The Book of Heroes is the official genealogical and historical registry of the Heroic class on the Continent of Osnines, mandated to record the lineage and deeds of every individual possessing at least one-eighth divine ancestry. It serves as a vital instrument of statecraft and strategic planning, ensuring that the movements and capabilities of those with divine blood are formalised and tracked across generations.
The volume is a physically imposing artefact, appearing as a thick tome hand-bound with sturdy string. Its covers are constructed from stiffened leather that has blackened significantly with age, whilst the internal leaves are irregular and exhibit varying colours from almost white to a mustard yellow. The current leather bindings are approximately four hundred years old, many of the parchment pages contained within are ancient, predating the memory of any living individual. The book is described as having a significant “thump” when placed upon a table, symbolising its literal and metaphorical weight in Skyssian society.
The primary function of the book is the preservation of Heroic legacies, including both the “deeds and misdeeds” of its subjects. Registration is strictly governed by the concentration of divine blood; individuals with at least one-eighth (1/8) divine ancestry are automatically recorded upon their discovery. New pages are added to the collection continuously as the Nine Gods continue to interbreed with mortals or as new lineages are identified through the Department of Resolutions.
To prevent the subversion of the record—such as the removal of pages to hide one’s abilities or history the Skyssian state maintains several copies of the book in disparate locations. This administrative redundancy makes it exceptionally difficult for renegades or those wishing to remain “lost” to erase their official existence from the state's memory. The book is treated as a “King's ransom” worth of intelligence, and access is generally restricted to community leaders and high-level judicial officials. The primary copy is maintained in the college_of_heroes with secondary copies in the King's Palace in Kronstadt; with the Lord_of_the_Isles; and the Board of Trade.
The following individuals are among the approximately fifty active Heroes currently registered within the ledger.