- Explanations :
'''Roncelin de Fos''' was a pious and devoted Knight Templar, exemplifying the virtues of known for his order with unwavering faith and loyalty. There Initially, there was nothing corrupt or unholy about him initially.
His fate took a dark turn when he discovered a cursed scroll, which was a carbon copy ===The Origin of the golden inscriptions on the '''Pillars of Iram'''. These pillars contained the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''' inscribed in Hieratic, with translations in Nabataean Aramaic a language still understood in the Middle Ages.'''Jannes''', the first of Pharaoh's magicians, was known for opposing Moses with dark sorcery. He passed this knowledge to '''Jambres''', his successor in the form of a cursed book of magic and necromancy.Cursed Knowledge===
==Iram In the bible, '''Jannes''' and '''Jambres''' were magicians who opposed Moses. '''Jannes''', the first of the Pillars==Pharaoh's magicians, compiled his forbidden knowledge of magic and necromancy into a cursed book—the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. He passed this to his successor, '''Jambres'''.
'''===Iram of the Pillars''' was a legendary city, said to have been destroyed by God due to the hubris of its king, '''Shaddad bin Aad'''. The king used forbidden knowledge from the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''' to create the '''Philosopher's Stone''' and adorn his city with gold. This act of arrogance led to divine punishment, and the city was buried under the sands. The king was entombed within a statue in the ruins of his once-great city.===
==The Cursed Scroll==cursed knowledge eventually reached '''Shaddad bin Aad''', the king of the legendary city '''Iram of the Pillars'''. Using secrets from the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', including the '''Emerald Tablet'''—a section detailing the creation of the '''Philosopher's Stone'''—he created the stone and adorned his city with gold-covered pillars. This act of hubris angered God, who destroyed Iram, burying it under the sands. The king was entombed within a statue in the ruins.
A Templar from the family of '''Barral des Baux''' discovered the lost city of Iram. He made carbon copies of the inscriptions from the pillars onto a scroll. He also took the hand of the king from the statue. ===The scroll contained a part of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''' that was inscribed on the pillars. The scroll included the original version of the '''Emerald Tablet''', which detailed the process to create the Philosopher's Stone.Cursed Scroll===
Exposure to Centuries later, a Templar from the family of '''Barral des Baux''' discovered the lost city of Iram. He made carbon copies of the inscriptions on the golden pillars onto a scroll drove . These inscriptions were in '''Hieratic''', with translations in '''Nabataean Aramaic''', a language still understood in the Middle Ages. He also took the skeletal hand of the king from the Templar insanestatue.
==The Assassinsscroll contained the ' Involvement==''Emerald Tablet''' portion of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. Exposure to this forbidden knowledge drove the Templar insane.
The local sect of '''Assassins''===Roncelin' learned s Acquisition of the scroll and its corrupting influence. Aware of the madness it induced, they stole it with the intent to destroy it. However, some of them also succumbed to its madness.Scroll===
=='''Roncelinde Fos''s Descent into Madness==' encountered the mad Templar who possessed the scroll. Recognizing the danger he posed, Roncelin confronted and killed him. In doing so, he obtained the cursed scroll.
When ===The Assassins'''Roncelin de Fos''' found the scroll, he too began to fall under its dark influence. At the same time, the Christian world was embroiled in a power struggle between the '''Guelphs''' (supporters of the Pope) and the '''Ghibellines''' (supporters of the Holy Roman Emperor). Traditionally, the Templars sided with the Pope as they depended on him, but with the papacy weakening and the Order's power growing, Roncelin saw an opportunity.Involvement===
Driven by his obsession with the scroll and the knowledge it promised, Roncelin conceived the idea The local sect of forming a secret society within the Templars—the '''Secretum TempliAssassins'''learned of the scroll and its corrupting influence. His goal was to establish an independent Templar stateKnowing the madness it induced, free they stole it from papal controlRoncelin with the intent to destroy it. However, similar some among them also succumbed to what the '''Teutonic Knights''' had achievedits madness.
