The Custodians of Thalor
The Custodians of Thalor are not a traditional religious order but a scholarly brotherhood. They see themselves as archivists, chroniclers, and librarians devoted to gathering and preserving all knowledge. They wear hooded robes adorned with the symbol of the open book and keyhole, often carrying satchels filled with scrolls or journals. Unlike other faiths, the Custodians prioritize the preservation of knowledge over moral considerations, and they will protect even "forbidden" knowledge from destruction.
Structure
- The High Custodian – The leader of the Custodians, responsible for overseeing all knowledge-gathering operations and managing major decisions about restricted knowledge.
- Grand Archivists – Regional leaders who oversee libraries, repositories, and temples dedicated to Thalor.
- Curators – Knowledge-seekers who travel the world, tasked with retrieving, copying, and safeguarding lost or forgotten lore.
- Librarians – Permanent members of a Custodian temple, responsible for archiving, sorting, and categorizing knowledge.
- Seekers – Initiates who undergo training to become full Custodians. They often travel the world as scribes, record-keepers, or lore-seekers.
Tenets of Faith
- Preserve Knowledge at All Costs – Even if the knowledge is dangerous, it must be preserved for future generations.
- Respect the Custodianship of Knowledge – If you uncover lost knowledge, it is your duty to copy and submit it to a repository or library.
- Neutrality in Wisdom – Do not let emotion or moral inclination cloud the purity of truth. Knowledge exists beyond good and evil.
- Guard Secrets with Discretion – Certain knowledge must be sealed away until the world is ready to accept it.
- Teach the Willing – Those who genuinely seek to learn must be guided, not hindered. Ignorance is the enemy.
Worship
Ritual of the Penitent Quill
Once a year, the Custodians gather in silent meditation, transcribing their personal thoughts, discoveries, and reflections into journals. These journals are offered to the Catacombs as gifts to Thalor.The Reading of the Lost Verse
Periodically, Custodians retrieve a single, ancient text from a secured vault. It is read aloud to a small, trusted circle. Often, this is a text considered "too dangerous" for public knowledge.The Key-Bearing Ceremony
Upon becoming a full Custodian, initiates are presented with a ceremonial key, a symbol of their right to access deeper knowledge. The key grants them access to deeper parts of the Catacombs (metaphorically and, sometimes, literally).The Labyrinth’s Test
Before becoming a Grand Archivist, a Custodian must endure a symbolic "journey through the Catacombs." They are placed in a large, shifting library filled with riddles and hidden books. They must navigate the maze, retrieve a specific tome, and return without being ensnared by Echoes of the Past.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Location
Controlled Territories
