When Cthulhu entered the world of Urlyra, the Elder God created a chain of catastrophic events. One of which was driving Ollitor, the sun god, into madness. In Ollitor's madness, the sun turned blood red and fire began to rain from the sky throughout the world. It was ten days before Teyocah could free Ollitor of his madness, but the toll on Ollitor was too much and resulted in his death. During these ten days, the sky remained crimson, the lands of Urlyra were scorched, and all manner of monsters took advantage of the chaos. Three days into this devastation, a group of Ollitor's followers came together to protect the people. They helped to fight off the horrors that arose, save the people from the raging fires, and feed and heal those in need. When it was all over, they decided that there still needed to be people dedicated to preventing the return of the Elder God. With this goal in mind, they officially named their new organization the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun.
The Keepers of the Bleeding Sun is an organization dedicated to hunting down monsters and gathering knowledge about potential threats. Their primary focus is on preventing any other Elder Gods from being summoned into the world and cleansing any influence the Elder Gods already have. This does not prevent the Keepers from taking on additional jobs or undergoing other quests. The Keepers are often called upon to assist in slaying monsters, acquiring artifacts, or providing relief from natural or magical disasters. Over the years, their influence and reputation has spread throughout Urlyra.
Most members of the Keepers are worshippers of Teyocah. However, that is not a requirement. Some still revere Ollitor, even though he is deceased. Some other deities common for Keepers of the Bleeding Sun to worship are Benatur, Torgar, and Xalla. Members come from all walks of life, ranging from good-hearted warriors of justice to morally questionable monster hunters who believe the end justifies the means. The Keepers are considered a standalone organization and are not directly connected to the clergy of Teyocah. However, they do work very closely with the church of Teyocah, more so than the clergies of other deities.
The Keepers of the Bleeding Sun have headquarters throughout the world. Some of these are standalone structures, while others are incorporated into temples of Teyocah. Any structure the Keepers use as a headquarters are heavily fortified and well-defended as they take the security of their bases of operation very seriously. Many have military training grounds and barracks to train recruits, libraries for research on all manner of topics, or vaults to safely store relics and artifacts.
The Keepers of the Bleeding Sun are divided into three disciplines: the Flame, the Light, and the Warmth. There are eight ranks, six of which are assigned to one of the three disciplines. The bottom-most rank, the temachtli, and the top most rank, the Keeper Prime, are not part of any of the three disciplines. When interacting with other members of the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun, it is common for them to use their full title which is their rank followed by their discipline (such as Keeper Sentinel of Warmth or Tokani of the Flame). When dealing with those outside their organization the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun will often just use their rank without specifying their discipline unless they believe it necessary.
Disciplines
Flame
When someone thinks about the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun, they are more often than not imagining Disciples of the flame. These Keepers are dedicated to hunting down and capturing or slaying cultists or creatures that threaten society. They are the first line of defense against the corruption of the Elder Gods. Disciples of the flame face all manner of perils, and they have the highest mortality rate out of the three disciplines. They go wherever the hunt takes them; many pursue their quarry with an almost zealous fervor. Disciples of the flame specialize in hunting and slaying cultists, aberrations, and evil outsiders, but they are known to hunt all manner of monsters. Disciples of the flame are typically fighters, rangers, and slayers.
Light
Those Keepers of the Bleeding Sun who take up the Light discipline are dedicated to learning and passing down knowledge. Disciples of the light spend much of their time researching and studying topics from the mundane to the occult. They analyze the strengths and weaknesses of creatures, learn the best ways to rebuild communities, and explore new methods to tend to the wounded. Disciples of the light then pass this information on to the other Keepers to better do their jobs. Disciples of the light are also the curators of the vaults where the Keepers store the relics and artifacts that they cannot destroy and forbidden knowledge that is too valuable to destroy but too dangerous for anyone to have access to. The disciples of the light are investigators and masters of knowledge. Typical disciples of the light are alchemists, investigators, and wizards.
