Order of Knowledge

"They sure look pretty... let's see if we can't pull those shiny lances out of their asses."

- raider, ambushing a patrol

The official security force for Whitehall, the Order of Knowledge is a band of fighters and barbarians that use magic to augment their martial abilities. These enhancements are given to the Order by the mages of Whitehall whose experimentation with the arcane font within Whitehall has created unique and unexpected boons. These come in the form of enchanted weapons and armor as much as from arcane tricks and powers taught to the martial classes.
Since the settlement of Whitehall gathers most of its trade from tourism and the exploitation of the arcane font, the Order has two functions that are not on any governmental decrees, an odd happenstance for the mages who pride themselves on bureaucratic snobbery and strict adherence to rules no matter how frivolous or asinine. While other settlements in Itand may specialize in rare materials that make even rarer equipment, none match the mages' of Whitehall ability to turn ordinary material into extraordinary weapons. Common materials mean that Whitehall can quickly and cheaply outfit any military brigade who has coin to spend. Therefore, the first unspoken purpose of the Order is to be the most well equipped and technologically advanced strike force on Yodren. They are to show merchants and rulers just what weapons and armaments are available through trade with Whitehall.
Superiority does not come without its price however. Technological advancements means technological failures, the brunt of which the Order of Knowledge bear in the form of casualties caused by the very weapons and spells they are to demonstrate. New beasts are brought in to tame as mounts or loose on the battlefield, both of which are hazardous for anyone close by. The second unspoken, not spoken, purpose of the Order then is to die. Spectacularly if possible; appearances need to be maintained after all.

Composition

Manpower

No more than 10 members of the order, known as a Lance, are pledged to the battlefield at a time. There are a host of reasons, the most propagandized of which is that there never need be more than 10 to win the day, such is the power of their equipment and spells. At least that's what the weapons dealers would have travelling merchants believe. Less glorified reasons may be the true cause of the low formation number however. A Lance typically has some form of experiment they carry with them when they take the field. It could be a new weapon, new armor enchantment, possibly a new beast used as a mount, maybe a new spell that low magic users could use. If the Lance is killed, there is less of the experimental technology that can be looted. Besides concerns over intellectual property rights, these are experiments. Experiments designed to kill. If one should go catastrophically wrong, only 10 people will die.
Anywhere between 5 and 10 Lances are kept on hand, depending on force depletion, local threats, and the amount of trade being conducted.

Equipment

Every member of the Order is impressively trained with all equipment available. Any person can fill any role that is needed, a very useful flexibility when the enemy is unknown and the appropriate counter measure unpredictable. Making this list even harder to quantify is the enigmatic items, spells, and beasts that the Order may be charged to test against trespassers. Generally however, equipment available to all members of the Order fall into five categories, corresponding to the type of martial abilities needed for the upcoming confrontation and how to augment them.
Mounts Strange beasts are given heavy armor. Fighters are given long lances or heavy bows. This fails to truly capture the diversity that this brand of fighting brings to a battlefield however. A scorpion, transmuted to the size of an elephant with a fighter carrying a heavy crossbow can become a mobile turret. A gryphon who's carrying a bag of marbles is less than terrifying, more perplexing than anything really. But when those marbles have been enchanted to fall at 10 times the terminal velocity afforded by Corvayn's gravitation, marbles become bombs as they hit the surface of the field with enough force to break boulders.
Ranged Weaponry Archery is often left to Rangers. Military archers, fighters trained in the strict martial ability of the weapon, don't need to rely on the nature implicit to that class. This focus allows the Order archers to excel in one aspect of fighting; and enchantments to improve that even further. Spectral bows, using minor dimensional tears to shoot four elemental arrows along side the physical arrow, create an unprecedented rate of fire. Arrows that do not ever change elevation means that an arrow can be shot directly at a target, not having to adjust for distance. As long as there is enough force behind the arrow, it will reach it's target no matter the distance.
Melee Weaponry The standard, non-experimental weapons of choice for Order knights are dubbed Whitehall's Mercy. These are swords, axes, and maces, both single and double handed, that transmute mid-swing. While lifting and swinging the weapon, they are as light as a feather. Before impact, they are as heavy as Whitehall's fist, crushing armor, flinging enemies from their feet, or splitting even the thickest shields. Lately, the experimental weapons the mages have given the Order are non-lethal however. A particularly comical method for handling enemies has come in the form of small hand axes. When these axes bite into an enemy's armor, they weld all of the metal plates of the armor together then draw themselves to the ground, much like our death marbles from before. If you have the time, and the coin, stop by Whitehall and grab one of these. You've never laughed until you've seen a bandit lock up and have their breastplate slam them into the ground.
Armor Once again, the transmutation magic that Whitehall's mages prefer gives fighters and barbarians tactical superiority on the battlefield. Knights prefer armor that seals itself shut after it's donned such that no blade can slip under a plate. Barbarians enjoy armor that folds itself into bestial forms when they join the fray, wicked imitations of the animals these berserkers so closely mimic. Gauntlets sprout knives from the knuckles, helms grow horns, or breastplates sprout spines from the shoulders and back.
Spells Fighters and barbarians are not expected to master spellcasting. The spells that the Order of Knowledge learn are simply to improve their incredible strength of arms rather than replace them. All members of the Order learn spells that help dictate the landscape of the battle, such as Darkness, Fog, and Spikes. Other required spells bring an unfair advantage in melee combat. Adrenaline Rush allows them to take advantage of a burst of speed, finishing off enemies before they can retaliate. Light of Blinding makes it harder to hit the Order member, blinding everyone within 15 feet of the spellcaster.
Of course there are the more experimental spells that are carried onto the battlefield. If these have names, not even the Order members who cast the spell know them. Highly volatile, these spells can run the gamut of minor enchantments to conflagrations.

Tactics

Tactics vary depending on the enemy that is assaulting Whitehall. If beasts are used, a Lance will fly or ride into battle. Otherwise, the Lance will be teleported onto the field. The Order typically prefers having a bit of distance between they and the charging enemy, at least enough to manipulate the battlefield to better suit their needs. Having moments to funnel the enemy into a narrow pathway using Spikes or Darkness, then blinding them with Light of Blinding makes quick work of enemies.
If the battle turns on the Lance, mages from Whitehall will call lightning and give the embattled Lance enough space to run through small portals back into the settlement. There, mages or Whitehall itself will finish off the trespassers.

Type

Security

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Decorated/Honored