Institute

The Institutional Society of Hallifax for the Improvement of Temporal Knowledge (more commonly known as the Matrix Institute) is a learned society for science established during the earliest days after the founding of the city of Hallifax. Primarily responsible for the practice of Temporal Manipulation and the discovery of Continuum, the Institute used their understanding of Time to join together with the Aeromancers and create the Matrix. Since then, the Institute has elevated the study of Time into a Science itself, to which they still dedicate most of their research. Since their founding, the Institute has branched out and now seeks to improve knowledge of all natural and unnatural sciences through controlled experiments. The Institute is a society of learned gentlefolk who take great pride in their profession, as is reflected by their motto: 'Take nobody's word for it', which is an expression of the determination of the Fellows to withstand the domination of authority and to verify all statements by an appeal to facts determined by experiment.

The Institute is a class within the guardian archetype. Thus, they are required to take HighMagic as a common skill before being able to study Cosmic magic. Once having mastered Cosmic magic, the Institute member then specializes in Harmonics, allowing them to master the crystal technology on the Plane of the Continuum. Their main secondary skill is Rituals, which when they master will allow them to specialize in Aeonics, the study of time manipulation. At some point a member must choose either to take the Healing skill to become healers or to train in Tarot which is a more aggressive art or to study the science of Astrology. Institute members may also take Enchantment as a trade skill with a specialization in Spellcraft.

The Institutional Society Facilities

The Institutional Society maintains its guildhall and headquarters within its facilities atop the Institute spire to the southwest of the Matrix in Ward Two of the city. Within can be found laboratories, observatories, meeting spaces, lounges, offices for the Invisible College, and the mysterious Temporal Conclave.