Skull Conclave Society


The Skull Conclave is a magocratic, theocratic society where magical prowess, political intrigue, and faithful piety determine one’s place within it. Thus, one must be powerful, cunning, and pious to ascend the ranks of the Conclave.

Unlike the other Conclaves, the Skull Conclave is under the direct governance of the Oracle-Avatar. Since they are busy with matters of spirit and ether, the Skull-Archon and the Spinal Synod execute Avataral dictum as best as they can. While the Skull-Archon is not the leader of the Conclave, they perform most of the managerial duties. This is similar to the other Archons and their rulings are enforced as though Temple dogma. 

The Skull-Archon is also in-charge of managing and leading the military forces of the Conclave in times of conflict, with enough authority to make demands of even other Archons. 

Social Strata


Beneath the Skull-Archon and the Invokates of the Synod are the Hierophants and their Prelates. These leaders ensure that dogma and doctrine is followed and that the Conclave thrives.

Protecting and guiding the people are the Skull Conclave themselves — from the lowliest Disciple to the Invokates. Born (or Grafted) with magic and trained in its utility, Calvarians are scholars and soldiers dedicated to the cause of the Temple.  


Auxillators: Noncombatant part of the Conclave - laborers and craftsfolk

  • Apprentice: These individuals are trainees and novices on their path to becoming Artisans of their craft. They are the equivalent of Novitiates..  

  • Artisan: Individuals whose products and services have been tried and tested.

  • Expert: A rank granted by the local Grandmaster of that craft that commends the quality of their goods or services. This requires several years of work. 

  • Master: A rank granted by the local Grandmaster after several years of Expert workmanship, related to the quality of their goods or services.  

  • Grandmaster: Usually part of the leadership of a Maker Guild or Company. These are still considered subservient to a Chaptermaster or a Hierophant.


Calvarian: Hallowed Arcanists skilled with magic and instructed in faith.

  • Novitiate : Untested Calvarians who have yet to complete the Trial of Conjuration

  • Disciple:  Calvarian who pass their Trial of Conjuration are granted this title. There are three different grades of Disciple -- Wood, Bronze, and Steel. 

  • Apostle: These are Disciples who have continuously proven their loyalty and ability to the Conclave and the Temple. This has some measure of authority and seniority over the lower titles. This has three grades -- Silver, Gold, and Red-Gold.

  • Prelate: (PC limit) These are Skull Templars in a position of leadership based on their loyalties and abilities. This can be the leader of a smaller Priory, if sponsored by one of the Spinal Synod.

  • Hierophant (retired PC limit):  A religious administrator-general in charge of a small region, managing multiple Prelates. This is the highest position a retired player character may gain. 

  • Invokate (Spinal Synod): A religious administrator-general in charge of a major territory. An Archon is considered to be the Invokate of their region, though common practice is to assign a Hierophant to assist with most administrative matters. The Spinal Synod is comprised of the leaders of the six biggest Priories - the Vertebral Priories. 

  • Archon (Spinal Synod): The highest rank in a Conclave and second to the Oracle-Avatar. The Skull-Archon is the leader among the Spinal Synod, the first among their peers.  

Auxillator

Majority of the populace are Makers, who are also called Auxillators or Aux. These civilians and tradesfolk who live their lives under the protection of the Temple. Some Makers are the children of Calvarian Templars who have refused the gift of spellcraft via Eidolonic Graft. This may be due to the risk that such a life entails or due to the dangers inherent to being a Templar.

Regardless, these individuals are treated much as the other Auxillators but are usually assigned places of rank within the bureaucracy or prestigious crafting work as opposed to menial labor. Although sometimes considered necessary, Aux that are mercenaries or guns for hire are looked down upon among the Calvarians -- they prefer that Templars do the soldiering and necessary wetwork that such professions entail. Similarly ill regarded are magic users outside of the Temple because of their perceived misuse of the God-Empress’ gift.

Auxillator children who display magical ability are usually given up to the local Hierophant to be inducted into the Templar ranks. Doing so is highly awarded and prestigious. On the other hand, failure to do so is considered to be the Arch-Sin of Perjury and punished harshly. 


The Priory

A Priory is a unit of Skull Templars that serves the Conclave under the supervision of a Bishop or an Apostle. Said Priory-master is responsible for ensuring his Priory’s obedience to the Temple and to their direct superior, which is usually a Hierophant under the supervision of an Archon or an Invokate. There are six Vertebral Priories that encompass the entire Conclave and oversee the vassal Priories beneath them. 

