Azure Acolytes

## The Azure Acolytes of the Seventh Revolution

The Azure Acolytes are a recently formed order of secular magic users and scholars(apparently), in seeming response to the wave of new abilities being unlocked across Etera, allowing the individuals known as the Radiantly Sparked to unleash new magnitudes of power upon the material plane. They do not profess any agenda, nor do they seem to have any true purpose beyond their immediate actions in the present, and appear to be extremely de-centralized.

They appear to devote themselves not to any gods, mythic beings, or concrete entities, but rather share a near-fanatical reverence for the arcane Weave, and the subject of Magic in totale. In terms of the physical plane, they have a distinct lack of substantial holdings beyond their Azure Chantries, indicating that their main spheres of influence or positions of strength may be extraplanar rather than based within the Material Plane, or Etera, for that matter.

### Relations

#### Other Factions, Nations, and Churches

Almost universally, they appear to have made no overtures, diplomatic or violent, towards most of the other factions, power brokers, nations and churches of Etera. Shunning for the most part other factions, they appear wholly fixated upon their duties and own secretive goals. However, there have been an unusual number of sightings of the Azure Acolytes within the Holy Kingdom of Sarent and Mirrandrar both, in which they appear to act in no capacity but as mere visiting individuals, obliging all the requisite tolls and paperwork for short visits that normally last barely a day, or in extreme cases a few hours, before leaving once more.

#### Civilians And Commoners

It is towards the common men and women of Etera that the Azure Acolytes appear to focus the bulk of their attention upon, acting as healers, protectors, and teachers of their unusual philosophy. They seem to avoid the larger cities or those settlements and regions which have been graced with the presence of Spark-holders....Although, perhaps in counterpoint, there always appears to be at least one Acolyte in such areas, although they become completely reclusive in such surroundings, interacting as infrequently as possible and only reacting if their lives are in direct and immediate danger.

#### Fellow Magical Orders

In relation to the other esoterical orders and secret societies, they appear to have the most diplomatic activity, normally befriending and forming close ties with certain orders they deem to be aligned sufficiently to their own principles, usually trading favors if they are required to draw upon such manpower, supplemented by whatever arcane secrets may be derived from the depths of their Azure Chantries.

### Organizational Structures and Hierarchies

Surprisingly, for an organization of their relative youth, they already have in place an established intenal structure and chain of command, which suggests to some that this may have been an order who has been long in the making, simply choosing this moment in time to emerge from anonymity. They appear to have three tiers of hierarchy, with from Magister, to Journeymen, to Adeptas. Their slightly more militant counterparts also assume a similar tiered system with the inclusion of Knight or a similar phrase, depending upon their branch and origin. Other than their own organizational structure, they do not appear to have any similarities in race, background, or circumstances, with a variety of species of varying origins and birth included in their membrship.

#### Adeptas

While Adeptas is technically the lowest designation, there is a secondary, informal and unofficial title for those who are completely new inductees into the order, that of Pupils. Adeptas is, by many inside the Azure Acolytes, considered to be the first rung in which one is practiced enough in the arcane to begin deeper learnings and enlightenment. Although they are not expressly prohibited from independent solitary expeditions, they normally follow a Journeyman when outside the Chantries or Wayhouses.

#### Journeymen

Journeymen are considered to be sufficiently learned and enlightened in both the practices of magic, and their own unique philosophy, to be allowed to do as they wish within the wider world, with most mundane affairs at their discretion. They are normally permitted to wander for a few months stretching onto a year if necessary, before then being obliged to settle either inside one of the Azure Chantries, or, if they prefer, to construct a Wayhouse.

#### Magisters

This last rank is one of unusual and ambiguous attainment, as it appears to encompass both sufficiently distinguished mundane scholars, and Journeymen outside the Chantry alike. A Magister is generally considered to be at such a point where the order is no longer able to support their further enlightenment, and therefore, obliging them to each individually seek their own advancement in the path of magic.

### Sapphire Wardens

The Wardens are the militant arm of the Azure Acolytes, as far as anyone can tell, and while they are undeniably loyal and as much a part of the order as any Acolyte, they normally prefer to have their own specialized training grounds within the Azure Chantries, as well as their own rites of induction and traditions that differ ever so slightly from their mystical counterparts.

To a man, they are normally quite somber and not given to any form of humor. This near-fatalism may be attributed to the fact that both their fellows and themselves are willing martyrs in a sense, forever giving up a portion of their magical potential and dedication, destined to never reach the true apex of the arcane arts, in order to provide security and stability to the order. Most of them choose to follow the path of the Doomblade, a mixed magical and martial fundament which allows them to conjure forth magical weapons comprised of the elements themselves made manifest.

### Physical Holdings Within Etera

It appears that as a rule, every Adeptas, Journeyman, or Magister is accompanied by a suitably advanced Sapphire Warden, who serves as a mix of bodyguard, travelling companion, and facilitator of most mundane affairs. To date, only two Azure Chantries have been sighted, both of them repurposed noble estates. However, Wayhouses string the old, nearly forgotten roads of the former Verk Empire, and where there is a Wayhouse, there is a Journeyman to act as Innkeeper.

#### Azure Chantries

The Azure Chantries are vast, seemingly infinite repositories containing legions of volumes about every form of magical theory to date, although some are kept closely secret and guarded. However, from their contents, it would suggest that their main purpose is to act as functional reliquaries of history, without respect to topic, geography, or time. The rise and fall of a thousand nations, a thousand worlds, are said to be inscribed within. Of course, to outsiders, the heavily warded doors remain firmly closed irrespective of position. They appear to act as headquarters for the order, as well as places of enlightenment.

#### Wayhouses

As the name suggests, a Wayhouse is quite simply that. When a Journeyman's journey ends, he normally settles down where he finds himself, be it in a small town, besides a farm, or even directly in the middle of a dark forest or isolated tundra. No matter where he is, a Wayhouse normally follows, a homely inn of sorts springing up that acts as both a personal residence of the Journeyman in question, as well as a refuge for any who might seek it. Powerful wards are placed within to ensure that undesirables are kept out. Although it is up to the innkeeper who they allow in, it is a general rule of thumb that anyone who seeks sanctuary or respite may have it, so long as they themselves have not committed hostilities towards the order or certain political entities. Violence of any form is prohibited within the walls of a Wayhouse.

### Philosophy And Agenda

#### **A Duty to Magic Itself**

While the agenda of the Azure Acolytes is something which is considered inanofitself to be an enigma, their personal philosophy is something they are quite willing to extrapolate and expand upon, given the chance. They believe that the Weave, and magic itself is not only alive, but sapient to the highest degree, and therefore that all magical users have an intrinsic duty to pay respect to the Weave and ensure that their magics are contained to their own degree, and dealt with responsibly. They do appear to have an overarching leader who founded, although such an individual is one who is not in the public eye nor disclosed in the slightest.

#### Their Agenda

Others have made speculation and inference about the current plans of the Azure Acolytes from what their current actions. Beyond the initial formation of the Azure Chantries, only the Wayhouses have expanded, and into increasingly more remote regions of Etera, following the old Verk roads. They appear to be attempting to provide a moderating and civilizing influence for the citizens who do not have the protection of the cities and famous adventurers, eliminating dangerous entities or reporting back to the Guild about such, helping to bolster harvests, provide medical attention, and smooth over local disasters.

Some wonder what will occur when the forces under King Cormick Thale meet with the Acolytes, as they appear to have positioned themselves in such a way as to be well-suited to helping secure the professed King's influence over the scattered common denizens of Etera.......Or simply keep such influence for themselves.