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Mystic Groups

"Only one man was above this. Only one man here among you lived the Code every day of his life. And for most of those days, he was not a knight. Or rather, he was a knight where it meant the most - in spirit, in heart, not in some official list."

- Laurana on Sturm Brightblade,
Dragons of Winter Night

Although the mystic arts are relatively young, knighthoods, priesthoods and other spiritual orders are as old as the world itself. In 5sc Goldmoon became the first person recorded to have discovered mystic talent when she healed the young dwarf Jasper of his terrible wounds at the Inn of the Last Home. Since that day, these arts have spread throughout Ansalon.

Unfortunately, what Goldmoon and her mystic mentor, the Sage, feared has come to pass: Agents of Evil have perverted these arts to their cruel ends. Disguised Knights of Takhisis infiltrated the Citadel of Light in its early days, gaining for the dark forces of Krynn the mystic power to subvert and dominate Good people everywhere.

On the other hand, the Citadel willingly shares its mystic knowledge with the Knights of Solamnia, the priests of the Good and Neutral pantheons, and, to a lesser extent, the Legion of Steel. Goldmoon believes the power of the heart, in the hands of these groups, will prove the dragon overlords' undoing.

The Knights of Solamnia

The oldest known institution on Krynn, the Knights of Solamnia is a powerful military and spiritual Order devoted to protecting the free peoples of Ansalon from the forces of Evil and oppression.

Since its inception more than two thousand years ago, the Knighthood has followed the teachings of three gods:

- Paladine, patron of the Order of the Rose;
- Kiri-Jolith, patron of the Order of the Sword; and
- Habbakuk, patron of the Order of the Crown.

Priests of these gods taught members of the orders the moral code that eventually became the Solamnic Measure.

The Heroes of Steel dramatic supplement describes the structure of the Knighthood, explains how to join and advance in the ranks, outlines its goals, and details its code of honor. Rather than repeating this information, this section discusses the Knighthood's spiritual nature and activities.

Role of the Rose Knights

In the Knighthood's early years, the Order of the Crown comprised the backbone of the group: its holy warriors. The Order of the Sword became renowned for its spiritualism and pursuit of the ideals of the three patron gods. The Order of the Rose was reserved for those Knights who could best lead the organization-at times, only the most ambitious members could become Rose Knights. The moral foundation they learned in the Order of the Sword was to guide their actions as leaders of the Knighthood.

The revised Measure introduced in the Fifth Age has changed the nature of the Rose Knights somewhat. When Grand Master Gunthar uth Wistan began updating this document after the War of the Lance, he saw a need to revitalize the spiritual nature of the Knighthood. Too often after the first Cataclysm did Knights of the Rose succumb to the temptations of power, setting aside the traditions of the Order for the lure of personal wealth. But before Gunthar could complete the work that would reinvigorate the Order of the Rose, the Knights found themselves in the midst of a large-scale invasion by the forces of Evil.

The Summer of Chaos and battles that followed decimated the Knights - more than ninety percent of them fell in the wars. The Knights of the Rose, smaller than the other orders to begin with, felt these losses more keenly than the Crown and Rose Knights.

However, by the time of Lord Gunthar's death in 9sc, the Knights had begun to rebuild. The new Solamnic Grand Master, Sir Liam Ehrling, revealed Lord Gunthar's revised Measure, which recaptured the spirit of the Solamnic Oath and the intent of the original Measure. In the revision, the former Grand Master established the Order of the Rose as the spiritual heart of the Knighthood.

As the new Grand Master began his tenure, he sent a delegation of Rose and Sword Knights to Schallsea, where they undertook mystical training at the Citadel of Light. These Knights became the first Solamnics in the new age to learn the magic of the spirit. Ultimately, they all were inducted into the Order of the Rose and charged with teaching Sword and Rose Knights the spiritual gift of mysticism - the gods' bequest to their faithful followers.

The Knights Today

The Knights of Solamnia have renewed their dedication to defend the free peoples of Ansalon. Their decline after the first Cataclysm and their near destruction after the Second Cataclysm has renewed their commitment to their ideals, for they have endured some of the worst trials the world has offered - and they have survived, becoming stronger individually and as an order.

The Knights are deeply insulted by the widespread perception of them as an anachronistic organization on its last legs. Yet they do little to help change this attitude, as they do not care to make public the changes that have rejuvenated the Order. The Knights' rivalry with the Legion of Steel may derive, at least in part, from the popular belief that the Knights are a thing of the past and need to be replaced by a more vigorous organization.

Mystic Training

Nowhere are their changes more pronounced than in their discovery of the power of the spirit. After the initial training they received from Goldmoon and the Sage, the Rose Knights sent other Knights to Schallsea to learn from the Citadel of Light. Their profound respect for Goldmoon aside, they saw the knowledge they could gain at the Citadel as the key to strengthening the moral and ethical code of the Knights, giving them the spiritual heart they needed as they continued to rebuild. Now, even though the Knights are skilled enough in mysticism to train most of their members themselves, they maintain close ties with the Citadel of Light.

