Curators Guild

The **Curators Guild**, or simply called The **Curators**, is an order of incredibly knowledgeable intellectuals in the Kingdom of Aqoris. One of their primary duties is to manage the Libraries throughout the Kingdom which house information such as historical accounts and medical knowledge, they document near enough everything that occurs and this is stored in the Library. More important information is sent to the Grand Library.

The Curators focus on scientific knowledge and logical reasoning. They do not believe in the many myths and legends of the Kingdom, although some members do attempt to learn it.

The Curators are not a religious organisation and are instead more of a secular organisation, although they do swear sacred oaths to follow their duties. Unlike the Faith of The Four, women are not allowed to join the Guild.

## History

The Curators began as a group of learned men in one of the first Aqorisi-established settlements of Stargarde as the Aqorisi invaded the Dawn Men Kingdoms. Over time the learned men founded the Curator's Guild.

## Functions and Duties

Near enough every castle and noble family in the Kingdom has a Curator on hand to teach the lord's children, give him counsel, and attend to medical and educational needs. The lords of the Kingdom are also reliant on their ability to send long distance communiques using trained messenger falcons, which they are responsible for tending in a castle's falcon house. Curators also serve as the resident medical expert at a castle, responsible for everything from setting broken bones, assisting childbirth, and knowledge of medicinal herbs and potions to aid fevers and internal illnesses. In addition, they also observe changes in the weather to watch for shifting of the seasons.

Curators are expected to renounce their familial background and political allegiances. They drop their family name when they join the Guild. They are assigned to serve at castles and holdfasts throughout the Kingdom and are bound by their vows to serve whoever holds the castle in which they reside, regardless of changes in lordship. It is not considered a breach of their vows if a curator advises the current lord of their castle in military matters to defeat their enemies, but if their lord is defeated by his enemies and possession of the castle officially changes hands, the curator is expected to serve his new lord.

Curators take a vow of celibacy in order to perform their duties and they must not be married as they view this as "a hindrance to service". This also applies with giving up their right to inheritance and any titles they may hold.

## Organization

The Guild's headquarters is the Sanctum of Stargarde in the Southlands which is the seat of the Board and the main location for training curators as well as a massive repository of all records and books. New initiates are trained at the Sanctum, and upon finishing their studies, gain the title of "curator" and are assigned to serve at a castle or town in the Kingdom. The entire order is ruled over by the Board, the council of Principal Curators, who reside in the Sanctum.

The High Curator is considered the most senior member of the Guild, and is its personal representative to the King of Aqoris. The High Curator is elected by the Board and resides in the Winter Keep in Newcastle, to personally advise the king and serve on the High Council. Only the Board may select the High Curator and while the King or Adviser may dismiss the High Curator from the council, they cannot strip him of his title.

## Traditions

Curators wear a chain around their necks composed of various metals to signify their personal expertise. Curators personally forge each link themselves. Each link indicates a different field of study. There are nine recognized fields each with a different representative metal. Curators are expected to wear their chains at all times, even when sleeping.

Known metals and corresponding fields of study include:

* Tin - falconry
* Cobalt - astrology
* Silver - medicines and healing
* Bronze - the histories
* Gold - money and accounting
* Iron - warcraft
* Steel - smithing and construction
* Lead - poisons
* Blacksteel - the mythologies (i.e. magic, myths and legends)

Principal Curators wear a coloured robe of their field of mastery as well as wearing a ring on their index finger on their right hand of the metal of the field they mastered.

Known coloured robes and corresponding fields of study include:

* Light grey - falconry
* Dark Blue - astrology
* Crimson - medicines and healing
* Brown - the histories
* Golden - money and accounting
* Metallic grey - warcraft
* Dark Grey - smithing and construction
* Dark Purple - poisons
* Black - the mythologies (i.e. magic, myths and legends)