The Areites

The Areites are a group of supernatural warriors who fight in the name of Ares. They wander the continent looking for a worthy fight, and when they find it, they tend to aid the losing side to challenge themselves.
The Areites are seen as heroes to some, and monsters to others. But all agree that they are utterly terrifying on the battlefield.

Structure

The Areites are composed of dozens of smaller groups, each one composed of anywhere from ten to thirty members. These groups of Areites occasionally meet and discuss their next moves, future plans and any grievances. For an Areite to become the leader of their group, they must defeat the previous leader in a duel.

Culture

The Areites worship Ares and his teachings. They believe that the only time mortals are truly themselves, is when at war.
Areites are known for being welcoming to adventurers, guards, soldiers and mercenaries, seeing these people as kindred spirits in the art of War.

Public Agenda

The Areites yearn for battle. They see it as the ultimate expression of honesty. They wander Eregost seeking a worthy battle, often joining the losing side for the added challenge.

Tenets of Faith

Honesty. If you intend to draw your blade, do not attempt to hide it.
Courage. Death brings you a dignity that fleeing can never provide.
Brutality. Care not if your enemies think of you as a monster, only that you destroy them like one.
No mercy. If an enemy submits to you, the kindest thing you can offer them is a quick death.

Ethics

Treachery is considered incredibly sinful to the Areites. They believe that the only reason to stab someone in the back would be because they were running away from you. They care not about the reasoning behind a killing, or if it was a quick or slow death. All they care about is that the victim knew they were about to die.

Worship

The Areites worship Ares by giving him what he wants most. Bloodshed. They regularly take jobs as mercenaries and whenever a war breaks out, they side with the weaker side, simply to make their task more difficult. They do not pray or leave offerings, as they believe that actions speak louder than words and that Ares deserves more than grovelling and bootlicking.

Granted Divine Powers

The Areites are known for using divine magic to augment their martial power. Their devotion to Ares has given them supernatural strength and given their blades the power to deal devastating amounts of damage. Areites cannot be charmed or possessed, and are incapable of experiencing psychic damage. Like all paladins, Areites are immune to disease and do not experience fear or terror. Some of the most powerful Areites are capable of inflicting dire wounds with just the slightest touch.

Sects

The Final Chapter, led by Phlegyas Tisel, is the strongest out of all the groups of Areites. Despite the fact that the Final Chapter is only composed of twelve members, and some groups reach thirty members, the sheer power of the Final Chapter cannot be matched by any of the other groups, giving Phlegyas Tisel a large amount of influence and authority during meetings between different factions of Areites. Notable members of the Final Chapter include Pelops, Mistral Ubiet, Khamsin Kallias and Monsoon Dysto.
The Dogs of War, led by Daigen Prima, is the largest group of Areites, with thirty one members. While individually these Areites are not the strongest or most skilled group, their sheer numbers and willingness to do any job has earned them notoriety and wealth. Daigen Prima is notably against Phlegyas Tisel in almost any discussion on the future actions the Areites should take when the different factions unite to form a meeting. This clear distain for Phlegyas Tisel has almost cost him his life several times. The Dogs of War are the epitome of quantity over quality.
The Grim Brothers, led by Theron Evander, are arguably the most sadistic faction within the Areites. The Grim Brothers worship not only Ares, but his sons, Phobos and Deimos, the twin gods of fear. They seek not only to spread war, but also terror. They are not only skilled in combat, but also psychological warfare and torture. It is believed that they always spare one of their enemies after a battle or skirmish, just so that they can spread word of what happened. The Grim Brothers occasionally have trouble finding work as mercenaries, as many potential employers would be ashamed to hire them, knowing that it would mean that their target would likely be brutally tortured to death.
The Fortunate Sons, led by Mercurion Aplesti, are a group of Areites who specialize in mounted combat, preferring to fight on horseback than on foot. These Areites wear lighter armour than most other groups, though they also armour their steeds. These Areites are currently riding through the Ceilic Region, turning the tide of battles as they see fit, aiding the Venatorians one day and the native Ceilics the next, always fighting against whichever side is currently winning.
The Unyielding Woe are a group of wraiths that serve Areites from beyond the grave. Among their ranks are fallen kings and warriors of old who made pacts with Ares, either to save their people, or themselves. Some were loyal to Ares from the very beginning, and others were corrupted by their bloodlust and rage. It matters not what their original intentions were, they all serve Ares now in death. Thanatos himself is disgusted by these wraiths, and refuses to take them. If one is slain, it will reform in a matter of days and continue its service to the god of War and Bloodshed.

Find honesty in Bloodshed.

Type

Guild, Fighter / Mercenary

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Deities

• Ares

Notable Members

• Mistral Ubiet
• Pelops
• Phlegyas Tisel