Pitax is the domain of Castruccio Irovetti, a petty tyrant who fancies himself a scholar, an inventor, a philosopher, and a visionary. Pitax is the name of his region within the River Kingdoms as well as the name of his capital city. The city of Pitax is filled with fantastic devices and technological marvels, created by the masses of alchemists and artificers he has recruited from across Avistan and beyond.

He has opened academies for the technological arts as well as salons and studios for artists, poets, writers, and bards of all stripes. Pitax is also home to a large number of Galtan refugees, as he has welcomed the fleeing philosophers politicians with open arms. Irovetti himself is a student of Numerian Technic League, and though he claims no magical ability he is the creator of a number of steam- and lightning-powered devices, from humanoid automatons to his fearsome Battlefist.

Pitax is an odd city. In the quest to be seen as revolutionary, Irovetti approves of anything shocking or new, and as a result Pitax is home to all sorts of public art and over-the-top technological devices that strangers would consider ugly, obnoxious, or useless. More concerning to his neighbors, he imposes no limits on those who apply for grants in the name of art or science and so many of the alchemists and artificers who call Pitax home have developed a reputation for delving into arts better left alone. Indeed, many have found their way to Pitax a few steps in front of a lynching.

Irovetti maintains good relations with Numeria and, perhaps not unsurprisingly, far-off Alkenstar. Pitax is one of the few places in northern Avistan where gunpowder devices are not so rare as to draw stares. Of course, when the average street scene consists of someone over there walking around with a helmet arcing lightning around their head, another person floating serenely three feet off the ground in a cloud of green mist, while a third is being driven by a horseless, steam-powered carriage, a pistol is hard-pressed to draw attention to itself.

Settlements

Mormouth: hamlet with mixed loyalties between Pitax and Numeria
Sarain: town famous for fruit orchards and vineyards owned by the Liacenza Family and for the Grand Tournament of Sarain

The City of Pitax
Pitax is divided into three sections.
Troutmouth is the harbor district of Pitax. It includes the docks, various merchant houses, and warehouses.
The Shattered Ward contains many of the oldest buildings in Pitax including various temples and manor houses. Most longtime residents live here.
The New Ruins contains the most recently constructed buildings in Pitax. This part of the city was largely burned to the ground during the civil war that ravaged Pitax approximately one century ago. When Irovetti decided to make the city a beacon of art and philosphy in the River Kingdoms his efforts were concentrated here. Notable locations include the Academy of the Arts and the Red Crescent Theater.

Pitax
Titles The Tarnished Jewel of the River Kingdoms
Nation River Kingdoms
Region Pitax
Size Small City
Population 5,781
Demographics 5,600 humans; 100 half-elves; 40 dwarves; 41 other
Government Autocracy / Overlord
Alignment Chaotic neutral
Ruler Castruccio Irovetti