Orders

There are many political, social, and economic groups within the world of Tokavah. Most have relatively few members, are confined to a specific area, or focus on a narrow topic. However, groups that are internationally recognized and boast a large membership are known as Orders.

In the current age, there are five recognized Orders:

Player characters may include membership in an Order as part of their character's history and/or may begin the game as an active member. The Orders do not require exclusive membership, so it is not uncommon for someone to be part of two or more Orders. However, as you increase in rank within a specific Order, it can be difficult to balance that Orders' responsibilities with the membership expectations of other Orders.

Player characters are prohibited from beginning the game at certain ranks, but may be able to rise through the ranks during the course of play. Each Order has a different ranking system, so the restriction for each will be noted in the appropriate section.

The Academy of the Rising Wind

Origin

The Academy of the Rising Wind began in Kyr, in the city of Azlet. This is still the primary campus, though today it has several branches and representation throughout the world, especially in Ishui, which is home to many historians (the College of the Rising Tide).

As an academy, it attracts scholars from all over the world, both to study and to teach.

Mission

To collect, preserve, and share knowledge for posterity; to discover lost knowledge, and to make new discoveries.

Branches/Colleges

College of the Twin Horizons – Located in Azlet; the main campus for general education, as well as the primary offices for the heads of the other disciplines. Special focus on Harmonium and Archivists.

College of the Soaring Spears – Located in Azlet; Militarium training academy, organizes Kyr’s military when Kyr has a military.

College of the Living Breath – located in Rucha, focus on Dialectics, Harmonium, and Arcane Studies
College of the Sleeping Giant – located in Eithu, focus on Practicum and Archivists, some Harmonium.
College of the Rising Tide – Located in Ishui; primarily Archivists, with additional focuses in Dialectics and Arcane Studies. Particular focus in Astrology.
College of Arkadius’s Lantern – Located in Vonor, primarily Arcanists; also the sole site of scholarship dedicated to Necromancy.
College of the Searing Wind - Located in Razir; this is the newest formal college, with a small campus established at Mzizimoto as of 680 GY. Focus on Practicum, especially Arcanatech, and a special focus on Harmonium, specifically music and dance.

Although Razir, specifically Mzizimoto, has been at the front end of Artificing and Arcanatech advancement for centuries, the Academy presence at Razir was limited to just a field outpost due to the Mzizimoto Tribe’s hesitance to share their crafting secrets with non-Raziri. The outpost was used by professors who spent time amongst the tribes, studying the unique ecosystem, particularly the wildlife, and as a check-in grounds for scholars studying music and dance therewith. However, with the boom of Arcanatech in the last century, more Practicum scholars from around the world made the trek to study under the masters in Mzizimoto, and the tribe agreed to collaborate with the Academy to create a formalized college. Only Arcanatech has actual physical class space; others are often traveling/field studies throughout Razir, led by a Research Professor.

Disciplines

General Education (Pedagogy) – basic level education, providing an overview of the other disciplines.
Harmonium – Focus on culture as enrichment, particularly the areas of religion, art, poetry, aesthetics, beauty, and especially music. Originally encompassed Dialectics and Practicum, which split into their own disciplines due to a need for better resource allocation, and more manageable size. Many Channelers, Scribes, and Artificers study in Harmonium.
Archivists – Study of history, events, and time as a concept. Teaches how to handle and preserve artifacts and knowledge. Diviners and Scribes often work in this field.
Dialectics – Focus on rhetoric and argument, religion, philosophy, the nature of humanity, society, and politics. Many Channelers study in this discipline.
Arcanists – Study of Ritualism and Channelling as disciplines and in a metamagic sense. Focused on the nature of magic, spells, and Essence. Grew out of a collaboration between Harmonium and the Archivists into it’s own discipline, although all of the disciplines study magic to some degree.
Practicum – Study of physical disciplines, primarily Arcanatech, Alchemy, and Inscription, but other arts and material sciences, including architecture, bookbinding, and Physicker Studies.
Militarium – Study of war and combat, reserved to the College of the Soaring Spears. Has some crossover with Practicum, particularly when it comes to Physicker Studies. Some Channelers and Wizards also find a home here, studying and developing battle magic.

Ranks

Rank is in some ways less formal than other orders; students of the academy follow courses that depend heavily on their college and their specific professors. Those employed by the Academy have somewhat more structure, though this still varies by college and specialty.

