Soviet Panda
Red Panda Commanda.
The rule of mankind has been brought to it's knees. A plague so virulent and infectious that it corrupted and killed all it touched. Whole kingdoms slowly and painfully withered away because of this fell disease. A disease of magical origins, that much was clear. Yet no mage could cleanse it, such was the power of this shadowed caster. Soon, only pockets of humanity clung to life. These pockets were those the cloistered themselves away from the rest of the world. And most of those groups were the knightly orders of the land. From the Order of the Maple, who zealously protected their forest from invaders, to the Hedgehog Sentinels, whose mountain home was simply to arduous to reach for most.
Now, these knightly orders are all that remain. The kingdoms that once were have crumpled to dust, leaving their prestige and hordes of materials behind. Castle walls untouched by war, treasuries filled with gold unspent. A taunting lure for all of the orders. And they would have been quickly snatched up, had the plague not still lurked around every corner.
Twisted beasts stalk the world, infecting all they touch and twisting the land they tread upon. It is all the orders can do simply to survive unless this curse was lifted from the world. But, as luck would have it, a diviner with his phoenix companion have managed to find the source of this plague, though not cleanse it. Now, he beseeches the knightly orders to send him their strongest to rid the world of this evil. And while the leaders are all to glad to be rid of the plague, they plot behind closed doors. For allies may soon become enemies in their bid for a kingdom.
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Misc information.
Knightly orders have begun making pacts with supernatural beings commonly referred to as demons. Not all are demons, it's just a net term.
These demons hold a large portion of whatever magic the knight uses, though their magic levels can vary from creature to creature, and some forgo magic capabilities in exchange for more physical strength. On a list of rarity, powerful creatures such as dragons, large elemental, and greater demons are at the top. These creatures, if deciding to answer the powerful magical call, can resist the ritual completely if they do not like what they see, possibly even going on a rampage. Making the arduous ritual a giant waste of time and energy as well as dangerous. Almost everything else is commonly seen. Demons are relatively easy to gain if one does not care what they get. Specific companions are harder to get for the ritual takes longer to prepare, the required materials needing to be gathered and added.
Mundane magic. Mundane magic is the magic that humans can naturally wield. Anyone can wield this kind of magic, and it can be as powerful as a Demon's magic. The draw back is mundane magic always requires a tedious ritual. Drawings on the ground, burning incense, etc. Large groups of people can make this faster, but as the old saying goes, to many cooks spoil the broth.
Fay magic. Fay magic, or Demonic magic, is the magic companions use. They do not need to perform rituals to use their magic, and so can quickly fire out many spells. However, most demons have a fairly narrow skill set and can take months if not years to learn another spell.
Links.
www.rpnation.com
Current Knightly Orders.
Now, these knightly orders are all that remain. The kingdoms that once were have crumpled to dust, leaving their prestige and hordes of materials behind. Castle walls untouched by war, treasuries filled with gold unspent. A taunting lure for all of the orders. And they would have been quickly snatched up, had the plague not still lurked around every corner.
Twisted beasts stalk the world, infecting all they touch and twisting the land they tread upon. It is all the orders can do simply to survive unless this curse was lifted from the world. But, as luck would have it, a diviner with his phoenix companion have managed to find the source of this plague, though not cleanse it. Now, he beseeches the knightly orders to send him their strongest to rid the world of this evil. And while the leaders are all to glad to be rid of the plague, they plot behind closed doors. For allies may soon become enemies in their bid for a kingdom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misc information.
Knightly orders have begun making pacts with supernatural beings commonly referred to as demons. Not all are demons, it's just a net term.
These demons hold a large portion of whatever magic the knight uses, though their magic levels can vary from creature to creature, and some forgo magic capabilities in exchange for more physical strength. On a list of rarity, powerful creatures such as dragons, large elemental, and greater demons are at the top. These creatures, if deciding to answer the powerful magical call, can resist the ritual completely if they do not like what they see, possibly even going on a rampage. Making the arduous ritual a giant waste of time and energy as well as dangerous. Almost everything else is commonly seen. Demons are relatively easy to gain if one does not care what they get. Specific companions are harder to get for the ritual takes longer to prepare, the required materials needing to be gathered and added.