In nearly every Solamnic circle (listed in the appendix to the Heroes of Steel sourcebook). Knights of the Rose teach aspirants the way of the heart. This training also includes education about how the magic of mysticism fits into the Knights' history, beliefs, and traditions. Grand Master Ehrling believes that only by combining an understanding of the past with the spiritual training of the heart can the Knighthood's revitalization continue. In some circles, like the one in Schallsea, this training is supplemented by the knowledge of mystics outside the Order.

Castle Uth Wistan

On Sancrist Isle, members of the Grand Circle practice their magical skills or teach for at least one hour every day. Sometimes this amounts to nothing more than reflecting on their studies or helping an inexperienced student through a particularly difficult concept.

The Grand Master himself participates in the daily training almost without exception. The Knights consider it a bad omen when he misses a session-usually it means a tragedy has befallen a Knight or the Order elsewhere in Ansalon.

Gwynned

In the capital of the Empire of Ergoth, the Knights of Solamnia take the wishes of the Grand Master a step further. In addition to recounting the traditions of the past, the Knights there actively seek out remnants of the Order's past. They visit ruins to learn something of their roots, for the first Cataclysm buried much of the Knights' history. Somewhat to the dismay of the senior Knights (but not yet forbidden by them), these Knights make sparing use of the mystic sphere of spiritualism to piece together what they can of the Order in the days of Vinas Solamnus.

Recently, a courier came from Gwynned to Castle Uth Wistan with a message that caused a great stir among the senior members of the Order. No one has yet spoken of the Northern Ergoth discovery, however.

Solanthus

The Knights' circle in Solamnia's capital is the principal location on the mainland for the Knights' mystic training. Though not as large as the Citadel of Light, the training site in Solanthus nevertheless draws many young Knights seeking to explore the power of the heart. Not all of them succeed, of course, but the senior members of the Order believe they have enriched themselves just by trying. Whatever the outcome of their training, these young Knights, by looking into their own hearts, have glimpsed the heart of the Order.

The Knights of the Skull

One of the Solamnic Knighthood's principal foes remains the Dark Knights of Takhisis. The Rose and Sword Knights in particular hate the Order of the Skull, the dark mystics.

Some seventeen years ago, a patrol of Sword and Rose Knights attempted to track down and kill the three Dark Knights who duped Goldmoon into teaching them the secrets of her new magic. Unfortunately, the dark paladins managed to evade their trap and elude them. Now the Knights of the Skull take every opportunity to taunt their Solamnic "brethren" about their failure.

The Knights of Takhisis

More than three decades ago, the Dark Knights endured a fate similar to that of the Knights of Solamnia: The Chaos Wars nearly destroyed them. When Mirielle Abrena, a subcommander of a wing of Skull Knights, attended the Council of the Last Heroes in 1sc, she slowed her Order's decline into oblivion by demanding land for surviving Knights in recognition for their role in the defeat of Chaos.

After spending several years gathering the scattered wings, Abrena named herself Governor-General of the Order's new homeland, the area around Neraka. A patient and cunning politician, she embarked on a program to bring about the resurgence the Knights of Takhisis and the eventual hegemony of Neraka over the continent of Ansalon.

And her work proceeds unabated. The following discussion of the Dark Knights' recent history and plans expands upon the basic information on the Knighthood in Heroes of Steel, focusing on this dark Orders use of mysticism.

Birth of Dark Mysticism

One of Abrena's most fortuitous decisions in the years following the Second Cataclysm was to send three of her most capable Knights, all of them former Skull Knights of her old wing, to Schallsea to learn what they could of this "new magic" the barbarian priestess Goldmoon purportedly possessed.

These three, posing as members of the Legion of Steel, convinced the fledgling mystic leader to teach them the secrets of her magic. Goldmoon's mentor, the Sage, returned from months of travels to find her distraught over the trick - but it was too late. The three had made their escape, evading pursuing Legionnaires and Knights of Solamnia and eventually returning to Neraka. The Governor-General immediately ordered them to teach her and the rest of her wing the magic they had learned at the Citadel. Within the space of a few years, the Order of the Skull was reborn, its dark mystics perverting the Citadel's knowledge for Evil ends.

The Vision Returns

As evidence of their special relationship with Takhisis, each Dark Knight traditionally enjoyed a glimpse of his personal role in the Queen's plan, a dreamlike communication straight from the goddess. This Vision ceased at the time of the Chaos War, however, with the goddess's departure. But in 15sc, the Vision came back to the Knights and told them Takhisis would return.

Various theories have arisen to explain the return of the Vision and its disturbing message. As the departure of Takhisis from the world caused the Vision to lapse, many believe, its return must signal her imminent return as well. However, some seventeen years have passed since the renewal of the Vision, and still the folk of Ansalon have seen no evidence that the Dark Queen is ready to fulfill the prophecy.

