Archimage
The title of Archimage originates in Miaopiaoist tradition. Their power was symbolized by a stone tablet called "Crom". They held the power to elect a "Super Flying Cat" and were the only ones allowed to ride Dragons. They were the leaders of Flying Cats during their early history, but they lost most of their political power with time. They convened every 20 years in the Archimage Council.
History
The title of Archimage was created around 100 AA by the 26 grandchildren of Altam, who thus became the first Archimages. This to define a title for those who can tame Dragons and choose the "Super Flying Cat" The rules of inheritance of the title were codified in the book Control of Magic. The title was symbolized by the Colm, a carved stone tablet. It was passed down to a chosen apprentice, upon the Archimage death or abdication. This resulted in the fact that each Crom was mostly passed inside the same culture. The book also established the Archimage Council, held n Miaopiatiao every 20 years. It was created to maintain harmony between the culturecs and take decisions on the use of magic.
In the following centuries the Archimages held all power. They first coexisted peacefully and planned the colonization of new archipelagoes during the Archimages Councils. They first ruled directly, their states were called Magocracies. However around 1000AA they began to delegate the rule of far or newly colonized land to members of their family or apprentices. During one of the Archimage Councils, the title of "Prince" was created. These Princes were give land by an Archimage and ruled it (more or less independently). However with the passing time the relations between Archimages of different culture deteriorated. During this period independent tribes began to appear in newly colonized land, far from the control of the Archimage or its Princes. Tension sometime rose between the Archimages over control of some newly colonized pieces of land. This resulted in some conflicts, however most were resolved during the Archimage Councils. However this fragile peace did not last. In 1121 AA, the first direct war erupted between the Mimie and Maccin Archimages of Stu, marking the end of peaceful coexistence. The wars gave the opportunity to Princes or others to take power over new lands. More the time passed more the Archimages lost power. The Magocracies fell one by one during the three following millenia; the Archimages kept only a counseling power in most states. In 4047 only two Magocracies remained.
Crom
The Crom is a stone tablet symbolizing the power of the Archimage. The 26 original tablets were carved by the grandchildren of Altam from "Feltemast", a block of basalt from on top of which Altam was said to have seen Semor and Nador.
Archimage Lineages
Each one of the first 26 grandchildren of Altam started a lineage of Archimages, those held great importance in culture and politics of the flying cats. The following timelines are divided by the ethnicity of the first Arcgimage of the lineage (even if it changed after). Miao Archimages are in red, Micium in grey, Muccin in blue, Mimie in yellow, Mecim in green and Maccin in purple. Next to the name of the Archimage is their residency. Names in black hold an independent magocracy, in white they are dependent
Miao Crom
Archimage Council
The Archimages gathered
