Honourhold
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Peace. A noble goal, sought by a noble faction. Though Honourhold has found resistance at every twist and turn, its members refuse to give up. They have proven, merely through the faction's existence, that peace between the Materians and Dyrus is possible, and they will not rest until everyone in the world realises this.
That brother of ours is a fool. If he thinks that the people of this pitiful, broken world can find peace just because he has created a neutral party in this war, he is sorely mistaken.
His methods are too passive. Too weak. To truly obtain peace, he needs to seize it, not wait for it to fall at his feet.
An Arduous History
Honourhold and its membership have not had an easy existence.
They face resistance from all sides, from those who are too afraid to hope that peace is a possibility, and those that enjoy the thrill of the raging war too much to hear the message that Honourhold preaches.
Rough Foundations
Circa 203 CO…
In the beginning, Honourhold was simply an idea, one held by so many. But none dared hope that such a dream would become an actual reality, least of all whilst war waged between the Materians and Dyrus who were determined to defend their people at the cost of the other side.
Except for one.
The Saint of Protection - more commonly referred to as ‘The Warden’, particularly in recent years - had tired of the constant fighting between his people and the Dyrus, and so decided to try and advocate for peace. His powers and position as one of the Seven Saints had earned him a lot of respect, which he thought would help his cause. In reality, it made his role harder.
The Materians that looked up to him began to condemn him as a coward. The Dyrus with whom he had spent so long fighting laughed in his face and responded to his proffered hand with gleeful violence. Even his fellow Saints refused to stand with him; one outright opposed his opinion and sought to undermine him at every opportunity.
A Call for New Members
Circa 207 CO…
The Warden knew this was not something he could accomplish alone. He started to seek like minded individuals, those who were willing to put hope above doubt, to join his cause.
From the northern most regions of Perhl to the southern lands of Ruberus and everywhere in between, The Warden searched all of Amalgia with little success. He was often met with snide remarks or complete silence. But there were, on rare occasions, where his words would reach the heart of a person who wanted to help change the world.
Little by little, his little band of peace seekers grew. From one, to five, to ten until, by the end of 207 CO, they were 45 members strong. At the time, they didn’t have a name that the wider populace knew them by - fools was often the word thrown around, and still is at times even today - just a common goal binding them together.
For the most part they were left alone. No one really wanted to associate themselves with these peace seekers, and the factions waging war against one another deemed the group unworthy of their attention.
Unfortunately, not everyone felt this way, and soon a tragedy would befall the group; a tragedy that would tear them apart and reforge them in fire and blood.
The Crucible
Mentions of bloodI gave him a warning. Is it my fault that he refused to listen, set in his stubborn ways? Is it my fault that he and his ilk now lie at my feet, painted in the slick strokes of their own blood? Look at it seeping into the stone. Weeping just as they had.
Oh, how delectable the scent of their loss. And that brother dear will awaken to this carnage - if only I had the patience to wait for his return and see the horror burning in his eyes as he confronts the scene before him. Alas, he always has been a little slow to return to the land of the living...
Perhaps I will see his wrath if he deigns to confront me. Or perhaps he will confirm just how spineless his sentimentality has left him.
Circa 209 CO…
All 45 members of the faction had met up to discuss the rioting they had witnessed in the small town of Whistledon, along the Ruberus’ western coast. Little did they know that they had been lured into a trap. The riots had been staged and with their gathering the trap had been sprung.
As soon as the group began their discussions, they were set upon by a large cohort of Dyrus, led by the deadly Saint of Artistry. It was this fact that made them hesitate. They didn’t think that the Saint of Artistry would be leading an attack - even The Warden was caught off guard when his sister saint ordered her group to slaughter the peace seekers. They never had the chance to fight back.
She cut The Warden down first, knowing that with him out of the way, the rest would easily fall. And so they did. One by one, until none were left standing and the Saint of Artistry walked victorious amongst the dead. She left a note for The Warden, to be read once the Saint’s resurrection process had completed: do not seek peace, dear brother, or I will tear you down again.