Player characters may begin the game as Students, Graduate Students, Scholars, or Research Professors.

Students

Students are not generally considered full members of the Academy for Order purposes unless they have chosen this path in their 4th year of undergraduate study.
Year markers only matter for the first 1-3 years of enrollment for students. The most common situation is enrollment as a youth or young adult (early teens), then 1-2 years of general high level education on subjects like rhetoric, politics, mathematics, history, natural science, and arcana. Following this, 1-2 years of focused study under an expert scholar in a specific field, or else a technical graduation in a specific trade or apprenticeship. Year 4 is spent preparing a final thesis, choosing an ultimate discipline (in or out of the academy), and otherwise preparing for matriculation.
An adult student may enroll or re-enroll if a term was not completed at any time; their position is determined by years/courses completed up to that point, and typically picks up where it was left off, subject wise. Any adult student so enrolling is considered a full member, regardless of previous level of study, or lack thereof.
Graduate Student – a student who has passed their fourth year and decided to spend additional time in instruction, either in their original discipline, or another. Such students are usually assigned to a Teaching Professor, and are often semi-employed as research or classroom assistants, in addition to their personal studies. These students are considered full members of the Academy, although they may leave at any time, for any reason. Generally, unless they are actually expelled for cause, they may return after an absence with little difficulty.
Scholar - Scholar is an unofficial designation for someone who has graduated and is still associated with the university, but isn't assigned to a teacher and has not accepted a professorial role.

Faculty

Research Professor – Non-teaching faculty spending their time doing specific exploration or study, either abroad in the field, or at a particular college. These members focus largely on gathering primary and secondary sources, exploration, and ultimate compiling and publishing books or papers on their subjects.
Teaching Professor – Teaching faculty that may also spend time in research, but are obligated to spend at least a portion of their time in instruction with students. The format of this instruction varies widely depending on the professor, some preferring a regular schedule and traditional classroom; others working at sites relevant to their field of study, or engaging in active exploration with their charges (the latter being more common to those engaging in graduate instruction). Likewise, the number of students a professor is required to instruct is not set, and varies widely depending on college, subject, and inclination. There are certainly Teaching Professors who spend their time exploring and adventuring, with one or two long-suffering students in tow.
Lecturing Professor – Subject matter expert faculty members who do not usually have set assigned students, but who deliver symposia on their chosen subject either semi-publicly, to a classroom as a visiting speaker, or at the invitation of various potentates throughout the world. A Lecturing Professor occasionally may have an assigned Graduate Student in their employ, but it isn’t necessary. Lecturing professors sometimes also write books, but usually work in partnership with a researcher in their field, and provide editing/annotation (in exchange for a share of the byline) on the Research Professor’s work. Lecturing Professors are also called upon as advisors by any number of agencies external to the academy, and are also often asked to provide academic advice to year 4 students.
Dean – The heads of each discipline and each college, the Deans are elected to their positions for a two year term by the members of their faculties. The Dean of a discipline must be a Professor in that discipline, but has no other restrictions on their time or focus other than being willing and able to answer queries from their subordinate faculty. The Dean of a college is required to spend the majority of their time overseeing the actual campus of the college they serve. There is no limit on how many terms a Dean can serve, but due to the nature of the duties and responsibilities, there are usually many more candidates for Dean within a given discipline than for a College.

Insignia

The Academy has a number of different badges and patches depending on specific position and college.

Relationships with Other Orders

The Academy does it’s best to maintain good relationships with all other organizations in Tokavah, based on openness and a willingness to share information. When these principles are not shared, tensions tend to flare, temporarily or not.

Braided Band – The Braided Band is a major source of resources, tips, and information for all of the Disciplines, as well as a common destination for sub-3 year students with a focus on trades, or those with an interest in the merchant life. That many Practicum graduates with focuses in Arcanatech or Alchemy also go on to join the Braided Band is no surprise, but the number of graduates in Dialectics who do so also may raise an eyebrow for some.
Caretakers of the Heartsgrove – Many graduates with a focus in Practicum: Physicker Studies or Alchemy leave the Academy to join the Caretakers; several Research Professors likewise spend time in study with them. They have an overall warm relationship, of friendship and idea exchange.
Wardens of the Endless Road – Various faculty going into the field hire Wardens when their travels take them out of the main circuits of the Ora caravans. As such, they are heavily relied upon, and greatly respected. Some graduates of the College of the Soaring Spears ultimately join the Wardens.
Kinship of Pallas Adine – While some in the Kinship may scoff at the scholars of the Academy, just as many graduates from the College of the Soaring Spears go on to swell their ranks. Leadership in that school maintains a close relationship with that of the Kinship, sharing their ideological focus on combat readiness and protection from various threats throughout the world.

