Tag: group
Order of the Red Heart
Posted on June 16, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The Order of the Red Hart is a knightly order of the Steel Realms based in Ados and Fhayl and are a bulwark in the defense of the central heartlands in the east. The order preaches physical and martial discipline, and to learn many abilities in these areas in order to create a body and mind that can adapt to all situations. It is the most populous order of knights and less oriented towards any faith or faith goals; the upper echelons of power are in fact held strictly by knights who hold the High King’s law above all other authorities. Many of the famous Black Gorgons – the High King’s personal order and bodyguards – rose to prominence in the Order of the Red Heart. Their charter is, along with serving the High King’s Law, to provide a coordinated intelligence against Orrish and other enemies of all the races. The Red Heart is also charged with ensuring legal counsel and justice for the smallfolk – to champion those innocents who cannot do so themselves; to this end they have a non-fighting branch (though all can to some degree) that works with the World Watchers in the Central Heartlands of the realm. This order is open to any race, though humans dominate 99%.
Home of the Order: The Crulbrake Commandery in the Slatterly Valley which overlooks a passage between Barony of Morguile and The Grey Woods is the home of the order. The entire valley, including the road running past its mouth south into The Grey Woods, is under their protection.
There, you will also find the Verlain Chapel – a holy place of purification devoted to the Green Church. Though not all members are of the faith, the service of the order and the king is bound to the lands of the king and this symbolizes their connection to that. This is where they draw their Water of the Living (holy water) from for its members.
Their symbol is a red heart, and arm grasping from left (top) and bottom (right) over 2 crossed spears with banners.
Motto: "May your heart always bleed true." – This is in reference to fighting and bleeding for a true and noble cause.
Qualifying
Only those with noble blood or fame will be target for recruitment. Shield brotherhood is offered to many who prove themselves worthy and have some fame.
Ranks and Privelage
Page Rank Changes:
- Requirements: Climb 1
- Benefits: Familiarity (spear)
Squire Rank Changes:
- Requirements: Jump 1, Grapple 1, Iron Will 1
- Benefits: +1 VGR
Knight Rank Changes:
- Requirements: Swim 1
- Benefits: +1 Iron Will if < 4, Ability Focus: Spears (half price)
Oaths and Service
Guild of Solars (High Magistry Order of the Realms)
Posted on June 10, 2021 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
The Guild of Solars is the largest and most wide-spread occult order in the Steel Realms. It has offices and satellites all over the realms, and where it is unwelcome by virtue of ordinances or agreements, it has used its considerable power with the High King to allow a non-occult branch of the order: The Solarian Scriveners.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
The Salamander Guild
Posted on May 28, 2021
It is thought that The Salamander’s Guild was initially empowered to break the power of The Buildengands from the inside – and break it they did, eventually. The last of their power was broken after The Sundering (CY 5000) caused a great disruption, leaving only regional crime syndicates, “guilds” and gangs.
At one point, the guild, using ancient eldritch power, created items it tried to use to bring together all criminal organizations under their power. It failed. These items were destroyed, few are left such as Rings of Holdout.
Tower of the Cloud Gazers (southern heartlands)
Posted on May 24, 2021 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
The Tower of the Cloud Gazers is an Illusion order in the southern heartlands, in the Duchy of Fhayl near the headwaters of the Falcon River – near the edge of the Edgelands of Umbak . It was founded in CY 6911. Mizras is openly venerated, and the partnership with the priesthood to study tactics and adapt them to their occult methods and practices is openly displayed. The priests of Mizras find the entire partnership odd, but amusing, and it feeds into their coffers as well.
Rumors swirl that there is some honoring of Malek, though nothing is openly displayed or practiced in such regard. The tower turns out about 5 magi every other year, that tithe to both the clergy of Mizras and their own order. A few become mercenary magi, and some are known to work with House Du’Orlok in the Riverdans of Dunstrand.
- Occult Theme/Motif: Flash and Crash of Blades
- Motto: NONE
- Symbol: NONE
- Periaptery: To denote the magus’ initial training, a face mask of black leather, stitched with a black tear on the inside for each rank in the order.
Talismanen: To denote the continued association, a red tear stitched on the opposite side, inside the mask. This tear is burned away if the affinity with the order is ever broken.
Internal Workings are Shrouded in Mystery: The actual operations of the order are shrouded in mystery, even from its apprentices. Like the school they focus on, they keep the workings a secret, or misdirect. When necessary, the order will send a representative as “Magus Blackwell” – similar to generic “Smith”. Titles, ranks, and accolades are ephemeral, illusory, they mean nothing. The age, gender, and real appearance is always hidden behind powerful illusions that have never been unmasked.