In truth, Mirielle Abrena ordered the Skull Knights to use their skills to convince the Knights that Takhisis was still with them. Her loyal mystics use mentalism to give each Knight a personal Vision of the goddess's will during the Test of Takhisis, just before a squire's formal induction into the Knighthood. Only Skull Knights from the Cabal of the True Heart (see next page) can perpetuate the Vision. Their presence at a Test of Takhisis keeps the applicant Knight nervous and unsure, making the mental contact simpler. The Cabal can send a Vision message to a Knight on other rare occasions as well.

The initial experience is so traumatic that, if the applicant survives the Test, he is more susceptible to the power of mysticism in the future (most Dark Knight heroes never enjoy a trump bonus to resist mystic magic). Only when inducted into the Order of the Skull does the Knight gain any extra resistance to mystical magic; those who join the Order of the Skull learn to rebuild their defenses to mysticism as part of their training.

The Order of the Skull

The Order of the Skull is led by a Lord Knight, Morham Targonne (human adult male, gregarious demeanor, Master), who carries the title of Lord Adjudicator. However, several smaller mystical groups exist within the order. These societies arose out of the fragmentation of the Dark Knights after the Summer of Chaos. As the Governor-General brought scattered bands back into the Order during its rebuilding years, these groups remained close-knit.

When Abrena granted their petitions to be admitted into mystical training, these Skull Knights formed mystic-warrior societies based around a particular sphere of magic. Some are exclusive and secretive, others more open. Without exception, membership in these warrior societies comes by invitation only, after an aspirant Skull Knight has proven his worth to the society's leadership.

Cabal of the True Heart

The first and most powerful of these societies, the Cabal of the True Heart is the rather innocuous name given to the secret inquisitors of the Knights of Takhisis. Nearly every one of these dark mystics comes from Abrena's own wing. Its leader is Galen Nemedi (human elder male, authoritative demeanor, Master), a cruel tyrant.

Members of this cabal are masters of mentalism and sensitivity magic, which they use to read the auras and minds of their brethren. They have the responsibilities of seeking out traitors within the Order and serving as Adjudicators of the Code (see Heroes of Steel). Due to an increased number of defections in the past several years, Abrena recently granted this cabal greater authority in rooting out treason within the Knighthood - a development which makes life as a Dark Knight even more tense than normal.

The Spiritborne

The Spiritborne summon and enslave the spirits of the dead and use them to terrify the Order's enemies. They take a perverse pride in attaining dominance over the most dangerous of undead. They also disdain necromancers, seeing them as nothing more than dabblers in the realm of the afterlife. Intelligent spirits are ever more dangerous than stupid animated corpses, they aver.

The risk inherent in this profession means this society has relatively few members. Those who manage to survive the dangers of controlling intelligent spirits are formidable foes indeed. In fact, these masters of the restless spirit are feared even by their brother Knights. The group has become so powerful that rumors suggest Mirielle Abrena considers them a potential threat to her control of the Knights of Takhisis. The Cabal of the True Heart has been ordered to discover the identities of the Spiritborne members and carefully monitor their activities.

The Heart of the Dragon

The Heart of the Dragon is a militant group whose members use mysticism to improve their abilities in physical combat. These arrogant warriors demand of their followers physical excellence above all else and use their channeling skills to improve their already staggering abilities. Normally, they use their magic just on themselves but, on occasion, they will aid a brother Knight.

Other Groups

The Governor-General also uses certain Knights of the Skull as ambassadors, part of the delegations she sends to other nations. Rarely do they identify themselves as Skull Knights, wearing instead the armor and heraldry of Knights of the Lily or of the Thorn (in the case of those few individuals trained in sorcery as well). These mystics use their magic to influence government leaders or gain foreign intelligence that may concern their superiors. They report their findings to the Governor-General and her Lord Knights through couriers or magical means.

Other Skull Knights keep the faith of Takhisis alive, restoring her temples throughout Neraka and in other realms friendly to them. These Knights oversee the priests of Takhisis as they lead the faithful in worship and help them prepare for her return. Citizens of Neraka are politely requested to attend services.

Finally, other, smaller groups also exist within the Order of the Skull. The Lord Knight of the Skull generally does not oppose them, for these groups bring about welcome competition among the Knights, to help them keep their edge. In addition, the Cabal of the True Heart reports directly to the Governor-General and the Lord Knight of the Skull if any secret society shows evidence of treason.

Dark Tactics

Although Mirielle Abrena now governs the entire Knighthood, her background as a Skull Knight leads her to watch the activities of that order with keen interest. With her blessing, the Knights of the Skull have made significant discoveries in spheres of mysticism that others shun: necromancy and spiritualism.

Necromancy

Dark Knights have discovered many uses for the necromantic arts. Although they have little desire to create animated undead, they have learned to destroy such creatures through necromancy, severing the magical strings that bind and control these unnatural puppets.

They also find necromancy very useful as a means of extracting information from others. Even these Evil servants know that information obtained through the use of pain is nearly always unreliable, however, for the victim always tells questioners what he thinks they want to hear. Instead, Knights of the Skull use necromancy to so exhaust their subjects that they can no longer focus their wills against the interrogation. With the subject's energy or health thus depleted, a mentalist can extract the desired information, or the Knights can question the prisoner normally.

