Arcanists lists all relevant cortex entries of the events and people belonging to the Arcanists faction of Bastion, found in the Cortex. This list does not include personal entries involving The Freelancer.
Collection Details
A total of 107 cortex entries make reference to the Arcanists.
The following Cortex Entries tell about the Arcanists and how they operate and what they do as a Faction.
A Strange Drawing
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I was staying in Fort Tarsis when I found something scrawled on a wall: a drawing of a ground-nut with legs and arms, wearing a visor made of two circles of darkened glass. My hosts explained that this figure is a legend the children of the fort created after a surplus harvest of nuts a few years ago. In their stories, this talking nut looks out for young people on adventures, appearing to them in their darkest hours to encourage them with advice and cooperation.
It was strangely sweet, but left me with the feeling that the children of Tarsis could do with some new books or toys.
— Arcanist Orun, letter to a friend
Academy Ruins
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Directly north of Fort Tarsis are the ruins of the Arcanist academy of Velathra, featuring the astronomy tower and the famous "Shaper Rings." In the early 400's, Fort Tarsis' population began to grow, and construction began on an expansion, but building had to be abandoned due to the Scar incursion.
An Account of My Time with Saln Govran (2)
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Long before my unremarkable time as an instructor at the Arcanist Academy, I was an ambitious and foolish student. With disdain, I looked at my fellow scientists who were satisfied with scraps left by history's greatest minds. I sought a truth that would change the world. I would accept nothing less.
An Uneventful Trip
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An uneventful trip so far, but it's been wonderful to see places I've only ever heard of in tales. We're coming up to some ruins that were either part of the Arcanist academy or a Sentinel outpost of some kind. So many ruins in this area. I can just imagine the Freelancers Three zooming around here, fighting chimera. Oh, we've stopped. I wonder why?
Arcanist Runes
See Cortex Entry: Arcanist Runes for More Details
An ancient form of coded communication unknown to modern Arcanists. With only a few accounts of unseen messages being used to pass information to allies during times of war, runes became a victim of their own legacy of obfuscation. Their existence was questioned and outright denied by scholars for centuries. With their recent rediscovery, scholars believe the runes could be a treasure trove of long-forgotten knowledge.
Arcanists (1)
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Arcanists are scientists, researchers, and scholars who study the mysteries of the world, from wildlife to Shaper instruments. While some are found teaching in classrooms, others spend their lives solving Shaper mysteries in the wilderness. They have long preserved the collected knowledge of humanity and consider their studies a spiritual and moral duty.
After the destruction of the library of Dunar. Arcanists published a common book of accumulated learning, known as Concordance. It stands as their most prolific work and a new edition is published annually.
Arcanists (2)
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The very ground upon which we build our homes has betrayed us, but we cannot blame the world for our troubles. The world is what it is. We shape what we can, and adapt to the rest. We must be prepared, and we must have eyes that can see what's coming. My dear hope is that my devices, like seeds planted in the deep stone, will grow and bear fruit. My hope is that they will keep my home safe.
— Neth Stelus, speaking to the Council of Mentors in Antium on the establishment of underground beacons beneath Fort Tarsis. Transcript.
Arcanists (3)
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The Symposium of Anshar? Ah, yes. Supposedly a council of Arcanists who wish to restore the order to “the glory of the age of Anshar.” A ridiculous notion. The order is not failing. It does not need to be restored. We are not the Arcanists of Anshar, not should we aim to be. Times have changed, and we change with them. Those who cleave blindy to the ways of the past are misguided and doomed to stagnation. If this Symposium exists, if this is their goal, then they have willfully chosen to make themselves useless.
— From the writing of Arcanist Phylla Rea
Arcanists (4)
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Once a thing exists, there will always be people who want it changed. To create is an act of celestial will, but to remove something by word or deed is an act of violence. Others should seek to improve, not destroy. To build rather than bring down. The best way forward can never be agreed on, but some would rather step toward disaster than remain still.
— Arcanist Neth Stelus, taken from final remarks at the trial of Arcanist Haer Baul. Transcript.
Arcanists (5)
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We belong out there, where the world is. Not behind the white walls of the city. True discoveries—those that will further us and strengthen us—are waiting for the brave few willing to risk everything to enhance our understanding. Some of my esteemed colleagues do not agree. To them I say, either we find the dangers, or wait for them to find us.
Arcanists (6)
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Look beyond what you see, for the truth hides behind it. For those who hold power through lies count those who pursue truth as the enemy. At its center, the Arcanist movement is about truth. Often, truth does not serve those who hold sway over society, or those elements that sought that control. The truth then becomes an inconvenience at best, a threat at worst. Arcanists have often hid their truth and developed many ways to obscure their discoveries from prying and sometimes undeserving eyes.
— From Searching for Reality: An Overview of Arcanist History by Arcanist Bach Jamoon
Arden Vassa (2)
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The feats of design and engineering attributed to Arden Vassa are too improbable to be believed. Are we to accept that one man invented the javelin while hiding in a cave somewhere in the Bastion wilderness? It seems unlikely that the same person could have designed the walls of Antium and the gardens of the Academy, and yet both are attributed to Vassa. It is far more likely Arden Vassa was a group of Arcanists and Engineers whose work has been misattributed.
— From Antium Journal of Archaeology, Arcanist records
Artinia's Gambit (Weapon)
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Just before the Battle of Esterod, Artinia suddenly disappeared from the front lines, leaving the last line of defense dangerously thin and facing superior forces. The remaining defenders desperately prepared a minefield, hoping to slow down the enemy's advance. Shortly after the battle began, Artinia attacked the enemy from behind. Surprised by this strategy, the enemy rushed into the minefield and the resulting mayhem ended in a terrific rout. Her light machine gun has been lost to time, but Arcanist engineers believe this weapon, named in her honor, has almost the same attributes as her original.
Astronomy Tower
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Augurs
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The augurs hold a unique place among Arcanists, as theirs is the only discipline devoted entirely to repurposing Shaper relics. Many schools study relics to understand their effects in shaping the geology and ecology of our world. Others study relics to unlock the principles of the energy they use. Historians often study Shaper ruins and relics to document their place in our own history. Some scholars do so to seek a better understanding of the Anthem of Creation itself. However, all these schools will ultimately leave the mechanisms of the Shapers unaltered
For the augur, the theoretical holds no allure. They are the tinkerers of relics. Their work is the most closely guarded of all our research, and the threat it poses to those nearby is the sole reason we locate our Academies in such remote places. Only augur devices that have been certified as stable can be removed from the Academy for any reason, and this certification is rarely given.
