Chapter 2: THE STRUGGLE FOR KHITUS • Uathan Legend: The College of Uath used earth and stone magic to bulwark its disciples against sorcery’s wrath Its location can no longer be seen on Khitus, for their final act was to try and keep sorcery from harming Khitus…only to have their obsidian citadel explode, its shards growing evermore since and now seen only as the undulating black glass of the Obsidian Mountains If any Uathan secrets remain for the plunder, they must be heavily protected against the constant grind of their shard-filled resting place Agendas of Mind “Control memory, and you control a people” is a precept noted by more than a few Dragon Kings from the past, and all claim their Daragkark said it Strangely, the hardships of Khitan life distract most enough that they never realize they are being manipulated by those who control their access to memory, history, and current knowledge These groups and their agendas focus on mental resources, not people’s coins, their physical health, or their water Gare Attessa (The Chroniclers) The Chroniclers are easily recognized far and wide across Khitus as a society of manipulative historians, all of whom (at least those seen publicly) are either young men or old women Ever scribbling, the Chroniclers faithfully record the activities of all Khitus’s rulers so an accurate accounting can be made to the Dragon Kings upon their return At that time, they insist, “the wicked shall be punished.” The Gare Attessa exert direct influence on all Khitan rulers, whether by courtly relations or even marriage into their blood lines Above all, they seek to preserve the privileges of their order that have set them apart since they served the Daragkarik of old Originally acting as the Dragon Kings’ administrators across Khitus, the Gare Attessa survive as a conglomeration of historians and records-keepers for the powerful These former civil servants are now steeped in as much mystery as the order can manage There are some Chroniclers in every ruler’s court, in every city or encampment, ever advising anyone in power—a tacit continuation of their roles that has rarely been questioned, despite the loss of the Daragkarik The seat of the Order, the Great Library of Atsrath, rests in Wani Chereet Gare Attessa are easily distinguished on sight from normal humans Their training and dream sight manifests in their light, ever watchful eyes They wear gossa- mer robes and colorful cloaks, though not of any particular hue, wear their hair long, and always carry tablets and papers Ranks & Types While unnoticeable to outsiders, the rank and purpose of each Gare Attessa becomes apparent to another member of their order with a glance (and they not reveal the secret of such discernment to outsiders) Most Gare Attessa are merely the Chroniclers who scribble and whisper among the people of power Among their own are other ranks and sub-orders: • Apprentice: The lowest ranks are the Apprentices, youthful servants still learning the basics of at least two written languages while they handle basic cooking and cleaning labors to support the order’s Great Library and its staff • Helper: The next rank before the common rank of Chronicler are the Helpers, whose tasks are to prepare scrolls, pens, inks, and any other writing implements necessary for Gare Attessa duties • Siestier: Siestier are their researchers, digging for ancient texts and data wherever they can be found • Exhalt: Exhalt are those who rule and oversee the order and its members They operate out of Wani Chereet, though its few members sometimes travel abroad to oversee important operations The Exhalt rule over everyone in the order, with various Apprentices and Helpers at the lowest levels, moving among the people, recording everything they see • Ipilier: Ipilier are a secret sect among the Gare Attessa order, its members known and answerable only to the Exhalt These chroniclers of more personal histories train in sensual arts to more readily infiltrate and marry into important families and plumb their secrets from the inside Exactly how many Ipilier exist is unknown, as they (unlike all others in the order) mask their diamond eyes under all conditions save death Chronicler Norms & Customs The Gare Attessa is an extreme sect with rigid strictures on the acts and lives of their members Even minor indiscretions are punished with imprisonment or starvation, and betrayal of any order secret warrants that member’s death • Recording Imperitive: All data is important to Chroniclers and should be recorded, so secret meetings without them are frowned upon and reported to the order • Purpose Justified: They consider any interference with their information gathering as rude 27