Canticle Kingdom Encyclopedia · Knights, Wizards & Orders
The Custodians of the Worlds
Builders Beyond Kingdoms
Spoiler level: Through The Skyward Isle
Quick Reference
- Known member: Gian, formerly Richard
- Scope: Multiple worlds
- Role: Builders, preservers, and custodians
- Collective action: They meet and determine responses to world-level threats
- Important limit: They are not primarily warriors
Custodians Rather Than Kings
The Custodians operate on a scale larger than national rule. Gian describes his kind as custodians of the worlds, including the Canticle Kingdom’s world, implying a responsibility to preserve the larger structure connecting creation rather than govern ordinary daily life.
Builders, Not Warriors
Their great power has a defined purpose. Gian explicitly says that the Custodians are builders rather than warriors. Even when confronting the Many-Named One, they rely on the Canticle Kingdom to weaken the enemy while they perform the immense work of transferring a world.
Collective Judgment
Gian does not act entirely alone. He explains that the Custodians have met and agreed on a plan, suggesting an organized body capable of collective deliberation when threats endanger more than one realm.
World Transplantation
Their most dramatic known undertaking is the planned removal of the Canticle Kingdom from the Müller music box into a larger world. The operation requires enormous magic, precise placement, and cooperation between builders and defenders.
Institutional Principles
- Preserve worlds rather than rule them
- Act collectively on large threats
- Specialize in building and transfer
- Rely on others for direct combat
- Balance extraordinary power with a defined role
Michael D. Young 