Deathguard
The Deathguard is an elite order of knights and priests sworn to the utter eradication of all evil and corrupted undead, along with the necromancers who defile the souls and bodies of the dead, and anyone else who would deal with such vile creatures. The order was created to battle the corrupted spirits of the realm, and played a critical role in the destruction of the line of Vol, and to this day it continues to fight the Blood of Vol cult, whom they consider their greatest enemies and their greatest failures, as well as the Order of the Emerald Claw.
Many Deathguards can trace their lineage through the line of Jhaelian, and many adorn their faces with tattoos in the likeness of skulls, and artificially decomposed flesh. To this end members of the Deathguard often resemble blackguards more so than paladins. Despite their deliberately shocking appearance, members of the Deathguard strive to present a positive image of their homeland, as they are the Aereni elves most commonly encountered outside of Aerenal. They are fiercely good and have a generally lawful outlook. Even so, they observe customs and fashions peculiar to many outside of Aerenal and are often meet with puzzlement or prejudice when they travel the world.
The Deathguard are headed by the High Warden, Cial Jhaelian. He fought against House Vol when that line was first shattered and continues to lead the Deathguard even after his own demise. He has a gentle demeanor, even in battle, and he feels pity for undead, not hatred.
Beneath the High Warden are four Wardens, each bearing nominal responsibility for one of the other four inhabited continents: Khorvaire, Sarlona, Xen'drik, and Argonnessen. However, the Warden of Argonnessen still resides in Aerenal, since elves are not welcome in the dragon homeland.
The lower-ranking members of the Deathguard find that they are most effective when they disperse themselves as widely as possible around the world. At the same time, they know the value of staunch allies in their unending battles, so they associate with like-minded adventurers, even non-elves, to better pursue their order's goals. They send frequent reports to the Warden who has authority over the continent where they operate, and they can appeal to the Warden for assistance from other Deathguard members when needed.
Although the majority of Deathuards are Aereni in origin, there are also those city elves of Khorvaire who join the order. These elves have to work tremendously hard to be accepted within the order, and strive to prove their worth above and beyond their usual duties.
The order has a pyramid-temple built in Shae Cairdal, which acted as its first base of operations, but maintains its headquarters in Shae Mordai.
Many Deathguards can trace their lineage through the line of Jhaelian, and many adorn their faces with tattoos in the likeness of skulls, and artificially decomposed flesh. To this end members of the Deathguard often resemble blackguards more so than paladins. Despite their deliberately shocking appearance, members of the Deathguard strive to present a positive image of their homeland, as they are the Aereni elves most commonly encountered outside of Aerenal. They are fiercely good and have a generally lawful outlook. Even so, they observe customs and fashions peculiar to many outside of Aerenal and are often meet with puzzlement or prejudice when they travel the world.
Hierarchy & Organization
Despite the relative small numbers of the Deathguard, ranging to only about four hundred, the members of the order still believe themselves to be part of a great crusade against the darkness, and they take their part in that crusade quite seriously, giving themselves wholeheartedly to the cause of the Undying Court. Its members police the wilds of Aerenal, paying particular attention to the manifest zones tied to Mabar, however they also operate far outside of Aerenal's borders where evil undead are more prevalent, often leading to many Aereni adventurers being connected to the order.The Deathguard are headed by the High Warden, Cial Jhaelian. He fought against House Vol when that line was first shattered and continues to lead the Deathguard even after his own demise. He has a gentle demeanor, even in battle, and he feels pity for undead, not hatred.
Beneath the High Warden are four Wardens, each bearing nominal responsibility for one of the other four inhabited continents: Khorvaire, Sarlona, Xen'drik, and Argonnessen. However, the Warden of Argonnessen still resides in Aerenal, since elves are not welcome in the dragon homeland.
The lower-ranking members of the Deathguard find that they are most effective when they disperse themselves as widely as possible around the world. At the same time, they know the value of staunch allies in their unending battles, so they associate with like-minded adventurers, even non-elves, to better pursue their order's goals. They send frequent reports to the Warden who has authority over the continent where they operate, and they can appeal to the Warden for assistance from other Deathguard members when needed.
Although the majority of Deathuards are Aereni in origin, there are also those city elves of Khorvaire who join the order. These elves have to work tremendously hard to be accepted within the order, and strive to prove their worth above and beyond their usual duties.
The order has a pyramid-temple built in Shae Cairdal, which acted as its first base of operations, but maintains its headquarters in Shae Mordai.