— From the writings of Arcanist Phylla Rea
Avenging Herald (Weapon)
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This heavy pistol, that gains power while hovering, was inspired by tragedy. A strider went down on the path from Heliost to Antium. Nobody knows how or why it went down, but they do know the survivors were run down and torn apart by wolven. A Freelancer who lost his family in the incident dedicated his life to hunting down wolven. He would track down a pack and then hover over them, shooting until they were all dead. A wolven-hating Arcanist created this pistol to help the Freelancer with his terrible vengeance.
Bad Omen (Weapon)
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Those who work, live, and fight outside the walls can rely on little but themselves, their teammates, and their gear. With that in mind, Arcanist Davis Ellon wanted to develop a weapon that struck fear into enemies. The distinctive sound the weapon makes as it charges unsettles even the most stoic opponent. They know that destruction is coming.
Conjunction
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Everyone knows what an overload of Shaper energy from a relic looks like—well, maybe not everyone except most Arcanists and many cyphers—but inversions of energy are relatively rare. Such events are referred to as “conjunctions” because to all appearances the energy that normally radiates outward from a Shaper instrument is instead pulled into it and... through to connect some other location.
What location? Where is it going? We have no idea. It may not even be a location within our physical reality. Energy goes in and objects—even living creatures!—come out from wherever it's connecting to. How do conjunctions form? What's their function?
Further study will bring us answers.
— M. Sumner
Coolant (Ice Flower Sap)
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Coolant is a valuable resource drawn from sap of the rare Ice flower, which only grows in areas of extreme cold.
Ice flower sap is highly volatile in its natural form, making it very dangerous to harvest. In addition to possibly exploding when exposed to air, the sap is also likely to quickly freeze harvesters in their tracks.
Only relatively recently were Engineers and Arcanists able to develop a method to safely stabilize the sap. The resulting coolant has many uses, from preserving food to curing heat stroke; while it's not strictly vital for survival, it does make life in Bastion a little easier.
Crescent Lake (District)
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Ancient Anzu Arcanists think that this lake was home to some sort of creature. The lake's underwater passages lead into the cenote in Anshar, so it could be possible that this creature had something to do with whatever happened there. If it was, in fact, an Anzu of some sort, this would be the basis for many of the stories from the area. Maybe the Fen Watcher, the Ezurite Anzu, and the mysterious shadow that came to Anshar are one and the same.
— From Ancient Anzu, radio show
Doctor Harken (1)
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Doctor Harken (2)
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"I got one last look at the Cenotaph as the Dominion filled the chamber... and what I saw filled me with a dread that still wakes me up at night. The most terrifying thing wasn't the ring of black-armored lancers closing in. It wasn't the machines they dragged in that looked like they'd been built to torture animals. It was the Arcanist. He stood in the center of all of it and just... smiled."
— Survivor's account of the Battle of Freemark
Echoes
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Pieces of the Anthem of Creation that often exist as semi-animate globes of energy. Echoes tend to hover around the Shaper relics they escaped from, and can be used to silence Cataclysms, though how and why this is possible is purely theoretical.
Raban Maur's Theory of Amplifonic Force proposes that when an echo is put into an active Shaper relic, it provides the relic with enough power to countermeasure the Anthem, effectively using the Anthem to silence itself. Arcanist Boyan Hull believes that the Anthem cannot stand coming into competition with other creative forces and retreats back into the relic. Neither theory has been effectively proven.
While echoes are not as volatile as the Anthem, attempts to use them in human technology have had catastrophic effects and is generally avoided. Over time, echoes deteriorate and aid the formation of chimeric compounds and alloys in soil and groundwater.
Eddian Grove (District)
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The Eddian Grove in a must-see for day trips. These are the only plants of this species in existence, and while they have a tree-like structure, Arcanists are divided over whether or not it is a tree. As Tansy Hull wrote in her book The Joy of Botany, “It has a trunk, yet its top is soil and grass. Without foliage, I can hardly consider it a tree.” Regardless, if you happen to make it there, you can rest on its grassy tops and watch the clouds roll by or stars twinkling in the sky.
— From Quest Advisor pamphlet
Emerald Abyss
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This forest has the thickest foliage in Northern Bastion, and, while beautiful, has a long history of mysterious disappearances which have only increased since the Heart of Rage erupted. It is also the site of the destroyed Arcanist library of Dunar.
Engineers and Arden Vassa
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Arcanists certainly like to claim Arden Vassa as their own. While he may have started as an Arcanist, it was clearly an Engineer's blood in his veins. An intricate knowledge of machinery and architecture were required to build the first javelin, design the Fortress of Dawn, and support the Legion throughout their battles. Obviously, Arcanists are not the only faction that can be curious and inventive.
— From Heliost Monthly
See Cortex Entry: Faye Navine (1) for More Details
A talented cypher from Antium, Faye was bored with her sheltered life in the capital before she accepted a position with the Arcanists along the Bastion frontier. While there, she met the Freelancer Haluk, who promised her a firsthand look at the mysterious and wondrous things in the wilderness. Faye quit her Arcanist posting and joined the Freelancers.
See Cortex Entry: Faye Navine (3) for More Details
Dawnguard Transcript: Season Two, Episode Three.
Last time, we left Walker and her team trapped in the depths of the crumbling Arcanist laboratory.
Alhazen: There's too many Anzu to fight, Walker. We'll never make it out.
Walker: We don't get to die today, Alhazen. If we don't find that relic and silence it, Antium will fall. Easley, you and Hawking search the ruin for the relic. Alhazen, you and I will hold this doorway against the Anzu.
Hawking: We won't leave you behind to die. "Strong Alone, Stronger Together." We all go, or we all stay here.
Easley: We won't fail. Save us a couple Anzu, Walker.
See Cortex Entry: Faye Navine (4) for More Details
Easley: This place makes my skin crawl, Hawking. Are we getting close?
Hawking: Something is resonating in the depths of this ruin.
Easley: Tell me that "something" is the relic.
