The Orders
Society — Governance
Knowledge was divided into formal Orders of competence. Each Order governs a domain of understanding and labor. Membership determines training, authority, and social standing.
| Order | Domain |
|---|---|
| Order of Measure | Mathematics, timekeeping, surveying, records of quantity |
| Order of Word | Writing, law, contracts, history, formal speech, Temple administration |
| Order of Making | Construction, stonework, metalwork, tools, fabrication |
| Order of Flame | Controlled fire, forges, furnaces, energy, light systems |
| Order of Flesh | Healing, medicine, anatomy, bodily care |
| Order of Exchange | Trade, valuation, logistics, storage, distribution |
| Order of the Greenwood | Forestry, timber, land stewardship, managed harvest, resource renewal |
| Order of Tides | Fishing, navigation, netting, preservation of catch, waterborne knowledge |
The Order of Word and Order of Measure hold elevated status as the governing Orders of the Temple of Knowledge. Senior members from these two Orders form the Arbitrium — the ruling council of Farshadow.
Society emphasized steadfastness and early commitment to minimize wasted resources. This segmentation replaced older, holistic understandings of light and vigilance.
Over time, authority increasingly flowed through the Orders rather than communal consensus. What lay outside the Orders was often dismissed as unproven, outdated, or symbolic.
See also: Sparks · The Sparkless · Temple of Knowledge