Yzmir
Lore
February 19th, 2024
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Philosophy
For the 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. That is why the Yzmir Initiates practice meditation, develop philosophy, and spirituality. It is through them that their intellect and intuition will see beyond what the senses reveal, that their consciousness will pierce through the murky veils of reality. All now know that the world is not confined to the perceptible; there are entire realms of reality that elude human perception. It is to shed light on these realms that the Yzmir have dedicated themselves to the study of the intangible.
The advent of the Confluence and the resulting devastation have 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... and they have decided that 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.
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... But 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
The Yzmir refer to themselves as the Initiates. This 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, Tumult, and Alteration: experimenting with the degree of retention of an object concerning imposed ideas, monitoring potential Tumult waves and protecting Asgartha from their ravages, studying Chimeras... The subjects are countless.
Furthermore, the Yzmir distinguish themselves by their sectorization into Schools of Alteration. Each School has a Temple that serves as a learning place for the Initiates, hosting a wide range of teachers and disciples. At the head of each school sits a Magister, a prominent representative of the magical discipline over which he presides. These principals, numbering five, sit on the Magisterium, the High Council that guides the entire Faction. Each of them oversees one of the five disciplines of Alteration, which the Initiates call the Spheres: Eidomancy, Gephyromancy, Horomancy, Kinemancy, and Phonomancy.
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 and used them for their own benefit. That is why the Yzmir have imposed upon themselves a set of strict conventions and rules regarding the use of their talents: the Mandates. The first is not trivial: the 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 an efficient yet dangerous style of Alteration known as the Naali. This style involves directly channeling ideas—referred to as Aether—from the world of imagination and the collective unconscious. The Aether they invoke 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 then 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 Tumult within themselves, with dramatic consequences.
The Yzmir have divided their practice of Alteration into five complementary disciplines: the five Spheres of the Naali. While there are Alterers capable of mastering all five paths, others prefer to specialize in one domain to develop a single primary expertise. However, most of the time, Alterers practice two or three disciplines, as it is challenging to devote oneself to the study of all these fields simultaneously. The five Spheres of Yzmir Alteration are: Eidomancy (the invocation of ideas using Effigies), Horomancy (divination through the study of idea currents present in the world via Irises), Phonomancy (manipulation of ideas through voice and sound—the Psalms), Kinemancy (mastery of primal and elemental forces through gesture—the Signs), and Gephyromancy (magic of idea transfers and reinforcement, through Sigils).
Rites & initiation
The Yzmir welcome into their ranks all those who have a particular affinity for occult disciplines, although not all become mages. The Lodges thus have many assistants tasked with preparing spell components, crafting elixirs, or even maintaining the Kadigir. To become a Yzmir mage, an individual, no matter how talented, must undergo a rigorous selection process. After confirming their receptivity to Alteration, their proximity to one or more Spheres of magic is assessed. Wizards then gauge their potential, likely learning curve, as well as their morality, through tests and trials that are sometimes the most bizarre and enigmatic. 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 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 a Megalith, vibrating with power and seemingly suspended between worlds. There, the future mages take a small hammer and chisel, and carve out a Fragment of the Megalith, 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 the imagination with greater efficiency.
Iconic locations
The Kadigir
Also known as the Occult College, the Kadigir is the Bastion of the Yzmir. Founded by Aysun, daughter of the first High King of Asgartha, the Yzmir Faction chose this location for its secluded position from the capital, atop the high cliffs bordering the lacustrian city, and also because it housed Tumult singularities that needed to be carefully monitored. Whether it's the Well of Tears or the Black Wave - the gloomy clearing continually watched over by Baba Yaga - someone had to protect and contain these potentially dangerous phenomena for the population of the First City. The Kadigir is a vast complex consisting of a series of esplanades and temples, surrounded by hanging gardens of unparalleled magnificence. There is a building for each Sphere of the Naali, and numerous buildings dedicated to other more specialized Lodges. Overlooking the city of Arkaster from high above, the hanging gardens of the Kadigir are composed of a hilly maze of shaded alleys and terraces bordered by ancient trees: cypresses, cedars, maples... A true arboretum, the gardens also feature glasshouses, orangery, fountains, and artificial streams that irrigate all the green spaces. There are elegant colonnades, temples, observatories for studying the night sky or the Tumult. The Yzmir often take advantage of the serenity of the place to meditate, study, or instruct young Initiates.
The Magisterium
The Magisterium is a ceremonial venue where the Yzmir receive dignitaries from Asgartha and other Factions. Although it is located in the center of the labyrinth that is the Kadigir, it is easy to find. You just need to follow the streams and watercourses that traverse the gardens, all of which converge towards the heart of the Yzmir Bastion (regardless of the slope or orientation). When one enters the vast chambers and halls of the Magisterium, lined with elegant and architecturally complex ogival alcoves, one can see water ascending along the walls, sliding along the channels, seeping into small rivulets, and gathering in graceful basins... Water is everywhere, moving, stagnant, sometimes even defying physical laws. The dark stone used to create the Magisterium is luminescent: looking up, one can see the vaults and ceilings of the temple covered with stars, nebulae, celestial bodies, and constellations, as if one were truly gazing at the night sky. By following the clear water all the way to the end, gliding over the furrows and ramps, visitors can reach the sinkhole where all the waters pour out: a chasm called the Well of Tears, where the water roars before disappearing into the unfathomable depths of the earth. But gravity seems somewhat capricious in this place. Before vanishing from sight, small droplets break away from the torrents and begin to float towards the ceiling, gleaming like stars. These particles then seem to embed themselves in the stone vault, joining the other celestial bodies that appear to be set within it.
The Well of Tears
Descending along the gorge, taking a steep circular staircase with narrow and slippery steps, and passing under roaring waterfalls, one can see below an iridescent surface, shimmering in the mist rising from the depths. Crossing through this undulating veil, you access a natural cavity where a titanic Megalith floats in the air with violet reflections. The cave floor is covered with an underground lake with clear waters, also pulsating with magic. The Megalith is suspected to be a relic of the Confluence, a mass of Aether that has been trapped between the two worlds. The Yzmir predict that if the barrier between the worlds managed to close in this place, then its still-open breaches can be sealed. This could be a way for them to silence the Tumult, although many occult theorists believe that stability will only truly occur when the two dimensions have fully merged.
Current objectives
Cure the Remanence
The Remanence represents a form of alienation that seems to plunge even the most powerful Yzmir into a trance-like state, filled with visions, recitations in an unknown language, or long periods of deep sleep. However, the greatest danger of the Remanence lies in the fact that those afflicted with it can at any moment begin to regurgitate Aether into reality, risking erratic and dangerous alterations to the world around them. Faced with this unexplained phenomenon, the Council has asked the sorcerers to somewhat restrain their use of magic while awaiting the discovery of a cure. Treating this illness is a priority for the Yzmir, as without it, they will not be able to continue their experiments with the necessary peace of mind required for their mission.
Tumult singularities
Throughout history, the Yzmir have positioned themselves as defenders of humanity against the dark and nameless threats lurking within the Tumult. Even within the Kadigir, two persistent singularities must be constantly monitored. On one side, the Well of Tears hosts one of them: the Megalith. While it may be dormant, there is nothing to say it couldn't awaken one day and jeopardize the capital. On the other side, the Black Wave is a plain of black grass, constantly bathed in twilight darkness. Monstrosities sometimes burst forth unexpectedly and must be defeated before they threaten the population. However, the Yzmir do not boast of this role; quite the opposite. They keep it secret to prevent the people of Asgartha from succumbing to panic.