The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Artifacts and Hidden Treasures.
The society is an organization that is made up of treasure seekers, tomb raiders, Explorers, and all other manner of folk who seek to find that which is hidden. They seek out knowledge and artifacts that one was lost to the world and return it to civilization. The members pride themselves on the search and recovery, rather than the use the item are put to afterward, except for one instance. If a Patron is known to use the item for overtly nefarious means, the society will not treat with them.
Structure
The Society has several levels of involvement.
- Society Agent - These are people who work for the society but are not members. They usually look for rumor or storiesw they think the Society would be interested in and relay the information, but have no interest in adventuring themselves. They can also be people who have resources that the society membrs can on if needed.
- Society Members - This group makes up the largest portion of the society. They are the adventurers that go out into the word and explore, discover and recover. There is no hierarchy among this group, thought it is customary to defer to the member with the longest tenure, when there are disagreements. Also most groups of society members will choose one of their group to act as leader, and make decision when the groups has divided interests.
- Senior Member - This group are past members who have attained great prestige and experience. They are selected by the current Chapterhouse Senior members who feel they have learned enough and contributed enough to the society to have a hand in making decision. Like members, there is no hierarchy though generally those with the most tenure are given the most respect. Members of this level may either still be adventuring themselves, or sponsoring new members' expeditions.
- Chapter Head - The senior members get together every three years and elect a Chapter Head. This leader is chosen amongst the senior member who no longer adventure, and is in charge of running the chapter house, and making decisions when the senior membership is conflicted.
- Scholars - While not true members of the society, each Chapterhouse usually has several scholars they work with. These scholar are experts in certain fields, and often sponsor expeditions that can contribute to their knowledge, or but discovered items that member may obtains form their expedition. They are often consulted before an expedition by new members for sponsorship. The Scholar will contribute to the expedition's expenses and the members will in turn looks for knowledge or items that the Scholar is interested in that would likely be found during the expedition.
Culture
There are two trains of thought in the society regarding the knowledge and artifacts they recover. The first is that what they find should available to all to examine and study. That they should be displayed in a museum, or the chapterhouse, or used in further research.
The second is that it is the journey of the expedition and the thrill of the find that is important, and not so much what happens after. Whether an artifact is put on display, or sold to a private collector is not of consequence to them.
The society mostly leans toward the latter though there are exception. Knowledge or items that could be dangerous to a number of people are often stored in chapter houses, or given to those who can protect them from causing harm.
Whether the member subscribes to either of these schools of thought, the society encourages scholarly research, and a sharing of knowledge.
The second is that it is the journey of the expedition and the thrill of the find that is important, and not so much what happens after. Whether an artifact is put on display, or sold to a private collector is not of consequence to them.
The society mostly leans toward the latter though there are exception. Knowledge or items that could be dangerous to a number of people are often stored in chapter houses, or given to those who can protect them from causing harm.
Whether the member subscribes to either of these schools of thought, the society encourages scholarly research, and a sharing of knowledge.
Public Agenda
The society understand that the world is old and there are many places in the world in which lies knowledge and treasures of the past. It's goal is to go where these secrets lie an unearth them and prevent them from being lost forever.
Assets
The individual chapter houses of the society are quite wealthy as the treasure they recover ore often valuable. Their services as historical experts are also in demand offering a secondary source of income. A third revenue stream is that of retired members. Most society members are adventurers and those that survive often become extremely wealthy, and are more then willing to give back to the group that supported them.
History
History: The society is an offshoot of an old mage guild that collected magical items. During the course of their adventures, the group often found mundane items that were once lost and held a historical significance. Several of the members would collect these items and store them, sometimes selling them to collectors. Compared to the market for enchanted items though, the profit was small and eventually the practice died out with the dissolvement of the Mage guild. The items had been stored in several warehouses across Nor.
Many years later, while looking for clues to the Catarak Crystal Johnas James came across one of the warehouses. He, being a scholar of history was amazed at the artifacts that had been collected. When Johnas started to catalog them, he found that they were worth a fortune on the collectors market, and he also came across the most prized of possessions, one of the guildmember's journals. Reading through it he discovered the purposed of the old guild, and came up with the idea of creating a new one. One that would be more interested in the historical aspect of the collection. He founded the Society.
He ran the society for several years however he became obsessed with his own search for the crystal, which had a history of leading searchers to their doom. The other members tried to steer him away from this quest, but the curse of the Crystal had gripped him tightly. He was using all of the society's resources to find the crystal, and wasting untold gold on the search. The other members finally had enough, and removed him from the very organization he founded.
From there the group also changed a bit, focusing more on the members rather than the collection. They became a place where explorers, treasure hunters and fame seekers could gather and exchange stories and ideas. They also grew into a respectable business, selling some of their wares to build a storehouse of goods that adventurer's could buy supplies at a discounted price. They also became a place where wealthy patrons could sponsor expeditions. In time they grew to have a chapter house in almost every major trade center on Nor.
Many years later, while looking for clues to the Catarak Crystal Johnas James came across one of the warehouses. He, being a scholar of history was amazed at the artifacts that had been collected. When Johnas started to catalog them, he found that they were worth a fortune on the collectors market, and he also came across the most prized of possessions, one of the guildmember's journals. Reading through it he discovered the purposed of the old guild, and came up with the idea of creating a new one. One that would be more interested in the historical aspect of the collection. He founded the Society.
He ran the society for several years however he became obsessed with his own search for the crystal, which had a history of leading searchers to their doom. The other members tried to steer him away from this quest, but the curse of the Crystal had gripped him tightly. He was using all of the society's resources to find the crystal, and wasting untold gold on the search. The other members finally had enough, and removed him from the very organization he founded.
From there the group also changed a bit, focusing more on the members rather than the collection. They became a place where explorers, treasure hunters and fame seekers could gather and exchange stories and ideas. They also grew into a respectable business, selling some of their wares to build a storehouse of goods that adventurer's could buy supplies at a discounted price. They also became a place where wealthy patrons could sponsor expeditions. In time they grew to have a chapter house in almost every major trade center on Nor.
To find that which is lost, to reveal that which is hidden, to rescue that which has fallen into obscurity.
Founding Date
576
Alternative Names
The Society
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
The World of Nor
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