The Brotherhood of Shadows

 

The Patrollers: Guardians of the Frontier

Origins and the Ancient Compact

The origins of the King's Patrol trace back to the Age of the Old Gods, when the great kingdom of Darshavon stood unified under a single High King ruling from the majestic isle of Oslo. It was during this ancient era that a man named Severan Ashtok, who would become known as the First of Patrollers, approached King Selus Braygin with a proposal that would forever change the nature of frontier defense.

The compact forged between Severan Ashtok and King Selus Braygin was unprecedented in its scope and autonomy. In exchange for taking on the singular duty to "protect the frontier at all costs," the patrollers were granted extraordinary independence. Any man who served under Severan was exempt from the King's Call—the royal summons that could draft any citizen into military service. These patrollers answered to no one but themselves, creating a unique warrior brotherhood bound by duty rather than feudal obligation.

This ancient arrangement established the patrollers as more than mere soldiers; they became guardians of civilization's edge, protectors of the wild places where few others dared to tread. The compact reflected King Selus Braygin's wisdom in recognizing that the frontier required defenders who understood its unique challenges and could operate with the flexibility that rigid military hierarchies could not provide.

The Three Halls

From this ancient foundation grew three great fortress-halls, each specializing in the unique challenges of their respective regions. These became the heart of patroller operations and the symbols of their enduring commitment to frontier defense.

Alzion Hall

The Alzion Hall once stood proud within the treacherous Alzion Mountains, serving as a bastion against the goblin threats that emerged from the peaks' darkest reaches. The patrollers of Alzion Hall bore the eagle as their symbol—wings outstretched in eternal vigilance over the mountain passes and hidden valleys where danger lurked.

Tragically, Alzion Hall was destroyed during the devastating conflicts of the Second Great War and was never rebuilt. Though the fortress lies in ruins, its legacy endures. The Alzion King's Patrollers still claim these ruins as their home, maintaining their watch over the mountains despite lacking the grand halls and fortifications their brothers enjoy elsewhere. Their persistence in the face of such adversity speaks to the indomitable spirit that defines all patrollers.

These mountain patrollers have adapted to their circumstances, operating from smaller outposts and temporary camps throughout the Alzion range. Their intimate knowledge of mountain warfare and their ability to track goblin movements through treacherous terrain makes them invaluable despite their reduced numbers and resources.

Merrow Hall

The largest and strongest of the patroller fortresses, Merrow Hall serves as the focal point of all King's Patrol activity. Located deep within the Merrow Woods, this impressive structure houses the greatest concentration of patrollers and serves as the administrative heart of the organization. The falcon serves as their crest—a bird of prey symbolizing their keen sight and swift justice.

What makes Merrow Hall unique among the three fortresses is the special relationship its patrollers have cultivated with the xenophobic krill. These feline forest-dwellers are notoriously intolerant of trespassers and maintain strict territorial boundaries within their woodland realm. Yet through patience, respect, and careful diplomacy, the patrollers of Merrow Hall have earned a grudging acceptance from the krill tribes.

This relationship proves invaluable for intelligence gathering and forest security. The krill's exceptional agility and their network of tree villages provides early warning of threats moving through the deep woods. While the krill rarely engage in direct cooperation, their tolerance of patroller presence in their territory represents a significant diplomatic achievement.

Simmaron Hall of the Wood

Perhaps facing the greatest and most constant danger, the Simmaron Hall of the Wood stands as humanity's bulwark against the goblin fortress of Greth. From their stronghold in the heart of the Simmaron Woods, these patrollers maintain vigilant watch over Mount Kroom and the approaches from the goblin stronghold, which lies only a quick march away.

The owl serves as the symbol of Simmaron Hall—a creature of wisdom and night vision, representing the patrollers' need for both intelligence and the ability to see threats emerging from darkness. This symbolism proves prophetic, as the hall has historically produced many of the King's Patrol's wisest leaders and most respected elders.

The forested terrain around Simmaron Hall provides both advantages and challenges. While the great blackwood oaks offer concealment and defensive positions, they also provide cover for goblin raiders attempting to infiltrate deeper into human territory. The patrollers of Simmaron Hall have become masters of forest warfare, skilled in tracking, ambush tactics, and the kind of hit-and-run warfare that keeps larger goblin forces at bay.

