A question I’ve received recently is actually a fairly obvious one.

Why is it that the city-state of Xiar is a vibrant, green, utopia, whereas the rest of Altimara is a barren desert?

Before we proceed, I want to start by saying there there MAY be spoilers in my response below, so please read Dragonkin (Chronicles of Enayra, Book 1) before proceeding.

Xiar is a city-state located in the southwestern corner of Altimara, in an area known as the Antigorus Valley.

Xiar was founded in the year 32 Conflict, after the Hero King Agarthus, under the instruction of the Great Aurum, led his people from the lands of the Qiri’ar Confederacy and settled them in what is now Xiar.

Even then, when Altimara was still a lush, verdant land with various biomes, Xiar was extremely fertile in comparison.

What was unknown by Agarthus at the time, was that Xiar was founded atop a Mana Well. These ancient founts of power are large concentrations of magical energies that have taken physical form. It is unknown how this Mana Well came to be, only that it is a remnant of creation, and incredibly rare.

Mana does not normally become tangible, and physical pieces of a Mana Well are both rare and incredibly sought after.

In the case of the Xiaran Mana Well, the city is built atop massive caverns that contain large, ancient crystals made of solidified mana.

These crystals give life to the land above, and even after Altimara’s desertification over the past millennium, continue to support what should be dead and dying lands.

Xiaran mages have been able to harness this power and direct it towards specific areas of the city-state’s lands, especially in times of what should be drought, and famine.

Mages are forbidden, however, from drawing upon the Mana Well for any reason that does not relate to the defence of Xiar, or the maintenance of Xiar’s fertile soils, and turning back the desertification.

Only the Grand Magus of Xiar is allowed to violate those laws. Mages who violate this law are put to death. A mage with too much power and no one strong enough to stop them is dangerous–and deadly.

It is because of Xiar’s Mana Well that the Kingdom of Altimara has sought to place Xiar firmly under their thumb, and have placed the once independent city-state under their vassalage since 783 Conflict.¹

The Great Concordat, signed in 783 Conflict, named Xiar a vassal of the growing might of Altimara, while retaining their right to self-govern and raise their own army. Altimara would place Waystations along the Xiaran Road and within Xiaran borders outside of the Antigorus Valley, and a Duke of Xiar would be established as a diplomat between both governments.

As time went on, however, Altimara increasingly renegotiated the treaty through loopholes and trickery, and removing more and more of Xiar’s personal freedoms. By current times², Xiar only retains control of its lands within the Antigorus Valley.

It is clear that Altimara wants Xiar’s Mana Well, but is not willing to commit to a campaign of conquest, as they cannot afford to destroy, resettle, and rebuild the ancient nation without risking a famine in Altimara. Xiaran crops are far too important to the Altimaran Army and the Kingdom as a whole.

The two nations are locked in bitter stalemate, with Xiar not militarily strong enough to take back her freedom, and Altimara too dependent on Xiar’s crops to risk a protracted siege.

FOOTNOTES
1. 783 Conflict is known as 783 Prosperity on the Altimaran Calendar, and the year 1753 on the Xiaran Calendar

2. The current year is 1032 Conflict across most of Enayra. It is 1032 Prosperity in Altimara, and 2002 in Xiar.