Free Arcanists Lodge

## Synopsis

The Free Arcanists Lodge is a guild of unlicensed magic practitioners based out of Paxeter. While secretive and only comprised of about a dozen members, they are the most influential guild of organized underground criminal magic in the Alviren Empire. While they operate in a fashion similar to a thieves guild, their interest is almost exclusively in outlawed magic, and less so in other criminal activity. As implied by the name, their members are primarily arcane spellcasters; however, a few members are divine magic users as well.

## Headquarters

The Free Arcanists Lodge operates out of a secret headquarters in Paxeter, located in the cellar of a bar called Snake Eyes’ Tavern.

## Leadership

The lodge does not have any official structure to appoint leaders, and its members largely operate independently. But in an informal capacity, Raakasi Sunmane acts as the de facto leader of the lodge. Her reputation, leadership, and magical prowess have earned her some authority within the organization, which largely looks to her for guidance.

## Notable Members

The Lodge has about two dozen members in total, most of whom operate independently and simply use the lodge as a safe haven, having little engagement with the Lodge's goals or decisions. Though the Lodge does not have a formal leadership structure, the following individuals are long-time members of the Lodge, and direct its activities.

## Plot Significance

Having taken in many members who were attacked by the Inquisitors, the Free Arcanists Lodge is attempting to find out who the Inquisitors are, and what they are trying to accomplish. Some members of the Lodge believe that the Inquisitors are actually representatives of the Weavers Conclave, as they claim to be, while others (notably, Raakasi Sunmane), believe they are some other organization falsely presenting themselves as Conclave representatives.

On a recent occasion, Binti Redroot tailed a group of Inquisitors to Mimrinoth. After a brief stop in the city, the group departed. While they were leaving, Binti successfully pickpocketed a note off of one of them (unbeknownst to her, Avourel Orion), which reads, "Find out how to access the Luxturrim Obelisk."

With this new knowledge in hand, the Lodge began doing their own research on the obelisk. They have learned its location, though they still don't know how to access it. With some basic divination (augury, etc.), the Lodge was able to learn of the existence of the Lorekeeper Orb, which was in the possession of Thalien Omadithas. Binti Redroot convinced Nuraval Silverstone to help her steal the orb.

Next, Binti Redroot searched for an adventurer capable of helping to retrieve the contents of the Luxturrim Obelisk, once they learned how to get inside. She came across Jack, and suspected he would be a prime candidate for the task, as a skilled smuggler and a gnoll - presumably knowledgeable about the Golden Wastes. She hired him to escort her to Karaad, mostly as a test of his skills. Similarly, she hired him to deliver the Lorekeeper Orb to the Lodge as a test; and, in truth, to keep the heat off of herself.

### Proposal to Jack

Once the Lodge learns how to access the Luxturrim Obelisk, they will propose and arrangement to Jack: he finds a way to get into the obelisk, retrieves whatever it is that the Inquisitors are after, and brings it back to them. In exchange, they will pay him handsomely, and he can keep whatever other treasures are found within.