Ahk'Dharasha
The Island is co-ran by a powerful elf church called Ahk'Dharasha and a company called the Old World Trading Company. Ahk'Dharasha is primary source of authority on the Grahmbraid Island. Though powerful, the Old World Trading Company is ultimately subservient to the Church. Akh'Dharasha is elven and roughly translates to "Duty of Destiny." The Church is also called Church of the Luminous Cloud by outsiders.
The leader of the Church is the Matriarch, an elf named Ceslida Galaadon. She is the only known survivor of the Great Galaadon Empire.
Blood Magic
The church's rise to power came after they found a holy medium and powerful anvil. These were found in underground caverns deep below the current location of the Chorale's High Temple in Bryn, called Cáma. Everyone who is imbued with blood magic undergoes a ritual in the basement of this temple using components made from the holy medium and anvil. This ritual leaves the imbued with tattoos of strange, evolving sigils through which magic and other great powers can be channeled. High ranking priests and officers have access to teleportation circles created by some of the church's most powerful blood magic. The biggest and most protected teleportation circle is under the High Temple of the Chorale.
The church's magical infusions of blood are vital to everyone on Grahmbraid Island. It helps with everything - from growing crops to making magical weapons to the magical flames you see in the streets to the walls, to even creating PCs and NPCs of note. Everyone in this world that is equal to a level one Player Character or higher/magical/”special” has been imbued with a source of magic provided by them or from an illegal source. Because of the danger and tough environment of Grahmbraid Island, Ahk'Dharasha 's blood magic gives them a tight grip over the island. Societies will hold themselves subservient to the church just to have some of its members imbued with blood magic or to be given magical items essential for survival. Members of the Church are generally dressed in yellow.
Beliefs
Ahk'Dharasha is focused on the transcendence of intelligent life. The church believes that the Murk and the challenges of corrupted Kol can be risen above by holy insights and evolution. These evolutions can be literal and physical - with their blood magic being the most obvious example of how that duality can coexist. Followers of Ahk'Dharasha sincerely believe that one is not capable of transcendence and evolution without first going through an infusion of magical blood. This imbuement makes one step closer to a higher state of being, which in turn unlocks great, inert potential in those imbued. The infusion of the magical blood also covers the imbued being with tattoos of strange sigils. These tattoos grow along with the person’s might and experience.
Music is another prominent way that those from the Ahk'Dharasha access the divine. They believe that many insights are beyond the limits of simple language. Music is an abstract expression to the uninformed, but a bridge to the divine for the informed. The high council of Ahk'Dharasha is called the Chorale because it is believed that those on the council are capable of hearing songs from the straight from the Divine Beyond.
Structure
Ahk'Dharasha is broken into 4 houses. They are the Chorale, the Brood of Reconciliation, the Kirk of Judges, and the Tabernacle.
The Chorale - This is a council of 13 priests and priests which represent the head leadership of Ahk'Dharasha. Members of the Chorale are called the Bah'tkol, which translates formally translates to the "Voice of Gods" and often shortened to the title of "Voice." All Bah'tkol are the most powerful, influential, or elderly elves of Grahmbraid Society. The head of this council is the Matriarch. She is the founder of the church and the last living descendant of the great royal elven Galaadon family. The Matriarch also claims a direct descendance to a now dead god - Udrim, the Lawwbearer. As the head of the Chorale, she holds absolute veto on all matters. The Ébed directly serve and protect the Chorale.
The Brood of Reconciliation - Led by an order of nuns who are called Pardoners. They are responsible for the most powerful high rituals and magicks of Ahk'Dharasha. For example, the Brood of Reconciliation is responsible for performing the rituals that infuse those with blood magic. They are led by the Brood Queen and she serves the Matriarch directly.
Kirk of the Voices - This house is the muscle of the church and by far its largest house. Members are collectively called kirks. Membership is broken up into four chains of leadership called clans.
Clan of Companions - These are the troops and soldiers of Ahk'Dharasha. Most members of the church and the kirks are Companions.
Low Kirk - Executions and assassins of Ahk'Dharasha. All members are masters of darkness and have unwavering loyalty to the Chorale
High Kirk - These are the inquisitors and spies of the church. The High Kirks also share some policing responsibilities with the Ébed. They are masters of law, theology, and culture but also remarkably dangerous. Most members are bards.
Ébed - These are the elite shock troops of Ahk'Dharasha and all of Grahmbraid Island. Only the strongest, most powerful, and most loyal members can become an Ébed. Because of this, members are predominately from the ranks of the Kirk of the Voices and elf, but not uniformly so. The primary duties of the Ébed are to protect and enforce the will of the Chorale. They are responsible for protecting Bryn and policing. All settlements and cities are led by officials who must can from the Ébed.
The Tabernacle - This house is responsible for the advancement of the holy knowledge of Ahk'Dharasha. Great works of academia, strange experiments, essential research, and enormous workshops are what the Tabernacle are known for. Members of the Tabernacle are called Scholars.
