Eagle's Empyrean

"A neon blaze in the dark: the Eagle's Empyrean! Once they were allies of London. Today, the relationship is more nuanced."

"The Eagle's Empyrean has been hung here like a lamp, amidst the fathomless dark of Eleutheria."

The Eagle's Empyrean is the Khanate's settlement in the High Wilderness, lit by the Xanthous Moon.

Under a False Moon

"The electric-and-neon jewel in the Eagle Khan's crown, and the only Empyrean city in the High Wilderness."

Before the doors to the heavens were unlocked, Londoners and Khaganians worked together to open the Avid Horizon. London established Albion by replacing its star, but the Khaganians saw no need for such drastic measures and established Eagle's Empyrean in Eleutheria.

Ruled by the Eagle Khan, Eagle's Empyrean is the only place in Eleutheria that is filled with light. The Khaganians, who now call themselves the Empyreal, perpetually defend their light from the eternal darkness of the skies. To do this, the Empyrean's electrical power is extremely well-conserved, though blackouts happen quite often. They also have to defend their settlement from the Dousers, who snuff out every light they see, so the Empyrean Outriders furiously attack any locomotive that lacks a headlight just in case. To keep morale up, the Eagle Khan often holds festivities celebrating the Khanate's history and innovation. The Empyrean runs on an ideology of keeping oneself busy; to be idle is to be afraid, and every effort is to be spent fighting for the light in the eternal war against the dark.

Despite these rigorous measures, however, the settlement is surrounded by the Belt of Midnight, a light-consuming fog that's already shrouded an Empyrean outpost in darkness.

London's Enclave

"A little piece of Albion on the edge of the Empyrean. Here Her Majesty's Embassy works tirelessly to maintain cordial relations with the Empyreals."

Albion has established an embassy here within the Lane of Lions and Unicorns, where Eleutherians can enjoy a small taste of London's cuisine and culture. Albion also uses their embassy to collect information on the other settlements of Eleutheria, such as the House of Rods and Chains and Piranesi. However, they are in an intelligence war with the Rose-Without-Thorns, the Empyreal security agency, and the Empyreal's surveillance of Londoners is often made very apparent. Amusingly, London has tried to replicate the Empyreal's technology, which has gone about as well as you'd expect. Albion's representative here is known as the Ambassador, and the Khanate's is known as the Bespectacled Official.

Under a treaty, the transit relay to the Reach is under Empyrean control.

The Xanthous Moon

"The Empyrean have built a homemade moon to light their corner of the sky; its steel frame festooned with lamps."

Just as London built an artificial Sun, the Empyreal built their own artificial Moon. But rather than using eldritch and forbidden sciences, they simply made it out of lanterns.

Moon's Sill is the main landing point near the Xanthous Moon, and it is where the Empyreal congregate to perform rites and repairs. The Engineers who perform the necessary maintenance are almost venerated for their bravery, but in the process they also become enemies of the dark. As protection, the Engineers wear a type of silk cloth called bombazine, and ensure that they remain nameless during the Rite of Renewal, during which the Engineers remain on the Moon for a fortnight. After the repairs are finished, the Engineers can regain their names once more in the Rite of Resolution.

The Eagle Khan's daughter conducts rituals near the shore of Moon's Mirror, a reflective lake. A notable ritual is known as the Mandate of the Moon, which is used to divine omens of things to come.