The Order

"“We are the Order, Ardivan the Black, and you will join us in upholding the Balance or be destroyed.” —Sashaya, female half-elven entrant of the Order"

The Order is an organisation of the highest-level psions on Athas, dedicated to two precepts: Psionics should only be studied for its own sake, and psionic talents should only be used to preserve the natural order. To members of the Order, psionics is not merely a tool or a means towards an end. Psionics is a higher understanding, an area of study that purifies the mind and strengthens the spirit. A purist of the Order believes that he gains more awareness of the universe with every new power he masters, with every new iota of psionic strength that he can muster.

In the doctrine of the order, psionics is a part of the natural order, used by animals and primitives to survive against the harsh environment and against each other. Animals have retained this philosophy, but intelligent races have perverted psionics, polarising it along with their moralities. Nature knows no such moralities. To a member of the Order, ambitions and ideals can only interfere with the purity of psionics. The use of psionics to further such ambitions, whether good or evil, is a crime against the natural order. Psions who use their talents to further causes of extreme good or extreme evil are criminals who must be located and stopped.

Brief History
The history of the Order is shrouded in mystery and myth. Most of those who know of the Order only know of their involvement in what has been named the Dragon’s Crown incident, in which all psionic ability was suppressed for a period of months in Mountain’s Fury of the 190th King’s Age or Free Year 4.

This incident began when the human psionicist Pharistes became the Cerebral Master of Telepathy. It is believed he blamed the wanton abuse of psionic power for personal gain as the principle reason for the current state of Athas. At some time in the past, Pharistes had come into possession of an artefact called the Psionatrix which was capable of suppressing psionic use.

Once he became a Cerebral Master of the Order, Pharistes presented his plan to correct the world to the other Cerebral Masters. Using the Psionatrix, psionic power would be suppressed across all of Athas for a thousand years. During this time, the Order would set things rights, as members were somehow immune to the effects of the artefact. Though some of the Cerebral Masters objected to this plan Pharistes was able to seize control of the group through his superior telepathic abilities and the power of the Psionatrix.

The Psionatrix was activated and a psionic suppression field covered the planet. Chaos ensued. Psionics is an integral part of Athasian life and used for many mundane tasks through the day. The disruption of psionics caused considerable damage to the cities of the Tablelands. In addition, the psionic suppression field had a side effect on thri-kreen, causing them to enter a berserk uncontrollable rage.

According to rumours, King Hamanu eventually discovered the location of Pharistes and the Psionatrix in an ancient fortress deep in the Dragon’s Crown Mountains. The Lion King sent agents to deactivate the Psionatrix. Apparently the heroes succeeded thought rumours vary on whether Pharistes was killed or driven off, and what became of the Psionatrix.

In the aftermath of the Dragon’s Crown incident rumours spread that the Order was left in turmoil. Their agenda and methods questions with many members questioning whether the Order should continue as an organisation or disband. In recent years, rumours that the Order has disbanded have been passed by those in the known. With the battle at the Dragon Crown Mountains having significantly reduced their numbers and a disagreement over whether the Order should reconsider its goals, the members decided to disband the remnants of the Order.

Unfortunately these rumours are false, and were spread on purpose by members of the Order.

The Order on Athas
"“Psionic heresy cannot be allowed. By our ancient laws he is now a renegade. His life is forfeit.” —Mandalis, Order Mediator"

The Order is a self-appointed champion of psionic purity. The upper orders pursue psionic purity, whereas lower orders root out heretical psions.

The Order defines psionic heresy as the use of powerful psionic powers for causes of extreme good or evil. Powerful psionics are powers used by an epic psion.

Below that level, the Order regards psions as hardly more than children, who cannot be held responsible for their actions. The attitudes of such low-level characters towards law or chaos do not concern the Order. Characters who use other powers, (armies or arcane magic, etc.) to further their good or evil ends also do not concern the Order. Only the use of powerful psionics draws the Order’s attention. The Order is not interested in supporting neutrality as such-they only seek psionic purity as they have defined it.

All members of the Order must uphold this agenda. They must confront heresy according to their roles; they must pursue greater psionic mastery themselves, and they cannot personally use their psionic powers for any purpose that is completely good or evil.

Organisation
The Order has an organisation that is both loose and rigid. It is rigid in that members fill different roles depending on their level of psionic mastery, that there can be only so many members at the upper levels, and that each member must adhere to the doctrines of the Order as a whole. Its organisation is loose, however, because there are no regular meetings (physical meetings, that is) and because each member operates independently within his given role.

The Order is organised into two major sections, the lower and upper orders. All psions in the lower orders have 1 through 6 Order Adept levels. Lower-level psions cannot petition for entry. Those with Order Adept levels 1, 2, and 3 are entrants while those of level 4, 5, and 6 are mediators. Though the number varies, there are usually around 30 entrants and 10 mediators in the Order at any time.

As the most junior of the lower order, entrants perform most necessary day-to-day interactions with the rest of Athas. The wander Athas in search of psionic heresy, which they must report to their mediator contacts. They may act upon such heresy only after receiving specific instructions from mediators.

Mediators make decisions about Athasian affairs; they usually send entrants to deal with perceived problems. Mediators must collect information on psionic heresy and delegate the responsibility for eliminating that heresy. Mediators only occasionally involve themselves personally with the destruction of psionic heresy, calling on entrants to perform the actual work. Mediators only rarely inform the upper orders about their activities, as the upper orders dislike interruptions.

The elite body, consisting solely of psions with 7 through 10 Order Adept levels, is structured in sixes, according to the six psionic disciplines. There are six cerebral masters, one assigned to each discipline, and beneath each of these are six psiologists. There are always exactly 42 sapient beings in the upper orders. The psiologists are concerned with physical research into psionics. They concentrate on their specialised discipline, studying psionic beasts, ancient records and ruins, and the use of psionics by all intelligent creatures. They must convey their findings to the five other psiologists in their discipline and to their cerebral masters, but they choose their own research projects and methods. The six cerebral masters devote their lives to personal psionic growth. Basing their research in their own minds, they meet only with other members of the upper orders, and then only occasionally. Their solitary existence calls for minimal contact with the world.

Within the Order, a member knows the identities of all members of his station, and he has up to three contacts in the next higher level.

NPC Reaction
Though its members are individually powerful, the Order is very small, and its effects on Athasian life and culture are minimal. Concentrating as it does on its version of psionic purity the Order leaves other great forces on Athas unmolested. In fact, the only characters who will likely ever encounter the Order are psions who progress beyond 20th level.

Legends of powerful psions and their exploits are fairly common, but actual knowledge of the Order is extremely rare. Members of the Order seldom bring attention to themselves, since the activities of the common folk don’t warrant their interference. That there exists some higher organisation of mysterious, powerful psions is an uncommon rumour. Its nature, members, and agenda are the subjects of wild and inconsistent speculation. Even the sorcerer-kings are not completely certain about the Order- some acknowledge its existence, but none has a clear idea of its mission.