Elysian Vanguard The Elysian Vanguard

Tiko

Draconic Administrator/Mentor
Administrator
Mentor
Nexus GM
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The Elysian Vanguard
  • Introduction
  • Who's Who
    • Roster
    • Titles
    • Notable Figures
    • Affiliates, and Allies
  • Active Missions and Assignments
  • The Temple Grounds
    • Map
    • Facilities and Resources
    • Restricted Areas
      • The Inner Sanctum
      • The Vault
      • The Well of Souls
  • Geography, Climate, and Weather
  • History
    • Origins of the Elysian Vanguard
    • The Fall of the Elysian Vanguard
    • Restoration of the Elysian Vanguard
    • Reformation of the Elysian Vanguard
  • Life at Nasazura's Rest
    • Food
    • Living Quarters
    • Work
    • Students
  • Rules, Regulations and Conduct
 
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The Elysian Vanguard

Bound together by a common cause, the Elysian Vanguard grew to its prime at the peak of the Orsa of Terminus' rise to power. With its sworn foe defeated these legendary warriors have scattered across Valore to resume their lives, but old ties are not easily severed. With a kinship forged through blood and sacrifice, perhaps these champions of old only await a time when Valore might have need of their strength once more, a time where one might call them back.

The Elysian Vanguard is an order of guardians sworn to uphold the Light and to combat the Void and its taint wherever it might exist. Warriors, scholars, ambassadors, teachers, heroes and even reformed criminals, the ranks of the Elysian Vanguard come from all walks of life before swearing off home and country in favor of a deeper purpose. Though the Elysian Vanguard exists outside of the authority of any singular governmental body and maintains a stance of neutrality on matters of political strife, its members occasionally serve in the capacity of ambassadors and negotiators to assist in stemming conflicts.

Its primary place of operation is located within the Icy Peaks of Terra. The temple situated atop the snowy mountains was built to honor the fallen heroes who lay down their lives for Valore and it serves both as a place of remembrance and as a symbol of hope where new initiates are trained to one day join the ranks of these venerable champions.

Though once a prominent and revered order, the Elysian Vanguard has only just begun to regain its former presence within Valore. With a life-long service that spans generations of blood and sacrifice, this order still commands a great deal of respect, but its global influence has waned with the years. Will this ancient and archaic order rise to the challenge of claiming a place for itself in a changing world, or will it succumb to the ravages of time and fading memories.
 
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Titles and Ranks

Elder
- This is the title held by the most senior of the order, a single individual tasked with the responsibility of directly leading the Order. It falls upon the Elder to make decisions that impact the entire Order, and to direct and guide it in its never ending war against the Void. When addressing this individual, it is customary to simply refer to them as Elder.


Grandmaster - This is a rank held by the most revered within the order, and bestowed upon those who have shown exceptional skill in the field and resounding feats of bravery and devotion to the Light. Grandmasters maintain a high level of responsibility within the order through the training of students and acting as leaders and symbols of the Light. Many are recognized across Valore as noteworthy champions for their great deeds far and wide. When addressing a Grandmaster, it is customary to refer to them as Grandmaster <name>.


Master - This is a rank held by those within the order who have reached a level of excellence and dedication to be entrusted with the future of the order through an increase in responsibility towards the taking of apprentices and leading assignments abroad. When addressing a Master, it is customary to refer to them as Master <name>.
 
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Notable Figures, Historic and Present

Sylvire Nasazura - Sylvire Nasazura was a powerful and ancient sorceress hailing from the lost realm of Aelora, and the last surviving member of the Elysian Vanguard from her age. When the Sealed One’s forces first rose up and overran Aelora, she fled with the artefacts that could unseal his prison, swearing to later return and liberate her homeland.

Isolated on a library demiplane, years passed as she sought to find her way beyond the veil that had cut Aelora off from the rest of Valore. When she finally made her way to Terra, it was she who formed the Elysian Vanguard anew, eventually leading it through the Orsa of Teriminus conflict and back to Aelora to conquer the Sealed One once and for all.

With her task complete, the ancient sorceress passed from the world peacefully.


