The Justicar Order

Organized in the aftermath of the Second Incursion, the Justicar Order was created as a regulatory body to provide oversigt of the guilds in general and to coerce cooperation during war or disaster. The order was given legal power to create, and enforce, laws and regulations meant to keep the guilds' increasing power in check for the stability and security of the Five Cities.

The order spent the next several decades creating a legal framework of policies, proceedures, and regulations that brought transparency to each of the guild's overall operations. While this was considered a win by the Council of Elders, the overall effect merely forced the guilds to tighten their own internal security and act on opportunities to bribe or extort members of the order to look the other way. It was during this politically tumultuous time that the Questioners became the bedrock of the order's operations.

It was not until the Third Incursion from the Empire of Scythes that the order was able to cement its position and power in the political structure of the Five Cities. When the incursion began, the Council was able to deploy their armies quickly and conscript war-time assistance from the guilds. Even so, the marshals stood against a force estimated to be thirty times the size of their own troops. It was obvious that the Five Cities would fall unless some miracle were to occur.

The miracle came in the form of a young justicar who exposed a well hidden project of the Artifex guild. The so called Earth Buster Cannon was theoretically capable of lobbing a shell three leagues away, though the shells themselves were unstable at best and prone to explode on average a league and a half out from the cannon. The justicar who discovered the project, knowing that the Council of Elders would take far too long to come to a concensus, stole the plans and brought them straight to the marshals who demanded immediate production of the cannon.

Three weeks after Earth Busters began to fire, the incursion was routed less than a league away from breaching the Five Cities proper. The Council of Elders collapsed during the subsequent unrest. Before a civil war could break out, the Justicar Order, along with allies within the guilds and former government officials, ratified a new constitution for the Five Cities. The newly elected Senate would govern the metropolis with the current High Cortex of the order presiding as an arbitrator for the Senate as well as holding veto power over them.

Structure

The High Cortex -- Head of the Justicar Order

The Cerebria -- The five regional heads of the Order

The Questioners -- While officially answering to their respective Cerebrum, Questioners have the power to bring an inquiry against any member of the order, including the High Cortex.

The Oculi -- Each Oculus oversees the day to day operations of the order.

The Lacertia -- The active investigators of the order, a Lacertus is responsible for a variety of cases brought to the attention of the order.

The Vestigia -- Tasked with handling the minutia of the order, Vestigium begin their careers as the foot soldiers of the Lacertia before either finding a niche within the clerical monstrosity that is the Justicar Order or being promoted to Lacertus themselves.

Public Agenda

A regulatory body that oversees the operations of the guilds for the continued safety and security of the Five Cities.

History

Created during the aftermath of the Second Incursion.

Ordo Iustum: Nihil Supra Alterum

Post Second Incursion - n/a

Type

Governmental, Inquisitorial

Alternative Names

Justicar Order

Demonym

Justicar