Vaullian Historical Society |
"Let history be our first and best teacher. As has
gone before, so it is today."
Vaullian Proverb
Type of Organization |
Social/Guild |
Type of Members |
Historians, scholars and sages |
| Number of Members | 1,680 |
| Demographics | Vaullian 82%, Saridian 12%, Human 5%, Other 1% |
Primary Location(s) |
Vaul, Sarid, Chaddamar, Aukaria |
Leader |
Thought Master Nallushar Paun |
| Year Founded | 925 CY |
| Symbol | None. |
| Group Wealth | Wealthy |
| Group Stability | Very Stable |
The Vaullian Historical Society is an ancient brotherhood devoted to the recording of history and accumulation of knowledge. This society, and their central hall in the city of Vaulstav, is considered the pinnacle of scholarly lore in all the lands of Aggradar. The Society, as it is commonly nicknamed, is based in an immense castle in Vaulstav called the Citadel of Ages, which houses one of the largest libraries in the world. This group collects all manner of historical lore - books, scrolls and ancient artifacts. In addition to the Citadel of Ages, the group maintains small guild houses in Kurebay, Illhekar, Brulan and other towns, especially those near ruins and sites of historical significance.
The library at the Citadel of Ages houses over four million scrolls, books and objects of ancient lore, including objects of art, weapons, maps and even bodies of famous people. Some 400 scholars live and work at the Citadel.
The Vaullian Historical Society was founded by three vaullian scholars in 925 CY, shortly after the nation of Vaul was founded. These three scholars, Daprakari Iun, Shukenas Mag and Ilwatunar Pyr, were renowned teachers and philosophers of the time, each having achieved greatness in their respective careers. Daprakari Iun proffered the idea of a society devoted to history and learning and ancient lore to his contemporaries and they agreed to pool their wealth and knowledge to begin the grand vision. Over the centuries, the Society has steadily grown in wealth and status. Their collectiosn of scrolls, books and artifacts has become significant.
The Vaullian Historical Society is interested in gathering and keeping all historical information. The most valuable items are stored at the Citadel of Ages in Vaulstav. Office in other cities and foreign lands are charged with keeping nearby sites and ruins safe and with obtaining valuable historical lore and artifacts.
The Vaullian Historical Society is allied with many other intellectual and scholarly groups. They are on very good terms with the Empyrean Regime and the Order of the Mind. Several members of the Society are also members of those other two esteemed organizations. The Society is also on good terms with the Heraldic Order of the Aukarian Republic and various academic groups in Sarid.
The Society enjoys government funding from Vaulstav and private citizens throughout Vaul. It has amassed considerable wealth.
Outright animosity exists between the Society and the Church of the Chaddamar. The priestesses of Chaddamar cling to religious doctrine fiercely and anything that deviates from their core beliefs is seen as heresy. In general, the pursuit of historical truth can sometimes shed a harsh light on religious belief and it is to be expected that these two disparate organizations would conflict from time to time. However, this general strain was greatly increased when an society member named Vanzendin attempted to research the ruins of Shidar. Vanzendin was captured while attempting to get past Garreon's Wall. He was convicted of heresy in a Chaddamar court and put to death. Since the execution, a century ago, the Society has been openly hostile to the Church of the Chaddamar.
Most members of the Society are vaullian, but all races are welcome. To become a member, one must have credentials from a proper place of higher learning. Most members have studied at one of the vaullian or saridian academies. There is a formal interview process before membership is approved.
Each member is expected to pursue an area of special interest. By focusing on a specialty, a member can truly master it and be a useful resource to other members. Every member is expected to make their research available to other members if requested. Therefore, no matter what an Society member needs, it's likely that at least ONE member in the group has studied it thoroughly. The members of this group study everything from gemology to mapmaking, language to mathematics, philosophy to religion.
In addition, each member is expected to take on a life project. This project is simply an undertaking so grand that it will take their entire life to complete. They believe that having a long term project of this sort helps to focus the efforts of the scholar, give purpose to life and help maintain an objective view of the day to day passage of time. Some life projects that have been undertaken include - the mapping of the continent, the translation of a great work of literature, the solving of an unsolvable mathematical equation, the excavation of a specific site of ruins and so forth.
None
The Vaullian Historical Society has an informal rank structure based on years of service. Seniority is the only measure of rank among society members.
None.