The Ankyrean Order

by Nuincuiel Tyrell

You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 1, and begin reading.

Created by the Divine to spread knowledge throughout the Mortal realms, The Ankyrean Order and its secrets has long been lost in the mists of time, veiled by the power of Severn, Lord of Artifice. In recent years, the sole survivor of this race has begun to regain his memories of the years prior to the Grand Artifice. Qeddwyn's slow remembrance has revealed much about this Order, and more is discovered regularly. And with the opening of the mysterious Citadel of the Ankyri to the North of the Lands, the Ankyrean Order has resumed its effects on the Realms.
This volume attempts to document all that is known of this great Order, and to draw from these facts an accurate image of this Race.

Table of Contents

Page 1 - Introduction and Contents Page 2 - The Ankyrean Race
Page 3 - The Order
Page 4 - Secrets, Discoveries and Mysteries - The Libraries
- The Skills
- The Demise of the Order
- The Artifacts of Farsai
Page 5 - Legacy

You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 2, and begin reading.

During the Order's life, a common misconception was to succumb to the glory and rumour surrounding the Ankyri, and believe them to be Immortal. They were in fact wholly mortal, yet gifted with increased intelligence and enormous capacity for knowledge, graces bestowed upon them in order that they could better perform their appointed tasks of spreading knowledge and civilization about the realm. They were thought to be the perfect example of Mortality. They are also thought to have been, in our terms, both a Race and a Class.

The one surviving member of this Order can give an example of the appearance of these 'perfect' mortals. Qeddwyn's appearance could be compared to that of a human; he is tall and lean, his hair black, grey hairs revealing those effects of age that other mortal races succumb to.
From this we can conclude that the Ankyreans probably resembled humans more than any other mortal race, although further evidence would be necessary to be completely certain of this fact.

Qeddwyn himself has revealed that the Ankyreans enjoyed similar lifespans to other mortals, and named his own age as almost one hundred and twenty-five years. According to the scrolls, this would have made him eighteen years old at the time of the Grand Artifice and the destruction of his Order, an age that in our terms is extraordinarily young. What level of maturity an Ankyrean may have reached at this age is difficult to guess, although with their increased intelligence and capacity for learning, it may not be unreasonable to assume that they would indeed have surpassed an eighteen year old of any other race.

It is difficult to draw any conclusions about the Ankyrean language. All that is currently known is a handful of names and one single word. If the names Qeddwyn, Habbak and Girglik have anything in common, it could be their use of the hard consonant sounds, including 'd', 'b', 'k' and 'g'. As for the one surviving noun, the word 'rellyw' (meaning 'pet' in our own tongue), does not seem to fit this pattern, being of a much more musical sound. Further words will be necessary in order to draw any distinct image of the language. Furthermore, it is thus far impossible to say how this language developed. Was it an amalgamation of other mortal languages already in existence at the time of their creation? Or did they bring the language with them, already fully-formed?

You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 3, and begin reading.

The Order divided themselves into five groups of study, known as Conclaves. These were made up of one Conclave for the administration of the Order, and four more for the gathering and development of knowledge.

This administrative group was known as the Conclave of Seers. Little is known as to the precise way that this Conclave carried out their administration; however, we do know that the Ankyri are said to have taught other mortals how to form governments, and perhaps this can be laid at the door of this Conclave. The existence of this group together with this fact suggests that the race possessed strong political and administrative minds as well as a strong talent for scholarly practice.

The four remaining Conclaves are detailed as follows.

Conclave of Magic.
Of the surviving research of the Ankyri, only that pertaining to two of the Conclaves has been thus far discovered. One of these is the Conclave of Magic, devoted to the discovery and development of the various magics given to mortals. According to Qeddwyn, the Elemental magics used by the Magi and Luminaries were here discovered, and of late comes evidence that the discovery of other Magics can be attributed to this group. A book written by one Girglik of the Magical Conclave has come to light detailing the lost art of Numerology. This knowledge, having been discovered by the Spirean Eocik, has led to the formation of the Cabalists guild. This may lead us to question the origins of the Necromantics and other mortal magics.

Conclave of the Arts
Much is known about this Conclave, largely because the surviving member of the Order, Qeddwyn, was himself of this Conclave, and has continued his practices even without his comrades. Long famous throughout Sapience for his awesome artifacts, Qeddwyn revealed that these were the product of research conducted by his Conclave, in conjunction with the Conclave of Magic. An artifact appears to exist for every eventuality, leaving these artifacts as silent testimony to the incredible knowledge and skill of these two Conclaves. Also said to have studied the building of things, it was perhaps the work of this Conclave that built the grand Citadel of Spinesreach in which the Order made its home.