Death's-head Society

Within the College of Arkadius’s Lantern in Prasinos, there are many clubs, fellowships, societies, and tea-covens, each with their own highly specialized academic, religious, thaumaturgic, or political aims. Members drift between these groups freely as both the groups and the individuals wax and wane in relevance. One of the oldest and most significant of these is the Death’s-head Society.

Formed in the early years of the College of Arkadius’s Lantern by a mix of students, professors, and military officers dabbling in scholarship, the Death’s-head Society emphasizes a study of Vonori and Kyrie military history and engagements: each against Gograzh, and the two against one another in the Ancient Era year 568, when Vonori forces that had already conquered all of Ora invaded Kyr. They do not, of course, approve of the imperial conquest—it is the Kyrie defenders that they proclaim, as well as the Zephyr Rebellion and the Faithful Vanguard, that in time became the noble Kinship of Pallas Adine. Many Kyrie with an interest in necromancy also join the Death’s-head Society while learning at the College.

The Society pursues its academic goals primarily through analysis of surviving texts and historical relics, including armaments and coinage. Their critics point out a certain tendency to favor combatant narratives and perspectives over civilian ones, and to glorify the war itself more than is perhaps tasteful. Any scholar who found new details of any part of the Conquest, the Sieges of the Nine in Flight, or the Imperial Katabasis would gain the attention of the Death’s-head Society practically overnight—all the more so if their discovery were presented as aligning with the Society’s preferences.

The Death’s-head Society is a minor faction that is open to PCs.

The Braided Band

Origin

The roots of the Braided Band are old and deep, but it is only in the last few decades that the different factions that make up the modern organization wove themselves together into an Order of unified purpose. No fight can even begin, let alone succeed, without proper outfitting, and the Braided Band boasts the largest collective of crafters, merchants, and various other individuals dedicated to answering the call of supply and demand. They seek to ensure that all members of the five nations have access to goods made or sold by their membership. To the Braided Band, nearly everything has a price, even if that price is currently unknown.

While some members of the Braided Band establish permanent businesses in the uncorrupted nations many will frequently join expeditions as an opportunity to supply resources to those primarily focused on adventure, and source new goods and materials for re-sale when the expedition returns.

When an outpost is established in Gograzhi territory the Band will set up a General Store, staffed by a well respected member of their order to support commerce, crafting, facilitate missions, and deal out rewards. Adventurers who wish to join the Braided Band can learn more by talking to members such as the General Store Keeper who will assess them for membership, usually through a series of missions tailored to the individual’s skills and interests.

Mission

While the Order keeps their wares and prices open to all, the specifics details of their oaths and the contracts signed by members are not bandied about openly beyond their mission statement:

The Braided Band stands united to supply the needs of the human nation’s demand for goods and services. The Band will broker, trade, craft, and otherwise provide services to all nations for a reasonable cost, as they are neither a charity nor a monopoly. Underhanded trade practices will be dealt with internally.

It is known that the Band is led by an internally elected triad, but the identity of the current leadership is not public knowledge.

Insignia

The evidence of their separate past, and the strength that comes from diversified skills, is represented by their symbol, a woven braid of Copper, Silver, and Gold. Copper represents those who specialize in acquiring goods, such as those who adventure into dangerous lands to recover artifacts. Silver represents those who focus on the buying and selling of goods, such as merchants. Gold represents the crafters who use their skill to create new and more valuable items from base materials.

Members of this order proudly wear a variety of braided paraphernalia, in all types of material, to symbolize their membership in the order, but all will wear, and display, a braided metal circle containing the three metals as a symbol of the endless cycle and connected importance of trade, craft, and trade-craft.

Beyond the designation of Copper, Silver, and Gold, a member's rank or standing within the Order is known internally, but not shared publicly. Therefore, to the public, all Braided Band members are equal. Player characters may start the game as a entry-level member of the Braided Band.

