The player's character will soon enough get access to the powers of his Patron Martyr. Which Patronage the character will receive depends on the character's birthday. You can read a short history about Patron Martyrs below, and find a link to the detailed info on game mechanics of Patron Martyrs at the end of this article.

Shortly after the Cataclysm, the Great Mages observed a strange phenomenon, undoubtedly magical in nature. The timing of its emergence clearly pointed to a connection with the Astral, yet for a long time, its causes remained a mystery.

This phenomenon involved the Astral exerting magical influence over the inhabitants of the allods. Twelve magical tidal surges were observed, each possessing its own unique magical properties and effects. There was no doubt that the appearance of these "tides" was a direct consequence of the Cataclysm.

For a long time, the Great Mages were divided on the nature of this phenomenon. Many conducted experiments in an attempt to prove their theories. It soon became clear that a resident of Sarnout could undergo a specific initiation to become a "bearer" of one of the tides. This magical symbiosis grants the initiate certain powers. Identifying one adept from another was fairly simple: those who had bonded with a tide acquired a distinctive luminous halo that can be perceived with aura sight.

For years, the secret of the "Astral Tides" remained unsolved. It was not until the 10th century of the New Era that their mystery was finally unraveled.

The truth was that during the Cataclysm, many Great Mages perished, and the very mechanism for stabilizing the Astral was not developed immediately — it, too, came at a great cost. It took the lives of 12 members of the Conclave to subdue the Astral chaos. But as everyone knows, those who ascend to the rank of Great Mage — be they human or elf — gain immortality. Given this, how could it be mere coincidence that exactly 12 Astral Tides emerged after the Cataclysm — the same number as the Great Mages who sacrificed themselves to create the Ritual of Astral Stabilization?

Skrakan and Nayan remembered their names — the names of those who, even in death, continued to serve the world, just as Tenses did. Their sacrifice was not in vain: their power lingers in the world, forming the very foundation upon which the Great Mages uphold the allods. These 12 forces manifest themselves, granting the people of Sarnout a fraction of their strength.

In 921 of the New Era, the names of the 12 Patron Martyrs were made public. Each tide was given a name, and any willing individual could undergo a challenging initiation to be chosen by one of these forces. Thus, the mystical institution of the "12 Patron Martyrs" was born.

The people of the allods revere their Patrons — the 12 Great Martyrs who gave their lives for the salvation of all and continue to support every soul in this world. Each Patron Martyr has their own symbol and corresponding rune. There are 12 runes in total, just as there are 12 martyrs, and together they form the runic alphabet.