Locations
The “tower” refers to both the compound and tower it is part of. It houses a walled (11′) compound with a smithy and stable. A 7 story tower roughly 30’ at the base. Stables, barracks and training yards make up the rest. A small chapel to Mizras is on the west side of the tower. Inside the tower is noted that the windows on the outside do not match the ones inside. Supposedly there is only one entrance, the Shieldhouse – a small entry chamber connected to the base of the tower. A large set of double doors, single large, or sometimes a single small door bars the way into the tower. The stairwell at the center is called the Red Stairs – it is a place of magical traps and kill pockets that no one has ever survived. Two attempts have been made on public record, both ended in the quiet and bloody removal of all the attackers.
Order Staff: There are at least 10 wizard trainers (usually 12-13), 2 priests of Mizras dedicated to meshing the school with the warriors’ way, 2 warriors and their own apprentices learning to habituate themselves to magic.
Mundane Staff: Two dozen cooks, cleaners, teamsters and groomsmen support the order. There are beginner barracks outside the tower for first year students, then the barracks over the smithy and finally 1 level of the tower for the last two classes. The order manages 3 additional ‘refuges’ that are part of a battle temple of Mizras. These give them normal mundane support and safety. Only some basic healing, local knowledge books, and a few Teachings of War copies are stored in these places:
- 1 – Temple of the Final Rush in
- 2 – Firstspear Temple in
- 3 – Blackforge Temple in
Benefits
The order offers little support beyond initial knowledge and basic refuge.
In Good Standing: All powers granted by the institution are available as the rules allow, assuming they are in good standing with the occult institution and its bonds.
D20
ICoreD20 Power List
Incarna X Power List
About/Chronicle
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
Most Recent History
Commonly Understood Origins
Commonly Understood Development
General knowledge…
- Key Places
- Key Entities
- Key Concepts
Raenbal’s Revenge: Baron Raenbal’s son (of Fandelok), trained by the order, tried breaking in with elemental conjurings and a band of adventurers to loot the place in CY 8413. His remains were returned to his family, with no explanation. The Baron assembled a small mercenary army of nearly 50 and assaulted the tower to avenge his son. They all met the same fate – but all their gear was stripped. The bloodied bodies were piled outside the compound and the baron forced to pay to haul them away. Additionally, a warrior-priest of Mizras called out the baron for single combat. The baron had to pledge a large amount of money split between the order and church in order to avoid fighting to his death. This is all counted as a single incident.
Umbak’s Lament: Umbak pursued a band of Grollen raiders to its gate in CY 8822. The duchy’s western frontier was a common clash point between the two peoples. The Grollen are generally loved by the followers of Mizras (next to their patron goddess, he is the most venerated), and so they were given refuge. All were young, wild, and horribly wounded, and the Umbakians outnumbered them 4 to 1. The order asked the Umbakians to take their weapons and break them, and return home in victory – the Grollen were defeated. They would not, and so the Grollen armed themselves and rushed out the gate, dying swiftly in their state. However, a few were seen to flee into the tower. The Umbakians did not hesitate and invaded the order’s compound. What exactly happened is not documented. What is known is that not one of the knights left the tower alive, and half the rest, all total about 2 dozen soldiers and knights, were killed. All the knight’s horses were seized, and their bodies tossed over the walls, stripped of armor and weapons. It is generally believed there were no Grollen inside the open gate to the compound, that the order suckered the Umbakians in to get revenge for their brothers in war. Since it cant be proven, Umbak was forced not to take any action.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
Every time a member of the order is killed, or reckoned to be, there is never a body.
There is no cemetery or epitaph for the order.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
Elves have never been in order. Ever.
Obscure Knowledge / Near-Impossible Difficulty
Originally the school was founded by a group of retired adventurers. A priest of Mizras, a warrior of Mizras, Daste the arch-rogue and Holstein Cloudmantle – an Illusion specialist. These retired men founded and ran the Cloudmantle Academy, which grew to become the Tower of the Cloud Gazers. Daste was the last to die, he was a half elf and lived to the age of 187.
By then, his elven heritage was a secret, and it was thought he was a mighty magus named Belrade. He had broken with his brothers of the Salamander Guild as well – they thought him dead. He had merely taken the profits of the academy, and the accoutrements and equipment of his dead companions and used the bureaucratic insight of his guild to create something long lasting. Originally, the presence of Mizras worshipers was the security for the academy, but over time they became part of the practice.
Barlogue Blackguild
Posted on March 3, 2021 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
The Barlogue Blackguild‘s order only remaining chapter hall was their southern most one – The Tower of Meridiem, in the freehold city of Beryl.
- Occult Theme/Motif: Black Hands & Eyes, Black Trailing Wisps