Some dark mystics use necromancy as a weapon - especially older mystics, whose powers of the mind exceed those of the body. Galen Nemedi, the senior mystic of the Cabal of the True Heart, has demonstrated more than once his terrifying skill with necromantic magic. This grim, aged master has proven that the mind is sharper than any razor.

Spiritualism

The Knights of the Skull seek to master spiritualism as well as necromancy. Although powerful spectral undead have buckled to their merest command, dangers remain for even the most skilled practitioners of the dark art of spirit summoning. Many Knights have been slain or driven mad by contact with creatures better left at rest. The Spiritborne mystical society delves into the secrets of mastering the intelligent undead and free spirits.

In addition, the Knights believe the strange spiritlike shadow-wights, frost-wights, and other creatures of chaos left after the Chaos War can prove valuable allies - to spiritualists with the will to control them. Members of the order continue to work to bring these creatures under their sway.

The Legion of Steel

The Legion's roots are grounded in practicality. A young organization, it lacks the traditions of the Knights of Solamnia. To hear Legionnaires tell it, they lack the Knighthood's baggage as well. (Details on the Legion's philosophy, structure, admission policies, and goals appear in Heroes of Steel.)

Like the Citadel of Light, the Legion is an organization born in the Fifth Age and dedicated to combating the Evils that abound in Ansalon: dragon overlords, foul Knights of Takhisis, as well as bandits, brigands, beasts, and Chaos spawn. To overcome such foes of freedom, Legionnaires make use of every weapon they can get their hands on.

Mysticism is no exception.

The Legion and the Power

Like members of other mystic groups discussed in this chapter. Legionnaires learned to use the power of the heart at the Citadel of Light. However, the Legion quickly steered a course that did not strictly follow the cautious approach and focus Goldmoon taught. No one yet fully understands what the spirit can do, the First Master stressed in her teachings, so mystics must tread with care as they explore its limits.

Legionnaire Elders concede that experimenting with mystical magic involves some risk. They also point out that it is one thing to make decisions about the study of mysticism in an academic environment and quite another to depend on those skills in the field. Legion mystics often find themselves forced to use their skills to defend themselves, fellow Legionnaires, or even innocents from the depredations of the world. They do what they must to fulfill their mission and defend those they have come to protect.

Some of the more successful Legion mystics also suggest that their spontaneous use of mystic magic has resulted in effects previously thought impossible. For example, it was a Legion sorcerer named Dagon Hereward who, while running for his life in dragon territory, discovered he could combine a school of sorcery with a mystical sphere in a single spell.

While being chased by Dark Knights after an incident in Khellendros's realm, Dagon managed to transport several horses from their corral using summoning to create the path and animism to convince the beasts to help. The chase lasted only moments, as Dagon and his companions quickly had mounted all the Knights' horses, and the Knights discovered that running in plate armor is a great deal more difficult than fighting in it. Dagon (human male adult, inventive demeanor, Adventurer) continues to serve the Legion in an unknown location, and his magical findings remain the source of much fascination for sorcerers and mystics alike.

Mystic Training

The Legion's clandestine cell structure might make systematic training of its mystics difficult if not for its mentor system. Each mystic or mystic-in-training is assigned a mentor, who takes him under his wing. Apprentices work with mentors skilled in mysticism, while full Legionnaires train with their mentors on a more casual basis - they do not have to go through the Legion's strict apprentice period again!

The apprentice system has a few drawbacks, however. For instance, decentralized training makes it difficult to enforce any standards. The Legion is not about to compromise the security of its secret cells by withdrawing prospective mystics to a central location for schooling, however, so the problem remains.

This method of training also tends to limit the spheres that inexperienced mystics might learn. While the Legion's elder mystics are familiar with some very useful spheres, they pay too little attention to other possibly valuable areas of mystical training - spiritualism remains relatively rare among Legion mystics, as does sensitivity and meditation. In addition, no one openly practices necromancy, as it is (erroneously) associated too closely with the Knights of the Skull.

To address these problems, the Legion accepts Goldmoon's invitation to train promising students whenever possible. However, the Order's far-flung membership and focus on covert missions make for slow progress.

Mystic Activity

Legionnaires work nearly everywhere in Ansalon, and its mystics operate in some of the remotest parts of the continent as well. While these mystics have achieved some amazing successes, many inexperienced members - unschooled in the dangers of their new power and the nature of guerrilla warfare - are spotted and killed by the Order's foes.

Therefore, most of the Legion's mystics, while in enemy territory, try to blend into the populace of large communities. They find it easier to hide within the urban population of Palanthas, for example, than somewhere in the Blue Wastes of Khellendros.

In Malys's barren realm, they have considerably more trouble hiding while they pursue their mission of reaching the Red's lair. Despite eleven separate attempts, they have not yet succeeded, but they have learned to confine most of their activities to the harbor towns of Flotsam and Port Balifor.

