We've got another lore chapter coming our way. I had a hard time deciding between having it be about Dust or Sanctuary and realized that it might be better to combine the two for various reasons. What to expect: the history of Sanctuary in a nutshell (with parts still missing for later), bits and pieces about Dust in Ancient Legacies, and a taste at the significance of the name "Aurelius" to the lore.

In regards to the guest who reviewed chapter 11, this story is more or less what happens when you take someone that does a lot of reading and has an overactive mind and gives them something with a lot of gaps in the lore left unexplained by the holes being slowly filled in. I mean, Corca Mors was named after the sword of Julius Caesar and Sanctuary is supposed to be Remnant's Rome/Atlantis stand-in, so it's technically possible that Jaune's sword comes from Sanctuary. I never really put much thought into it, so feel free to make your own decisions in regards to that.

Chapter 12: Bisman on Dust and Sanctuary

"What is the origin of Dust you ask? I'll admit that is a slightly important question, but not the most important of all. What is Dust? When you use it, where does your will end and the Dust's power begin? Even more important than that, however, is a much more serious question: is there a difference between the two? Perhaps, one day, when you can fully understand the implications of these questions, when you can understand what nobody before me dared consider, I will answer the one you have asked me." -Aurelius, teaching several sages-in-training about Dust.

Bisman's Classroom

Bisman let out a sigh as everyone took their seats, a projector displaying a map of Draconys onto the wall behind him as he glanced over the texts on the desk. He looked up, content that he was as ready for the class as he could be as the bell rang. "Alright students, today we will be discussing two topics that, until recently, were completely unknown outside conjecture, written legends, and oral traditions: the rise and fall of Sanctuary and the origins of Dust." He waited a moment as people started whispering about it before continuing. "Now, according to legends, Sanctuary was the first true civilization in all of Remnant, and the only one to exist on Draconys to any extent. Myths state that the kingdom rose to prominence shortly after the discovery of Dust, a feat that many texts attribute to a man by the name of Aurelius, the first and most powerful of Sanctuary's so-called "Dust Sages." These were men and women who, through arts and techniques no longer practiced, were able to manipulate Dust of any form or type for various tasks."

"The Kingdom of Sanctuary, shortly after being formed, was ruled by what later became known as the "First Triumvirate," a council of three individuals that passed their position to their children on their death, and was situated in the city of Port Refuge…" He pointed to an island in the middle of the Leviathan's Gulf before images of a city appeared, the remaining buildings simple and functional. "Which a team recently sent to investigate this island has found the first physical evidence of. Now, each member of the Triumvirate was a Dust Sage, sworn to protect the people under their rulership, but the group didn't include Aurelius, who, for most of the organization's existence, lost prominence. Stories of this time frame refer to it as an age of prosperity up until forty years later, when records start to indicated that the people of the city started to feel their leaders were no longer acting entirely in their best interests."

"Approximately 70 years into the Triumvirate's reign, the name of Aurelius once again appears in reference to a man challenging the council and accusing them of being so corrupt that "they were willing to allow those outside the walls to suffer for their own personal gain." Shortly after that, all records indicate that he left the city and vanished into the wilderness, leading to a dark age of sorts where technological progress essentially stagnated under the Triumvirate and the Grimm were allowed to get ever closer to Port Refuge before the Sages made any action to stop them. Approximately 30 years later, the name Aurelius once again appears when a man comes out of the wilderness accompanied by a small group of followers to confront the Triumvirate, who eventually are forced to surrender control of the city to Aurelius, who then forms the "Second Triumvirate" to lead the kingdom properly. It is also at this time that he is believed to have founded the Rose family." He glances at the class and notices a hand go up. "Yes, Ms. Schnee?"

"You said this man, Aurelius, was the one who discovered Dust, correct?" When Bisman nodded, she continued. "H-how is it possible that he could have still been alive a full century later if that's the case?"

