The College of Quietus

The Quietia (The Exchange)

The sorcerers of the College of Quietus are fixers, loansharks, and civic leaders who establish intricate networks of debt and obligation, exploiting these relationships to divert sorcery’s wrath. Whether they are fixing a problem, lending coin, or greasing the right palms, the recipients of their good fortune are left in their debt. Sometimes a Quietan will call in a favor to even the score, but just as often they will let the debt hang, seemingly on their generous nature, so that sorcery has someone else to punish.

A wise Quietan uses magic carefully, because if too much misfortune falls upon the circles they associate with, suspicion may drive them out of a city, or worse. But if a shopkeeper borrows coin from a Quietan and many months later his business is ruined by a twist of fate, who suspects the moneylender who is still out his loan? This attitude may seem ruthless, and some Quietans certainly see those who are obliged to them as little more than pawns, but not all are so calculating. Some genuinely see themselves as community benefactors; occasionally someone must suffer for the mage’s use of sorcery, but is that not a small price to pay for all of the good the mage does?

The College of Quietus was founded in the late Classic Age in the central ward of the city of Pacheodon. As the dragon kings withdrew from the world and corrupt institutions took their place, the Quietan magi thrived, filling a civic void. Today they have spread far and wide and may be found in most cities and even among trade caravans.

Ranks and Types

Quietan magi are naturally territorial; a given neighborhood cannot typically support more than one of their sorcerers. Some powerful Quietans, known as Zai, have networks of influence that extend over an entire city-state and they themselves have lesser Quietan magi indebted to them. Some cities lack any Zai and instead are divided up among experienced and established Tarn who jockey for influence and control among themselves.

Like most sorcerers, Quietans do not often have families or many close personal relationships; they fear those they love could become targets of sorcery’s anger. However, apprenticeship is important to every Quietan and is often their only true way of leaving a legacy. If a Quietan magus has children, one is often groomed for apprenticeship, but more often a magus will buy a promising slave-child and raise that child as their apprentice. It is not a coincidence that the slave-child’s freedom and tutelage become the first considerable obligation owed to the Quietan tutor.

After their initial tutelage but before they can grow too powerful, every Quietan apprentice is sent away on a period of wandering called the szu’kai. The wandering apprentices, called tu’szu’kai, are to experience the world and establish themselves, gaining wealth and power so that eventually they can carve out their own network as a Tarn or inherit their master’s network of influence. Some tu’szu’kai serve with trading caravans, others become marauders, and some sell their services as adventurers, but all are learning to build their obligation networks while earning some coin.

Quietan Customs

Sacred Algebra: Numerology holds an important position among the Quietia and algebraic equations possess an almost holy reverence. The most legendary Quietan magi often have well-known equations named after them, complex formula for determining the equivalence of obligation to arcane power or determining the value of a vast network of debtors.

The Rite of Introduction: All Quietan magi are taught that you cannot enter the domain of another Quietan without properly introducing yourself to the local Tarn or Zai. These introductions are highly ritualized and include an offering made to the local Quietan, thereby establishing some small amount of debt in exchange for being allowed to operate in their purview.

Tokens of Wealth: Partially inspired by their Chindi origins, Quietan magi display overt decorations of wealth on their person when possible. So long as they are not in fear of thieves, it is common for Quietans to wear jewels, gemstones, rare coinage, or valuable trinkets sewn into or attached to their clothing or worn as ornamentation.

Gazing Northward: North is an important direction to the Quietia and is seen as a direction of progress and good fortune. Quietans will try to sit facing north whenever possible and always try to sleep so that their head is pointed northward.

Rumors and Whispers

Though the desperate seek their aid, few are comfortable with the Quietan sorcerers who live among them. Many a rumor warns of the consequences of becoming indebted to a Quietan magus. The Quietan magi, for their part, do not speak of this gossip and do not acknowledge its truth or falsehoods.

• Many Quietan magi are themselves indebted to powerful devils and would sell the souls of their own children to settle what they owe.

• Some of the most powerful merchant houses are controlled by Quietan Zai, who pull the strings of commerce so that entire city-states are in their debt.

• The College of Quietus meets in secret every three years in the city of Pacheodon, and their most valuable debts are committed to the Hall of Whispered Memories, where they will never be forgotten.

• Never accept a gift from a Quietan, no matter how small. Even a meal shared or a bit of advice can bring sorcery’s wrath down upon you.