Mundane magic. Mundane magic is the magic that humans can naturally wield. Anyone can wield this kind of magic, and it can be as powerful as a Demon's magic. The draw back is mundane magic always requires a tedious ritual. Drawings on the ground, burning incense, etc. Large groups of people can make this faster, but as the old saying goes, to many cooks spoil the broth.
Fay magic. Fay magic, or Demonic magic, is the magic companions use. They do not need to perform rituals to use their magic, and so can quickly fire out many spells. However, most demons have a fairly narrow skill set and can take months if not years to learn another spell.
Links.
Fantasy - The Black Plague (CS)
Knight Order Application (PM me this if interested) Name of Order: (Self explanatory) High Concept: (Righteous paladins hell bent on irradiating the Plague? Deceptive rogues that skulk in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? The overall thematic of your Order) History: (Can be...
www.rpnation.com
Current Knightly Orders.
The Order's beginnings are shrouded in mystery. All that is known is that it was founded some time shortly after the beginning of the Black Plague. And that the first members were formerly followers of a god. Order records state that they found their salvation in a clearing with a lone maple tree standing proudly in the center. There the Goddess revealed herself. She had red hair that blazed like fire, skin as fair as snow, and beasts flocked to her as if she were their mother. This was truly a divine being, but the heart and mind of man is a skittish one. Like a rabbit sensing danger and ready to bolt for it's hole, so to were the men who had found the clearing. But the Goddess calmed them, assuring them that she did not want to harm them. She saw how they thirsted, for the last of their water had run out days before, and she cupped her hands and water come as if from a spring before telling them to drink. As they drank from the water that came as if from a spring, they felt as if they had been reborn. The water had given them energy they had not had since they were youths. She saw how they starved, for their hunting and gathering had found nothing in the barren landscape. And from her hair she pulled berries of the most fiery red and commanded them to eat. With each berry they felt as strong as an ox, as if they could uproot the lone maple tree in the clearing with their bare hands. And she saw how they feared the coming dawn. This time she asked why. And once she was told of their hardships, after all fifty laid their hearts bare, she said with the voice of divinity "You do not have to fear anymore. For I will protect you. In return, you shall do as I ask. You will protect this tree, the symbol of what I am, from all those who seek to harm it. And you shall protect the lands from all that dare taints it."
From there the record goes on to tell about how they then built up the great chapter house that stands today around the Maple and the official founding of the Order. How the first knight came about is unclear, the first name given the title of knighthood was mentioned not several paragraphs after the founding of the Order. But it can be easily explained why their order became one more orientated towards violence. The original promise made by the first fifty had to be upheld. And the command of the Goddess was not always in the name of peace. Sometimes violence in her name was even rewarded, something unheard of in the previously peaceful Order. Tales of gaining divine blessings given by this Goddess soon spread across the land. And current members took up the way of the sword in hopes of gaining Her blessings as well. Soon the iconic green and red armor of the Knights of the Order of the Maple became a common sight around the immediate area of the chapter house. This fascination with Divine battle has bred the utmost best of warriors. Of course, Chivalry and honor still holds in the Order, if just barely. Their reputation for their calculating ferocity suddenly being halted in it's tracks in the name of honor and chivalry is legendary. Particularly the tale of Sir Albreic, who broke his own sword after shattering his opponents to make the fight fair.(edited)
The Order of the Maple holds it's allegiance to the Goddess above all else. If their chapter-house is threatened or attacked, honor and chivalry will be forgotten to uphold their promise to the Goddess, if it is necessary.
The Order of the Maple has, in theory, only one position, that of Chapter Master. However, in practice there are several ranks to be made aware of when interacting with the Order. The lowest rank of the Order is Initiate. Whether squires to Knights of the Order or newly joined members of the clergy, they hold little power in the Order. They are often found either in the Chapter House running errands for Monks or by their master's side (if they choose to become Knights). It is left up to the rest of the Order to determine how long individuals are Initiates. Often times those that wish to join the clergy of the Order take years longer then those wanting to become Knights of the Order, most likely because of their need to become literate and to write neatly so as to be able to read books deemed holy and to copy them so others can read them.