Warmth
The Keepers of the Bleeding Sun who fall under the Warmth discipline are typically healers and relief workers. They focus their efforts on tending to the physical and mental wounds of the people and other members of the Keepers. Hunting and studying the creatures and cultists of the Elder Gods can damage the psyche and push even the most resolute to the brink of insanity, so disciples of the warmth are adept at tending to mental trauma. Disciples of warmth are often called upon to aid communities in recovering from natural and unnatural disasters. Disciples of the warmth tend to be clerics, druids, and oracles.
Ranks
Temachtli
The temachtli are the lowest rank of the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun, often referred to as students. The newest recruits are put through rigorous training and brutal trials to deter those who lack the dedication and resolve necessary to face the horrors the Keepers face. Those who pass the initial tests are then accepted into the more regimented training programs and are forced to live in barracks set aside specifically for temachtli within Keeper headquarters. This training typically lasts for five years, although some are allowed to move on sooner depending on their performance. During this time, the temachtli are allowed minimal contact with people outside the order. This isolation forces them to focus on their studies, training, and form bonds with their fellow temachtli. None are forced to stay, and anyone who feels they are no longer up to the training are allowed to leave at any time.
To graduate from the rank of temachtli, the students are each tasked to complete a carefully monitored and controlled hunt. These hunts vary between trainers and could be anything from surviving a labyrinth and finding a particular item at the end to finding and slaying a creature on Keeper hunting grounds. After the graduation hunt is complete, those who succeed are invited to a ceremony in which they are allowed to choose which of the three disciplines they will join. Only 15% of temachtli ever progress to the next rank; this is primarily due to desertion as casualties within the temachtli are uncommon.
Tokani
Tokani is the next rank after temachtli and are the first rank within the three disciplines. After their graduation ceremony and they have chosen their discipline, tokani are assigned to a higher ranking Keeper within that discipline. This is typically a keeper sentinel; however, they can be assigned to a Keeper of any rank. The tokani refer to this Keeper as their machti, or teacher, and often address them by this title. The tokani acts as the machti's squire or apprentice, helping them in their day-to-day and aiding the machti in their hunts and investigations. They travel together, hunt together, and often live together. The tokani and machti often form strong bonds due to this that last long after the apprenticeship has ended.
To graduate to the next rank, tokani must succeed on a hunt without the aid of any other Keepers and, unlike the trial of the temachtli, completely unregulated or monitored. It is typically up to a tokani's machti to determine when the tokani is ready to undergo this trial. The machti must petition the three keeper chancellors of their discipline for permission and guidance on this trial before sending their tokani to perform it. If successful, the tokani is granted the rank of keeper during a knighting ceremony. If the tokani fails, the machti must decide whether to take the tokani back under their wing and continue to train them or eject them from the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun.
Of all who attain the rank of tokani, 30% are knighted as keepers. Casualties among tokani are much higher than temachtli as they often accompany their machti into battles and other hostile situations and make up 50% of those who do not make it to the rank of keeper. The remainder are tokani who either never pass their trials, desert, or remain as lifelong tokani.
Keeper
Keepers make up the bulk of the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. These are the members who have earned the right to work independently and get their first taste of autonomy within the organization. They still report to and take orders from a senior member, usually a keeper sentinel, but are, for the most part, allowed to dictate their actions. They are warriors, healers, and scholars of dependable skill and resolve. Many keepers work alone, but some form hunting parties with fellow keepers to increase their odds of success and survivability. Despite their grim work, many who attain this rank have a strong sense of pride in what they do and will often compete with each other by tracking their number of successful hunts. There is a strong familial bond between most who attain this rank, even amongst the lone wolves. They are quick to defend one another and come to each other's aid. Each time a keeper is killed in the line of duty, the loss is felt deeply throughout the organization.
For many, this is as far as they'll advance within the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. However, those who show exceptional skill, leadership, and dedication to the cause are given the opportunity to advance to the rank of keeper sentinel. The trials required to advance to keeper sentinel vary greatly and are typically not as simple as one hunt but rather a series of hunts and quests. Even rarer is for a keeper to ascend to the rank of keeper purifier.
