"Ignorance is the curse of gods; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven."-Opening to the Tome of Insight.
The sticky smell of warm ink filled the marble halls of one of the Caelian libraries, it wafers like a gentle breeze tingling the noses of pilgrims and great thinkers alike. The sun illuminated the halls from the great windows letting in the warm vibrant beams of another day. Not that many noticed though, many had their eyes and noses buried in the large rolls of parchment or in the pages of some old tome. The only sounds came from the flipping of pages and the continual bicker of philosophers and inventers alike, discussing the ways and laws of life. The halls where filled with shelves towering so high that ladders had to be installed and entire floors built around them, all lined with tomes of all subjects. Subjects ranging from simply poetry and old maps to great ballads and maps to cities long since forgotten. Walls not totally covered with shelves are themselves walled in by random books with no room or relevance to other sections; random stacks continue to grow about on tables, window sills, and the floor. Growing taller with each passing day like stalagmites. The scholars walk around without a word, around pilgrims who stare off amazed at the vast collection. The ceiling offering great paintings of the stars as they would appear over the roof on certain days. Everything had a purpose, the floor its own calendar to mark the seasons.
Yet perhaps it is the soothing music from the harp like instruments that the angel like Illuminaries string that attracts the curious. The Illuminari with their light hair that seems to float through some invisible liquid, their beautiful pale faces shrouded in shadow by their radiant halos behind them. With each string their pale fingers, almost transparent, pluck with grace. Wings folded in like a mother dove in her roost, pressed gently against their backs as if they were made of paper. Sitting with grace they continue to play even as crowds gather around, they continue to play not just music but of stories. The music seems to permeate through the air around like an aura and fills the senses with pleasure as it slips through the physical world into one that even the Illuminari cannot see or know of. This is what brings even the merchants with no desires but of coin to venture into a place of higher knowledge. It is what makes the humans of Palamecia worship these beings as if they were still in heaven or wherever the gods reside.
Eyes seem to try and accept the concept of such beautiful figures, many cannot escape the trance. Yet just as it began the Illuminaries become aware of the pilgrims and other visitors, their fingers slow and the trance begins to break. The Illuminari opens their eyes and brings an end to the song, slowly with a pure touch. The music fades and the Illuminari stands and smiles speaking in a tongue no one can understand yet it soothes the ears and many cannot help but to continue to watch. The Illuminari changes tongues to native human Palamecian and instantly many understand. The Illuminari without a wave or parting words simply begins to walk away to open a tome or to just be in solitude. Either way they leave as if no one had been around them as if no one had noticed. The people stand unsure of what had happened and they turn away from each other. They too disappointed like the music. To look at tomes to continue with their business.
All around Caeli the scene is the same even if it is a busy center of commerce like the bazaar. Shops with customers heckling each other, rude gestures, and the like seem to cease when an Illuminari begins to walk through the throngs of people. They dirty merchant to even the cleanest noblemen parts as if they aren’t worthy to touch of the white robes that cover the Illuminari skin. Even though the city and entire nation is run by these beings they rarely venture to argue or crush foes beneath them. Rather they are like ghosts who haunt the halls of palaces or great culture. So when such a being shows itself to the people they take notice and the native humans of Palamecia lean forward in acknowledgement. The people do this on their own accord even though the Illuminaries never instilled their "divinity" to the people.
The kingdom arouse out of the first Illuminari who appeared at the site where the city now stands, on the banks of the silver lake. The early native people saw the glow of the halo and where fearful at first unsure of what to make of these strangers. It is said back then that the Illuminari taught the early humans how to speak and attain great knowledge. Yet as time went on and the city built around them the native people grew jealous and revolted against their sage like leaders. The Illuminari with great reluctance destroyed them with powerful magic and the language of the native people was lost. Leaving only the devoted whose decedents still live today. Yet the city was just that a city state. The greater challenge and eventually becoming a kingdom was to pass eventually. Yet for the dead the Illuminari wept and their tears engorged the lake to its current level. The ancient Illuminari vowed never to use their ultimate magic in an offensive manner and secluded themselves, which is why the present Illuminari often keep to themselves.