Rhea - At the resolution of the Elysian Vanguard’s war against the Orsa of Terminus, its age-old purpose had been fulfilled. With the Sealed One defeated, and Sylvire passed on, the Order teetered on the brink of disbandment. It was Rhea who brought together the surviving remnants of the Vanguard and gave them new purpose. The Sealed One had been felled, but the world would always have need of heroes. Ever the humanitarian, Rhea saw to it that when that call was sounded, the Vanguard would be there to answer it once more.


Arrow - Arrow was amongst the founding members of the Valoran Elysian Vanguard, and saw the Orsa of Terminus conflict through to its end. During his time in Aelora, the young knight was visited by a powerful fey spirit known as Le’thorian, and tasked with becoming her champion. After the Sealed One’s defeat, Arrow departed from the Vanguard in order to found the Knights of Le’thorian in her name, as a force for good in Aelora amidst the uncertainty and chaos that followed the end of the blight.

Blessed with longevity by his lady, Arrow has stood as Grandmaster of the Knights of Le’thorian for the better half of a century, but he has not forgotten his allies in the Vanguard, nor forsaken those oaths. He has recently returned to Valore to answer the Vanguard’s call for aid, leaving the Knights in the capable hands of one of his subordinate commanders, and bringing with him a small contingent of Knights to assist his old friends.


Aeryn - One of the first to be chosen by Sylvire to form her new Vanguard, Aeryn was a hotheaded teenager when first entrusted with the protection of one of the artefact keys. Whether this was an error in judgement or if the sorceress saw the potential in him is unclear. While he might have a big mouth, he has a bigger heart, and in the end gave very nearly everything for the cause.

Aeryn isn’t a native of Valore, hailing instead from the twin realm of Lustre. During the Orsa conflict he was banished back to his home plane, and forced to seek a way back to Valore from there. In the process, he championed a rebellion against the realm’s tyrant king, and restored the upset balance between the mirrored kingdoms of Silver and Gold. To quote him, “the bastard was in the way”.

In the years since the Orsa conflict, and as a byproduct of being forced to step up and lead an army, Aeryn has grown a lot from the hotheaded teenager he once was. Whilst he retains his bluster and joviality, his old recklessness is now tempered by experience and responsibility.


Elante Vadrillion - Elante was originally brought into the Orsa conflict by the involvement of his then-lover, Aeryn. Something of a prodigy mage specialising in a combination of celestial and summoning magics, Elante was invaluable to the Vanguard in his own right, and after Aeryn was banished he remained at Sylvire’s side to see the conflict through. He was able to enlist the aid of Academia Celestia, where he had trained, which was ultimately pivotal in the Vanguard’s victory.

Following the Sealed One’s defeat, Elante took on a key role in the reconstruction of the Vanguard’s presence on Valore, alongside Rhea, Rynhart and Scarlet. With the disappearance of the former two and Scarlet’s obligations to her academy, Elante was left as the lone leader of the Vanguard for a time - a responsibility he simply couldn’t shoulder. Now, with the return of Sylvire, he remains on the council of Elders despite his young age.


Rynhart - Brother to Rhea, Rynhart played a strong role in the defeat of the Sealed One alongside other renowned figures as Sylvire, Elante, Arrow, and many more. When Rhea took up the mantle of rekindling the Elysian Vanguard to greater heights and new purposes, Rynhart remained for a time at the temple serving as an instructor until wanderlust called him away. His departure did not come as a great surprise to those closest to him though as his absences had been growing greater and greater with the passing of time until he simply parted ways. Two years passed without sign or word of his movements until he was sighted recently engaging in a cataclysmic battle that tore the city of Westeria usunder. His current location remains unknown, but his reputation remains ingrained deeply into those of the Order who he once fought alongside.


Sarael Nasazura - A member of the surviving remnants of Sylvire’s own House in Aelora, Sarael is an elven mage of great talent. A graduate of Amarathia’s prestigious Nasazura Academy, he possesses a wealth of academic knowledge on magic and related fields, as well as on more common fields such as history, mathematics and literature. He lived through many of the events that led to the formation of the Vanguard as it exists today, and is one of the most learned members of the order regarding its history prior to the Sealed One’s rise.

Sarael has taken to offering lessons on both the order’s history and on magic - academic or otherwise - since the influx of new students. Though his wealth of knowledge is great, his teaching style can be a little haphazard and prone to deviating off on tangents.


