People of Amotorr

From lower ranks to the top ...

 

Fosterlings and Truthseekers

The mixed-gender would-be seers (fosterling and truthseeker) will be in the description's backdrop. All dressed in off-white but with different uniforms than the more senior seers - Oathbound, etc.

Uniforms

Make an article on the subject. The idea is that the Seers of Brid dress plainly - so the common seer, or those wanting to prove their faith and humility - dresses in non-dyed wool, off-white or sometimes brilliant whites if the garments are made of expensive pure white angora wool, mohair.

The Oathbound Seer are allowed one piece of colour in their uniform to distinguish them from their juniors. The coloured pieces have changed according to fashion, but senior seers usually wear bright hoods. Some opt for a bright, ornate, garish woven belt or cummerbund.
Black is frowned upon in the Sanctuary as it is often associated with the Arkivon robes. The Arkivon Article

The more senior titles come with a traditional coloured cape or jacket in the colour of the office held, a distinctive sign that one is at the top of the hierarchy.
Deskers who are working all day long with inks are allowed to wear a dark-coloured apron, but not black. However, the aprons become so dirty with the black ink that they look black most of the time. An irony?

Deskers

Character: Creston Ferncairn - (Clan Hoershal), Desker

I think it would be interesting to have a Desker getting close to the party. Maybe a former friend of Tide Moran's who did not make the grade and who can explain to the MC the undercurrents in the place, who's who and what to be afraid of.
Scribes are attached to the printing press (a whole microcosm, reminiscent of the press' beginnings, less religious) near the library and have close ties with some Wisemen, including Tide's old mentor.

At first Tide's Mentor, Woden Feldnor, is very cold and reserved with them - Flor Coombe-Moran will not understand this as she always had an excellent relationship with the The Sanctuary and the seer himself - now the Elder Skoler.
Creston will hint that things are not well within the sanctuary at Amotorr. Creston does not know much, just what he has overheard and what people are saying. In the end, it is Tide's mentor who will get them out of the sanctuary.

Woden is now also at the head of The Knights of the Torr (more to come on that subject).

Who is the head of the Deskers? It would be Woden Feldnor as the Elder Skoler. Deskers answer to the Wisemen - but they are not as tied to any houses as the Oathbound Seers.

The Sacred Grove

The Grovian are the least numerous of the Seers but perhaps the more political and influential within Amotorr.

- The leader of the Sacred Groves is a very ancient Seer. Lochan Stonesworn (Clan Deeryant) is the Holy Seer but is now in the twilight of his years and not very effective as a leader. He is referred to as Holy Seer Stonesworn.

- His second-in-command is the remarkably young Mielika Swanth. She holds the title of Galatis, unheard of for a seer of her age.

Mielika is, of course, very well connected - she is Tunder Swanth's brother, the leading contender for being the next Thane . Many think that she is being prepped to take the role of White Seer at his side when he is elected/chosen in a few months after The Frithlag. More to come on that subject ...

- Mielika has gathered a few people to her entourage, including the enigmatic Elder Keeper Cardeen Guinan, who works as her secretary or intendant. Cardeen (from Cardoon) is always nearby and never leaves Mielika alone (more to come on that too: he is actually bribed by Tunder's clan to make sure that the increasingly rebellious Mielika go through the plans and does as she is told.)

- Finally, the Faith Warden is one of Mielika's friend - a religious mentor. Her name is Raina Ravengale/ Rivengale. Keeper Rivengale has become very close to her pupil Mielika, and firmly believes the young woman to be a Holy Maiden and a Chosen of Brigand.

Many believe Mielika's powers: the young woman has produced miracles that are much talked about within Amotorr - these are fairly recent and something the Sanctuary is keen to keep within Amotorr for the moment.

NB -

Mielika's 'miracles' have been wrought by hidden objects of power - her clan (among whom her brother) is behind the deception. Some older and wiser members of the Sanctuary are wary of Mielika's sudden powers, among them is Elder Skoler Woden Feldnor.
Readers and characters are not aware of this, but Mielika feels very uneasy about her role in all of this. She knows her clan is using her to move her brother's claim ahead and ensure that when the times come, the powers of the Sanctuary and Thane are all in the same hands. The life as the White Seer is not something she is looking forward to (no family etc.)

The Bard's Treba

The bards are not political animals but are more focused on reaching renown and fame throughout Alven (and pecuniary success too) - the biggest competition of them all is coming up, and all bards are practising hard and showing off to be picked to be part of the Amotorr contingent.
Write an article on the competition: time, when, why, who etc.

Character: Rhosyn Willowmere,
a young Bard - friends of Mielika, confident, maybe also a friend to Creston?
Female, childhood friend to Mielika (same clan) and aware of what is happening with her friend.

Notable Bards

(not as important in the story)
Lorekeeper: head of the Bard's Treba - a wise and now ancient bard by the name of Sanderis Ashbourne. Now considered old-fashioned, but still charming, the eldest bard of the Treba has a wicked sense of humour.

Faithspeaker: Dunara Everine - an older, kindly religious woman with a very sensitive and beautiful sense for the harp, enchanting

Ollam: Galeon Branwynd - a show-off, charismatic singer and player, with many a competition win to his name, the star of Amotorr's Bard's Treba - many youngsters are attracted to join the far off sanctuary of Amotorr because of the presence of Galeon Branwynd. It is strange that such a gifted player and all-round poet decided to stay in Amotorr. (more to come on that subject ... why?)

The Wisemen of Brid

Elder Skoler - Tide's former tutor and mentor - Woden Feldnor

Other important posts:

Elder Skoler Woden Feldnor chose the following three Wisemen as his seconds. Cape or toque of brilliant purple distinguished them from the rest of their peers. The relationship between Woden and his three seers is not straightforward. Woden had to pacify the powerful brotherhoods of Amotorr when he acceded to the title of Elder Skoler.

- Skoler Brisiel Greythorne - a formidable mind and the head of the more scientific Brotherhood of the Green Mind (biology, change name?), very shrewd, but only interested in what is going on in her workshops

- Skoler Cairdran Icerim - an ancient man of learning who is totally devoted to the study of the stars and prophecies. Cairdran believes old-fashioned beliefs and refuses to move in with the times. Cairdran is still the head of the Brotherhood of the Watchers.

- Skoler Avalis Foxhollow (from Celtic word for apple) - a dynamic, middle-aged woman who is very much at the forefront of education in Amotorr. She dedicates her time to teaching and mentoring Fosterlings, Truthseekers and others.
Woden relies heavily on her to organise curriculums, tests etc. Unlike the other two Skolers, she is not part of any brotherhood, and many were surprised by her rise within the hierarchy of the Sanctuary. However, Avalis belongs to the secret order of the Knights of the Torr (see more later) and is a staunch ally to Woden Feldnor.