Monks make up the next level above Initiates. Though lower then Knights for their lack of fighting prowess, they hold greater power when speaking of what the Goddess wants and what needs to be purged to cleanse the land. They manage the great library in the Eastern wing of the Chapter, making sure the records are accurate and in good condition. They wage a war all their own in an attempt to keep the records whole, a war fought against nature with quill and ink. They also are in charge of keeping the Chapter as clean as possible, though they leave the Barracks and Southern wing to the Knights to handle.
Knights are the bulk of the Order's numbers. With lance in hand they purge the land of blights in the name of the Goddess. They protect the Chapter, with their lives if necessary. Because of their physical prowess, they are placed above simple Monks. Knights have a ranking system all their own based off of traditional military ranking. Lowest ranked Knights are denoted by two green plumes atop their helmet and flat green armor. Sergeants have two plumes as well, but these are green and yellow respectively, their armor is also more ornately decorated with yellow scroll work along the edges. Captains wear three plumes, one green and two red, and instead of yellow scroll work like Sergeants it is red. They often have a crest on their helmet, as this is when they are allowed to have a crest.
Warrior Priests. Often those that are to old to fight, Warrior Priests are tasked with the honor of guarding the Tree itself. Rumored to have been granted a vision by the Goddess of their own death, they have taken oaths of silence and celibacy so as to focus more on their duty. To communicate among themselves, Warrior Priests have come up with a complex system of hand gestures. They are often more lightly armored then Knights, their heads often uncovered. The reason for this is not completely known and is a closely guarded secret by the Warrior Priests, meaning that not even other Order members know why they do it. Their weapons vary greatly from Warrior Priest to Warrior Priest.
The one who holds the title Chapter Master holds the highest rank in the Order. When seen in battle, the Chapter Master wears red armor with green scroll work, five plumes on his helm (three red two green), and has a crest of a maple tree on his helmet. And each Chapter Master wields the lance and two handed sword passed on from Chapter Master to Chapter Master since near the beginning of the Order itself. The sword is named Blight's Bane and has been baptised in water blessed by the Goddess and now burns with a holy fire when it tastes blood. The lance has been named Wyrm, after having supposedly slain a creature by the same name that plagued the land causing crops to fail and all manner of creatures to fall ill and die, tainting their meat so as to make it unsuitable for consumption. The blood of Wyrm stained the lance, strengthening it and making it poisonous to the touch.
There is one rank held above even Chapter Master, the rank of Primarch. The rank of Primarch is extremely hard to obtain, there being only one Primarch in the history of the Order. In order to become a Primarch, the current Chapter Master must call upon the Warrior Priests, those closes to the Goddess, for a vote. If the Warrior Priests choose to answer this call, which it isn't garunteed they will, they must unanimously agree upon a chosen member of the Order outside of the rank Warrior Priest. If there is even one vote for someone else among the Warrior Priests, no Primarch will be chosen. It is unclear how the secretive Warrior Priests go about voting, but if they do decide on someone they will approach their chosen candidate and challenge him, one by one, to a duel. After that the candidate, if they won the numerous duels, must recite the Blessings of the Goddess as Monks listen in to make sure he does not miss one word. And after all that is done, the final hurdle to jump is to lay for one night in the garden the Tree stands in. If the Goddess approaches you, then you are to become Primarch. If she does not, then you are simply to be honored for making it that far. The few times someone has made it that far, they became the next Chapter Master.
