The Thousand Blades
Known to themselves as the Kenodoho, or The Brotherhood of the Sword, the Thousand Blades are an organization of samurai sworn directly to the Imperial Throne.
Each of the samurai is the master of an ancient blade of powerful forgotten magics. The swords themselves, also referred to as Blades, are intelligent and choose their masters. The sword grants the master limited immortality, control over their own aging, specific powers tied to each of the individual swords, and the ability to view the memories of the previous masters of the sword. Since the Blades as an organization do not choose their own members, and the swords themselves hold little actual prejudice, the Thousand Blades are the most diverse order on the continent. Despite serving the Empire, the ranks of the Blades are made up even of those peoples traditionally it's enemies as well as natural born Imperial citizens.
Both master and blade are referred to as Blades. The master takes the name of the sword. This causes a great amount of confusion in scholars of the subject.
"Getting the history of any one of the swords is damned near impossible. They refuse to share their records or oral history with outsiders, even students of theirs, and rumor holds this ban on information extends even as far as the King himself. When discussing an individual Blade, questions arise such as 'Are you referring to yourself, or your sword?', or 'Is this a story about you or your predecessors?'. This is all made worse by the Blades' tendency to refer to themselves as 'we' when referring to the individual, with the 'we' referring to master, sword, and predecessors. Absolutely maddening."- Emeruliel Twinzaard, Confederate Assessment of Imperial Military Organizations 1204.
Known Blades
- Bushido, male human of Fujiyaman origin. The leader of the Blades.
- Infiltrator, blue male Kobold. In charge of all Kobold Legionnaires.
- Smolder, female Zawalite Elf. Military advisor of Amazwe.
Structure
Each Blade has individual tasks or responsibilities that may separate them from the general structure. The Thousand Blades are an organization of primarily independent operators, assigned missions either directly by the King or other royal family member, or through the leader of the Blades. The leader since the founding of the organization has been Bushido, who gathered the samurai together into one clan.
Public Agenda
To protect the King and his Empire
Assets
The Blades maintain a high budget to operate several training schools, equipment, and two fortress-temples.
History
Ten thousand years before the Empire was founded, on the continent of Fujiyama, samurai possessed of strange and powerful abilities began to appear out of seemingly nowhere. For these millennia, the Blades were not a singular organization, rather singular samurai who served different lords and nations. Over time, these warriors began to band together until all one thousand were involved one way or another in The Blue Sky War. With the death of many Blades, the leader of the largest samurai clan united the remaining one hundred under a single banner, and began rebuilding their numbers.
The aftermath of the Blue Sky War was the disbandment of the Khanate of Gemai and the exiling of the child emperor Skaldor to the continent Illiria. Worried that the child might one day return with an even greater horde than his father's, the many nations of the Fujiyaman continent asked Bushido if the Blades would accompany the exiled Gemaians on their journey. The Blades, long since tired of the never-changing politics of Fujiyama, agreed, seeing a chance to build up their order in a new land.
Over the centuries and centuries that have passed since, the Blades have evolved from wardens of the child emperor into the most loyal and dedicated warriors of his descendants. Over time, their legend has grown, and now they are among the most famed and feared fighting forces on the continent.
Sword and Samurai, Honorbound
Type
Military Order
Alternative Names
Kenodoho, The Brotherhood of the Sword, The Blades
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Demonym
Blades
Leader
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
Organization Vehicles
Comments