Keeper Sentinel
Keeper sentinels are the ranking officers of the order. They are assigned several keepers to monitor and command. These keepers report to the keeper sentinels their whereabouts, the hunts they undertake, and any information regarding potential threats they uncover. The keeper sentinels then report to the grand keepers of their discipline. Any orders or directives from the grand keepers are then passed through the keeper sentinels to their keepers. Keeper sentinels are still expected to conduct hunts of their own while still performing these additional duties; however, the hunts they undertake are usually much more dangerous and critical in nature. It is because of these additional duties and their wealth of experience that the keeper sentinels are typically assigned a tokani to assist them and teach.
Keeper sentinels have two options for progression; they can either become grand keepers or keeper purifiers. Both paths are considered exceedingly difficult to attain, and the keeper sentinels must be chosen by the keeper chancellors for advancement.
Keeper Purifier
Naturally, in a militant order designed to root out evil, especially an evil that is particularly well-known for corrupting and twisting the minds of all who come into contact with it, there must be those within that order whose sole purpose is to ensure that corruption does not get a hold within the order. That is where the keeper purifiers come in. They focus not on outside threats but threats from within the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. The keeper purifiers excel at sensing changes in behavior or finding patterns that indicate someone may have been influenced by outside forces. They are brutally effective and have a slightly infamous reputation among the Keepers for their methods.
Keeper purifiers are not a direct step of advancement between the rank of keeper sentinel and grand keeper but carry an authority all their own. This authority supersedes that of keeper sentinels and, at times, can even supersede that of grand keepers. No one is safe from the scrutiny of the keeper purifiers, and the presence of one often sets everyone on edge. To ensure their own ranks are not corrupted, keeper purifiers undergo regular check-ins and secret tests that are rumored to be grueling but effective.
Because of the nature of their work, keeper purifiers are chosen from among the most devout, dedicated, and iron-minded individuals. Keeper sentinels are the usual candidates for such progression, but on rare occasions keepers who have exhibited extraordinary skill and resolve have been chosen. There have also been grand keepers who have stepped down into the role of keeper purifier.
Grand Keeper
The position of grand keeper is among the highest achievable ranks within the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. These highly trained and experienced Keepers have dozens of keeper sentinels in their charge, who have dozens of keepers in their command. Grand keepers act as generals for the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun, orchestrating massive campaigns and complex investigations that span the entirety of Urlyra to root out evil and corruption. Grand keepers are masters of their discipline, and they carry tremendous power and respect within the order. They directly report to the keeper chancellors and pass directives down through their keeper sentinels.
Grand keepers only have one option for advancement, which is to join the ranks of the keeper chancellors. However, there are only ever three keeper chancellors of each discipline at any given time, so this opportunity seldom presents itself.
Keeper Chancellor
Keeper chancellors are the ruling council of the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. There are only ever three keeper chancellors for each of the three disciplines, making for nine keeper chancellors in total. Individually, none rival their power and influence except the keeper prime themselves. Collectively, they can counter and even remove the keeper prime should they have enough evidence and reason to do so. The keeper chancellors dictate everything from advancement in rank to changes in laws and regulations within the order. Very little goes on within the order that keeper chancellors do not already know about or orchestrate.
Keeper chancellors serve a lifelong term, and a new one is only chosen should they die or prove incapable of performing their duties. When a new keeper chancellor is required, the remaining two and the keeper prime convene to examine the possible candidates. The candidates are then put under close examination and trials before the three decide, a process that can take months.
Keeper Prime
The keeper prime is the highest-ranking member of the Keepers of the Bleeding Sun. Chosen from among the keeper chancellors, their station removes them from any discipline. They oversee the decision-making and machinations of the keeper chancellors and act as a figurehead to the leaders of Urlyra's nations. The word of the keeper prime is considered law and can only be overruled by the keeper chancellors, creating a checks and balance system between the two rankings. The keeper prime has such power and influence that even kings and queens show them respect. The position of keeper prime is a lifelong role that can only be revoked should the keeper prime step down, the keeper chancellors deem the keeper prime unfit to maintain the position, or the keeper prime dies.
We are the warmth that cleanses the soul, we are the light that guides the way, we are the flame that purges the corruption.
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