Warden-Seeker
— Warden Decree
The Warden-Seekers, often simply called Wardens, are a knightly order and the mortal swords of the Lady of the Mountain. Like their goddess, they are warriors of remembrance, preservers of the oppressed and forgotten. Obligate wanderers, they journey to find that which is rare and precious, and protect it. This may mean anything from important pieces of art or literature to entire languages or cultures faced with assimilation or extermination. They follow their Lady's example, who periodically takes new, ascendant heroes into herself to preserve their memories, skills and lessons. Though excellent swordsmen to be sure, they believe the preservation of knowledge to be more powerful than the sharpest blade or heaviest hammer.
Wardens have a reputation as untalkative and humble, yet curious and adventurous. Unlike the Mortal Swords of Saint Ajora or the Field Marshal, Wardens are not typically tied to a town or city and rarely make political allegiances, instead traveling to seek their destinies with unclouded minds. Her church is popular among the orphaned and exiled.
Description & Heraldry
See also: Imagery of the Warden-Seekers (External)
Heraldry of the Lady of the Mountain varies across cultures as she is a widely-worshipped deity. The most common coat of arms is of a polehammer (representing the Lady's Relic Lucerne hammer, Dolmensrouw) crossed with a writing quill, often with a mountain or mountain range as the backdrop. Common colours worn are grey-blue, brown, silvers, bronzes and off-whites.
Favoured Classes
The majority of Wardens are paladins, warpriests and sometimes greyguards; clergy of the tome and staff are sometimes differentiated by the term Warden-Sage. Though not as front-line in nature, the Warden-Sages nonetheless act as preservers, often running libraries or galleries, or teaching others how to operate them.History
The Wardens' history is long, originating as the personal armed guard of the Lady when she was still the mortal warrior and Insurgent Hero, Emeliat Reis, some three millennia ago. The earliest Wardens would have initially been borrowed from the Sagasingers, the main paramilitary force under the united Insurgent Gods, though Reis would rapidly begin accumulating followers among native-born Waking Materians shortly after the Insurgents' arrival.
The Warden-Seekers
Founding
~40 I.M.
Deity
Lady of the Mountain
Favoured Classes
Paladin, Greyguard, Archivist
Alignment
Generally LG
Purviews
Protection & preservation of the rare and at-risk
Profile: A common heraldic crest of the Wardens.
Banner: Emeliat Reis (Centre), Warden-Seekers (Left, Right).
Illus. Nicholas Roerich (Left)
I suppose they are the living embodiement of "the pen is mightier than the sword."