Scholarly Order of the Azurejay

The Scholarly Order of the Azurjay, often shortened simply to the Azurejays, are a Chivalric Order headquartered in Sylvestri Point, strongly allied with the other institutions of San Sylvester there. As a chivalric order in the Bastonian system of knighthoods, they perform important paramilitary and religious functions throughout Zeemarch and oftentimes points abroad. They are an ancient order and, as is true of many Sylvestrite organizations, combine arcane and divine magic alongside their martial training; their order makes up the sum total of formal training options for the Magus class in Bastonia.

The commanding officer of the Scholarly Order is known as its Vizier and is elected from the surviving ranking officers on the death or retirement of their predecessor. The Vizier, together with all other officers in the order, owes fealty to the Duke of Zeemarch in traditional recognition of the close relationship between San Sylvester and the city of Oversea.

The blazon of the Scholarly Order is Azure, a book imprinted 13, in chief argent, referencing the Thirteen Theses of San Sylvester, the holy writings of the Saintly Magician. High Ranking Officers, especially those who have been knighted, are further entitled to an additional blazon: 'Azure party chief argent, a book imprinted 13, in chief a bluejay, though most such officers are nobility in thieir own right and by dispensation carry their personal arms impaled sinister to the order's arms.

The Scholarly Order refers to its internal subdivisions as "schools", and the fortifications those schools occupy often become centers of arcane academia in their surrounding area. These schools are scattered to one degree or another throughout all of Bastonia, particularly in the Frontier Counties (where there are new maps to chart and new ruins to evaluate) and in The North, to protect the Order's interest in the trade of Arcwhale Oil.

Many in the peasantry view the members of the Scholarly Order as aloof, foppish, and soft. This reputation is only partially accurate - while the Scholarly Order is less likely to intervene in minor conflicts and monster hunts than some of their companion orders, happy is the general who can command a squadron of Azurejays, and history is full of examples of the Scholarly Order being the decisive element on the battlefield.