Reliquary

"Angiet us Afol, Beton ut Well" - The Reliquary's motto, roughly translated to: Knowledge is power, protect it Well.

Still colloquially known to the populace as the "Illuminators" for inventing the ever burning torches found within Aldhon, the Reliquary began as a small group of mages that wanted to understand the nature of magic while bettering the lives of those around them. For their service to Aldhon a decade prior, the Queen gave them funds and an official charter to make their permanent home in the Hearth City and conduct research on the crown's behalf. In recent years the Reliquary has thrived under the direction of Jurali Emberstoke, a renowned fire mage from Frarhir . She has divided the organization into three parts, The Evokaria, The Magrilar, and The Mysticanum. Each sect is given a specific duty, and new members to the order are expected to spend a year in each sect before dedicating themselves to one. Each sect of the institution has anywhere from 5 to 15 current active members.

Members of the Evokaria are sent out into the larger world primarily to search for individuals of extraordinary magical potential and bring them back to the Reliquary for training. Their lesser charges include bringing cursed or powerful items back to the Reliquary for safe keeping and Mysticanum study. Since they are at large in the world it is not uncommon for them to defend settlements from grievous threats. Members of the Evokaria will also accompany Cartographers on their expeditions in order to protect them as well as search for new magical anomalies.

The Magrilar are the instructors of the Reliquary. They are in charge of training new mages and determining the source of their magic. Many bards have started their training in the reliquary only to be sent to the Diond Stage and Academy to finish their studies. Many of the students brought there have enough magical talent to be a danger to themselves and others, so after they are taught how to control the magic they are allowed to leave. If they decide to stay they are taught some of the deeper secrets of magic, as well as the purpose of the Reliquary. There are about 15 to 30 students at any given time.

The Mysticanum are the researchers, secret keepers, and curse breakers of the institution. They sequester themselves deep in the bowels of their bastion in Aldhon, largely to keep the dangerous things they study as far away from the city as possible. The members of this sect perform magical experiments to see where the limits of magic lie, as well as try to discern its nature. They are also known to work with members of the clergy to break curses on magical items. If there is a curse they cannot break they seal the item away in a vault below the Reliquary grounds. They are also known to hold items that they deem to be too dangerous to be loose in the world.

Goals

The Reliquary concerns itself primarily with deepening the understanding of magic throughout Elturia. They seek to understand magical anomalies. This will sometimes put them into conflict with the Arc-Breakers that believe all magical anomolies should be sealed immediately. Their secondary goal is to train all in the land with a modicum of arcane talent, if only just enough so that they do not become a danger to themselves or those around them. They are loosely tied to the crown since the Queen funds their research. This makes some members of the group uncomfortable knowing that they are in debt to the crown. Much of the Reliquary agrees that they must find a way to become autonomous from the Queen, though they do not wish to offend her.

People of Interest

Jurali Emberstoke, High Reliquist

neutral good, female khrotti

A fierce woman by nature, Jurali took up the mantle of High Reliquist after the passing of Nuranal Higans. She has completely reformed how the Reliquary operates, causing the institution to gain a large degree of influence in recent years. Jurali spends most of her time on her own experiments, as well spending time in the royal court to inform Queen Elturandis of the Reliquary's endeavors. She hails from Frarhir, and decided to make her way to the Hearth City after learning of Nuranal Higans. She made it her life's goal to study with him, and became his favored apprentice upon her arrival. She has a sharp mind, and is known for her eidedic memory. She believes in what her organization can do, and is currently looking for new ways to bring the Reliquary to new heights.

Blaron Keen, Keeper of the Mysticanum

neutral, non-binary dwarf

A private person by nature, Blaron is a talented wizard with a prying eye for secrets that makes them the ideal Keeper of the Mysticanum. They spend most of their time in the underbelly of the Reliquary working on some project or another. They are a quiet individual, though often prone to tangents and stopping in the middle of a sentence to ponder a new thought. Upon hearing of a new item or cursed location, Blaron is known to take a small group of mages and guards to investigate the anomanly for themselves even though that work is normally left for the Evokaria. Recently Blaron has returned with a strange stone tablet with rune scrawl. They have not left their study in some weeks studying the strange tablet.

Slkian Torn, Keeper of the Evokaria

chaotic good, male air genasi

A wistful and adventurous soul, as well as a powerful sorcerer, Slkian serves as Keeper of the Evokaria. To Jurali's chagrin, Slkian spends most of his time away from Aldhon believing that the best he can do for his sect is to lead by example. He travels throughout the realm of Elturia searching for hedge mages and other items of interest and sends other members of his group back to Aldhon with them, in order for him to stay away longer. He percieves a small rivalry with Blaron, since he believes that they are treading slightly on the mandates of the Evokaria, but he does not act on it as long as it does not bring harm. Slkian has started to train a group of mages that specialize in battle, believing that his group should be better prepared to defend the kingdom against magical threat, as well as answer the Queen's call for aid should she need them against the uprising of Naerfi Skjoll. He knows Jurali wishes to maintain a stance of neutrality in war, so he continues to train them in secret.

Grondir Slicktrike, Keeper of the Magrilar

lawful neutral, male khrotti
Balancing his mate Jurali, Grondir is a calm man by nature with immense patience. Grondir makes certain to meet every student that comes into the Reliquary halls, to make them feel welcome as well as get a sense of their potential. He has a keen sense for power, and pushes the students through a grueling curriculum of study and practical exercises. He teaches his students that the world is harsh, and they must be smart enough to survive all without harming those around them. His students have mixed feelings towards him, fearing him for his power, disdainful of his stern teaching, but greatful for his (and the Reliquary's) knowledge. Few students have learned of his deep love of riddles, and some try to distract him with particularly challenging ones, though it rarely works.

Angiet us Afol, Beton ut Well

Founding Date

128 A.F.

Type

Guild, Mages

Alternative Names

The Illuminators

Manufactured Items

• Lijós, Fires of the Hearth City

Related Plots

• The Staff of Bones