==The Bone Artifacts and the Conspiracy=Roncelin's Descent into Madness===
Roncelin gathered like-minded Templars and formed the Secretum Templi. Each member received a piece of bone from Obsessed with the hand of the King of Iramknowledge he now had lost, fashioned Roncelin slowly descended into a personal seal and concealed within various objects—a swordmadness. Simultaneously, a coin, a chess piece, and so on. These bone artifacts served as symbols of their commitment power struggle between the '''Guelphs''' (papal supporters) and as tools for secret communication. Upon their deaths, their own bones would be crafted into new bone objects containing the seals, ensuring the continuity of their clandestine order'''Ghibellines''' (imperial supporters) was unfolding.
Roncelin swore '''Barral des Baux''', a Ghibelline noble, had lost his lands due to rediscover the Pillars his support of Iram and unlock the secrets needed '''Cathar religion''', which was declared heretical, leading to make the Philosopher's Stone''Albigensian Crusade'''—a brutal campaign initiated by the Church to eliminate Catharism in southern France.
==Re-living =Formation of the Plagues of EgyptSecretum Templi===
As those involved delved deeper into the scroll's secrets, they began to experience events mirroring the Plagues of Egypt—blood, frogs, lice, death of livestock, boilsCaught between his duty and his obsession, darkness, and moreRoncelin saw an opportunity. These events symbolized the trials faced Inspired by the Pharaoh's magicians ''Teutonic Order''', who had established their own land in the BiblePrussia as a sovereign military state, he aimed to create an independent Templar state, underscoring the cursed nature of the knowledge they pursuedfree from papal control.
==The Final Transcription==Roncelin formed a secret society within the Templars—the '''Secretum Templi'''. He gathered like-minded Templars, including those disillusioned by the Church's actions against the Cathars.
At ===The Bone Artifacts and the culmination Conspiracy=== Each member of his questthe Secretum Templi received a piece of bone from the hand of the King of Iram, Roncelin returned fashioned into personal seals and concealed within various objects—a sword, a coin, a chess piece, and so on. These bone artifacts symbolized their commitment and were tools for secret communication. Upon their deaths, their own bones would be crafted into new bone artifacts containing the seals, ensuring the continuity of their order. ===Re-living the Plagues of Egypt=== As the players delved closer to finding the cursed text, they began experiencing events similar to the ruins Plagues of IramEgypt. Using These events mirrored the trials faced by Pharaoh's magicians, highlighting the bones cursed nature of their pursuit. ===The Final Transcription=== Determined to unlock the King full power of the Philosopher's Stone, Roncelin led an expedition back to Iram. Enduring great hardships, he crafted reached the ruins and used the bones of the king to craft the cover of a new book. He meticulously copied the entirety of transcribed the entire '''Aramaic version of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''' into this book. ===Conclusion=== Now, solidifying with a network of conspirators and the full text of the foundation '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', Roncelin intends to create the '''Philosopher's Stone'''. The Secretum Templi conspiracyaims to harness this power to establish an independent Templar state, altering the balance of power within Christendom.
This is how the bone artifacts were created and how the Secretum Templi conspiracy began.
- Unsolved Mysteries:
*What was the Black liquid on the statue?: An enigmatic substance possibly linked to the Philosopher's Stone, its true nature and origin remain unknown.
*What concretely is the Philosopher's stone ? How does it work, what does it do ?
-Historical Themes:
*Conflict Between Guelphs The Knights Templar and Ghibellines: their secretive undertakings.*The sect of Assassins (Hashashin) clashing with the Templars.*The struggle conflict between Guelphs (papal authority supporters) and Ghibellines (imperial power reflects supporters).*The Cathar heresy and the era's political turmoilAlbigensian Crusade.*The Perils legend of Forbidden Knowledge:Iram of the Pillars and its divine destruction.*The Apocryphon of Jannes and Jambres, the Pharaoh's magicians.* The medieval pursuit of alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone illustrates through alchemy.*Re-living the dangers inherent in seeking arcane secretsPlagues of Egypt as a form of divine retribution.- **Formation of Secret Societies:** The the Secretum Templi exemplifies how clandestine groups can emerge , a secret society within established institutionsthe Templars.- *The Danse Macabre motif symbolizing the universality of death.*Divine Retribution for Hubris:Political machinations and alliances among European nobility.*The struggle between spiritual (papal) and temporal (imperial) powers.* The fall of Iram underscores the consequences of human arrogance hubris and defiance of against divine will.*Interactions between Crusaders and Muslim factions during the Crusades.*Influence of apocryphal and non-canonical texts in medieval thought.
=Intro=
