a strange backpack-looking brass-coloured machine. She strapped this to her back in the same fashion, and was out the door.
In the hall, she quietly made her way to the roof. Even without her pack, she knew quicker routes by rooftop then by the streets. Her gang had taught her those roads, the roads above the city. However, she would only be using them briefly. Once on the roof, her pack unfolded and a series of whirs and hisses of steam into what might pass for a jet-pack. It had an engine on the rear, two hydraulic pads down by the feet, and a couple of supports under the arms.
"Okay, let's go," she muttered. The pack whirred a high-pitch whine and, with a puff of steam and a photonic bubble, she shot into the air.
The first rays of the sun were visible at her apogee. She always thought the sunrise was such a beautiful thing, especially from the air. If only she could invent a real flying machine, maybe she could enjoy it better.
She arched downward, and an inertia-canceling spell cushioned her landing. The hopper pack, as she called it, was quite the work of physics and magic. She designed the downward kick to be canceled out so that the ground, or more often the rooftop, would not be damaged on take-off, and another spell canceled the inertia so that she did not splatter against whatever she landed on. It was her best invention so far, and of course, her little secret.
A couple more hops and she arrived on the rooftop not far from her shop. Well, not technically hers, although the boss had given her a little corner to call her own. He was a good man, in his own right. A little simple minded, perhaps, and not as keen on machines as she was, but "Uncle Felix," as she had taken to calling him when she was not upset or sleep deprived, was the closest thing to real family that she had. He loved her in honesty, but to give her a family was beyond his ability.
She walked the rest of the way as the hopper pack folded itself back into itself. Once she got there, she asked loudly, "Alright, Felix, what's the big emergency?"
"That is you best mechanic?" said a haughty (and snooty, Felicity thought) voice rather accusingly.
"I sure am," she shot back, "But I'm not fixing whatever you want until you say sorry."
"Felicity!" Felix said with reproach, "This is Councillor Charold (((I can change the name as you wish))), of the High Magic Council."
"Well then, he should have more manners."
"Insolent Brat!"
Felicity shrugged. "Fine. Suit yourself. But I'm the only one around who can fix whatever you need fixed. Go ahead, suit yourself walking. Doesn't bother me any."
"As if you could fix it!"
She looked around and saw a carriage. Not an ordinary one, or even a regular mechanical steam carriage, but a magingine, a magic engine, powered carriage.
"Ah, a gin-gin (this was the technical nickname). Not anyone in a hundred miles that can properly service that. Except me. Looks like I'm your only hope. Unless you want to walk."
The Councillor snarled. "You will fix this!" he demanded.
"I thought you said I couldn't do it?"
"Just fix it!"
"Say you're sorry for doubting me."
The Councillor grimaced.
"I'll be back in at eight, Felix. Don't wake me again."
"Fine! I'm sorry I doubted you! Now fix the blighted carriage, you blasted child!"
Felicity sighed, "Alright, I'll do it, but you really should learn to be more polite."
"And I agree," Felix chimed in, "Don't you dare think, sir, of getting any discounts, sir. I'll not have anyone, not even you, sir, treat my best mechanic with such rudeness. If you weren't who you are, I'd have you out of my shop and walking like she says. I've half a mind to do it anyway. No, I won't hear it! You can pay the full amount. You have plenty in your coffers for it, I imagine."
Felicity, meanwhile, had already accessed the matrix of the magical engine. "Wow," she said as she checked through the spells, "You really pushed this thing past its limits. The engine itself is probably even worse. What were you going on about that you needed to do this?"
"That's none of your business, whelp."
Felicity folded her arms. It was clear she would not budge until she had an answer.
"Oh fine! We were chasing a criminal, but the rest is strictly classified."
"Classified?"
"Means it's secret," Felix explained.
"Oh, well, I guess you'll be wanting this quick so he doesn't get too far. I'll do my best, but I don't think I can have it ready for at least an hour."
"An hour! But--"
"Do you want to fix it?" she snapped at him.
The coucillor glared, but gave in. "I'll be waiting. It had better be ready in an hour!"
"I said at least an hour, if there isn't too much damage to the engine itself."
"Fine! Just fix it!"
He left in a huff. Felix came over to her. She was already well into repairing the magic formulas when he said, "You probably shouldn't have gone off on him like that, deary. He's a very important person in the city. I know you're tired, but--"
"He shouldn't have been so mean to me," she said angrily.
"I know," Felix said tenderly, "But a soft answer turns away wrath. You have to be the, er, bigger man, so to speak."
Felicity sighed as a tear formed in her eye. "I'm sorry, uncle Felix, but he was just so mean."
"It's alright deary," he said, placing a hand on her disheveled hair.
"I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"
Felix chuckled, "You let old Felix worry about that. Now, here," he handed her his handkerchief, "Dry your eyes and show him that you are the best mechanic in the world."
She smiled and nodded. The magic spells turned out to be the worst of it, as the engine was surprisingly well made and held up very well. It needed a gasket or two replaced, and one of the bearings was nearly sheared, but beyond that the engine was still in decent shape and not much worse for the wear. It was, all told, an hour and ten minutes before she had it running like normal.
"I must say I am impressed," the Councillor said with obvious admiration.
"It's not good as new, but it will run fine," Felicity explained as she ceremoniously wiped her hands on a grease-stained rag. "You've got to be careful about pushing these things too hard. Even if the engine can take it, it doesn't mean the magic matrix can. And I'm not saying the engine can take it. The wear on it might cause some problems much later on, but you won't have any problems with it for now."
"Very good, now we must be going."
"Listen," Felicity said, "I don't know who you were chasing, but chances are whatever they were using is broke down too. If your carriage broke from this, theirs must have done the same."
"Yes," the Councillor said with some uncertainty, "No doubt."
After they left, Felix said, "Take the rest of the day off, missy. Go take a nap or go play or whatever. You deserve it."
"Thanks, uncle Felix."
Felicity made her way back to the roof tops. They sun was just over the horizon now, and the warm air and the cool breeze made it a perfect morning for a walk. Felicity strolled slowly along the rooftop paths, taking in the day around her.

