power crystals

Power crystals were engineered by the alchemist branch of the Brotherhood of Tarn- a team of specialist scribes who devoutly study documents but also persue budding areas of research.   Alchemist tend to be kept hush hush by the Brotherhood of Tarn and are not common public knowledge. This is partly to keep a stranglehold on the technology and sciences they have developed- most of Gand's population is illiterate and very few not from privileged backgrounds are able to pursue academic careers. By controlling the knowledge that is ebbing from the The Keep the brotherhood is able to influence what people think, only in opposition to noble families and academics from the College of Wintrow which are large kept under thumb by the Brotherhoods policing force. This secrecy also help to tprotect and aid their studies from ethnic scrutiny, there are very few, if any, areas in which alchemists are unable to explore. This includes the study of the Rules of Magic and magic technologies, a source of deep hiprocrisy as it is the very thing they persecute the kith of Gand for, and any perceived dabbling within the dark world of sorcery could undermine their athority. The alchemists were established by the current leader of the Brotherhood of Tarn Godkin Hossencroft, Godkin Hossencroft fancied himself a man of study and has an acute curiosity, he saw means for development and industry internally within the order. This led him to conducte a siege on the College of Wintrow a bloody and chaotic event where paladins stormed the school with a number of objectives. In the wake of the paladin's carnage many documents relating to magic were seized or destroyed, along with magic artefacts such as runes and scrolls, both of which were Kith and Elvish in nature. It was during this event that and several staff and professors thought to be sorcerers were also executed or detained and it is rumored that an achiest artefact- the bones of Marcestra De Deir were stolen.   The power crystals are only a fairly recent invention spanning back only two years, the Brotherhood officially states that the crystals are a product of years of a chemical, non-magic exploration by their alchemist team. But, many hold the belief that it is rooted in the research that was seized from the college and simply repurposed. Regardless the crystals have propelled the brotherhood into a new age of prosperity as it is incredibly lucrative as an energy source. The formula and process for the crystals are held in topmost sercacy which gives the brotherhood the entirety of the market and control over supply. The crystals have become so important the the development of major Kith cities like that of the capital Zentawen but also of industrial infrastructure like that of the Elven Network Trade Route which run Crystal-powered trains to navigate the treacherous paths.