Sentinel Marshal

I swear to uphold and defend the Code of Galifar with heart, mind, soul, and steel until Galifar is reunited and at peace. I swear to follow the Code and to administer it justly and impartially, without respect to wealth or position, throughout the Five Nations and beyond.
— Opening lines of the Sentinel Marshal oath

Hailing from an ancient line of warlords and mercenaries, Sentinel Marshals are the quintessential elite in law enforcement in Eberron. Contracted to pursue criminals across national borders and beyond into uncivilized realms, they are an international police force dispensed by House Deneith. The Sentinel Marshals hold a reputation of honor, courage, and neutrality unrivaled by traditional chivalric agencies. Where royal courts, churches, and noble houses produce knights sworn to feudal lords, House Deneith produces knights sworn to the immortal ideology of a vanished kingdom. Their devotion to justice is second to none.

The life of a Sentinel Marshal is far from easy, and even the men and women who meet its formidable standards seldom choose it. Most marshals travel constantly, work alone, and regularly cross blades with ruthless outlaws. More than mere soldiers of House Deneith, they are agents of justice and the law, warrior-diplomats who traverse physical and political hazards every day.

Sentinel Marshals aren’t flawless in their actions. They are, however, expected to be.

History and Marshal Law

Nearly a thousand years ago, King Galifar III instructed the patriarch of House Deneith to form an elite order numbering no more than three hundred swords to assist the Galifar Guard in upholding the law. Further charged with bringing fugitives to justice, the Sentinel Marshals were assembled from the most venerated heirs of the house and became well known throughout the great kingdom. Many of these noble warriors were household names who others looked up to or feared.

Where House Deneith was Galifar’s shield, the Sentinel Marshals had become its blazing sword, striking down enemies of the realm within and without. Upon the death of King Jarot of Galifar 894 YK and the dispute over his succession, House Deneith and the Marshals struggled to smother the sparks of war. But when bloodshed could not be quelled and the Last War raged in earnest, the Marshals turned their efforts to the conduct of the war and universal observance of the Galifar Code of Justice, hoping to restore order when the kingdom was reunited. Galifar was not restored. Under the Treaty of Thronehold in 996 YK, which ended the century-long conflict, the Marshals retained their role as officers of the Code. They were granted the right to cross national boundaries—hard lines that now divided the continent—to enforce the laws of the Code and punish those who defied it.

As a branch of the world’s most powerful mercenary organization, the Sentinel Marshals operate by contract. Although they are authorized to enact justice beyond the auspices of the dragonmarked houses, enforcing the Code of Galifar and even the Korth Edicts, they are not above the law.

At first blush, Marshals—who are hired to capture or kill outlaws—might seem comparable to bounty hunters, but they live by an imperial oath and high moral standards. Yet Marshals are not expected to work for free; they might serve the ideals of justice, but the lords of Deneith earn lots of coin in the process.

Marshals cannot be hired for just any mission. Only proven criminals or malevolent monsters are pursued, and if there is any doubt as to the target’s guilt, Marshals might be instructed to arrest, not slay, their quarry. They are enforcers hired to track down criminals, not to determine guilt or solve mysteries, and yet justice is not always so easily served. Sometimes it begets investigation, and many Marshals, becoming invested in their work, make an effort to look beyond the obvious or readily apparent. Today, fewer than two hundred Sentinel Marshals exist. Only nine reside regularly in Sharn, the City of Towers, with three or four stationed in most major cities of Khorvaire at any given time. Their central offices are located in Sentinel Tower in the city of Karrlakton, and all Marshals inevitably return there to report, train, or receive new assignments.

Marshals and the Code

The jurisdiction of the Sentinel Marshals is extensive but not without limit. The Galifar Code of Justice recognizes and protects the twelve sovereign nations acknowledged by the Treaty of Thronehold. Beyond these lands—in places such as Droaam, the Shadow Marches, and Xen'drik—a Sentinel Marshal carries only as much authority as he or she can exert. For example, a Marshal has the right to apprehend a criminal in Stormreach if the crime was committed on Brelish soil, but the Marshal should expect no support from the Storm Lords.

The Code of Galifar includes laws that forbid murder, theft, assault, fraud, smuggling, dueling, the misuse of magic, and even treasure hunting without a letter of marque. Resisting arrest carries steep penalties, and Host save the criminal who dares to kill a Sentinel Marshal. The full wrath of the law will follow such a wrongdoer for life.

The Code does not protect all creatures. It does not cover criminals (who forfeit all rights), the undead, and citizens of nations not recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold. For example, slaying a shifter from Graywall in the city of Sharn carries no penalty. The killing is not considered murder in the eyes of the Code because Droaam is not a sovereign nation.

A Marshal’s Career Path

Not everyone can become a Sentinel Marshal. Under normal circumstances, only blood members of House Deneith qualify. A dragonmark is not required, but those who possess one enjoy a measure of esteem that their peers must work harder to achieve.

