The Keepers

The Keepers embody the pursuit of knowledge and understanding in its purest form. Operating from their endless Library demiplane, they seek to comprehend the fundamental nature of magic, reality, and the universe itself. While public perception casts them as detached academics, their work forms the theoretical foundation that enables the other factions’ practical applications of the Light’s power.

Core Principles

• Rationality: Approach all questions with logic and systematic inquiry
• Understanding: Seek comprehensive knowledge rather than surface-level answers
• Curiosity: Never stop questioning and exploring the nature of reality

Members

The Keepers draw primarily from the ranks of academics and theoretical magicians who view the pursuit of knowledge as an end in itself. While many come from prestigious magical universities, raw intellectual curiosity is valued above formal credentials. The faction particularly attracts scholars fascinated by fundamental questions about the nature of magic and reality, often those who find the constraints of practical application too limiting for their theoretical interests.

Among their numbers are archivists and librarians drawn to the mysteries of the Library itself, natural philosophers studying the underlying principles of the universe, and brilliant minds who delight in unraveling complex magical theories. While most Keepers practice magic to some degree, the faction also welcomes those who approach their studies through non-magical sciences, seeing this diversity of approaches as essential to developing a complete understanding of reality.

What unites this varied membership is an unrelenting drive to understand not just how things work, but why they work the way they do. The Keepers’ halls are filled with people who would rather spend years pursuing a single theoretical question than months developing a practical application – though they recognize that both paths ultimately contribute to knowledge.

Daily Life

Life within Keeper facilities follows patterns dictated more by research needs than standard time measurements. The line between work and personal interest often blurs, as most members view their research as a calling rather than an occupation.

Members spend their days conducting experiments, documenting findings, and engaging in scholarly debate. Time becomes fluid in the Library’s halls, where researchers can lose themselves in study for what feels like hours only to emerge days later. This peculiar relationship with time is just one of many phenomena that Keepers both study and utilize in their work.

The faction maintains a relatively flat organizational structure. While the council handles administrative duties, most members operate with considerable autonomy in pursuing their research interests, requiring only that they document their work and submit to ethical oversight when necessary.

Faction Relations

• Mechanists: A complex relationship marked by both collaboration and friction. The Keepers respect Mechanist innovation but often question their methodological rigor and hasty implementations of theoretical principles.

• Pathfinders: Natural allies in the pursuit of discovery. Keepers provide theoretical frameworks for navigation while receiving practical data about newly discovered phenomena and locations.

• Wardens: The most frequent source of tension, as the Wardens’ protective instincts often clash with the Keepers’ drive to pursue knowledge regardless of potential risks.

Public Perception

To most citizens of known space, the Keepers represent the archetypal absent-minded scholars - brilliant but detached from practical concerns. This perception isn’t entirely unearned, as many members do become so absorbed in their research that they lose touch with mundane matters.

Popular conspiracy theories paint them as a secretive cabal hoarding universe-shattering secrets, though the reality is that most Keeper research is publicly available - if often incomprehensible to non-specialists. The faction’s tendency toward complex theoretical language and apparent disregard for practical applications often frustrates those seeking simple solutions to pressing problems.

The Librarian-Spirit Boon

Note

The mechanical implementation of the Librarian-Spirit boon is currently in development. Future updates will include specific game mechanics, action types, and resource management systems for each tier of play. The descriptions below represent the narrative capabilities that will be translated into balanced game mechanics.

Through their connection to the Light via the Lumina Reliquary, Keepers develop a unique manifestation known as the Librarian-Spirit - a semi-sentient projection of the Library’s essence that grows in power as they advance in rank.

Nature of the Boon

The Librarian-Spirit represents a melding of the Keeper’s consciousness with the vast knowledge stored within the Library. It begins as a simple aid to research and translation but can eventually develop into a powerful tool for manipulating reality through pure knowledge and theory.

Manifestation

Each Librarian-Spirit reflects its Keeper’s areas of study and philosophical approach to knowledge. Some appear as ghostly scribes, others as floating constellations of magical symbols, and still others as shifting patterns of light and shadow that respond to their Keeper’s thoughts.

Growth & Development

The Librarian-Spirit manifests only after a Keeper has proven their dedication to scholarly pursuit (typically around 5th level). As they grow in power and understanding, their connection to the Library deepens:

Tier 2 (Levels 5-10) - Researcher

The Librarian-Spirit first manifests as a subtle presence:

• Comprehend additional languages as needed for research
• Record and replay observed magical phenomena
• Create temporary cataloging spaces for field research
• Limited guidance through Library spaces

Tier 3 (Levels 11-16) - Master

The Spirit grows into a more conscious entity:

• Generate stable research spaces linked to the Library
• Project and analyze complex magical resonances
• Synthesize knowledge from multiple sources simultaneously
• Channel the Library’s organizational principles directly

Tier 4 (Levels 17-20) - Sage

At this level, the Keeper and their Spirit achieve a profound connection:

• Create semi-permanent Library annexes in any location
• Direct manipulation of local magical principles
• Reality manipulation through pure theory
• Deep communion with the Library’s essence

Notable Locations

The Library

The heart of Keeper operations is an infinite demiplane rumored to be the remnants of an ancient knowledge deity. It features self-organizing archives, rooms that exist in multiple locations simultaneously, and sections that appear to predict and generate new knowledge.

Research Institutes

Major Keeper facilities serve as centers of learning and research, featuring specialized laboratories, secure containment areas, and access points to the Library proper.