The Hall itself serves as more than just a military fortress; it functions as a center of learning and knowledge. Extensive libraries contain maps, tactical studies, historical records, and accumulated wisdom about frontier defense. The Great Room, with its massive fireplace and long tables, has hosted countless councils of war and served as a gathering place where veteran patrollers share their knowledge with younger recruits.

Organization and Training

The King's Patrol operates under a unique structure that balances military efficiency with the independence guaranteed by their ancient compact. At the apex of each hall stands the Council of Elders, veteran patrollers whose wisdom and experience guide major decisions. The Eldest of the Elders serves as the highest authority within each hall, though significant decisions are typically made collectively.

Below the Elders, company commanders lead substantial forces organized into squadrons and squads. These commanders, such as Bostan the Quick, Holtz Merritown, and Thomas Drake, are responsible for tactical operations and the day-to-day management of patroller activities. Squadron captains like those leading units such as the Fighting Foxes manage smaller, more specialized groups of typically forty patrollers.

Individual patrollers may serve in various capacities. Squad leaders coordinate small groups in specific operations, while rovers operate independently, ranging across vast territories on extended patrols. This flexibility allows the King's Patrol to respond to threats ranging from large-scale invasions to subtle infiltrations that require a single skilled tracker.

Training emphasizes survival skills, tracking, navigation, and combat proficiency with both melee weapons and bows. Patrollers must master wilderness craft, learning to move silently through forest and mountain, to read sign that others would miss, and to survive independently for extended periods. They study the behavior and tactics of various goblin breeds—the massive gaugaths, cunning haureks, prolific imps, and devious grekkels—understanding that knowledge of their enemy is as vital as skill with sword and bow.

The Goblin Threat

The patrollers' primary adversary comes from the extensive Underland and mountain fortresses where various goblin tribes make their homes. The fortress of Greth, ruled by the notorious Lord Gral (known as the Meat Peddler for his gruesome treatment of prisoners), represents the largest organized goblin threat. From Greth and other strongholds like Gugal, goblin raiding parties emerge to test the patrollers' vigilance.

The challenge facing patrollers lies not just in the goblins' numbers, but in their diversity. Gaugaths, the largest and strongest goblin breed, prefer mountain territories but can devastate human settlements with their raw power and massive weapons. Haureks combine strength with cunning, often serving as military leaders and tacticians. Imps, while individually weak, attack in overwhelming numbers and delight in spreading chaos. Grekkels, the smallest but most devious goblins, use magical abilities including teleportation to harass and spy on human activities.

The patrollers have learned that different goblin breeds require different countermeasures. Against gaugaths, they employ hit-and-run tactics and terrain advantages. Haurek forces must be met with careful planning and superior positioning. Imp swarms require disciplined volleys and coordinated defensive formations. Grekkels demand constant vigilance and quick reflexes to counter their magical abilities.

Role in the Four Fiefdoms

Following the Fall of the Old Gods and the dissolution of the unified kingdom of Darshavon, the patrollers adapted to serve the emerging Four Fiefdoms of Seacea, Vranna, Anolga, and Kallendor. While technically maintaining their ancient independence, they recognized the practical need to coordinate with local authorities and provide intelligence to regional leaders.

The relationship between patrollers and the fiefdoms remains complex. Towns like Homewood depend heavily on patroller protection, while larger cities sometimes view them as provincial remnants of an older era. Some political leaders appreciate their value, while others question the wisdom of maintaining armed forces not directly under royal control.

This tension occasionally creates challenges, as seen when Brinnok consistently makes excuses to avoid providing aid to the patrollers despite relying on them for frontier security. Yet the patrollers persist in their duties, understanding that their oath transcends political convenience.

The Hall of the Wood Crisis

Recent events have tested the patrollers' resilience like never before. When the witch Saress unleashed the power of an ancient Well of Darkness, the Simmaron Hall faced its greatest crisis. The magical corruption transformed patrollers into mindless creatures, effectively removing the Simmaron's primary defense against goblin invasion.