Hawking: Easley. I think it's not just the relic. Brace yourself.
Alhazen: The barricades aren't holding. They're—Walker!
Walker: We haven't lost yet, Alhazen. We just need to buy the others time.
Alhazen: You're hurt! You have to fall back.
Walker: No. I can still fight.
Alhazen: I'm getting you out of here.
Walker: Something… is coming.
Sound of an avalanche.
What Cataclysm was unleashed in the depths of the Arcanist ruin? And who will live to warn Antium of what's coming? Next time, on Dawnguard.
Festive: The Escari Tide (Challenges)
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Arcanists say that Scars live by the phases of the moons. Only during certain alignments do new Escari rise to power; during those times the Scars must be pushed back hard to prevent catastrophe.
Participate in this Festive Event by completing The Temple of Scar, Rust Bowl Run, and by defeating Scar and enemy forces in Echoes of Reality.
Fort Tarsis (10)
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Are you scared to go over the wall? Do you rely on a javelin or strider to provide you with strength and protection? The Tarsis Challenge is here to help! Gain strength and endurance with this training regimen discovered by historians and proven by Arcanists. Discover the hidden secrets Freelancers use. Conquer your fear. Become as rock-solid as a Colossus.
—"The Tarsis Challenge" advertising pamphlet
Freelancer Enclave: Chaingunner Dalgren's Tools
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Recovered by Freelancer Rythe from an outlaw camp where former Engineer Alata “Chaingunner” Dalgren had built a makeshift forge; she was constructing javelin armor for her band to use against Sentinel patrols.
Rythe left the outlaw forge in pieces too small for the fort Arcanists to study. Dalgren's tools have been released to the Enclave following a thorough examination.
Freelancer Enclave: Resonance Capsule
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Recovered from a Legion of Dawn era ruin, this is believed to be one of the resonance capsules used by Arden Vassa in his early studies of ember.
Arcanists used devices of this type for centuries; they led directly to the invention of signets and gateway technology.
Freelancer Enclave: Scar Seeker Mine
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Obtained by Freelancer Yarrow during the War of Seven Luminaries, this was the first completely intact example of Scar technology the Arcanists were able to study. Because of this unexploded mine, Arcanists were able to research better means of detecting and tracking Scar weaponry and disseminate these to cyphers across Bastion and beyond, vastly improving Freelancer and Sentinel effectiveness against Scars.
Freelancer Enclave: Xagular Skull
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Xagular are medium-sized predatory animals native to the mountains near Heliost. They are often depicted in art of the Legion era as companions of the urgoth. The skulls of xagular are considered good luck, bringing health and happiness to all who touch them.
This specimen was recovered by Lucky Jak, who was attacked by the creature while protecting Arcanist researchers at a Shaper relic site.
Freelancers (2)
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As explorers and researchers, we often find ourselves requiring a Freelancer's sure hand to protect us from the wild world and, occasionally, ourselves. They give their lives for us, and yet we do not often acknowledge the value they bring beyond their martial skills. Freelancers are a special kind of historian. They can often tell you what's over the next hill, what happened there, and with some reluctance, who may rest there still.
— Arcanist Fell Watuk
Freelancers (4)
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The public's confidence in Freelancers was shaken after the Freemark disaster and the failure to silence the Heart of Rage. Many looked to the Sentinels, an organization that not only escaped blame for Freemark's destruction, but grew in esteem since then. The Sentinels tried to maintain order both within and outside the Fort Tarsis walls, an impossible job that would lead to additional tragedy, despite their great courage.
— Arcanist Farn Belharrow, speech to the Council of Mentors, Antium.
Honor Valley Dam
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In 380, Arcanist Phredies Par came to Fort Tarsis with the daring idea of creating farmland in Honor Valley by diverting some of the water system. With approval from Antium, Par and a team of engineers and architects set forth to build the dam, completing it in 384. Farmers, Arcanists and Sentinels joined forces to plant and maintain the farmland, yielding more crop than most city terraces.
Liatrelle and the Path of Resolve (1)
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Before the Battle of Antium Pass, the Legion's Test of Resolve had a different basis. It began with Liatrelle, the General's oldest friend. When Tarsis first raised an army against the urgoth, Liatrelle was with her. They hadn't yet found Arden Vassa. No lancers, no Arcanists, no javelins, no weapons, no fortress. Not even a good hiding place. Nothing but the vision of Helena Tarsis, and Liatrelle's unbreakable will.
The two set out to find the urgoth. The plan was simple. Follow the raiders, and warn villages in their path. At first, they succeeded in getting word of the coming urgoth to people in time. Villagers fled to safety. But the longer the urgoth went without prey, the faster it spurred their hunt. Finally, Tarsis and Liatrelle arrived at a village with the urgoth close behind. Flight was impossible. So, they stood and fought.
Tarsis hoped to slow the urgoth enough that some villagers could escape. The two fought alone, armed with simple weapons, and were little more than an annoyance to the enemy. But they fought. Despite greater numbers, strength, and weapons, the urgoth could not subdue them. Finally, with Tarsis wounded and Liatrelle exhausted, the two prepared for the end. But then, the villagers rallied. With tools and improvised weapons, they joined the battle and routed the enemy. Many innocents were taken that night, but not all of them. That night, people fought the inevitable.
— As told by the Bard
Magna Stral and the Path of Might (1)
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Magna Stral came to the Legion of Dawn as a young girl. Her village was raided and her family taken by urgoth. She was so small, she hid inside a basket. The urgoth surely caught her scent, but considered her too weak to bother taking. Alone, unarmed, she followed the secret Arcanist signs to Sanctuary, where the rebels hid and plotted. There, Stral begged General Tarsis to let her to join the Legion, to grant her vengeance. But, the General refused. Stral wasn't ready, Tarsis said.
Stral couldn't accept that. So she went out alone to fight the urgoth. She set traps and ambushes. She poisoned spears and knives. Any small advantage she could take against a superior enemy, she gladly took. She nearly died dozens of times, but vengeance drove her onward. She carried urgoth trophies to the Sanctuary. Day after day. Week after week. Finally, General Tarsis spoke with her.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I want to join the Legion of Dawn.” Magna replied.
Tarsis looked at Stral's many urgoth trophies.
“Why? You already have your revenge.”