Because Beryl depends upon trade with the outside world, the Legion has not yet had a great deal of trouble infiltrating her realm. Its elf mystics work as caravan scouts in her forests, while human mystics confine themselves to Tarsis and other such towns, where they can blend in more readily with the population.

Sable's realm is easy to infiltrate as well, but Legion mystics have had little success gathering any information in that vast morass. Few settlements exist, and those mystics who use their magic to poke around in the bogs and fens have occasionally gone missing - the victims of who-knows-what kind of creature from the Black Dragon's zoo.

The Legion has not involved itself much in the realm of Gellidus, as the Knights of Solamnia actively pursue interests in Southern Ergoth - mainly protecting the folk of Qualimori and Silvamori and watching over Dragon Mountain and the Tomb of Huma, sites of great import to the Knighthood. Despite the rivalry between the two Orders, Legionnaire Elders realize that both groups seek the same goals and prefer, rather than provoking the Knights in Frost's realm, to concentrate on efforts elsewhere.

In the free realms, some Legion mystics take care of the daily needs of the common folk, while others protect them from the dragons and Dark Knights. This role remains every bit as dangerous as working covertly in the Dragon Realms, for sometimes foes run "sting" operations just to flush out and destroy Legion cells and circles. It is a tense game of cat-and-mouse - and some even have forgotten the prize for winning.

The Citadel of Light

Despite the wishes of enemies like the Great Dragons, the Citadel of Light has flourished. Since its creation in 8sc, it has attracted hundreds of people wanting to learn mysticism, many of whom were left stranded by the devastation of the Chaos War and the Dragon Purge.

After the Citadel's founding, many other refugees came to Schallsea seeking assistance from Goldmoon and her followers. Some came for her reputed healing powers, others for help in finding a place to settle, and still others for simple compassion and relief from the trauma they had endured.

Since the Citadel was founded, it has grown from a rude shelter near the Silver Stair to the multidomed structure it is today. The expanding complex not only houses Citadel mystics but also includes temporary housing for refugees making their way to the port of Schallsea. Any refugees who show an aptitude for mystical studies have the opportunity to train at the Citadel.

Admission to the Citadel

Not everyone wanting to learn mysticism at the Citadel is accepted into the community. Since discovering the duplicity of the three Dark Knights who sought out the mystic center a few years after its founding, the First Master and her senior mystics have become more careful when deciding whom to teach.

Her powers fully developed now, Goldmoon conducts a personal interview with prospective students to ensure that they will not pass the Citadel's mystic knowledge on to those who would abuse it or use it purely for personal gain. She always makes a point of asking why they seek to study the mystic arts, and what led them to the Citadel.

During the interview, Goldmoon uses sensitivity magic to read the candidate's aura. If she judges him to be of the proper moral character to learn the mystical arts, she grants him the right to remain at the Citadel and begin study. If the applicant's aura gives her reason to doubt, however, she either turns him away or requires of him a period of mundane service to prove his worth and character.

Citadel Interview
Difficulty: Varies
Action ability: Spirit
Opposition ability: Spirit

Comments: To convince Goldmoon his spirit is well suited to pursue the mystical arts, an applicant must pass an interview. The Narrator should portray the First Master's resistance to the action as an effort to challenge the candidate, not force him through an ordeal. The action's difficulty varies based on the hero's nature:

- Average (8): The hero's nature is drawn from a card with a white aura.
- Challenging (12): The hero has a nature drawn from a red-aura card.
- Daunting (16): The hero's nature comes from a card with a black aura.

In addition, the hero gains a bonus to his action score if he brings recommendations to the interview. Every Citadel mystic or other friend of the Citadel who vouches for the hero (a Solamnic Knight, a priest of Good, a representative of Palin Majere's Academy of Sorcery, or a personal friend of Goldmoon), either in person or in writing, adds a +3 bonus to the hero's action score. Other advocates, such as priests of Neutral gods or members of the Legion of Steel, offer a +1 action bonus.

Those who succeed gain acceptance into the Citadel. Should Goldmoon have initial qualms about the hero's background or morality (in other words, the hero fails at the action), Narrators should give him a chance to offer a defense, explaining any past behavior that has created the negative impression. Narrators can then modify the result of this action based on the hero's sincerity and the believability of his story.

Mishap: Goldmoon reacts to the hero in a highly negative fashion. She senses a darkness about the hero so forebod- ing that she asks him to leave Schallsea at once. The source of the darkness is up to the Narrator, who might devise a special quest for a hero interested in understanding the truth about this spiritual blight.

A Citadel Mystic's Life

Few mystics, once they have completed their training, remain at the Citadel very long. They always have a refuge on Schallsea, should they ever need it, but Goldmoon and the other master mystics prefer to send their graduates out into the world that needs them so desperately. Even master mystics return to the field from time to time; from among the senior students, Goldmoon chooses those who show an aptitude for teaching to fill the roles of the departing teachers for a while. A few others remain to aid the refugees who come to Schallsea.

Citadel mystics journey to all parts of Ansalon. Most of them remain in the free realms, acting as advisers, healers, and defenders to the citizens of those lands. Some work the fringes of the hostile lands, aiding those who seek to escape.

