The Isles of Triess are an ancient archipelago steeped in raw, persistent arcane energy, long predating the rise of modern empires. Composed of one large island "Triess Proper" in the West and two much smaller isles to the East between the larger island and the mainland, Triess occupies a singular position in the world: politically independent, magically dominant, and intellectually unrivaled.
The archipelago’s influence does not stem from armies or territory, but from knowledge. Spells first formalized here reshaped nations. Rituals refined in Triess altered trade, warfare, healing, and travel across Colldria. Those who rule lands often learned their craft—or hired those who did—within Triessian halls.
At the heart of the Triess proper stands the Free City of Triess, an autonomous arcane city-state governed by magical authority and tradition.
Triess exists at the confluence of several deep leylines, causing arcane phenomena to manifest naturally:
Spellcasting requires less exertion
Magical constructs endure longer
Enchantments subtly strengthen over time
Wild surges occasionally occur during celestial events
This ambient magic is both a boon and a danger. The land itself resists mundane reshaping, and ancient wards buried beneath the city regulate magical excess—many of which no longer have known creators.
The two smaller islands remain deliberately undocumented in public records, referenced only as “Reserved Arcane Territories” by Triessian decree.
The Free City of Triess is not subject to any kingdom, empire, or church. Its independence is enforced through:
Binding magical compacts signed with continental powers
Arcane deterrents capable of devastating retaliation
Absolute neutrality in foreign wars
Any nation violating Triess’s neutrality is denied magical services, education, and trade—a punishment more feared than open conflict.
Triess is ruled by the Archmagister of the Axiom Collegium, who serves simultaneously as High Rector of the Collegium, Sovereign Arbiter of the City, Final Authority in Arcane Law.
Rather than heredity, leadership is determined through arcane merit, political consensus within the Collegium, and the ability to uphold the ancient wards that protect the city.
A civic council of Deans, senior arcanists, guild representatives, and trade factors advises the Archmagister, but none may overrule them.
The Crystal Forum serves as both the central building of the Axiom Collegium and the symbolic heart of the city. A monumental structure of pale stone, crystal arches, and rune-lit halls, it houses Grand lecture amphitheaters, the highest courts of arcane law, the Collegium’s administrative chambers, public magical demonstrations and convocations
The Forum is where academic authority and civic power converge—where theory becomes policy.
Encircling the Crystal Forum, the Spiral Quarter is the most densely populated district and the true pulse of daily life in Triess. Here one finds residences and faculty lodgings, arcane workshops and spell-shops, taverns, inns, and enchanted eateries, magical services, minor guild halls, and trade houses.
The Spiral Quarter is alive with innovation, gossip, rivalry, and ambition. Experiments spill into the streets, and magical mishaps are common—but rarely fatal.
Rising from the city’s edge is the Veiled Annex, a colossal spiral tower wrapped in layered wards and illusionary veils. It serves multiple functions Restricted research chambers, Sealed vaults of forbidden or unstable magic, Secure quarters for elite faculty, The personal residence of the Archmagister, located at the tower’s apex.
Access is strictly controlled. Even senior arcanists rarely see beyond the lower levels. What occurs at the tower’s highest floors is a matter of speculation—and fear.
The bustling maritime heart of Triess, Spellward Harbor thrives on trade, encompassing extensive docks, a rigorous customs house, and markets where enchantments ensure fair dealings and regulate commerce.
These are the pre-Imperial ruins located deep beneath the city. They remain sealed to the public and are only accessible to sanctioned expeditions.
Magical education and certification
Enchanted items and spell services
Leyline navigation and planar consulting
Arcane engineering and wardcraft
Information, maps, and sealed knowledge
The Axiom Collegium is the most prestigious magical academy in Colldria. Its philosophy is simple:
Magic is freedom and structure combined. Understanding it is both privilege and burden.
The Collegium does not teach morality—it teaches mastery. Students are expected to understand the consequences of power, not be shielded from them.
