The Order Apothic

## History & Practices

The Order Apothic was founded in 903 in the remote village of Af’del in southern Motageem. The Order initially served as the apothecary for the town and the surrounding region and was at the forefront of medical discovery. Members of the Order specialized in medicinal herbs and experimental cures for natural ailments. Because of this, high-ranking members came to be known as Xhalar - or “Gardeners”.

As time went on and the world changed, the Order changed with it. A long and brutal war shifted the focus of the Xhalar. Yes, people still needed healing, but the Xhalar realized that their cures were only salves, balms that healed wounds but were powerless to prevent them. In order to actually improve the lives of the people it protected, the Order would need to find a more permanent solution, a preemptive course of action. It was clear to them that the war was inherently caused by the chaotic nature of its leaders. It then followed that if order was imposed, if those chaotic people had checks on their power, another terrible war would be averted. However, the people that were empowered to impose those checks would have to be very wise and very trustworthy. Only the highest ranking members of the Order would be permitted to interfere.

And so, the Order evolved. The medicinal herbs in the gardens were replaced with other types of plants, ones that were used to expand the minds of those that used them. They also utilized the beer that they had begun to brew. The use of such materials was encouraged to promote introspection, which would then propagate wisdom. After all, one cannot know others truly until one knows oneself, and only those that attained this wisdom and control over their own minds would be trusted with the power to enact change.

Once the mind was ordered, the body must then follow. Those that rose to the rank of Xhalar underwent rigorous - and sometimes highly dangerous - training. Different substances were used to enhance the body, and members of the Order found that through this method they gained abilities beyond what was natural to them. They swore to use these abilities to protect the innocent and impose a peaceful order.

## Ranks

Those who became Xhalar were tasked with restoring order. The Order believes that its place is to only intervene in dire situations. The form of this intervention varies depending on the severity of the situation. Sometimes, it only calls for council or mediation between those in conflict. Other times, however, the situation calls for more permanent measures, and the Gardeners would pluck the weeds that choked the plant.

Most members of the Order are not Xhalar. The total membership is around 250, but there are only up to 12 Xhalar at a given time. The Xhalar make up an executive council that is tasked with executing orders throughout the world. They also have the final say in any changes to the policies or practices of the Order as a whole.

The next rank down from Xhalar is the Ax’alar - the Inquisitors. The Ax’alar are members that have undergone the same mental training of the Xhalar but not the physical. They specialize in research, investigation, and strategic planning. The Ax’alar are the people that propose missions for the Xhalar to fulfill, and so they still have a great deal of power in the Order. There are about 40 Ax’alar at any given time, though there is no limit on the number there can be.

The last rank of the Order is the Navar - the Acolytes. The Navar is comprised of every member of the order that has not completed the necessary mental training to become an Ax’alar, and they are the majority of the Order. The duties of the Navar include assisting the Ax’alar with their research, maintaining the monastery, providing medical care, running the kitchens, coordinating public works projects, etc. Most members are in the Order for decades without rising through the ranks, and most prefer it that way. Only those that are truly dedicated to the tenets of the Order attempt to go through training.

There is no uniform for the different ranks, but they can easily be told apart by the number of tattoos the member has. Each Navar selects a symbol to have tattooed on themselves during an intiation ceremony. Most select symbols or patterns relating to nature to pay respect to the origins of the Order and to symbolize the personal growth they will experience in its ranks. Those that elect to undergo training to become an Ax'alar gain another ceremonial tattoo, and for every test they pass they gain another. Most Ax'alar have more than 20 tattoos, and the Xhalar have more than double that.

Given the Order’s emphasis on self-discovery and open-mindedness, it has a tendency to attract lost or discarded people. The Order has never turned anyone away from its ranks, though it has kicked a fair number out due to lack of respect for the tenants. Even those that do not wish to join the order can find a home in Af’del. The town has built itself around the monastery over the centuries and expanded into a permanent refugee settlement. People from all over the continent can come to the city when they have nowhere else to go. It is the Order’s duty to protect and care for these people without discrimination.

## Tenets

1. The world is chaotic by nature, as are people.
2. Order is the only weapon against the cruelty of a chaotic world.
3. To impose order in the world, one must know its people. To know people, one must first know oneself.
4. Only through knowing oneself can one successfully impose order.