Creation is general has been attributed to this Conclave, including the artifacts, building and such things as poetry. No Ankyrean poetry has thus far been discovered.

Conclave of Science and Nature Little or no surviving research from this Conclave has yet been discovered. All that is known is that this Conclave was responsible for the study of the natural world, possessing a particular interest in and emphasis on the members of the animal kingdom. Were the members of this Conclave responsible for the discovery and even development of such skills as metamorphosis, concoctions, and other naturalistic practices? As yet, it is only possible to speculate. Perhaps more will be revealed with time.

Conclave of Devotion
The Conclave of Devotion could be said to be responsible for the enormous favour the Ankyreans enjoyed from the Gods. Responsible for the worship of the Divine Realm, this Conclave produced elaborate rituals to honour those of the Divine Garden. The Ankyreans did not possess a specific 'patron', as many organizations of the realm do today. Instead, they chose to honour each and every god equally. The Ankyreans have also been attributed with the bringing of religion and devotion to the mortal realm, as a further task allotted them by their creators. This then would most likely have been the work of this Conclave.

Having studied the function of the Conclaves, it is now necessary to document what is known of their political structure. Existing knowledge does not suggest that the Ankyreans were a particularly heirarchical order; the only 'ranks' that appeared to have existed were those purely connected with the administration of the Conclaves. Each one was led by one known as a 'Dhasan' in the Ankyrean language. This person was elected by the Order - although whether the whole was involved in each election, or whether the Dhasan was only elected by those of his own Conclave, it is difficult to say.

Every organization needs an overall leader, and so did the Ankyreans.
Known as the 'Ard-Dhasani', this person was also elected, and did not necessarily have to be a Dhasan in order to be nominated. Thus, the Ankyreans could have been led by a council of either five or six. It is known that those elected could be of either gender, and several who have risen to the rank of Ard-Dhasani were in fact women, revealing that the Ankyreans were seemingly a fair and equal race, as well as a diplomatic one. Also a co-operative race, Qeddwyn's tellings reveal that little antagonism or competition existed between the Conclaves, and that all were able to co-operate easily and well in the furtherance of their tasks.

You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 4, and begin reading.

- The Libraries
The library of the Ankyreans was renowned in its time, considered to have rivalled even the libraries of the Gods Themselves. Today, only the small cache of knowledge regarding Numerology has been discovered, leaving us to wonder what may have become of the fabled Library of the Ankyreans. The Lord Severn made public His intention of bestowing this knowledge upon Niuri, Lady of Mysteries, prior to the Citadel being opened once more. Perhaps then, the answer to this question may be found with Her.

- The Skills
As previously discussed, the Ankyreans were charged with spreading knowledge across the mortal realms, as well as civilization in the form of governments, and devotion to the gods. Qeddwyn's teachings reveal that this task was seemingly well-accomplished, with the mortal realms being gifted with the Elemental magics as a result of this Order's studies, and recently Numerology. Much could be speculated as to the origin of such as the Necromantics and other magics, and as discussed, the naturalistic skills of the realm. Furthermore, the Ankyrean Artifacts reveal them to have been skilled weapons masters. Did they teach Forging and Weaponry skills to the rest of mortalkind? Perhaps someday it will be possible to answer these questions, but for now we are only equal to conceding that the Order did indeed have an enormous impact on the realm, and that many of the arts practiced by mortals today must be owed to this Race.

- The Demise of the Order
Further mysteries remain around the Order, despite the current influx of knowledge about this Race. Firstly, there are many hints as to what caused their destruction. Said to have co-existed well with the other mortal races at the outset, Qeddwyn's ashamed admissions reveal that the Ankyreans began to believe themselves superior to others not of their kind, even going so far as to refer to them as 'pets' ('rellyw' in their own language). It has been said that other mortals of the realm once rose up against the Ankyreans, an uprising that seemingly had little effect. It has also been said that the Ankyreans destroyed themselves; and from what is known about the event of the Grand Artifice, this statement appears to meant to be taken literally. What may have caused them to abandon their usual co-operative attitude and turn on each other cannot even be guessed at. Hints of blasphemy were given by Habbak, the shade of the last Ard-Dhasani, and a noble deed turned sour. An idol bearing the power to bestow plague upon a city was the product of this deed, along with the destruction of the Order. What this deed was has not been revealed; however, Qeddwyn has been charged to someday draw aside the veil of secrecy of what became of the Order, facts that were sealed inside the Citadel by his own hand and the power of Lord Severn.