Whisper - Whisper, though once chosen by Sylvire herself to stand with the Elysian Vanguard against the Void, now serves only as a cautionary tale to the unwary among the Order that even devout servants of the Light can fall victim to the Void’s taint. Young and full of promise, Whisper was corrupted by the demon Nyx which led to her betrayal, and ultimately her expulsion from the Elysian Vanguard for her actions.


Taima - [Pending]
 
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Affiliates and Allies

Knights of Le'thorian ►​

The Knights of Le’thorian are an Aeloran based miltary order founded by a member of the Vanguard, Alexander Chevaleux (or Arrow, as he prefers to be called). Operating under similar principles to the Vanguard, one of Arrow’s first acts was to ensure that the Knights’ charter dictated that they always stand side by side with the Vanguard.

Unlike the Vanguard, the Knights of Le’thorian maintain a standing army as opposed to largely operating as individuals. Within Aelora, their purpose has been to aid the realm’s nations in reclaiming their lands from the remnants of the Void, and alongside the military of Tai’emroth, maintaining peace throughout the tumultuous reconstruction years.


Academia Celestia ►​

Academia Celestia is one of the Vanguard’s staunchest allies on Valore, a partnership that dates back to the Orsa of Terminus conflict. Along with its sister academy, Everia, Academia Celestia aided the Vanguard in several key battles against both the machine monstrosity Krycis and the succubus Nyx, two of their most prominent foes. Its walls and enchantments provided a haven for several of the order, and its staff and students were key to the reclaiming of Westeria City after its fall.

The headmistress of the academy, Scarlet Dae, is a grandmaster of the Vanguard, and Elder Elante is one of its most prominent alumni. Though the academy’s primary function is, obviously, the education of its students, Scarlet regularly diverts volunteers to humanitarian efforts across Terra, and is always ready to answer the Vanguard’s call.


Academia Everia ►​

Like its sister academy Celestia, Academia Everia’s cooperation with the Elysian Vanguard began during the Orsa of Terminus conflict. Unlike Celestia, however, Academia Everia maintains a standing force of battlemages ready to respond to threats to the stability of the realm. The headmistress, Silviana Melaidhrin, has pledged these forces to aid the Vanguard whenever they have need of it - with the proviso that they are not called upon lightly.

Everia also owes loyalty to the Terran National Government, and should the Vanguard’s interests ever come into conflict with the nation, it is uncertain where the academy’s allegiance would ultimately fall.


The Argent Vanguard and the Aureate Vigil ►​

The twin military forces of the realms of Lustre, The Argent Vanguard and Aureate Vigil have pledged allegiance to the Elysian Vanguard as a result of the efforts of Aeryn, a native of the twin realms and war hero to both the silvis and aurean peoples. The allegiance has yet to be tested, owing to the delicate nature of a military force from another realm moving in any notable way into Valoran territories. Additionally, the recent planar instability has caused the failure of the fixed portal to the realms, Lustre’s Gate, thereby making travel to and from there both more difficult and dangerous.


The Ra'shak Clan ►​
[Pending]

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Sovereign Nations that Recognize the Elysian Vanguard

Volarian Monarchy ►
The Losenji Imperium ►
Terran National Government ►
Lutetia ►
Iveria ►
Samiraah ►
Tiranoth ►
Amarathia ►
Cordelia
Kerador
Kethria
Aramaea
Orlesia
Auredine
Ilyria
Tai’Emroth
Auris (the Golden Realm of Lustre)
Argos (the Silver Realm of Lustre)
 
Geography, Climate, and Weather

The geographical location of the temple sets it deep into the Northlands, at the heart of the Icy Peaks. With a climate as hard and unyielding as the Elysian Vanguard itself, the location serves to strengthen and hone both body and mind for those willing to endure its hardships.

The long winter season leaves only a few months of above freezing weather, with the warmest summer temperatures only averaging about 7.2 degrees Celcius, or 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Peak winter temperatures typically range between -10 to -20 degrees celsius on average, with spikes plummeting into the -30's and -40’s in the wake of extreme storms.

The mountain range itself - though not very tall - is riddled with steep inclines and dangerous passes - many of which are only accessible at varying times of the year. The fastest route down from the mountains remains open only during the late spring and summer months when the temperatures rise above freezing, and it offers a rigorous two day hike journey for those traveling on foot. Once the pass closes with the onset of winter, the shortest route is a good week or more hike depending on weather conditions. For those transporting goods or pack animals up and down the mountain, the trip is all the more arduous, with the fastest summer route a solid week's travel, and winter months often times proving outright impassable.

