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This ancient society is almost entirely closed to outsiders, but its
{{Organization
mystique and influence extends throughout the valley of the Sheldomar.
| name          =
The Silent Ones are said to form the backbone of an eldritch order that
| image          =
seeks to protect the last vestiges of Ancient Suel magic that has
| caption        =
remained in Suloise hands since the Rain of Colorless Fire. Whether the  
| alt_spelling  =
order is actually this old is uncertain, since they communicate little
| othername      =
outside their own circles. What little is known of the Silent Ones comes
| alignment      =
<nowiki> </nowiki>from one of the few individuals who departed it alive. Uhas of Neheli
| type          = Arcane order
chronicled some of their exploits in his apocryphal work, The Chronicle
| founded        = 300s
of Secret Times.
| ended          =
| leader        = [[Mohrgyr the Old]], Wyrd of the Tower
| members        = Primarily N or LN humans of Suel descent
| symbol        =
| headquarters  = [[Silent Tower]]
| allies        = Certain Keoish nobles
| enemies        = [[Seekers of the Arcane]], [[Scarlet Brotherhood]], [[Cult of the Black Flame]], [[Sons of Marchanter]], Cult of the [[Earth Dragon]], [[Lords of the Elder Elements]], followers of the [[Princes of Elemental Evil]], [[Dustdiggers]], Cult of [[Vecna]]
}}


The group’s name comes from an ancient Suel phrase literally
The '''Silent Ones''', also called "Those Who Must Not Speak," are an order of sorcerers in the Kingdom of [[Keoland]].
translated as “those who must not speak.” It is something of a misnomer
as the silent Ones are by no means mute, but they are extremely
secretive and do little to dispel the aura of mystery that surrounds
them. These ascetics live completely outside the authority of the ruling
<nowiki> </nowiki>Keoish king, according to the first lines of the founding charter of
the nation, penned nearly one thousand years ago. They do not form a
magical guild in the traditional sense, as supplicants are not usually
accepted to the order. Rather they are chosen during pilgrimages
conducted by the Silent Ones annually during Needfest, when they scour
the countryside for youth  especially attuned to their ways. Those  
chosen are said to be gifted in some way, and most of them are of pure
Suel bloodlines. Curiously, many of the chosen are also albinos and
frequently are blind. Uhas of Neheli was both.


While the Silent Ones typically wear drab gray garb, they have no
==History==
traditional dress nor any visible devices or emblems. The primary
The Silent Ones were originally the seers who guided the [[Suel]] houses who came to the [[Sheldomar Valley]] with [[Slerotin]]. They were gifted in the arts of sorcery, former apprentices of the Mages of Power though the arts of true Power Magic had been lost in the [[Rain of Colorless Fire]]. They banded together soon after the [[Great Migrations]] to protect their secrets (according to [[Uhas of Neheli]], they were mainly concerned that their secrets might fall into the hands of the [[Oeridian]]s).  
cloister of the order is an infamous spire known as the Tower of  
Silence, located less than a day’s ride south from Niole Dra. It is an
architectural wonder, erupting from the ground without support to rise
many hundreds of feet and completely dominate the featureless plain that
<nowiki> </nowiki>surrounds it. No mage who casts eyes upon it will deny that it would be
<nowiki> </nowiki>nearly impossible to build today, since great sorcery was no doubt
required for its construction. The bluish-gray stone that composes it
has no counterpart for 1,000 miles.


The inhabitants of the Lonely Tower are headed by a single undisputed
After the Kingdom of Keoland was founded, Those Who Must Not Speak demanded that all mages in the kingdom join their guild, but those of House [[Malhel]] refused. After the Malhel attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Keoish government, the authority of Those Who Must Not Speak was unchallenged, and they were given the authority to put a stop to all unlicensed magics throughout the realm. They also made it their business to hide all remnants of [[Vecna]] and his empire.
<nowiki> </nowiki>leader called the Wyrd. Currently, this magus is Mohrgyr the Old (N
male human Wiz20), a former Nehelan nobleman believed to be over two
hundred years old. The tower is staffed by a few dozen adherents, whose
numbers are thought to shrink with every passing year. Their most
powerful supporters in the kingdom are the nobles of House Neheli, and a
<nowiki> </nowiki>plurality of their membership is from this ancient and decaying house.
The Silent Ones have smaller enclaves in a handful of Keoish cities to
which they frequently travel.


In centuries past, sorcery was in the hands of a small few in  
In the late [[third century CY]], [[Tavish I]] (called the Great) lifted all prohibitions against "freemages" from the kingdom, establishing an academy of wizardry in [[Niole Dra]]. His son [[Tavish II]] (called the Blackguard) marginalized the role of the Silent Ones still further, appointing his own court wizard to be his advisor instead of the leader of the Silent Ones, the Wyrd of the Tower. For thirty years, the sorcerers of the Silent Ones warred in secret with the wizards of the Academy in Niole Dra, ending with the death of Tavish II in 395 CY.
Keoland, and the Silent Ones monitored this tradition with dispassion.  
 
