Located in the southeastern region of Aeolus, the island-city of Thamasa has existed in extreme isolation since its founding in the chaotic years following the War of the Magi. The island's geography and climate are among the most pleasant in all of Aeolus, due almost entirely because of the island's low elevation and the mild influence of the ocean. Summers within this island, while certainly hot and humid, are made considerably more pleasant by the cool, salty breezes that come off the Great Sea. During the winter months, the island remains fairly temperate, with frost and ice being only a very rare occurrence. Much like the Solitary Island, this wonderfully pleasant climate has recently attracted the notice of several of Aeolus' better-to-do citizens, who often travel to these island shores to escape from the hostile climates elsewhere.
Prior to this region's discovery during the Second Imperial War by a small band comprised of two of the legendary Returners and Imperial troops, the island's existence was a carefully guarded secret, known only to a select few outside of the borders of this region. According to the tattered remains of documents that have been preserved, the region was first settled by loose bands of refugees fleeing from widespread persecution throughout Aeolus. For, as I have chronicled elsewhere, those people who had been endowed with Esper-derived magical powers during the War of the Magi were systematically hunted down and slain in the years of chaos following this infamous war. Blamed for the sins of the 3 Goddesses, a few select of these persecuted men and women fled from the inhabited regions of Aeolus to settle what would come to be known as Thamasa.
Due to its only recent discovery, this region has remained with only a small population. This trend seems unlikely to change in the near-future, as the citizens of Thamasa are extremely wary of strangers, and discourage those who would settle themselves within this region. Of course, as this region has become a hot-bed of political activity and magical research, Thamasa's isolation from the rest of Aeolus seems to be more and more on the wane.
Due to the small surface area of this region, there is little geographical features that are of any noteworthy interest. However, in the year following the Day of Kekfa, the massive stress upon the planet of Aeolus caused the emergence of an isle just north of the main island of Thamasa which has come to be known as the Isle of Hidon.
Just prior to the defeat of Kefka at the hands of the Returners, a small group of them, including the famous blue-mage Strago Magus and his artistic granddaughter, Relm Arrowny, returned to Thamasa on a chance visit. However, in the course of their visit, the blue mage discovered that his ancient nemesis, the monster named Hidon, had once again appeared in the hidden caves of a small, seemingly desolate rock of an island located to the north of Thamasa. In due course, Strago, along with his Returner companions, sought out Hidon in his lair and slew him.
Since that time, the ebb and flow of the tides have often covered over Ebot's Rock, hiding it away from the rest of the world. However, for a few months at a time, the sea crag seems almost by magic to rise from the ocean, exposing several small sea caves. Despite the trek into Ebot's Rock by the Returners, Ebot's Rock has remained largely a mystery. Few of Thamasa's inhabitants are willing to even speak of the existence of the rocky island, and those few who acknowledge its existence seem to know very little beyond what is circulated by the bards who recount Strago's apparently epic battle.
Treasure-hunters from other regions have, on occasion, ventured to this region in order to explore the mystery of these caves. The vast majority of these brave souls disappear into the rock are never heard from again. The few who emerge tell of a vast maze complicated by what they term magical teleportation about the caves, making it virtually impossible to map or understand the structure of the caves.
Speculation, of course, runs rampant regarding the true nature of these strange caves within Ebot's Rock. The fact that the eldest of Thamasa's citizenry refuse to even speak of the island only deepens the mystery surrounding it. In our search to know and understand all of Aeolus, we of this order have over the years made several discreet attempts at gaining more knowledge regarding the island. Unfortunately, the Time Globe is completely worthless in this area, almost as if its magic is shielded from the island. In frustration, some of this order have even dared to venture within its maze of caves. Probably because of their great caution, most of them have returned, but have very little to tell regarding the interior of Ebot's Rock. It seems likely that this mystery will remain unsolved for centuries to come.