The only Primarch to have existed was Buras the Undefeated, a man told to be as tall as the heavens and as strong as the mountains. Upon dying in battle, after having been unhorsed and with an assortment of weapons embedded in him and his armor, a crypt was carefully built under the Tree, so as not to harm it. He was buried with all of his now legendary equipment. His armor that blazed the color of the leaves in Autumn with golden scroll work, masterfully crafted by beings said to have crafted weapons for gods. It is told that after the battle the armor sealed itself, repairing any rents in it caused by man or beast. His winged helm allowing him to speak with creatures of the air thwarted many an ambush. His flamberg, made and imbued with fey magics and never needing to be sharpened or mended, crackled with each swing and sung of his foes death as it drank their blood. His lance roared like a lion as it approached its prey, and drank greedily of their life, giving it to its wielder. Even his mighty steed, Balius, had its remains preserved and draped in it's armor, the same color and made by the same craftsman as its rider.
Saints are people, not always of the Order, that have managed to gain the Goddess' blessing. The records are filled with the deeds of these saints, and alcoves all over the Chapter house are filled with statues in their likeness. If a member is blessed with Sainthood, he is no longer a part of the Order, technically. These saints then go out on self imposed exile to spread the word of the Goddess with a small library, which the Monks have hastily copied from the library, on the back of their chosen mount, some choosing to ride out on oxen and mules instead of horses to carry more books. These saints can not be bought, are tireless when on the hunt. Their faith guides them, and the Goddess protects. But they are still mortals and can be killed.
The most well known of the saints is Saint Anna. She set out on her journey on a gazelle, who was granted to her by the Goddess, with but only the core books of her faith and a sword to protect her. She has been attributed with several holy actions such as curing a whole village from the plague with a mere touch, sending away the pests that ate away the crops with only a whisper, and the slaughtering of man and beast that threatened many villages. Her kindness is legendary, and her faith was unshakeable. Her death came about when she was captured in a desert far away and was executed for heresy, the Goddess being rejected in those lands. Once beheaded, blood did not flow but instead the purest water came forth. And where the water land, new and extraordinary plants leapt forth and grew in seconds.
The Order of the Maple, also being a religious one, believes that something happens to them after death. There are mentions of a grand forest in their holy texts where one can hunt beasts of legends, drink from springs of nectar, and plants ladened with food that never seems to end. A grand tournament goes on forever, where the Goddess herself congratulates the victor and consoles the loser. Here the Goddesses purity and essence isn't muffled by the filth of mortality, and those that are allowed into the Grand Forest (her followers and the Saints) can bask in her presence.
From there the record goes on to tell about how they then built up the great chapter house that stands today around the Maple and the official founding of the Order. How the first knight came about is unclear, the first name given the title of knighthood was mentioned not several paragraphs after the founding of the Order. But it can be easily explained why their order became one more orientated towards violence. The original promise made by the first fifty had to be upheld. And the command of the Goddess was not always in the name of peace. Sometimes violence in her name was even rewarded, something unheard of in the previously peaceful Order. Tales of gaining divine blessings given by this Goddess soon spread across the land. And current members took up the way of the sword in hopes of gaining Her blessings as well. Soon the iconic green and red armor of the Knights of the Order of the Maple became a common sight around the immediate area of the chapter house. This fascination with Divine battle has bred the utmost best of warriors. Of course, Chivalry and honor still holds in the Order, if just barely. Their reputation for their calculating ferocity suddenly being halted in it's tracks in the name of honor and chivalry is legendary. Particularly the tale of Sir Albreic, who broke his own sword after shattering his opponents to make the fight fair.(edited)
The Order of the Maple holds it's allegiance to the Goddess above all else. If their chapter-house is threatened or attacked, honor and chivalry will be forgotten to uphold their promise to the Goddess, if it is necessary.
The Order of the Maple has, in theory, only one position, that of Chapter Master. However, in practice there are several ranks to be made aware of when interacting with the Order. The lowest rank of the Order is Initiate. Whether squires to Knights of the Order or newly joined members of the clergy, they hold little power in the Order. They are often found either in the Chapter House running errands for Monks or by their master's side (if they choose to become Knights). It is left up to the rest of the Order to determine how long individuals are Initiates. Often times those that wish to join the clergy of the Order take years longer then those wanting to become Knights of the Order, most likely because of their need to become literate and to write neatly so as to be able to read books deemed holy and to copy them so others can read them.