That is no longer their role, though they are still viewed with fear and
That [[summer]], Keoland's [[Court of the Land]] elected [[Nemonhas]] of [[Neheli]] to serve as the new monarch, but he refused, electing to join the order of the Silent Ones instead. Though this deeply annoyed almost everyone, Nemonhas' choice was allowed to let stand. What happened to Nemonhas after that is unknown, though it is rumored that he lives still and that he may be the same person as Mohrgyr the Old, the current Wyrd of the Tower and head of the order.
<nowiki> </nowiki>superstition. Silent Ones seem to be drawn to ancient places and items
 
of strong magical power and import. On rare occasions they openly
In the last two centuries, the profile of the Silent Ones has been low. They work in secret to protect the secrets in their charge by any means necessary.
contend with individuals, both good and evil, who seek magical power
 
beyond the ken of mortals. Recently they have expressed disquiet over
==Members==
the rise of the Scarlet Brotherhood and the uncovering of Slerotin’s
The Silent Ones are almost always humans of Suel decent; half-elves and Oeridians are rarely accepted.  
Passage from the Yeomanry to the Sea of Dust
 
The Silent Ones are divided into two groups, the '''Anchorites of the Tower''' and the '''Wanderers'''. The Anchorites spend their lives in study and contemplation. They may be permanently ensconced in cells in the Silent Tower, or they may work as advisors and seers in noble courts or guarding places of magical power. The other group, the Wanderers, actively seek out ancient magics and secrets to protect from the eyes and hands of rival groups and others. They often journey in groups of three or join bands of adventurers.
 
The Silent Ones prefer to advance their goals through subterfuge and manipulation. They are ruthless in pursuit of their goals, but neither good nor evil. They tend toward lawful ethics, but they will act chaotically if they decide the situation merits it. Member of the Silent Ones are thus either lawful neutral or neutral.
 
Most Silent Ones are sorcerers; their magical tradition is said to predate wizardry itself, and sorcerers by their nature leave no books that might be stolen by the uninitiated. The ability to prepare at least some spells without use of a book is required. However, there are several wizards among the Anchorites, often working as archivists for the Silent Ones' books of lore. Some of the Wanderers are bards.
 
The garb of the Silent Ones is typically a drab cassock of gray or brown. They generally eschew martial implements apart from daggers and staves. They rarely carry dangerous spells or corruptible magic items outside the Tower for fear they might fall into the hands of others. They treat their magical equipment as if it belongs to the order as a whole, rather than any individual within it.
 
Silent Ones must pledge to obey the order's tenets of secrecy and submit to the authority of the Tower and its Wyrd.
 
==Headquarters==
The '''Silent Tower''', often called simply the Tower by the Silent Ones themselves, is the headquarters for the entire order. Hundreds of feet tall, it stands on an otherwise featureless plain less than a day's ride south of Niole Dra. It is visible from many miles away in every direction.
 
The Silent Tower is said by Uhas of Neheli to predate the arrival of the Neheli in the Sheldomar Valley. It is clear that such a structure would be nearly impossible to create with the magic and technology of the present day.
 
On the ground level are the Receiving Chambers. Above that is the Hall of Lorgyr. Next are the Cells of the Anchorites. Above those are the Archive Arcanum. The next story is the Chamber of the Elders. Above those are a collection of windowless buildings used for housing great artifacts: the Sanctum Maleficarum.  Above those are the Offices of the Wyrd, and on the roof is the Chantry.
 
Beneath the tower are many underground structures. The first level from the surface are the Cells of the Aspirants and their Meeting Halls. The level beneath that is the Libraries and Cells of the Pedagogues. The third level is Storage Chambers and Dungeons. The fourth layer is known as the Well, and the fifth is the Cenotaph. Even the Silent Ones dare not enter the Cenotaph.
 
== References ==
=== Notes ===
<references group="note" />
=== Citations ===
<references />
=== Bibliography ===
*[[Gary Holian|Holian, Gary]]. "Silent Sorcery: The Silent Ones of Keoland." ''[[Living Greyhawk Journal]]'' #4. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
 
{{index}}
 
[[Category:Secret organizations]]

Latest revision as of 10:20, 23 January 2025

Greyhawk Organization
Silent Ones
Type:Arcane order
Founded:300s
Leader:Mohrgyr the Old, Wyrd of the Tower
Members:Primarily N or LN humans of Suel descent
Headquarters:Silent Tower
Allies:Certain Keoish nobles
Enemies:Seekers of the Arcane, Scarlet Brotherhood, Cult of the Black Flame, Sons of Marchanter, Cult of the Earth Dragon, Lords of the Elder Elements, followers of the Princes of Elemental Evil, Dustdiggers, Cult of Vecna

The Silent Ones, also called "Those Who Must Not Speak," are an order of sorcerers in the Kingdom of Keoland.