A few take their training deep into the lands claimed by the dragon lords or other Evil powers, where they work as resistance fighters and healers for those who cannot escape or choose not to leave their homes. Although this role is far more common among such groups as the Legion of Steel and the Knights of Solamnia, some of the more fearless Citadel mystics work right alongside these groups.

Masters in enemy territory also teach promising students who cannot make the trip to Schallsea. While their work spreads the Citadel's philosophy, these mystics risk teaching those who would pervert mystic power for Evil or selfish ends. Too often have students learned what they can from these beleaguered masters, only to turn their education into a way of taking from others.

Goldmoon exhorts her mystics to bring prospective students to Schallsea whenever possible. Yet the masters working in hostile lands, for all their devotion to the First Master, believe her request ignores the dangers of transporting potential students to the Citadel - often halfway across the continent!

The Citadel's Activities

Today, the Citadel of Light cultivates relations with other groups and governments to further the overthrow of the Great Dragons and support the use of the power of the heart for Good purposes.

The Academy of Sorcery

Goldmoon works to strengthen her alliance with the Academy of Sorcery, believing that Ansalon's two greatest magical institutions could combine efforts in realms dominated by Evil to achieve great success. Recently, she sent one of her master mystics, Jasper Fireforge, on a mission in cooperation with her longtime friend Palin Majere - a quest that led to the discovery of the foul dragonspawn.

In addition, she encourages Palin to send Academy students for periods of study at the Citadel and urges her students with sorcerous predilections to nurture their skills at the Academy.

The Knights of Solamnia

The Citadel of Light routinely sends master mystics to Solamnia, especially Thelgaard and Solanthus, to coordinate actions with the Knights of Solamnia against the Dark Knights and the Blue Dragon Khellendros. In addition, they study the Order's traditions to help teach Sword and Rose Knights the ways of the spirit. In fact, more than one Citadel mystic, caught up in the romance and nobility of the ancient Solamnic ways, has taken knightly vows.

Several Citadel mystics have gone to the nation of Gunthar on Sancrist Isle, where they act as Citadel ambassadors to the leadership of the Knighthood. These masters, such as Lady Crysania, Revered Daughter of Paladine, are usu- ally older and more polished - they leave the Citadel's more strenuous activities to the younger masters.

The Great Dragons

The Citadel also sends numerous mystics to Abanasinia and Duntollik to help the barbarians and centaurs hold onto their independence from the dragon lords. With the great Green Dragon Beryl in Qualinesti and the aggressive Thunder in the southern Plains of Dust, the people of the northern Plains and Abanasinia live a tenuous existence. Fortunately, for now. Beryl seem relatively quiescent, and the brass Splendor appears more than able to confound the volatile Thunder in the Plains.

Citadel mystics have infiltrated every Dragon Realm in Ansalon. Despite the Dark Knights' usual hostility toward them, they find relative peace in Khellendros's realm. They have a great deal of difficulty getting into Beryl's realm, however, for she has stationed troops along the border to prevent outsiders from interfering in her plans.

A few Citadel mystics have attached themselves to the small garrison at Castle Eastwatch in Southern Ergoth, where Knights of Solamnia survey the realm of Gellidus the White. Of all the Dragon Realms, Sable's is the easiest to enter - but the most difficult to leave alive. The dragon exerts little of her own energy to keep her realm free of outsiders, for the denizens of her fetid swamp do it for her. Nevertheless, at least one Citadel mystic and her husband, a Legionnaire, have infiltrated Trueheart Mines in the southeast corner of Sable's lands and work to help slaves there escape.

However, no mystic has gotten beyond the fringes of Malys's realm - and even there, they have little protection from her wrath and the cruelty of her minions. A young woman named Mira who led an unsuccessful rescue mission into the northernmost portion of Malys's realm recently was found staked to a tree on the coast of the Blood Sea - a warning to all who might attempt a similar escapade.

The Holy Order of the Stars

Although the gods' constellations have gone from the skies of Fifth Age Krynn, many people remain faithful to the true gods, including many priests, acolytes, and holy warriors of these departed gods. They are organized into the Holy Orders of the Stars, according to Krynn's three traditional pantheons (see sidebars on the next pages):

- The Order of Good, led by the Chosen Prophet, the senior Revered Son (or Daughter) of Paladine;
- The Order of Neutrality, led by the Starmaster, the senior priest of Gilean; and
- The Order of Evil, led by the Lord Knight of the Skull, the senior priest of Takhisis.

These Orders only rarely cooperate with one another, for their individual ethos prohibits it. The Order of Good wars openly with that of Evil, and the Order of Neutrality cannot aid either without violating its own ethos and risking an irreparable shift in the balance of power between the two.

A Divine Dilemma

Despite their differences, however, the three Orders each want to understand what happened after the Chaos War to the gods and the powers they granted their followers. Did the gods truly disappear, as the faithless suggest? Did Chaos affect how they communicate their favor to their followers? Have the gods taken a more aloof position regarding the world, agreeing to remove themselves from the affairs of mortal men?

