Claret Orders
Centuries ago, the high cleric of the Julous Dominion made secret pacts with a devil of the Nine Hells, hoping to gain enough power to repel the aggressive Dwendalian Empire. However, he failed to read the fine print of the devilish contract—he succeeded in his mission, but his people paid a terrible cost. The empire was indeed repelled, but it was because the lands of the Marrow Valley were brimming with devils and undead. The common folks hid in their homes, and the valley grew unhallowed and gray. In this brief era of terror, a humble priest of The Raven Queen named Trence Orman prayed for a way to protect his flock, his people, and the lands they called home. The Matron of Death blessed him with the ancient secrets of blood magic. Trence trained his most trusted friends in the techniques of hemocraft, and they sacrificed a portion of their humanity in exchange for the power to defend the dominion. This marked the origin of the Claret Orders.
Using their forbidden skills, the Claret Orders managed to seal away the source of this dark deal, free the high cleric from his torturous form, and clear the countryside of the evil that pervaded it. Unfortunately, before the Claret Orders could be celebrated as saviors, the armies of the empire swept into the freshly purged Marrow Valley and crushed the Julous Dominion.
The newly installed Dwendalian lords blamed the Claret Orders for inviting fiends into the Marrow Valley. While some knew the truth and tried to clear their name, it quickly became clear the Claret Orders were no longer welcome in their own homeland. Trence and his troupe of blood-tithed warriors went into hiding. Even in the face of such opposition, they never stopped protecting their lands from the shadows, seeking and destroying evils that emerged from the scars of The Calamity.
The orders have spread to the outskirts of Western Wynandir and beyond. They maintain small keeps to train new generations of protectors who are willing to take the Hunter's Bane and embrace their inner darkness to combat the outer darkness in the world.
Structure
Figures of Interest
Weeding out the terrors that feed at the edges of civilization, the members of the orders work for little more than the satisfaction of a deadly job well done.Claret Director Jette Brashan
male half-orc An elderly priest of the Raven Queen who's as revered as he is feared, Jette has a powerful will and a tactician's mind. Jette never makes direct eye contact, and it seems that his attention is scattered among a dozen points at any given time, yet his ability to read patterns and calculate the hidden nature of evil leaves his compatriots in awe. Absolutely dedicated to the eradication of fiendish influence on the mortal plane, Jette has sacrificed much in his pursuit—all who serve him suspect that, one day, he will gladly make the ultimate sacrifice.Elias de Corvo
male human A famed blood hunter across the orders, Elias has successfully hunted some of the vilest creatures in all the planes and lived to tell the tale, though his scars show the cost of his victories. In his later years, Elias is now focused on training and mentoring new members of the orders, trying to instill in them morals that anchor them to their better nature.Elsbeth Grimhollow
female wererat (halfling) A former Myriad operative raised in the poorer quarters of Rexxentrum, Elsbeth fled the city when she was aflicted with the 'gift' of lycanthropy whilst hiding from the Crownsguard in the sewers. The Orders found her shortly after, and she has been a keen student in learning how to control her powers ever since.Lilyana Cayd
female werewolf (half-elf) A sarcastic spitfire who joined the orders to help gain control over her lycanthropy, Lilyana has become a masterful blood hunter in an impressively short period of time. She leads many hunts with her keen, lycanthropic senses, and is known for being more personable than most who undergo the Hunter's Bane. Lilyana is spoken of with equal parts irritation and awe within the circles of the orders.Public Agenda
The creed of the Claret Orders asks its followers to commit their lives to hunting monsters that threaten the sanctity of life and joy. While the sacrifice is great, the reward is the continued existence of purity and good in the world. The orders strive to protect those who cannot protect themselves from the terrors that go unseen by their noble lords and ladies. Most take little credit for their services, beyond means to live and travel. Some have strayed, using their skills to amass a fortune, but the heads of the orders deliver swift justice unto those who exploit the people they are sworn to protect.
Foreign Relations
The existence of the Claret Orders is largely rumor and myth in most places, as the orders have no alliance with or allegiance to any standing government or group. The empire is well aware of their presence and makes a point to ignore their heroic deeds while publicizing misdeeds of those few hunters that succumb to the corrupting influence of their powers.
Some splinter orders have traveled beyond the boundaries of the empire, seeking more welcoming folk and more unique challenges in lands across Exandria. Still, no matter where the guardians of the Claret Orders travel, they know they will never be free from the hatred of those that misunderstand them.
