City-states, or just cities as they are commonly called, are player-run autonomous organizations. Each city has a number of guilds within it, as well as markets, governmental headquarters, barracks, housing estates, casinos and parks, and so on. Each city tends towards a particular ethos, often demonstrated by the city's choice of Divine Patron.

Cities are governed democratically, with each qualified citizen having one vote. The structure of city government may be illustrated as such:

In other words, the Populace of a City elects the 5 members of the Ruling Council (known variously as Archons, Viziers, Overlords, etc.) The Ruling Council elects one of its own to be the head of the government, and this city leader appoints the bureaucracy, which wields most of the administrative and executive power. The heads of each of the bureaucratic offices (known as Ministries) can appoint an unlimited number of aides to assist him or her in the duties of office.

Each Ministry has a particular duty. For instance, the Chancellor is in charge of valuing shops in the city, and setting the property tax rate, as well as collecting the taxes, and assisting with shop description changes, while the Minister of Security is responsible for city defences and putting bounties on city enemies.

Success in politics is considered by many to be the highest achievement in Aetolia; the Gods look to these leaders for the spark that might bring them to Ascension.

Ashtan, the City Reborn, is the heart of the region known as the Misty Isles, sculpted in the ancient past by the hand of the Muse. In the era before the Great Artifice, the Isles were the home to the Mystics, who studied and preserved a force known as the Balance. Although the last of the Mystics died long ago, the modern-day inhabitants who call the Misty Isles home still hold the ideals and concept as sacred, and strive to revive the ancient ways. Hidden behind the veil of Artifice for many years, the islands are once more revealed to Sapience.

Three major Isles make up the region. The northernmost is Isle of Dusk, where the Accra Market and Seaport are located. To the southeast lies the Isle of Tides where, the Needle of Balance, the post office and bank can be found. The southwesternmost isle is the Isle of Trees, filled with lush forest, ringed by beaches, and graced by the Temple of the Dreamer.

Two guilds call the Misty Isles home: the Sentaari monks and the Bahkatu Sleuth. The Sentaari, devoted seekers of Balance, hone their bodies, minds, and spirits into a deadly weapon. The Isle of Trees is home to the Bahkatu, fierce defenders of the Isles and hunters of the Undead, who use Lycanthropy to Balance man and beast in a single being.

The Misty Isles welcome those who are friends of Balance, and stand firmly against those whose very existence threatens it. Consanguine, Undead, Atabahi, Necromancers, servants of Artifice and their allies are not permitted upon the Isles and if found are likely to face swift retribution.

Enorian, Beacon of Light, can be found at the southernmost tip of the continent, situated between the wide plain of the Pash Valley and the rolling blue waves of the Beryl Sea. The city of Enorian is reputed for its architecture, particularly the gilded domes of the city's palace, university, and museum. Due to these domes, it is said that the city shimmers gold during the setting of the sun and emanates a pearly white radiance by the light of the moon.

The Beacon of Light is home to many guilds, ranging from monks who strive for the balance of body and mind to knights of honor and valor. The previously mentioned monks, known as the Sentaari, and the knights, known as Paladins, are two of the oldest and largest organizations of the city. In recent years, two new guilds have founded guild-homes within the city limits, the Luminaries and the Daru Monastery. Both of these guilds wield light against the forces of darkness and shadow, corruption and apathy. The citizenry of Enorian is also made up of forest-dwellers and magic-users.

Though a diverse group, all of the city's people defend her walls steadfastly and with unity owed to the close-knit nature of its southern society, whether the enemy is within or without.

The citizenry of Enorian put faith in light to guide both their laws and their actions; this may be why the city is also referred to as the Beacon of Light. The city could have also gained such a title based on its kind and loyal citizens, as the Beacon is home to many healers and scholars willing to soothe and teach. Regardless of by what nickname the city is referred, Enorian is a magnificent metropolis of great purpose and great people.

Ancestral city of the Consanguine, Bloodloch has had a long and perhaps unsurprisingly bloody history, beginning with a lengthy civil war, the connotations of which are still felt today, up to various modern day skirmishes with other cities over land rights. In more recent years however, conflict has slowly subsided allowing the city to concentrate primarily on its own development and advances. A wide range of people find their home within the caverns of the city, including a mortal guild known as the Infernal Knights, and many of the Consanguine houses, both new and old alike.

Be warned that all mortals, save the Infernal Knights and the mysterious Indorani, wishing to join the city of Bloodloch and retain their guild class do so at the price of servitude, being seen as second class citizens and servants to the blood.

Spinesreach is an ancient fortress that sits in a pass in the Tarea Mountains between the Dry Plains and the Southern Tundra. Once home to the Ankyrean Order, Spinesreach was sealed first behind the Grand Artifice, and then its Citadel was sealed behind the magics of the Ankyri. Little is known about the secrets that have been left behind by the Order, but with the reopening of the Citadel, Spinesreach has once again become a full city.

Like the Ankyrean Order, the citizens of Spinesreach pride themselves on ingenuity and intelligence, along with self-reliance. Citizens are particularly patriotic to their home, and will often challenge intruders. The Syssin, sworn defenders of Spinesreach, make their home in Spinesreach, along with a number of the Consanguine who were ousted from Bloodloch.

The city itself is split into two parts. The Outer City is mostly farmlands, and the bustling Wintersbreeze Inn acts as a meeting place for travellers and citizens alike. The Citadel stands in the middle of the Outer City, and it is there the shops and governmental offices are housed. Five spires rise up from the Citadel, including the Spire of Artifice.

Formed of those individuals dedicated to the protection and preservation of all Nature, the Duiran Council is based within the Great Oak in Eleusis, which the Benandanti, the appointed leaders of Duiran, use as the focus and seat of their powers. Membership precludes membership in a city, as citizenship in a city inherently implies putting something else before the wilderness. Ruled by five Benandanti, the Council has no single leader, preferring to operate more on the basis of consensus than on the ideas of a single person.

The Benandanti positions are selected by the Divine Patrons of the Council, and each leads one of the five Scions of the Council: Roots, Trunk, Bark, Branches, and Leaves. The Benandanti are generally chosen from a wide variety of walks of life, giving the Council many different views when discussing the best ways of preserving Nature.

Nature is diverse, always changing in a cycle of death and rebirth. From the dead and old comes new life, just as a single seed will sprout in the midst of the ashes of a fire. The Council are the mortal guardians of this cycle of Nature, ensuring it never becomes unbalanced with too much death, or too much growth.

The Duiran Council holds the power to punish those who harm any part of Nature. From reckless harvesting resulting in the mass death of plants, to wanton destruction of nature, the Council reserves the right to set fines or punish enemies of the forest as they see fit. Nature is not tame, it is wild; let those who would think to harm it feel Nature's wrath.