The Violet Eye

In dusty libraries, arcane sanctums, grand halls, and quiet school rooms, mages of the Violet Eye toil away the hours researching the arcane, practicing magic, or teaching in grand halls of the lords of the land.

Founding

The Violet Eye was established nearly three hundred and fifty years ago after the collapse of the Zentherian Dynasty. Strife and competition between mage lords and their families during the Reformation Wars threatened to boil over into outright war. The impact of their fighting was felt most keenly in what would become Kingdom of Tiriande, and added to their skepticism of magic wielders. The house leaders of this conflict nearly destroyed one another in what was called the Eve of Crimson Midnight, an arcane battle within the former capital of Encanis that leveled two full wards of the city, killing hundreds of civilians. At the peak of the violence, a parlay was called, and the mage lords decided to put aside their differences and avoid mutually assured destruction, instead joining as a unified conclave. After the establishment of the Ondari Dominion, the mages were brought before the Emperor for judgment of their crimes, they offered an accord to instead officially instate the conclave and submit entirely to king’s rule.

Influence begets Power

In the centuries since, the Violet Eye has subtly ingrained itself within many facets of the empire’s government, becoming a force of political and military power that many say could rival the High Steward and the Church. This reality is not lost on the High Lord of Ondar, and tensions often simmer between the Eye, the Crown and the Church. The mages of the Violet Eye have spread their influence by becoming a valuable asset to the Dominion itself by assisting in war, education, construction, and research. High ranking mages of the Violet Eye are known for their extravagant lifestyles, shear magical power, and the open secret of meddling in political and economic control.
Mages of the Eye are relatively few in number, and wander throughout most human dominated lands with little fear of argument or resistance, save that of Tiriande which distrusts them outright. But many chaff at their rise to power and influence, organizations such as The Harpers, or the Askari Watchers, who believe in openness find themselves distrustful of the Eye and its often less than transparent nature.
The Eye plays the long game, working to subtly increase its power across the empire and beyond. Some say they arrogantly seeks to write history to favor its members as the architects of modern law and culture, and that only they have the knowledge and talents to truly guide the Dominion into greatness. Aside from political matters, the Violet Eye is focused on locating and excavating powerful relics and magic lost to the Ages gone past. Its members believe that High Elven culture was the apex of society across all history, and they seek to emulate the once high magical realms as paragons of mortal rule. Thus, all salvaged texts and artifacts of power from that era are to be recovered at all costs.