Monks make up the next level above Initiates. Though lower then Knights for their lack of fighting prowess, they hold greater power when speaking of what the Goddess wants and what needs to be purged to cleanse the land. They manage the great library in the Eastern wing of the Chapter, making sure the records are accurate and in good condition. They wage a war all their own in an attempt to keep the records whole, a war fought against nature with quill and ink. They also are in charge of keeping the Chapter as clean as possible, though they leave the Barracks and Southern wing to the Knights to handle.
Knights are the bulk of the Order's numbers. With lance in hand they purge the land of blights in the name of the Goddess. They protect the Chapter, with their lives if necessary. Because of their physical prowess, they are placed above simple Monks. Knights have a ranking system all their own based off of traditional military ranking. Lowest ranked Knights are denoted by two green plumes atop their helmet and flat green armor. Sergeants have two plumes as well, but these are green and yellow respectively, their armor is also more ornately decorated with yellow scroll work along the edges. Captains wear three plumes, one green and two red, and instead of yellow scroll work like Sergeants it is red. They often have a crest on their helmet, as this is when they are allowed to have a crest.
Warrior Priests. Often those that are to old to fight, Warrior Priests are tasked with the honor of guarding the Tree itself. Rumored to have been granted a vision by the Goddess of their own death, they have taken oaths of silence and celibacy so as to focus more on their duty. To communicate among themselves, Warrior Priests have come up with a complex system of hand gestures. They are often more lightly armored then Knights, their heads often uncovered. The reason for this is not completely known and is a closely guarded secret by the Warrior Priests, meaning that not even other Order members know why they do it. Their weapons vary greatly from Warrior Priest to Warrior Priest.
The one who holds the title Chapter Master holds the highest rank in the Order. When seen in battle, the Chapter Master wears red armor with green scroll work, five plumes on his helm (three red two green), and has a crest of a maple tree on his helmet. And each Chapter Master wields the lance and two handed sword passed on from Chapter Master to Chapter Master since near the beginning of the Order itself. The sword is named Blight's Bane and has been baptised in water blessed by the Goddess and now burns with a holy fire when it tastes blood. The lance has been named Wyrm, after having supposedly slain a creature by the same name that plagued the land causing crops to fail and all manner of creatures to fall ill and die, tainting their meat so as to make it unsuitable for consumption. The blood of Wyrm stained the lance, strengthening it and making it poisonous to the touch.
There is one rank held above even Chapter Master, the rank of Primarch. The rank of Primarch is extremely hard to obtain, there being only one Primarch in the history of the Order. In order to become a Primarch, the current Chapter Master must call upon the Warrior Priests, those closes to the Goddess, for a vote. If the Warrior Priests choose to answer this call, which it isn't garunteed they will, they must unanimously agree upon a chosen member of the Order outside of the rank Warrior Priest. If there is even one vote for someone else among the Warrior Priests, no Primarch will be chosen. It is unclear how the secretive Warrior Priests go about voting, but if they do decide on someone they will approach their chosen candidate and challenge him, one by one, to a duel. After that the candidate, if they won the numerous duels, must recite the Blessings of the Goddess as Monks listen in to make sure he does not miss one word. And after all that is done, the final hurdle to jump is to lay for one night in the garden the Tree stands in. If the Goddess approaches you, then you are to become Primarch. If she does not, then you are simply to be honored for making it that far. The few times someone has made it that far, they became the next Chapter Master.
The only Primarch to have existed was Buras the Undefeated, a man told to be as tall as the heavens and as strong as the mountains. Upon dying in battle, after having been unhorsed and with an assortment of weapons embedded in him and his armor, a crypt was carefully built under the Tree, so as not to harm it. He was buried with all of his now legendary equipment. His armor that blazed the color of the leaves in Autumn with golden scroll work, masterfully crafted by beings said to have crafted weapons for gods. It is told that after the battle the armor sealed itself, repairing any rents in it caused by man or beast. His winged helm allowing him to speak with creatures of the air thwarted many an ambush. His flamberg, made and imbued with fey magics and never needing to be sharpened or mended, crackled with each swing and sung of his foes death as it drank their blood. His lance roared like a lion as it approached its prey, and drank greedily of their life, giving it to its wielder. Even his mighty steed, Balius, had its remains preserved and draped in it's armor, the same color and made by the same craftsman as its rider.
