One of the many kingdoms of the Garden, and Samiya Nagi's personal keep.
They sat there, laughing as they entertained an all too bewildered scholar. They supposed that it could scarce be helped. They were a Secret after all. If it had been some time since anyone had actually made it into the heart lands of the Endless nights, if imagination had gotten. . .somewhat exaggerated.
Well, it could hardly be helped.
"No, no my friend. You misunderstand. I am not THE King, and she is not THE Queen. Come, come. Sit. Drink. Relax, before you suffer an aneurysm. We will explain. The Garden is not so difficult to understand."
Once upon a time, this Secret was known as the Tales of Sheherazade. Now, the reasons for this are many. For one, they took the concept SECRET. Very seriously. Keeping themselves hidden, letting others only rarely look upon the true depth and scope of their culture, and allowing certain western mages and their imaginations to run wild, served their many purposes. After all, only unknown to the world could they pursue their goals, and heighten the depths of their magic to new heights. If the other secrets knew true enough what they had to work with, perhaps jealousy would've driven them to destroy them long ago.
Perhaps it still could.
But the Abyss is growing stronger, and in what some are beginning to think may be the final nights, the secret known as The Garden at last descends from its hidden realms, and mystic heights to make itself truly known among its magical cohorts.
Structure[]
First, a bit of clarification.
There are a thousand tales of various named, entities with heaps upon heaps of dangerous titles. Some real. Some not. The Garden has no intent of telling you the history or the reason for every one of them. Many are the work of fictions, religions, and more that don't have much of a place in modern nights. Some. . .on the contrary, are still very real, and very dangerous. Even mentioning them might cause disaster, some say. If it's true, no one can say.
What's known now, is that they refer to their various sorcerers as Kings and Queens. Partially, as a matter of honor and a way for both their own and others from without to understand the importance and power that being blessed with the abilities of a Nexus confer upon them.
The other half however is simple accuracy. There are more tales of Kingdoms, and peoples, in the middle east than could ever be real. Unless you add magic to the equation. Here in the Garden, they are each of them granted a Familiar, an elemental - Sometimes several if they are of particular power and talent - And there, they're tasked with growing and building their own pocket dimension. In older nights, mages were to do this solo, however as talent wanes, and the Abyss continues to snatch up and strike down the most promising of students. Garden royalty has taken to collaborating, and creating groups, which serve as hubs of comfort and safety, where they may build together knowledge and power of their own making.
In this, they become pocket kingdoms of their own design. And there are more of these pocket realms than can feasibly be counted in the space of a life time. For this reason, The Garden has spent many of its nights reclaiming old artifacts, and scrolls lost to time and space. Now though, their time is growing short. The Abyss - the great monsters of the night are at the door, and there is no more time.
The Garden opens it doors. Come.
Rest.
For tomorrow only promises a longer night. And the same after that. And the same after that.
The Royal Families, The Talents System, and the Scorekeeper[]
Now, since every every magi claims their own pseudo-kingdom, there is a natural extension to that.
Groups of Garden Magi are referred to in house, as Royal Families, regardless of actual relations. It is worth noting that it is not entirely just a name. The intimate nature of magic and its secrecy, often leads these Royal Families to becoming genuine families, as they build up trust and home alike with one another. But it is neither universal, nor expected. Such are the quirks of magical living one supposes.
What IS universal is the Talents System.
Modern ears will quickly come to recognize this Talents System as another form of democracy. Every royal family has to themselves at least one vote, or as they call it, a Talent. But they can accrue more. Talents are a representation not just of one's right to vote, but of their magical acumen and skill. For example, if a sole Garden Magi was met with a raging water elemental causing a flood and stopped it by themselves - they would be awarded a talent. Even greater deeds can award multiple talents, ensuring that Garden magi are ever active and seeking to improve themselves.
But not every year is so busy. Not every century so filled with strife in turmoil. At times, Talents are also built upon with magical artifacts, secrets, and knowledges. All of which are judged by the great Scorekeeper, who awards them their talents each month.
Who the Scorekeeper is, is something of a mystery. All that's known is that every decade, a new one is picked by some arcane means. And that every month, in the kingdoms a great bundle of runes representing these talents are deposited without any one's knowing as to how, when, or who left them.
Who Tends the Garden[]
Now, those clever lot first learning about this secret are likely to note a very pressing question:
If every man is himself a king, every woman a queen, every family, the nobles of their own assorted lands, even if they do vote, how do they manage it all?
Who represents them and their will when the Secrets call for their aid?
That would be the Light, the Shade, and the Flame.
No, this is not a triad as your alchemist, rhymer, and keepers. Far from it. It is a singular individual. The leader of the aforementioned voting collegiate and its various noble families. They don the title as suits the time they are called to lead. Times of growth and prosperity are the Light, those of rest, and recovery, and consolidation the Shade.
And those, of the darkest times.
Which require the greatest of Sacrifices, the Flame.
It has been some centuries since a leader has donned the title of the flame. But the nights are growing darker.
. . .And there is worry that it will become necessary again soon.
But those times are far away. For now, in this century, Samiya Nagi is called to serve. She is a young thing, the youngest in their history to don this title at just 21. But such is the depth and scope of her mystical reserves and skills, that only the oldest and most powerful families could hope to challenge her. Of course they do. Now, a point worth noting is that ordinarily she would have been assassinated. However, seeing as she came to this position by killing the former "leaders", in a one on three in an open duel, and taking both their magic, and any and all associated knowledges/artifacts. . . They've taken to keeping her busy with political games, and fending off people grasping at her own gains. In her defense, a cannibal genie-king, the wife who let him continue his depravities, and the rhymer intent on using their distractions as a way to enforce their own power were long over due for house cleaning. Regardless of its virtue, it's made the other families uncomfortable. And so time, skill, influence and power that might be better spent elevating this secret to the primary council is halved as she fights to keep her position.
No good deed goes unpunished, one supposes.
The unique magics[]
Every Secret engages with magic in their own way, and in the Garden, every family their own religions and customs may go hand in hand with those. The middle east is a place stymied in a vast array of histories and cultures.
Because of that we're going to be blunt a moment.
The writers here are in no way equipped to adapt even a tenth of all of these. And even if we were, there's almost no guarantee it would always be respectful to all, or even a fraction of those groups. So the following magicks are a SUGGESTION, and we wholeheartedly encourage you to bring what knowledge, respect and understanding you can to your roleplaying experience.
With that understanding, let's talk for a moment about the Familiar.
In the Garden, magi are given a familiar through a ritual not unlike that of a magi's first introduction to the nexus to gain their elements. What's different here, is that the familiar is a creation of its own will and being. Many take the shape of an animal. Some however, are ephemeral, spiritual in nature. Totally invisible but to the magi, and those with the rare ability to grasp at such things. Regardless of what they do or don't look like, they always confer upon their master a life long guidance, and an ability wholly unique to their relationship.
Some legends recall magi mastering horses so powerful that they were likened unto dragons for their speed and might.
Others, Magi with the unique ability to shapeshift and call to image the creatures of eld like leviathans, and so forth.
There are many powers that belong to the children of the Garden. So get creative. Because if you don't.
There are enemies at the door who will.