The dangerous geography and climate also bring other dangers with them outside of extreme temperatures. Travel during the winter months in particular can be threatened with the yearly onset of a polar twilight that greatly reduces visibility as the sun fails to breach the horizon. Avalanches and rock slides are especially dangerous as well - especially in the late spring when snow and ground both are beginning to thaw beneath warming temperatures.

Adding to these threats and challenges is a natural phenomenon that causes a great deal of interference with scanners and signals required for long-range communication.

The contrasting benefits to such a harsh climate include long summer days in which the sun only sets briefly - or not at all during the onset of the midnight sun. This offers the most of the summer months with many hours of training and conditioning in preparation for the long winters. Another boon is the physiological benefits that the higher altitude has on those residing within the temple including thicker blood from a decrease in plasma and an increase in red blood cells to transport oxygen more efficiently, weight loss due to a decline in appetite, increased capillarization in the muscles to aid in endurance, and many other benefits. Of course it takes one’s body several weeks to acclimate to these physiological demands, and initial exertion can prove extremely taxing with an increased resting heart rate and one is apt to quickly growing winded during heavy activity.
 
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Life at Nasazura's Rest

Life at Nasazura's Rest can be equally rewarding as it is harsh for those willing to sacrifice some modern comforts in favor of comradery and pursuit of a greater purpose. Outlined here are several elements of temple life that one can expect to encounter on a day to day basis.


Food - Foremost amongst lost luxuries is the convenient and easy accessibility of a large variety of food items. With the nearest city a several day hike through rough and arduous mountains, those residing within the temple largely rely upon what can be made within their own facilities. Shipments of dry goods arrive monthly from Windcrest, while a handful of livestock and the use of greeneries provides access to limited quantities of dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Meat products primarily consist of dried meat delivered from Windcrest, and fresh meat from what can be hunted within the mountains. Dried berries, nuts, seeds, grains, sugar, spices, root vegetables, and other goods that travel well are typically delivered via the shipments from Windcrest.

Despite the scarcity of difficult to acquire items such as eggs, fresh milk, and southern fruits, the quality of the food offered is surprisingly hearty and well seasoned. A daily meat stew is kept available from morning to night along with fresh baked breads and gruel, and a larger variety of options are made available in the evening. Meat pies, porridge, salads, pastries, and roasted meats and vegetables are among some of the more commonly available evening items. Dried goods are kept available for general daily consumption as well, such as jerky and dried fruits.


Living Quarters - The living quarters provided at Nasazura’s Rest are variable in nature, but all offer warmth and security from the elements beyond. The quarters found within the barracks are utilitarian in nature, and consist of community rooms filled with cots, and stone floors. A single storage chest rests at the foot of each cot. The Knights of Le’thorian typically reside within the barracks.

Within the temple itself the living quarters have a warmer aesthetic to them but they too remain largely utilitarian in nature with the added touch of containing beds in favor of cots, throw rugs to cover the stone floors, as well as the addition of a desk and chair. It is here that the Wardens reside. Rather than large communal chambers, the living quarters of the Vanguard offer more privacy than the barracks and allow for more personalization of possessions and decor. Students share rooms in pairs, while those inducted into the order are granted private chambers - though one should note that they largely maintain the same level of utilitarianism to them.


Work - To maintain such a high level of self-sufficiency in such a harsh and unforgiving location, it falls upon those residing within Nasazura's Rest to maintain the upkeep and running of the temple as hiring of outside hands is impractical. In particular the students residing at the temple are expected to provide their services in exchange for room, board, and training. Upon arrival, each student is typically assigned specific responsibilities that can range from care and feeding of livestock, to cooking, helping maintain the greeneries, and many more. In some cases responsibilities are rotated out, such as with cleaning and maintenance of the washrooms, hunting forays, and running errands.


Students - Students at the temple range greatly in age and experience, with some scarcely five years old, and others already nearing adulthood. In particular the Elysian Vanguard is apt to opening its halls to orphans of Windcrest who have displayed an aptitude and talent for exceptional abilities that require guidance to shape them. Other students come from families who support the Elysian Vanguard enough to send their children forth to one day join the ranks of the revered order. And still more come from far and wide, seeking the temple of their own accord.
 
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