The Guardian Circle
Dark times gripped the world during Lord Stygian’s long, oppressive rule. The people clung to the myths of a place across land and time. Zohar, where threads of silver flowed over the mountains like rivers yet hung like curtains above golden bowls a flamed. And as each life met its end, a silver thread snapped, a flame grew cold, and a golden bowl shattered like porcelain against rock.
Somewhere, someone had once spoken of a promise. Bards once sang of it, until their voices were silenced, and their songs faded with time. But whispers of the promise remained, breathed by the trees, guarded by the Naajiso. Help would come from Zohar. And it did.
The defeat of Lord Stygian released the people, breaking the hold of the Tainted One, but she vowed to return. Who would stop her then? Who should rule the nations? What will become of the giants? Can they be trusted? The questions gave way to chaos, but Karasi, one of the lost rulers of Zohar, long imprisoned by the Tainted One and Stygian, brought peace again and established the first Guardian Circle. They were charged with guiding and teaching of the nations, so that history would never repeat itself, and the nations would never have to endure another oppressive rule such as Lord Stygian’s again.
In its infancy, Karasi and an elderly elf named Njira led the Circle and chose the first men and women among the nations who would later become the Guardians. These would receive the Yenzo Tanil, the gifting from the Shadow God. Some call it magic, but they are specialized gifts to carry out their duties. Once the students finish their apprenticeships and are approved, they pledge themselves to the Circle and all of Nälu. Thus they receive their gifting and are bound to their calling for life, but if used against its nature, the bond will break, and they will lose their power.
In Desert Rose and Secrets Kept, we meet High Guardian Saeed. Even though he was only five at the time of Stygian’s defeat, he was among the first to volunteer, but he was too young at the time to be chosen. Still, the struggle for freedom impacted him deeply, and he would not relent. He would later become the youngest guardian to be accepted into the Circle.
The first Circle did not have a physical location and no way of instructing the newly selected guardians, so the king of Bonzapur offered the use of his royal library and palace. As the nations recovered from the tyranny and battle, Prathae Plains was divided into two regions: North and south. Not long after the first king of Badara was appointed, Njira and Karasi received a substantial amount of land where they could build an educational center and headquarters for the Guardians. Thus began the work that would lead to Dagmar and the Kayulm’sa Nutraadzi. The School of the Nevins.