Relationships with Other Orders

The Band’s closest affiliation is with the Wardens of the Endless Road. Having a reliable way to move goods is crucial to a group so focused on crafting and mercantile efforts and the Wardens are well compensated for their assistance in moving goods for the Braided Band as they go about their own duties.

The crafters of the Braided Band also have an established relationship with the Academy as new information about crafting methods and new techniques are of interest to both Orders. Even if both Orders are not represented on an expedition, there will often be an agreement in place that they each look out for, and gather, information of interest to the other Order.

While the Braided Band is the largest mercantile organization in the five nations, they actively work to avoid stepping on those outside of their Order, even when those efforts would place them as competitors. Competition fuels growth and feeds innovation. If the Band were to wholly monopolize the entirety of the market their long-term strength would be compromised, thus weakening their ability to improve and grow. Members of the band are encouraged to work with and learn from those outside their Order, as well as engage in healthy competition within and without.

The Caretakers of the Heartsgrove

Origin

The roots of the Caretakers of the Heartsgrove formed in the War that took Ora. Physickers, gardeners, and magical healers from all nations were needed as battle medics. The war provided an opportunity for these practitioners to share their techniques. Though Ora was lost, the strength to stand firm and provide compassionate care even amidst dire circumstances became a foundational principle for the group. The Caretakers of the Heartsgrove have carried that resolve since its founding. Their members are held to high standards of skill and ethics that are tested during their examination.

Mission

The Caretakers of Heartsgrove are an intricate weave of internationally associated physickers, gardeners, alchemists, and conservationists who work together to help one another and the surrounding nations in times of famine, sickness, and disaster. They serve primarily as a collective network to provide medical aid on paid contracts or in times of crisis. Additionally, they study and share knowledge of ecology, herbology, alchemy, and medicine.

It’s common knowledge that some Caretakers have portable gardens they call a Heartsgrove. However, old tales reference secret gardens where the rarest herbs are hidden for their protection, the “real” Heartsgroves. Others say the Heartsgrove was a lost garden of Ora that held living specimens of every plant in all existence. Members might say the Heartsgrove is simply a metaphor for Tokovah and they are its caretakers.

Ant'hrel's Examination

There are many smaller kinships of gardeners, physickers, and healers among each nation. The Caretakers are, by far, the most prestigious. To be counted among them is a badge of honor that many display proudly. It is a symbol of their lifelong commitment to natural conservation, environmental restoration, compassionate aid, and the study of beneficial herbs. To earn their place within the Order, hopefuls are taken behind closed doors to participate in Ant'hrel's Examination. Little information about this trial is shared openly, but it is rumored to be unique for each hopeful.

Insignia

Members of the Heartsgrove show their membership with the symbol of a heart, spiral bound in the palm of a hand. Usually, they display the insignia on a piece of cloth or band, but occasionally display it in the form of a brooch or pin. This insignia is accompanied by the members “Terrace,” a smaller symbol denoting rank among the Heartsgrove.

Terraces

Rank among the Caretakers of the Heartgrove is denoted by the Terrace next to their insignia. Advancement is largely based upon further cooperation with the Heartsgrove, completing specific assignments, or acts of scientific or social advancement in their commonly shared arts. Terraces have general guidelines on how they appear, but members are allowed to take expressive liberties with their Terrace symbol. It is commonplace for members to stack the insignias atop one another as they rank up.

The highest ranking Terrace, called the Scions of the Heart, includes only three members, and these three are the council of elders who oversee the entire Order. When an elder has passed or stepped down from the position, a new elder is chosen from the ranks of the Keepers. All members of the Order are allowed to vote in the elder elections. In rare cases, elders can be voted out if they are deemed unfit.

Terrace Structure and insignias:

Root Stocks - Root foundations of tree.
Bleeding Hearts - Heart at trunk base.
Honored Hands - Trunk with two low limbs outstretched as hands.
The Eyes of Oja - Branching Canopy with three eyes.
Keepers - Full canopy with Moon and Sun in the leaves.
Scions of the Heart - Canopy roof and night sky with constellation.

Player characters may begin the game as Root Stocks or Bleeding Hearts.

Relationships with Other Orders

As mentioned, the Caretakers of the Heartsgrove work to aid all nations in times of crisis. However, Caretakers may be contracted out for a time by the Pallas Adine or expeditions into Gograzh.

They have a close relationship with the Academy of the Rising Wind, as they have a common mission in gaining and sharing knowledge. It is not uncommon for Caretakers to study at the Academy or for those of the Academy to join the Caretakers, should they pass Ant’hrel’s Examination.