[SilntAngl5]

Emit and Pasce


Emit’s mind raced. At every opened door his heart leapt into his throat. He could almost taste the dislodged ichor as he swallowed it back down. What just happened? he thought breathlessly. He seemed to be compelled blindly forward, running through magical chasms to suddenly appearing doorways as if on instinct alone. Instinct and, very possibly, memory. He ran and turned at precise spots inside the oddly discolored void of the teleportal space between space. At every turn, exactly where he remembered, a doorway would appear, each one unique to his own design and making. Each one welcoming him to the wall or corner or ceiling he’d placed it at however long ago it was.

It seemed like forever ago.

The last one flew open before him, a modest, simple wooden door used in the most commonplace of homes. Unlike the publically used Portal Doors, these lead not to public places like pubs, libraries or academies, but to private places chosen by the use. All private doors had a magical trace on them, by law, so that no foul business and escape could be disguised. But, if one did not know a private portal was taken, it would take time to track it. Time, he prayed, he had.

The last Port-a-Door closed behind him. Emit paused to let out a long exhaled breath and then fell to his knees. In his arms, he cradled an unmoving treasure, one an Oath bade him to protect. He felt the magical law, one of the Five Great Oaths, tugging at what could only be his magical soul. Like a fishhook snared, it tugged him and instinct lead him.

“Please wake up, Princess” he pleaded quietly, terribly formal, with an accent of desperation in his calm voice. He took a moment to glance down at the Princess of Rekōdo. She was breathing, sleeping, unconscious. Something. Something had happened at the coronation. Something she had tried to warn him about. He wish he’d listened. Emit ducked his head to collect himself, then stood, and was off again. Only a flurry of the black, red and white formalities he wore saw him off.

But the extensive amount of magik he'd used was beginning to take it's toll. He felt his body tiring and if any more magik was used to speed or shepard his journey along, it would be a giant beaming target for those who hunted the Princess. So it was done the old fashioned way. On foot, cradling the fallen girl in his arms.

Pasce had said something to him, the night before the coronation. She had not looked at him, but had resigned herself to her fate. What was it she had said?

"If everything I dreamed happens tomorrow she handed him a small business card, blank save for a small hermit crab shell. "Find her. She will give us safe passage."

He blinked in remembrance and fingered a pocket at his breast. The card was still blank-and-empty-shelled, but it held a spell, one of the most basic and based off of a simple knowledge of sea critters. Emit ducked into an alleyway and held the card in front of him. He whistled at it and waited.

For a moment, nothing did happen and he puckered his lips to try a second and then a third time. At the third, echoing, magik whistle the card sparkle and from the shell popped the crab. Then, entirely and relatively dimensional, the critter popped off the card and began to scuttle up Emit's arm. On the backside of its shell was written and name and an address. His blue eyes found it, scrawled in the impeccably neat handwriting of the Princess. The committed it to memory and the crab disappeared in a swirl of golden sparks. The card, now empty entirely of its message, Emit dropped to the ground.

