Damascus. It is the shining jewel of Auregal.

Strategically located near the center of the continent and completely independent of the nations surrounding it, the city state of Damascus has become a beacon of hope for the peoples of a land once forced into subservience. The city has many names, but those who live near Damascus call it the Ringed City due to its unique design.

Three rings, three massive walls of stone that divide the city into major Wards. Each ring rises up above the former, moving inward, and at the peak of the tiered mountain of stone sits a glorious fortress that overlooks the entire city. In days long ago, this fortress was a nearly unconquerable seat of power for a darkness so deep that it suffocated the world.

Now, its great walls and Keep represent safety and prosperity for those who choose to live there. And many do! Damascus is a home for all races, all missions, all creeds, not least of all because that fortress which once protected and guarded a tyrant is now the central headquarters to an Organization that seeks to prevent a tyrant from ever taking up the throne again - The Order of Dawn.

This is the city in which our story begins, in that very impregnable fortress, overlooking the city. The Keep, made of marble and stone, shines brilliantly in the morning light that shines through the nearby windows, and as per usual it is bustling with a number of different Order of Dawn recruits, scribes, and veterans.

The five of you find yourselves waiting in an closed area towards the back of the Keep, in a solemn chamber that is known by all Order of Dawn members - the Chamber of Requiem. Here, the hustle and bustle of the rest of the Keep is far away, and you hear only silence and the sound of your allies' breathing.

The chamber is a large circular room of marble that stretches far upwards, with five statues that loom up to support the vaulted ceiling. As you look around, you recognize all of them easily - Sunscales, Honor, Aberford, Armaldo, and Aredhel. They are the Figures of Dawn, the legendary heroes that destroyed the Great Evil so many years ago, and who founded the Order in their image.

The Walls that stretch between these figures are made of a similar white marble, and they hum faintly with magic. On each wall, you can see thousands of names, shifting, glowing, and in every conceivable language, stretching from the floor to the ceiling. These are the names of the Order of Dawn veterans who have fallen in battle, sacrificing their lives to keep the peace.

One day, your names too may decorate those somber walls, a reminder to all of the serious nature of their duty.

The Five of you stand at attention in the center of this sacred room. You were summoned here shortly after returning from your final mission with your temporary Order of Dawn team, and told to wait for further instructions.

Standing a short distance away, at the top of a short set of stairs that leads to the back of the room, is another figure.

The figure turns to greet you all, and to your wonder, he is an Aasimar. His skin is delicate and pale, and his eyes shine with a captivating brilliance. He is dressed in full plate armor, the plates inscribed with blazing suns across his chest and shoulders, and he regards you all with a warm smile that seems to put you at ease, almost against your will.

“It is good that all of you are able to stand here today. It means that you are finally ready. Ready to take up the cause of the Order.”

He begins, his deep voice echoing across the chamber to you.

“For the last 5 years, you have proven yourselves worthy. You have faced every test, every challenge, and every obstacle with determination, and emerged victorious. My name is Amadeus, and today, I welcome you to the ranks of the Order of Dawn.”

He salutes all of you in the typical Order of Dawn manner, a closed fist that is placed over the heart, before continuing.

“You have been chosen, like every recruit before you, to be a part of something greater. Look around you.” He pauses for a moment, allowing you to examine your fellows. “You now share a bond with the men and women around you that is more sacred than family, that runs deeper than blood. They are your squad now, your allies, and from now until death, your fates will be aligned.”

He steps down from his elevated platform now, carrying a platter covered by multiple pieces of silken cloth, and approaches the group, standing in front of Atonement first.

“Champion. Your words and will are powerful. It is on your shoulders to protect the innocent, condemn the unjust, and lead your squad to greatness. Do you accept this burden?”