At first, Stral had no answer. Then, she said, “It's where I belong.”
“Then you're finally ready to join us,” Tarsis said.
— As told by the Bard
Mail: Citizens Move to Ban Relics in Fort Tarsis
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A group of citizens have proposed that the governor ban Shaper relics from Fort Tarsis.
"These relics can go off at anytime, and bringing one—even if it's dormant—into the fort is a huge danger to all of us," said group leader Diena Saihl, "Look at what happened to Matthias Sumner. He poked a relic and suddenly there are three of him. He had no idea that would happen. Do we want to end up like Dunar? Or Freemark?"
Arcanist Mentor Orun, visiting from Antium, responded to the proposed ban. "What would they have Arcanists do? Study relics outside the wall? That's ridiculous. The only reason humans survive here is because we seek to understand our world. Besides, the likelihood that our entire world is a bundle of Shaper ruins and relics is high. Banning them from settlements will not make anyone safer "
Council will bring the matter to vote later this year.
Mail: Fort Bulletin: Lost Strider Update
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Good news arrived at the fort when a strider carrying needed medical supplies appeared after more than three week's delay.
Numerous search-and-rescue efforts were sent after the strider during its disappearance, all unable to find their target. The strider itself appears in excellent condition, with only the expected signs of wear, tear, and battle damage. However, an Arcanist is running tests on what she believes to be the remnants of a gravitational anomaly in the cargo hold. When asked what caused the delay, the strider driver claims it was a straight-forward trip—minus a brief detour to avoid a volatile relic—and insists they arrived on time.
Investigation is ongoing, but all things considered, it's not the most unusual cargo run and the fort is grateful for the strider's safe—if late—arrival.
Mail: Issues 395: Features
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Mail: Sincerest Apologies
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Dear Reader,
It has come to our attention that you were accidentally subscribed to Arcanist Monthly. We apologize for the clutter in your mailbox and have removed you from our subscription list.
If you still want to receive Arcanist Monthly, please address your request to the head offices of Arcanist Monthly, Antium.
We appreciate your patience.
Bayar Thost,
Associate Assistant Under-Editor
Arcanist Monthly
Matthias Erryl Sumner (1)
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Matthias Erryl Sumner (2)
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If the physical world is governed by immutable rules—no two things can exist at the same point in space and time, an object can only exert force proportional to its mass—then theoretically, one could predict the outcome of events, if one had perfect knowledge of surrounding conditions, the governing laws, and the computational resources required for such a complex calculation.
“What about human choice and free will? People introduce an element of chaos. You can’t predict thought.” —Matti
We can’t be certain of that. We are made of matter, and thus our thoughts, which are produced by something material, must have some material presence, even if we can’t perceive it ourselves.
“Okay, so the Auspex can do all this, up to a point. But what is it for?” —Sumner
The applications are limited only by our imagination,
— Handwritten notes. Arcanist Erryl Sumner.
Matthias Erryl Sumner (3)
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Of course! Of course the Arcanists would need a way to pass messages to each other—a method known only to other Arcanists, that could keep dangerous knowledge from the eyes of enemies.
The runes could be encoded with information about the area they were placed in. They could contain anything: notes, warnings, a random observation. Like annotations, or footnotes in a book. Nothing would ever be lost. Those that followed could read and understand what has been learned before.
— From Matthis Sumner's journal
Matthias Erryl Sumner (4)
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I've done a lot of field work. You must if you want to see the world up close. The truth won't fall into your lap. Sometimes you need sturdy boots and a sharp knife to find it. It's not easy or safe to tell the truth, but you can't have it both ways. If you're searching for something, you can't stay in one place. So when I say there are things out there that scare me, things we don't understand, that should scare you too. I mean it.
Matthias Erryl Sumner (5)
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Matti: "Wait, wait, wait—this can't be multiplication. You're surly, and I'm not, he's he..."
Sumner: "Cleaved in three is what's happened."
Erryl: "Division. Of course. An inverse function of—"
Witness: "The Manifold divided you?"
— Excerpt from recordings pertaining to the "Manifold Incident", Fort Tarsis.
Memorial Gate (District)
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The “Phredies Par Memorial Lock and Parkland” is the strider entrance to Fort Tarsis, and a walking path developed just outside the walls for the purpose of recreational use. In the time of the Great Expansion, Arcanist inventor and Engineer Phredies Par came to Fort Tarsis to build the Honor Valley Dam, and its success brought an era of peace and prosperity to the area. The parkland is especially notable, intended as a well-guarded recreational hike for residents of the fort, but which had to be closed due to Scars.
Mentor's Trail (District)
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The Mentor's Trail is the path of meditation often walked by Arcanists seeking to ponder the deeper mysteries of existence. Though mentors would always have a lancer with them, stone tablets mark the way to and from, since disappearances, while not as frequent as in today's Emerald Abyss, were an issue.
Midderon and the Path of Valor (1)
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Midderon was the son of Arcanists. He lived his entire life hiding in a cavern underground. At ten years old, he'd never seen the sky, or an urgoth, or any beast but humans. The world was utterly unknown to him, except for tales of horror and woe. But among stories warning children to hide and obey, Midderon heard one other. A whispered tale of a rebellion against the urgoth, and a Legion rising to free all people. So, the young Midderon left the safety of the Arcanists to find the Legion of Dawn.
Raised to be a scholar, he could read the secret signs of the Arcanists. He followed them through the wilds toward the Legion of Dawn. The chimera... had a different plan. Midderon had never seen a chimera. He'd never even seen a grabbit, but he was a very good student. He learned all the warning signs that he was being hunted, and remembered stories about laying false trails. He led the chimera on a winding path through the rocks. Back and forth. He could never shake the creature, but it could never find him. Then, other hunters came.
General Tarsis discovered the chimera stalking the boy while she wore the first javelin built by Arden Vassa. The General was just learning to use her javelin. No one knew what it could do—not even the man who made it. Not trusting her suit's strength in a direct fight with a chimera, Tarsis lured it into chasing her instead. While it ran after Tarsis, Liatrelle found the boy and spirited him away to safety.
Liatrelle took him to the Legion's camp. When Tarsis asked where he lived and who his people were, Midderon replied, “You're my people.”
The others tried to persuade him to return home, but Tarsis said, “He is home.”