During this dark period, individual patrollers like Jerrick Bur, aided by unlikely allies including the knight Kayra Weslin, the bard Holly, and the eslar sorcerer Murik Alon Rin'kres, worked to break the witch's curse and restore the transformed patrollers to their true selves. The crisis revealed both the vulnerability of the patroller system to supernatural threats and its essential role in maintaining frontier security.

Lord Gral's subsequent massive invasion, fielding three full battalions plus vanguard patrols, demonstrated what occurs when patroller vigilance fails even briefly. Only the combined efforts of restored patrollers, allied forces, and innovative tactics prevented a catastrophic breakthrough that would have devastated both the Simmaron Woods and Homewood.

Modern Challenges and Future

In the current Age of Advancement, the patrollers face evolving challenges while maintaining their core mission. Technological advances like King Classus IV's airship innovations offer new possibilities for reconnaissance and rapid response, though the patrollers' traditional skills remain irreplaceable for frontier defense.

The relationship with local communities continues to evolve. Settlements like Homewood have grown more dependent on patroller protection as goblin threats intensify, while the patrollers seek to balance their protective duties with the need to maintain their independence and mobility.

Recent events have highlighted the importance of cooperation between the halls. When Simmaron Hall faced magical corruption, support from patrollers of other halls proved crucial to maintaining overall frontier security. This has led to discussions about improved communication and coordination between the three halls while preserving their individual identities and specialized knowledge.

Legacy and Continuing Mission

The patrollers represent something unique in the political landscape of the Four Fiefdoms—a military organization bound by ancient oath rather than contemporary politics, dedicated to protecting not specific rulers or territories, but the very concept of civilization's frontier. Their motto of protecting "at all costs" reflects a commitment that transcends individual lives and encompasses the broader struggle between order and chaos.

From the ancient compact of Severan Ashtok to the modern defenders of the three halls, patrollers have maintained their vigil across centuries of change. Whether tracking goblin raiding parties through mountain passes, maintaining diplomatic relations with xenophobic forest dwellers, or standing as the last line of defense against massive invasions, they embody the frontier spirit that keeps the wild places from reclaiming the lands of civilization.

Their legacy lies not in grand victories or political achievements, but in the quiet security that allows frontier communities to sleep safely, merchants to travel dangerous roads, and explorers to push ever further into the unknown. As long as threats emerge from the Underland and mountain strongholds, as long as the frontier requires guardians who understand both its dangers and its beauty, the patrollers will maintain their watch, honoring the ancient compact that created them and the duty that defines them.

The three halls stand as monuments to their enduring commitment: Alzion's eagle-crested ruins proving that dedication survives physical destruction, Merrow's falcon-marked fortress serving as the organizational heart of frontier defense, and Simmaron's owl-symbolized hall representing the wisdom and vigilance necessary to face whatever threats emerge from the darkness beyond civilization's edge.

The Sorcerer's League

Origins: The Shadow of the Old Kingdom (Ages Past)

The Sorcerer's League traces its roots to the final days of the One Kingdom, when that vast empire ruled over what are now the Four Fiefdoms with an iron fist. In those twilight years, the royal court had grown corrupt and paranoid, increasingly reliant on a cabal of court mages known as the Circle of Whispers. These sorcerers served as advisors, spies, and instruments of royal will—but their methods grew increasingly dark as the kingdom faced mounting rebellions and internal strife.

The Circle pioneered the first systematic soul-harvesting techniques, initially claiming they needed the "life essence" of condemned criminals to power protective wards around the capital. What began as execution-adjacent ritual quickly evolved into something far more sinister. The mages discovered that souls taken through violent, traumatic death contained exponentially more magical energy than those harvested from natural deaths. More disturbing still, they found that the terror and anguish of the victim seemed to "season" the soul, making it more potent for certain types of dark magic.

The Great Schism and Exile

When the One Kingdom finally collapsed in a series of devastating civil wars, the Circle of Whispers found themselves suddenly without royal protection. The emerging lords of the Four Fiefdoms, seeking to distance themselves from the old regime's excesses, declared the soul-mages enemies of the new order. A brutal purge followed, with most of the Circle hunted down and executed.