Wardens of the Endless Road and Caretakers of the Heartsgrove share a close relationship. Often, the Caretakers hire the Wardens for guidance and security, and the Wardens may hire Caretakers to provide support for a specific assignment. Caretakers have a mutual respect for the Wardens for their shared support of all nations against the threat of Gograzh.

The Kinship of Pallas Adine

Origin

In the modern day, the mission statement of the Kinship of Pallas Adine is to sustain martial prowess and readiness among the five peoples of Tokavah, whether against monsters, the dangers found in ruins, or the Gograzhi. Their lore speaks of a glorious past, in which the great Pallas Adine took a holy oath to free her people from an imperial tyrant. The Orani, Vonori, and Raziri all claim her as one of their own.

Mission

Their approach to their mission combines pit fighting, marching and combat drills, handling logistics, and training knights for leadership roles. They recruit and promote people from all the nations, though the greatest part of their numbers come from Razir and Vonor. Keeping a large force fed is prohibitively difficult outside of Vonor, so the Kinship stays dispersed on the move, or in chapterhouses holding smaller numbers of warriors and support staff. They struggle, at times, to sustain kinship in this isolation.

Joining the Kinship of Pallas Adine is a solemn ceremony in which a new member stands within a space, usually a square, defined by the weapons of current members. The prospective member recites the Novice's Oath or the Recruit's Oath, and the current members respond with their own oath. The Novice's Oath is for those interested in the knightly progression, while the Recruit's Oath is for future pit fighters.

Novice's Oath: "As this [weapon/element] comes to my hand, I make of myself a weapon. I swear myself to serve the Kinship of Pallas Adine. I shall protect the lives of my kin and honor the sacrifice that duty demands."

Recruit's Oath: "As this [weapon/element] comes to my hand, I make of myself a weapon. As this [second weapon/element] comes to my hand, I make of myself a shield. I bind my life to the service and defense of the Kinship of Pallas Adine and humanity."

Response: "I bind my life to the sacred Vigil, that we shall forever sustain the light of hope."

Knightly Rank Structure, and rank insignia:

Novice
Proven (one silver chevron)
Armiger (two silver chevrons)
Paladin (silver shield)
Archon (silver shield with silver chevron)
High Paladin (silver sword over silver shield)

Player characters may begin the game at the Novice or Proven rank. Characters take on a further oath as a requirement of becoming a Paladin, and social obligations as a requirement of becoming an Archon. The High Paladin is the ranking leader of the Kinship; the current High Paladin is Sota of the Mzizimoto Tribe, the third High Paladin to come from Razir.

Pit Fighting Rank Structure:

Recruit, also known as Sand Biters
Blooded (red teardrop)
Veteran (silver teardrop)
Victor, 1st ring (one dark metal ring)
Victor, 2nd ring (two dark metal rings)
Victor, 3rd ring (three dark metal rings)
Valor, 1st ring (one silver ring)
Valor, 2nd ring (two silver rings)
Valor, 3rd ring (three silver rings)
Grand Victor (silver crown)

Player characters may begin the game at the Recruit or Blooded rank. Characters that reach Victor 2 are expected to take on a student, if any should come to them seeking teaching. Higher ranks are only obligated to accept one challenge per month. There may also be prize-money contests with elimination brackets from time to time; these don't affect rank. Entry fees, spectator admissions, and bookmaking are a major source of the Kinship's financial support.

Insignia

The Kinship does not have uniforms, but they issue modest clothes to members living in chapterhouses. For formal occasions, tabards, belt favors, or surcoats are all possible. The Kinship's colors are red and silver.

Knights and pit fighters above novice/recruit ranks have a simple system to rank insignia that they display at nearly all times, on some part of their clothing - whether that's a belt favor, an armband, a painted shield, or worn jewelry for the Victor and Valor ranks.

Relationships with Other Orders

The Kinship's most significant Order relationship is a friendly rivalry with the Wardens of the Endless Road, who also have a significant martial mission in defending travelers. This takes the form of teamwork to keep regions around Kinship chapterhouses safe.

The Kinship relies heavily on the Braided Band for weapons, armor, food, physicker's supplies, and more. The Braided Band is also closely involved in bookmaking around Kinship pit fights. It's not unknown for a Braided Band crafter or agent to leave that Order and take up fighting, or for a pit fighter to "retire" into a trade in the Braided Band.

