--- History --- Game Statistics --- Church Covenant ---

The magi have always used catalysts -- those people born to the Mystery of Life. Although not able to use much magic themselves, catalysts possess the ability to draw magic from the world around them, focus it within themselves, then extend that magic to their wizards. In ancient times, before the Great Passage, many catalysts were known as Familiars. In that dangerous world, where magi were often persecuted, the powerful wizards disguised the weaker catalysts as animals. Thus the catalysts could be protected from harm, and the magi could more easily carry their catalysts with them.

After the Great Passage such measures were no longer needed and the practice was discontinued.

The Divisions of Catalysts: Following the Second Rectification, the last two orders were united.

History

Before the Great Passage catalysts possessed little power and wielded little control over Life. Unorganized and weak in magic, they worked generally on a one-on-one basis with their individual magi.

The arrival in Thimhallan changed that, however. Immediately on entering the new world, they felt themselves suffused with Life. Led by one of the greatest of their Order, a Bishop Carli, the catalysts realized that here was their chance at last to acquire ascendancy over the people and, hopefully, guide them toward a better life.

It was Carli who discovered that -- while the magi could absorb Life from the world -- the catalysts now had the ability to greatly enhance the magi's natural Life through means of the Conduit. Carli convinced the Council of Nine that it was in the best interests of the world for the catalysts to guard the Well of Life. The Church's power began from that time and has grown steadily since.

Part of the reason for this growth is that the catalysts -- much like the Duuk-tsarith -- owe their allegiance first (ostensibly) to the Almin and second to those who might claim their allegiance. When the various races and factions of magi split up and went their separate ways, the catalysts who went with them remained -- more or less -- a unified force. All catalysts, no matter where they were born, were required to spend years in study at the Font. Here they dedicate their lives to the Almin, not to man.

Had the catalysts been stronger at the time, the Iron Wars might have been prevented. Unfortunately a series of Bishops whose minds were more on heaven than the world below ruled the Church just prior to and during the Iron Wars. Instead of forcing the warring rulers to come to peaceful terms by such means as excommunication (shutting off their source of Life), Bishop Philinous III wrung his hands and prayed to the Almin to stop the war. Catalysts who looked to the Church to unite them found no one home and so were drawn into the Iron Wars in desperate efforts to save themselves and their people.

It was Philinous III who undertook to see into the future, giving out the Prophecy just before he died.

Succeeding him was a strong-minded man known as John of Avidon. As a Cardinal, John had seen clearly the weakness of the Church and how detrimental that weakness was to the world. He took firm control, and it was under his leadership that the Second Rectification began.

John of Avidon immediately abolished two of the three Orders, unifying the Church. He ordered the catalysts to salvage what they could of the now extinct Mysteries of Time and Spirit. Bishop John was also responsible for the banishment of the Ninth Mystery. By laying the blame for the war on the Sorcerers, John was able to wipe out any lingering vestiges of hostility between realms. "You were all duped by the Sorcerers," he told the people. "You have no quarrels with each other anymore. Your only quarrel is with them -- the evil Technologists who brought us to ruin."

In this, John gained the help and support of the Duuk-tsarith, who saw that by making the Church the power in the land and using their own might to back it, they could come close to fulfilling Merlyn's Dream.

Bishop John introduced the monetary standard to Thimhallan, thereby putting the Church in control of the economics of the land.

Finally, by Bishop John's direction, the Font was enlarged and made to symbolize the new power in the land. Catalysts were strengthened in their allegiance to the Almin -- or rather to the Church. Their power and might have grown down to the present time.

The revolt of catalysts in Sharakan came as a bitter blow to the Church. Led by a wise, intelligent, and benevolent man named Radisovik, the catalysts in Sharakan renounced the Church's involvement in politics. They advocated, among other things, the free dispensing of Life to anyone who asked for it and the need to bring Technology back into the world.

Game Statistics

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