The Crowle Community for Necromantic Research and History

Founding of the Community

The Crowle Community for Necromantic Research and History started simply enough, with two associates sitting down for tea and discussing the shocking, but intriguing, new publication that had been released that week. This publication was a heavily edited book containing excerpts of Doctor Crowle Parlow's writings and sketches on the necromantic arts called the Diary of an Aspiring Lich.

The book, primarily released to shock people away from the use of necromancy, and to make some coin for the crown, was a huge talking point in Sumner for that summer. And while most were appalled by what was written by this strange mad man hundreds of years ago, a few individuals sought inspiration from it.
The original associates, who would go on to become the two co-crowns of the Crowle Community, code-named Melisande and Valamir (all members of the community would take nicknames and wear masks to hide their identities) would start this community as a simple weekly get-together between them and a few friends to discuss the contents of the book. A bizarrely-themed book club was all it was initially.

An older copy of the publically released passages of Crowle Parlow called the Diary of an Aspiring Lich

But over the next few weeks, and eventually months, some people including Melisande and Valamir would find wisdom in these writings. And a new passion would be born within the two friends. A few of the original members would be disconcerted about their associate's burgeoning appreciation for Parlow and would depart the group.
But others would stay and continue to discuss the merits, dangers, and potential benefits of necromancy and Parlow's ways. Soon, the group would solidify with five members; Melisande, Valamir, Rodaulf, Galindrus, and Amalina. These five would officially establish the Crowle Community for Necromantic Research and History, and become its core members and financial backers.

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Growth

The community would not be an instant success and would spend its first few years of existence with small numbers that would stay as primarily a discussion group of sorts. Though the group actively sought new members and expressed their feelings on necromancy openly with each other and through printed pamphlets that were released to advertise the club. Though even at this time they were careful to keep their identities hidden behind party masks and the like.
However, their popularity and numbers grew with each new printing of Diary of an Aspiring Lich, each time a new version of the book was released they would see a surge in numbers. Eventually through the core members' investments in the club, and donations from their growing members they were able to obtain a large manor within Sumner where they could all congregate in safety.

A masked member of the Crowle Community

After the manor was purchased the group would be able to partake in more risky discussion and research.
Developing groups within the community that would conduct the various tasks the community wished to know more about.
Some, not so dangerous, like looking into purely the historical timeline of necromancy to see how old a practice it was, who may have practiced it, and as much information on Parlow's life as possible.
And other more dangerous topics, which are kept completely secrete from the public and the lower ranking members of the community. These more dangerous topics include the collecting and reprinting of Parlow's necromantic teachings.

Teachings that would actually educate someone on how to practise and use necromancy. Some of the upper echelons of the group would begin practicing necromancy directly, learning how to corrode flesh, speak with the dead, and even raise corpses.
The group had begun to cautiously experiment, much like Parlow had in the beginning, in the ways of the necromancer. Though these latter practices would only be known to senior members and the core founders of the group.

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Purpose and Goals

The members of the community wish to learn necromancy and convince Heldrin and the world that it is a viable school of magic that can be used for the benefit of the nation, and that it doesn't have to be feared and reviled. And that it can, in fact, be of great use for many things.
For a source of undying and unfeeling labour to help farmers during harsh hot weather, to help alleviate sorrow when a lost one is taken too soon to allow people to speak with them one last time, and potentially to help grow the forces of an army.
Filling out its ranks with soldiers that could not feel pain and only followed orders, and could be endlessly resurrected for unlimited supply.

Doctor Crowle Parlow in the latter years of his life

The founders and upper echelon of the group have their own plans to help speed along their education in the necromantic arts. They wish to locate, retrieve, and eventually revive the necromancer Crowle Parlow, completing his goals of turning himself into a lich. All so that they may learn directly from him and redeem Crowle's work in the eyes of his beloved nation. Hand in undead hand.
Valamir, Co-Crown of the Crowle Community has his own plan's as well, seeking to bind Parlow once he has been resurrected, as a safety precaution in case the Aspiring Lich goes rogue. All so that he can have more direct control over Parlow so that he can pull whatever information he wishes from him without pause or complaint. The community has yet to find Parlow's body, but it is thought to reside somewhere deep in the Sumner Catacombs, sealed behind a stone wall.

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Members Attire

Lower ranked or new members typically all wear the same or similar garb, dark robes or garments with high collars and a covered hood with a pale or copper coloured mask covering their faces.

These are designed to shadow any potentially revealing attributes of the member so that they are not recognized by anyone, including fellow members.
Membership in to the community is not forced, and if someone wishes to leave they may. And since no real names are given, identities are hidden under guises, and sensitive knowledge is not shared with lower, less serious, members there is no real harm in letting people leave if they wish.
Though the same cannot be said about the upper ranks, who are trusted with sensitive information and expected to stick around through thick and thin.

