Holy Orders

In the decades leading up to the War of The Blue Rose, the Church of Saints was granted more and more land in the north of Estemor. Unable to train their priests to become guards, they were forced to rely on mercenaries to protect their lands. This proved difficult as most bands of sellswords did not live up to the Church's high standards.
The solution came when many pious nobles with experience leading levies decided to leave their titles behind and establish organizations that would serve the Church's military needs. The Eternal One agreed to this and drafted a list of aspirations that such an organization would need to aspire to in order to be recognized as a proper Holy Order. In addition, the Church made it clear that these Orders were still independent institutions, capable of acting of their own accord so long as their obligations to the clergy were met.
By the time that the war for Dullacan Independence broke out, the few Holy Orders that existed were too small to be considered strategically valuable and thus did not fight, instead ensuring that Church lands remained neutral. By the time that the Principality of Dullac was properly founded, they began to slowly gain influence and recruits. As centuries passed, they would only grow more numerous, often spurred to organize in response to new threats to the Church's integrity.
In the Empire, traditional Holy Orders are outlawed, though the Church of Solidus does maintain its own personal fighting force known as the Monastic Arms.

Notable Orders

• Order of St. Renata: The largest and most well-known order as of the early 900s. Fortified much of the coastal lands against orc raiders. Much of their work has shifted towards the research and banishment of undead and demons.
• Blades of St. Hollis: An especially chivalrous group that hunts down violent sinners.
• Sons of Milia's Eternal Light: The oldest Holy Order still in service. Preserves numerous ancient relics tied to the Saints.
• Mercy of St. Rodor: Specializes in medicine and healing magic.

Type

Paramilitary

Overall training Level

Semi-professional

Assumed Veterancy

Trained

Used by

• Church of Saints
• Principality of Dullac