The Hall of Transcendance
"Il Volunta de Saenctum, His Will be Done"
Headed by the Grand Temple at Saenctum, the Hall is a largely religious group that believes the fall of the Old World was caused by divine punishment. Their adherents strive to distance themselves from using Oneirum to fulfill their wishes as humanity once did, and to rely upon their own power as much as possible. As such, this places their members at odds with most other factions in the world. The life of a Transcendentalist is ascetic by most standards, sparse and lacking in amenities, for they believe that indulgence is but another of the sins that the Old World committed. Though, of the things that rose from the Cataclysm, it is Magic that they continue to permit, as a form of “blessing” granted by their deities to those who repented for their sins. The Hall’s believers often turn their hair’s color to pure white or shave themselves bald, as a statement to distance oneself from the vanity of hair coloration. The Hall often employs Inquisitions to dive into the warrens beneath the Cities, and to venture into the lands beyond the Walls in search of Oneirum artifacts for destruction.
Hall of Transcendance Patents
Hardlight Emitters - With a controlled release of light infused with Oneirum, the Hall of Transcendence is capable of turning light solid. This permits the construction and creation of objects with ease, for a simple holographic projection to become a solid construction with only a slight alteration in its usage. Though Hardlight is not a particularly durable material, only around that of hard glass.
Laser Weaponry - By focusing an immense amount of light into a single concentrated beam, it is possible to produce an intense ray that may deliver devastating damage to a target over time. Laser weapons are often prone to overheating, and require a lengthy charging time, though are considerably more accurate than plasma.
Hall of Transcendence Hierarchy
Astar, The Transcendent: As the titular head of the entire church, being both their deity and religious leader who spends his entire time hidden behind the White Curtain in the Hall's central church. He does relatively little to influence the Hall's direction, being said to have severed himself from mortal concerns, though is granted the greatest amount of respect as the being who is said to protect Saenctum and transcended mortal boundaries.
The Anointed: A group of five beings who act as the voice of the Transcendent upon minor duties, and act primarily to administrate the Hall itself. Though technically lower than the Transcendent himself in terms of their hierarchy, are effectively bestowed as a collective the highest authority, being the ones who actually move to act. The Anointed rotate each month as the chosen preacher in Saenctum.
Fathers/Mothers: Individual priest leaders of branch churches in all Cities, and are expected to hold Scripture readings, task Inquisitors and other Hall believers to various things to enact the Transcendent's will, among various others.
Seraphim: Highly-respected warriors of the Hall who are said to carry out the Transcendent's Will with all of their actions, and are given direct orders by the Anointed. The Order of the Seraphim are consisted of a group of one hundred members, each granted impressive amounts of power by their deity, most characterized by the presence of resplendant golden beams that light flame to whatever they touch. It is known that the magics that a Seraph wield cannot be extinguished by the presence of physical might or technological prowess, although such holy warriors move only to the orders of their god. The Seraphim, though all being human by birth, possess forms that seem utterly different from those of their birth, from the glowing halos over their pale-haired heads, to the wings of crystalline light that resemble feathers behind their backs, and the veins of golden light that cross over their skin.
Inquisitors: Indoctrinated members of the Hall who are expected to carry out the Will if it is ever meant to be made in force. Inquisitors act to destroy Old World artifacts and to kill their possessors. Inquisitors are bound by a strict code, and are expected to obey the Will without question. Inquisitors are tasked to man singular branches, and obey their priests' teachings and orders without question. As opposed to Believers, Inquisitors are expected to attend services daily, and pray alongside their respective priest.
Aspirants - Believers who aim to become Inquisitors. Often brought into readings with their respective branch's priest. Aspirants are treated the same as believers, although are expected to devote themselves toward the Hall to a greater degree in search of their promotion, and are expected to have memorized the entirety of the Scriptures by heart in order to ascend to become Inquisitors.
Believers - Individual civilian believers in the faith of the Hall. Are not forcibly tasked with combat duties, although may do so as they may wish to serve the Will. Children of the Hall become fully-fledged Believers after going through a rite of ceremony called the Purification, that dyes their hair a pure white. Believers of the Hall are expected to attend church meetings at least once per week, if not more.
Vertassin Academy
"Pursue the One Truth"
The Academy forms a large academic organization centralized at Illustra, and intends to restore the former glory of the Old World. With its branches across the Cities, the Academy remains one of the most widespread organizations in the world, providing education and Licenses even in this crisis. It is said that those who studied at the Academy find themselves at ease in finding jobs at various companies in their Cities, though are placed through a veritable furnace made to refine them as one did with steel. Those that faltered were only the chaff to be carelessly discarded. Their members have an open-minded outlook on Oneirum and look to continue its commercial usage, despite the depleting stores of the mystical substance. Their experimental technology is often considered some of the most advanced in the world, though rumors have questioned their methods of development many times before. Many among the Academy seek to climb its ranks by making additional publications and achieving novel results remains as the primary manner of gaining rank in the Academy, as opposed to personal wealth.