History

The Silent Ones were originally the seers who guided the Suel houses who came to the Sheldomar Valley with Slerotin. They were gifted in the arts of sorcery, former apprentices of the Mages of Power though the arts of true Power Magic had been lost in the Rain of Colorless Fire. They banded together soon after the Great Migrations to protect their secrets (according to Uhas of Neheli, they were mainly concerned that their secrets might fall into the hands of the Oeridians).

After the Kingdom of Keoland was founded, Those Who Must Not Speak demanded that all mages in the kingdom join their guild, but those of House Malhel refused. After the Malhel attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Keoish government, the authority of Those Who Must Not Speak was unchallenged, and they were given the authority to put a stop to all unlicensed magics throughout the realm. They also made it their business to hide all remnants of Vecna and his empire.

In the late third century CY, Tavish I (called the Great) lifted all prohibitions against "freemages" from the kingdom, establishing an academy of wizardry in Niole Dra. His son Tavish II (called the Blackguard) marginalized the role of the Silent Ones still further, appointing his own court wizard to be his advisor instead of the leader of the Silent Ones, the Wyrd of the Tower. For thirty years, the sorcerers of the Silent Ones warred in secret with the wizards of the Academy in Niole Dra, ending with the death of Tavish II in 395 CY.

That summer, Keoland's Court of the Land elected Nemonhas of Neheli to serve as the new monarch, but he refused, electing to join the order of the Silent Ones instead. Though this deeply annoyed almost everyone, Nemonhas' choice was allowed to let stand. What happened to Nemonhas after that is unknown, though it is rumored that he lives still and that he may be the same person as Mohrgyr the Old, the current Wyrd of the Tower and head of the order.

In the last two centuries, the profile of the Silent Ones has been low. They work in secret to protect the secrets in their charge by any means necessary.

Members

The Silent Ones are almost always humans of Suel decent; half-elves and Oeridians are rarely accepted.

The Silent Ones are divided into two groups, the Anchorites of the Tower and the Wanderers. The Anchorites spend their lives in study and contemplation. They may be permanently ensconced in cells in the Silent Tower, or they may work as advisors and seers in noble courts or guarding places of magical power. The other group, the Wanderers, actively seek out ancient magics and secrets to protect from the eyes and hands of rival groups and others. They often journey in groups of three or join bands of adventurers.

The Silent Ones prefer to advance their goals through subterfuge and manipulation. They are ruthless in pursuit of their goals, but neither good nor evil. They tend toward lawful ethics, but they will act chaotically if they decide the situation merits it. Member of the Silent Ones are thus either lawful neutral or neutral.

Most Silent Ones are sorcerers; their magical tradition is said to predate wizardry itself, and sorcerers by their nature leave no books that might be stolen by the uninitiated. The ability to prepare at least some spells without use of a book is required. However, there are several wizards among the Anchorites, often working as archivists for the Silent Ones' books of lore. Some of the Wanderers are bards.

The garb of the Silent Ones is typically a drab cassock of gray or brown. They generally eschew martial implements apart from daggers and staves. They rarely carry dangerous spells or corruptible magic items outside the Tower for fear they might fall into the hands of others. They treat their magical equipment as if it belongs to the order as a whole, rather than any individual within it.

Silent Ones must pledge to obey the order's tenets of secrecy and submit to the authority of the Tower and its Wyrd.

Headquarters

The Silent Tower, often called simply the Tower by the Silent Ones themselves, is the headquarters for the entire order. Hundreds of feet tall, it stands on an otherwise featureless plain less than a day's ride south of Niole Dra. It is visible from many miles away in every direction.

The Silent Tower is said by Uhas of Neheli to predate the arrival of the Neheli in the Sheldomar Valley. It is clear that such a structure would be nearly impossible to create with the magic and technology of the present day.

On the ground level are the Receiving Chambers. Above that is the Hall of Lorgyr. Next are the Cells of the Anchorites. Above those are the Archive Arcanum. The next story is the Chamber of the Elders. Above those are a collection of windowless buildings used for housing great artifacts: the Sanctum Maleficarum. Above those are the Offices of the Wyrd, and on the roof is the Chantry.

Beneath the tower are many underground structures. The first level from the surface are the Cells of the Aspirants and their Meeting Halls. The level beneath that is the Libraries and Cells of the Pedagogues. The third level is Storage Chambers and Dungeons. The fourth layer is known as the Well, and the fifth is the Cenotaph. Even the Silent Ones dare not enter the Cenotaph.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Silent Ones of the Lonely Tower People Group Mage order, Dragon magazine #294 91, 96
Silent Ones of the Lonely Tower People Group Mage order, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 65, 162, 163
Silent Ones of the Lonely Tower People Group Mage order, Living Greyhawk Journal #1 9, 15, 19
Silent Ones of the Lonely Tower People Group Mage order, Living Greyhawk Journal #3 12
Silent Ones of the Lonely Tower People Group Mage order, Living Greyhawk Journal #4 1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
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