--- History --- Game Statistics --- Secret Disciplines ---

The artisans of Witchcraft are the Fire Shapers. They are known as warlocks and witches and they are the Guardians of the World. They have the power to call up terrible and destructive forces. They also have the power to protect the innocent against these forces.

The Mystery of Fire is divided into two separate disciplines:

The DKarn-duuk (D'karn-dook) are the Guardians of the State. They are generals, War Masters. Each kingdom, empire, or state within Thimhallan has its own organized army led by DKarn-duuk.

The Duuk-tsarith (Dook-sa-rith) are the Guardians of the People. Known as the Enforcers, they ensure the general stability of the realms and the productive peace of Thimhallan. When a threat to the order of the world is suspected, they act swiftly and efficiently to end the threat.

When a child is born to the Mystery of Fire, the catalysts notify the Duuk-tsarith, who arrive within hours. The warlocks give the child further tests to determine if he or she is qualified to become a member of their Order. If the child passes these rigorous, secret tests, the warlocks take the baby directly to The Mountain, their labyrinthine headquarters.

Although all know The Mountain is somewhere in the Nomish Range, its exact location remains a mystery to all except the Duuk-tsarith themselves. Here the training of the Enforcers and the War Masters is undertaken in complete secrecy. The only thing generally known about the training is that less than ten percent of those who begin the training survive it.

The Duuk-tsarith reenter the world at the age of eighteen. No matter which realm they serve, warlocks and witches wear black (black representing disciplined thought), floor-length robes with wrist-length sleeves and deep hoods that leave their faces in shadow. The only part of their bodies visible are their hands. The similarity in dress the world over serves as a reminder to all who see them that their allegiance is first and foremost to their Order. Their second allegiance is to the Dream of Merlyn - a harmonious and unified world. Their third allegiance is to the lord they serve.

Thus the primary duty of the Duuk-tsarith is the enforcement of order in the world. The Enforcers consider overall harmony and order more important than justice. The transient rights of one are nothing, in their minds, compared to the good of the many. To this end the Duuk-tsarith carry out their orders in a cold and ruthless fashion, with the end justifying any means.

Training of the DKarn-duuk, the warriors, is both different and similar. The War Masters are those members of the Duuk-tsarith whose talents indicate that they would be suitable for further study in the art of war. Instead of going out into the world at the age of eighteen, they remain in The Mountain for another two years, studying strategy, weapons of war, history of warfare, and practicing those skills needed to fight upon the Field of Glory or wherever they may be called. They are then assigned by the Conclave (the ruling body of the Mystery of Fire) to serve either a realm or the Church. The DKarn-duuk are known by their red robes.

History

Before the magi left their ancient world to begin the Great Passage, they packed what they considered essential to making their lives in a new world. Much of what they brought were physical objects: spellbooks, scrolls, flasks, beakers, clothes, furniture.

All of these things were mortal, of course, and with time crumbled into their baser dust and elements. Scrolls were copied and knowledge was passed on. New chairs were built to replace the old. Soon the trappings of their former were but a memory to them.

They brought, in addition, something from their old world that might have been left behind - their differences. Merlyn's dream of creating a unified kingdom of magic was soon sundered as the various diverse peoples of Thimhallan band together along the same racial or social lines that had divided them on their the original faraway planet.

So it was that Thimhallan quickly polarized into various states and kingdoms, each realm having its own set of customs. Had it stopped there, the realms might have dwelt in peace. But it didn't. Each realm decided that its way was The Way and that all other ways were wrong and false. The realms began arguing among themselves, each trying to impose Their Way on the others.

During this time, several warlocks and witches particularly gifted in their Mystery came together in secret council called the Conclave. It was at this meeting that they determined their allegiances: to the Order, the Dream of Merlyn, and, finally, their individual Lords. They took upon themselves a mission to restore and try to maintain order and balance. Calling themselves Duuk-tsarith - meaning "Fire Enforcers" - they went forth into the world, always knowing that they could come together at any time should such be required.

During the first century, the Duuk-tsarith operated as a powerful branch of the Council of Nine, enforcing their decrees and keeping peace between nations. As time went on, however, the Council became a diminishing force in world affairs and so turning over more and more of its actual power to the Duuk-tsarith. Ultimately the Council of Nine disbanded, and only the Duuk-tsarith were left to carry on the dream.

Since that time there have been Duuk-tsarith and DKarn-duuk at the side of every ruler, there have been Duuk-tsarith walking all the streets in all lands, there have been Duuk-tsarith keeping watch within the Church.

Game Statistics

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