Priests and other devout folk believe the gods have not departed Krynn, but that the Chaos god hampered their ability to intervene directly in the affairs of mortals when he sought to destroy the world three decades ago. Individually, the gods cannot directly challenge the power of Chaos, so they must work their will on the world in more subtle ways.

Since they cannot grant spells directly to their priests as they did at the end of the Fourth Age and in previous ages, the gods gave mortals the key to calling upon the divine spark in themselves. Magic has ever been the gods' greatest gift to mortals - now mortals can find it within themselves. Since this magic is the gods' bequest, shall mortals not use it in the name of their gods? The Order of Good considers Goldmoon no less a priestess of Mishakal just because she gains her sacred powers in a different fashion than in the past. The greatest mages of history could never use their magic to heal the simplest injury; such a gift has always come from the divine grace of the gods. It is no less so today.

The Orders Today

While not every god in the entire pantheon is worshiped in every single realm in Ansalon, each realm does harbor members of all the three Holy Orders, working to spread their faith in these uncertain times.

The Order of Good

Of the three Holy Orders of the Stars, the Order of Good remains most prevalent in the Fifth Age. Perhaps because of their association with the Citadel of Light and the Knights of Solamnia, the priests and followers of Paladine and his pantheon have survived well the turmoil of recent decades. The Chosen Prophet - Revered Daughter Crysania (female elder human, calm demeanor, Hero, 1) in Sancrist - has taught her followers to try to accept that they cannot know their gods' motives and to rejoice that the gods have granted them a new way of continuing their works in the name of Good.

Assisting Lady Crysania are several prominent prophets, including Goldmoon, representing Mishakal, and Lord Dylan di Kyre (human elder male, cantankerous demeanor, Master), Lord Knight of the Sword, representing Kiri-Jolith. (Lord Dylan is the brother of the famed Morgan, whose story appears in a sidebar in Chapter Three).


Order of Good

Although priests of Good share a common morality, each priesthood is quite distinct nevertheless.

Paladine, the Dragon's Lord

Leads the pantheon of Good.
Followers of Paladine carry out Good works with the confidence that Evil will turn on itself in the end.

Branchala, Song of Life

Followers of Branchala praise their god through song and poetry and spend much of their lives creating a masterpiece to honor him.

Habbakuk, Fisher King

Priests of Habbakuk live to protect nature from those who would neglect or destroy it. They also spend time wandering the land in communion with the wonders of creation.

Kiri-Jolith, Sword of Justice

Lawful and honorable combat of Evil remains foremost in the mind of priests and paladins of Kiri-Jolith.

Majere, Master of Mind

Majere's followers live simple lives of contemplation and meditation. Many pursue artistic endeavors, physical training, or activities that promote faith, loyalty, and mercy.

Mishakal, Healing Hand

Priests of Mishakal actively seek out those in need of healing and aid them. They rarely charge for their services, and never more than one can afford.

Solinari, Mighty Hand

In past ages, only Wizards of the White Robes could be priests of Solinari. Today, most of his servants practice sorcery along with mystic magic to quietly accomplish constructive ends

For more details on any of the gods named here, see "The True Gods" sidebar in Chapter One.


The Order of Evil

The followers of the Evil gods have not done as well as their Good counterparts. At present, only the dragons, the Dark Knights, and many priests of Takhisis understand mystic magic (the last of these thanks to enlightenment by the Skull Knights). None of these groups appears terribly forthcoming with that knowledge, instead hoarding it to suit their own purposes. A handful of former priests of other dark gods have puzzled out for themselves some of the secrets of the new magic, but none of them have achieved mastery.

The Lord Knight of the Skull, Morham Targonne (human adult male, gregarious demeanor, Master), currently serves as the Lord Adjudicator. In addition to overseeing the worship of Takhisis among her Dark Knights, he administers the other churches of Evil gods throughout Ansalon - and decides how much knowledge and power to allow them.


Order of Evil

The faiths of Evil, more divisive than the other two Orders, seldom work together unless strictly commanded by the Lord Knight of the Skull.

Takhisis, Queen of Darkness

Leads the pantheon of Evil.
Every priest of Takhisis swears an oath of utter obedience to carry out her will: thwarting the plans of her foes and conquering the world in her name.

Chemosh, Lord of Death

White skull masks and black robes mark the priests of Chemosh, skilled at creating undead and quick to promise immortality to gain recruits to the faith.

Hiddukel, Prince of Lies

Hiddukel's followers use trickery to gain wealth, which they display openly with their fine clothing and jewelry.

Morgion, Black Wind

The secretive priests ofMorgion historically have revealed little of their goals, beyond countering the healing power of Mishakal at work in the world.

Nuitari, Devouring Dark

No longer must priests of Nuitari also become Black Robed Wizards. However, they do use sorcery in conjunction with mysticism to work their commanding and destructive magic.

Sargonnas, Dark Vengeance

Followers of Sargonnas devote their lives to carrying out revenge against those that have wronged the god in particular, and the Order of Evil in general.

