The beacon that sits atop the Spiral Palace is known as the Flame of Telim, and the wizards and sorcerers that keep it alight are the Keepers of the Flame.  There are roughly a hundred Keepers on duty at any given time.  This army of magic users is made up of many kinds of powerful mages, and they welcome new recruits with trials and tests to determine their ability.  It takes roughly 25 mages an hour each morning to infuse the Flame with its arcane protection spells, so there is a rotation pattern among the Keepers.  Each Keeper fuels the Flame every day for a week, then rotates out to have three weeks off.  This time period can vary as the numbers of Keepers fluctuates over the years, but the tradition holds fairly steady. 

 

Newcomers are expected to attend each infusion ceremony for the first month of their training, to observe the rituals, and also to be made to understand that using this much magic every day for a week is incredibly taxing on a body.  Keepers generally devote their lives to the upkeep of the Flame, but many end up leaving the task to the more hearty, as they are unable to sustain that much magic use for an entire week.  The Keepers are very protective of the rituals and arcane sigils used to infuse the Flame, and as such, scrutinize every recruit thoroughly before allowing them passage into the ceremony.

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At the base of the Spiral Palace, curving from each side to the East and West in a semi-circle, lie the resting grounds of the Flame Keepers.  This is the Flamebarrows, where each Keeper, as they are rotated in, will remain for the duration of their tour of duty, before they return to their homes at the end of their stint.  There are over 100 rooms, all interconnected within this semicircle of stone and wood, and the Keepers are encouraged to choose different rooms each time they stay.  This promotes interconnectedness, and seeks to prevent any one Keeper from calling a particular room and bed their own.  The facilities are shared, as are the responsibilities of maintaining them.  The Keepers are notoriously fastidious about their chores and the upkeep of their dwelling. 

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The structure itself is like an extension of the Tower, standing roughly 40 feet in height, with two stories.  It is carved from a marbled stone.  White, with grey and black veins running through it, this stone is the same as that which the Tower is built from, and every inch of it is polished and shiny.  The cut of the stones is such that a needle couldn't pierce the joints, and it is kept clean and glistening by the Keepers and their servants. 

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The wooden pieces of the keep are the doors and the stairways that connect the lower portions to the upper.  The wood is a deep red, almost blood crimson.  This is wood that grows only around Telim, and is sturdy and strong.  It is also polished and joined together perfectly, almost looking like a single carving from one massive tree all the way around the Barrows.

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Directly in the center of the Flamebarrows is a well.  Known as the Everspring, this well is the source of water for the Barrows, and it produces a crystal-clear water with faint healing properties.  It is thought to be sourced from the center of the earth, the wellspring of life from which all of creation sprang.  The more cynical believe it to simply be a freshwater spring underneath the soil that has absorbed some of the massive amounts of magic imbued into the barrier.  They believe that the barrier's magic has leeched into the soil and that is partly why plants seem to grow more fertile and the water more pure around and in Telim.  Nobody knows who is correct, though.  Regardless, the well is protected fiercely by the Keepers. 

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The Flame Keepers follow a strict hierarchy within their order, and advancement is based on skill and dedication to the protection and upkeep of the Flame.  Those who prove themselves have the opportunity to advance to the rank of High Keeper through a strictly regimented promotion system.

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High Keeper Narmok Jessil (Mok) is an Elven Sorcerer who has been the leader of the Keepers of the Flame for the past 50 years.  He is around 700 years old, and does not show the wear and tear of the other Keepers.  It is widely rumored that he is virtually immortal, and, while he does have white hair and wrinkles, he is spry and carries himself like a much younger man.  He resides in the High Circle of Telim, as do all the Keepers, in the Flamebarrows.  He is always near the Flame, and joins the other mages each day to infuse the protective barrier. 

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Second Keeper Anri Talbot is Narmok's second-in-command.  She is a human Wizard of 60 years, and has been a Keeper for close to 30 years.  Contrasting Narmok, she definitely looks her age, and is close to retirement.  She has been carefully grooming her successor candidates, and is highly respected within the city. 

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Third Keeper Het Yakim is a Goliath Wizard.  He is young for a Third Keeper, being only 37 years old, but he is immensely skilled for his age.  He rose through the ranks quickly, and has proven himself a worthy protector of the city.  He started out in the Cobalt Guard as a teen, and was picked by Anri to train as a Keeper at the age of 20.  Since then, he has been her staunch protector and is viewed as the most likely candidate to succeed her as Second Keeper. 

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Fourth Keeper Perrin Yatara is a Dwarf Sorcerer who took over the position after Elena Wraist retired.  She is roughly 70 years old, but as a Dwarf is young for such a high position.  She admires Elena, and is grateful to her for helping train her as a Keeper.  She oversees the training of new recruits and is fiercely loyal to the crown and the city of Telim.