Scions of Justice

In the Kellerin Empire there was no official state religion, but the Church of Horan, god of Justice has been very influential since the beginning of the Empire itself. Not many records remain of those early years, but the founding of the Empire was tumultuous. Many of the nations that had joined had done so because their leaders had perished due to some unknown calamity. The Church of Horan dispatched what priests and devout warriors they had to help maintain order, but they were needed far and wide. The Kellerian military was still getting organized with attempting to integrate so many different cultures and disciplines into a coherent fighting force and the units that were prepared to fight were otherwise engaged in defending the realm from opportunistic raiders and monsters alike. The Church of Horan had one thing that crossed cultures that the regular military didn’t and that was their faith in a shared value system. All who sought justice for the sake of justice were welcome within the ranks of the faithful. The church had to reorganize into something more effective and so the Scions of Justice were born. Anyone who worked for the Church was named a Scion be they a cleric, a warrior, a cook, a teacher, spellcaster, carpenter or maid. All were considered children of Horan and all were tasks performed in the Scions were performed to further the cause of Justice. The Scions often take in the poor and the downtrodden for letting people suffer is considered unjust. New Scions are taught to read, speak several languages and are given an education to rival most noble children’s upbringing. All Scions are taught to fight as well, even if they are merely working in a domestic capacity. If a scion shows a certain propensity towards combat, magic or scholarly work, they are sent for more advanced training, but even so they are taught to respect other Scions regardless of capacity. You will see carpenters breaking bread with warriors and mages sharing a drink with the house servants. Because they all serve justice in the best way that they can, they are all deserving of equal respect. Once the Kellerian military became fully integrated and organized, the Scions officers would train the Kellerian officers in warfare. Often Scions and Kellerian military would go to war side by side. The greatest military minds were also the highest-ranking Scions which were the paladins of the Justicar Order and beneath them the Warpriests which were clerics of great military prowess. The Justicars, which will be discussed at length in another writing, had the legal authority to act as judge and jury in any Kellerian case. If they believed that someone was getting an unfair trial, they would dismiss the judge and take over presiding over the case themselves. All Justicars were Scions once, but it is nearly impossible to become one due to the rigorous tests and intense training, physically, mentally, and spiritually. There have been occasions when a tyrannical ruler would ascend the Imperial throne. When this happened, the Justicars, with the support of the Scions, would depose the ruler, often with the support fo the Kellerian military with whom they kept close ties, restore order to the Empire and then return rule to the new Emperor. They have done this multiple times without fail and have never tried to hold onto power any longer than justice would allow. The Empire is vast and its enemies many. There are always those whom justice is denied. It is for this reason that recruiting for the Scions is ongoing and the reinforcing of the faith and tenants of justice must be ongoing as well.

Type

Religious, Holy Order