An ancient and esteemed order of mastercrafters with strong ties to the
Delver holds of
Northern Terrenos, and craftholds scattered across the northern continent.
History
It is said in the written histories of the Auldwright Assembly that the first Auldwright, Aldholm, was crafted with the first delvers by Gyrd itself. While others toiled beneath the ground building halls and hearths, Aldholm was seized by a powerful compulsion known as the Wrightrapture, and crafted an artifact so spectacular that it called Moradin himself to the world to admire it. Moradin and Gyrd created an aspect of their divinity known as Gond, who was said to walk with Aldholm in delver form, sharing with him the ancient secrets of metal and fire, wood and blade, entrusting the delver with these ancient knowledges to pass on down his line.
Aldholm established Wrighthaven as a place of shelter where other craftsdelvers could practice their crafts, hoping eventually to experience the wrightrapture themselves. The Assembly teaches that Wrighthaven was the first of the delver safeholds, and that Assembly auldwrights went on to lay the foundations of the other delver safeholds during the War of the Drgaonform Gods.
With the loss of the gods in the aftermath of the First Dragonform War, the Auldwright Assembly was established to safeguard the remaining divine knowledge imparted by Gond. The Assembly flourished until the
War of the Dawn, when elven forces laid siege to all of Northern Terrenos.
The occupying elves bore a particular resentment towards the Assembly; many of the best weaponsmiths who were arming and armouring the resistance had been trained at the hands of Auldwrights, and the philosophy of the Assembly - fulfilment in the breaking of the earth to make crafts - was anathema to the philosophy of Ionen's elven nation. The elves launched a vicious pogrom and in the midst of the war, any Auldwright found by the elves was put to death. Tragically, the little written record available from these times indicates that the Assembly were in every sense pacifistic and had little inclination to become involved in the war efforts, but were unwillingly turned into an icon of the resistance to the Elven invaders.
History reflects that Wrighthaven was never found despite the best efforts of the Caverillian forces. However the persecution the Auldwrights experienced at the hands of the elves left an indelible mark and for several centuries following the war, they became insular, eschewing written histories in favour of oral histories and destroying records which might identify either their members or the location of Wrighthaven. But as the Age of Persecution passed and the Age of Rediscovery came to be, the Assembly began opening up again.
A series of Havenhalls were opened in Safeholds throughout Dyrn, and in the year 5034 of delver reckoning, the first Grand Haven was opened in a non-delver city, Tor Sionis. In 5045, the first
Human was admitted to the assembly as a Prenticewright. The Gnomish people posed a particular quandary for the Assembly in the century beginning 5100 DR; while the aptitude of the rock gnomes of the mountains for the crafts, in particular intricate gears and mechanics, could not be denied, many Auldwrights were hesitant to accept them due to their Fey origins. Nevertheless, the first Gnomish Prenticewright was adopted into the Assembly in 5168 DR.
Traditions and Practices
The Auldwright Assembly holds craftsmanship in the highest regard. Each member passes through several stages, and admission into the next stage from the previous is only permitted after a rigorous period of training and assessment.
Beginning members are inducted into the Assembly as Prenticewrights. A Prenticewright may already be a mastercrafter in their own right, but once admitted as an Auldwright they are assigned to a Masterwright for their initial training within the Assembly. Prenticewrights are taught the secret ways of the Assembly, and may sell or trade their crafts, but a portion of their earnings is reserved for both their Masterwright and the Assembly itself.
Once the Prenticewright has passed their first tests, they may graduate as a Waywright. Waywrights may travel through Dyrn independently, seeking other masters to teach them new skills and techniques, ultimately returning to their Havenhall to again be tested by the Assembly.
Once a Waywright has passed his or her trials, they earn the right to refer to themselves as Master-Wrights. They may take on Prenticewrights of their own, and they will have developed their craft to the point where their work will be in high demand across Dyrn.
Masterwrights who serve the Assembly faithfully may be inducted into the highest level of the organisation, the Circle of Grandwrights. Grandwrights are responsible for making decisions which affect the entire organisation.
Philosophies
The philosophy of the Assembly is overwhelmingly focused on improving and perfecting existing crafts and methods. While in doing so it is not unheard of for Waywrights or Masterwrights to discover new and novel techniques, this is not the goal of the organisation, and in fact the more conservative factions within the Assembly actively discourage innovation in favour of older ways and methods. Each Assembly Havenhall cleaves itself to local laws and traditions, and this extends to the permitted crafts and technologies they will create. It has long been known that the Assembly knows the formula for black powder, or
firegrain, for instance, but their due to the influence of the Magistratum of the
Tyrrethi Empire, who forbid the practice of lay alchemy, the Assembly does not produce or trade the substance or weapons derived from its use.
