Grailguard Power Groups

Below are the five Power Groups that maintain and influence the Grailguard: the Grailic Orders. Though united under the leadership of the Grailseeker General, these groups may have rivalries or discontent, but they work as a whole for their cause. 

Player Characters from the Grailguard must belong to one of the groups and switching between Orders is a rare event. That said, despite their prejudices, every member of the Grailic Orders is meant to work with one another for the betterment of humanity. 

The Order of the Ardent Forge: An inventive Grailic Order focused on technologies and practical knowledge.  

The Order of the Astral Tome: A Grailic Order dedicated to the preservation of knowledge as well as the organization of said knowledge. They are also heavily invested in investigating arcane mysteries.  

The Order of the Iron Dragon: An order of monster slayers, front liners, and berserkers. When outsiders think of Grailguard, they often do not consider the fearless, gloryseeking, bloodthirsty Iron Dragons. 

The Order of the Shielding Palm: A popular but overworked Grailic Order that expends immense resources and allocates personnel toward protecting and healing allied settlements.  

The Order of the Silver Tower: A traditionalist, isolationist Order, the Silver Tower desires a noble path for the Grailguard. They had major control of the Grailhome and East Presidium before the Siege. 

The Order of the Ardent Forge

Ardent Forges, Forgewardens

“Destruction is child’s play. 

Creation is the true test of one’s skill”

-- Balag Saint-Slayer

Basic: An inventive Grailic Order focused on technologies and practical knowledge. 

Symbol: A goblet seated by flames. Sometimes, it is a goblet and an anvil side by side, an anvil by itself, or a wreath of flames. 

Territory: To the north and the east of New Presidium and south of the Dragonspire is the Forgehaven, a place of learning and craftsmanship. Many caravans from outside the Grailguard make there way here before they go to East Praesidium. 

Overview: Balag Saint-Slayer was known for many feats of strength and heroism. But foremost was he known as a maker of blades and armor for his compatriots. This skill with anvil and forge was taught to his disciples, who brought the tutelage to other practices and workings. In a similar vein, the Architects of the Ardent Forge are credited for designing and building the various fortresses and towers of the Wardens. In addition, a big part of the Ardent Forge is the maintenance of their farming machines across the Grailguard holdings. The other Orders benefit from these machines as well, though to a far smaller extent. 

Like the other Grailic Orders, their greatest works were lost in the fall of Grailhome. Rumor has it that the gigantic Shroudknights that haunt the roads were corrupted inventions of the Forgewardens. However, much of their efforts are involved not in recovering those lost crafts but recreating them. As a whole, the Ardent Forge looks toward the future even as it builds with the bones and wisdom of the past. 

The Forgewardens have been in the middle of the arguments of Shield and Tower, choosing to focus on “practical concerns” rather than political ones. That said, these Grailguard have immense value placed upon the role of trade in the flow of goods and information to the Orders. This puts them on the side of the Shield rather than the Tower more often than not. 

Indeed, trade with the other Free Tribes and Archfactions have secured them new ideas and new innovations. Moreso than the other Orders, one can expect Forgewarden soldiers to be wielding firearms and siege casters to protect their territories and caravans. One can also expect new innovations with their efforts at construction, farming, and other craft.

Leadership: Marius Arimachus the Club is the Lord-Commander of the Ardent Forge, having served his office for more than 20 years. An Architect before his ascension to Lord-Commander, Marius is not the best of warriors with his accursed leg -- however, his foresight and his management have seen his Order through hardship and famine. 

It was his Order’s expertise that allowed the Grailguard to use the worst of scavenged metals to make incredible armor, weaponry, and machinery. Similarly, it was through his leadership that the Forge improved the Scavver engines to better suit the Grailguard’s functions, including the proliferation of Metabionics to assist maimed Wardens.

The Order of the Astral Tome

Astral Tomes, Starseekers

“Only knowledge and its proper application can truly banish these dark ages”

-- Fiora the Teacher

Basic: A Grailic Order dedicated to the preservation of knowledge as well as the organization of said knowledge. They are also heavily invested in investigating arcane mysteries.  

