Hierophants
“The artist does not use every color; the poet does not include every word. Magic is just as surely a divine art, so why do some believe they should use every spell they might command? It makes only for ugliness and noise, like a song with every note.” So say the hierophants, a powerful order of faithful mages as old as the scriptoriums themselves—perhaps older. The hierophants form a great council of powerful arcane magicians who agree on reasonable laws and limitations for the use of arcane magic, such as bans on demonology and diabolism. The council is only open to those who are already strong in the magical arts, but most Tinelite mages, even apprentices, willingly adhere to the laws they set out. It is the council’s job to determine the will of Tinel as it pertains to the use of arcane magic—an awesome responsibility.
The hierophants are almost entirely separate from the church structure and its members can only rarely, if ever, be found in scriptoriums. Certainly, any inceptor can point an interested party in the direction of the nearest hierophant, but the order maintains only cursory contact with most of Tinel’s clergy. The chief inceptors at each scriptorium keep in contact with the order, staying abreast of its beliefs and policies, so they might guide arcane spellcasters who come to a scriptorium to worship.
The order was founded to ensure the Lord of Secrets never again strips the mortal races of magic. Thus, the
hierophants interpret Tinel’s will as it pertains to the use of magic. All members are powerful practitioners of arcane magic, but even apprentices outside the faith know the order’s laws. Only the most powerful arcane magicians join the hierophants, to help define those laws. Depending on the strength of local Tinelites, their alignments, and the specific offense, violating the laws might lead to nothing, expose the offender to public censure, or even bring the mage guard down upon him. It’s a gamble evil spellcasters are willing to take, but for those not steeped in wickedness, the hierophants draw a useful line between good and evil magic.
The Five
Five of the order’s most powerful members lead the hierophants. When one of the Five dies or passes out of ordinary existence by whatever mysterious means, the remaining Council of the Five convenes immediately, and elects a new member. The choice is usually obvious, but sometimes the election becomes rancorous. The remaining four of the Five do not have veto power, and ties are usually broken by contacting the deceased (or otherwise transfigured) predecessor, using the appropriate arcane rites. The Five are addressed as “your eminence” and introduced using this format: “Her Eminence, the Hierophant Amraila, Member of the Council of Five of the Scriptoriums of Tinel.” The Five oversee lesser hierophants’ councils, and determine when and how to enforce the laws set by their meetings, but the order rarely concerns itself with lesser mages who use evil magic. figuring such fools will meet their end eventually. The hierophants exist more to set and interpret laws than enforce them. They are only aroused when someone profoundly powerful and evil arises.
Joining the Hierophants
The rule of order demands that a region’s hierophants meet in council at least once every three years to discuss matters of magical law, and induct new members. The order recruits strong arcane spellcasters (including wizards, sorcerers, and bards) who worship Tinel and are known for their virtuous conduct. An invitation comes with the meeting’s location, and enough information to allow a potential candidate to scry upon the site, and teleport there. A candidate who can’t use this information to arrive when summoned is usually not considered worthy to join. Upon meeting the council, candidates must explain if and why they desire to join. After the candidate has spoken, council members can ask questions before a vote is taken. This usually results in the candidate’s induction, since she is typically deeply studied through magical and mundane means before being invited at all. But even if a majority on a regional council votes for the candidate, any of the Five can veto an induction for any reason. Addressed as “great lord” or “great lady,” a hierophant is introduced by his or her full title. The benefits of membership include respect from the faithful and even arcane spell users from other traditions, and influence over the body of law that (at least according to Tinelites) governs magic. The most powerful members learn great magical secrets, beyond those known to most mages. Upon entering the order, a hierophant gains the Comprehend Magic feature. Hierophants raised to the Five gain the Mastery of Magic feature.
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Parent Organization