Suffice to say, he refused to heed that warning. If anything, it renewed his desires and only served to fuel the blaze now burning brightly within his heart. He would regroup and replenish his faction’s membership, swearing on his honour as the Saint of Protection.
Thus, the time of Honourhold truly began.
Structure
Honourhold doesn’t have much of a hierarchy, with the exception of The Warden being the faction’s leader. A part of what makes Honourhold so resilient against the tides of war is that all of its membership understand that they must contribute equally towards a common goal.
There are positions within Honourhold, but these are less about dividing leadership into tiers and more about outlining the roles and responsibilities a position brings.
Mouths of the Hold
Mouths of the Hold spread the teachings of Honourhold to outsiders and scout out potential members. They report potential members to the Rings of the Hold so that individuals can be discreetly approached about joining.
“The people need to not only see us, but to hear us. Our voices. Our passion. Our rallying cry.”
Eyes of the Hold
Eyes of the Hold ensure that members of Honourhold are upholding the values of the faction. They report to The Warden on any matters where they believe a member has violated a value of Honourhold.
“You forget yourself and in doing so you make a mockery of everything we stand for. No one is above the values of Honourhold, not even The Warden.”
Hands of the Hold
Hands of the Hold are protectors. After all, being part of Honourhold is still considered to be quite dangerous and The Warden is wary of a repeat tragedy befalling his fellowship. The Hands are trained fighters and can often be seen escorting Mouths of the Hold whilst they spread the message of peace.
“So long as I live and breathe, I will protect each brother and sister of Honourhold. From blood spilt. From bodies torn. I will not fail to keep them safe.”
Rings of the Hold
Rings of the Hold are the recruiters. When a Mouth of the Hold flags a potential new member to them, they approach in a discreet manner and explain the purpose of Honourhold in more detail. This approach is taken so as to not endanger the individual they are trying to recruit.
“You are not alone in this. I promise you, there are hundreds out there - just like you - who believe in a brighter tomorrow, bereft of war.”
Needles of the Hold
Needles of the Hold are few and far between, but their role within Honourhold is no less important than that of their fellow members. Needles are masters of subterfuge, acting in direct opposition to the larger, warring factions (such as Liberty or the Warriors of the Rift) in order to try and minimise the casualties of the war.
“Peace does not mean passivity. We must not lie down like dogs with our bellies to the sky. Our adversaries will come to know that Honourhold is more than just a goal - it is a purpose.”
Attention!
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Adversaries and Opposition
Liberty
A rogue faction of the Materian Alliance; Liberty opposes Honourhold at every opportunity for one simple reason. They do not want peace. Instead, they long for the annihilation of all Dyrus.
They pose the greatest threat to Honourhold and are the only major faction to actively attack its members. The Warden has tried to parlay with them many times, but Liberty’s leadership refuses to even meet with him.
Hands of the Hold often find themselves clashing with people from Liberty whilst travelling outside of Jewelcris Isle. Skirmishes between the two always lead to injuries, particularly for Hands of the Hold because they try to avoid inflicting grievous wounds, but the people of Liberty have no such qualms.
A couple of Needles of the Hand have infiltrated Liberty, feeding them false information whilst reporting the details of major Liberty operations back to The Warden.
Warden, I don’t know how much time I have, so I will have to make this as brief as possible.
During my mission in the shadows of Liberty, I have uncovered a series of detailed reports documenting an upcoming attack. I haven’t managed to uncover where or when as of yet - they grow more suspicious of me every day, but I vow I will leave no stone unturned to reach the truth.
What I can say is this: the attack is on a scale the likes of which Liberty has never orchestrated before. It’s big, Warden, and I fear it will put our attempts at negotiating peace between the Alliance and the Order in jeopardy.
I will contact you again when––
I paced. Back and forth, from one side of the room to the other, as my Needles watched on. Andrea held the missive in her hands, crumpling the paper, eyes boring into me.
