Nolan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Nolan (諾蘭)
Type	Magic City; a neutral, multi-racial center of magical research and commerce 32
Governance	Jointly governed by human Spellcasters and Dwarves; the Council of Seven Sages holds the city’s highest authority 101 325
Population	Nearly 1.7 million residents, excluding the floating population 156
Location	Built above—and throughout—the ruins of an ancient civilization, with major aboveground and underground districts 32 35
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 32: “Magic City Nolan”

Background

Nolan began as a Dwarven fortress built around ancient underground ruins. The Dwarves excavated mines and tunnels beneath the settlement, but human Spellcasters later arrived to study the ruins’ complex inscriptions and technology. Over several centuries, humans developed the prosperous city above the original Dwarven stronghold while the Dwarves retained a major role in its society and government 35 101.

Thirty years before Joshua’s arrival, Nolan enacted its Patent Law, encouraging Spellcasters to develop Magic Mechanical Devices through alchemy workshops. Its academies, research culture, and magical industry turned it into a world-leading center of magical innovation 32.

Nolan maintains neutrality despite being a comparatively small country. It protects that position by welcoming intelligent races and foreign scholars, while its Mage Level Qualification Certificates serve as an international standard for Spellcasters 32.

Geography

Area	Description
City barrier	Nolan has no conventional walls; a transparent magical barrier protects the city. Its defense relies on Nolan’s core, an immense Source Crystal Stone whose loss would disable the barrier 32 94.
Aboveground city	Primarily inhabited by humans and Spellcasters, with commercial districts, academies, theaters, workshops, and major public institutions 35 147.
Underground city	The original Dwarven domain, built amid extensive ruins, mine tunnels, and high-quality Source Crystal Stone veins 35 68.
Central district	Centered on the Sage’s Tower and bounded by four obelisks; Falosi Manor is located here 147.
Commercial district	Nolan’s second center, containing the Hearthstone tavern, four Advanced Magic Academies, the Nolan National Theater, and the White Thorn Flower Theater 147.
Gear River	A river drawn from underground by an ancient magic device. It separates the central areas from the Magic Workshop District 147.
Squirrel Street	A chaotic Lower City district near an underground entrance, historically populated by non-human races and associated with Necromancers and the Black Pigeon network 101 106.
Central Teleportation Array	A relic-based cross-national teleportation facility that connects Nolan to major cities across the world 170 774.

Society and Government

Equality under Nolan Law

Nolan’s laws grant every citizen the right to live in the city regardless of race. This legal protection allows demons and other marginalized races to reside in Nolan, provided they meet citizenship requirements and do not threaten public safety 66.

• Humans are the largest aboveground population, while Dwarves retain substantial political and economic influence 35 68.
• Elves, goblins, lizardmen, sand people, gnomes, Orcs, demons, and other races can be found in the city 32 99.
• The Necromancer Association is permitted to exist in Nolan despite being taboo elsewhere 66 99.
• Dangerous beings may still be barred from entering central districts in their true forms; Nolan’s tolerance does not override public-security concerns 266.

Council of Seven Sages

The Seven Sages are Nolan’s highest-ranking Spellcasters and its ultimate political authority. Their annual Council determines decisions with major consequences for the city’s future 325.

• The Sages’ standing gives Nolan international influence; rulers and nobles from other nations treat their lectures and opinions with exceptional deference 408 413.
• The Council protects Nolan’s neutrality, including its responsibility to safeguard the Frost Elves’ remaining World Tree 468.
• Individual Sages have disagreed over Joshua’s entertainment and Magic Web projects, particularly the social effects of television and games 328 333.

Enforcement Team

The Nolan Enforcement Team upholds city law and acts under agreements authorized by the Sage’s Tower. It can investigate private property, including the Holy Light Church, when presented with proper evidence and authorization 198.

