Toyalis

Music, dance, and fashion still thrive in Toyalis—but only within controlled bounds. Instruments must be registered. Clothing must not resemble "forbidden sigils." Artists are encouraged to flatter Hazlik or depict “approved” subjects. Still, rebellious undercurrents ripple through poetry, dance, and hidden murals scrawled in phosphorescent ink.

Though nominally ruled by a council of guildmasters and bureaucrats, the people of Toyalis know the true power behind the town is Hazlik, and by extension his apprentices. The presence of Red Wizards is felt everywhere—in the strict laws, the magical enforcement, and the tall spire-temples devoted to magical study that dot the city like watchtowers.

Citizens are careful in their speech and measured in their ambitions. Everyone knows someone who “vanished” after being too curious, too talented, or too noticed.

Several times each season, a Red Wizard apprentice arrives in Toyalis at the head of a grand procession: a dazzling parade of arcane pageantry.

• Animated statues dance down the stone roads.
• Fire-wreathed chariots glide across the air.
• Hooded acolytes throw bursts of illusory light into the crowds.

But these visits aren’t for celebration—they’re recruitment drives. Apprentices seek:

• Gifted spellcasters to serve as assistants or rivals.
• Strong-bodied laborers for construction, rituals, or more sinister purposes.
• Unique-looking children or creatures, destined for transformation or experimentation.

The townsfolk greet these processions with a mix of dread and awe, cheering loudly while ensuring their own names stay unspoken.

Toyalis sprawls across layered terraces carved into the canyon floor and walls. Buildings are made of sandstone, stained glass, and polished obsidian, often adorned with sigils etched by heat rather than hand. Elegant domes and minarets glint by day; by night, the town glows softly with embedded arcane lanterns that pulse like veins.

Despite its harsh desert surroundings, the twin rivers make the land around Toyalis surprisingly fertile. Hanging gardens, irrigated with riverwater infused by subtle enchantments, drape balconies and rooftops in violet and crimson blooms. These gardens are more for show than sustenance—few in Toyalis grow their own food.

• The River Fork Bazaar: A sprawling open-air market where merchants sell enchanted trinkets, alchemical teas, preserved desert fruits, and clockwork curios. Hushed deals in back tents concern magical tomes, cursed items, and names on “recruitment” lists.
• The Spiral Colleges: Once meant as public schools of arcane theory, now largely absorbed by Hazlik’s influence. Only those loyal or obedient may attend. Whispers tell of students disappearing into “advanced studies.”
• The Ashlight Quarter: A run-down sprawl near the river junction, where displaced families and failed apprentices live under constant scrutiny. Dreams are monitored here. Some nights, people wake glowing and screaming—and are never seen again.
• The Plumed Steps: An amphitheater carved into the canyon wall, used for both performances and punishments. Magical duels, mock rituals, and public "demonstrations" are common, meant to keep awe and fear alive in equal measure.