Saints are people, not always of the Order, that have managed to gain the Goddess' blessing. The records are filled with the deeds of these saints, and alcoves all over the Chapter house are filled with statues in their likeness. If a member is blessed with Sainthood, he is no longer a part of the Order, technically. These saints then go out on self imposed exile to spread the word of the Goddess with a small library, which the Monks have hastily copied from the library, on the back of their chosen mount, some choosing to ride out on oxen and mules instead of horses to carry more books. These saints can not be bought, are tireless when on the hunt. Their faith guides them, and the Goddess protects. But they are still mortals and can be killed.
The most well known of the saints is Saint Anna. She set out on her journey on a gazelle, who was granted to her by the Goddess, with but only the core books of her faith and a sword to protect her. She has been attributed with several holy actions such as curing a whole village from the plague with a mere touch, sending away the pests that ate away the crops with only a whisper, and the slaughtering of man and beast that threatened many villages. Her kindness is legendary, and her faith was unshakeable. Her death came about when she was captured in a desert far away and was executed for heresy, the Goddess being rejected in those lands. Once beheaded, blood did not flow but instead the purest water came forth. And where the water land, new and extraordinary plants leapt forth and grew in seconds.
The Order of the Maple, also being a religious one, believes that something happens to them after death. There are mentions of a grand forest in their holy texts where one can hunt beasts of legends, drink from springs of nectar, and plants ladened with food that never seems to end. A grand tournament goes on forever, where the Goddess herself congratulates the victor and consoles the loser. Here the Goddesses purity and essence isn't muffled by the filth of mortality, and those that are allowed into the Grand Forest (her followers and the Saints) can bask in her presence.
Ah, the Hedgehog Sentinels, an Order older than even our glorious Kingdom. Their name brings back memories. Memories of a force five hundred strong holding off a horde of thousands. Memories of giants lumbering across the battlefield with mauls and warhammers. Of their iron plate, studded with spikes, turning aside blows as if they were rain. Memories of an order steeped within tradition, and almost as elusive as the morning mist. And of an Order that has almost crumbled to dust for it. If a Hedgehog Sentinel offers you assistance, be grateful and accept it, for you will not find a second chance. And for your own health, do not insult them, lest you end up with your chest caved in and head found several paces away.
The Hedgehog Sentinels, though not as large or as grand as some other Orders, are to be respected none the less. They have a history filled with great honors in service of the Crown, a fact that they boast about the few times they are encouraged or enclined to speak. And because of their deeds, the Crown has long ago gifted them a small parcal of land, high in the mountains, that they can call home. Here they spend every day training, honing their skills to be used in service of the Crown.
They are, even in their diminished state, the shield and club of the Kingdom. Their armor is superior to any other, forged using a secret technique by the chapter's smithies. And their massive shields, taller then most men, are made of solid iron. And while you or I could only lift something like that in our dreams, they do it with practiced ease. And though they may not be as precise as a blade, they are just as effective and twice as useful. Where a sword must find a weakness to exploit, the club only realise on the strength of the wielder, strength that these stoic sentinels have to spare.
The Honor Guard of the Crown, next to the Royal Guard themselves, there has been no successful assassination attempt upon the Crown while the Hedghog Sentinels were on duty. A record that not even the Royal Guard can boast and are vehemently jealous of, trying to out do their rivals for generations now.
The Hedgehog Sentinels, though not as large or as grand as some other Orders, are to be respected none the less. They have a history filled with great honors in service of the Crown, a fact that they boast about the few times they are encouraged or enclined to speak. And because of their deeds, the Crown has long ago gifted them a small parcal of land, high in the mountains, that they can call home. Here they spend every day training, honing their skills to be used in service of the Crown.