“I am no fool,” I remember saying. To myself, to them; a token reassurance. “If the Warriors are content to let us be, then so be it, but continue to monitor them. Either they have changed - though I find that hard to believe - or they are plotting something sinister, and in either case we cannot afford to be caught unawares. Not again.”
Warriors of the Rift
Members of Honourhold like to refer to the Warriors as a nuisance. Previously, their extremist values had seen them clash with Honourhold on numerous occasions, but they have seemingly pivoted away from those values. Much to Honourhold’s confusion.
Now, Needles of the Hold are keeping a wary eye on the Warriors. They have tried to infiltrate their ranks with little success, which has left them scratching their heads as to the Warrior’s new plans and their sudden influx of Materian members - despite the faction originally being an offshoot of the Threedan Order.
Despite the confusion, those Needles of the Hold are actually relieved. It means they can assign more time focussing on an active threat - Liberty - instead of having to divide their attention between the two factions.
Before you start...
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The symbol of Honourhold. It depicts the iconic helmet worn by The Warden - a piece of armour that has since been adopted by other members of Honourhold - surrounded by falling leaves.
Why crimson? Why evoke the image of blood, when one is chasing after peace?
I thought long and hard about this, my friends, about the meaning behind every other shade I could conjure in my mind. Each time, I returned to the image of red staining my helm, instead finding myself wondering:
Why hide from the blood so many have spilt? If we are to achieve a lasting peace, then we must not forget the horrors we have worked so hard to overcome.
Behind the Name
During the early days, the group was normally referred to via derogatory terms. Members tended to simply refer to themselves as ‘peace seekers’. It wasn’t until after the original group was murdered that The Warden decided to actually give the group a name: Honourhold.
“Honour, as I swore on my own to defend the people of Amalgia. Hold, to remind any member that, so long as they uphold the values of this fellowship, they may always return home.”
Names and Alternatives:
- Honourhold
- The Honourhold Fellowship / Honourhold Fellowship
- Veriskarn (a Dyrus term used to describe cowards / deserters)
Headquarters
The Hold - a temple built to honour a long since forgotten god. It had been left in ruin for over a hundred years until The Warden decided to make it the base of operations for his reforged fellowship of Honourhold. It is located at the highest point of Jewelcris Isle, in the Helavi region of Ruberus.
Primary Goal
Honourhold’s top priority is to usher in an age of peace. A difficult task - one that most might consider impossible - considering the lack of trust between Dyrus and Materians. However, the members of Honourhold are confident that they can bring about peace, they just need to convince the others to come to the table and talk rather than fight.
Progress is slow - but it has been made. Fringe groups and small communities have broken away from the likes of the Materian Alliance and the Threedan Order, no longer supporting either group’s role in the war. Their recruitment drive has led to a sharp rise in memberships in recent months. The Warden has even managed to gain the (tentative) help of one of his brother saints, the Saint of Strategy.
Their next step is to get the Materian Alliance and the Threedan Order to agree to a peace summit. Members of Honourhold are working tirelessly to convince the leadership of both factions that it is the best way forward, but everyone seems reluctant to take the first step.
Secondary Goal(s)
- Prevent the Rift from expanding to dangerous levels.
- Stabilise the alignment of Amalgia.
What is the point in peace if the world gets destroyed anyway? There isn’t one! So The Warden has tasked a few of his most trusted members to look into these two issues. He hopes that they are one and the same and that halting the Rift’s expansion will ultimately stabilise the world’s alignment, but fears the reality will be far more complicated.
At present, that group of researchers has made little progress towards either goal.
This is an interesting faction! Just out of curiosity, what are your plans with Amalgia? Do you have novels or game sessions planned, or is it just for fun?
Thanks! At the moment, just for fun, but I do have some vague plot ideas floating around for some actual stories for the setting! Likely to be a series of short stories :)
Garlan | Ma'rune | Osiron | WorldEmber 2023
I see. Good luck with it ;)