- The Artifacts of Farsai
Having discussed briefly the Order's attitude to their fellow mortals, it is necessary to document a certain evidence that perhaps sheds some light on this subject. Once, there existed a city that is now also destroyed. Known as Farsai, this city was home to the Rajamalan race some generations ago. The story of its destruction is not for document here; but according to the Rajamalans of today's village of Saluria, the Ankyreans once played a part in the history of Farsai. A group are said to have visited the city, leaving behind two of their famed artifacts with the leaders of Farsai. These became known as the Lance of Irissotl, and Salura's Heartstone. Having been lost in the destruction of the city, today's Rajamalans continue to search for these artifacts, said to contain the essence of their Spirit of Light. Should these artifacts be found, it is not impossible that they may be able to reveal something more of the Ankyrean Order. Their existence proves that the Ankyreans were once widely received and honoured, and that they in turn honoured other mortal races.

You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 5, and begin reading.

The Ankyrean Order continues to affect the modern realm, leaving a strong legacy to the current and future generations. Their own Citadel has been re-opened, and is now home to mortals once again. The city of Spinesreach, largely housed inside this building, has modelled itself on the structure of the Ankyreans of old, naming their leaders Dhasani and Ard-Dhasani, and dividing themselves into the four Conclaves of knowledge, in an attempt to continue the work of the Ankyri. Patroned by Lord Severn, the city has been gifted with the above-mentioned idol, bestowed upon them by the shade of the last Ard-Dhasani of the Order.
And as was also discussed above, the Ankyri continue to pass their knowledge to the realms. The Cabalists guild has made its home within the catacombs of this new city, owing its existence to the research conducted by the Conclave of Magic. Elemental magics continue to abound in the realm, the governmental systems introduced by the Ankyreans are still widely in use, and religion and devotion to the gods continue to form a large part of modern life. Perhaps someday we may discover what else is owed to this great Order.

