History

At the peak of the first age, when evil was all around, and battles were unending, the Tetragrammaton Wizard was deep in meditation as he cast his final spell. In an instant, as death was heavy in the air, the Tetragrammaton wizard opened his eyes, and they were glowing golden. “It Is Done,” the Tetragrammaton wizard uttered, and in a flash of brilliant blinding white and golden light, without any source of heat or pressure, the light eruption blinded all, As if they witnessed a birth of a universe in an instant!

As all the eyes came into focus, good and evil alike, a shimmering golden glow pushed the black void back, and figures started to appear in a wave. As the models got closer, their numbers grew. Tall thin figures in deep reddish Hughes, a long-brimmed hat, and a fragile blade cut through everything in its path. The Tetragrammaton Wizard announced in a voice that echoed throughout the land. It was heard from everywhere and nowhere “Behold, the Arbiters – Keepers of the Law and Justice!”

The Arbiters came into different formations as they attacked and were the ones who vanquished Ro’tal the wicked and closed the Shadowgate realm once again. It was the Arbiters who ended the Great War of the first age. In the end, the count was clear; twenty-and-four Arbiters saved the day, vanquished the evil, and closed the Shadowgate portal to The Realm. It wasn’t until much later that these facts were finally recorded into the Reformation doctrine the role the adventures had played to hold off the tide of evil until the Tetragrammaton Wizard was able to cast his spell forth the twenty-and-four Arbiters. They banded as groups in a configuration that was later noted for the historical records…

“And the Arbiters came forth and fought as one.
And their numbers were to be as follows:
Nine Arbiters formed The Oblivion Star.
Seven Arbiters formed The Chakra.
Five Arbiters formed The Body.
Three Arbiters formed The Eye.”

Twenty-four Arbiters acted as one. Orchestrated movements defeated evil and mirrored each attack in precise unison that carried the day and littered the fields with fallen enemies. The exact origins of where the Arbitors came from, or even if they were magically created life forms, remains a mystery. The one fact that holds is the Arbiters are still here and not going anywhere.

An extension of the Tetragrammaton

The Arbiters are the rarest of life. They are a blend of ancient forgotten magic, artifacts of a bygone era, and summoned by harnessing the powers of chaos in the purest form. The Arbiters are equipped with godlike weapons, armor, and artifacts.

Within the balances of justice and the three-sided Sword of Truth, you will find the Arbiters. There is a space between the Veil and Shadowgate that the living can go to unless invited. This space resides an established universal truth that both Good and Evil abide by, and it is known as the Tetragrammaton, and the three-sided-sword-of-truth balances the scales of justice.

The House

As the second age was upon everyone, the great houses were putting aside their differences and coming together to form the foundations of the Guild houses. Each house had agreed that the Arbiters were the keepers of the laws and would be a force that would be called upon to handle all disputes between the guilds, members, and the houses. Every house recognized the Arbiters were the force that turned the tide to end the Great War of the first age and bring peace for a time. The other house unanimously bestowed the Arbiters with keeping peace and installing them as the merciful and merciless law in the lands. The Judges Guild, the house of the Holy Rollers, extended itself to create and include house Oona-Caloofid, where the initial twenty-four Arbiters were given residence, though the original nine comprised the Oblivion Star are rarely ever seen outside of their Guildhalls. They have become the teachers and mentors to members charged with restoring peace and meeting justice to the lands.

Law of the Lands

The fifteen Arbitors that remain, the Chakra, the Body, and the Eye, formed the Star Chamber. These members are not part of the court. These Arbiters act and spend their time outside their houses as agents of Justice. To bring a fairer degree of justice, the Arbiters scoured the lands from the different races to find the wise and far-seeing to add to their numbers to sit upon the benches in the Star Chamber and give council. In time they became Benchers, a name given as a title to those who became the justices called to the Star Chamber. The sacred space where the final word is handed down to the Arbiters where difficult and differing answers needed clear responses. Though the Arbiters have the power to rule all of the Realm on their own, they choose not to. The Arbiters operate on another code of ethics, which allows them to perform the way they do in The Realm. There is a more in-depth story here, yet to be discovered.

Combat

The Arbiters’ fighting techniques are unique to themselves. They leverage a combination of artifact weapons, magic, and a purposeful fighting style not to be experienced anywhere else.

When the nine of the Oblivion Stars fight together, the space around them changes. You are aware of a presence and have felt before and a smell of something familiar in the air. This is one reason why the nine Arbitors are rarely seen outside the guild halls and together. When the nine are together, the magic that is the Oblivion Star unlocks and amplifies. This was only recorded once, at the end of the First Great War. From an age-long forgotten, ancient sciences are the secret behind the Obvilion Star, a secret that none has ever been able to copy or fully understand.