Atonement stands at attention, except for his thin viper like tail that keeps lightly swaying back and forth against the floor giving away his nervousness and excitement. His black hair is combed and slicked back around his horns that curve up and back along his head. He is wearing a sage green doublet, black pants and black shoes which seem to complement his ash gray skin and the soft glow of his sliver eyes; he also has a brass pendant hanging from around his neck. At some point early in the speech his hand quietly taps out a rhythm against his leg and he start to sing under his breath; those right next to him could possibly make out him saying:
"Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus
Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus
Amadeus, Amadeus, oh, oh, oh Amadeus"

Atonement, zoned out repeating his little song, doesn't initially register the approach of Amadeus until he is right in front of him and has finished asking Atonement his question. After a quick shake of his head to snap himself back, he places a closed fist over his heart giving the Order of Dawn salute and answers, "I accept this burden and responsibility", his voice deep and sounding a little sheepish, knowing he should have been paying better attention. 

If Amadeus heard Atonement's whispered song, he gives no indication, except perhaps for a small smirk at the corner of his mouth that comes upward at your reply. He nods deeply, and then removes a piece of black silk from the platter he is carrying, revealing what is underneath - a silver sun, shaped in the same pattern that adorns his chest plate. 

"This is your sigil, Champion. Carry it with you wherever you go, as a symbol of our Order and its purpose." He offers you the silver symbol, and as you pick it up, you feel a deep magical pulse resonate within you, its origin the object itself. The magic appears as a golden ring, that ripples out from your hand and expands until it traces all the way to the walls of the room, travelling upwards until it reaches the ceiling and dissipating there.

"It is bound. May you shine brightly." Amadeus continues, stepping back with the platter of silk. He walks a few steps down the line, now standing in front of Seraphine.

"Breaker. You possess great power and strong instincts. It is on your shoulders to destroy the enemies of the Order, and lead your allies to the highest honor in battle. Do you accept this burden?"

Seraphine waits patiently for her place in the ceremony. For what it was worth, she was dressed in her finest for the event, wearing a simple black tunic and cloak. The hood was pulled down to reveal her crimson hair, braids making their way around the crown of her head. Along the side of her face and down her neck, a line of red dragon scales gave witness to her heritage, and the sweet aroma of smoke hung about her like a cloud. Like all her clothes, the hems, especially around the arms, were singed from her magical flames.

Five years ago, she would not have had the patience to wait her turn, nor could she have stomached the smug goodness billowing off their Aasimar host. But that was before she was rescued from the gallows by the order, and now she accepts the burden of the order with, if not joy, a ready acceptance. At the very least, it should give her the opportunity to burn things.

At the Aasimar's words, she returns the traditional salute of the Order, her slender, dexterous form executing it perfectly. "I accept the burden and the responsibility", she enunciated, mirroring her colleagues words.

Amadeus nods, once again removing a piece of black silk and revealing a new silver symbol. This piece of silver has been shaped into two axes crossing one another.

"This is your sigil, Breaker. Carry it with you wherever you go, as a symbol of our Order and its purpose."

When you pick up the symbol, you feel the same magical pulse through your body, rippling out over the room around you in a golden ring.

"It is bound. May you shine brightly." 

As expected, once the ring of magic fades, Amadeus then steps in front of Ethan. 

"Scholar. You possess great knowledge and an unending curiosity. It is on your shoulders to chronicle your allies' story, and to make discoveries that advance the Order's knowledge into the unknown. Do you accept this burden?"

Ethan came closer to the aasimar. He tried not to show how much he disliked all this gawdy grandeur. He knew what the work of the Order entailed, how far from exalted and glorious their day-to-day was. These ceremonies reminded him greatly of his life among soldiers, when commanders would make the same profound speech years after years, inspire them only to put back in dirt the day after. But he quickly composed himself. The job is a job, after all. He has his rituals and the Order has theirs. He looked directly into Amadeus eyes.

"I accept."

As you look directly into Amadeus' eyes, you can see a deep and passionate resolve that lies under the surface. He nods, removing the black piece of silk in front of you, and revealing a silver pen. 

"This is your sigil, Scholar. Carry it with you wherever you go, as a symbol of our Order and its purpose."

When you pick up the symbol, you feel the same magical pulse through your body, rippling out over the room around you in a golden ring.