They are, even in their diminished state, the shield and club of the Kingdom. Their armor is superior to any other, forged using a secret technique by the chapter's smithies. And their massive shields, taller then most men, are made of solid iron. And while you or I could only lift something like that in our dreams, they do it with practiced ease. And though they may not be as precise as a blade, they are just as effective and twice as useful. Where a sword must find a weakness to exploit, the club only realise on the strength of the wielder, strength that these stoic sentinels have to spare.
The Honor Guard of the Crown, next to the Royal Guard themselves, there has been no successful assassination attempt upon the Crown while the Hedghog Sentinels were on duty. A record that not even the Royal Guard can boast and are vehemently jealous of, trying to out do their rivals for generations now.
Name of Order: Order of the Crow
High Concept: Observers and record-keepers.
History: The Crow are the watchers of the land. Founded, as the Sentinels were, before there was even a kingdom to watch. The Order was begun by one woman- a hermit of the mountains. Blind, she navigated her way by touch. The crows were her friends, and her eyes and ears throughout the land, bringing her tidings from all corners. Dedicating herself to the task of keeping records of the events that unfolded, she invented a new way of writing that involved series of scratches and gouges into rock. This way, her records (inscribed on the walls of her cave) would be preserved far longer than most books could last.
One day, a young woman who had escaped a life of slavery and run away into the mountains found her cave. The woman nursed the young girl back to health, showed her the carvings, explained her great endeavor. Moved by the woman's kindness and dedication to her task, she vowed to help in any way she could. She was taught how to converse with the crows, and how to write as she did, and soon she was transcribing the records onto stone tablets. She found that she was better able to hear the crows when her eyes were closed and so, following in the woman's blind footsteps, she took to covering her eyes with a band.
When the woman died, many years later, the girl took her tablets down the mountain. She showed them to farmers and travelers, explaining what they were and why they'd been written. Most were uninterested and returned to their lives, but one- a traveling minstrel, as it turned out- found it marvelous. Minstrels and bards usually traveled the land, hearing and witnessing and putting into poem or song the events currently unfolding, that they might preserve and spread them far and wide, but their tradition, unlike that of the monks and scholars holed up their cloisters, was one of oral transmission.
It struck this bard that a written record would survive far better, and that those who wrote these stories and epics would be remembered far longer- if their words were preserved in stone. The bard convinced a local lord to donate a small piece of his land to this cause, in exchange for his services as official record-keeper. The (admittedly rather uninteresting) chronicles of the lord's life survive to this day as one of the Order's original records.
In all the years since that time, wars have been fought, famines and disease have swept the land, kingdoms have risen and fallen, but the Order of the Crow remains. The small piece of land has grown much larger, and is now home to a sprawling, well-fortified castle with many towers and turrets housing Order members and a vast murder of crows. The members of the Order have grown in number as well- from scribes to fighters to traveling bards. All share and show their dedication to the Order's cause by wearing a band over their eyes and wandering, as if blind, through the world, paying careful attention to all they hear.
Of those who choose to stay in the castle and climb the echelons of the organization, there are Initiates, Proficients, and the Periti. Only the truly blind can reach the upper echelons of the Order and join the Council of the Periti, and though many who are blind from birth or from accident decide to join, many also aren't. Those who aren't and who pursue and are chosen to become a Periti must, in a ritual ceremony held in the castle courtyard, allow the crows to peck out their eyes.
The Crow are known throughout the land for their knowledge and wisdom, and there are often those who would seek counsel there. When the Plague struck, of course the kingdom turned to its watchers for answers but, astonishingly, they had none to give. It is vital that they uncover the source of this madness, so of course they will join the other Knightly Orders in their effort to discover who or what is responsable, and to cleanse this evil from their midst.
Current Leader: Ignosi Tenere is the 24th Magister of the Order of the Crow. Blind from birth, she joined the Order when she was 12 and studied assiduously, climbing the ranks throughout the years. She's known to be immovable as a glacier- always calmly pursuing its course and impossible to turn aside- and is respected throughout the Order and the wider kingdom.
High Concept: Observers and record-keepers.