Symbol: A goblet beneath a star. Sometimes, it is a goblet and three stars side by side, three stars by themselves, or an open book. 

Territory: South and west of East Praesidium is the Fioran Library, squat and wide in the ruins of an ancient school. The Starseekers have since fortified the campus, adding walls and etheric lamps to assist their manned defenses.

Overview: Fiora the Teacher was grace and dignity with her smallsword. However, she was also the most learned among the Five of Swords. Her disciples followed her path in academia and scholarly works, especially in the arcane arts. It was they that took record of the early eras, deciphered the scripts of the ancients, and distributed their knowledge to the other Orders. 

The other Orders sometimes feel that the Astral Tome is focused overly on the intangible and the etheric rather than the solid and the worldly. And certainly, there is much truth to this -- they boast the lowest numbers in soldiers and they meddle infrequently in the affairs of the Grailic Orders. In tune with this, the Astral Tomes have since become a beacon of wisdom and knowledge among the Grailguard. These are individuals of science and lores whose guidance is unquestionable. An Iron Dragon will listen to war advice when a Starseeker speaks -- perhaps there is some past battle that would counsel the current situation. 

The Order of the Astral Tome has recovered much since the Hagathai Invasion and the Fall of Grailhome, but they are far from truly rejuvenated. The Starseekers continue their efforts of maintaining the Tomehouses, managing records, and the other duties of their Grailic Order. To that end, the Astral Tome proportionally features more Scholars than the other Orders of the Grailguard. Similarly, the Astral Tomes undertake special efforts in researching and refining spellcraft as well as instructing novices. Channelers from every order can boast a Starseeker for a mentor, if only in part. That said, the studies and the arcane experiments within the Order are said to rival the Altar of Air and the Temple.. Some even whisper that the Starseekers have touched “Xeno-Planes”' to contact extradimensional entities -- but these rumors are unsubstantiated.

It is their love of knowledge and study of lores that brings Starseekers out of Grailguard. They send individuals out into Mid-Atla to learn and examine matters of interest. Outsiders can occasionally find a Starseeker out in the wild or deep inside a settlement, writing their findings or preparing for a new expedition. 

Leadership: Like many Lord-Commanders before him, Athenus Isidor of the White Tome was once a Wisdom among the Starseekers. A Seraph Animancer, he spends much of his time fine tuning the management and bureaucracy of the Astral Tomes. Reportedly, he would rather peruse tomes and records. 

Rather than excitement at the prospect of new knowledge, Athenus regards the arcane studies of the other Tribes and Archfactions with suspicion and wariness -- he knows too well the corruptive power of magic use and research. 

The Order of the Iron Dragon

Iron Dragons, Dragonguard

“Glory and honor belongs to the righteous victor!”

- Macbane the Boar

Basic: An order of monster slayers, front liners, and berserkers. When outsiders think of Grailguard, they often do not consider the fearless, gloryseeking, bloodthirsty Iron Dragons. 

Symbol: A sword with a cup-like crossguard. Sometimes, it is a goblet and a sword side by side or any blades or fearsome creatures.

Territory: Where once they held the second most territory among the Wardens, the Iron Dragon Order now hold the second least.  The remainder of Dragonguard holdings brush westward against the accursed realms of the Shroudlands and northward against the anxious peace of the Hellhound Motorgangs. They have moved their headquarters to their northmost outpost, the Dragonspire. At the northern and western borders of their land, they have since built several walled fortifications in that region to ensure that any invasions are stopped, tracked, and/or outflanked.

Overview: Formerly the Iron Boars until they were changed by MacBane’s daughter, the earliest Dragonguard were drawn from the hardiest of folk. Macbane himself was said to be a swordsman of immense appetites, tempered only slightly by Soren Crosse’s discipline. His disciples and scions are people of passion, of grit, and of incredible willpower. These were the ones capable of enduring the worst that MacBane could deliver unto them. These individuals were tasked to war with monsters amidst Magnastorms, hunt prey in the driving rain, and other rigorous activities until they finally gained MacBane’s respect.