"It is bound. May you shine brightly." 

Amadeus then takes another step, and stands before Mirim.

"Cloak. Your hands are nimble and your mind sharpened. It is on your shoulders to solve problems through any means necessary, and remove the obstacles that block your allies' Paths. Do you accept this burden?"

Mirim, a young, grey-skinned tiefling, stops braiding her light grey, almost white, hair for a second. Her simple, yet colourful, clothes swish as she shuffles impatiently and she cranes her head to look up the aasimar "Uh... yes, of course!" She stands to attention, her tail flicking and eyes twinkling with excitement. 

Amadeus nods reassuringly and reveals a silver dagger, no larger than the size of your palm.

"This is your sigil, Cloak. Carry it with you wherever you go, as a symbol of our Order and its purpose."

When you pick up the symbol, you feel the same magical pulse through your body, rippling out over the room around you in a golden ring.

"It is bound. May you shine brightly." 

Finally, Amadeus takes one more moment to step before Chaenath, meeting her eyes.

"Pioneer. You possess a relentless wisdom and a deep connection to nature. It is on your shoulders to guide the Order through darkness, and lead your allies to new places, far from civilized lands. Do you accept this burden?"

Chaenath calmly returns his gaze. A barely recognizable smile appears on her face at the expression "civilized lands", but it's gone in the next second.

"I accept."

Amadeus nods a final time, and reveals to you your sigil: a silver oak tree, its branches spread apart widely.

"This is your sigil, Pioneer. Carry it with you wherever you go, as a symbol of our Order and its purpose."

When you pick up the symbol, you feel the same magical pulse through your body, rippling out over the room around you in a golden ring.

"It is bound. May you shine brightly." 

Once the ripple fades, he steps back now, walking over to the elevated steps at the back of the room that he began on, and observes you all with a smile.

"From now until death, you are all bound now to this place. The magic that you observed has connected your lives to these walls. Whether you die today, tomorrow, or 100 years from now, your name too will adorn the ever shifting memorial in this room, as all of your brothers and sisters in arms have before you. You are no longer recruits. Welcome to the Order of Dawn." 

He offers you all a final salute, before breathing out what appears to be a sigh of relief. He seems to visibly relax, and he regards you with the same warm smile, but now there is a slight twinkle in his eyes that wasn't there before.

"Well, now that the pomp and circumstance is over, I suppose I should introduce myself to you further. You know my name, but I'll also be your dispatcher for the foreseeable future, and your chief liaison with the rest of the Order. I'm new to the role, so be gentle with me." He chuckles a bit, and continues. 

"As for the sigils you have now, those are yours to keep. Use them as you wish, as they prove your membership to the Order, and their magical signature makes them difficult to forge. That means that they make for easy proof of who you are. There are also a few additional functions."

He points to Ethan. "Scholar. Your Sigil, while shaped like a quill, does not write normally, but instead is magically linked to our communications wing here at the Order of Dawn headquarters. If you spend some time attuning yourself to it, you can trace your writings in the air and it will magically connect to a quill and we will receive your message. We can't respond back, however, so typically it's used to submit reports on your progress while out in the field."

Next, he looks to Chaenath. "Your Sigil, Chaenath, is a little more practical. If you ever become lost, attune to your Sigil and it will attempt to point you towards the nearest branch of the Order of Dawn. It only works within a certain range, so don't count on it too much, but it may be helpful when you're traveling the roads and Wilds."

Finally, he looks to Atonement, and his expression becomes more somber for a moment. "And you, Champion. Your Sigil is perhaps the most important of all. If you ever find yourself and your team in mortal danger, and there is no hope left, reach out to the Sigil you bear, and it will notify us, roughly, of your location. It is unlikely that anyone from the Order would be able to arrive in time to save you, but we will be alerted to the potential threat, and we may be able to collect your bodies."

He pauses for a moment, allowing that to sink in. He is pacing a bit now, back and forth.