However, the most cunning and powerful among them—led by the enigmatic Archmage Valeth the Hollow—managed to escape the purge. These survivors fled to the lawless Steel Islands, a chain of volcanic isles that had long served as a haven for pirates, smugglers, and other outcasts. The islands' treacherous waters, frequent storms, and reputation for harboring dangerous criminals made them the perfect hiding place for the exiled mages.

Founding of the League (Approximately 200 years ago)

Once established in the Steel Islands, the surviving mages faced a critical decision: abandon their dark practices and attempt to integrate into respectable society, or double down on their forbidden arts. Valeth argued passionately for the latter, claiming that their exile proved the weakness and hypocrisy of conventional society. "Let them fear magic," he declared. "We shall give them good reason to do so."

The survivors formally established the Sorcerer's League as a secret organization dedicated to perfecting and expanding the dark arts they had developed in service to the One Kingdom. They took several oaths:

• The Oath of Shadows: To operate in secrecy, manipulating events from behind the scenes
• The Oath of Essence: To perfect the art of soul-harvesting for magical power
• The Oath of Vengeance: To eventually reclaim their rightful place as masters of the magical arts
• The Oath of Dominion: To view non-magical humans as resources to be used, not equals to be respected

The Age of Experimentation (150-75 years ago)

Safely hidden in the Steel Islands, the League spent the next century developing and refining their soul-harvesting techniques. They established the Crimson Laboratories in the volcanic caves of their island stronghold, where captured victims were subjected to increasingly elaborate experiments designed to maximize the magical energy that could be extracted from human souls.

During this period, they made several crucial discoveries:

• Soul Resonance: Certain souls contained natural magical aptitudes that, when harvested, could temporarily grant their abilities to the harvester
• Temporal Extraction: Souls could be partially harvested while the victim remained alive, though this required maintaining the victim in a state of constant terror and despair
• Essence Distillation: Raw soul energy could be refined into concentrated "essence crystals" that stored magical power for later use
• Sympathetic Harvesting: Close emotional connections between victims enhanced the magical yield (leading to their later practice of targeting families or lovers)

The Hunter Network (75 years ago - Present)

As the League's magical experiments grew more sophisticated, they faced a critical supply problem: obtaining enough test subjects while maintaining their secrecy. The solution came from an unexpected source—the growing criminal underworld of the Four Fiefdoms.

Magister Korvain the Soul-Render proposed creating a network of freelance "hunters" who would capture victims under the pretense of ordinary criminal activity. These hunters—assassins, slavers, and mercenaries—would be paid handsomely for delivering live captives to League operatives, with bonuses for victims who met specific criteria (magical aptitude, particular emotional states, family connections, etc.).

The genius of this system was its deniability. If a hunter was captured or killed, they appeared to be nothing more than common criminals. The League's involvement remained completely hidden. Hunters like Jarek Blackwell represent the latest evolution of this system—skilled professionals who can deliver high-quality "materials" while maintaining perfect operational security.

Modern Organization and Structure

Today's Sorcerer's League operates as a shadowy confederation of roughly 200 members scattered across multiple hidden facilities throughout the Steel Islands. Their organization follows a strict hierarchy:

The Inner Circle (5 members)

• The Archmagister (current: Nythara the Void-Touched): Supreme leader, rumored to have extended her life through soul-magic for over 300 years
• The Soul-Render: Master of harvesting techniques (current: Korvain)
• The Shadow-Weaver: Chief of intelligence and Hunter operations
• The Flesh-Wright: Master of corporeal experimentation
• The Essence-Keeper: Guardian of the League's accumulated magical power

The Magisters (20 members)

Senior sorcerers who oversee major research projects and regional operations. Each commands a network of hunters and lesser agents in specific regions of the Four Fiefdoms.

The Adepts (75 members)

Mid-level practitioners who conduct day-to-day experiments and manage Hunter contacts.

The Initiates (100 members)

Junior members, many recruited from families destroyed by the League's own activities, who serve as assistants and enforcers.

