The Great Sages of Vekirai
"My Liege, how may I be of service?" asked the mage as he bowed deeply.
The kings voice was shaky. "I need your counsel, Arch Mage, we cannot hold the gates of the city. What am I to do? Should I call the surrender and dishonour my father and forefathers?"
"They are already dishonoured my liege. Cede the kingdom to me."
Surely, the king had misheard. "What did you say? You cannot have said what I dare to think you did!"
"I command your army, oh lesser king. Will you cede the throne or must I take it?"
More mages had entered the room now.
"What is this? Guards!"
"Your guards answer to me and my order, now," Oloroa smirked.
The Arch Mage took his crystal dagger from its sheath at his belt and dived at the king who tried to reach for his sword but the mages were chanting a curse and his arms were solid and heavy like stone. His vision blurred as the dagger cleanly split his neck and his royal blood coloured the floor.
Structure
Oloroa, the Arch Sage of Vekirai, is the ultimate ruler of all of Nangkap (the empire of Vekirai). He is, however, at least 340 years old in the year 170AU, and some people now believe him to be mythical.
Below Oloroa, sits the Council of Great Sages whose numbers are unknown. The highly secretive guild does not disclose its membership or its policies although they rule over one of the largest empires in all of Alter, similar in land area to the Kingdom of Bairek. At least 16 members of the Council of Great Sages are known to the citizenry of Nangkap. Most widely known is Arch Sage Imesta who has been the spokesperson of the council for 30 years.
Public Agenda
The Sages are highly secretive. They rules over the empire of Nangkap with the guild itself legally declared the emperor.
They have pursued an expansionist policy throughout their entire reign and have never been at peace in the 300 years since they took power.
Assets
The guild does not disclose its wealth but has never been seen to lack money. They occupy the five tallest towers of Vekirai, once collectively called the 'Palace of the Eternal Light of Vekirai' but now called the 'Great Library of Vekirai'. They command the army of Nangkap, the largest military in all of Alter, although the are often spread thin by skirmishes and rebellions.
As the guild is, itself, the emperor of Nangkap, they contol all its state assets, including fortresses, palaces, estates and business. They also collect taxes from its citizens.
History
The guild was founded in the 218BU, five years before the assassination of King Varsel Gan Irao of Vekirai. It was originally founded to advise the king and to help manage the administration of the City State of Vekirai which was an important port and had complex import and export regulations. The sages primarily saw the management of these regulations but were also learned men more generally and were also expected to have knowledge of history, geography, medicine and foreign languages. Privately, the sages saw themselves as a continuation of the Elder Council which had ruled Vekirai since its founding but which had been usurped by the Irao dynasty in 328BU.
The sages also acted as tutors to the children of the elite. They taught in the vast libraries which the king's ancestors had amassed in the vaults beneath the towers of Vekirai.
Oloroa was a natural gifted sorcerer and a highly skilled mathematician and strategist who had been an assistant to the king's previous arch mage and who was very quickly promoted after the arch mages passing under mysterious circumstances.
The small city state did not have the means, however, to repel the invading forces of Dabrait when they besieged the city and blockaded the port in 213BU
After Oloroa assassinated the king, he briefly declared himself the ultimate ruler of Vekirai. He had studied the arcane arts from the ancient tomes which were locked away in the vaults under the palace itself. He used this dark magic, possibly fuelled by rituals using the body of the king himself, to repel the invaders. Such was his might, that many of the soldiers defected to him (although he may have controlled their minds) and he quickly retaliated, taking all of Songvel over the course of a 30 year campaign.
In 174BU, Oloroa had the High Temple of the Quadrumvirate, in Vekirai, declare the Order of the Great Sages, itself, the Emperor of Nangkap, which means "the conquered land". Since then, the sages have pursued an expansionist military policy and Oloroa has not been seen in public.
Founding Date
218 BU
Type
Guild, Mages
Alternative Names
The Blood Sages, The Murderous Mages, The Kingslayers
Demonym
(Great) Sage
Leader
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Manufactured Items
Related Items
Notable Members
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