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The Ankyrean Order by Nuincuiel Tyrell You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 1, and begin reading. Created by the Divine to spread knowledge throughout the Mortal realms, The Ankyrean Order and its secrets has long been lost in the mists of time, veiled by the power of Severn, Lord of Artifice. In recent years, the sole survivor of this race has begun to regain his memories of the years prior to the Grand Artifice. Qeddwyn's slow remembrance has revealed much about this Order, and more is discovered regularly. And with the opening of the mysterious Citadel of the Ankyri to the North of the Lands, the Ankyrean Order has resumed its effects on the Realms. This volume attempts to document all that is known of this great Order, and to draw from these facts an accurate image of this Race. Table of Contents Page 1 - Introduction and Contents Page 2 - The Ankyrean Race Page 3 - The Order Page 4 - Secrets, Discoveries and Mysteries - The Libraries - The Skills - The Demise of the Order - The Artifacts of Farsai Page 5 - Legacy You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 2, and begin reading. During the Order's life, a common misconception was to succumb to the glory and rumour surrounding the Ankyri, and believe them to be Immortal. They were in fact wholly mortal, yet gifted with increased intelligence and enormous capacity for knowledge, graces bestowed upon them in order that they could better perform their appointed tasks of spreading knowledge and civilization about the realm. They were thought to be the perfect example of Mortality. They are also thought to have been, in our terms, both a Race and a Class. The one surviving member of this Order can give an example of the appearance of these 'perfect' mortals. Qeddwyn's appearance could be compared to that of a human; he is tall and lean, his hair black, grey hairs revealing those effects of age that other mortal races succumb to. From this we can conclude that the Ankyreans probably resembled humans more than any other mortal race, although further evidence would be necessary to be completely certain of this fact. Qeddwyn himself has revealed that the Ankyreans enjoyed similar lifespans to other mortals, and named his own age as almost one hundred and twenty-five years. According to the scrolls, this would have made him eighteen years old at the time of the Grand Artifice and the destruction of his Order, an age that in our terms is extraordinarily young. What level of maturity an Ankyrean may have reached at this age is difficult to guess, although with their increased intelligence and capacity for learning, it may not be unreasonable to assume that they would indeed have surpassed an eighteen year old of any other race. It is difficult to draw any conclusions about the Ankyrean language. All that is currently known is a handful of names and one single word. If the names Qeddwyn, Habbak and Girglik have anything in common, it could be their use of the hard consonant sounds, including 'd', 'b', 'k' and 'g'. As for the one surviving noun, the word 'rellyw' (meaning 'pet' in our own tongue), does not seem to fit this pattern, being of a much more musical sound. Further words will be necessary in order to draw any distinct image of the language. Furthermore, it is thus far impossible to say how this language developed. Was it an amalgamation of other mortal languages already in existence at the time of their creation? Or did they bring the language with them, already fully-formed? You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 3, and begin reading. The Order divided themselves into five groups of study, known as Conclaves. These were made up of one Conclave for the administration of the Order, and four more for the gathering and development of knowledge. This administrative group was known as the Conclave of Seers. Little is known as to the precise way that this Conclave carried out their administration; however, we do know that the Ankyri are said to have taught other mortals how to form governments, and perhaps this can be laid at the door of this Conclave. The existence of this group together with this fact suggests that the race possessed strong political and administrative minds as well as a strong talent for scholarly practice. The four remaining Conclaves are detailed as follows. Conclave of Magic. Of the surviving research of the Ankyri, only that pertaining to two of the Conclaves has been thus far discovered. One of these is the Conclave of Magic, devoted to the discovery and development of the various magics given to mortals. According to Qeddwyn, the Elemental magics used by the Magi and Luminaries were here discovered, and of late comes evidence that the discovery of other Magics can be attributed to this group. A book written by one Girglik of the Magical Conclave has come to light detailing the lost art of Numerology. This knowledge, having been discovered by the Spirean Eocik, has led to the formation of the Cabalists guild. This may lead us to question the origins of the Necromantics and other mortal magics. Conclave of the Arts Much is known about this Conclave, largely because the surviving member of the Order, Qeddwyn, was himself of this Conclave, and has continued his practices even without his comrades. Long famous throughout Sapience for his awesome artifacts, Qeddwyn revealed that these were the product of research conducted by his Conclave, in conjunction with the Conclave of Magic. An artifact appears to exist for every eventuality, leaving these artifacts as silent testimony to the incredible knowledge and skill of these two Conclaves. Also said to have studied the building of things, it was perhaps the work of this Conclave that built the grand Citadel of Spinesreach in which the Order made its home. Creation is general has been attributed to this Conclave, including the artifacts, building and such things as poetry. No Ankyrean poetry has thus far been discovered. Conclave of Science and Nature Little or no surviving research from this Conclave has yet been discovered. All that is known is that this Conclave was responsible for the study of the natural world, possessing a particular interest in and emphasis on the members of the animal kingdom. Were the members of this Conclave responsible for the discovery and even development of such skills as metamorphosis, concoctions, and other naturalistic practices? As yet, it is only possible to speculate. Perhaps more will be revealed with time. Conclave of Devotion The Conclave of Devotion could be said to be responsible for the enormous favour the Ankyreans enjoyed from the Gods. Responsible for the worship of the Divine Realm, this Conclave produced elaborate rituals to honour those of the Divine Garden. The Ankyreans did not possess a specific 'patron', as many organizations of