The Butchers of Hell

Millenia ago, when the kingdoms were nothing more than a few small tribes, dragons were common place in the skies of Azenoth. People grew to both revered, fear, and, in some circles, worshipped these majestic flying beasts. As tribes began to grow and trade between tribes increased, the presence of dragons became an increasing inconvenience as they would attack caravans and mutterers transporting livestock. This presented further issues since this was, and continues to be even today, part of the peace conditions at the end of a fierce war; or they would be used as dowries for inter-tribal marriages. Because these caravans in particular were attacked, wars would reignite or betrothals would be considered broken, all of which meant that the age of dragons was a chaotic one indeed. Townships and tribes began training or searching for particularly skilled warriors to either kill or drive off the dragons from their lands, paying more if they could drive the dragons into a rival's territory. Because the warriors would just drive the dragons into other realms so they could receive a higher reward, a number of tribes and petty kingdoms crumbled from the destruction that the dragons caused, and then the subsequent invasion from their rivals armies. This period of draconic displacement began to backfire on some tribes (now kingdoms) however, as while the territory would be conquered by a new kingdom, they would still have the same dragon to deal with and thus often began to keep warriors on retainers, sending them in shortly after the invasion forces to make sure the dragons were once again forced out of the territory.
Three factions began to form during this time: The Butchers of Hell, The Scale Hunters, and The Order of the Sacred Flame.
The Butchers of Hell were a guild of warriors and spell casters who specialised in killing or driving of dragons from their lairs. As time progressed, and dragons became extinct, the guild turned its focus to clearing other lairs of troublesome beasts, all for a price of course. The Butchers of Hell, often known as the Hell Butchers, were named because a dragon's flame was often described as, and felt like, the flames from hell itself. While most commoners feared dragons, they also respected them almost as if they were demi-gods themselves, and so as these warriors told more tales of the dragons they killed rather than those they drove off, the public often perceived them of butchers of nature; enough so to be given their name.  After all of the dragons went extinct, The Butchers tried to diversify their talents to maintain relevance. Some tried their hand with the Scale Hunters but often were too brash to hunt their prey. Now that their common goal was lost, The Butchers eventually fractured and disbanded into different mercenary bands. The only one that still exists is known as the Jade Blades, taking their name from the founder's Emerald green blade.

Dissolution Date

983 PD

Type

Guild, Fighter / Mercenary

Alternative Names

Hell Butchers; The Butchers

Successor Organization

• The Jade Blades

Demonym

Butchers