Hierophants may have a specific Priory that they have full and direct control over -- these individuals are usually tasked with enforcing the commands of the Hierophant or the Invokate over the other Priories. However, all Hierophants are expected to sufficiently manage not only the territory they are assigned but also the Priories that they are responsible for. 

Priories may number ten to three hundred individuals plus their supporting Auxillators, though the Vertebral Priories are said to number over a thousand plus Auxes. Each is tasked with an area or a role of responsibility by their superiors. This may be as straightforward as researching an Eldritch entity or as vague as “advancing Temple interests within a specific area”. 

Priories influence the region they police and maintain with their own traditions and customs. The reverse is also true as Priories from Ziggurat City will have differing customs or even linguistics than those from Covenant Citadel.  

Although they receive funding from the Temple, Priories that are granted useful territory are expected to make use of it to fund their own workings and projects. Some of these resources may be expected to make their way back to the Conclave if the harvests or bounties are of sufficient size.

Joining a Priory is part of the Trial of Conjuration (see Religion). However, Skull Templar may leave their current Priory to join a new one. This requires the permission of at least the objective Priory and the supervising Hierophant. 

Anyone in the Temple may join a Priory, but it must be led by a Skull Templar and be under the supervision of a Skull Hierophant. 

The Defrocked

One of the consequences of failure or Sin among the Skull Conclave is the Rite of Fracturing. In this Rite, a Skull Templar is removed from their status. They are reduced to the status of an Auxillator or even an outcast. This may be in addition to banishment from the Skull Conclave or from the Temple itself.

It is a rare instance where a Defrocked individual is able to return to grace within the Skull Conclave. Thus far, the happenstance of such things can be counted on one hand. 

Upbringing

Those born within the Skull Conclave are celebrated through the Sacrament of Illumination (See Skull Conclave religion) but not guaranteed entrance into Templardom. Only those with magic, either through birth or through Grafting, may be given the chance to become a Skull Templar. Starting at the age of 6, the life of such a child is filled with scholarly instruction, physical conditioning, and magical training by Hierophantic instructors at a Fortress-Monastery. Children from distant families are required to room and board within the dormitories of the institution, with limited visiting rights. 

Stigmata in the Skull Conclave: As is expected from a society that prizes Arcanists, many Calvarians are blessed with Bloodline Stigmata or sanctified with a sacred Eidolonic spore. 

There are infrequent instances of children (Maker or Calvarian) without Stigmata and magic that are given the same amount of preparation. Families usually expend immense influence and currency to initiate this type of training. The expectation for these children is that they endure and survive the Eidolonic Graft that would grant them magical ability. Those who do not survive are posthumously revered as Skull Templars. 

Those who refuse the Graft are not allowed into the ranks of the Templar, but their fear is not shamed -- they are allowed to join the ranks of the Auxillators or even the other Conclaves, if they so choose. 

LAW and Sin

Within a territory, the dominant Hierophant is law, only superseded by their Superiors or a Judicator Prelate. The Dukes of the area are given special consideration and may contest a ruling or apply their counsel to the Hierophant’s decision. Similar considerations are given to those high ranking members of the Skull Conclave.

The following are the six Arch-Sins that constitute a criminal act with the Skull Conclave: 

  • HERESY is committed when a Templar directly goes against the authority of the God-Empress and Her Oracle-Avatar. This primarily refers to seditious or treasonous activity, and disobeying a direct order from a Hierophant ranked (or higher) Calvarian. This may overlap with PERJURY below. Heresy is harshly punished.

  • BLASPHEMY  is committed when a Templar defiles a holy object or speaks profane of the God-Empress or her Oracle-Avatar. Certain Blasphemies are so great that merely perceiving it can even corrupt a witness unless the Blasphemy is avenged, amended or the witness performs a personal Penance to the God-Empress before the end of the next day.

  • MALIFICA is illicit magic-use. Magic is the gift of the God-Empress and Templars who wield it must be mandated by the Temple or be servants of the God-Empress herself. Malifica also includes using relics or magics deemed forbidden by the Temple. Harmful or corruptive association with certain baleful entities is considered to be both Malifica and Heresy. 

  • MALFEASANCE is the unlawful harm or slaying of another Templar. This includes psychic and physical injury including soul-binding and illicit torture. Certain Templar are tasked to martial positions are exempt from this Arch-Sin within the auspices of their profession, although they often perform Penances in their off-hours to cleanse any stain on their soul.

