The Ancients

Ancients

The Ancients live in plain sight and are the hidden and true guardians of what remains left after the being who sought true and complete Balance split itself into the six Artefacts. Their bond with these Artefacts allows them to know other Ancients on sight, and know when an Artifact has been abused, discovered, touched by another that isn't an Ancient, or worse... Stolen. As that is the breach and breakdown of their sacred duty. The Ancients have been assigned one task: Protect the Artifact and do not allow it to fall into the paws of the unworthy.

These beings have many traits which make them able to do this. They can remain hidden in plain sight, they disguise their ways as normal, they do everything that they can to ensure that their identity as an Ancient is completely unknown. If an identity is found and spread, then their Artifact is at risk of being stolen and taken into the wrong hands. If an Ancient spreads their name willingly, and their title, unless it is to provoke fear into the people around them, other Ancients will take steps to stop this.

However, these Ancients are powerful. Their abilities are beyond the natural, some considering them to be overpowered. Some could call down stars on their enemies, others destroy them in a single swing of their Artifact. Their abilities, even when apart from their Artifact, are incredibly powerful. Adding their Artifact to their powers causes them to able to single handedly hold off invasions against their treasure. When they are with and at one with their artefacts, only their artifacts partner, or rival, can truly stand up against them to force them to regain control. There have been incidents recorded where Ancients became maddened by their Artifact, wrongly chosen by the one before them, and had to be stripped by the others of their title and bound in dungeons to ensure the identity of the remaining Ancients remained anonymous. But as they grow older, their capability begins to dwindle and they must choose and train a successor to ensure their Artifact is kept safe.

Choosing a successor can prove to take years to do, as the Ancient walks among dragons and humans alike to try and find a worthy candidate for protecting their Artifact. Upon finding that one, they have an offer:


If the dragon, human, or humanoid chooses to, they are able to go and live, train under the Ancient and when the Ancient passes, they take their role as a hidden Ancient and take care of the Artifact. But if both the successor and the Ancient die, the partner to the Artifact takes a step in and trains a new successor while guarding the vulnerable Artifact and their own. When they are seen as competent enough, they are released to look after their Artifact and the Ancient returns home...