The School of the Owl is the arcane and intellectual heart of the Emris Adventuring Guild, revered for cultivating the greatest scholars, mages, and seers of the age. Those who walk beneath the Owl’s banner are chosen not for brawn or bravado, but for their sharp minds, deep insight, and tireless pursuit of truth. In a world shrouded by forgotten histories and ancient powers, the Owl sees clearly where others are blind.
To be selected into the Owl is a mark of immense honor. Every prospective guildmember must first complete the Trials of the Sun, a trio of arduous tests designed to measure one's mettle, wisdom, and resolve. Upon completion, candidates are evaluated during the Selection Ceremony, where the acting Headmaster—currently Professor Henry Endsworth—assigns each to one of the three schools. For those whose wit is their weapon and knowledge their compass, the Owl awaits.
Roles & Responsibilities
The Owl is more than a school—it is the memory of the Guild and the record-keeper of Osira. Its members are entrusted with:
- Charting Expeditions: Owl adventurers accompany expeditions across the elemental realms and desolate frontiers to document newly discovered locations, ruins, and civilizations.
- Historical Preservation: They catalog and safeguard relics, scrolls, and discoveries made by the Guild to ensure nothing of value is lost to time.
- Mapmaking & Geomancy: From The Sands of Serrakhan to The Earth Realm and beyond, the Owl’s cartographers are responsible for mapping the continent of Osira in painstaking detail.
- Arcane Research: Owl magi often delve into experimental arcana and collaborate closely with the Sand Scribes of the Solace Atheneum to uncover new magical frontiers.
It is said that for every sword the Phoenix sharpens, the Owl inscribes ten truths—for knowledge is the greatest weapon of all.
Legacy
The Owl's members are often seen adorned in deep azure or silver-trimmed robes, bearing the crest of a crescent moon and a stylized owl perched upon a tome. Their hall within the Guild is a tall domed observatory, lined with shelves of glowing tomes and enchanted maps that move of their own accord.
Notable adventurers of the Owl include: Professor Henry Endsworth, Ashtai, Guy the Grateful, Mal the Marbled Man, Elana Bright, Obadiah Clay, and Tormund Brightblade.
Even as the Guild expands into collaboration with the Serrakhanian Survey Corps and the Sand Scribes of the Solace Atheneum, it is the School of the Owl that ensures the light of knowledge continues to shine in the deepest shadows.