Quester of the Wood

Do you swear to uphold the Quest in all that you do? (I do swear)
Do you swear to keep the beasts of the Wood at bay? (I do swear)
Do you swear to give your life to keep the world safe? (I do swear)

— A traditional Quester oath

The Questers of the Wood were the main force keeping the rampant bestial creatures of the Questing Wood from attacking nearby settlements. Mainly using stealth and mastery of weapons and camouflaged armour, the Questers were tasked with tracking and slaying the beasts of the Wood and using the knowledge they acquired to help keep the neighbouring nations of Zhoris and Tryotho safe. That is, of course, until the catastrophe...

Its Own Reward

Both as part of and after their training in the tracking and killing of basic beasts and practice with their weapon and armour of choice, a Quester was given a room in a Quester Fort and any food and drink that they require. Once their training was complete, they were also entitled to a small stipend of pay taken from the Guild's collected rewards and bounties. In return for these, a Quester was expected to serve the Grand Guild of Questers faithfully, particularly in the hunting and killing of beasts.

One with the Quest

There was a great deal of emphasis in the Guild on the perfection of one's craft. For most, this meant the perfection of the bond that one shared with a weapon and a suit of armour. Many became archers, so they would train religiously to be able to hit targets accurately. Others were swordsmen or axemen, and would practice their stances and strikes by duelling other Guild members. Still others took the idea of a "bond" a little more abstractly, and learned to harness natural magics, a relationship with a forest deity or a connection with a hunting animal to show their fervour.

The Death of the Quest

A catastrophic incident regarding a vampire infiltrating the Guild led to the slow decay of the group as the Questers began to fight amongst each other, even declaring their fortresses new independent nations. When a large group of giants attacked the divided Questers, their fortresses were sacked one by one and destroyed, leaving only rubble and dead Questers behind. While the Tryon army saved one Fort, Vibrahome, from the giants, the rest were never rebuilt. The Guild became illegal in the Verdant Kingdom of Zhoris soon after, and while it is nominally still legal in the Principality of Tryotho, most who are members are treated with heavy suspicion.

Type

Military

Related Locations

• The Questing Wood

Used By

• Grand Guild of Questers

Related Ethnicities

Zhorisan
Tryon

Quester Forts

Many of the people hired to be questers are of adventuring sorts, but one of the most common non-combat roles that Questers filled were masons and craftsmen. The former would help build the somewhat-fanciful castles along the coasts of the Wood while the latter would be the folk who helped Questers resupply after missions. Due to the strange catastrophe that befell the Guild just before the Gashir, most of these citadels now lie in ruins, with Vibrahome being the sole one still in use.