Midderon then served as a page in the Legion of Dawn.
— As told by the Bard
Northern Bastion
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Nestled between the Sundric Sea and the mountains, Northern Bastion has a plethora of Shaper constructs and historical Legion of Dawn architecture, including the Fortress of Dawn. The population of this area has depleted greatly since the tragic destruction of Freemark and the subsequent mass exodus of the Arcanist settlement of Shadowmark. Fort Tarsis, the halfway point between Antium and the cities of Freemark and Heliost respectively, is the only settlement that remains in this area.
Observatory of Velathra (District)
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While not as large as Anshar, Velathra was a thriving Arcanist academy created by Arden Vassa, dedicated to the specific studies of astronomy and the mystery of the Shaper's Rings. Record of Velathra's destruction has been lost, but tales passed down from Arcanist to Arcanist say that it was decimated when the Shaper Rings became active.
Praedean Falls (District)
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While much of Velathra's history has been lost, the story behind “Praedean Falls” remains. Of all the Arcanists who lived and thrived in Velathra, none was more famous than Yerth Praedean, an astronomics disciple. Not only did he map the cycles of the moons, but he was notoriously clumsy, and was often tripping over himself. His mentor always said, “Praedean, one day you are going to fall to your death,” and then one day, while lunching at the particularly slippery waterfall, his mentor's prophecy came true. The Falls serve as a reminder that not every danger has teeth or comes out of a Cataclysm.
Radio Tower
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I, Governor Tanner, do hereby approve the commencement of the extension of Fort Tarsis. With this radio tower, the Emperor gives his Sentinels leave to patrol and coordinate the building of a new dawn for Fort Tarsis and the new people flooding in every day to take part in the exciting work here in Honor Valley.
— From Transcript, Arcanist records
Ring Gate
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From the earliest days of human freedom, these Shaper rings have long been a source of study and speculation for the Arcanist community. While much knowledge has been lost about the Ring Gate, it is thought that both gates used to be upright, and that the second one fell to the ground some 300 years ago. Arcanists hypothesize that the Ring most likely fell due to seismic activity, which may connect it to the same Shaper activity that destroyed Velathra.
Ripstream
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A strong wind that limits the height of javelin propulsion. Ripstream can also be experienced when one leaps from a cliff, only to enter a vague greyness, then arrive suddenly near where one started. Though Arcanists have long studied the buffeting winds in our upper atmosphere, there has been little agreement on or proof of their cause. In the early 200s, there was a popular belief that the Shapers wished to keep creatures limited to a certain area, as if remaining close to the ground was part of a larger plan. Less suspicious minds believe the ripstream is due to the size of our moon and atmospheric variables.
Ruins of Shadowmark
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Shadowmark existed as a settlement from around 206-458 L.V., with its primary residents being Arcanists dedicated to studying the mysterious ruins in the central lake. When the Heart of Rage erupted, the ground became unstable and Shadowmark began to sink. Residents were determined to stick it out, but when titans from the Heart of Rage burst through the Shadow Lock, the town was considered too dangerous to live in, and Antium arranged an exodus for the citizens.
Scar Bunker (1)
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Scars have many ways to replenish their numbers. Probably more ways then are known. The current theory is that they kidnap people to integrate them into their collective. If they do this simply to break down bodies for resources, or if they have some way of integrating the mind, is still a matter of debate. It is also worth considering that Scars gather humans for information and are most interested in those with specific knowledge about Shaper-related areas.
—From "A History of Scars" by Hanni Blythe
Scar Mine (2)
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Scars (1)
See Cortex Entry: Scars (1) for More Details
A colonial swarm of insects that mimics the dominant life-form in an area. Scars first appeared from a Cataclysm in 413 L.V. At the time, Freelancers defeated a large, vicious creature none of them recognized. Later, unknown to Freelancers, the Scars regrouped and changed their mimicry to appear human.
As one of the first eyewitnesses stated: “This wasn’t just four or five insects. This was thousands! An entire colony working together to make arms and legs… to make heads and… eyes. They became people!”
Scars then hijacked striders, cobbled together technology from scrap, and searched for Shaper relics. Inventive scavengers, they left nothing behind. As Arcanist researcher Hanni Blythe stated, “Empathy towards Scars is foolhardy, for their primary concern isn’t domination or survival, but mindless, thoughtless consumption. They’re a scourge, a plague upon the world.”
Sentinel Archives (1)
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The Emperor wants you!
The Sentinels are looking for motivated young people to join their ranks. Lancers, cyphers, and Arcanists are all welcome to apply for various positions. We have high expectations for our recruits. Applicants must possess basic education and a strong connection to the gateway. Good moral character and an eagerness to protect the free people of Bastion are required.
Follow Vassa's way and stand tall as you keep the citizens of Bastion safe Join the Sentinels!
Shadowmark (District)
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My mentor has decided that we should settle ourselves on the ruins of Anshar. When the other scholars and I objected to rebuilding our new academy where so many had died, my mentor revealed that the city itself was built on Anzu ruins that required study. Then he said that “we should not forget the dead or the events at Anshar, though they fill our hearts with dread. And so we will call it Shadowmark.”
— Arcanist diary
Shaper Relics (3)
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Oceans of ink have been spilled over the erratic behavior of Shaper relics. Some relics disappear when silenced. Others do not. Some reappear hours or years later. Others vanish forever, or at least have never been found.
Yet before you study, consider the most illuminating aspect of Shaper relics: not that they had the ability to play with time and space, but that it is possible to play with time and space at all.
— Arcanist Orun, transcript, Arcanist archives
Shaper Relics (4)
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Arcanist Research: There's really nothing to be troubled over. Moving relics is inherently unpredictable, but I have gone over the calculations extensively and submitted the results to my superiors in triplicate.
Sentinel Cal Andrin: It's not that I don't trust you. It's that you keep saying "theoretically" in front of "safe."
— Transcript, Arcanist archives
Shaper Relics (5)
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One commodity remains valuable to certain black market brokers, despite political strife, geographical upheaval, and even Cataclysms—stable Shaper fragments. While most—with the dubious exception of Freelancers—would leave well enough alone, there are those fringe elements of society that would risk annihilation for the promise of power.