In the early days of the Grailguard, Order of the Iron Dragon were tasked with patrolling the fringes of Grailguard territory, dealing with both monster and raider. While the Five of Swords dealt with the worst of monstrosities in the region, the Dragonguard were happy to aid them in their battle or fight the ones beneath their master’s dignity. They embraced challenge and hardship -- farming the least arable land or working on the worst salvaged metals. 

To MacBane and his Dragonguard, the Grail was life itself -- and embracing it involved embracing one’s own passions, emotions, and rage. The Dragonguard openly weep when one of their kin is slain. They cry out in wrath when striking down monsters. They laugh the loudest when a joke is funny.

The Dragonguard and the Towerkeepers suffered the worst during the fall of Grailhome. Much of Grailguard’s western holdings were the Iron Dragons’ and many of their greatest gave their lives in defense of their home. Unsurprising to any that know of their ardor, many more would fall in the Ember War. In addition, much of their number have left rank to become Errant. While the Dragonspire is filled with the sounds of apprentices, the Order can ill afford immense action until they have recovered in a few years. 

The joining of the Free Tribes is one of the greatest boons to their renewal -- knowledge of the Grailguard and their righteous cause has spread across Mid-Atla and the Midwest. Many answer the clarion call to battle, petitioning the Wardens for initiation. The other Orders are more discriminate in recruitment but the Dragonguard choose from the hardiest of Forgelings as well as the most stubborn. But for any who choose the Order of the Iron Dragon, all are welcome so long as they can keep their oaths and pull their weight. Naturally, this horrifies the traditionalists of the Silver Tower and the Astral Tome. 

Leadership: Alexandriana Arissia the Wrathful leads the Dragonguard, surviving her adopted mother as its new Lord-Commander. She is young, but proven time and time again in battle and in leadership. Her uncle Hambir MacBane has come out of convalescence to advise her, but there is only so much he can do. 

Her energy resonates well with the younger and the newer of the Dragonguard. On the rare occasion that she is unburdened with the duties and bureaucracies of leadership, she leads forays into the Shroudland - while the first of these returned with heavy casualties, subsequent attempts have come closer and closer to reaching the ruins of Grailhome. 

The Order of the Shielding Palm

Shielding Palms, Shieldwardens

“What worth is a sword if it cannot protect?

What worth is a soldier if they cannot save lives?”

-- Cid the Sky Sword

Basic: A popular but overworked Grailic Order that expends immense resources and allocates personnel toward protecting and healing allied settlements.  

Symbol: An upright open palm with a goblet on its palm. Sometimes, it is a goblet and an open palm side by side, an open palm/gauntlet by itself, or (flag/banner only) a shield. 

Territory: The Order of the Shielding Palm had its territories and allies among the eastern portions of Grailguard territory, so the fall of Grailhome hurt them less. Steelpost is a major trading post turned stronghold for the Shieldwardens and the main gateway (but not the only one) between Grailguard territory and the rest of Mid-Atla.

Overview: The Shielding Palm was wrought into being by Cid the Skysword and his disciples. These individuals spent more time protecting the people and healing their hurts than avenging their wrongs or hunting down monstrosities. This meant that the Shielding Palm had a fair amount of influence among the allied settlements to the Grailguard at the cost of other Orders’ occasional displeasure. This came to a head in the internal strife of the Shield and the Tower, where the Grailguard’s true role in the world was hotly and nigh-violently debated. While the Palms won the day, the rift between the two Grailic Orders has yet to truly heal. 

Unlike the other Grailic Orders, the Shieldwardens have always been civic minded. Their Smiths and Scholars far outnumber their Soldiers, who themselves are no strangers to craft and trade. If Wardens are encountered on the road protecting a caravan from attack or assisting in a village’s reconstruction, they are more likely Shieldwardens than not. 

