Factions

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Description

Master of the Mystic Arts
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The Masters of the Mystic Arts are the premier wizards on Earth, charged with the protection of the Earth from intra-dimensional threats. The Masters were founded by Agamotto, a legendary wizard of Ancient Egyptian origin, who later became a god alongside the Vishanti. After his ascension, Agamotto left behind the Eye and the Orb, tools that the leader, the Sorcerer Supreme, would use to ensure the safety of all mankind.

However relatively shortly after the ascension of Agamotto, the early Masters left Egypt after the burning of the Great Library, one of the first Sanctums in the world. They fled to Baghdad, but eventually settled in the Himalayan kingdom of Kamar-Taj, which eventually became part of Lhasa in Tibet. The Masters incorporate the rich philosophical traditions of Buddhism and Stoicism into their teachings.

Headquarters
Kamar-Taj is a sprawling complex high in the mountains, linked to Lhasa by a permanent portal door yet otherwise inaccessible. Inside lay the greatest treasures produced by the Mystics of all ages, the Library of Kamar-Taj. Inside are the most valuable and rare magical tomes ever gathered on earth since the Great Library, containing the Book of Cagliostro, the Book of the Vishanti, and the original manuscripts of hundreds of thousands of mystics throughout all time.

Here, the majority of the apprentices learn how to center themselves emotionally, how to fight in one of the Asian martial arts traditions, and most importantly, the skills to becoming a powerful wielder of Eldritch Magic.

New York Sanctum
The Sanctum was founded in the 17th Century by the Masters from the London and Lyon Sanctums on a now accessible point historically on a large spike of magic. Built, then renovated as a Neo-Tudor townhouse in the 19th Century, the Sanctum is one of the largest and most important Sanctums, containing many powerful artifacts. It is located at 177a Bleecker Street. For those uninitiated in the Mystic Arts or otherwise magically non-perceptive, the New York Sanctum is seen as a local kiosk.

London Sanctum
The Sanctum was founded in the 11th Century by monks from the Lyon Sanctum in what is now Elephant and Tower. The London Sanctum was formally part of and disguised as a monastery, and served as a hospital until the English Civil War, when the Master of the Sanctum was reprimanded for trying to intervene. The Sanctum was renovated in part in the 18th century to resemble the sleek black interior of 10 Downing Street. To those uninitiated, the London Sanctum is a double-decker tour company.

Lyon Sanctum
The Lyon Sanctum was founded in the 2nd Century during the reign of Emperor Trajan. At that time, Lyon was the capital of the most wealthy province in present day France. Though attempts have been made to transfer the Sanctum over to Paris, the Lyon Sanctum remains operational. During the French Revolution and World War II, the Sanctum was evacuated to the London Sanctum, and only a few relics remain in the sanctum itself. However, the Lyon Sanctum is famous for containing the relics of continental Europe, including the sword of Charlemagne, the Holy Hauberk of Henry, and others.

Alexandria Sanctum
The oldest Sanctum, the Alexandra Sanctum is built on the ruins of the Great Library of Alexandria. To the uninitiated, the Sanctum appears as a boarded-up coffee shop on the harbor. The Alexandria Sanctum features a large tunnel system connecting to the Roman and Egyptian catacombs underneath the city, with caches of ancient knowledge hidden throughout. The interior is a time capsule, hearkening back to the glory of Ancient Egypt with granite columns, magical inscriptions in hieroglyphs on the walls, and thousands upon thousands of scrolls.

Babylon Sanctum
The Babylon Sanctum is the second oldest Sanctum in the world, founded in the late 1st millennium BCE. To the uninitiated, the Sanctum appears as a pile of rubble. The relics and artifacts formerly kept in the Babylon Sanctum have been moved to the Alexandria and Kamar-Taj Sanctums after the beginning of the Iraq War. Given the hostile climate, the Babylon Sanctum is considered the least prestigious to be assigned to, and the most dangerous.

Notable Members
The Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme (Leader)

Kaecilius, Master of the New York Sanctum (until 2016)

Daniel Drumm, Master of the London Sanctum (until 2016), Master of the New York Sanctum (2016)

Master Zhao, Librarian of Kamar-Taj (until 2016)

Wong, Master of the Hong Kong Sanctum (until 2016), Librarian of Kamar-Taj (2016)

Stephen Strange, Master of the New York Sanctum (from 2016)

Lucian

Artifacts
Book of Cagliostro (Kamar-Taj)

Book of the Vishanti (Kamar-Taj)

Cauldron of the Cosmos (New York)

Cloak of Levitation (New York)

Crocea Mors (Alexandria)

Excalibur (London)

Eye of Agamotto (Kamar-Taj)

Joyeuse (Lyon)

Muramasa Blade (Kyoto)

Necrosword (London)

Orb of Agamotto (Kamar-Taj)

Wand of Watoomb (Hong Kong)

'Mottos'

 * Attachment to the material is a path to suffering.
 * Change is inevitable and must be cherished rather than feared.
 * Talk to only what you know is true. Otherwise only listen.
 * Refrain from harming others and trivialities: focus on the task at hand.
 * Put the peace and prosperity of all over the wishes and wants of the self.
 * Everything can be reasoned, and reason is virtue that should be sought out of duty.
 * Poverty, illness, and death are not evil, merely a fact of life.