An heir of Deneith who aspires to become a Marshal usually begins as a member of the Blademarks Guild, then transfers to the Defenders Guild. Exemplary performance in both of those services earns an applicant consideration as a full-fledged Sentinel Marshal. A proven soldier must demonstrate honor, obedience to the chain of command, and dedication to the Galifar Code of Justice. Exceptions to this career path can be made, but only with direct sponsorship by one of the ruling lords of Sentinel Tower. Ultimately, it is merit, not age or family connections, that determines a Marshal’s status. All Sentinel Marshals report to the Lords Seneschal and, nominally, to Baron Breven.

Signs of Authority

A Sentinel Marshal is required to identify herself and her office when making an arrest. The uniform of a Marshal is a black or purple surcoat worn over armor. The cloth is sewn with silver thread and emblazoned with elements of the Deneith crest. Marshals are not required to wear this uniform at all times, but it’s helpful when one needs to invoke one’s authority.

For times out of uniform, each Marshal is issued an elaborate badge of office. For one, it might be a special document sealed in a metal case. For another, it might be a brooch displaying the chimera heads of the Deneith coat of arms and worn as a cloak pin.

When a Marshal has demonstrated exceptional service, her superiors might give her an honor blade. Honor blades represent the glory of House Deneith and the special veneration of the Sentinel Marshals. Such weapons are never sold, and a Sentinel Marshal who finds an honor blade in the possession of anyone other than a Marshal is required to recover it.

Adventuring Marshals

Sentinel Marshals undertake many types of missions and have many reasons to travel. They receive assignments within Deneith enclaves throughout Khorvaire and sometimes beyond, such as in the house’s Stormreach enclave. Between missions, a Marshal’s time is her own. She can travel with allies provided that she checks in at Deneith outposts whenever possible.

In times of crisis, Sentinel Marshals have the power to deputize worthy allies—especially other warriors or other members of House Deneith—to assist them. This title does not grant allies the full authority of a Sentinel Marshal, but it legitimizes their presence and recognizes their aid if the mission is later scrutinized. Depending on the circumstances, a Marshal’s allies might be debriefed afterward, rewarded for their efforts, and asked to help again.

A typical assignment for a Sentinel Marshal is to find (and kill, if necessary) a known and dangerous criminal. Such criminals are usually of the worst sort—the ones who leave town, consort with unsavory fellow outlaws, make fiendish alliances, and don’t play fair. Sentinel Marshals are also special operatives, not just law officers. One might be asked to assist in a diplomatic mission to Droaam, seize a shipment of Xen'drik relics from pirates on the Thunder Sea, or save an Eldeen village from a dragon roused by the Lords of Dust.

The missions assigned to you, as an adventuring Marshal, are suitable for your skills and those of your known associates and regular deputies. If you are a rogue, you might be ordered to infiltrate a thieves’ guild and slay the vampire lord that rules it. If you are a fighter, you might be sent to defeat an ettin terrorizing Breland’s western borders.

You’re not always on duty, so you can go on adventures that have nothing do with your house. Nor are you required to chase down a cutpurse in the streets or arrest a merchant you see committing fraud unless you’ve been hired to do so. Yet you retain the right to enact justice whenever you deem it necessary. Some Marshals are callous about their authority, enforcing the law only in certain cases or when they’re required to do so. Others cannot stand idle when they witness even the pettiest crimes. It’s up to you to decide where you fall on the spectrum of justice.

Remember that you don’t have to kill every foe. Sometimes you’re the good guy who drags the bad guys back to the city to face the music. But just as often, you need to be the judge, jury, and executioner who gets the job done by any means necessary. Usually, a fugitive’s head is proof enough that he’s no longer a threat.

Guild Services:

Guild Fees: 5 SP a month
Bounty negotiation: 5 SP
Intelligence briefs: 2 GP / hour of investigation
Interrogation Room Access: 10 GP

Guild Rules:

The Sentinel Marshals are expected to follow the Galifar Code of Justice, even if they are not in the Five Nations. Sentinel Marshals in good standing seek out bounties and bring enemies of the realm to justice.

Marshals can only hunt and detain (or kill) known criminals or monsters and are retained by contract. Killing innocents, or alleged criminals expected to stand trial, is strictly against the code of the Sentinel Marshals

Marshals cannot accept bribes or receive benefits for their services that are not expressly stated in their contracts.

Marshals must not use their station or its privileges without an approved contract from House Deneith.

Quests for the Sentinel Marshals:

The Sentinel Marshals are under contract from House Torrn to detain Raphaël Baudin - Gentleman Thief - for questioning and arraignment following a theft of a mysterious object (Rose d'Deneith).

Known Members of the Sentinel Marshals:

Yakob d'Deneith - Sentinel Marshal Commander (Glumtown)
Devin d'Deneith - Sentinel Marshal (Glumtown)
Vesker d'Deneith - Sentinel Marshal (Urthhold)
Tomlin - House Deneith Enclave in Glumtown
Tok - House Deneith Enclave in Urthhold
Torvin - House Deneith Enclave in Penshaw