The Collegium operates across the Crystal Forum, the Spiral Quarter’s academic wings, and the Veiled Annex.
Fields of Study Include:
High Wizardry and Metamagic
Enchantment and Arcane Engineering
Leyline Theory and Geomancy
Planar and Astral Studies
Magical Law and Binding Compacts
Restricted and Theoretical Disciplines (heavily regulated)
Admission is earned through aptitude, sponsorship, or rare invitation. Graduation reshapes careers—and often history.
The Archmagister stands above all faculty, but internal politics between Deans, schools, and research circles are fierce. Knowledge is power, and power invites rivalry.
The Collegium enforces its own laws, courts, and punishments—up to memory alteration, exile, or magical binding.
Gateward Haven is a fortified inland town of roughly fifteen hundred souls, built not for growth or conquest, but for reception. It exists because it must. Nestled on a flat, wind-swept plain surrounding hills on the largest of the Isles of Triess "Triess Proper", the town surrounds and serves a singular, monumental anomaly: an ancient stone portal known as the Threshold Arch. Through this arch, travelers arrive from distant planes and forgotten realms—but never depart.
Gateward Haven is not a destination by design. It is a threshold, a holding ground between worlds, and the first experience of Colldria for countless extraplanar arrivals. Some stay only weeks. Others remain forever.
At the heart of Gateward Haven stands the @The Threshold Arch, a colossal ring of dark, rune-carved stone older than any recorded history of the Isles. The portal activates irregularly, flaring with cold astral light before disgorging travelers—often confused, injured, or displaced—onto the stone dais at its center.
The Arch is strictly one-way. No known magic, divine intervention, or mortal ingenuity has ever allowed passage back through it. This truth shapes the town’s philosophy: Gateward Haven is a place of endings as much as beginnings. Many arrivals grieve what they have lost even as they step into a new world.
A circular stone wall known as the Ringfast encloses the Arch itself, separating it from the rest of the town. The wall exists both as protection and as a point of control, ensuring that arrivals are assessed before being released into Colldria.
The sole authorized passage through the Ringfast is the @Ironbound Gate, a reinforced checkpoint manned by guards trained by the Axiom Collegium. Every arrival passes through this gate, where they are identified, questioned, medically examined, and magically screened.
While the process is not cruel, it is firm. Gateward Haven has learned through bitter experience that not all arrivals are benign. The Ironbound Gate serves as the town’s first line of defense against hostile entities, planar predators, and ideological infiltrators.
Despite its importance, the gate is also where complacency grows. Months can pass without a single arrival, lulling guards into routine—until suddenly, the Arch flares once more.
Gateward Haven operates under the direct authority and funding of the Axiom Collegium of Triess. While not ruled by mages, its security forces are largely composed of Collegium graduates fulfilling long-term civic service. This assignment is considered an honor, a mark of trust, and a test of discipline.
The Collegium maintains records of all arrivals, tracks planar trends, and quietly recruits promising individuals encountered here. Many powerful figures within Triess first entered Colldria through Gateward Haven, watched and assessed before they ever realized it.
Beyond the Ringfast, Gateward Haven spreads outward in orderly but modest streets. Buildings are constructed almost entirely of dark stone, with minimal ornamentation and practical designs. The town includes workshops, shrines, markets, and guild halls, all tailored to transient populations.
Permanent residents tend to be pragmatic, patient, and deeply accustomed to strangeness. Few things surprise a Gateward local.
Across Colldria, Gateward Haven is known as a strange but necessary place. Some view it with suspicion, others with reverence. To the Axiom Collegium, it is an invaluable observatory of planar currents. To adventurers, it is often the true beginning of their story.
Gateward Haven does not seek glory, power, or expansion. It stands watch. It waits. And when the Threshold Arch flares once more, it opens its gates—ready to receive whatever the planes decide to send next.