The Watchers
Founded in the earliest days of Ayndrinor (the earliest recorded mention of The Watchers is from 10 1A) and bestowed with power and purpose by the deities Gaela and Olmytria, The Watchers are one of the most well-known and respected religious orders in the world. Their number include mainly clerics and paladins of the two deities, though there are some members of arcane study who are in the worship of one of them. The order tends to use temples of The Four as local bases, though their "headquarters" is in the main temple to Gaela located in Fianna'bhaile. The Watchers are known to take people with a wide variety of backgrounds and skillsets, as long as they are dedicated to the causes of the two deities and maintain fairly strict adherence to the tenets of the order. Being extended an offer to join The Watchers is seen as a high honor by most in Ayndrinor, and it can be a way for lower class people to elevate their status in society.
One thing that sets The Watchers apart from other orders and groups is their vigilance and readiness to act preemptively to stop threats. The best summary of their purpose and methods is: gather intelligence and scour the lands listening for rumors of threats, then act decisively to stop those threats before they can cause harm to innocents. Most of these threats come in the form of extraplanar creatures or raiders, but occasionally criminal syndicates plot to kidnap dozens of people from small villages or raiders plan to raze and rape entire cities. The Watchers hear about these threats and determine - with the help of their patron deities - how to best address them. Few other religious orders can claim to have direct consultation with their patron deities, and this divine connection lends an air of legitimacy and unquestioning trust between The Watchers and the ordinary folk of the world.
Structure
The Watchers are set up similar to a military hierarchy, with the highest ranking officers serving as co-High Priests of various temples dedicated to the two deities. For these high-ranking officers, going in the field is a rarity, and most of their time is spent helping maintain temples and communing directly with the deities to plan and address the threats The Watchers uncover. Each of these High Templars has a Centurion who serves as a personal assistant and delivers messages back and forth between the High Templar and the lower Field Commanders. The commanders oversee groups of anywhere between six and fifty individuals - with the latter being divided up into smaller operational groups - based in certain geographical regions for quick reactions.
The smaller Field Units are responsible for recon and rumor gathering, threat assessment, and eventually the actual "extermination" operations, while the larger Units tend to divide these tasks up among their smaller squads with the Commander coordinating efforts and communication. All Field Commanders have special sending stones that allow them to communicate directly with their respective Centurions indefinitely and unrestricted. The magic of these stones cease to function when attempted by a person who is not a member of The Watchers.
Tenets of Faith
- Protect the innocent from unseen threats.
- Study and watch the darkness, discerning those that would use it to hide their actions.
- Be vigilant against invasion or malice from other planes.
- Act decisively against dangerous threats, leaving no hope for escape or trickery.
- Even one innocent person is worth a Watcher's life, if the sacrifice becomes necessary.
Granted Divine Powers
Many members of The Watchers are granted superior darkvision by the two deities who bestow the powers on the order. For up to 120 feet, they can see in darkness as if it were bright light, even discerning color. This vision allows them to be vigilant and better analyze the threats they seek to stop. Many are also blessed with increased fortitude (Constitution +2), to better withstand the combat encounters that are often required to defend the innocent. The High Templars that commune directly with the deities are blessed with not needing food or water to survive - as they can sometimes go several days lost in prayer and communion - though they do need a full day of rest to recover from these marathon communion sessions.
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