Watchers Council

*„For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counselors [there is] safety.”*

The Watcher Council is an organization dedicated to fighting the Evil threatening the existence of Zyreema and all people living on it. Overseen by a Council made up of 43 carefully chosen individuals and consisting of their countless subordinates it operates outside of the reach of the Church of The Light and battle Evil by any means necessary.

Having many influential people in their ranks including politicians, noblemen, or powerful Wizards, the Watcher Council is, while not an official Church sanctioned organization, and keeping a vast majority of their actions secret, they are known as a force for Good and (although at time grudgingly) respected by anyone who has been involved in the fight against Evil sufficiently long enough.

## Methods of the Watchers

The Watchers Council sees all methods as a valid tool as long as it helps them to fight the Dark Gods and their minions, regardless of the moral implications of using it.

### The Silver Eagles

The Band of the Silver Eagle is one of, if not **the**, most renowned and known union of Adventurers on Zyreema, ready to fight at a moments notice be it for Good or for coin. What is less well known is that the very founding and a good portion of the funding behind the Eagles is, in reality, the will of the Watcher Council.

They allow the organization free reign to do its Good work under the system they originally set up but place bounties and quests strategically to encourage bands of free adventurers to go where they are needed. Sometimes agents of the Council even approach specific groups that they deem particularly suited for a certain quest. On rare occasions, a Watcher will accompany the adventurers on their quest.

### Hero training

The Council is at any time looking out for people with the potential to become Heroes or people who only recently received their Hero Mark from The Light. The Council takes those people in and offers them support, training, and equipment in ways neither the Church of The Light nor the Silver Eagles would. At times they also send Hero’s to places they suspect evil might shortly manifest, by it by direct request or by delivering the information to them via intermediate agents. Otherwise, they use more indirect means like posting a high bounty with the Silver Eagles just as people they know will take them enter the area.

Because of their more direct connection to The Light, Heroes might never actually become Watchers or be aware of the wider scope of the methods the Council employs in their fight against the Dark. The Light and its followers do not approve of the means that the Council makes use of (some outright opposing them while others tacitly let them do their work) and so the Watchers Council takes care to let the Heroes in its service only know the "Good side" of their work.

### Magical Studies and Prophecies

While being a magical practitioner is not required to join the Council, the Watchers are fully aware what a powerful tool Magic is in the fight against evil and counts some of the most powerful practitioners of the world in its ranks. As such the study of magic and research is always an ongoing process inside the Council's facilities. But instead of wasting time and effort in pointless rivalries with Wicklow or the behemoth that is Ein Sof, the Council will often either sponsor chosen projects in these facilities or propose collaborative projects (using several steps of intermediates to avoid the direct gaze of the Church).

The Council also employs a Covenant of powerful Wizards and prophets specializing in divination, trying to detect potential threats to Zyreema or spot people destined to become Heroes so they can train them to their full potential. Many members of this Covenant are also enlisted as members of the Third Branch of the Silver Eagles and manipulate the flow of information in the organization.

### Artifact collection

The Watcher Council seeks out magical artifacts of all kinds as long as that can prove valuable in fighting Dark Gods and their minions. They are also on the lookout for Dark Artifacts, to seal and contain them, and if possible turn them on their creators.

### Research of the Dark Arts

Being aware that Dark Magics are usually more battle oriented, the Council invests a fair amount of time into the research of Dark Arts in order study its secrets and find ways to use it against Evil. As such, they are a strong presence in Wicklow and use their political power and wealth to further the ongoing research and even protect the institute from the Churches zealous overreach at times.

### Demon Binding

Since human soldiers are a finite resource, and Heroes and Saints are often few and far between, the Council has long since learned to summon and bind Demons when necessary to fight an evil that is out of control.

### Intelligence Network

The Council employs a series of spies and diplomats throughout the world gathering information on Dungeon Keeper activities, at times infiltrating Dungeons if possible, or simply working on widening and building the Councils power and influence through Zyreema. Their agents can be subtle and discrete as well as cold-blooded and cruel if necessary.

## The Battle against Evil within the Council

The Watchers Council is well aware of the fine line it is walking in its shadowy war against evil. As such they are always on the lookout for corruption within their ranks and have placed several check and balances in place.

### Structure

While it is possible and usual for a single Watcher to be assigned to a specific case or situation (be it the trainer of a Hero, handler of a spy, or overseeing a specific deployment of Silver Eagle adventurers) all more vital decisions are made by the **Council of Watchers**.

This organisational structures usually take the form of smaller Councils responsible and familiar with the needs of a specific territory up to the true Watcher Council consisting of **43 members** deciding the moves and actions of the Council as a whole.

### Oath of Office

Every Watcher takes the Oath of Office. The Oath is a powerful magical geas constantly running in the subconscious of a Watcher overseeing his thoughts and activities, ensuring that the Watcher acts in the Councils best interest and the fight against the Dark Gods.

#### The secret behind the Oath

The Oaths source of power and magical matrix keeping up the geas inside every Watchers mind is one of the most guarded secrets of the Council. In its founding days, the Council summoned and bound the Fallen Angel Raziel, a former lieutenant of the Archangel of Spirituality. The fallen one used his powers to control the minds of people in mockery of his former commander and all that his Choir stood for until the Council put an end to his atrocities.

Once summoned and bound the first Watchers lobotomized the Angel, stripping it from its personality, conscious thought and its free will. Using what was left of the Angel's mind and power as the basis for their Oath of Office and the magical matrix of the geas ensuring the loyalty of every Watcher to come.

The exact location of the magically sealed body of Raziel is the most closely guarded secret within the Watchers Council.

### The Senior Auditors

The Senior Auditors are the first and wider known inspectorial branch of the Watcher Council. Chosen amongst proven and tested Watchers Senior Auditors make routine investigations on every major operation of the Council. Vested in them is the power to invoke the geas binding Watchers, putting them under control of the Auditors Council. Which makes knowingly fooling a very dangerous endeavour and one that the traitor would pay for with their sanity.

### The Black Assizes

The Black Assizes are the judicial and punitive branch of the Council. If the Senior Auditors are aware of any wrong doing of Watchers they are being presented in front of the Black Assizes who can divulge punishment, bind the will of sworn Watcher and dissect their minds to get to the truth of the happenstances that summoned their attention. They are being spoken of in frightened and hushed voices between the Watchers.