Bisman let out a sigh as he shrugged. "At first, I thought it was either a son of the original Aurelius or one of his apprentices taking on his name, except for the fact that both descriptions are about the same, particularly the fact they both had silver eyes, something that, apparently, was completely unique to Aurelius prior to his return." Bisman glanced at Ruby, getting a nod before continuing. "My theory is that it was, in fact, the very same person, no matter how absurd the notion is. From what I've read, the Rose family put a great deal of meaning into the flowers they shared a name with. It's said, for instance, that only a Rose could grow a natural blue or black rose, while the family went so far as to attach special meanings to each color of rose while their cloaks, a common identifier of a member of the family, were always the color of the rose that best represented their personality and what drove them."

"If someone had a red cloak, for instance, it usually meant that they sought romance and affection, or that respect, courage, and determination were the most important things to them. White represented that the Rose cared about purity, humility, and secrecy, many of them went so far as to rarely speak to outsiders unless they needed to or absolutely trusted them. Yellow often meant they valued friendship and were the most willing to work with others, even outsiders after the fall of Sanctuary. Orange often indicated that they were energetic and held anyone who saw a difficult task through to the end in high regard… Aurelius, however was called the Blue Rose, something unique among the family. They associated the blue rose with four things: the unattainable, the unknowable, prosperity, and longevity or even immortality."

"If the belief that the color of a Rose's cloak revealed vital aspects of their personality or what drives them wasn't just a whimsical belief, but a solid, unquestionable truth, we're left with this theory: Aurelius was a man who had discovered and understood things that nobody before or since could possibly even comprehend and perhaps used it to extend his own life, if not achieve a type of immortality." He paused for breath. "What is known, however, is that from this point on for the next five centuries, Aurelius is mentioned regularly as his family rises to prominence. Organizations quickly formed to defend the Kingdom and the far-flung settlements, including the Order of the Blue Rose, which most members of the Rose family were part of."

"Within a century of his return, another city appeared to the west of Point Refuge…" He pointed to the area marked as Jormungand's Plains. "Somewhere in this region, which came to be known as Sanctuary, the seat of power of the Second Triumvirate, marking a golden age as more applications for Dust were discovered, including the so-called "Lattice" Dust." He held up a piece of metal with a thin line of Dust engraved into it, dimmer than the average Burn Dust it would otherwise appear to be. "As a number of you may know, Lattice Dust is a type that doesn't disintegrate when depleted and, when used by someone with an elemental semblance that matches the basic element of the Dust, can have a certain amount of energy restored by the holder's Aura. The Dust gets its name for the fact that, unlike normal Dust that is abundant in many areas and mined by groups like the Schnee Dust Company, it is only ever found on old Draconian artifacts, where it often serves as an energy source for various weapons or other creations…"

"Another example of their creations would be the "automatons," a construct that took on one of a number of forms that was used by Sanctuary for their defense or other tasks. Each of them was, essentially, a suit of armor of various types, ranging from the size of a human or faunus to the size of an Ursa, with a few of them even capable of flight, that were powered and functioned through the use of precisely organized Lattice Dust. The fact that they are often considered sentient does raise questions about the exact nature of Lattice Dust and Dust in general, however. The complexity of their creation means that they were exceedingly rare compared to Atlesian military robots we know of today, but records show they made up for it in efficiency and skill."

"The automatons could fit into three confirmed categories, the two ground-based ones each having three subtypes. The most common were the "Sentinels," which as you can see…" An image of an empty suit of armor holding a bow appeared on the screen. "Bear a striking resemblance to the Atlesian Knights and were known to use a bow and sword, often serving as sentries and archers and were said to be the equivalent of the average human or faunus warrior." Another image of a similar suit of armor appeared, this time with a crest going from the top of the helmet down the back of it and equipped with a spear and lance. "After that we have the "Champion" variant, which was often used to defend the more agile, but less armored Sentinels, as well as to patrol within the walls of the various towns and cities. The third variant…" An image of another suit of armor, unarmed but with more ceremonial paldrons and a cape going halfway down its body, appeared. "Known as the "Prefect" was perhaps the rarest of all the Sentinel-type automatons and served as commanders of Sentinel garrisons and hunting parties when a human or faunus commander wasn't available."

