[b]Unapproved By Supreme Leader Flagg[/b] [center][h1][color=gold]The College Of Celestial Arcana Observation[/color][/h1][/center] [center][img]http://orig14.deviantart.net/0626/f/2007/300/e/d/towards_the_forsaken_fortress_by_prasa.jpg[/img][/center] [b][color=gold]Faction Type:[/color][/b] An institute of education and understanding. Similar in hierarchy to a guild, but monastic in the pursuit of and devoutness to its craft. [color=gold][b]Flag/Banner:[/b][/color] [hider=The Truth] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/VIejcO5.png?1[/img][/center] [/hider] [h3][b][color=gold]National/General[/color][/b][/h3] [b][color=gold]Capital:[/color][/b] The College, oft called 'The Observatorium', is its own being. The College is situated on the slopes of the Moon Reach, one of the largest mountain ranges that break up the wastes of Azoth. Only a couple kilometres downhill, sits the large town of Aurum Valya. The town, and college, have grown and fed off of each other. The town relies on the college's renown to attract would be Astrologians and tourists, and to give the town any significance at all. Likewise, the college relies on the very little fertile land the town claims, for food and water. As with many a town in this harsh world, Aurum Valya was founded on and survives because of a small underground river which exists the mountain near the College. The town and college are separate entities but are commonly regarded as being the one; even amongst the townsfolk and Astrologians. Outside of the college, there is nothing significant about Aurum. It is a decent size, with several thousand people living there. It retains enough arable river bank to sustain itself and export a small amount of produce. On the whole, it imports most goods and is by the by, a quaint and extraordinary settlement. [b][color=gold]Government Type:[/color][/b] The College is essentially a dictatorship, run by the Master Astrologian, though works in effect more like a minature meritocracy whereby the Master confers at all times with the current Seers. All Astrologians are afforded weight to voice their opinion, and open forums are regularly held when decisions that affect the College arise. Ultimately, the Master Astrologian has final decision. Aurum, is less clean in its politics and is run by all intents and purposes by a mildly corrupt Sultan. The Sultanate historically has not been overtly corrupt in being despotic, but have all worked hard to keep their fmaily in power and taken countless bribes allowing certain traders unfair advantage. Nay sayers have claimed the royal guard little more than fancy mercenaries. Though, Hez Al Vut, the current Sultan, respects her people and has worked to crack down on more violent crimes. The two facets of power on the slope, meet often to discuss mutually important topics. [b][color=gold]Currency:[/color][/b] Both the College and Aurum Valya trade in coined gold, silver and copper, much as any nation in the wastes does. [b][color=gold]Population:[/color][/b] The College itself houses at any one time, around two hundred astrologians, though the number of course changes with time. Around that many also work in the field. Aurum Valya is a moderate township with a little over ten thousand residents. [b][color=gold]Unique Trait #1 ~ Wisdom & Wit:[/color][/b] Knowledge : It is power, and the College has amassed a great quantity of it. Though primarily focused with the understandings of the world, and universe at large, the College has rather astutely collected innumerable tidbits of information. Much of which the associated parties would not wish disclosed. -Unique Trait #2: (Created by me) [b][color=gold]Unique Flaw #2 ~ Dependent:[/color][/b] The College is heavily reliant on Aurum for its foodstuffs and other basic needs. The town, in turn, imports a huge majority of its basic supplies. Thus, the College exists in a fragile state, with an enemy being able to tighten a noose on its neck, by cutting trade access. -Unique Flaw #2 (Created by me) [h3][b][color=gold]Cultural[/color][/b][/h3] [b][color=gold]History:[/color][/b] WIP ~ Shared historical events will be edited in in the near future so this is intentionally brief. The history of The College of Celestial Arcana Observation is, as one would imagine, a very storied affair. Not least due in part to the fact that the Astrologians themselves are prone to weave a tale or two. What is hard fast fact is that the College is over a thousand years old*. In its beginnings it was little more than a cult. For deep beneath the modern College is cavern network below Moon Reach, in which is situated a door; The Anshk, The Truth, The Salvation. Though called a door, it bares little resemblance to anything the average person would name a door. Perfectly circular in shape, and fifty metres in diameter, the Anshk is a foreboding and evidently artificially made object. In the centre of the Anshk, is a head-sized carving of what is clearly an eye, surrounded by the most intricately detailed runes on the entire door. This section, is called The Truth. It was first discovered by modern explorers that thousands years past, by an expedition intent on scouring the Moon Reach for archeo-tech. At this time, early settlements existed in the area, but the Moon Reach was rather unexplored. Amongst these were a pair of ancient astrologians, whom upon discovery of the Anshk, were able to transcribe many of the seemingly chaotic runic markings that adorned its surface. Very quickly, the new goal of the project became unlocking the door and its secrets. Days, weeks and eventual months passed as did word of this discovery. Soon, dozens of would-be scholars, explorers, treasure hunters and archaeologists swarmed the site. Over the years, interest in the Anshk dwindled among the general populace of the surrounding wastes. The nearby river had begun to become a vital resource in the area, and a former trading crossroads, was quickly a village, and eventually expanded to become the Sultanate of Aurum. During this time, a permanent house of study was erected on the mountainside and a small group of astrologians, convinced the Anshk's purpose to be divine, made it their sole mission to unlock it. The runes depicted, stars, moons and great constructs among them. Thus, the the key to its mystery must lie in the stars; in the art of Astrology. Fast forward several hundreds of years and the College had begun to develop into the modern institute which it is to this day. Formal organisation and teaching was slow to overtake the initial goal of decrypting the runes. Eventually however, the day to day running and maintenance of the College itself became more readily dealt with than the Anshk. In modern times, the College has grown side by side with Aurum, which itself became an important northern* trading hub. Reputation spreading like wildfire, the College once again became a novel attraction for many in Azoth and viewings of the Anshk, became an easy way to extract money from people. On a more functional level, Astrologians are regarded as being unbiased diviners, not tied to any set of beliefs and have sold themselves as being able to therefore apply to their craft to any set of beliefs. In essence, they may be naught other than the greatest snake oil salesmen in Azoth. [b][color=gold]Religion, Magic And Archeo-Tech[/color][/b] Three concepts within the College, which couldn't be any more closely connected, are those of religion, magic and archeo-tech. The Anshk is considered by everyone now, with modern foresight, to in fact be one of the most complex pieces of archeo-tech as of yet discovered. This realisation high up within in the College, has brought about the acceptance of the fact that they very likely will never be able to decipher its secrets, or at least not for many more generations. This of course, is not something the College touts, instead it presents itself as constantly edging closer to great world changing contents of the door. Abuse of this widespread faith in their mission and craft has lead to the College having people embedded in almost every culture across Azoth, within reason. Though many commoners miscontrue Astrology as a magic-based art, it is in fact a physical and mental craft. Reliant on mathematical precision, a natural eye for understanding celestial movements and armed with visorscopes*, astrology is wholly a human, though extraordinary art. There are however, quite a number of minor magic users amongst the College's ranks. These Astrologians often assume field roles and thus have spread the misconception that the Astrologians are arcane in their nature. The naming convention of 'arcana' a now dead word actually meaning 'mysteries or secrets', hasn't helped the cessation of this rumour. The Astrologians are deft-handed in their speech, and a sharp tongue is as important in the field as a polished scope. Easy manipulation of those blinded by faith, has lead to much of the College's current esteem, power and knowledge base.