Current Operations and Methods

The modern League pursues several interconnected goals:

Research Initiatives

• The Immortality Project: Attempting to achieve permanent life extension through soul-absorption
• The Dominion Engine: A massive magical construct powered by thousands of harvested souls, intended to give the League control over the magical forces of the entire region
• The Memory Thieves: Experiments in extracting and storing specific memories and skills from victims
• The Wraith Legions: Creating undead servants from the husks left behind after soul-extraction

Political Manipulation

Without the One Kingdom to oppose them, the League has begun quietly influencing the politics of the Four Fiefdoms. They provide magical services to certain nobles in exchange for protection, information, or access to specific victims. They've also begun placing their agents in positions of minor authority—town guards, harbor masters, merchant guild members—creating a network that can identify potential targets and cover up disappearances.

The Hunter Economy

The League now maintains contracts with hundreds of criminals throughout the Four Fiefdoms. Payment varies based on the "quality" of the delivery:

• Standard Rate: Common victims (peasants, beggars, isolated travelers)
• Premium Rate: Targets with specific skills or magical sensitivity
• Masterwork Rate: High-value targets (nobles, mages, artists like Mara Fairwind whose work showed magical properties)

Secrets and Internal Conflicts

Despite their outward unity, the League harbors several dangerous internal tensions:

The Succession Crisis

Archmagister Nythara grows increasingly unstable as the soul-magic that preserves her life begins to corrupt her mind. Several Magisters quietly position themselves for a potential power struggle, while others wonder if the League should transition to a council-based leadership.

The Extinction Debate

A growing faction within the League, led by Magister Thane the Reaper, believes they should abandon subtlety and begin harvesting souls on an industrial scale, even if it means revealing their existence. They argue that the current approach is too slow and that they should simply conquer the Four Fiefdoms outright.

The Hollow Heresy

A minority believes that Valeth the Hollow, the League's founder, is still alive somewhere in the depths of the Steel Islands, and that current leadership has strayed from his original vision. These "Hollowists" secretly work to undermine League operations they view as insufficiently ambitious.

The Moral Awakening

Perhaps most dangerously, a small but growing number of League members have begun to question the ethics of their work. These doubters, derisively called "The Soft-Hearted" by loyalists, argue that the League should focus on magical research without the need for soul-harvesting. They represent an existential threat to League ideology.

Relationship with the Outside World

The League's relationship with the broader world is defined by careful manipulation and strategic misdirection:

Public Perception

To most citizens of the Four Fiefdoms, the League simply doesn't exist. Disappearances attributed to "bandits" or "wild animals" are actually their work, while stories of "dark magic" are dismissed as superstition.

Noble Relations

Several noble houses have discovered the League's existence and entered into discrete arrangements with them. These partnerships typically involve the League providing magical services (healing, divination, assassination) in exchange for protection from investigation and access to specific targets.

The Underground Economy

The League's Hunter network has become deeply integrated with the criminal underworld. Many crime bosses know that certain "special jobs" pay exceptionally well, though few understand the true purpose behind these requests.

Rival Organizations

The League faces opposition from several sources:

• The Iron Compact: A secret organization of former One Kingdom loyalists who view the League as a corruption of legitimate magical traditions
• The Shepherd's Circle: Religious zealots dedicated to "protecting the innocent from dark magic"
• The Freelance Problem: Independent mages and hedge-witches whose mere existence threatens the League's monopoly on magical fear

Future Ambitions

The Sorcerer's League's long-term goals remain focused on vengeance and domination:

1. Magical Supremacy: Establish themselves as the undisputed masters of magical power in the region
2. Political Control: Place League agents or allies in positions of genuine political authority
3. The New Kingdom: Ultimately establish a new empire under League control, with non-magical humans serving as a controlled population of soul-sources
4. Transcendence: Achieve collective immortality for League members through perfected soul-magic
5. Expansion: Spread their influence beyond the Four Fiefdoms to other lands and kingdoms

The League represents one of the greatest hidden threats facing the Four Fiefdoms—a patient, intelligent enemy that grows stronger with each soul it harvests, each secret it uncovers, and each year it remains safely hidden in the shadows of the Steel Islands. Their combination of magical power, financial resources, and complete moral flexibility makes them formidable opponents for any who might discover their true nature.

Whether they will achieve their dark ambitions or finally face justice for their centuries of atrocities remains to be seen. What is certain is that as long as they remain hidden in the Steel Islands, conducting their grisly research and expanding their network of hunters, the people of the Four Fiefdoms live under a shadow they don't even know exists.