The Mentat Council

After the devastating Mentat Wars, in which the unchecked powers of Class IV and V Mentats were abused for political gain, the Mentat Council was founded to provide oversight and regulation of Mentat powers across the lands. Their goal is to ensure that mental manipulation remains under control and is not used to undermine governments or enslave individuals. The Council is made up of Mentat-Sylvans, a crossbreed of two powerful bloodlines: the Mentat, known for their abilities to manipulate the mind, and the Sylvan, who are deeply attuned to the natural world.

The Mentat Council's role in regulating Mentat abilities creates a political tension between freedom and control. The Council has the ability to shape the world through knowledge and mental power, and yet they are bound by their own commitment to maintain balance and ethics.

The Mentat Wars and the Creation of the Council

Following Mentat Wars that saw tens of thousands dead on both sides, the Mentat Council was established as the central authority governing Mentats across the continent. The Council's role was initially strictly peacekeeping, overseeing and monitoring the use of mental magic to prevent invasions of privacy or mind control. The use of mental abilities to dominate or control others was strictly prohibited, and any Mentat caught violating the mandate was punished severely. The council was also tasked with educating the next generation of Mentats, training them in both the ethical use of their powers and how to control their abilities. Over time, this focus shifted more toward intellectual pursuits, academic research, and intervention in magical matters.

The Mentat Council Oath

The creation of the Mentat Council was not a voluntary one. As the mental armies lay defeated by the Archon and Necomantic coalition, the surviving Mentats were given an ultimatum. Create the Mentat Council or be exterminated. The binding magic of the Oath , was created by Yolena and her necromancers. Council members were physically and magically connected to their oaths. The ritual involved a melding of sylvan magic and necrotic magic, ensuring the Mentat Council would remain as an immovable, neutral force. This binding magic is kept secret by the Emarian Moors , giving Yolena as the original architect of the process a virtual stranglehold on the Council. The Mentat Council's members themselves have little understanding of the full depths of the necrotic magicinvolved, but they are aware of the dire consequences of breaking the oath.

Failure to Uphold the Oath

Any member of the Mentat Council that fails in their duty to monitor and regulate the use of mental magic, they —and their entire Bloodline—will suffer the ultimate penalty. Spark Mages within their family lines will have their abilities “snuffed out,” leaving them permanently cut off from their power, effectively blunting the lineage as if every member had taken Yuri. - a threat that Mentats everywhere take very seriously.

While Yolena Emari no longer directs the Council's regular activities, her necromantic influence still casts a long shadow over it. The Emarian Moors has ensured that the Council remains neutral and does not interfere with the Emarian policies, though Yolena is careful to keep her influence in the background. Many nations have forgotten the role she played in the Council's creation all those centuries ago. Some members of the Council have even gone so far as to seek Yolanda’s favor, knowing the power she wields and the support she offers.