— From Ancient Goods, the Shapers' Role in the Economics of Modern Trade by Arcanist Bach Jamoon
Shockbriar
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A remarkable plant that seems to have a unique reaction to chimeric alloys. Instead of collecting the chimeric energy in one place, it builds up chimeric tension that results in a mild electric shock. Various Arcanists have attempted to harness shockbriar energy, but the result, even if woven into technology, is a nasty rash for all who come into contact with it. There is a large and beautiful display of shockbriar in Antium's royal conservatory.
— From Joy of Botany by Tansy Hull
Siege Breaker (Weapon)
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"And the skorpions broke upon us like a giant wave on the ocean," were the words of an Arcanist who that day was there. It was the morning people finally returned to the ruins of Anshar when it was believed to be safe once more after being abandoned for years. The assessment was dead wrong, and the advance party was forced to fend off a skorpion horde for days before finally breaking the siege. When support forces eventually arrived, and a lancer was asked how they survived, his only answer was to hold up this rifle.
Skirmish at Scavenger Point
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“Don’t like the Scars none, but I have to say: Arcanists went looking for trouble, without a doubt. My guess is Scars were scratching around the area because of all the unnatural Shaper energy. The Arcanists must have heard about those Scars gathering and wanted a piece. They hired me and my strider to bring them to the spot. I would have never agreed to any of it had I been told. Problem is, more Scars started popping up everywhere when we arrived. I tried to get out of there, but something was blocking my strider from moving. I was thinking we were all as good as dead, but a group of Freelancers came along and got rid of whatever was tying up my strider so we could get out of there. I didn’t see much of the scrap, but I know it was bad bloody. We owe those Freelancers our lives.”
— Renny Quint, strider operator
The Anthem of Creation (2)
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Famed Arcanist Mederines: "The Anthem is not a toy or a tool. It does not serve to help anyone but itself. The Anthem will always be an unknowable, ever-changing tune. It has... a will. It must create, for it is creation. In that way, it must also destroy, for creation and destruction are merely two edges of the same sword. It cannot be tamed, and for it to be controlled would be... unimaginable."
The Bane Engine (1)
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There appears to be no end to these Shaper ruins. Long after we should've left the face of the mountain, the ruins continue. It's as though the Shapers found a way to extend space in one location, but not in adjacent locations. Another theory suggests there is a gate somewhere in the ruins that teleports travelers to a new location without them knowing it.
—From the journal of Arcanist Ailyn Valance
The Bane Engine (2)
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Becoming an Arcanist means gaining a wealth of skills. An Arcanist must be a researcher, a historian, a survival guide, and an explosives expert. I'm not kidding. Knowing how to create explosives out of common camp supplies has saved many Arcanists from cave-ins, relic abnormalities, wildlife, outlaws, and Scars.
—From "Dialogues: Interview with an Arcanist"
The Cypher Who Wanted To Fly
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Of course there have been cyphers who wanted to be lancers. Take the old story of the cypher who wanted to fly. In Satomi, this is not just a folk tale, but a lesson to be heeded. The story goes as follows:
Benwick Xan, a brilliant cypher in his day, thought he could pilot a javelin whilst ignoring his own heightened awareness. Although his initial tests were encouraging, things were not so simple in the face of genuine danger. He hired a Freelancer to escort him into the wild; they hadn't gone three steps when they were attacked by skorpions. In the heat of battle, Benwick could not focus. He found when one of the beasts attacked, his attention was split: sensing a rise in Shaper energy to the East, picking up Arcanist distress signals, noting the rise in humidity due to recent rain, and dozens of other things that did not help at this moment. He tried to fly, but accidentally fired his cannon. He tried to fire his cannon, but instead punched a nearby rock. He had no control. Tragically, it was he and not the skorpions who killed his escort.
You see, lancer and javelin are connected to the Anthem via gateway… but it's a single connection. Slim and direct. We cyphers are already connected to the Anthem, and for us, the gateway is not direct but… engulfing. Javelins cannot possibly channel our every impulse, because our impulses are too many, too vast. The result is a disaster.
There are whispers, of course, of those in the north experimenting with the "creation" of cypher-pilots, but I have yet to see proof of whether they exist or how. 'Tis a rumor and a wish, not a reality.
— From In The Chair: Interviews with Negan Dell
The Elysian Manuscript (1)
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The priceless, lost volume of ancient Arcanist knowledge. Finding the manuscript would bring wide acclaim and many have conducted obsessive, failed searches.
Arcanist Dac Semper once wrote: “I spent a year poring over old documents, hoping that I could be the one to bring the manuscript's wisdom back to the world. All my searching was fruitless, and I chose to surrender and accept that it would never be found. We must all grow up sometime, and shed our childish notions.”
The Elysian Manuscript (2)
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In our explorations, we discovered a class of Shaper instrument, which we now refer to as the Complecting Inciter.
This instrument was often attached to a construct as a modifier, augmenting or multiplying the effect of the base construct. Removing the Inciter from the attached construct often resulted in unforeseen consequences. In one case, the Arcanist leading the expedition found himself able to perceive events occurring in four places simultaneously. In another, a nearby wolven was struck by a stray bolt of energy and grew a second head. Observing Arcanists were almost as confused by the development as the affected wolven.
Research on Complecting Inciters and their safe usage is ongoing. Currently, we have focused our efforts on a stable inciter located within a large Shaper structure in Bastion.
— From The Elysian Manuscript
The Elysian Manuscript (3)
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The Arcanist's first obligation is to humanity. We seek knowledge, so that it may cast light into shadowed corners, and bring order to chaos. Thus, I have compiled my work and that of esteemed colleagues into this manuscript, hoping that it proves useful to all in solving the brilliant, vexing puzzle of our world. May your path always lead you to a greater understanding.
— From The Elysian Manuscript Foreword by Raban Maur
The Fire Shrine Pilgrimage
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For centuries, Freelancers have ventured to the Abyssal Loch, where they descend into the Fire Shrine Caves to ritually honor the dead. They claimed the site as their own long ago, and risk their lives to keep the ancient fires burning even today
The tunnel network is famed for its corruption of local wildlife and the unnatural storm that rages constantly within its cut-stone halls. The inner workings of this unique geological area may never be unraveled to the Arcanists' satisfaction, but the seasonal lighting of the shrines continues to serve as an important reminder that no Freelancer is alone, and no sacrifice is forgotten.
