Magis Templaris

"Some say we guard the Magisters and the Magisterium grounds from the occasional lunatics or small militant groups whom might gather the gumption and courage to try something upon the grounds and property of a Collegiate. Whilst this does fall to our hands sometimes, it is more a matter of convience than a matter of duty, as most assuredly Magisters are more than capable of defending themselves and their own. Others suggest we are mere prison guards, and that is an insult for the relationship we hold, and the complexity of our oath. However it is also, in some senses, not entirely incorrect, and this sadly becomes very obvious on the rarest of circumstances with those rare and very few bad apples whom give in to their whispers and begin studying fell arts, or steal artifacts and flat out go on the run as apostates. Then yes our duties do seem to fall into the realm of prison guard and bounty hunter, along with rarely executioner. That last role can even be one of our agreed upon duties in the moments of an apprentice's final testing should something go horrifically and unspeakably awry. Thankfully this is rare, I've been here near forty years and only heard of once it was necessary, and I myself have never needed to do it. So if not these tasks, what is our task? Our task is that of guardian to the Magisters and their apprentices, providing our support, religious, spiritual, and our wisdom and calming guidance and advice to young apprentices seeking a different tone to speak with. Our task is to help nurture and care for them and to protect them. We stand with them side by side, and on those occasions when a Magister must hunt or face things from beyond the Aethyr? Ideally one of us, or our kindred from the churchs the other chapters of at least one of our holy orders will be standing side by side with them. We are their foundation, our divine presence and the bit of power our dieties allow to flow through us an anchor for our magister charges and a dampener for those things in the dark beyond mortal perception. That is our role, that is our charge, that is our holy duty.

Huntmaster Renard Thomas, an speech recorded and spread all about Valerick to the various Magisterium Collegiates upon the founding of the Magis Templaris.

The Magis Templaris is a chapter of volunteers from the nine churches of the Ascended made up of mostly Templars, but also a few priests as well depending on the Collegiate. Their tasks as outlined above are worded flowery, but basically are tied to protecting the Magisters and Apprentices of the Collegiate they are stationed with, from any sort of threat, up to and including their own kind in the most extreme circumstances. It is about as unique and strained a relationship as one might initially imagine of course, but somehow for nearly three centuries, with notable changes and various negotiations and agreements and sub-clauses to various bits of holy law and legislation in various nations about Magisters, it has held firm.

What makes the Magis Templaris unique among their religious brethren that though they do honor the diety of the church they came from, they take a much less forward pushing view of that, and honor the other Ascended in small ways as well. This is part of the overall fabric of this strange unit and group within the Templar orders and the larger umbrella of the Ascended as well. These small groups and this larger network and specific semi militant like specialized unit are generally more polytheistic than people might initially expect of someone whom claims the role and title of 'Templar' of any one of the Ascended. Yet this is a key part of their strength in this role, and helps make individual members more approachable knowing that you do not need to worship the exact same diety as they do to talk to them for guidance, advice, or even about matters of faith. It helps endear trust.