Broken Telson

"Don't go near them, El. That brand on their throat says everything you need to know about their kind. Not even good enough for the Shone Baret." - Sig Nra

The Broken Telson is a small but infamous offshoot of the Shone Baret, itself an elite militant order tied to the Scorpion Order. Unlike the pristine ranks of the Baret, the Broken Telson is composed entirely of men and women who failed the Shone Baret's expectations but whose actions — through mercy, politics, or pity — spared them from execution or imprisonment. Bound by oaths as strong as steel, service in the Broken Telson is for life. Members bear the searing mark of their shame: an iron brand of a broken scorpion tail (telson) burned into the flesh of their throat. Though branded as failures, many find a chance at redemption among these grim brothers and sisters.
Not all are corrupt. Some serve with fierceness and dignity unmatched by the "pure" members of the Scorpion Order — proof that broken things can still be sharp and deadly.
Their banner is a red broken scorpion tail with five drops of blood on a black field, symbolizing both the wounds of their past and the poison they yet carry into battle.

Culture

Members rarely speak their birth names after initiation. Comrades call each other "Brother" or "Sister" followed by a number — often the order of their acceptance into their current squad (e.g., "Brother Four").
Tattoos and scarification are common, often depicting the scorpion, broken chains, or a river of blood.
Poetry and grim humor flourish in their barracks; gallows humor is considered a survival mechanism.

Composition

Structure

Warden of the Telson The highest-ranking officer of the Broken Telson. Appointed by the Scorpion Order itself, the Warden is responsible for assigning missions, maintaining discipline, and reporting quarterly on the status of the Broken Telson’s members.

Redbrands Senior operatives, often those who have served for decades without further disgrace. They wear a red cord twisted around their left shoulder to signify their station. Redbrands are assigned to lead teams in the field.
Dropblades Standard operatives of the Broken Telson. The name comes from the five drops of blood on their banner; every Dropblade is considered a "drop" in the greater pool of redemption or ruin.

Tactics

They fight with brutal efficiency, often using poison, fear tactics, and overwhelming surprise attacks. Because of their outcast status, they are often deployed without expectation of return — making them among the most dangerous and reckless forces under the Scorpion Order's banner.

Logistics

Recruitment

The Broken Telson accepts only those who have failed. There are three main paths into its ranks:

• Banishment from the Shone Baret for failure without treason.
• Court-mandated penance for disgraced officers of the Scorpion Order.
• Rare volunteers, often those seeking redemption for personal failure or dishonor. (These few are watched with deep suspicion.)

Upon acceptance, candidates undergo the Rite of Shattering:

• Branding of the throat with the broken telson mark.
• Oath of Unreturning, swearing lifetime loyalty to the Broken Telson and abdicating all former names and titles.
• A symbolic burial, where the initiate "dies" to their old life and is "reborn" into service.

History

The Night of Five Drops In Year 911 of the Amerielle Reckoning, five members of the Broken Telson assassinated a corrupt noble house in a single night, preventing a coup that would have split the Scorpion Order into civil war.

Type

Paramilitary

Overall training Level

Professional

Used by

• Scorpion Order
• Shone Baret