Knights of the Black Cross

The Cleansers are a group of self-titled knights, who are very focused on cleansing the world of arcane magic. They see it as evil, dangerous, chaotic and unnatural. Through violent and self-righteous means they want to keep the world safe, they opperate out of the bigger cities throughout Rimeterra, but most importantly in Bastionheim, where they got their headquarter.

Faith

They are all followers of Daudi, Goddess of Death.

The Big Witch Hunt

Day 13, year 549 - We finally found where the evil witch lives, who had killed my brothers. Those strong men, dead, and left in the most horrible conditions I've ever seen. Some even had big grinning faces, like they died from laughter! I don't want to die like that. What if she does those things to us?! The others in camp are more calm and ready. But.. we are storming her forest hut tomorrow morning, killing her once and for all. We must cleanse this forest from her evil plague.
- Bjorn's Journal

Structure

Leadership

On top is the leader, currently Felman Starza, who has the overall vision of the order. The leader must be powerful, smart, vicious, and cunning. If someone steps out of line within the order, the leader must strike them down. He rules with an ironfist, and is focused on his vision of ending all uses of arcane magic. He sees the bigger picture of the world and how the order fits in.

The Commanders

Next in line from the leader are the commanders, which there is usually one of in each of the cities they operate out of. In Bastionheim there are two, since the city is so large. The commanders execute direct orders from the leader, and keeps track of the week to week goals. They control the knights and send them on missions out in Rimeterra.

Knights

Almost exclusively human, the knights take care of the day to day battling with the arcane users. After a magic user has been located, they seek them out, capture them, interrogate them, and then most likely kills them. The knights do all the bloody work, they also control the werewolves.

The Wolf Brides

The Wolf Brides are interesting individuals. They are the ones who do the binding ritual, between a devout follower of the order and a specific breed of dark wolves from the forests. There are only a few brides in existence, but they are very important for the order. They are able to bond a werewolf with one of the knights for lifetime, and make the wolves want to follow the orders of the knights. Some time in the early days of the order, a lady worshiping Daudi, Goddess of Death developed a connection with a group of feral wolves, without getting killed. People called her Lady of the Wolves and later the Wolf's Bride.

Werewolves

A knight gives up his humanoid life, to permanently become a special kind of werewolf. They cannot shape change like other werewolves with lycanthropy, so they stay as a werewolf for the rest of their life. These werewolves are made in a painful ritual of combining a man with a specific kind of wolf, killing the wolf in the process. The werewolves keep most of their human memories, but also gain a few from the wolf they were combined with - They become one. The werewolves are less feral than the wolves they come from, but also lack some of the intelligence they had as a man. They live in the woods, but are sometimes seen in cities, walking among their knight companions, especially in Bastionheim, to keep the streets clean of arcane magic users.

Squires

These young men and women of all races, are a aspiring knights, and hope to one day join the order for real and become a knight themselves. This often takes many years of training and cleaning equipment. But the squires are very idealistic themselves, since they join because they don't like arcane magic users.

Informants

The informants are people who do not wish to become knights or are unable to themselves. They just want to do it for the good of the order, in exchange of favors, or monetary gain. They usually align with the order in terms of ideals towards arcane magic. Some of them have been known to be so good at gaining intelligence about arcane magic users, that they become knights as well.

Public Agenda

They want to keep the populous safe from magic users, and keep magic in check so it doesn't get out of hand.

Assets

"Don't worry recruits. You will get all that you need to kill the witches..."
- Commander Balder, year 491

Granted Divine Powers

The top notch of the knights get granted power in form of an increase to physical size and strength. Especially the if the leader of the knights is very devoted he grows to be a giant of a man.

Founding Date

478

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Alternative Names

The Witch Hunters, The Cleansers, The Wolfpack

Training Level

Professional

Demonym

Cleanser, Witch Hunter, Black Cross Warrior

Leader

Felman Starza

Location

Fjalland

Related Ethnicities

• Norsemen