History: The Crow are the watchers of the land. Founded, as the Sentinels were, before there was even a kingdom to watch. The Order was begun by one woman- a hermit of the mountains. Blind, she navigated her way by touch. The crows were her friends, and her eyes and ears throughout the land, bringing her tidings from all corners. Dedicating herself to the task of keeping records of the events that unfolded, she invented a new way of writing that involved series of scratches and gouges into rock. This way, her records (inscribed on the walls of her cave) would be preserved far longer than most books could last.
One day, a young woman who had escaped a life of slavery and run away into the mountains found her cave. The woman nursed the young girl back to health, showed her the carvings, explained her great endeavor. Moved by the woman's kindness and dedication to her task, she vowed to help in any way she could. She was taught how to converse with the crows, and how to write as she did, and soon she was transcribing the records onto stone tablets. She found that she was better able to hear the crows when her eyes were closed and so, following in the woman's blind footsteps, she took to covering her eyes with a band.
When the woman died, many years later, the girl took her tablets down the mountain. She showed them to farmers and travelers, explaining what they were and why they'd been written. Most were uninterested and returned to their lives, but one- a traveling minstrel, as it turned out- found it marvelous. Minstrels and bards usually traveled the land, hearing and witnessing and putting into poem or song the events currently unfolding, that they might preserve and spread them far and wide, but their tradition, unlike that of the monks and scholars holed up their cloisters, was one of oral transmission.
It struck this bard that a written record would survive far better, and that those who wrote these stories and epics would be remembered far longer- if their words were preserved in stone. The bard convinced a local lord to donate a small piece of his land to this cause, in exchange for his services as official record-keeper. The (admittedly rather uninteresting) chronicles of the lord's life survive to this day as one of the Order's original records.
In all the years since that time, wars have been fought, famines and disease have swept the land, kingdoms have risen and fallen, but the Order of the Crow remains. The small piece of land has grown much larger, and is now home to a sprawling, well-fortified castle with many towers and turrets housing Order members and a vast murder of crows. The members of the Order have grown in number as well- from scribes to fighters to traveling bards. All share and show their dedication to the Order's cause by wearing a band over their eyes and wandering, as if blind, through the world, paying careful attention to all they hear.
Of those who choose to stay in the castle and climb the echelons of the organization, there are Initiates, Proficients, and the Periti. Only the truly blind can reach the upper echelons of the Order and join the Council of the Periti, and though many who are blind from birth or from accident decide to join, many also aren't. Those who aren't and who pursue and are chosen to become a Periti must, in a ritual ceremony held in the castle courtyard, allow the crows to peck out their eyes.
The Crow are known throughout the land for their knowledge and wisdom, and there are often those who would seek counsel there. When the Plague struck, of course the kingdom turned to its watchers for answers but, astonishingly, they had none to give. It is vital that they uncover the source of this madness, so of course they will join the other Knightly Orders in their effort to discover who or what is responsable, and to cleanse this evil from their midst.
Current Leader: Ignosi Tenere is the 24th Magister of the Order of the Crow. Blind from birth, she joined the Order when she was 12 and studied assiduously, climbing the ranks throughout the years. She's known to be immovable as a glacier- always calmly pursuing its course and impossible to turn aside- and is respected throughout the Order and the wider kingdom.
Name of Order: Order of the Waking Sea.
High Concept: An order who worships the sea and it's mysteries, believing that the original God that created this world still resides on the Sea floor. They await the day that their god awakens to judge them for their work.
History: The first Sect of the order departed on a large galleon some years before the plague first struck the world, one by one the order grew larger and larger until 'modern times' where their home is now a massive floating city out in the middle of the largest oceans.
Current Leader: Aegir, the lord of the sea and captain of the floating city, Nautilus.
High Concept: An order who worships the sea and it's mysteries, believing that the original God that created this world still resides on the Sea floor. They await the day that their god awakens to judge them for their work.
History: The first Sect of the order departed on a large galleon some years before the plague first struck the world, one by one the order grew larger and larger until 'modern times' where their home is now a massive floating city out in the middle of the largest oceans.
Current Leader: Aegir, the lord of the sea and captain of the floating city, Nautilus.
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