He took a deep breath as an image of the Armored Knight flashed onto the screen, making Weiss pale. "After that we reach the "Goliath" type, a relatively uncommon group that was designed mainly to defend major settlements and hunt larger Grimm, such as Ursai and Deathstalkers. It's stated that each basic Goliath was meant to be able to replace a twelve-man hunting party and, while a few were brought off Draconys during the fall of Sanctuary, a peculiar instability makes them prone to either cease functioning or go on a rampage, most likely as a result of the Dust lattice powering and controlling it decaying." An image of a similar suit appeared, holding a much larger sword with two hands. "The "Juggernaut" variant was even more deadly, with it often being stated that a single Juggernaut was able to do the work of two or even three Goliaths. There are even stories of one ripping an Ursa clean in half after it embedded its sword in the face of a cliff mid-battle. Their savagery and strength meant they were useless in defending populated areas, however." Another image, this time of a suit of armor with a crest similar to the Champions and Prefects and holding a sword and shield, appeared. "Serving a similar role to the Sentinel Prefects, the "Templar" variant of the Goliath was considered a true terror on the battlefield, however, it's also stated that there were only ever a very small handful created and all but one were attached to another project elsewhere."

An image of a suit of armor with metallic wings appeared on the screen with a lance and shield in hand. "The "Archons" were the only type mentioned that were capable of flight that had a humanoid appearance. According to texts, their weapons were unique in that they could transform between a lance and a bow, allowing them to fight at range or make swift attacks on ground or aerial Grimm. It seems that some aspect of the lattice required for them to function made them preferable only for hunting Grimm in locations no other automaton could reach."

A pair of images appeared, one of a small, spherical object with an opening in the front and the other of a large object similar to an airship with Dust crystals surrounded by wings floating nearby. "Lastly, we have the "Speaker" and "Roc" aerial units, both built within the last twenty to forty years of Sanctuary's existence. While the method they used is unknown, the Speakers could apparently relay messages between various points in Sanctuary with the same ease that we could communicate with someone from Atlas, suggesting a more advanced use of the Dust lattice in each unit… Or a complete lie. Regardless, they are often attributed to how the members of the Triumvirate were able to communicate so quickly considering the vast distances between their respective territories. The Roc, however, seems to play a similar role to the Bullheads of today through use of Gravity Dust to keep it airborne, thought the exact use or reason why one would be needed isn't clear."

He sighed before he continued. "Besides the automatons that they employed, Sanctuary was known for having cleared much of southern Draconys of Grimm, with most of them coming from the Dragon's Talons and the northern part of the continent. For the next four hundred years or so, Sanctuary was relatively peaceful, with it being possible for someone to make the two or three-week journey from Point Refuge to Sanctuary by foot without encountering a single Grimm in the 465th year of the Triumvirate's reign. This was mostly attributed to the zeal of the Rose family in their defense of Sanctuary. Approximately twenty years after the Second Triumvirate was formed, a member of the Rose family, a girl named Adrienne, had sent a letter back to the city of Sanctuary requesting help in defending an outlying settlement from a Grimm attack while Aurelius was absent. The council decided by two votes that she should leave the settlement and await reinforcements."

"According to stories, Aurelius returned to find a letter from Adrienne, often referred to as his granddaughter, letting the council know that she had chosen to stay behind, saying "If I had to choose between my ideals and my life, I'd gladly lay down my life to protect those who depend on me. Thus, Kindly do I scatter myself to the wind in their stead." While the Rose family mourned the loss, she quickly started a tradition among the Rose family where the members all swore that they would rather die in defense of others than live the life of cowards. The words "Thus, Kindly I Scatter" came to be attributed with the "Rose Martyrs," members of the Rose family who stood their ground and fought to give others a chance to flee, saying only those four words before those they saved could flee. Stories say that if a Martyr was recovered, their body would be buried in what became known as the "Rose Garden" due to the fact a rose bush was planted on each grave as a reminder."

