Arturians, Freelands Chapter

Law and Order in the Land Without Laws

The Arturians are an ancient faction that follows the teachings of Artur in an attempt to establish law and order wherever they go. At one point, the Arturians were a part of every Risen nation aside from Nechestivy and Tennotani. This includes the Dragon Kingdoms now known as The Freelands. After the change in control of the land, however, keeping any power or influence was a daunting task. For how could one uphold the laws of the land when there are none?
Arturians have made a name for themselves by following and upholding the law of the land. Even in places in which they do not agree with the laws in question, they still work to uphold them. The Freelands are named such for their abandonment of a unified government over the land and the refusal to follow listed laws. To this effort, the Freelands chapter of the Arturians has worked to instill their own rules based on Artur's teachings. They rejected wanton behavior, fought for the safety of nearby towns, and processed believed criminals by their laws. However, even the brave Arturians began to succumb to the greed and lawlessness of the Freelands after centuries of attempting to make a home there.
Multiple generations of mixing and recruiting from the local populace have changed the demographic of the chapter from fervent worshippers to glorified highwaymen. A donation proportional to the wealth of the family in need has always been the norm for requesting Arturian aid. Bread from the poor, a bounty from the rich. Now, the Freelands chapter demands a veritable wealth of gold or similar compensation in order to mobilize their faction. Local villagers suffering from the demands of bandits turn to the Arturians to help only to find that they may charge more than the bandits themselves.
Their punishments are harsher than the standard as well. They are quick to jump to violence and unafraid to practice torture on those they arrest. False arrests have been confirmed with the victims either disappearing or found working in indentured servitude.
As a result of their actions, it seems they have lost all the blessings of their god. None have been seen calling upon Artur's divine magick in over a century now. It is rumored that what little power they have left is channeled through the use of divine relics brought over with the loyal founding members centuries ago. These magickal apparatuses and weapons still hold power after all these years, and continue to be abused by the members of the Freelands chapter.
Currently, there is one chapterhouse in the Freelands. It is a large fort settled on the hills west of Lakeside with a clear view of the surrounding plains. Two rows of palisades offer ample protection against local beasts and would-be attackers. Although there is a collection of livestock kept within the walls, there is no suitable farmland, pushing them to acquire yet more resources from nearby settlements. What once was a fine temple to Artur is now a glorified drinking hall where they store their wealth

Noble Dissenters

As far as the Freelands chapter has gone down the pit of depravity, there are still those who seek good and wish to return the chapter to its former glory. The Arturians still accept recruits from outside their organization and some of these recruits grow dissatisfied, rebelling against the evil temptations put before them.
The young recruits have begun to speak out against the practices of the chapter and attempt to work some good from within. Small acts of kindness and forgiveness for local settlements can go a long way. They are hopeful, but restoring a reputation this damaged is a daunting task, to say the least. Those who are caught by the chapter, however, are treated with even more disdain than the criminals they arrest.
News travels slowly throughout the Freelands and even slower to other nations. The Freelands chapter has run amok for far too long, and rumors of their actions have finally reached the Grand Arbiter of the Arturian Order.
He is said to currently be investigating the veracity of these rumors and looks forward to delivering Artur's divine punishment against any who tarnish his name.