The Order of Saint Polidori

The Order of Saint Polidori was created by the second Grand Vox of the Most Illuminated Church of Bedlam, Euronis Holy Warrior. Euronius was nearly 90 years old when he ascended to the title of Grand Vox after the death of the church's founding leader, Titan Holy Architect. Euronius was in the Greater Bedlam Cathedral, when it was besieged by the cannibalistic "Bedari" army, invading from the north most regions of Beldam called "The Hateful Mountains." The Bedari were a vicious and terrifying people, who were known for their gruesome and ghoulish behavior. They were rumored to be shape-shifters, capable of transforming into humanoid creatures at will. Their natural appearance was like goat-headed skeletal giants, covered in a thin layer of tanned skin.
During the siege, the capital city of Beldam, Byrrone, was overrun and the remaining citizens sought refuge in the inner courts of Count Winslas as well as the nearby Greater Bedlam Cathedral. Euronis received intelligence from the Count's knights that the Bedari leaders had dug a series of tunnels underneath the ruined capital city, with intent to infiltrate the walled fortress of the Count. Having seen the carnage and horrific acts of the Bedari, the Count's army refused to leave the fortress to infiltrate and destroy the tunnel network. The soldiers prefered to stay behind the walls. Euronis, following a period of prayer and fasting, had a vision that revealed to him that a church scribe, Polidori Von Jekl, would lead a group of holy warriors, unafraid and blessed, into the tunnels to defeat the Bedari.
Polidori, though reluctant, gathered a group of the most reverent and disciplined priests and scribes, numbering 15 in total, and inducted them for the task. They performed a ritual, known afterwards as "The Rite of Polidori," and descended the fortress walls by ropes. Polidori kept a hound he called 'Dobro,' and used Dobro's natural talent for locating humanoid and animals to track nearby tunnel construction by the Bedari. Following the hounds lead, the 15 warriors infiltrated the Bedari's tunnels and after three days of non-stop combat, defeated the Bedari warriors, destroying the tunnels and driving the invasion back into the Hateful Mountains. So great was the bravery of the 15, the Bedari became convinced they were supernatural creatures.
When the conflict was over, all 15 returned, though injured and exhausted. Polidori did not survive from his wounds. The other 14 that fought with him reported that he fought relentlessly, through the injuries and wounds. They told of how at times he appeared to have a bright sphere accompanying him, made of bluish light, with a diameter of 6-8 ft that fought alongside him. Eudoris canonized Polidori as a church saint. He then gathered the remaining 14, appointed a replacement for Polidori, and declared that they would be known as the Order of Saint Polidori.
The Order continues to this day, serving as a private guard and providing intel for the Grand Vox. The order has never risen or fallen below the number of 15. They train as fighters in both martial weapons and melee fighting, while maintaining expertise as highly specialized and advanced Clerics of the church. Their ranks are made of scholar/warriors, male and female, from many races and they are charged with protecting the Grand Vox as well as securing the inner sanctum of the Greater Beldam Cathedral and providing security for the Most Illuminated Church of Beldam's archives and it's infamous forbidden library, the "Collection Most Prohibited."

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Covert Ops