Order of the Glade

The Order of the Glade is a military order founded by Count Haralt "The Forester" de Hue in 1412.

Structure

The Order of the Glade has a strict meritocratic hierarchy that exists and is deeply rooted in the mentality of Dorsill. Because of this, even sons and daughters of nobles are not given special treatment and, at least within the Order, can be ranked beneath more experienced and well-trained commonfolk. This has caused many nobles to look down on the Order and few have allowed their children entry.
At the very bottom, you have the "Pages". These are often the youngest in the Order, utilized in scholarly work, blacksmithing apprenticeship, or cooking. Pages are not allowed to leave Castle Fey on missions, instead spending their days transcribing texts, training in combat, and reading the rules and laws of the order with meals sometime in between. Pages do not get many breaks in their days, as their regiment is meant to remold them into a proper soldier.
Above Pages are the "Foresters". Pages can become Foresters when they have proven themselves in a duel. It should be noted that the duel is not to the death and is reliant on skill-training, understanding technique, and posture. Foresters are the squires to Rangers and thus, are considered mentally prepared to go on missions with their Ranger. Foresters can also aquire work as a blacksmith in Castle Fey, if they are unwilling to undergo combatative missions.
Above Foresters are the "Rangers". The Rangers are those who have proven themselves the best in the Order. A true utilitarian, Rangers equip themselves with all manner of devices, weapons, and so forth to fight fey as well as keep the king's law in the land. This means stopping bandits, removing vicious animals, and ensuring the continued quality of infrastructure.
These are all led by the Lord Forester, a rank unobtainable by regular members as it is held by the Count of Dorsill themselves. However, the Lord Forester does possess a retinue of skilled, understanding, and intelligent Rangers at his side and form an "inner circle" that acts as an advisory council to situations unimaginable to normal society.

The Iron Masks

Considered the Elite of the Elite, the Iron Masks are merely three groups of five people. These groups act as the ultimate defense against fey beings. Trained in unique magics and weaponry, the Iron Masks give up their names and their identities to become nothing more than a shadowy knight of the Order who can not and will not allow themselves to be taken up the Fey. All that remains is merely a title, which is shared across all teams and shows rank in the group.
These titles are:

• Queen/King: The leader of each group, the title of Queen/King represents their combat experience and often possess both melee or ranged skills, as well as magic.
• Knight: Knights operate as a second in command to the Queen/King, often skilled in the same skills as the Queen/King, the Knight also possesses skills in tactics and combat that help formulate strategy.
• Rook: Rooks are the Master-of-arms, but often don't utilize magic. They are the bulwark and defensive soldier, as well as the destructive force that clears paths.
• Bishop: The healer of the group, the Bishop also utilizes magics to help clear areas infested with otherworldly creatures or molds to ensure the safety of the party.
• Pawn: Quick as lightning, Pawns are the scouts and rogues of the team, often utilized to keep an eye on movements ahead of their team and messaging back using bats, crows, or even sending-stones.

Public Agenda

In the public eye of Dorsill, the Order of the Glade is seen as a mysterious, threatening, and yet necessary force within the region. They ride on horseback, carrying all manner of strange devices, lanterns, and weapons to defend the King's law in every corner of the county. However, their overall purpose is much more secretive than that.
In truth, the Order of the Glades' true mystique comes from their near constant communion with the fey. These brave men and women must mentally and physically prepare themselves to enter the feywild and exchange talks with archfey, fey creatures, and rogue elements alike. Because of this, they are prepared in the eventuality that they may need to break into buildings, fight in town squares, and even harass people for information if it means to protect the entirety of the region.
The Order of the Glade has two purposes: To ensure the peace and tranqility between the Mortal Realm and the Feywild, and to interfere or even kill if that peace is disrupted. While the Lord-Forester acts as the diplomatic face of the Order, it is the Order itself that acts as the militant arm.

On An Eternal Borderland

Founding Date

1412

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Alternative Names

Rangers
Darkstriders
The Greenbacks

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Rangers

Leader

Bernart Howe

Leader Title

Lord Forester

Parent Organization

Kingdom of Dane

Notable Members

• Rollo Howe

Related Ethnicities

• Dorsillian