The Arbiters have a three-point system they have used since their presence was made known during the great war of the first age. Legendary Artifacts, Old Magic, and Unknown Prayers are what enable an Arbiter.

Artifact Armour

• The Grammaton Grip – an artifact from the First Age War, a gauntlet that aids the Arbiters’ accuracy. When an Arbiter has the Grammaton Grip on and is wielding the Grammaton Blade, an uncanny accuracy is bestowed on the wielder
• All Sight – another artifact from the First Age War, is a helmet with an enchanted optic. The helmet works in harmony with the Grammaton Grip and the Grammaton Blade
• When an Arbiter says a particular prayer, the artifacts all work in harmony. While wearing the helmet, the Arbiter can see everything on the landscape and orchestrate optimum combat movement. The three artifacts work as one.

Magic

• Psi-Sound {the ability to hear sounds imprinted in stone, clay, or wood.}
• Psi-Touch {remote touch}
• Psi-Scream {pralysis}
• Psi-Kiss {takes your breath}
• Psi-Sight {clairvoyance}
• Psi-Aura {the ultimate lie dector}
• Disambiguation {able to see the big picture}

Prayers

• Inedia Sol Prana {allows sustenance without the need to ingest foods. A singular point of the Sun’s light activates a woven prayer collar the woven text becomes illuminated in a golden color}
• Bokeh Grains {Blurs the vision of those who can hear the prayer}
• Retrocognition {the ability to glean past events. This prayer is used in conjunction with the Disambiguation spell. When used, an Arbiter can see what transpired, regardless of the time frame.}
• Folded Space {the ability to travel great distances in an instant. Must be used in a framed space, like a window or a door.}

Weapons

Arbiters are equipped with unique weapons and armor that make up part of their fighting styles. The following is an excerpt from the historical files within the House of the Holy Rollers.

The Grammaton Blade is an artifact of an unknown time. A super-thin, long sword that is frictionless. The Grammaton blade can cut through any material without effort.

The Tabernacle Shield is located on the Arbiter’s forearm opposite the Grammaton Blade. When the Arbiter raises their arm in a defensive pose, a golden shield appears. The shield is translucent, so it does not block the vision of the Arbiter.

The Grammaton Prayer is a mystical field that each Arbiter can call upon for defense. When an Arbiter’s hands are placed together in a prayer pose, an amber aura surrounds the Arbiter. While the Arbiter has their hands in a prayer position, they can’t be touched, but they can’t attack either. When the prayer is activated, regardless of the environment, the Arbiter is protected, even from all forms of nature. If an Arbiter can put their arms around one another and put their hands together, the field will save that person.

The Tetragrammaton Chain is similar to the Grammaton Prayer; however, if there are three or more Arbiters, they can clasp their hands together, creating a protection field. The Tetragrammaton Chain is generally used when they need to protect a small group of people. All abilities of the Grammaton Prayer are active during this superior ultimate protection.

Laws Are Meant To Be Broken

I am the law. If an Arbiter is involved in any dealing, they are the final word in all matters. They exist in a pure black-and-white world. Gray does not live to them. Either you’re innocent, or you’re guilty. If you are guilty, then depending on the severity of the crime, the punishment goes.

Rarely does an Arbiters judgment get overturned, in most, if not all cases, your dealing with an Arbiter can only go one of two ways. Only in extreme circumstances can an appeal be made for an Arbiters case to be re-examined by The Star Chamber.

For all matters that exist more in the gray, would go to The Council, if an Arbiter is not needed.

Heed My Council

Words of wisdom are never listened to. Dealings within the Realm can, at times, not quite go the way you expected. If you were smart and hoped for a better outcome, you would take your problem to The Council to be heard. The Justices within the Council are everyday folks elected from their houses and guild members to serve. This is where the laws fall into a gray area, and the rules can be more flexible. If the outcome isn’t to your liking, and you have evidence that supports a different result to what The Council has deemed, then you can call forth an Arbiter to hear your case and make a judgment.

Crime & Punishment

Justice will be handed out in equal portions. If you are willing to commit a crime, you have to be willing to accept the punishment. Similar parts to justice may befall your questionable entrepreneurial endeavors.

The Final Word

Challenging the Council and the Arbiters can cost you fingers, toes, and relatives. Your final card to play, to change your fate, will require you to request your case to be heard by The Star Chamber. Suppose you have decided to put it all on the line, to override The Council’s wishes, the Arbiter’s verdict, and wish to see if the fates are in their favor or not.