Yet, it was the Shielding Palm’s outward facing perspective that led to the eventual cooperation between the Grailguard and the rest of the Free Tribes. With the Dustriders’ help, they and the Cartel spearheaded the diplomatic corps that founded this unlikely alliance that would eventually bring the Harbingers themselves to ruin. Contrary to Silver Tower rumor, their ethos to the Grailguard cause is far from lost. This Order sends their Wardens to other settlements not only to defend them but to retrieve ancient and preserve ancient lores. Indeed, their contacts with the other Free Tribes and Archfactions ensure that their reach is farther than the other Orders.  

That said, Their humanitarian acts have left them overextended and starved, with their new trade routes and contracts still awaiting to give them the resources they need to persist. Since the Palms are not utterly mercenary in their duties, they often accept services or simple barter in exchange for their assistance. Less courteous Grailguard call them “Beggar Wardens” to their backs, due to the state of their gear’s repair.

Leadership: The Shielding Palm is led by Lord-Commander Nakul Rao the Bright, a Psion that is skilled in swordplay and in healing arts. Nakul the Bright is a close friend and former partner to General Galavan, though politics requires that their prior relationships be put aside to ensure impartial judgment. Lord Nakul pours his Order’s resources in recovery and reclamation, not only of their own holdings but in healing the Free Tribes’ settlements. He has even established positive relationships and trading routes with distant communities. 

The Order of the Silver Tower

Silver Towers, Towerkeepers

“Immature strategy is the cause of grief"

-- Sashi the Painter

Basic: A traditionalist, isolationist Order, the Silver Tower desires a noble path for the Grailguard. They had major control of the Grailhome and East Presidium before the Siege. 

Symbol: A tower that looks like a long necked goblet with crenellations. Sometimes, it is a goblet and a tower side by side, a castle by itself, or a crenelated wall. 

Territory: East Praesidium and its finest holdings are the domain of the Silver Tower. Their influence stretches up and down the Goodly River, rich with commerce and life.  

Overview : Sashi the Painter was a perfectionist, possessed of majestic form and precision despite his less than refined demeanor. His disciples on the other hand were studious, meticulous individuals that worked hard to perfect his teachings. It is their particular mindset that allowed the Silver Tower and all of Grailguard to flourish rather than fall apart. While the Ardent Forge may be builders and crafters of incredible merit, the management of resources and personnel is greatly owed to Sashi’s disciples. 

The Shield and the Tower are often mentioned as one of the biggest points of history for the Towerkeepers as their greatest failures. But what outsiders fail to consider is the prominence and influence of this Order in all other aspects of Grailguard society: It was the Silver Tower that brought order and ranks to their organization (which was aped by all the others). It was the Silver Tower that caught and punished the first traitors to the Grailguard. 

No Order but the Silver Tower is as entrenched in the activities of all the others -- indeed, Towerkeeper Inquisitors only answer to their Lord-Commander and the Grailseeker General, superseding all other authorities. They are the main judicial body of the Grailguard, with their Inquisitors having immense authority. Similarly, their Inquisitors and their Lord-Commander oversee many trials and tribunals, especially those of importance enough to reach New Praesidium. They are especially on the lookout for apostates and traitors, almost relishing their sentencing and punishment. 

The Towerkeepers are deeply entrenched in the workings of the Grailseeker General and the organization of the Grailguard themselves. They are the ones who send out messengers or emissaries to the other Orders regarding meetings or happenstances. When the General marches, it is always with a significant contingent of Towerkeepers. 

Leadership: Socrethas Hein the Just leads the Order as its Lord-Commander, having done so for the last 30 years. Socrethas is reportedly as strict and stern as a steel sword and just as unbending. Though she brings fear to the accused and to her enemies, she is a staunch ally to have and a font of wisdom. She surprised many when she supported the ascension of the current Grailseeker General, yet she is often seen as a critic of policy and a finder of fault.