Members of the Kinship who express disdain for the scholarly pursuits of the Academy of the Rising Wind or the Caretakers of the Heartsgrove can expect a stern reproof from senior leadership, possibly accompanied by a punitive and tedious assignment.

The Wardens of the Endless Road

Origins

The Wardens of the Endless Road have been a formal Order for hundreds of years, and can trace their lineage back to dozens of smaller groups that joined together not long after the current age began. Travel between the nations has always been important, but it became absolutely vital as the Gograzhi attempted to cut the nations off from one another.

With the significantly increased dangers on the road, the Mendicants (the itinerant Orani) hired guards and scouts to supplement their ranks. There was also a need for protected travel for merchants and other pilgrims. By the end of the first century, many individuals and small groups who specialized in wayfinding and travel defense had joined together to create the Wardens of the Endless Road.

Mission

The Wardens of the Endless Road do not have a central headquarters, but every nation has several Outposts that the Order maintains. This is where travelers can go to request escort and where adventurous souls can take the oath to become Recruits. The oath to join can only be given by a Captain or the Steward Commander, and is typically a simple affair. Friends and family of the soon-to-be Recruit may attend, and it is common for any available Wardens at the Outpost to attend as well. The Recruit and the Captain stand in front of any attendees, the Recruit salutes the Captain, and then a short exchange occurs (as follows):

Captain: "Does the Road call to you?

Recruit: "It does."

Captain: "A Warden claims no home, but guides others to theirs. A Warden claims no lands, but protects the land wherein they travel. A Warden claims no renown, but finds honor in safeguarding those in their care. If the Road still calls to your heart, then swear the Oath."

Recruit: "I pledge myself to the Endless Road. With unwavering steps, a resolute heart, and vigilant eyes, I shall protect all who trust me to be their guide. I will maintain the pathways that connect all people, and bring light to the dark unknown. This oath I swear, as I am bound to the call of the Endless Road."

Captain: "Welcome, Recruit." [the Captain salutes and the Recruit returns the salute] "Your journey starts now."

After the Oath, the Recruit then signs a year-long service contract. Recruits are never allowed to sign on for longer than one year, but after that first year, if they wish to re-enlist they are promoted to Trailwardens and may negotiate for a longer contract, although the year-long contract is fairly standard.

The Wardens are not required to wear a specific uniform, but they are issued two sets of sturdy, traveling clothes of brown and green upon enlisting. They choose clothes based on what best blends into their current environment.

Rank Structure and insignias:

Recruit (gold four-pointed star)
Trailwarden (gold compass rose)
Scout (a gold crescent moon)
Ranger (gold crescent moon with a gold five-pointed star)
Captain (gold sun)
Steward Commander (gold sun with a moon and five-pointed star inside)

Player characters may begin the game as Recruits, Trailwardens, or Scouts. Trailwardens and Scouts make up the majority of the members of the Wardens. Rangers lead troops of Recruits, Trailwardens, and Scouts. At the rank of Captain, they are assigned an Outpost and rarely undertake missions. There is only one Steward Commander, who spends a quarter of the year in each nation, traveling back and forth between the Outposts there. The position of Steward Commander is held for five years and then they choose their replacement from among the Captains. The previous Steward Commander then either returns to the rank of Captain or retires from the Wardens of the Endless Road. The current Steward Commander is Himari Kahanu of the Ishui.

In the current age, the Wardens of the Endless Road are split into three main groups:

Luxguard
Wayfinders
Shachar's Shadows

A member of the Wardens of the Endless Road would typically refer to their position by subgroup and rank. For example, "Luxguard Trailwarden", "Wayfinder Ranger", or "Shadow Scout". In unofficial settings, they might drop the rank and just say something like "I'm a Wayfinder Warden".

Player characters may begin the game as Luxguard or Wayfinders, but membership into Shachar's Shadows must be done during the course of play.

Luxguard

The first, known as the Luxguard, is further split in two as they protect the largest groups of the Mendicant-Ora. One group travels clockwise and the other travels counterclockwise along the world circuit. The Luxguard is not the largest faction within the Wardens, but they are the largest groups that travel together. Since the Mendicants travel schedule is so public and always includes noncombatants, children, and pilgrims and merchants from other nations, the Wardens forgo speed and stealth for strength in numbers.