the realm do today. Instead, they chose to honour each and every god equally. The Ankyreans have also been attributed with the bringing of religion and devotion to the mortal realm, as a further task allotted them by their creators. This then would most likely have been the work of this Conclave. Having studied the function of the Conclaves, it is now necessary to document what is known of their political structure. Existing knowledge does not suggest that the Ankyreans were a particularly heirarchical order; the only 'ranks' that appeared to have existed were those purely connected with the administration of the Conclaves. Each one was led by one known as a 'Dhasan' in the Ankyrean language. This person was elected by the Order - although whether the whole was involved in each election, or whether the Dhasan was only elected by those of his own Conclave, it is difficult to say. Every organization needs an overall leader, and so did the Ankyreans. Known as the 'Ard-Dhasani', this person was also elected, and did not necessarily have to be a Dhasan in order to be nominated. Thus, the Ankyreans could have been led by a council of either five or six. It is known that those elected could be of either gender, and several who have risen to the rank of Ard-Dhasani were in fact women, revealing that the Ankyreans were seemingly a fair and equal race, as well as a diplomatic one. Also a co-operative race, Qeddwyn's tellings reveal that little antagonism or competition existed between the Conclaves, and that all were able to co-operate easily and well in the furtherance of their tasks. You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 4, and begin reading. - The Libraries The library of the Ankyreans was renowned in its time, considered to have rivalled even the libraries of the Gods Themselves. Today, only the small cache of knowledge regarding Numerology has been discovered, leaving us to wonder what may have become of the fabled Library of the Ankyreans. The Lord Severn made public His intention of bestowing this knowledge upon Niuri, Lady of Mysteries, prior to the Citadel being opened once more. Perhaps then, the answer to this question may be found with Her. - The Skills As previously discussed, the Ankyreans were charged with spreading knowledge across the mortal realms, as well as civilization in the form of governments, and devotion to the gods. Qeddwyn's teachings reveal that this task was seemingly well-accomplished, with the mortal realms being gifted with the Elemental magics as a result of this Order's studies, and recently Numerology. Much could be speculated as to the origin of such as the Necromantics and other magics, and as discussed, the naturalistic skills of the realm. Furthermore, the Ankyrean Artifacts reveal them to have been skilled weapons masters. Did they teach Forging and Weaponry skills to the rest of mortalkind? Perhaps someday it will be possible to answer these questions, but for now we are only equal to conceding that the Order did indeed have an enormous impact on the realm, and that many of the arts practiced by mortals today must be owed to this Race. - The Demise of the Order Further mysteries remain around the Order, despite the current influx of knowledge about this Race. Firstly, there are many hints as to what caused their destruction. Said to have co-existed well with the other mortal races at the outset, Qeddwyn's ashamed admissions reveal that the Ankyreans began to believe themselves superior to others not of their kind, even going so far as to refer to them as 'pets' ('rellyw' in their own language). It has been said that other mortals of the realm once rose up against the Ankyreans, an uprising that seemingly had little effect. It has also been said that the Ankyreans destroyed themselves; and from what is known about the event of the Grand Artifice, this statement appears to meant to be taken literally. What may have caused them to abandon their usual co-operative attitude and turn on each other cannot even be guessed at. Hints of blasphemy were given by Habbak, the shade of the last Ard-Dhasani, and a noble deed turned sour. An idol bearing the power to bestow plague upon a city was the product of this deed, along with the destruction of the Order. What this deed was has not been revealed; however, Qeddwyn has been charged to someday draw aside the veil of secrecy of what became of the Order, facts that were sealed inside the Citadel by his own hand and the power of Lord Severn. - The Artifacts of Farsai Having discussed briefly the Order's attitude to their fellow mortals, it is necessary to document a certain evidence that perhaps sheds some light on this subject. Once, there existed a city that is now also destroyed. Known as Farsai, this city was home to the Rajamalan race some generations ago. The story of its destruction is not for document here; but according to the Rajamalans of today's village of Saluria, the Ankyreans once played a part in the history of Farsai. A group are said to have visited the city, leaving behind two of their famed artifacts with the leaders of Farsai. These became known as the Lance of Irissotl, and Salura's Heartstone. Having been lost in the destruction of the city, today's Rajamalans continue to search for these artifacts, said to contain the essence of their Spirit of Light. Should these artifacts be found, it is not impossible that they may be able to reveal something more of the Ankyrean Order. Their existence proves that the Ankyreans were once widely received and honoured, and that they in turn honoured other mortal races. You open a personal journal entitled, "The Ankyrean Order" to the bookmark, on page 5, and begin reading. The Ankyrean Order continues to affect the modern realm, leaving a strong legacy to the current and future generations. Their own Citadel has been re-opened, and is now home to mortals once again. The city of Spinesreach, largely housed inside this building, has modelled itself on the structure of the Ankyreans of old, naming their leaders Dhasani and Ard-Dhasani, and dividing themselves into the four Conclaves of knowledge, in an attempt to continue the work of the Ankyri. Patroned by Lord Severn, the city has been gifted with the above-mentioned idol, bestowed upon them by the shade of the last Ard-Dhasani of the Order. And as was also discussed above, the Ankyri continue to pass their knowledge to the realms. The Cabalists guild has made its home within the catacombs of this new city, owing its existence to the research conducted by the Conclave of Magic. Elemental magics continue to abound in the realm, the governmental systems introduced by the Ankyreans are still widely in use, and religion and devotion to the gods continue to form a large part of modern life. Perhaps someday we may discover what else is owed to this great Order. Search book:
Aetolia, the Midnight Age [Vote]