The First Cypher (2)
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It was not long after the Cataclysm that the Engineer's daughter developed strange new abilities. She could see faraway things or talk directly into another's mind. Word of her gifts spread. Soon, Arcanists arrived and presented her with a bold experiment… to help them test a device that would amplify her gift. It started with great success, but eventually met with failure. The girl's mind ventured too far from her body and became lost to the music of the Anthem of Creation. To this day, cyphers swear they glimpse the engineer's daughter while in their amplifier. first cypher, they say, watches over those who travel without moving, guiding them back from where she can never return.
The Foundry (5)
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Our absent guides have indeed lent their crooked hand to shaping the sinews of our world. There is no better example than what lies ahead in that foundry of mystery. I record my final moments of assured peace before venturing into that iron void.
—From "An Expedition of the Blue and Baleful" by Arcanist Jasper Wyre
The Gateway (1)
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An "interface" that acts as a buffer between the human mind and the Anthem of Creation, making it possible for humans to channel their will into ember-based technology. Arcanists believe that it was repeated exposure to ember that possibly brought about the discovery of the Gateway and while The Volume of Tarsis begins with the Gateway's discovery, it does not specify when it happened in relation to the Legion of Dawn.
The Gateway has made direct exposure to the Anthem rare, but cyphers are often at risk of madness or even death because the Gateway seems to behave differently through an amplifier than other technology.
The Guardians of Dunar (District)
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Said to be one of the wonders of Bastion, the Guardians were enormous statues built to scare off wildlife from entering the area or threatening the Arcanists at Dunar. The Guardians themselves are likenesses of Arcanist mentors long past, particularly Idris, who taught Arden Vassa the ways of Ember, and Hrennen, who found the gateway to the Anthem.
The Hate Engine
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This bloated “engine” Appeared around 453, discovered by Freelancer Bowie Byrne. In a statement to Arcanists, Byrne described how “the smell coming out of that thing was really something. Could smell it right through my suit. I don’t know what they were going to use it for… nothing good.” Despite human efforts to destroy the engine, Scars have managed to defend it
— From History of Scars by Hanni Blythe
The Hollow (1)
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Though never found, the Hollow was the assumed resting place of the infamous Vatellian Communication. This letter—written by an unknown traitor during humanity's uprising against the urgoth—reportedly contains the location of hidden Arcanist forges developing weapons to aid in the war effort.
—From "The Birth of Resistance", an article in "The Antium Journal of Archaeology"
The Iron Serpent (District)
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The Iron Serpent (the colloquial name for the canyon) is home to the largest Shaper ruins in the entire region. Arcanist records show that the long serpentine arms were once the source of a great disruption in the area, upsetting gravity itself, and turning what was a flatland into canyons and cliffs. The Monument in the center of the canyon is currently active, though not cataclysmic. Arcanists and lancers alike have kept a constant surveillance on the area, ready to alert the nearby settlement of Fort Tarsis, should danger become apparent.
The Mandible (2)
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As I pick my way through the rusted remains of this Scar hive, I try to imagine a society so driven by one simple idea. Forever focused to the absolute exclusion of all else. What could be accomplished should this unsettling shroud of relentless drive ever descend upon humanity? Calamity? Paradise? Would we know the difference?
—From the field notes of Arcanist Kei Hasa
The Monument
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One of the largest active Shaper relics in northern Bastion, the monument is thought to effect ripstream for the entire area. In 344 Arcanists discovered that some of the metal used in the monument was like no other metal yet known, affecting gravity and wind by creating ripstream. In 396, it was discovered that a similar monument existed on the other side of the mountain pass, prompting Arcanists to theorize that the monument is merely the outermost point of a huge interconnected network of shaper instruments that live underground.
The Necropolis (2)
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Some places get so quiet you can hear the blood pulsing in your ears. Makes you wonder what creature first felt that silence and knew they'd found home so long ago. I believe the dead talk down here, but I don't think we're ready to hear what they have to say."
—From the field notes of Arcanist Kei Hasa
The Proof is in the Ruins
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The proof has to be in the ruins, but not like Arcanists think—they're always studying relics. That's like studying a hammer. It's just a tool, an instrument; it can only tell you so much. People have been studying relics for hundreds of years and it's gotten them nowhere. What I'm looking for are the blueprints. You want to understand an architect, that's how you do it. It's their signature. Their vision. Their fingerprints.
The Sanctuary of Dunar (District)
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Though the Sanctuary was built long ago, it came to societal prominence in the 150s, when Arcanists from Anshar relocated there to accumulate the written history of humanity. It soon became the primary Arcanist academy in Bastion, and its library the primary source of history and knowledge. It attracted many famed Arcanists, notably Mederines, who would engage in long discussions about the nature of existence in the courtyard, as documented in the philosophical masterwork, “Dialogues.” In 297, a young Arcanist brought a relic into the library, and the ensuing Cataclysms resulted in hundreds of deaths and the loss of the library and its contents.
The Search for the Lost Tomb (1)
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Dear Mother,
It is the second week of our expedition to find the Tomb of Tarsis, and my initial excitement has turned to frustration. Any clues the Fortress of Dawn may provide are locked inside. My mentor thinks there must be a piece we're missing—perhaps a key or lock or some technology that's been lost over time. If only we had Dunar's library. The loss of that city has left a hole in our history. Yet I'm glad to be here, not counting the wyvern and tesilars. The company is most fetching and our catering has been superb.
Love to Dad
Blais
The Search for the Lost Tomb (2)
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Dear Mother,
I'm in Anshar! Well, Shadowmark. Vassa really knew how to build things, let me tell you. We've started our excavation in Helena's Walk. If the General's spirit was seen here, surely her tomb is nearby. Uncle Felton's Arcanist tools are really coming in handy. Everyone is quite jealous of my tiny brushes, which makes me feel shamefully smug.
Love to Dad
Blais
The Search for the Lost Tomb (3)
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Dear Mother,
Today, I found some interesting markings carved into a tree that I thought could be Arcanist runes. However, my compatriots only seem to find amusement in my discovery. It seems to me that "Ea T poO" could indeed be an important message, but the others assured me that such missives are common, and that we are looking for hidden messages, not obvious ones. But, I think it's genius. Hiding in plain sight isn't a bad idea is it?
