The Orrery

The Order of the Orrery, or just 'The Orrery' to most, is an academic organisation officially affiliated with the Eterna Council. Part learned society and part professional association, the Orrery is a collective of established magicians who gather together to promote the magical arts and sponsor each other’s research. They were named after the magicians who calibrated the eponymous Kaleidoscope Orrery in the early Second Era. Nowadays the physical orrery is mostly ceremonial and largely unused, but the people Orrery are as close as you get to ‘court wizards’ of the Royal Family in modern times.
Membership is earned through study and contribution. Members are hand-picked and invited by the Orrery, usually through prior affiliation or by submitting research for review. Whilst the Orrery is assumed by many to be a tight-knit noble-wizard’s club, this is not the case- most Orrery members are researchers or adventurers who have proved their mettle and are willing to further their skills. Only the higher ranks of the Orrery rub shoulders with Eterna’s council or royal court.
Members of the Orrery are issued a specially-cut Feystone which they attune to. Orrery Feystones bear the mark of the Orrery in their setting, and can be used to pinpoint its owner's whereabouts when a message is sent or recieved.
Although the Orrery is a well-known and respected group, it has its fare share of criticisms. The biggest complaint is its involvement in Eternan politics-- because of its association with the Eterna Council, the Orrery has been accused of only sponsoring members or research that the government finds useful. Others think the Orrery is the council’s pet research tool, a herd of wizards for politicians to boss around as they see fit. The unkind slang for the Orrery is 'The Ornery'.

Teachers and Professors, oh my!

The Orrery is mostly known for being the owners and teachers of the Celestine Royal Academy of Gran Veritas. Most, if not all, the Academy's professors are also members of the Orrery. The most famous member of the Order is its Chairman Sir Magnus Wren, Headmaster of the Academy. Wren is also the Orrery's representative in the Eterna Council, meaning he has considerable pull in running both the school and the regulations around it.

Type

Education, Magic

Demonym

Orrers

Location

Eterna Province

Controlled Territories

• The Celestine Royal Academy

Notable Members

• Madam Mercy
• Zosia Kowalski