Yzmir
Overview
The Yzmir are one of the six factions that follow The Covenant. They focus on the mind as the foundation of all things, practicing meditation, philosophy, and spirituality to pierce through the veils of reality and understand the hidden forces that shape existence.
Philosophy
The Mind as Foundation
For Yzmir mystics, the mind is the foundation of all things: it is the seat of ideas, and it is through it that they must be tamed. Like a blade that is sharpened, it must be honed to remain keen and penetrating.
The Yzmir Initiates practice meditation, develop philosophy, and cultivate spirituality. Through these disciplines, their intellect and intuition see beyond what the senses reveal, and their consciousness pierces through the murky veils of reality.
Lifting the Veil
All now know that the world is not confined to the perceptible—there are entire realms of reality that elude human perception. The advent of the Confluence and resulting devastation lifted humanity’s blinders. The world was not just what lay right in front of its eyes; there were vast expanses of reality that escaped its view, realms capable of annihilating it with the snap of a finger.
The Yzmir have made this unsettling realization their cornerstone: someone had to look beneath the surface of things, to explore the mysteries of the universe and unveil its hidden meanings, to unravel elusive truths from seductive illusions. They decided it would be them.
The Yzmir are those who dared to lift the veil, those who dared to peek at what was lurking beneath. They are aware that humanity is still at the mercy of forces beyond its comprehension, and they intend to remedy this state of affairs.
Mastery Through Understanding
The Yzmir study the secret arcana of the world, observing the gears turning in its backstage. By understanding their workings, they believe they can manipulate them at will, become their masters.
Before the Confluence, their ancestors had turned away from esoteric knowledge, seeking refuge in science alone, as if magic were merely an archaic inheritance fit only to languish in the depths of the past. This distance had simultaneously made them blind to the occult threats lurking in the shadows.
The Yzmir are determined not to repeat the same mistake. Through their hermetic experiments, they gain power to protect Asgartha, so that the rest of humanity can continue to live oblivious to the dangers lurking at the edge of existence.
Organization
Structure and Terminology
The Yzmir refer to themselves as Initiates. The Faction is structured into multiple Lodges, with each Lodge dedicated to a particular field of study or specific function.
The fundamental research they conduct covers all aspects of Mana, The Tumult, and Alteration:
- Experimenting with the degree of retention of objects concerning imposed ideas
- Monitoring potential Tumult waves
- Protecting Asgartha from their ravages
- Studying Chimerae
The subjects are countless.
The Five Spheres and Schools
The Yzmir distinguish themselves by their sectorization into Schools of Alteration. Each School has a Temple within The Kadigir that serves as a learning place for Initiates, hosting teachers and disciples.
At the head of each School sits a Magister, a prominent representative of the magical discipline over which they preside. These five principals sit on The Magisterium, the High Council that guides the entire Faction.
Each Magister oversees one of the five Spheres of Alteration, which the Initiates call:
- Eidomancy: Invocation via Effigies
- Horomancy: Divination via Irises
- Phonomancy: Manipulation via Psalms
- Kinemancy: Mastery via Signs
- Gephyromancy: Transfers via Sigils
The Mandates
The Yzmir, aware of the power they accumulate, know they must exercise restraint. The history of the Faction, particularly in its early years, was marked by sorcerers who abused their powers for their own benefit.
The Yzmir have imposed upon themselves The Mandates—a set of strict conventions and rules regarding the use of their talents. The first Mandate is not trivial: Initiates must never use their gifts for personal gain, but always for a cause or an ideal in which they believe.
Alteration Style: The Naali
The Yzmir employ The Naali, an efficient yet dangerous style of Alteration. This style involves directly channeling ideas—referred to as Aether—from the world of imagination and the collective unconscious.
The Aether invoked through this method is highly potent and enduring, almost pure. However, in exchange, these ideas tend to seep into those who manipulate them. Over time, Yzmir mages become tainted, parasitized by these ideas.
When this contamination exceeds a certain threshold, Initiates can lose control, unable to restrain the ideas that bubble up and manifest within them. In the worst cases, the affected Initiate may give rise to a pocket of The Tumult within themselves, with dramatic consequences.
Rites and Initiation
The Yzmir welcome into their ranks all those who have a particular affinity for occult disciplines, although not all become mages. The Lodges have many assistants tasked with preparing spell components, crafting elixirs, or maintaining The Kadigir.
Becoming an Initiate
To become a Yzmir mage, an individual must undergo a rigorous selection process:
- Confirm their receptivity to Alteration
- Assess their proximity to one or more Spheres of magic
- Pass tests and trials that are sometimes bizarre and enigmatic
- Have wizards gauge their potential, learning curve, and morality
Each year, only a few dozen chosen ones out of thousands of aspirants manage to secure a place within the Occult College to eventually become an Initiate.
The Well of Tears Ceremony
The rare chosen ones who attain this position are allowed access to The Well of Tears, the heart of the Bastion. Above this underground lake infused with magic floats The Megalith, vibrating with power and seemingly suspended between worlds.
There, future mages take a small hammer and chisel and carve out a Megalith Fragment, which they have set into a jewel to be kept on them at all times. This extremely rare material acts as a catalyst for their magical power, allowing them to manifest imagination with greater efficiency.
Iconic Locations
The Kadigir
The Kadigir, also known as the Occult College, is the Bastion of the Yzmir. Founded by Aysun, daughter of the first High King of Asgartha, it was chosen for its secluded position atop high cliffs and because it housed Tumult singularities needing monitoring.
The vast complex consists of esplanades, temples for each Sphere, and hanging gardens of unparalleled magnificence overlooking Arkaster.
The Magisterium
The Magisterium is both a ceremonial venue for receiving dignitaries and the High Council chamber where the five Magisters guide the Faction. Located at the heart of the Kadigir, it features impossible water flows and luminescent stone covered with celestial imagery.
The Well of Tears and The Megalith
The Well of Tears is an underground lake containing The Megalith, a floating relic suspected to be trapped Aether from the Confluence. It serves as both an initiation site and a monitored Tumult singularity.
The Black Wave
The Black Wave is a plain of black grass in perpetual twilight where monstrosities sometimes emerge, watched over by Baba Yaga.
Current Objectives
Cure the Remanence
Remanence represents a form of alienation plunging even powerful Yzmir into trance-like states. Those afflicted can regurgitate Aether into reality at any moment, risking erratic alterations. The Council has asked sorcerers to restrain their magic use while seeking a cure. Treating this illness is a priority, as without it, they cannot continue experiments with necessary peace of mind.
Tumult Singularities
Throughout history, the Yzmir have positioned themselves as defenders against dark threats within The Tumult. Even within The Kadigir, two persistent singularities—The Well of Tears and The Black Wave—must be constantly monitored. The Yzmir do not boast of this role; they keep it secret to prevent panic among the people of Asgartha.