  • PERJURY is when a Templar breaks a holy oath or speaks a mistruth to their superior. Other examples of Perjury include failing to protect those you have sworn to protect, disobeying a direct order form your superiors or misusing those under your command. 

  • SABOTAGE is the unlawful destruction of other Templars’ property or using unlawful methods to destroy one's own property. To a lesser degree, Sabotage is also committed when an Templar takes or misuses what does not belong to them. It also covers the misuse of others' property and the evasion of tithes to the Temple.  


Commiting a Sin: When a Sin is committed, a Sinner is expected to remand themselves to the nearest Templar authority for punishment. Those who do not do this may be pursued by local Templar authorities and/or their deputies, depending on the severity of the Sin. These same Templar authorities are also involved in determining whether a Sin has been committed or not, gathering evidence and witnesses accordingly through practical and magical means. 

The Skull-Archon is responsible for the Priory of Judication (as well as its affiliates in the other Conclaves), which is dedicated to spreading and enforcing the Oracle-Avatar’s commands. They are also granted special dispensation with regards to adjudicating Sin in any Conclave. Called “Confessors”, these individuals are respected and feared by all individuals for their ability to defy and deny Hierophant edict in the name of the Oracle-Avatar. 

The authority of their territory determines their guilt or innocence of the Sin, guided by evidence, witnesses, and faith. This tends to be a closed affair, with only the judge, the accused and their party, and the accusers or prosecutors (and their party) in session. 

Minor transgressions that have been self-reported may not even require a full tribunal, only monetary penance or corporal penance. Major transgressions may involve worse punishments such as execution, demotion, banishment, or forced conscription to the Talon Conclave’s Beringian Blockade or the Kookesh Quarry. Particularly egregious Sins, such as Heresy, may result in a type of execution called a “Eldritch Crucifixion” wherein a powerful ritual is placed upon an individual that kills them and affixes their spiritual essence to an item -- when done in Ziggurat City, this is said to prevent any type of resurrection and to allow for further torment at the hands of the Skull Conclave. 

Territories

Covenant City (Yog-Sarnoc)

This settlement is many days east of Ziggurat City and is a major hub on the Path of Flame that leads to the Superior Sea. Though they have a presence in the capital, the Priory of Nullification makes their home here. The Flame Conclave once shared this with the Calvarians -- those that turned alongside the Infernal Apostasy did their best to destroy Yog-Sarnoc. In fact, Templar scholars surmise that Covenant City shielded Yog-Mothol from the greatest of the Apostasy’s forces from Beacon. The Priory of Nullification brought glory and souls to their God-Empress in those fateful battles, though half the city was razed. 

Innsmouth

The Temple’s easternmost port located in New England, the Skull Conclave maintains a small but significant presence within this settlement. In particular, the Priory of Nullification and the Priory of Correspondence can be found here, studying eldritch phenomena in the area and powering the Shadow Door that leads directly to Ziggurat City. The Calvarians are protected and supported by the presence of the Talon Conclave, with the Godhammer Chapter directing operations in the area. 

Serenity City (Yog-Kalathol)

South of Ziggurat City and hugging the coastline, this settlement is renowned for its many orchards and gardens, as well as the flesh variants of those features. Serenity City is the Priory of Transfiguration’s home. The orchards, fields and gardens -- as well as their fleshy versions -- serve the Priory and the Conclave by providing immense numbers of food and biomantic materials. The Nurturers also house strange parafauna, both found in the wild and crafted with eldritch magics. 

Ziggurat City (Yog-Mothol)

This is the capitol city of the entire Temple. Black runed spires overshadow and shield the people below from Magnastorms and other inclement weather -- they also act as wind chimes to commemorate hours of worship and special days of worship. Built over (and using) the monstrous cadaver of the First Feast, the Avataral Ziggurat is not the only building of its kind reaching into the skyline, but no other structure dominates the cityscape. One can spy cracks and scars from the Infernal Apostasy, but little else remains of that tragic event. 

Ziggurat City is the center for many institutions within the Conclave and Temple, including bureaucracy, knowledge, and ceremony. The Priory of Judication and the Priory of Correspondence have their main holdings beneath the spires. Several Power Groups from the other Conclaves have strongholds here as well, particularly the Sin-Eaters, the Dragonteeth, the Excruciators, and the Conductors.