King Kaius. Not every nation shares the same goodwill
toward the Twelve, but the institutes's location above
the city of Korth makes its relationship with Karrnath
particularly important. The kings of Karrnath have
regularly sought council from the Twelve, and Kaius
has not abandoned this practice. Agents of Karrnath's
government are inclined to trust agents of the Twelve
and side with them in times of trouble.
Manifest Institute. In the city of Sharn, the Twelve
sponsors the research of a number of scholars who
make a study of the manifest zone that links the city to
the plane of Syrania. Loosely organized as the Man
ifest Institute, these researchers include representa
tives from House Cannith, House Lyrandar, House
Orien, and others, as well as those who work directly
for the Twelve. The institute evaluates ways that the
manifest zone might improve life in Sharn, seeks a
deeper understanding of manifest zones in general,
and plans contingencies in the event that the manifest
zone ever evaporates.
Enemies. Most enemies of the Twelve are individuals
with grudges against the institute, which often stem
from hurt feelings over being excluded from it. Those
noted here number among the Twelve's fiercest foes:
Arcane Congress. Established by King Galifar I ex
pressly to serve as a political answer to the Twelve,
the Arcane Congress competes with the Twelve over
resources and students. Some would argue that the
ongoing rivalry encourages both institutions toward
more and better arcane discoveries, but the animosity
sometimes escalates to sabotage and researchers tak
ing excessive risks.
Mordain the Fleshweaver. Not many personal grudges
jeopardize the Twelve, but when a powerful wizard
fe els slighted, the impact can be significant. The elf
wizard Mordain was banished from the Twelve more
than two centuries ago because of his disturbing
experiments related to the magic of the daelkyr. He
dwells in Droaam now, focused on his research and
plotting revenge. His reach isn't long, but agents of the
Twelve avoid Droaam if at all possible.Espionage Agency
Secret agents, spies, undercover operatives-your group
is part of an organization engaged in espionage. Most
such agencies are attached to governments or dragon
marked houses, gathering information on the activities
and plans of rival nations, houses, and businesses.
Naturally, your affiliation with an espionage agency is
a secret; you can't advertise that connection, and if you
get in trouble with law enforcement forces (especially in
foreign nations), your home nation will disavow you and
deny any knowledge of your activities.
It's said the Last War was fo ught as much by spies as
by armies. Espionage agencies in every nation sought
secrets to bring military supremacy to their own lands
and provide dominance over their neighbors. In the
years since the end of the war, a clandestine struggle
among these agencies (which the Korranberg Chronicle
dubbed the Shadow War) has continued unabated, just
outside of the public eye.
fiEADQUARTERS OF
THE TWELVE