Curse of Fealty

The Curse of Fealty was the magical oath that bound the Archmage of the Spellweavers' Circle to whomever was the monarch of the Kingdom of Vern. 

History

As the tyranny of Moroldraso continued to plague the feudal kingdoms of Vern, Rex Aberator worked with the powerful mage Thadrys Penumbrel to create the Curse. It was designed with two purposes in mind. First, it was a killswitch weapon to slay Moroldraso. Second, it was a chain to prevent any future Archmages of the Spellweavers' Circle from becoming too powerful, much like Moroldraso had.
Following the creation of the Curse, Rex and Thadrys systematically conquered the many feudal kingdoms that ruled Vern, until they had amassed enough power and allies to challenge the evil mage Moroldraso. Thadrys slew the evil wizard in a duel and seized the mantle of Archmage for her own.
Once the kingdom was united, Rex and the following monarchs of the Aberator Dynasty would use the loyalty of the Archmage to end entire peasant uprisings, prevent wars, and keep order through the kingdom. However, as revealed in the Iris Report, Thadrys chafed under her bondage for centuries, driving her to try and ascend to lichdom.

Mechanism

Although the magic used to create the Curse has been lost to the ages, theorists agree that it must have required immense amounts of power. The Curse placed two strictures over Thadrys:

1. The holder of the Archmage title owes ultimate fealty to the crowned king, on penalty of swift and painful death.
2. The Curse of Fealty immediately passes to either the next appointed Archmage or whomever kills the Archmage.

It may be difficult to understand why Thadrys agreed to such a powerful curse, but her sacrifice was a calculated one. If she were to die in combat with Moroldraso, the curse would be placed on him and would bring him to Rex's heel. If she were to succeed against Moroldraso, she would take the position of Archmage for herself and needed to be controlled.

Fate of the Curse

After Lyndis Zelandrosel slew Thadrys, a sinister wave of Energy emerged from Thadrys's corpse and into Lyndis. First-hand accounts of the Iris Rebellion mention that the immense power of the curse drove all to their knees, ending any conflicts that continued in the Royal Quarter. Remarkably, Lyndis overpowered the magic of the curse and drove it into an Isocrystal prison.
The custody of this crystal has been trusted to the Spellweavers' Circle, and none other than the High Council know its location.

Type

Magical