Skywatcher Institute
The Skywatcher Institute is an international organization of scholars and researchers who have dedicated their lives to studying the connections between Avarha and other realms. They are mainly known for tracking Realm Conjunctions and their effects, the development and continued production of Core Anchors, investigating reports of Plucking events, countering the Unanchored Movement through education, and working with Realmwalkers.
Structure
The overall leader of the Skywatcher Institute is the Deuk.
Each of the following departments or branches of the Institute are headed by a Skymaster.
- The purpose of this department is to investigate reported Plucking events to determine if they could be that. Skywatcher investigators often work with local investigators as most reported Plucking cases are actually crimes, not true Plucking events.
- These researchers study plant samples and notes that are brought back to Avarha by Realmwalkers or plants that appear on Avarha after Realm Conjunctions. This includes plants that are believed to have originated elsewhere but grow on Avarha.
- These researchers study animals and monsters that are believed to have come from other realms, both species living on Avarha thought to originate in other realms and new discoveries. They also study samples and notes brought back by Realmwalkers.
- These Skywatchers interact directly with humanoid entities who are believed to come from other realms. They also study notes from Realmwalkers about cultures on other realms to prepare for future contact.
- The Realmwalker liaisons work directly with Realmwalkers, passing on their notes and discoveries to the correct researchers, as well as passing along research requests to the Realmwalkers.
- Skywatchers in this department work to continuously improve Core Anchors and help to keep them available for all those in Avarha who need them for themselves, their families, their homes, and their animals.
- Educator Skywatchers create press releases about events and share public information about Core Anchors and ongoing research.
- Archivists keep the vast library of notes, research, and historical information regarding the institute safe and organized for researchers to access.
- The publishing department includes the editors and printers who put out the books and pamphlets written by researchers in all branches of the Institute. These texts can be for general readers or scholars and are on various topics.
Public Agenda
The Skywatcher Institute is dedicated to ensuring the safety of all Avarha during and after Realm Conjunctions and understanding how those events impact Avarha. This guides the research done by Skywatchers within the Institute.
History
The Skywatcher Institute was formally established in the year 4958 PRE, when a group of sorcerers who had been in communication about Realm Conjunctions decided to create an organization to share gathered research and find a solution to the problem of Plucking. This eventually led to the creation of Core Anchors. Since the widespread adaptation of Core Anchors across Avarha, the Institute has continued to serve as a hub for learning about other realms and studying Realm Conjunctions.
Long before it was formally founded, Skywatchers were sharing their thoughts and collaborating on research. Skywatcher lore says it began with Samrith Trisven, who learned to track the Conjunctions from his grandfather as a child. He would eventually expand on his grandfather's notes by noticing that sometimes more than one realm could be in Conjunction with Avarha. He recognized this by closely examining the color of the auroras at the time.
He also developed a calendar to make tracking things easier. Using this calendar, he was able to begin traveling about Avarha in his twenties, eager to interact with others and learn new things. He learned there were others who knew at least some of the Conjunction patterns but still had things to teach him. The curious throughout Avarha began to form a community, calling themselves Skywatchers. Calendars began to be adopted by those engaging in trade, allowing for the expansion of trade networks that could coordinate around the Conjunction schedules.
Samrith died during a Conjunction with Gadon, and many believe his soul went there to live its next life. Some feel this fitting for someone so dedicated to studying the outer realms, while others consider it to be a direct opposition to his work protecting others from being Plucked from Avarha.
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