The Bone Quill of the Scholar Item in Astaeria | World Anvil

The Bone Quill of the Scholar

CW: this article contains a level of gore that some individuals may find disturbing. Reader's discretion is advised.
 
  It is a commonly held belief amongst dedicated followers of Ethera, that when Ogarr wanted to give his most dedicated followers a means to preserve the knowledge of the Guardians, he crafted five rather legendary writing implements.  
 

The Guardian of Knowledge

 
"Ogarr. A god who literally gave his right hand for learning and scholarship."  
Eldeth Cordell, The Common Man's Guide to Astaeria, 1355 A.E.
  Ogarr is one of the twelve guardians of the The Pantheon of Ethera. He is the partner of Daghda, and a God of knowledge, scholarship and craft.   According to Legend, he was a key player in the downfall of Zenykul downfall and is also considered to be the scribe of the gods, who throughout history has sent divine messages to aid the people of Ethera.  

A Divine Gift

  Legend says that when Ogarr departed the material plane for the last time, he knew it would be many centuries before his return. It was for this reason that he wanted to give his followers a gift that would preserve the Mother's message, but also symbolise the sacrifices the twelve Guardians have made, and will make for the people of Ethera.   So he severed his right hand at the wrist, the very hand which he used for his divine writing. He then detached, skinned and hollowed out the longer bones of his 4 fingers and thumb, before whittling the tips of each of the bones into the shape of a nib.   He then injected the hollowed bones with the blood drained from his severed flesh.   This 'ink', infused with the immortal power of the Mother, would never go cold, nor clot, nor fade. Therefore, any prose written in its crimson liquid would be preserved forever.



  Ogarr had created 5 self contained writing implements of the like never seen before, especially considering those rare individuals in Ethera who can write, use only bird Quills.   The Bone Quills are said to have been distributed amongst Ogarr's most loyal followers, though exactly who these 5 individuals were has been lost to history.   What we do know, however, is that today one is owned by the Church of Ethera, one by the Guild of Scholar's in Bridgeport, and one by Augustas Malvarro, who seized the artifact from Duke Tarryn when he conquered the city of Revaelor in 1331 A.E.   The location of the other 2 quills is still unknown.  

Legacy


  The only Bone Quill known to still be used for its intended purpose is the one located in the Guild of Scholars.  
Many scrolls have been written with the Bone Quill which the Scholars keep hidden in a secure vault. It is said the Guild are chronicling the historical events in Astaeria since Ogarr departed, in the hopes that on his return they will be of vital importance.   On the first day of the month of Ogarr, scholars celebrate the Guardian of Knowledge through a pilgrimage to the Temple of the Scholar in Bridgeport. On this day, the Bone Quill is displayed on the shrine for everyone to see, though it is heavily guarded and encased in glass.
Item type
Unique Artifact

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Comments

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Jul 15, 2021 13:14 by Chris L

Good article! Love the lore on this one. Did the god ever come back? Did he grow his hand back or is it permanently gone? Do members of his church also sever their hands to honor the god? So many questions!


Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

Jul 23, 2021 14:43 by Gilly-May Hartill

Thank you very much for taking the time to comment on my article, I'm glad you enjoyed it!   There have been no further, 'recorded' encounters with any of the Guardian's since their exodus somewhere during the 'Great Silence' thousands of years ago. Once summer camp is over I will be writing more about the deities and the lore surrounding them :)   I was thinking of adding a section on your last question to the article, there's bound to be some followers who take it to the extreme, so look out for that in future.   Given the speed I'm trying to write for Summer Camp I'm largely getting the bare bones down at the moment! But I will add your questions to my list of updates for sure!   Thanks again for the feedback :)

Gilly Hartill   Fantasy world builder, aspiring author & lover of all things RPG.