As mentioned earlier, there is only one major population within the region: the city of Thamasa.
| Government: | Aristocracy |
| Mayor: | Elder Ceriaum Derth |
| Population: | 600 |
| Military: | 75 Paladins, 35 Battle-Mages, 30 Militia |
| Imports: | Food Stuffs, Leather Goods, Ore, Clothing |
| Exports: | Magical artifacts |
| Crime Rate: | Low |
Located on the island of its namesake, the city of Thamasa existed in absolute secrecy until the year 1 WB, when the city was discovered by Locke Cole, Terra Branford, and the infamous assassin known only as Shadow. They were met with the obvious hostility and suspicion towards strangers that to this characterizes its people. After speaking with both the current head elder and the blue mage Strago Magus, the trio began to carefully explore the city. Through a dramatic turn of events involving a daring rescue from a burning house, these Returners discovered the ancient heritage of the citizens of Thamasa as descendants of the peoples who had been imbued with esper-derived magic during the War of the Magi. Following these events, Strago and his granddaughter Relm Arrowny, then only a small child, agreed to help the Returners in their quest to save Aeolus from the wrath of the espers. From that day forth, the city of Thamasa could exist in secret no longer.
Following the Day of Heroes, the people of Thamasa experienced the tragic loss of esper- derived magic, and its effects were far worse in this small city than anywhere else in all of Aeolus. For, these people had lived for centuries depending upon the magical arts, and suddenly they found themselves stripped of this ancient legacy from their ancestors. However, it wasn't long before an interesting discovery was made. Strago Magus, along with the other blue mages inhabiting the town, regained their abilities to cast their spells only weeks after the destruction of the Statues. About this time rumors also began to circulate that almost none of the monster population had loss the use of their magical powers. These two facts made the learned amongst the citizenry realize that magic had not been completely annihilated following the destruction of the Statues and the subsequent loss of the esper heritage. Eventually, as I have detailed elsewhere, this realization would result in the rebirth of magic across all of Aeolus based not on the legacy of espers, but through mana, a mysterious substance that even now is only understood in part by even the most adept of mages.
Since the rebirth of magic, the town of Thamasa has shown a gradual increase in population, as would-be-mages travel from across all the world to learn under the brightest and most powerful mages in Aeolus. This increase has led the elders of the city to establish orders around each color of magic, along with special schools designed to train those who possess the inborn ability to wield the arcane. Libraries have been built to catalogue the combined work of the master mages within Thamasa, as well as small facilities and laboratories for furthering magical research. Unfortunately, many of the greatest mages in the history of Aeolus have been reduced to mere initiates, due to the very different and complex process of wielding mana-based magic. Not surprisingly, it is the mages who at the time of the Day of Heroes were just beginning their magical training who have advanced the quickest in the new methods of wielding magic, causing no end of upheaval amongst their fellow mages. To this day, one of the primary roles of the individual orders of magic within Thamasa is settling disputes amongst the mages, both within the individual orders and between the different orders.
The leadership of Thamasa is among the most twisted and convoluted as I have encountered anywhere in Aeolus. Traditionally the elders, which at any time may consist of between three and twelve people, are the official leaders of the city. At any time, upon the agreement of at least two elders, a council may be held by the elders, who meet together to make decisions regarding the actions of the city by a simple majority. However, unofficially, the opinions and positions of at least a dozen other prominent members of the city play a large role in deciding the exact course of action, including the Knight-Captain of the Militia, the Heads of the Magic Orders, and others. In the end, it often takes weeks, if not months, for the council to pass a single proposition into official law. Even worse, due to the independent nature of many of Thamasa's prominent mages, these laws are often ignored.
As I have penned elsewhere, Thamasa has become the one city within all of Aeolus to officially and openly oppose the imperialistic actions of the Realm of New Doma. It is here that Edeoreth, the eldest of our order, came to establish the Order of the Silver Hand to oppose the actions of Doma. Furthermore, through his actions, several of the mages within Thamasa aligned themselves with their esper hosts, who in turn endowed them with increased magical proficiency. And, in the last few months, a new order of mages has been established here in Thamasa: the Order of the Callers. This new breed of mage has slowly grown, as more and more young men and women realize the danger of the actions of New Doma and agree to oppose such actions. I only pray that the actions of this city will prove enough to save Aeolus from the fate that could befall all its inhabitants at the hands of the espers.