Kokori
Leaders of other two schools unknown
Kokori, the College of Worms, is a Ghol-Gani university dedicated to Mother Kor, a Ghol-Gani deity, and one of the greatest libraries of magical knowledge produced by that empire. Located deep in the Kaava Lands and avoided by local humanoids, Kokori has largely stood intact after Earthfall destroyed Ghol-Gan. It was once connected to Iadara by an aiudara known as Wormgate.1
Description
Kokori consists of three massive stone ziggurats surrounded by a campus of low stone walls, plazas, and algae-choked reflecting pools, connected at various heights by several 30-foot-tall stone bridges. Each ziggurat has a single 20-foot-tall metal door leading to the interiors, each with a red, a grey, and a white door.1
Research
From within the ziggurats, Mother Kor's priests sent stone guardians to bring back intelligent creatures to be sacrificed to their goddess, who would then reveal secrets in the corpses. In so doing, Kokori's professors made shocking advances in magical knowledge.1
Relations with elves
Although Ghol-Gan's elven allies found the sacrifices disgusting, they were convinced to look away because only convicted criminals were used as victims and the results were revealing. Even as Ghol-Gan descended into depravity and the elves began to distance themselves, Kokori remained so valuable that Wormgate was kept intact long after other links to Ghol-Gan had been shut down.1
Three schools
The College of Worms' studies were divided into three schools, based on three prime elements of a corpse. In descending order of prestige, they were the Bloodworkers, the Students of Ivory, and the Flensers. The Bloodworkers transfused blood from the dying into themselves to receive revelations, crafted blood golems and homunculi, and distilled their knowledge into injectable hallucinogens. The Students of Ivory caused bones to emerge from scrimshaw-covered victims, earning a legendary reputation with codes and puzzles, and maintained an underground library consisting of countless skeletons animated to defend the knowledge written on their bones. The Flensers revealed internal tattoos hidden under skin and flesh that illustrated secrets, maps, and ancient histories; they transcribed them into scrolls made from tanned skin. They also crafted zombies and flesh golems, harvested reagents from organs, and wore their victims' skins as disguises or to absorb some of their owners' power.1
History post Earthfall
When Earthfall hit, the scholars of Kokori retreated deep into their lairs and turned themselves into undead to survive. Fearing an invasion, Wormgate was closed by Iadara's authorities, and its knowledge kept secret from the College of Worms.1
In the following years, the three schools have come to distrust each other, raiding each other's libraries and sacrificing each other when suitable subjects are unavailable. While the professors never leave their catacombs, their servitors abduct victims from both the surrounding jungles and tunnels leading lower into Reguare. Recently, Khalzhor Ru has learnt of the nature of Wormgate, but the aiudara has yet to be reactivated, as the schools came to blows over how to proceed: a resumption of scholarly exchange, vengeance, and sacrifices; or the transformation of Iadara into a new Ghol-Gan.1
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 . “Lost Aiudara” in Against the Scarlet Triad, 75. Paizo Inc., 2019