The Western Empire contains many of Europa’s largest and most sophisticated cities, yet most of it is sparsely populated forests, hills, and mountains. The Emperor is hugely powerful, but has little power over many of the territories he is the nominal ruler of. The Empire, with its sophisticated towns people and ignorant peasants, chivalric Reittars (knights) and sinister guild assassins, pious friars and worldly abbots, starving beggars and opulent bankers, is a land of contrasts.
A checkerboard of free cities, graftums, and various other sorts of principalities, the Western Empire has no shortage of great lords. Bohemia is a ruled by its own King, Venice, a great power in its own right, has its Doge. Even the Bishops and Abbots of the Holy Church play the princeling. Some of the largest cities in the land are ruled by their Archbishop, who also make up a sizable portion of the electors who vote for the Emperor. The prominence of the Church in politics is not always appreciated however and has often led to conflict, with the Emperor marching on the Holy See itself.
The Empires cities are home to numerous wizarding universities. Almost any of the nine Primary Schools (abjuration, conjuration, etc.) of Wizardry can be learned at one or the other, though an individual school would not teach more then three or four. Alchemy and Astrology are also commonly taught in these universities.
Rumors of darker forms of magic, such as necromancy, are all too common in the Empire. Tales of warlocks and witches swearing themselves to unspeakable powers and selling there souls to demons. It is said that on the night before May day dark rituals are performed throughout the land, and that one can see the heathens flying through the air! Children are not allowed to go out on this day.