The Sacred Rituals
The Auldwrights believe that through diligence and focus on their craft, they venerate Gond, and that by inviting the spirit of Gond into their tools and implements, they will be able to produce great feats of craftsmanship. Accordingly, all Auldwrights are taught three sacred rituals that must be carried out before they perform their craft.
The Rite of Conspiration: before work begins, the prospective crafter prepares plans. The method varies; some Auldwrights with access to paper or parchment will illuminate a blueprint with ancient divine words, while others might create a drawing in the ground or on the wall of the forge. Certain proscribed spoken and written litanies are included in the Rite of Conspiration.
The Rite of Preparation: The materials for crafting are carefully laid out and inspected. Ancient words of devotion to Gond may be spoken over the materials or alternatively inscribed or written upon them before the works commence.
The Rite of Investiture: lastly, the tools to be used in the creation are inspected carefully. Any necessary maintenance will be attended before seals believed to bind the spirit of Gond to the tools will be affixed.
Only when all three rituals have been completed is there the possibility that an Auldwright will be siezed by the Wrightrapture.
The Cult of the Handwrought God
The Assembly venerate Gond as their patron and believe that the knowledge and skills to guide their hands descend from His influence during the Age of Divinity. While Wrightrapture is rare in modern times, it is still known to occur, but knowledge handed down from Grandwright to Grandwright suggests that in the Age of Divinity it was a much more common occurrence. This has been attributed to the formation of the Celestial Scale limiting the influence Gond retains over his adherents.
While Gond has clerics among the other races who worship him in the traditional way, the Auldwrights have developed a unique way of venerating Him. They believe that the Rite of Investiture actually binds a portion of Gond's divinity into the tools they use. While spoken elements of the other rituals are similar to prayer, the Auldwrightic Cult believe true worship of Gond is accomplished by crafting with tools invested in His power.
Among the most conservative factions of the cult there is a small subsect that believes, in fact, that it was not Aldholm that was created by the Gods, but in fact the opposite; that the Delvers were the first upon Dyrn and with their tools they crafted the first god. This subsect is not mainstream within the cult but those who support it are passionate in their belief.
The holy day of the cult is Digormad, the sixth day of the delver week. The Cult has two festival days. The Day of Completion, celebrated on the 1st of Marth, is a rest day. Traditionally, no crafting is done on this day, and Haven Halls display masterworks their members have created during the preceding year. Traditionally, members of the assembly graduate on this day.
Prenticewright's Day, celebrated on the 20th of Morad, is traditionally the day when Prenticewrights are initiated into the Assembly. It is customary for each Masterwright to gift their Prenticewright with a masterwork tool, adorned with handwrought seals; this tool will be used by the Prenticewright until they pass their trials to become a Masterwright, often forging or crafting for themselves a replacement.
Structure and Holdings
The Auldwright Assembly is based in the ancient mountain Safehold known as Wrighthaven. Hidden for thousands of years, the persecution the Assembly was subject too during the War of the Dawn has impressed the importance of secrecy upon the Grandwrights. Over the centuries, a complex labyrinth of tunnels and traps has been built to prevent easy access to Wrighthaven, with only a select few trusted Grandwrights privy to the safe route into and out of the Safehold. Several times a year they navigate grand caravans carrying goods and personnel through the maze to and from the surface.
Upon the surface, the main road to Wrighthaven follows the River Globrekh through a tight valley to the mountain city of Barrowton, where the Assembly wares are sold at vast markets.
Assembly chapters operate out of Havenhalls, craft workshops and gathering halls located in Safeholds and cities around northern Terrenos. Major centres have Grand Havens, the largest of which outside of Wrighthaven is located within Tor Sionis.
Diplomatic Relations
The Auldwright Assembly has few enemies in modern day Dyrn. Wrighthaven is an independent member of the delver Thaneraad, and it's companion town of Barrowton is a delver enclave within the northern reaches of Sionis.
Within the Empire there have been occasional episodes of inter-guild conflict when a Haven Hall has opened within a town or city. The Assembly will generally prefer to negotiate terms of operation or simply close the hall and relocate elsewhere to avoid conflict.
Membership
Membership of the Assembly is open to Delvers, humans, and gnomes who are sponsored by a Waywright or Masterwright and pass the necessary tests and trials to gain admittance. Membership to other races is rare, although the first half-elf became a Prenticewright in Tor Revaine almost 50 years ago, and several others have followed in her footsteps. Membership to Goliaths, half-orcs and other goblinkin races is strictly forbidden.
Some Masterwrights are known to take on apprentices who are not eligible for membership of the Assembly. These illegitimate apprentices, known as foundlings (or bastards, if they are of a forbidden race) are usually tolerated, although it is preferred that Masterwrights take on Prenticewrights. Teaching of the rituals of the Cult of the Handwrought God to non-Auldwrights, however, is prohibited and an Auldwright found guilty of teaching the rites to a non-member faces excommunication from the Assembly.
