The Fist Accord

The Fist Accord is a group dedicated to upholding the tenets of Kord through feats of strength and displays of honor and bravery. Originally founded as a monastic order known as the Order of the Fist, the organization eventually evolved into a place where all who worship the god of strength are welcome, whatever form of worship that may be.
Members of the Accord are known as "Fists," and enjoy the ability to participate in honorable bouts for the chance to earn honor and glory in the eyes of Kord and their peers. These bouts have often caused the Accord to be mistakenly referred to as the Brawler's Guild by outsiders, a title which the monks detest and attempt to quash whenever they can.
The Fist Accord maintains several locations across Astoria, each with a temple led by a group of monks of the Order of the Fist, who organize the Accord's activities in the location, oversee both public and official bouts and tournaments, and offer training and more traditional worship to those who seek it.

Structure

Though the monks of the Order of the Fist do not hold any power or position over any member of the Accord, their rulings and judgments in regard to official bouts or tournaments between members are final and must be respected. The monks also act as the judicial arm of the organization, sitting in judgement of any Fist or monk who flouts the rules or breaks Accord law. Each temple acts autonomously as an arm of the church of Kord.

Culture

While all members of the Accord revel in feats of strength and honorable combat, the rules for participating are strict, and punishment for those who do not follow these rules is swift and harsh, usually involving permanent banishment.
Any member may challenge another member -- even one of the monks of the Order of the Fist -- at any time, but challenges must be made in person, with the challenged party deciding the location and time of the bout. Outright refusal of a challenge (without good reason) is viewed as cowardice, and may result in expulsion from the Accord. Each bout must take place on Accord grounds, and must be overseen by a monk of the Order of the Fist to ensure each party puts forth an honorable effort and to prevent serious injury.
Fights to the death are extremely prohibited, and any member who goes too far faces both the judgement of the Accord and any government or lawful body whose laws were also broken. Unofficial bouts between members are also prohibited, and any member who assaults another outside of official regulation and oversight are swiftly banished from the guild. Betting on the outcome of each bout is not discouraged, but a portion of all wagers must be given to both the winner of the bout and to the monks as a donation to the Temple of Kord.

Public Agenda

While The Fist Accord mostly interacts with and oversees the actions of its members, the monks also hold public tournaments, allowing non-members a chance to blow off some steam, display their strength, and potentially earn a membership to the Accord. Tournaments vary between locations, but usually involve several different events, including competitions of strength, fighting skill, and athleticism. The monks of the Order of the Fist charge for entrance into the tournament, and also manage bets and wagers on the outcome of each fight and the overall result, taking a portion of all proceeds.
In addition to their public tournaments, the monks also encourage members to use their strength to help those in need. Because of this, it is not out of the ordinary to see Fists working as masons, city or manor guards, or even mercenaries (as long as their prices are fair and honorable). The Accord takes no cut of any profit from these endeavors, but openly helps its members find placement in such positions, should they so desire.

History

After the fall of the The Adamant Empire, when religion was once again unrestricted across Astoria, a group of monks who revered Kord, The Stormlord, found that the world was lacking a place for worshipers of Kord to call their own. To remedy this, they created the Order of the Fist, a monastic order dedicated to upholding the tenets of The Stormlord. The order drew members from all over the world, and soon had several monasteries spread across two continents.
As time went on and their numbers grew, however, the monks found that not everyone who worshiped Kord was willing to devote themselves to the structure and servitude life in their order demanded. The monks decided to expand their order's purview, becoming The Fist of Kord, and welcoming any and all who revered strength, honor, and bravery in combat. Over the years, as more and more non-monks joined the brotherhood, the name began to be mispronounced as "The Fist o' Kord," which was eventually misunderstood as "The Fist Accord," a name which the monks did not discourage, and thus stuck, becoming the official name of the organization as it exists today (though the monks will often still refer to the organization using its original title).

Strength and honor; bravery over cowardice.

Type

Guild, Fighter / Mercenary

Alternative Names

The Fist of Kord (antiquated), Brawler's Guild (colloquialism)

Demonym

Fists

Parent Organization

Order of the Fist

Deities

• Kord