Zeboim, Darkling Sea

The small priesthood of Zeboim petitions for fair weather by throwing offerings into the sea and striking out at marine followers of her rival, Habbakuk.

For more details on any of the gods named here, see "The True Gods" sidebar in Chapter One.


The Order of Neutrality

Never a group to draw the faithful in great numbers, the Order of Neutrality nevertheless has survived the effects of the Chaos War and the loss of belief that followed. Perhaps because they have taken the long view for centuries, followers of the Neutral gods argue that the gift of the "new" magic left by the gods before they withdrew from direct intervention in the affairs of the world has been a part of the world since the beginning of time. Most people simply never realized it.

The "new" magic, they contend, is in fact the same magic heathen priests, scions, and wild mages practiced before Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari granted Krynn the knowledge of High Sorcery. This was a magic born of the divine spark inside every aspect of creation (as discussed in "A Scholarly View" in the Prologue). Followers of Gilean and the other Neutral gods believe that mysticism, as well as sorcery, is actually the same magic wielded since the dawn of time by those who did not allow themselves to be restricted by the rules, rituals, and formulae of magic in past ages.

Starmaster Mikelis (human middle-aged male, insightful demeanor, Adventurer) currently oversees the worship of the pantheon of Neutrality from his position as rector at the University of Solanthus in the free realm of Solamnia. Other places of learning, such as the Great Library of the Ages and the University of Palanthas, also play important roles in the Neutral faith.


Order of Neutrality

The pantheon of Neutrality encourages its priests and followers in creative and scholarly pursuits, as well as in maintaining the cosmic Balance.

Gilean, the Void

Leads the pantheon of Neutrality.
Priests of Gilean usually serve a temple, library, or university. In addition to performing public services as judges, counselors, and teachers, they also devote their lives to research and thesis work.

Chislev the Beast

Worshipers of Chislev live in the wild as druids and seek to repair damage to the Balance of nature, such as that caused by draconic shaping of the land.

Lunitari, Veiled Maiden

Although priests of Lunitari no longer need belong to the wizardly Order of the Red Robes, they are encouraged to practice sorcery as well as mystic magic - especially the magic of illusion and reshaping.

Reorx, Forge

Priests of Reorx follow in the footsteps of their god by Grafting useful artifacts that possess an inner beauty.

Shinare, Winged Victory

The industrious priests of Shinare seek wealth and prestige, which they use to further the good of the community.

Sirrion, Flowing Flame

Creatively using fire in artistic pursuits and containing dangerous fires is the life's work of Sirrion's followers.

Zivilyn, Tree of Life

The pursuit and spread of life's wisdom is the guiding factor behind the thoughts and deeds of Zivilyn's priests.

For more details on any of the gods named here, see "The True Gods" sidebar in Chapter One.


Joining a Holy Order

A hero interested in becoming a priest, cleric, or other follower of one of the true gods must first find a priest of the appropriate god (or Order) and win his approval. Most large cities house at least one priest of each Order. Heroes having difficulty locating a patron can petition the head of the Order directly.

The patron priest then becomes responsible for the hero's religious instruction. Once satisfied that the hero has learned the precepts of his faith and will live by them, the patron arranges a test of faith, as described below.

Test of Faith
Difficulty: Varies
Action ability: Spirit
Opposition ability: Perception

Comments: The Narrator should invent an appropriate role-playing experience to accompany this action - a test might take the form of a service appropriate to the faith (solving a conundrum for a follower of Gilean, for instance) or a challenge of mystic magic (such as an act of healing for an aspirant of Mishakal). The hero's patron priest provides the opposition value for the actual test action (though not necessarily for other actions related to the circumstances of the test). The difficulty depends on the hero's nature:

- Average (8): The hero's nature is drawn from a card whose aura reflects the proper pantheon (such as a white aura for the Order of Good).
- Challenging (12): The hero has a nature drawn from a card whose aura is one color removed from that which would describe the pantheon (a red aura for the Order of Good, for instance).
- Daunting (16): The hero's nature comes from a card with an aura diametrically opposed to the color that represents the pantheon (for example, a black aura for the Order of Good).

As in the Citadel interview, an aspirant gains a bonus to his action score if respected individuals will vouch for him. Every member of his own Order or an allied group (Solamnic Knights and Citadel mystics, for instance, are allies of the Order of Good) adds a +3 bonus to the hero's action score with his personal or written recommendation. More distant advocates, such as members of the Legion of Steel, offer a +1 action bonus. (Endorsement from the head of the Order ensures success.)

Should the hero fail in this action, his patron sends him on a quest to strengthen his faith. After completing one quest, the hero may return for another test.

Mishap: The hero has unwittingly demonstrated his unsuitability to serve the Order. Not only does he fail the test, he may never again attempt to enter this particular Order.

Heroes who pass this test become official servants of their god and receive a medallion emblazoned with the symbol of the deity, which marks him as such. He then becomes subject to the wishes of his superiors (priests of his Order with a higher reputation score) and may be called upon to answer to them for actions construed as unbecoming a priest of his faith.

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