The Takagras Conservers (pronounced TAH-kah-grahs), or Seed-Stashers as they are known to many, are a group of druids that travel the world to collect seeds of plants with agricultural, medicinal, or cultural importance. They safeguard their collection in Takagras, a facility in the frigid far north.
Location
In their search for seeds and propagates to preserve, the druids known as the Takagras Conservers can be found across the world. However, their base, the titular Takagras, is in the far northern reaches of the planet, well past the Northern Wall.
Takagras is an underground complex built into a mountainside, only accessible through glacial tunnels. In this remote, frigid location, large vaults store categorized seeds in sub-zero environments. The entire facility is magically warded to ensure the vaults remain sealed unless new seeds or plant cuttings are being added to the collection. A small number of the Conservers live in austere quarters in Takagras, watching over their accumulated material.
Besides the living quarters, parts of Takagras are heated and lit to allow plants to grow within. These underground, hemispherical greenhouses contrast greatly with the cold and dark of the rest of the complex, and are filled with living, thriving plants from around the world. The Conservers use these sections of Takagras to ensure plants they have deemed important do not go extinct.
Takagras is quite far from any other communities in the frozen north. Those that wish to travel to Takagras must either make the treacherous journey overland, or else teleport through the Anchor Site located a few miles away. This Anchor Site is buried deep under the glaciers, with hand-carved tunnels connecting it to Takagras and to the surface. The Site only connects with a single other one, located near Nendran in Lakatan.
History
In Y9810*, magical blights created by malevolent cultists struck a number of fruiting crops relied upon heavily by the people of the Laqto Jungle, particularly those living in Lakatan, Casmasechin, and Curare. Though the druids of the region were able to successfully assist in mitigating this crisis, entire cultivars were wiped out and the widespread crop failures still caused a significant amount of hunger and unrest. To ensure this was not repeated, the royal druids of Lakatan sponsored an effort to preserve seeds and plants for future use. After exploring a number of possibilities, including the use of demiplanes or the Darklands, they decided to take advantage of the bitter cold of the far north, freezing the seeds until such time as they were needed again.
The facility at Takagras was built over the next ten years, painstakingly carved out of the glaciers and mountainside. Realizing the utility of such a complex to not just themselves but to everyone, the royal druids of Lakatan formed the Takagras Conservers and invited like-minded druids from across the world. Since then, the Conservers have accepted any new members who wish to assist their efforts, irrespective of background.
Interests and activities
The Conservers seek to collect, categorize, and preserve seeds from around the known world, especially those they deem important for agricultural, medicinal, or cultural use. These seeds are then transported to their frozen facility of Takagras, where they are kept safely in case of future emergencies. The Conservers do not anticipate a specific calamity that their efforts are intended to mitigate, but rather conduct their efforts to be prepared for any eventuality. The intent is for the Conservers to distribute seeds from their vaults when it becomes necessary, something they have not yet had to do.
Notable individuals
Musa Lokok was a minor figure in the Lakatan royal family who was appointed to be the first Keeper of the Vaults, the overseer of Takagras and the leader of the Conservers. Originally fourth in line for the throne, he renounced his claim to the title of the vanaran kingdom in order to focus entirely on the collection and preservation efforts. Though not all Keepers in the century and a half since have been Lakatan royals, those that were have followed in his footsteps and put aside their royal obligations.
The current Keeper is Musa Ornata.
Relations
The Takagras Conservers maintain a close relationship with the leaders of Lakatan, as their nearby Anchor Site only connects to one within the jungle region. The royal druids of Lakatan regularly gift collections of seeds to Takagras.
Otherwise, the Conservers maintain a hands-off role to the affairs of the rest of the world. They work with others when it would be mutually beneficial, but otherwise do not seek to involve themselves in the broader events unless they would affect their collection.
The Conservers occasionally collaborate with, and travel alongside, agents of the Curator and followers of Lykekro, as their journeys often coincide in taking them to strange and little-seen places.