The Abidement

The Abidement is a religious organization bent upon collecting every bide stone in existence. They believe that the bide stones hold immense potential for destruction. The Abidement maintains control over several of these stones and believe that only the faithful, or Bidden, should have access to the power within the stones. They pursue knowledge and understanding of the energies locked within them and educate the public about the dangers of these powers. It is their belief that sentient beings remain dormant in these stones until they are awakened. Those known as the Elderage, or the Eldara of old, reside within waiting for an opportunity to lend their arcane knowledge to those that can wield it. The stones dot the landscape of Prominence. Some are as large as mountains, others can fit within the palm of a hand. The larger the stone, the more difficult it is to awaken the Elderage winthin it. Those that have the ability to communicate with the largest of these stones generally arrive at some seat of power within the thousand kingdoms, either as advisors, dignitaries, or rulers. No stones are larger in size than those discovered in Bheid. Heralded as The Five Stones, these bide stones hold collectively the most power in all of Prominence. The Abidement divides the stones into three categories. The Great Stones These stones are the largest, some reaching the size of small mountains. They are often rounded with age and located solely on the continent of Bheid. The Lesser Stones These stones come in a variety of shapes and are often adorned with varying degrees of ornamentation by the locals that use them. Lesser stones can often be found in clumps, clawing out of the earth, when found away from civilization. Nearer towns and villages, the stones were often broken apart and moved into useful positions for communing with stars in the night sky. Still more lesser stones were mined by the now extinct giants to make whisper stones. The Whisper Stones The smallest variety of bide stone, these often fit in the palm of a user's hand. They have the faintest connection with the Elderage, the entities trapped within them often the faintest whisper of the much larger Elderage they represent. They are considered a passing curiosity to the unsuspecting eye, not yielding much in the way of power to the user. Nevertheless, some are capable of the smallest feats of magic. All are prized possessions, safeguarded by those that hold ownership over them. Stonedream Temple, Parasthanna Between the continents of Sananrein and Elaza, the city of Parasthanna rests within the quiet valley of the great mountain range known as Thel's Teeth. Stonedream Temple can be found inside of the city's center. Constructed of twisted iron and blackened glass, Stonedream acts as the seat of power for the entire religious organization.