KWN.Lore Orders from the Outside

“Orders from the Outside Looking In, Vol I”
Of all of the organizations and orders I have observed, the Blood Hunters appear the most opaque of all. Harpers, though often anonymous in their individual involvement, have a consistent dogma across the realms. Thieves Guilds practically market their services to weed out competition. Cults, though grounded in elite access and mysticism, remain all too eager to share secrets in exchange for the feeling of superiority from which they draw their appeal. In sharp contrast, the Blood Hunters prefer to complete their contracts and move on before drawing too much attention. Even so, a few conclusions can be made regarding their history and hierarchy.
Cross-referencing various historical accounts, one can reasonably conclude the first Blood Hunters appeared in the early fourth century dalereckoning. They were led by a tiefling adventurer, Thyxus, when he uncovered a Netheril scroll detailing the nature of blood magic. He soonafter used his newfound abilities to destroy Artor Morlin, the vampire more commonly known as the Baron of Blood, found brooding in Dragonspear Castle. In the wake of his new notoriety, Thyxus founded the blood hunters, gradually inviting other trusted individuals to learn alongside him from the Netheril's long-buried secrets. The group grew, taking on contracts for all manner of undead threats and other monstrosities.
Beyond this initial surge of historical references due to the novel nature of the order and their use of blood magic, it becomes more difficult to ascertain many precise understandings about the structure, long-term goals, or dynamics among the Blood Hunters.
In the seventh century, the first mentions of new 'mutant' Blood Hunters appear. Local registrars denote these individuals as distinct from their predecessors both in physiology and their own manifestations of hemocraft. This new sect, the Order of Mutants, would broaden the scope of contracts taken on by the Blood Hunters, specializing in dealing with particularly foul beasts or horrors. Their dispositions and appearances, considered more offputting than those of the original Order of Ghost Slayers, remains the source of much of these order's reputations to this day.
By the turn of the millinuem, the Order of Lycans rose to prominence. First appearing in the Silver Marches and eventually spreading westward, the order recruited both existing hemomancers and lycans, each of whom sought new expressions of their powers. History, to my knowledge, has not recorded their founders nor how the first transformation came to be. To this day, they remain the most reclusive of the orders. Even so, it is usually a safe assumption that any wild expanse such as the High Forest, Evermoors, or Ardeep Forest maintain a presence of their members.
Finally, the Order of Profane Souls. It is said these hemomancers gained their power through an infernal contract. As such, they are most suited for dealing with demonic or infernal threats, though they, like the other orders, take on other contracts as well. It is noteworthy that they are the only sect without ties to the original Order of Ghost Slayers. Even amongst these other orders, there is little public knowledge and even less academic research regarding the details of the order's establishment. By my record, only a single tome, a collection of ledgers of the thirteenth century in Elturel maintained by the city, references the presumed founder, Ehmar.
In 1233, this mysterious figure is listed for the first time at the city gate. His purpose is simply stated as "refuge" and his place of origin is Impiltur, the eastern kingdom along the Sea of Stars. Particularly noteworthy, as this is the same year as one of the demonic assaults on Elturel. A scribe at the time recorded that this incursion did not consist of the gnoll legions of Yeenoghu who has so often rampaged across Elturgard, but was instead led by a powerful sucubus, identified as Sonellion. It is not unreasonable to imagine this demonic threat being that which Ehmar and his Blood Hunters sought aid and protection against.
Years later, Ehmar's name is attached to a transfer of a modest keep within the city walls, with his title simply listed as "Blood Hunter, General." There were, however, as far as records indicate, no other orders operating that far south. Finally, though not a direct listing, it is a curious note that the same keep for which Ehmar was listed is noted as reclaimed by the city and dismantled for new development in the early 1300s.
From here, it is believed the hemomancers began to operate out of Baldur's Gate. Records indicate the presence of the Order of Profane Souls, the first use of the name, in the city, but it is impossible to ascertain. Throughout the next century, the Order of Profane Souls, like the Blood Hunters as a whole, become mere footnotes, indirect references, or points of conjecture in other research.

SCRAWLED INTO THE MARGINS, WRITTEN IN INFERNAL:
The contract is real, as sharp as a blade. Speak their true names, the terms displayed.