The Augurs - Homebrew lore for Sanctus life

SleepyKee

Howdy! I'm working on writing up some open-to-all origin story lore that is flexible within the given canon, specifically aimed at fleshing out what life may have been like in Sanctus.

This writeup is for a small subculture of Vek. Please feel free to offer suggestions!

The Augurs
An Ashes of Creation lore homebrew for life in Sanctus. For origins, flavor, and fun.
This is an open concept that anyone is free to use, tweak, or expand on for their campaigns, characters, NPCS, etc. Please message me (@sleepykee on discord) if you want to add any more flavor to this 'brew.

In a nutshell:
The Augurs are a Vek subcultural descendant from old Verran prophets, diviners, and followers of the Goddess of Fate. In the absence of divinity in Sanctus, they turned to studying the mundane to find truth and likelihood. They made themselves useful to the realm in many ways- by forecasting weather, anticipating pandemics and plague, navigating by star chart, and helping warn of rising tensions between factions.

They are not a monolith, and many Augurs vary in their level of orthodoxy. Some are simply born into the culture, and some embrace their goals with zeal. They are a small part of the population, so it is not unlikely to be unfamiliar with them.

An example of an Augur life:

An Augur is born and raised in a somewhat insular community centralized around an Augury that prioritizes teaching them a two-pronged curriculum. One, the teachings of their past - stories, myth, and legend. Two - the science of observation and measurement, of statistics, and of tactics.
At a young age, they will be given their vestments that they shall wear until they die - these are solid bands, typically metal or stone, that they wear about their wrists and ankles.

This symbolism of a lifelong commitment is paired with the central tenet of Augurs - that of Progeny, to ensure that there will be a new generation of Augurs to carry these vestments. As they learn their strengths and interests with age and training, they will eventually branch out to seek work and broaden their horizons. Some enjoy a roaming life, traveling and exchanging their observations and predictions for coin. Others seek roots and strive to find a seat on a council as an advisor, treasurer, or tactician.

Tenets and doctrine:
These will naturally vary between families, Auguries, and individuals.

• Preservation of knowledge: Insight lives in the person, not the page. Do not let a story fade from living memory.
• Preservation of vestments: The vestments must be worn willingly, and eternally. Once the wearer has died, they must be passed on to the next generation.
• Preservation of kin: The dedication of an Augur to their people transcends the strife of the realm. You may only compete with another Augur if need be, you may never combat them.

The Vestments:
The bands that the Augurs wear originate from Old Verra, worn by those who fled through the portals. Whether they were following insight from the stars, or following logic from their hearts, many prophets and diviners urged those in their community to stow their most precious memories in these physical vessels before they fled.

This practice was not new at the time- many prophets and diviners used this ritual before the calamity as a means of unburdening their minds or preserving their visions. The memories would be stowed within a physical talisman, removing it from their own mind in the process.

This ritual requires essence, therefore when they entered Sanctus, their most precious memories were inaccessible. They could not even remember what they had stowed within. All they knew is that they needed to preserve them. And thus, the practice of the Vestments began.

Returning to Verra:
What happens to an Augur when they regain access to essence? That is entirely up to the individual! The memories contained within their bangles are myriad, and the methods of "unlocking" them are just as plentiful and open to interpretation. Perhaps they contain a mothers memory of her firstborn, a scholar's memory of their arcane research, or a prophecy that has yet to unfold. Perhaps they are unlocked by prayer under a certain constellation, consuming a certain alchemical cocktail, or meditating under a really cozy tree. ((I might create a table of options for this, if people are interested. ))