Barrowford

The country of Barrowford is a warm and desolate wasteland made largely up of deserts, badlands, and the occasional oil swamp bordering it’s northern side. The vast majority of plant life here has been brought over by its settlers as a means of survival, although it does have a few native grasses and shrubs. Its most notable native plant species is its desert flowers which can be found during the cool season. These flowers are a light magenta and they’re often collected and used as dyes or potion ingredients.

Bordering the country's northern most side is the great oil ocean known as the Pelriror Abyss. One of the largest bodies of oil in all of Mirror Domain. This ocean is where the vast majority of Barrowford’s settlements reside, as it’s the only place in Barrowford that contains the rare and sought after Purple Magic many scholars have been trying to research. Nobody knows why Pelrior Abyss houses so much of this Magic but Barrowford’s citizens are working tirelessly to uncover the truth.

Given that Barrowford is a desolate wasteland in the middle of the desert, it doesn’t have much in terms of resources. The thing that draws people to the country is the magic mentioned above. In the early days of Barrowford, back in the year 224 ADI, a team of archeologists and explorers discovered its large quantities of this Purple Magic and the country’s quest for knowledge has only been expanding from there. What started as a few temporary settlements ended up becoming a country all of its own!

Of course, because it’s a closed off and far away place, water is extremely scarce. Demon summoning is still a relatively common practice in Barrowford despite its proximity to the Sanquet Mountain Range. There just isn’t enough Demon blood to go around. People have to take to summoning more. Any place that does manage to get a steady flow of water won’t have one for long. People will jump at the opportunity to take it for themselves any chance they get. Historically all sources of water, natural or otherwise, have been overused and dried up in a matter of months.

Weather in Barrowford is pretty standard. They have a hot season, which lasts about 8 months out of the year, and a cool season. The short stint of the cool season is known to bring on harsh windstorms; mainly ones that blow in from the south from Windy Wilds. These windstorms are known to kick up sand, dust, and dirt, creating large dust storms that can last for days on end. Luckily the natives have accommodated their architecture to suit a climate such as this. Storms on the stronger end of the scale are known to reach wind speeds of over 65mph.

Flora and fauna are sparse in Barrowford. Most animals that reside there are reptiles and small nocturnal mammals. It’s not uncommon to see hoards of mice roaming the badlands or large snakes basking in the desert sun. Many people think Barrowford is home to the elusive Xylid, but this is not the case. It’s high winds are far too strong for the species to handle. Many animals in Barrowford are at least omnivorous due to the lack of plant life to consume. Even its mice have grown a taste for meat, albeit only on occasion. As with most countries, cats also have a heavy population in Barrowford. Many people consider them to be an invasive species because of their effects on the native populations.

Barrowford’s pure population is made up of Lesser Dragons, Sinvian, and the occasional Canine or Vulpine Kodin. Most Kodin that live here have evolved to have larger ears to help regulate their body temperature. Lesser Dragons do dominate the population, though. They make up the vast majority of Barrowfords workers, guild members, and guards; leaving the scholarly things to the other species. It’s not uncommon to see a Dragon or two stalking the borders as well, although they rarely enter populous areas.

In recent years it's been rumored that Barrowford may be home to the coveted Mirror Temple that’s been evading people for centuries. The large quantities of Purple Magic in the area only help push those beliefs. Because of these rumors, many cities have taken to making replicas of the temple in order to draw more researchers or adventurers in. This, of course, has led to an abnormally high amount of Barrowfords citizens following the God Tilvet despite its lack of a Human population. Most every city has a Decennium Temple as a prominent landmark.

Education is a highly valued thing in Barrowford. Historically it's been a research site, and its citizens have stuck to their roots pretty consistently over the years. The vast majority of children are put into school at as young as 8 and many people continue their schooling well past their late 20’s. Those who decide not to further their quest for knowledge are usually looked down upon. That being said, someone’s gotta work the lower scale jobs. Without construction or farming the country would collapse. Those who can’t/won’t get an education are known to be heavily dedicated to one of these other forms of work to avoid the social backlash.

Law enforcement and resource management is all over the place in Barrowford. Because of its high population of Demons and Demon summoners, many towns have a Demon hunters guild. The guilds and guards are almost constantly at war with each other to the point where it can be hard to tell what governing body should be listened to. Most people play it by ear when traveling through Barrowford, making sure to note what means of law enforcement to listen to on a town by town basis. That being said, it’s pretty safe to say that the guilds are starting to come out on top in this debate. More and more people have begun to listen to them as time goes on.

While guards and guilds may be at war, laws in Barrowford remain more or less consistent throughout the country. It’s high Sinvian population makes possession of any Sinvian related artifact, such as feathers, illegal. There’s no way to prove these items were obtained legitimately, especially given Sinvian’s history of being a food source to higher beings. Mirror Travel is also outlawed here, as with many other countries. Mirror registries are heavily regulated because of the amount of people following the god Tilvet. More often than not mirrors are illegal to own on an individual basis. You’d have to be associated with a guild or church in order to be issued one.

Trade and travel is also heavily regulated in Barrowford. Because of how rare and valuable Purple Magic is, people from all over the world want to visit and take some for themselves. Getting in and out of the country has proved to be a challenge for most people. Background checks and thorough searches are common upon entering and exiting the borders. Unless permitted, having Purple Magic on your person while leaving the country will immediately land someone in jail. Getting it out of the country at all is borderline impossible.

As for relationships with other countries, Barrowford has very little. The people here tend to keep to themselves, refusing to form an alliance with anyone so as to not piss off anyone else. The only countries they’re regularly in contact with are Castow and Esterland, but even then it’s only for news and the occasional supply of water. They’ve made it very clear that they aren’t trying to build relations during their brief contact with each other. Barrowford wants its knowledge and Magic to remain a secret from the world. They fear the consequences of their resources becoming common knowledge.

Despite this, much of their research has crossed over into the public domain, and the things that have have really helped push Mirror Domain further into its industrial revolution. They’ve made great contributions to the knowledge and inner workings of Magic Circles. They were even the ones to draw the first connection between mirrors and Purple Magic. While they’ve yet to replicate any Relic mirrors, people believe they’re extremely close. It’s hoped that one day they’ll finally solve the mystery of the Mirror Plane once and for all.