Felicity Poahr. Find her. She would help them.

He hoped Pasce knew what she was doing, but this time, Emit was willing to take a crazy leap-of-faith. He didn't before, when she'd asked him for his help, and he could not help but feel that he was to blame for all this happening. Absurd, maybe, the 5th Oath, almost certainly, but it drove him on. He could not give up until he found Felicity and at least tried.

So when he arrived at the humble mechanic shop, he barely made it into the doorway after checking that there would not be any customers to interfere. Their clothes, he realized, would give them away instantly to anyone who knew anything about the central city of Rekōdo. But his eyes were beginning to grow dark with a darkness much too dark and deep.

“Help us... please” the High Chronicler managed before falling to his knees. He did not let the Princess go despite the grievances of his arms.

“Please... please...”

[Shadowseldil]

(((Sorry, I had some things going on, and then I still needed to figure out how to get Felicity back to the shop. Moving on, now...)))

As Felicity walked along the rooftops, her thoughts inevitably drifted toward one of her usual thought lines. She had several: her real family, the house she would own one day, her (current) greatest invention. In this case, it was her flying machine she was thinking about. She had tried a number of different constructs, similar to her hopper pack, but they never lasted for very long. The stress was too much for the spells, and there was not enough oomph in regular engines. She had even tried a gin-gin, but it was not strong enough. The magic matrix broke down before she ever got off the ground. If only she could... wait... yeah... yes that might work. It would work!
She turned on her heel and ran back toward the shop. She was back in about five minutes, bursting through the door and shouting, "Uncle Felix, do we have any old gin-gins laying in the yard? Uncle Felix?"
She turned the corner to his office. "Uncle Felix are you--" she started yelling, then stopped when she saw the inert figures of the girl on the couch and the boy on the floor.
"What happened?" she asked tenderly as she grabbed Felix's hand.
"Your guess's good as mine, dear. He came into the shop, begging for help, and then collapsed. She was out when he brought her here."
"Did you call a doctor?"
"A'course, but he ain't here yet."
"What's that smell?"
"What smell?"
"That smell." She waved vaguely, sniffing. "It's everywhere. It's like... like... a burnt out motor, sort of, but more... high. Like glass."
"Uh... you lost me, dear."
"You don't smell that?"
Felix shook his head.
She sniffed again, harder and longer. "It smells like it's coming from him," she said, pointing to Emit. She looked at the girl. "Does she look familiar to you?"
"A little, maybe. She's pretty, whoever she is."
"I wonder who they are?"
"Guess we'll find out when the doc gets here."
"Yeah. In the meantime, do we have any old gin-gins in the yard?"
Felix shrugged, "Might have a couple."
"Mind if I take them?"
"More inventions, eh? Yeah, go for it. You know you can have anything that's back there."
"Thanks, Uncle Felix." She took a look at the girl again, and then went out to the lot to look for her engines.

[SilntAngl5]

Emit and Pasce


It would be several minutes after Emit blacked out that he awoke with a start and a yell. Something archaic left his lips, and the air around him hummed with magikal life. He thrust out a hand, as if to grab someone and froze, panting. His blonde hair fell before his wide blue eyes and his chest heaved as if he'd just awoken from a nightmare.

It had felt real, the memories of all the recent events that had played back in his head. They had come in flashes, painful for being dreams. Emit slowly dropped his hand. The magical crackle in the air began to die.

"Princess!"

Emit turned abruptly, as of yet unaware that there might be anyone else in he room beside the sleeping princess of Rekōdo. She was placed upon a couch. He reached out and touched her hand. It was cold, very cold, but she breathed deeply as if in sleep. She looked to be simply asleep, but Emit knew better. He had been there when her nightmares came true. When all the things she'd warned him of came to be.

When the Princess had stolen all the powers of the Five Provinces of Rekōdo.

Yet unconvicted of her crime, the 5th Oath tugged at something deep within his chest. it would be all over the magikal news, the holonets, the radios. They were not safe here... but he'd brought them here for a reason.

"Felicity Poahr."

Emit muttered the name and turned, kneeling before the Princess like a shield. his blue eyes looked around for someone who fit that name. If Felix were present, he would speak to him. Emit raised his voice to something much stronger than a whisper.

"I must speak with Felicity Poahr!"