All Wardens of the Endless Road spend time among the Luxguard. It is where new Recruits are first assigned as it gives them an excellent support system to learn the ropes. Over the centuries as Gograzh edged further into the other nations, the landscape shifted, or other dangers arose, the Luxguard made sure the Mendicants circuit stayed secure. Because of their close relationship, the Mendicants have a special, permanent contract with the Wardens of the Endless Road to compensate them for their service, although it does get renegotiated from time to time. Other pilgrims or merchants wishing to travel with the Mendicants must negotiate separate contracts with the Wardens, although it is typically at a lower rate than normal.

The Luxguard often wear additional insignia of a gold lantern with a star inside it.

Wayfinders

The largest faction among the Wardens of the Endless Road are the Wayfinders. It is the Wayfinders who accept contracts with pilgrims and merchants who do not travel with the Luxguard. They are scattered into hundreds of troops that could have anywhere from seven to twenty members. For larger contracts, more than one troop may be assigned. Wayfinders travel the main road circuit, and work together with the Luxguard to ensure its safety. However, unlike the Luxguard, they also travel and conserve the ancillary roads. It is common for smaller troops to be assigned jobs as messengers. When not on assignment, Wayfinder troops stay at the Outposts. If they are not in need of rest or medical attention, the troop members help maintain the Outpost as well as the surrounding area in all directions within a half day's travel.

The Wayfinders often wear additional insignia of a gold lantern with an arrow inside it.

Shachar's Shadows

The final group of the Wardens of the Endless Road are Shachar's Shadows, or just the Shadows. Their title began as a nickname for the Warden's handpicked by Shachar of the Mendicant-Ora, one of the founding members of the Wardens. He believed that maintaining a close eye on the enemy was vital, not just for the world's current safety, but so that they could one day reclaim the lands that were taken. His troops joined him in the dangerous job of reconnaissance and trailblazing into Gograzhi territory. However, as the need for these missions grew, the Shadows expanded, and the name stuck.

Shachar's Shadows work in small groups of no more than five, and sometimes even go on solo missions. Unlike the Luxguard and Wayfinders, members of the Wardens are not eligible to join the Shadows until they are at least at the Scout rank. There is a rigorous training regimen that includes not just physical fitness, but tests of knowledge and training exercises designed to push them to their limit. The final exam, called the Winnowing Trial, involves going into Central Gograzh and spending three nights there before returning. Casualties are common, but the supervising Rangers do their best to prevent loss of life.

The leadership of each nation and other invested parties, such as the Braided Band, pay the Wardens of the Endless Road for information and threat assessments on the nearby Gograzhi territories. The Shadows also take contracts to guide adventurers into Gograzhi territory - whether that is to hunt for treasure, uncover ancient ruins, collect samples for study, or some other purpose.

The Shadows often wear additional insignia of a gold lantern with an eye inside it.

Insignia

Wardens of the Endless Road do not have a specific dress code, but value function over form and tend to favor greens and browns with gold accents. Because of their history of close kinship with the Mendicant-Ora, the Wardens of the Endless Road also frequently have celestial theming on their clothes or ornamentation (something reflected in their insignia ranks). Every Warden is required to display their rank insignia at all times. This can be a pin, other jewelry, an armband, belt favor, or in an otherwise clearly visible fashion.

Relationships with Other Orders

The Wardens have a friendly rivalry with the Kinship of Pallas Adine, who focus on martial prowess in a more general sense. It is common for Wardens and Kinship members to work with the same clients in differing capacities. The Kinship provides additional camp or caravan security and the Wardens take the lead on navigation and scout for danger.

The majority of the Wardens contracts come from the Braided Band as they assist in the protection of merchant caravans, crafted goods, and raw materials. The Braided Band occasionally even hire Shachar's Shadow Wardens to traverse Gograzhi territory in search of rare materials, hidden treasure, or other business opportunities (such as a quicker route to their destination).

The Wardens also get a significant number of contracts from the Caretakers of the Heart Grove and Academy of the Rising Wind. These contracts usually involve Wayfinders assisting them on their missions in the less traveled areas of the world. Both the Caretakers and Academy sometimes hire Shadow Wardens. The Caretakers primarily do so in order to study and find ways to reclaim the land from the Gograzhi. The Academy embarks on these dangerous missions most often to uncover ancient history and learn more about the enemy.