A few lower ranked masker members

Upper-ranked members are allowed to dress as simply or as garish as they wish to as long as they continue to hide their identities. Many of the upper ranks, including the founders, wear custom headpieces and masks so that they can be easily identified by other members, but still keep their real identities hidden.

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Four out of the five founders of the Crowle Community in full regal regali for a special event.

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Organizational Structure

The Crowle Community began with just the five members named below but has grown to well over two hundred members. These members come from many different walks of life but most are well-off and affluent. Since the inception of the community, quite a number of nobles and well-educated mages and sorcerers have joined their ranks. The mages especially wish to break limitations and dabble with forbidden magic. And the nobles wish to use their influence to change what they believe is an ill-conceived and ridiculous matter. All magic is neutral, it is how it is purposed that matters.
Each member makes regular donations to the community, the amount is voluntary but regular influxes of large sums are not uncommon. As most members are well off, and able to through their money into the cause. Though they are told to be careful in this, as they don't want people picking up on the trails of big money and revealing the identities of any member.
Below are the upper-echelon, and the founders of the Crowle Community. These members constructed the community from the very beginning, and are in charge of the communities assets and direction. Their real names and origins are noted below, including their unmasked faces, but only these five are aware of these details. All other members have no clue as to who they really are, and only know them by their nicknames and garb.

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Crown of the Crowle Community - Melisande Real Name - Priscilla Gavreau

Priscilla Gavreau, known as Melisande within the community is a rich heiress and noblewoman of Sumner. Gavreau comes from old money, her family having ties to the royal family and their extended noble lines back in their native home of Casarei.
While Gavreau is of Casarei blood, she has spent the majority of her life in Sumner, and considers herself a citizen of the great city and not of Casarei.
Gavreau has little knowledge about where her family's wealth comes from, just that it is a diverse portfolio of assets that grant her and her family enormous wealth and the comforts that come with it.
For much of her life, Gavreau did nothing of importance, lapping up a life of luxury and nothing more. But as she grew into adulthood she wanted more and began to seek a potential calling.
One where she can make an impact on the world that believes she is just a lazy and spoiled noble.
Along with her childhood Blackwood, Gavreau would discover their passion in the pages of the heavily-edited Diary of an Aspiring Lich.

Portrait of Melisande/Priscilla Gavreau

Melisande/Priscilla Gavreau in full uniform

Believing they had found their higher calling, reading and believing in the words of Parlow that necromancy could be a force of use and change the power structures of the world if it were to be used properly. And the more she read, the more she believed that she herself could gain personal power to change whatever she wishes to.
Gavreau, along with Blackwood assist in the community's general direction and purpose. Gavreau specifically helps to indoctrinate new members, educating them on the unfiltered words of Doctor Crowle Parlow and the potential of the necromantic arts if it were to be properly utilized.

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Portrait of Valamir/Tobias Blackwood

Valamir/Tobias Blackwood in full uniform

Crown of the Crowle Community - Valamir Real Name - Tobias Blackwood

Tobias Blackwood, known as Valamir in the Crowle Community is a nobleman and politician on the King's Council in Sumner. Blackwood was a rare breed of nobility who was adopted into a rich noble family and treated like blood. He does not know his biological family's history, or if he has any living relatives. But he has some theories on his lineage.
He spent many years educating himself both privately and within several noble educational institutions in the arts of politics and military tactics. And while he does not have any formal training as a sorcerer he has learned many spells and tricks over the years gleaned from his own studies and the tutoring of associates like Ackner. Blackwood has become an adept necromancer under the tutelage of Ackner and has shown an almost natural attunement for necromancy. Blackwood hopes to one day match the skills acquired by Parlow himself.
Privately Blackwood believes he may be a descendant of Crowle Parlow himself, but nobody knows if Parlow ever took a spouse and had any children. Blackwood has searched for years, for any scrap of evidence of his and Parlow's family lines but has yet to come up with any useful information.

He has only shared these thoughts with Priscilla Gavreau, his childhood friend and co-founder of the community, but cannot say why he feels so strongly about his connection with Parlow. Just that he knows deep in his soul that it is true. He wishes to bring back Parlow, and prove that he wasn't insane and that his work with necromancy was justified. Selfishly, he also wishes for Parlow to confirm that he sired a child/children so that Blackwood can potentially confirm his heritage. Or at least have some sort of confirmation for his beliefs.

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Head of Necromantic 'Education' - Rodaulf Real Name - Niklas Ackner

Niklas Ackner, known as Rodaulf in the community is an Aldegian ex-pat, who left his country to pursue freedom away from national duty. Ironically he would find himself involved in a group looking to further their own nation's power. Ackner is an experienced ex-military man and graduate of Ayer College in The Crown City of Elric.
He served in his country's military as a mage for many years and held a senior title before deciding he was done serving a crown he did not support. So, he left one night, and snuck across the southern border into Hedrin. He would be quickly picked up by Heldrin soldiers after crossing and taken to a nearby guardhouse. He explained who he was and offered to reveal what he knew about the Aldelgian information, for a price.
The price was a position serving as a military consultant, giving information when asked to provide insight, whenever the Heldrin court came calling. Information on the Aldelgian is nearly impossible to come by, so his services were used often. And he would be handsomely rewarded financially. Becoming a man of wealth and influence. People of his former position in the Aldelgian military, do not leave just leave and because of this, he has forsaken his family name and nation because is not allowed to return ever. But he does not care.