[Shadowseldil]

(((I didn't want to take too many liberties, so I'll keep this short.)))

"Easy, son," Felix said as he put his hand on Emit's shoulder. He placed a cool, damp rag on his forehead, saying, "Here, hold this; it might help. Hey! Someone run get Felicity. C'mon lad, let's get you in a chair. Here, up you come. Slowly now."

[SilntAngl5]

Emit and Pasce


Emit's head whipped up to look at Felix. Wisps of blonde hair fell before his blue eyes. They widened with the cool rag. The cold shocked him and slowly he sat back down. He placed a hand on top of the rag and held it there.

"Felicity Poahr?" Emit asked quietly when Felix shouted for someone to fetch his Felicity. Emit looked in the direction Felix shouted and then back at the Princess before being led to a chair. He went with shaking legs, but little fuss. As long as he could see the Princess, he would not resist. The farther he got from her, the more he felt the 5th Oath tugging at the inside of his being. It was an unsettling feeling and he was dizzy... He'd used too much magic to escape. Surely not? He was stronger than this... wasn't he? His body was still reeling.

"Who is Felicity Poahr? How does she know the Princess?"

And then a more pressing matter.

"Who knows we are here? Does anyone know we are here?" Emit tried to stand, afraid the authorities would be alerted to their presence. The wet rag fell to the floor. "It is not safe. For you or-"

Were they safe? Were any of them safe? Emit felt his legs giving way beneath him and he had to sit back down. He put his head into one hand and closed his eyes. he felt like the whole world was spinning out of control.

((Liberties can be taken as needed. If it's anything major or something you're not sure my characters would do, just send a PM. ))

[Shadowseldil]

"Easy, lad; easy," Felix repeated in a soothing, yet defensive voice. He picked up the rag and pressed it to Emit's forehead, "There's no danger here, son. Just relax, a doctor'll be here soon.
"While we wait, let's see here, your questions. Felicity is one of my mechanics. She's an orphan, and I look after her, somewhat. As far as I know, she doesn't know any princesses. And, uh... What was that last question?"
"Uncle Felix?" Felicity said as she knocked lightly on the door frame of the office. "You wanted me for something?"
"Not me, love," Felix said, and nodded toward Emit.
"Oh, you're awake. Are you okay? What's your name? What can I do for you?"

[SilntAngl5]

Emit and Pasce


Emit's blue eyes looked up at Felix.

"Doctor?" he questioned.

For the Princess. Emit glanced at the sleeping girl, woman, ruler of Emporium's five provinces. Why hadn't he listened to her? Inside his heart, Emit grieved. this could have all been avoided if he had just believed-

A knock at the door caused Emit to stand, or almost. The cold rag shifting on his forehead reminded him that he should be sitting. He stood when she came in, as it was the proper thing to do, but then a hand went back to find the chair and Emit lowered himself back down. He glanced once again at the Princess. Her dreams, her visions, said they could trust these people... Emit hadn't believed in Pasce before. He would seek to right that, if only marginally, and do so now.

"I am Emit Shornoc, High Chronicler of Magiks and Keeper of The Guardians of Rekōdo. That is my name and title. And this-" He glanced at the sleeping lady on the couch. Hardly a lady. She was still a young girl. He had to protect her. Emit closed his eyes. "- this is Pasce di Minones... Princess of Rekōdo."

Emit's eyes calmly, but tiredly regarded the two who stood before him.

"Today was her coronation... Have you watched the Holonet? The Maginet? Any of the news...?"

He shook his head. Not the question to ask. Time may be limited. Answer the girl, then ask questions.

"The Princess is in danger and I am obligated by the 5th Oath to protect her. Before attending her coronation, the Princess foresaw disaster. She is a DreamWalker. She said if the events of her dreams came true, to find you... Felicity Poahr."

Emit stared hard at Felicity.

"She said that you would help us."

[Shadowseldil]

Both Felicity and Felix stared blankly at Emit as he announced the presence of the princess. Felicity's jaw dropped, while Felix muttered, "Princess?" Emit continued on until he explained that he needed help. Well, he said he needed help, anyway; he did very little in the way of explaining.
"I'm afraid you lost me completely, lad," Felix said, "I mean I heard about the coronation, sure, but I didn't follow it closely. Just another monarch; not like anything was really going to change. Everyone knows that its the council that runs things. But all this about high chronicler and fifth oath and dreamwalker means tuppence to me. And what's this danger to the princess? And how's Felicity supposed to help?"
"Yes," Felicity added, "What can I do?"