|
Religions Aren't The Only Organizations of Interest: the duchy is home to quite
a few groups you might come across, both friendly and not so nice. I've had an encounter or two with most these
groups myself on occasion and hopefully my wisdom will help you with any of these folks that you meet.
The Heralds
A small organization of skilled men and women loyal to the duchy of Falconmoor, and of course the Duke, the Heralds
are unknown to the common folks, but those in power know who they are and what they represent. The Heralds are a
group of, for lack of a better word, "spies" that operate within and outside of the duchy in an effort to protect us
all from any threats. They typically operate in secret although sometimes a Herald will announce his identity if
he is on a more public mission and requires the assistance of a local baron or lord. In a sense, they act
as a Reeve would for a Baron except for the Duke, although some local lords resent their presence as it is the job of
the Baron to represent the Duke.
The Illuminators
Technically the Illuminators are a part of the Reliquis church but bear special mention here. They are the
"watchdogs" of the church, always looking for corruptions among the commoners, nobles, and even the church itself.
Their authority even supersedes the authority of regular church officials on matters which deal with heresy,
influences of the Witch like arcane magic, and fighting the forces of the Grey One. They wear Reliquis robes,
except of black rather than blue, and their skills at questioning and interrogation are well renowned and feared.
The Sages
 |
 |
|
Regents: The skill required to become a Regent is very formidable: in
addition to their own research, they also determine policy for the Sages but leave most day to day
operations to lesser ranking members.
Master Sages: These are the day to day leaders of the organization and often
dedicate themselves to study or their own pursuits, rarely having to serve the Duke (or any other
interests) except in times of dire need or if their expertise in a particular area of study is needed. A
Master Sage must be capable of casting at least one 5th level arcane spell and possessing at least one
level of either Loremaster (from the DMG) or Mage of the Arcane Order (from Tome and Blood)
Prestige Classes.
Journeyman Sages: These are sages recognized as having the magic skills and
responsibility to use them wisely. Journeyman Sages are the primary resource of arcane magic of the Duchy
and generally split their time between services to the Duke as needed, their own resources, and assisting
other Sages. A Journeyman Sage is typically very independent and pursues his or her own interests, often
becoming specialized or well known in a particular field of academic study as well as the magical arts.
He or she must be capable of at least one 3rd level arcane spell to qualify as a Journeyman Sage.
Apprentices are trainees capable of just basic skills but are recognized as
possessing the maturity and strength to be worthy of further training. Most spend several years as an
Apprentice learning not only magic, but a wide array of academic lessons while serving a more senior Sage,
working in a library, or performing research. The training varies from one teacher to the next as there
is no formal "program" but the general philosophy of the Sages is that an Apprentice must show expertise
in more than just magic; otherwise, he or she may be prone to becoming obsessed and consumed by it.
An Apprentice must be capable of at least three different 1st level arcane spells.
Novices are trainees capable of only the most basics of magic. A novice is
tutored by a more senior ranking Sage and acts as an assistant until he or she learns the elementary
lessons of formal magic. Most senior Sages take a certain amount of pride in "running Novices through the
paces" in an effort to discourage those candidates who do not possess the discipline or skill to pursue
the arts. Novices have meager or no magical skills. |
|
The Sages are an organization that is quietly sponsored in part by the Duke of Falconmoor to have access to casters of arcane
magic, despite the strongly negative view of all non-divine magic held by the predominant religion of the duchy; that
is, the Reliquis Church. While arcane magic has always been embraced by the elves of Shal'Theran and even the
dwarves of Hygard support a small wizardly college known as the Athenaeum for the "arcane sciences," formal
organizations of wizards and sorcerers are illegal in Valimar. This negative view of the arcane arts is strong
within Valimar and many other lands through the efforts of the Reliquis church since the downfall of the Empire, which held power through the use of sorcery and wizardry.
The Sages exist in a gray area between pragmatic sponsorship by the Duke and the watchful eye of the church, never
making themselves too prominent or well known to the general populace. Despite the incredible personal power
possessed by these individuals, they are typically publicly subdued so as not to endanger the tenuous position of
their organization. The organization itself has no formal guild halls, meeting places, or buildings that bear its
name, all in an effort to avoid breaking the law against such things. Most of the functions of the Sages take
place in private residences or "literacy societies" which provide, for a fee, access to books and laboratory
equipment.
The Sages operate out of several of the northern duchies and are not just limited to Falconmoor, although it is
rumored that the organization was born from an idea from Duke Finn himself, or more likely an enterprising wizard who
had an idea to both make himself indispensable to the duchy and gain a buffer against the church at the same time.
A vast majority of the Sages live in Falconmoor and a large minority live in Bruinsblood, perhaps choosing these two
duchies as they are on the fringe of Valimar and do not draw as much notice from the church.
While a member may identify him or herself as
a Sage publicly, the general assumption is made that the person is an academic rather than a caster by most commoners,
although more experienced and cosmopolitan people, such as the nobility, senior military officers, and Reliquis
priests of at least moderate standing in the church recognize the label Sage as usually being synonymous with "wizard"
or "sorcerer." In order to practice their arts, the Sages typically purchase Indulgences from the church,
although the wording of the Indulgences typically limits their magic use to those efforts which support the duchy or
the church. Other Sages simply try to avoid notice by the church, as well as the continuous expense of the
Indulgences, and practice their craft in secret. Yet others attempt to pass themselves off merely as scholars,
astrologers, or other academics and steer clear of the Reliquis church.
The church has a very strong official stance against arcane magic and views that it all comes from the Witch
herself. Many Sages who have gotten too cocky or flippant with their skills have provoked the church to act,
usually by calling in the Illuminators to arrest and "question" the offender, a process that has the uncanny effect of
often making the Sage quit practicing his or her art and take up another profession. Even with an Indulgence a
Sage is not immune from arrest if he or she is too obvious with the arcane skills, as the church will certainly look
closely at the wording of the Indulgence for any loophole to catch the caster with.
Common folks don't know the difference in the many types of magic, but they do know that a man or woman wearing the
blue Reliquis robes provides good magic while anyone else is an enemy of the church and should be reported or risk his
or her place in Ascension.
|
