The Archons

Though they are gods, the Archons closely resemble people. They can be moved, angered and inspired. They think thoughts and feel emotions like people. And like people they have flaws and foibles, and profound secret strengths. They obey the laws of nature just like people.

To the best of any sage’s knowledge, the Archons have no true names. If they did then they have been long lost. Each is known by many names. There is no true organization or hierarchy to the Archons. They appear in art and song and story over and over again, often times in contradictory roles. Some stories have more popularity with a particular group or a particular area, though all understand that none of them are the one, true story.

The Archons are neither male nor female but can appear as either. The gender an Archon presents itself as depends on how it would best be seen or the part it is playing in a drama. Archons have many different names. The names listed above are the most common. For example, The Knave is also known as The Trickster, The Thief, The Jack, The Varlet, and The Skulk. Each of the different names focuses on a particular aspect of the Archon.

Archons can manifest as a being on Yore at will, and have done so many times. Usually an Archon will manifest only a portion of their essence. When an Archon manifests a form, they are often locally worshipped in that guise. In Cairn City, the wizards of the Magesterium are known to revere Lunaris the legendary Moon Mage as a manifestation of The Mage.

Archons can be prayed to and sometimes grant gifts, wishes, and miracles. Sometimes people have felt the wrath of an angered Archon. Individuals who dedicate their lives to a holy purpose can train as clerics and learn to cast cleric spells.

The Archons are:

• The Artist,
• The Counselor,
• The Doctor,
• The Knave,
• The Mage,
• The Noble,
• The Ranger,
• The Scholar,
• The Smith,
• The Stranger,
• The Warrior, and
• The Yeoman.

A bit of background first ...

A teenage boy visits his admiring, eleven year-old cousin. He finds a boy who has been devouring Greek mythology and The Hobbit. To pass the time, the teenager regales the boy with stories of his adventures. Dungeon crawls and tavern brawls, all taking place with friends around a table. When the young man departs, he leaves the boy’s imagination buzzing and his hands clutching a weathered issue of Dragon magazine. Later that year, the boy receives the Frank Mentzer, red box version of Basic Dungeons & Dragons.

Twenty-five years passed since that fateful encounter, and I, the boy, have been gaming ever since. I played many games and systems, and I read many more. Currently, I run Labyrinth Lord for a group of three players. In this blog, I will explore my campaign world and ruminate on the hobby of role playing gaming.