Portrait of Rodaulf/Niklas Ackner - Ackner lost an eye many years ago during a skirmish in northern Aldelgis

Rodaulf/Niklas Ackner in full uniform

Now in his elder years, Ackner seeks to delve into a realm unknown to him, necromancy, so that he can add another tool to an already dangerous mind. Ackner is in charge of teaching necromantic arts to those of high enough rank to be granted knowledge of this level. He took to it necromancy quickly due to his past services and is the Crowle Community's resident expert in the magical arts.

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Portrait of Galindrus/Cicero Copper

Galindrus/Cicero Copper Blackwood in full uniform

Head of Purse and Procurement - Galindrus Real Name - Cicero Copper

Cicero Copper, known as Galindrus in the community, is an ex-con turned bought noble. He made his wealth off of wise embezzlements and later in investments into many underworld businesses like black markets, fencing circles, and black markets.
Several years ago he bribed a clerk at the Sumner Archives to fabricate a familial line for him, thus making him a bonafide noble in the law.
He of course greased a few other palms to make sure he had a signed and delivered scroll of noble inheritance issued by one of the king's personal secretaries. A notation of authorization stating his claim to noble status was accurate. The core members of the community know all of this but keep Copper around due to his skills at procurement.
Copper is in charge of the community's coffers and spending, despite being a crook Copper is extremely good at managing money. He makes sure it goes to the right places for the right purposes and most importantly, doesn't run dry.
He is also an expert at retrieving any sort of, illicit or controversial items the community may need. He was the one that procured the unedited pages from Parlow's journal, pilfered straight from a secured archive by an associate of his.

When the community started to dabble in, 'resurrections', he procured the subjects. No problems, he knew a guy. He may be the sleaziest of the founders, but he is the most reliable at his job and has never let alone down despite his often biting personality and sadistic sense of humour. He believes necromancy will just be a new avenue for making money, and he can't let a fresh opportunity like that slip away.

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Head of 'Historical' Research and Discovery - Amalina Real Name - Evangeline Atkins

Evangeline Atkins, known as Amalina in the Crowle Community, is a highly educated individual and owner of a large sailor's merchant network.
Born in Whaeler's Wharf in Mijhail to an already wealthy merchant family, Atkins would spend much of her youth touring various educational colleges and schools along the southern and west coasts. Including stops in her hometown of Whaeler's Wharf, several stops in Casarei including in Meritosoa and the Fallow Shales, and in Heldrin including a school in Roseport and the famous educational institution the Royal Willheim Erneis College in Sumner. The latter became her permanent home after her education was completed.
With several degrees in everything ranging from language, history, philosophy, arcane studies, and more she is the most well-equipped to delve into the history and deciphering of necromancy and its history.
She uses her intellect and keen mind to put together the puzzle that is the history of necromancy, including the life of Crowle Parlow and attempts at discovering who exactly was the necromancer from which he learned. Is extremely well-educated and inherited a large merchant business from her father and mother upon their passing.

Portrait of Amalina/Evangeline Atkins

Amalina/Evangeline Atkins in full uniform

She is an extremely curious individual and does not care for society's position on matters such as what is wrong and what is right. She believes that all knowledge should be accessible and decided upon by the individual on its practicality and use.
Because of this, she tackles what topic she wishes, regardless of how people may view her. This includes necromancy, which she views as one of the world's greatest lost arts and mysteries, one she is determined to unravel. She is likely the most stand-offish of the group and merely keeps their company because of the convenience it brings to her research. The others are fine with this, as her studies bring needed clarity to many of their own endeavours.

Summary

A group of like-minded individuals, many of whom are of the noble class, which strive to learn the ways of necromancy primarily through the teachings of Doctor Crowle Parlow and the Diary of an Aspiring Lich. The Crowle Community for Necromantic Research and History, is named as such to honour the man that they study so closely.
The Crowle Community wish to spread the teachings of necromancy and eventually push to legalize the currently banned necromantic arts. They wish to do this for both personal gains and otherwise. The upper echelons of the collective have begun secret plans to retrieve and resurrect the corpse of Crowle Parlow, so they may follow his teachings directly.
The group's members dress gothically and hide their faces behind masks in order to conceal their identities from the public. As association with necromancy is heavily frowned upon and can be illegal if actual necromancy is practised, though discussion and education on the history of necromancy are legal. Which is primarily how the community gets away with their activities.

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Two of the community's early pamphlets

Both of which had several unfortunate typos

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