Zealots

The Zealots are an powerful hermetic order that can trace their roots back to the ancient tribes of the western continent and the first crude attempts to control the energy of the sun through the use of magic. They value study, transformation, and progress above all else. In contrast to the Adamants, forces of change and movement away from our primitive natures are considered to be the loftiest aspirations of mankind.

Below are some excerpts from their creed:
"The sun is the giver of life and the taker of life. Its light is our progenitor and our destroyer. Without it there is no growth and we become as lifeless as bones buried in the soil."
"Only through change can mankind become what we are intended to be. Stagnation is the undoing of creation."
"Never fear what is to come, fear only becoming trapped in the past. As the insect is mired in honey, so we become mired in memory."
"As the cycles pass, so too do our desires for material possessions. Knowledge is the only wealth that endures through the ages."
"Evolution of the mind is the dominion of the individual. Evolution of the spirit is the dominion of society. Evolution of the body is the dominion of the gods."

Assets

The Zealots are the leading purveyors of magically hybrid plants and animals, which has filled their coffers with money from the agricultural industry of Fortis. In addition, they provide most of the magical protections utilized by heavy industry associated with mining and quarrying, holding not only the municipal contracts for the mines of Gilfrost, but many of the city's privately owned refineries and forges as well.
They also operate the largest university in the Twin Cities, which teaches courses with both mundane and magical focuses in most fields. However, by law, they are not allowed to offer course tracks for either political or legal professions