"As time went on, however, the situation once again became bleak. As far back as the fifth year of the Second Triumvirate, there are records of Aurelius getting into an argument with another member of the council by the name of Oscar Zoroaster, ruler in Point Refuge, about the Rose's refusal to share everything he had learned with the rest of the council or the Dust Sages in general. By the 480th year of the Triumvirate's reign, relations between Aurelius and the one of the other councilors had become abysmal while the third had chosen to take a hands-off approach to dealing with the man. Aurelius' unwillingness to work with them for most of the council's reign led to the council's division after the slaughter of twenty members of the Rose family in what was known as the "Black Rose Incident" and a sudden civil war amongst the Kingdom's most fanatical defenders in the 493rd year of the Triumvirate's rule. The councilor in charge of Sanctuary refused to help the Rose family, insisting that Aurelius treated everything else involving them as something that didn't concern the council, while the councilor of Point Refuge is believed to have expressed a belief that the Rose family wouldn't need help."

"At the time this conflict, known as the "War of Roses," it's estimated that the Rose family numbered 100-200 individuals. However, the conflict was hard on the family as what was meant to be a short hunt to track down and execute the traitors turned into a seven-year long war that, according to legends, led to the shattering of the moon and of the family's resolve. It's believed that this timeframe was where the modern ideals of the Rose family- isolation, secrecy, and insistence on not involving outsiders in their issues- started to form. Aurelius and a number of elders are said to have mourned at the sheer number of Roses that were killed, so many that Aurelius is said to have admitted to being afraid there wouldn't be anyone left to bury the Martyrs of the war if it ever ended. Eventually, it's said he took a small group of the family's most skilled and loyal warriors into the Dragon's Talons to hunt the traitors down personally, only for them to come back without their leader, passing along a grim message that left the family shattered: Aurelius had chosen to fight the traitors alone and was forced to destroy himself in the process, but not before leaving a prophesy that has survived until the present day in one form or another."

"Shortly after this occurred, a large number of Grimm, more than have been seen in recent memory, swarmed out of the Dragon's Talons and quickly overwhelmed the kingdom's outer defenses. When the city of Sanctuary was forced to evacuated, it had a population roughly equal to that of Vale and every settlement surrounding it. Point Refuge had a slightly smaller population…" Bisman stopped, letting out a sigh. "By the time they escaped the continent, only a tenth of Sanctuary's population had survived the trip, while more than half of Point Refuge's population was killed while crossing the Leviathan's Gulf. The Rose family went from several hundred members to only a few dozen, scattered among the survivors, swearing that they would never forget their failure on that day, nor would they ever let the lesson of the conflict be forgotten."

"They came to believe that it was the knowledge the traitor to their family sought that lead to the downfall of Sanctuary, and their own quest for knowledge that should have never seen the light of day that allowed it to happen. As such, they carried a warning down through the generations…" Bisman let out a sigh before he looked over grim expressions of his class. "The most perfect corruption comes from within."

And with that, the bell rang and the students silently filed out of the classroom.

And now we've covered the very core of the story. If you've been reading the quotes, you most likely saw a number of references to each of them in this chapter. Either way, please tell me what you think about this, since most of the lore is now in place. In case anyone's curious, the "Speakers" more or less use Dust to do what the CCT does while also creating a kind of hologram or projection of something as well as recreate sounds. The design wouldn't work with the CCT network without serious changes, however. There's still some things about the Rose family that are left to discuss, but most of that will be explained by Ruby herself soon while a few smaller things are left to be explained at the end of volume 3's events. There's obviously a few parts I'm not too sure about and a few things still kept quiet (the implications of the quote from this chapter and the absence of an explanation for the previous chapter's quote) so if you feel that the Speakers and Rocs shouldn't be included let me know and I'll change that around. Input of any kind is welcome.