Sages of the Crystal Tower Content . By Nularan , Mages Guild Scribe Some call them wise and learned . Others consider them to be the finest magical minds in the Summerset Isles ( though many of my brethren would contest that statement ) . They are the Sapiarchs , the sages of the Crystal Tower and the instructors of the heirs to the royal throne of Summerset . A few of the greatest mages of the age can be counted among their numbers , but in general they are scholars of magic al and esoteric knowledge , each devoted to a specific and singular topic of study . The Sapiarchs serve as the keepers of the Crystal Tower , also called the Lawful Crystal and the Crystal - Like - Law . The tower is so named not because it is constructed of crystal , but because it houses Transparent Law , a magical crystal that rests at the top of the tower . A handful of sages live within the tower , tending to its needs and guarding its secrets , while others come and go as their studies dictate . Of course , getting into the tower isn ' t as simple as walking up and opening the door . The way is hidden and guarded by powerful wards , and the only method for gaining entrance requires the assistance of the Tower Sentinels . This pair of specially attuned Sapiarchs each bear an object needed to access the tower — one of the two Resolute Diamond s . When properly attuned and used simultaneously by both the Tower Sentinels , the azure diamonds open the path into the Crystal Tower . Only two such Sentinels are ever activated , for each must undergo a long and extensive ritual to link them to the diamonds they bear . Sentinels keep their charge for eleven years before a new pair take up guardianship of the diamonds . The rest of the sagely order is organized into the College of Sapiarchs , with each member dedicated to and responsible for a specific field of magical or esoteric scholarship . Larnatille of Lillandril , Sapiarch of Arcanology , leads the college , which consists of two - hundred - and - twenty - three distinct disciples assigned to a Sapiarch and his or her assistant . Spread throughout Summerset , the Sapiarchs work individually or in small groups on independent studies or to research specific topics for the college as a whole . Some research can be conducted at the Crystal Tower or at the College of Sapiarchs in Lillandril , but otherwise the sages travel the lands as necessary or lock themselves in their own libraries to ponder the complexities of the world ' s greatest mysteries . As the interpreters of the Scrolls of Praxis , the precedents by which the rulers of the Summerset Isles govern their domain , the Sapiarchs play a vital role in the maintenance of the Ceremoniarchy . Indeed , the Scrolls of Praxis are said to have foretold that Princess Ayrenn would reflect the restless and turbulent times she was born into and would eventually rule over . When the time is right , heirs to the throne come to the Sapiarchs to study Altmeri Regal Praxis and for a requisite 3 , 555 days prior to receiving the crown . Afterward , the College of Sapiarchs serves as a powerful resource for the new ruler , offering advice and counsel when called upon . For all their professed learning and scholarly pursuits , the Sapiarchs seem overly interested in signs and portents . They attribute deep and significant meaning to the movements of the constellations , the positions of the moons , the disposition of animals , and even the swirls of foam atop a bowl of century soup . This tug of war between intellectualism and superstition may seem like a contradiction to you and me , but the Sapiarchs see them as two sides of the same coin . And , as with a coin , you need both sides to pay the cost of admission , or so the Sapiarchs say . Some of the leading Sapiarch fields of study include Oblivion Studies , Indoctrination , Altmeri Heritage , Enchant ment , Mythohistory , Daedric Fallacies , Selenology , and Divine Orthodoxy . To indicate their office and field of study , each carries a title such as Sapiarch of Altmeri Arts of Assistant Sapiarch of Naval Excogitation . A Sapiarch holds the title for life or until he or she petitions to change their area of scholarship . The Tower Sentinels , however , carry out their responsibilities regarding the Resolute Diamonds for a period of eleven years before passing the tower keys to the next Sapiarchs in line and returning to concentrate on their particular fields of study .