Xing Lou

If you wish to learn, whether of the world around you, the secrets of magic, or simply of who you truly are, Xing Lou is the place to do so. The finest Universities and schools can be found in the hot climates of the province, where the desert winds blow through the olive groves. Cities of ancient lineage are built here, many upon tribal sites, and here is a place where curiosity - whether of the past, present, or future is rewarded.

The Province is home to the largest metropolis in all the Provinces. Xing Lou contains the largest city, Xing Zhao, also known as the City of Brass. A magnificent city where anything one desires can be found (and where one can be whoever they desire). Travelling wizards come here to learn at the library, and scholars, priests, and thrill seekers all make a pilgrimage to the great city at least once in their lives. Little more can match the splendor of this place, nor the legendary beauty of its King, the wisdom of its Queen, or the fierce love between the Knight and Page of the place - all of whom were granted immortality by the spirits of Heaven and have reigned over the place for hundreds of years.

Xing Lou is a land of elemental change. The literal landscape shifting with the desert as, over the years, cities are swallowed up by sand and others discovered beneath it. The social convention is known to shift quickly here and what might be fashion today is uncouth tomorrow. The people here are known to be impulsive and quick tempered, but their culture values loyalty and earnest discussion as well.

There are some here who say that the Mara dwell here, in Xing Lou, that out in the desert is where they make their home, because the Province is not vigilant enough to keep them out. There are some, they say, who keep demons as servants or pets, that draw magic from the darkness beyond. Whether this is true, or simply the opinion of the uninformed, is something Xing Lou continues to tease the world with, unafraid of their reputation.