The Defender
Qualifications
In order to become the Defender, one must show they hold certain virtues that ensure their heart and mind are in the right place. They must also be capable of channeling the powers of the Heart of Steel.
Requirements
The mantle of Defender is only passed by succession, from father to son... should he be worthy of it. They need not be related by blood, as long as their relationship is like parent and child.
Appointment
The Defender must, in some way, formally call out who is to inherit their sacred duties, verbally or in writing. Both need not be present for the passing of the mantle, however this only takes effect after the previous Defender draws their last breath.
Duties
The Defender is compelled to protect. They are the sacred shield that guards the realms of men from all who seek to cause unjust harm. The individual that serves as Defender chooses where and when to intervene based on their own moral code, but the mantle is only passed to those deemed worthy of it, who have proven their virtue as most noble and kind among men. To help the helpless ones, to protect the innocent, to defend.
Sometimes, when serving a higher purpose, the bearer of the mantle can resist its call and by their very nature the Defender is strong enough to do that, so long as they believe it is the right course of action.
Benefits
Mantles, by their very nature, are hard to recognise by most people, and not all of them are well known.
The Defender is one of the most praised and respected mantles by the people, especially the common folk, who are most often the beneficiary of their services. The bearer, when recognised, can often enjoy hospitality and safe passage almost anywhere that they are celebrated. Most officials are inclined to treat them with diplomatic status, though that's not guaranteed.
Cultural Significance
Traditionally, the mantle has always been passed within the Viking domain. Despite the great appreciation people hold for it, the Defender has always been accepted with reservations, due to his origin among the brutal warlords of his tribes. For generations, various defenders have mostly stuck to their home plains, silently guarding mankind from the threats regularly coming from the Mountain. Most who were aware of his existence would always have his Viking origins on the back of their minds and the mantle bearers who travelled the world always eventually returned home.
Despite all this, the Defender is a shining beacon of hope for the common folk and a welcome sight by just allies in any battle. His immense strength and virtually unlimited powers have turned the tide of many wars throughout the years. During the Age of Heroes, many would try and rise to the name, inspired by the power and mostly, the recognition, that the title held. In many ways it is this particular mantle that inspired most and defined the path for an entire Age of the world. In many lands the Defender is a welcome hero and held with the highest regards, however there are just as many places where they are a hated figure, responsible for many lost battles and the fall of entire warring kingdoms.
Now, people's feelings are even more conflicted. After none other than Elisabeth inherited the mantle, she lost a lot of support that had to be regained through noble deeds. If any culture is more poorly regarded than that of the Vikings, that would be the Dark Elves. Despite her best efforts, she is most often met as a dark elf rather than the Defender, and many people's faith in the mantle have been shaken, especially among elves and the eastern kingdoms. Still, through her deeds, she is bound to redeem the name of the mantle and restore people's trust in the Defender.
Notable Holders
@Tarec
@Valtar
@Falstaf
@Nordor
Elisabeth
Type
Professional
Creation
It is not entirely clear how the mantle of the Defender came to be. Viking legends tell the story of @Tarec, who gave his life defending an elven settlement from eastern war bands, with the idea that all life is sacred, no matter whose it is.
Equates to
Mantle
Source of Authority
The origin of most mantles is unknown and why the universe gives the bearers their abilities is a mystery, but their powers are virtually unlimited, so long as they act within the authority of the mantle.
Length of Term
Once they become the Defender, they are bound by honour to serve under the mantle until they die.
Current Holders
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