Golden Pyramid

Motto

Power begets wealth; wealth begets Power

The Manifesto

The Order of the Golden Pyramid holds the following to be true:

• Magic is a commodity like any other, and its practitioners should not be subjected to any undue expectation or requirement
• The talents of the Empire's artisans are no less a valuable magical resource than spellcasting and rituals
• Magic has the power to strengthen by enriching and prospering

The Order of the Golden Pyramid therefore exists to:

• Stand up for those magicians who are pressured to use their skills for free, like a servant or slave
• Support the application of magical resources in matters of economic gain that inevitably bring prosperity to the Empire as a whole
• Stand up for the artisans and promote their interests across the Empire

Symbol

The most popular symbol of the order is a step pyramid of three levels with bronze at the bottom, silver in the middle, and gold at the top.

Membership of the Order

This Golden Pyramid appeals to artisan-magicians and magicians versed in economic magic (from Rampant Growth and Blood and Salt through Rivers of Gold all the way to Verdant Bounty of the Twilight Bayou and Hallow of the Green World). After the Sevenfold Path this is the order that has the largest number of magician-priests, albeit usually priests dedicated to Prosperity. Its members work to enrich themselves, but they also safeguard the rights of magicians to expect fair recompense for their magic. They are often at odds with the Rod and Shield.

The Order of the Golden Pyramid began as a reaction against a perceived culture of entitlement; as the nations increasingly assumed that magicians should donate their skills to the Empire for free. Since their creation many members have supported the right of artisans, as well as magicians, to have a voice in the Conclave; but this attitude is far from universal within the Order. At its most altruistic, the Order tries to represent the interests of artisans as fellow practitioners of esoteric lore, and often approaches them for support and funding.

Funding the Order
12 Crowns	14 crystal mana
25 Crowns	26 crystal mana
44 Crowns	36 crystal mana
60 Crowns	44 crystal mana
72 Crowns	50 crystal mana

As befits an order fascinated by wealth, members of the Order often strive to cultivate good relations with the Bourse and magicians who also occupy Bourse seats are often actively wooed by the Golden Pyramid. When it works well, this relationship gives the Golden Pyramid access to the wealth of the Bourse on behalf of other members of the Conclave, and the Pyramid has been adroit at using this access for political capital. Even when their influence in the Bourse is limited, the Golden Pyramid has a tradition of encouraging the performance of economic rituals to garner support or influence with Imperial citizens who own businesses, mines, forests, fleets, and mercenary warbands.

Members of the Golden Pyramid traditionally consider it completely acceptable, even expected, for their Grandmaster to gain their position by open bribery. It is also common for the grandmaster to take advantage of their access to wealthy patrons to help fund the order.

Conclave vault

Each summit, the Conclave vault of the Golden Pyramid garners a pro rata share of the Font based on the precedence of the orders at the previous summit; a portion of ilium based on their position among the orders as determined by precedence; and additional materials due to outstanding bequests.

These bequests are collected by the Civil Service and provided to the Grandmaster at the start of each summit.

• Two ingots of green iron have come from the town of Kosti in return for support provided by the Order during the Thule invasion of Karsk in 368YE.
• Three measures of beggar's lye have come from Little Ribston, a quiet settlement in Birchland. The bequest began in 368YE and involves recognition of support offered to Emperor Walter during his ascent to the Throne.
• Three ingots of orichalcum come from the Yesun family of Faraden, as part of a deal made in 305YE involving a ritual text of Revelation of the Jewel's Sparkling Heart.
• Three measures of ambergelt have come from the Carmine Band of Regario since 206YE and will continue for as long as they promote the interests of artisans across the Empire.
• Three ingots of orichalcum come from the miners at Crimson Peak Mining since Summer 386YE for as long as mine remains operational.
• Two wains of mithril from Fundindelve with the completion of the Grand Lodge in Clisearn.

Grand Lodge

In Winter 386YE a proposal was raised for a grand lodge in Mareave, where the order had been enthusiastically pursuing opportunities to improve the prosperity of both themselves and the Imperial Orcs. Construction was completed shortly before the Summer Solstive 387YE - just in time for the return of the Grendel. Threats were made, but ultimately the lodge was left unmolested.

The plan for the lodge came about when one of their members went rooting through the green keep, a fortified compound whose walls are wreathed in thick green vines in Clisearn. This decaying building was once home to a garrison of Stone Born who guarded both the mine and the villas of Ehsan and his supporters. The Golden Pyramid lobbied for control of the old garrison compound, and rebuilt it into something big enough to house almost any number of the order's wizards. It was expensive to build and maintain - with an upkeep to the Senate - but also provides a boost to taxation in the territory. More crucially it allows the order to extend economic cooperation right across the territory. The order now provides magicians to support mines, mana sites and businesses throughout Mareave. Crucially the order is on hand to provide vital support for the workers in the Fundindelve boosting production in the mines and providing the order with a small income of incredibly valuable mithril each season.

Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato (centre)
Grandmaster of the Golden Pyramid

Summit	Nation	Elected
Spring Equinox 387YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 386YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 385YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 384YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 383YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 382YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 381YE	The League	Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato
Spring Equinox 380YE	The League	Faustus
Spring Equinox 379YE	The League	Faustus
Spring Equinox 378YE		Edmundo i Jannat i Riqueza
Autumn Equinox 377YE		Edmundo i Jannat i Riqueza
Winter Solstice 376YE		William Boholt

Grandmaster

Each Conclave order is led by a grandmaster who is elected by their members. This title is currently held by Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato; it will be reelected at the next summit. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected as grandmaster of the order in the years since Empress Britta died.