"Before we get into the details of your first assignment, do you lot have any questions about anything that we've covered so far?"

Seraphine thinks for a second before asking, "Do our symbols serve any other purpose?" As she says this, she nods meaningfully toward her other colleagues with more mundane sigils.

"Ah, Seraphine, isn't it?" Amadeus replied, sweeping his hair back with his hand. "I was told about you specifically. Quite a firecracker, I've heard." He winks, still smiling.

"No, I'm afraid at the moment only those three Sigils described have any additional magical features at this time, as it relates directly to their responsibilities for the Order. Fret not, however! You're bound to find your own magical trinkets and weaponry during your travels. It's quite common in our line of work! "

He looks to Seraphine and the others and awaits any other questions.

Satisfied with the answer, Seraphine settled into the silence, idly creating sparks with her hands as she waits. A section of her sleeve starts smoldering and she quickly extinguished it, looking around sheepishly.

Atonement looks down at the sigil in his hand, turning it over in his hand a few times before removing his pendant and working at the knot on the leather string. Once the knot is undone he weaves the two ends of the string through his sigil so that is sits behind his pendant; then reties the knot and slips the necklace over his head and around his neck. He looks over at Seraphine with a wide smile and says, "The bright side is that you and our Cloak have a little less responsibility than the rest of us." 

"Oh, don't worry," Seraphine replies, drawing the embers from her cloak into a fireball in her hand and tossing it up as if to test it's weight. It dissipates in a flash as she closes her fist and turns to face Atonement with a wry smile, "I think I'll quite enjoy my responsibilities."

Chaenath plays with her sigil in her hand, as if remembering something, then secures it on her clothes. She looks up at the exchange.

"I believe it will be fulfilling," she agrees. "As long as nothing burns that's not supposed to be," she adds, sending a small smile in Seraphine's direction.

Amadeus smiles at the back and forth between the three of you. 

"Brilliant. It seems as though you all will become fast allies. Now, unless there are further questions, I suppose we should get on to the matter at hand."

He pauses for a moment, making sure everyone is paying attention, before continuing.

"As a fresh team, I'm sure you're eager to get going, gallivanting off to some distraught nation to restore peace to the entire country." He laughs. "I was the same way. But we'll need to strengthen you up a bit first, so your first few assignments will be slow, and local. It'll let you get a good feel for how you operate as a group and also how you yourself operate as an independent member of the Order."

"To that end, your first assignment is actually right here in the city, in the Lower Wards. The Damascus Guard have informed us of a few disappearances from some of the lower income sectors of the city. It wouldn't be remarkable, except for the victims, which are... interesting, to say the least. The most recent victim was found yesterday morning near a dive tavern called the Cat Scratch Inn. The Damascus Guard were alerted and have been watching over the body ever since to make sure it hasn't been disturbed. This is where you should start your investigation. Your mission will be to discover the culprit to this string of murders and bring them to justice, using whatever methods necessary. For this particular mission, we don't expect too many complications to arise, so we'll only require one report, filed by your Scholar, after the culprit has been apprehended."

He stands a little straighter after this lengthy speech, and sizes you all up again.

"A warning - don't be fooled by what appears to be a mundane task. We wouldn't assign an Order team to a mission if we didn't feel it was necessary."

He walks forward now, towards the entrance to the chamber, and at this point, the only exit as well.

"So, mingle here as long as you like, but when you're ready, get going. You're dismissed, initiates!" 

He turns, giving you all one last salute, and then leaves you all in the memorial chamber.

Mirim checks her fingernails for dirt (Spotless) and looks to Amadeus "What was that spell you casted on us before? The enchantment one? Was that something from you as an Aasimar or were you just being a dick?" (I didn't see the last post, lets say she didn't see him leave and says this to thin air)

Seraphine stifles a giggle. "He can't be that bad. Nothing says welcome to the team better than a trip to a tavern! Who's buying the first round?"

Without waiting for a reply, Seraphine heads to the exit of the building, her cloak twirling behind her as she makes a beeline for the tavern.