Lorekeepers of Durmahr

The **Lorekeepers of Durmahr** are a group of people who keep occult and unique knowledge of the weave of magic. The Lorekeepers are the only ones to know the practice of rune-binding, where they trace runes written with special inks onto the skin that allows the user to utilise magical effects. These runes act like a shortcut to the user's magical power, much like the arcane incantations or motions that spellcasters would do, but far more efficient and subtle. As such, most Lorekeepers that aren't spellcasters are warriors and assassins, though all are scholarly at least in some capacity.

Once, Lorekeepers were could be found in nearly every political court of every major power, but now they are a dying order keeping obscure knowledge that rivals or even exceeds that of the Krystallan Empire, and they risk becoming just as obscure themselves.

## History

### Name and Founding

The Lorekeepers are an ancient organisation, dating back to even before the Ancient Xelaran Empire, though not even their ancient texts contain their full origin or founding date, though what can be read does mention the founding of the Krystallan Laws of Magic at the formation of their empire. The one thing that contradicts this evidence is that the word *Durmahr* is the Xelaran word for *traveller*. Some Lorekeeper scholars suggest that this word was simply added during the Xelaran age to distinguish themselves from others that might claim to be Lorekeepers. Others propose that the Lorekeepers wondered the forming Xelaran empire, assisting them as they felt needed, causing the name *Durmahr,* who is perhaps the founder of this order, to simply be adopted by the Xelarans and evolved to become synonymous with wonderers. In truth, it is not known what came first, begging the common idiom within the Lorekeepers' ranks: what came first, the Scholar or the Word?

Even the Lorekeepers themselves have no ideas on when or how their organisation was born, or even who their founders were, only that the group predates the Ancient Xelaran Empire, and perhaps even the Krystallan empire. Many orders of the Lorekeepers have little care for their history, only the history and sciences of magic, as is their purpose.

### Ancient Xelaran Empire

There is evidence of several prominent Lorekeepers in Xelaran history, especially during the early days when the capital of the empire, Noramarah, was still under construction. The Lorekeepers that travelled the empire found many willing students of their craft, and was considered the age where the Lorekeepers were at their strongest, and it was by their hands that the Xelaran empire was shaped into the powerful nation that it became, their sorceries rivalling Krystal for centuries before they vanished during the Fall of Xela.

It is believed the Lorekeepers eventually went into hiding as the Lich King Mortaran rose to power, quelling any resistance against him and his armies. Some believe Mortaran was a Lorekeeper, as he was the first to discover the truly terrifying secrets that the school of necromancy had to offer, changing the way necromancy was viewed forever. Many Lorekeepers deny this claim, however, as such a blatant disrespect for life and the natural order is heinous within their ranks. They still document his teachings, however, as is their duty to record and study all facets of magic.

Others also believe that Ahriman the Great and Solomon the Wise were both great Lorekeepers, but given that they directly opposed each other, it is unlikely that both would be Lorekeepers. It appears that many Lorekeepers look up to Ahriman as a source of inspiration, as the pinnacle of what magic can do.

### Rise of the Empire

During the rise of the Empire of Lûeth under the watchful eye of Emperor Arryn I, the Lorekeepers began to expand once more, though more subtly this time. With the Inquisition watching for anything and everything related to magic with a low tolerance towards them, the lorekeepers were careful. Arryn did allow a few to become advisors when the Calibration of 5 IC, with their expertise helping the newly formed empire to survive the carnage. After the calibration had ended, the inquisition decided to turn on the lorekeepers, and supposedly had permission to do so by the Emperor, as he did lot lift a finger to stop them. The lorekeepers suffered few losses, slipping back into obscurity as soon as the inquisitors drew arms against them, and no one truly knew why this happened.

The lorekeepers survived, however, with two orders operating inside the empire. One, a small group of assassins calling themselves the Order of Odis, who had learnt to use their magical knowledge to kill others discreetly, putting their talents to use for the highest bidder. The others were a much larger group known as the Brotherhood of Shadow, who forwent their tradition of only accepting the most able-minded and able-bodied, to recruiting and indoctrinating anyone, and obtaining the best through rigorous training rituals.

The newest ruler of the Empire of Lûeth, Eliana Arryn I, grew up as a lorekeeper, and she spent a great deal of time with the Order of Odis until her and Rena Lucaryn kill the elder just before the Second Imperial Civil War began.

## Orders

### Order of Odis

The Order of Odis, based in Saltheim, is one of the smaller of the lorekeeper orders, but no less powerful. Each of its members are incredibly potent weapons, each capable of slaughtering almost any foe they come across, with their mastery of the runes so great that they can even incorporate chronurgy magic into their tattoos, something no other order has managed to succeed in. Empress Eliana Arryn and Alyssa Sylvana were notable members of this order.

### Brotherhood of Shadow

Not well liked by the other orders due to their large recruitment operations and close adherence to Mortaran's necromantic scriptures, the Brotherhood of Shadow are actually three orders that have allied themselves into one conglomerate. Additionally, the three liches that serve as the heads of each order that makes up the brotherhood are so old and experienced that the other orders have decided that removing them is more hassle than it's worth. Besides, to the knowledge of the other orders, the brotherhood have not done anything heinous in their eyes. Yet. Kellgun was a notable member of the brotherhood of shadow.

### Credo de la Omega

The Creed of the Omega is a Shurkarran lorekeeper order, and is considered the most powerful of the lorekeeper orders throughout the world. They have hands in a lot of Shurkarran politics, being able to manipulate the royal family into giving up their darkest secrets without them even realising. They specialise in weaving their runes of enchantment into their person, allowing themselves to blag themselves almost unnoticed into any venue, no matter how private it may be. Empress Eliana Arryn was trained here from a young age.

### The Order of Brimstone

The Order of Brimstone is a Khalûrilli lorekeeper order, and one that is well respected, for its members are among the most powerful evocation wizards that the lorekeepers have under their belt.