College of Keepers

The College of Keepers is the premier institute of learning in Gallia, and one of the greatest depositories of knowledge in Altea, and perhaps the world. The College began as a circle of scholars that met at the high fane of Issio in Sacris. Emperor Tirias the Scholar (r. 184-199 IR), patronized the Issian fane, which became a permanent school. The College was tasked with gathering and cataloguing the Azlanic lore that the Gallians had inherited from their former masters. A great vault beneath the College was set aside for the storage of artefacts, and an ever-growing library was built to contain the College's hoard of texts. Though originally associated solely with the cult of Issio, the College later sought the patronage of Jau and Ystarte, whom together with Issio formed a triune of scholastic deities that blessed the pursuit of knowledge. The Keepers all learn meditative techniques that allow them to enter the Mindstream, where they might search for knowledge and store it. These techniques mean Keepers can drawn on an incredible array of knowledge, though each Keeper specializes in one particular scholarly area, be it geography, ethnology, theology, mathematics and so on. The College lies near the Brass Tower as well as the Bent Tower, which has led to all manner of speculation about the doings of the Keepers. From 759 to 1196, the Keepers in fact governed Gallia through the Arch-Lectorship of the order. This was the so-called Reign of Scholars. The period ended spectacularly with Arch-Lector Typhon, who, to end the Praesian Revolt, attempted to recreate the Tower Spell. Instead, he was consumed by the Beast and became its second head, ending the First Age. This naturally discouraged the Keepers from further intervening in imperial affairs, and ever after the order has attempted to remain out of politics, though emperors over the ages have availed themselves of the artefacts kept in the College vault.
Category:Organizations