Viz-Jun
The Viz-Jun is a minor faction of self-governed inquisitors, mage-hunters and mercenaries sworn and trained to fight the influence of forbidden, dark magick and monsters all around Artha. Once they were a powerful faction within the Kizahi empire. Now they are little more than a band of mercenaries with a dogma; the extermination of dark magick, influence from beyond the planar veils and all who practice such dark arts. Although not every agent of the Viz-Jun practices their tenets with the same feverish zeal, some are mere mercenaries or monster hunters while others are eager to reclaim ancient lost prestige.
In their pursuits, agents are trained in a wide variety of martial arts, magickal disciplines, subterfuge and are encouraged to go to whatever length required to get their tasks done. This allows agents a high degree of self governance and responsibilty. This causes a great variety in quality of morals and skills within their ranks. While small in number, not many who encounter the Viz-Jun forget such an encounter as they are often filled with violence, dark magick and bloodshed. While the more morally elevated are still often mistrusted, they are mostly welcomed as their skills are adequate enough to deal with many different threats to a community as long as the pay is good.
History
The Viz-Jun trace their roots back to the fallen empire of Kizahi. During the height of the Kizahi empire, the Viz-Jun were both feared and revered. Their methods were extreme and their dedication to the eradication of false and forbidden magick within the empire was near legendary.
The Viz-Jun were both part of the government of the empire as well as a branch of the central faith, the Way of the Chromatic Serpent. With the society heavily reliant on the use of magick and rituals, the Viz-Jun were tasked with enforcing the laws concerning the use of forbidden magick. As such, agents of the Viz-Jun were trained to become ruthless interrogators, keen hunters and vicious warriors in addition to receiving training in all sorts of magick both common and forbidden. Walking this thin line between allowed and forbidden magick cultivated a highly paranoid culture within the ranks of the Viz Jun, with many agents becoming victim of the ruthlessness of the order.
When the empire fell into decline the Viz Jun fell with it, except for a small group of ultra loyalists who sought to continue their work and turn their devotion to the rest of Artha. At one point, the order claimed the mountain fortress of Tael Hazor as their headquarters from which they operate until this day.