Love to Dad
Blais
The Search for the Lost Tomb (4)
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Dear Mother,
I'm lucky to be alive to write you at all. We encountered a Swarm Tyrant this morning and I've never experienced anything more horrible. Of our five lancer protectors, only one survived. I barely made into our strider. I suppose I knew what I was getting into, leaving Antium, but such adventures are much scarier than they seem in stories. I can't wait to come home.
Love to Dad
Blais
The Search for the Lost Tomb (5)
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Dear Mother,
It appears our current hunt has been misguided. What we thought was a map to the last resting place of General Tarsis has turned out to be a fake. Why would anyone create a fake map? If someone took the time to fashion a false trail, they must truly be hiding wonders indeed. Oh, well. We've decided to venture to Fortuo to follow another lead. I've heard such things about Fortuo! And who doesn't enjoy a trip to the seaside?
Love to Dad
Blais
The Solarium Court (District)
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In the time of the urgoth, free humans lived underground, and with the urgoth defeat, humans sought to live above ground, in the open. An Engineer and an Arcanist set out to build a wondrous solarium, where people from all over could come to find peace and reflection in nature… of course, that didn’t go so well. The project had to be abandoned halfway through construction when the workers were eaten by a pack of Brutes. The moral learned from the Solarium Court is that looking for peace in nature is impossible.
The Watchtower of Arath (District)
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According to Garred's “The Volume of Tarsis,” Arden Vassa build the citadel of Arath along the High Road as a base of operations for lancers to keep watch over the strider path. While Arcanists place the time of the Citadel's destruction before the shadow fell on Anshar, there has been speculation over what could have demolished such a large structure, and while chimeric compound is present, there is not enough evidence to support the theory of Cataclysm. In recent years, there has been support for the idea of a titan having wreaked havoc, as stated in Dalathie's “The Freelancers Three.”
The Well (2)
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"Obviously, Shaper ruins serve some purpose. Purposes, rather. They don't all behave the same way, and no single instrument seems to carry out just one task. They contain multitudes of purposes. It's just that nobody truly knows what they are. For some of these old Shaper relics, the difference between a Cataclysm and normal operation is purely a matter of perspective."
The World is a Machine
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I once met a man who said the world is tuned for life and death, like it's a machine. I don't see it that way. Machines aren't alive. The world is. The Anthem is the clay it's molded from. Arcanists tell us Shapers bend the Anthem to their bidding. So the idea that a mountain exists only because a Shaper wanted it that way, or wars happen because Shapers invented war... it makes me wonder. Starting to think the answer to all that isn't in some ruin.
Tomb of Tarsis
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The resting place of Legion of Dawn leader, General Helena Tarsis. Over the years, many have searched for the tomb. In particular, Arcanist researchers have been frustrated in their attempts to discover the location of the Tomb of Tarsis. Garred's The Volume of Tarsis states that the General was buried in the place most beloved to her, inspiring speculation that her tomb could actually be inside the Fortress of Dawn. Other historians believe Tarsis was buried somewhere in the valley that is her namesake.
Try Hatva
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Join us for the ancient Arcanist practice of Hatva.
Toe touching, arm spinning, and rib isolations will center your body and refresh your mind.
Join Mentor Krista Sonma in the courtyard every sunrise, weather permitting.
Unknown Creature Bst189567307
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An offensive and hideous new visitor to Bastion was recently spotted in Fort Tarsis, perched in an Arcanist's shop with malice gleaming behind its dead eyes. We may never know what type of slavering beast it is, as the Arcanist insists it isn't an animal, but a twisted Anthem mutation. The deluded fellow will certainly learn his lesson when the fiend bites his head off as he sleeps and swallows it, helmet and all.
A gentle dissection of the creature would solve this mystery and satisfy my professional curiosity.
Ursix (2)
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"I won't relate the grim details of my long night spent in a cargo container listening to the grunts and huffs of the lumbering creature outside. I was certain it had my scent but couldn't work out how to enter the steel box. The thundering howls of frustration shook my soul, and I shall never sleep a full night in peace again."
—From the field notes of Arcanist Sethi Guj
What Does It All Mean
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I asked the Arcanists what the meaning of the world was, and they couldn't tell me. They had a lot of theories. A lot of ideas. A lot of hot air. The truth is: nobody really knows. Shouldn't that worry people? Whenever I bring it up, they just shrug. How can they not care? How can so many people be asleep? Doesn't it bother them that our whole world is unexplained after thousands of years of living in it?
Wolven (3)
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"I checked my rifle constantly. Cleaned as best as could be managed in the wet jungle. The pack had ambushed us—five, perhaps six, springing from the dense jungle in ruthless coordination. We lost two, Arcanist Reeve and Engineer Dahr, that first night. After that, it became a race to the fortified Sentinel base three days march from our position. The attacks continued through that first night and into the days ahead. We started the expedition with fourteen, but only three of us arrived at the gates."
—From "Lost Sun and Rain" by Lox Bergol
Your Student is a Thief
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I'm writing to express my concern over your disciple, Hrenna Vale, who I saw stealing fruit from a vendor the other day. I did not go to the authorities (no need to make another outlaw), but I did pay for the wares with the understanding that I would school the child appropriately. As my mentor Negan Dell used to say, children are the responsibility of the entire community. But I am extremely kind, and realize that children are just deeply ignorant creatures who need schooling. And since she is an Arcanist, I will pass that schooling to you.
You're welcome
Zahra Tol, Chronicler
Fort Tarsis
Zhim’s Legionnaire Archive
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This appears to be the fragment of an archive written by the Legionnaire Liatrelle the Unbroken shortly after the death of General Tarsis. It has been heavily annotated by Regulator treasure-hunters as they searched for the tombs. The Legion of Dawn counted many different members among their ranks—Arcanists, Engineers, healers, cooks, and, most importantly, the lancers known as Legionnaires. "The Volume of Tarsis" celebrates famous Legionnaires such as Magna Stral, Liatrelle, Sanadeen and Midderon, but hundreds of other warriors fill their own pages. Mentions are given to lancers Artinia, Cariff, Gawnes, Alnwick Marigold, Verithan, Yvenia, and the twins, Durnwin and Felux, though they are mentioned mostly in passing without great detail.