Vertassin Academy Patents
Oneirum Diffusion Field - By placing emitters that diffuse the atmospheric Oneirum in a short radius around them, it may allow for the temporary nullification of mystical powers granted by its presence. Of course, this is given that the targets are properly contained within its radius, and should outside fluctuations be too great, the field emitters may be quickly overloaded.
Vertassin Academy Hierarchy
Luminaries - The Luminaries are considered the Academy's most proficient researchers, those who excel the most in their specific field or fields of study. Though in their attempts to preserve their honored positions, it comes to mind that most Luminaries participate rarely in the actual administration of the Academy, one may note that on the off chance that they do come into presence, a Luminary's authority trumps that of any other lower-graded researcher of the Academy.
Directors - Singular administrative leaders within the Academy that handle directing the funding for research projects, commendations for various researchers in their respective fields, and various other duties. Though Directors are also expected to participate in research ventures, none are pressured to do the same to preserve their position as a Luminary may. Each Director heads a certain field across the entire Academy network aside from being leaders of their respective Branches across the Cities that accept their presence, being always present as the final verdict for passing certain publications through the Board of Review.
Professors - Renowned staff within the Academy as those who have published several papers that have passed the Academy's Board of Review whose results have been verified across various separate experiments. These people are given the station as teaching staff within the Academy to its Undergraduates before they graduate from the curriculum, as mentors for those of lower rank while working on their own research, or as full-time researchers leading projects within laboratories. In most cases, their duties may consist of a combination of the previous three.
Graduates - Those who have made their way past the rigorous trial that is the Academy and have made their first publication are granted the station of Graduate within the Academy, and are granted their first taste of its many research resources. Many among these Graduates seek out jobs in Corporations, although those who stay often find their place as researchers within its numerous laboratories.
Undergraduates - The students of the Academy who have either passed a detailed Comprehensive Merit Exam granted to all those leaving their formative years from a City's public education or been granted their position with a family's contribution of wealth are brought into their City's respective Branch of the Academy as students who delve deeper into their field of choice in a highly rigorous trial that causes even more of those who have since gained entry to drop out. Tuition for the Academy is a highly expensive thing, and as such, dreaming of going to the Academy becomes a difficult task for many residents of the Outer Districts, though in certain uncommon circumstances an exceptional student may find themselves gaining scholarship or the patronage of a higher-ranked person within the academy.
The Babylonian Library
"Our Past Anchors Us All"
The Library, centralized in New Babylon, consists of a group of custodians who preserve large buildings called Archives, that house large amounts of knowledge scavenged from data banks of the Old World. The Library’s searching teams sift through the ancient ruins on their expeditions outside to find and preserve what few artifacts they may find of the Old World, unlike those of the Academy that search for new heights within their laboratories. They seek to preserve Oneirum’s technologies in their Archives and to create alternatives, believing the fickle treatment of the Earth's surface by the Storm is beyond humanity’s control. To this end, they contract many people to work with them and turn in what they find and are a central source of income for many private contractors.
Babylonian Library Patents
Experimental Legend Extraction - A prototype technology currently being worked on by the Library, this process enables for a Legend from an Aberrant or human being to be extracted after the death of its original subject. The extracted version can then be placed inside of specialized equipment to enable other people to use a subset of its original effects. The technology is known to require hefty amounts of stabilized Oneirum batteries, and as such its accompanying equipment highly expensive to maintain.
Babylonian Library Hierarchy
Archive Masters - Heads of each branch Library for each City. Gathers periodically to discuss the direction and goals of the Library as a whole. Archive Masters are often equipped with an Implant affixed to their minds that automatically grants them full access to the knowledge stored within the respective Branch Library they command.
Head Librarians - Heads of Library divisions in each respective branch. Granted great authority and sway over the respective dealings of their department as administrative and elite agents. Each Head Librarian leads a single respective department called Curation, Maintenance, Data Management, Security, Shelving, and Acquisitions, in which they are additionally granted the titles Head Curator, Head Artefactor, Head Acquisitionist, Archaegis, Head Archivist, and Grand Magister.
Librarian Ream Grades - A-F, A levels are higher ranked, and F levels are lowest ranked. Typical workers, granted more clearance to use Extracted equipment as they rank up. Higher Reams gain leadership roles over their lower Ream librarians.