Economy and Institutions

Institution or resource	Role in Nolan
Advanced Magic Academies	Train Spellcasters and support magical research; Nolan’s academic standards are recognized worldwide 32 147.
Patent Council	Protects Magic Mechanical Device agreements and regulates patented technology under Nolan law 32 309.
Alchemy Workshops	Produce Magic Mechanical Devices and form a major industrial district beyond the Gear River 32 147.
Source Crystal Stone mines	Dwarven-controlled underground veins produce some of the world’s finest Source Crystal Stones 68.
World Expo	International exhibition through which nations acquire new Magic Mechanical Device technologies 96.
Owl mail service	Long-established delivery network for letters and goods, operating since Nolan’s founding 489.
Nolan National Savings Bank	Later adopts Magic Web-based banking systems, creating demand for programmers capable of maintaining them 484.

Cultural Transformation

Joshua’s arrival accelerates Nolan’s transition from a city known chiefly for magical scholarship into a center of film, broadcasting, games, and Magic Web technology.

Development	Impact on Nolan
Movies	Beauty and the Demon and Leon: The Professional reshape local entertainment, make their actors public figures, and soften many residents’ attitudes toward Sin Demons 53 255.
Hearthstone	The Hearthstone tavern becomes a major gathering place for Dwarves, Spellcasters, tournaments, and eventually even the Sages 55 544.
Magic Web	The Order Inscription-based network connects users’ consciousnesses through Source Crystal Stone terminals and becomes widespread across Nolan 184 614.
Nolan’s Voice	Tylinn’s stories and songs turn broadcasting into a source of mass entertainment and Faith Power; the service reaches more than 400,000 listeners 156 339.
Television	Images are added to Nolan’s Voice-style broadcasts through screens installed in taverns and shops throughout the city 283 307.
Sage Forum	The Sages use Nolan Television Station to lecture publicly, beginning with Gray Robe Lu’ersike’s recorded account of Nolan’s history 342 343.
Magic Web Music	Musicians can distribute simulated recordings, accumulate popularity, and gather Faith Power through the network 630.
Magic Mechanical Vehicles	Their growing use prompts new traffic rules, traffic-light planning, and a driver’s-license system 752.

Story Role

Arrival of Joshua

Joshua first enters Nolan with Ciri, Ma Linna, and I Nuo while seeking opportunities in the human world. He immediately recognizes the city’s prosperity, diversity, and potential as a base for his technological and cultural projects 32.

Demon coexistence crisis

I Nuo’s presence in the Hearthstone tavern brings Nolan’s equal-citizenship laws into direct conflict with the Holy Army’s anti-demon mission. Joshua invokes Nolan law to protect I Nuo, establishing the city as a place where demonic identity is not automatically grounds for removal 66.

Rise of the Magic Web

Joshua uses the Magic Web, Nolan’s Voice, news broadcasts, and the Spellcaster Forum to influence public opinion. These systems help expose the Church’s unauthorized teleportation array and spread evidence gathered by Black Pigeon reporters 201 243.

Cultural and political influence

Movies, television, music, and Magic Web services make Nolan a destination for visitors, performers, nobles, Sages, and foreign rulers. Its influence expands beyond magical research into entertainment, commerce, information, and diplomacy 334 341 363.

International hub

By later arcs, Nolan is connected directly to the Demonic Realm and remains a meeting point for humans, demons, dragons, elves, and foreign leaders. Demons who were once treated as enemies can be received as distinguished guests within the city 746 847 964.

Notable Facts

• Nolan’s streets are illuminated at night by colored Source Crystal Stone lamps and moving magical advertisements 719.
• The city’s changing culture causes some long-absent residents to struggle to recognize it upon returning 615 748.
• Faith Power in Nolan is generated through residents’ admiration for performers, stories, music, and other cultural figures rather than solely through conventional religion 231 954.
• The city’s underground ruins contain relics powerful enough to support cross-national teleportation and dangerous enough to attract explorers, Dwarves, and hostile ancient automatons 774 849.