The Witch Hunters are a fragmented collective, comprising numerous loosely affiliated organisations only vaguely united by shared history, beliefs, and methodologies. They operate within localised regions - collections of towns, cities, villages, and hamlets - with groups of Witch Hunters maintaining unique rituals and practices. However, there are more than a dozen Orders of Witch Hunters which attempt to bring some order to them and serve as a loose organisation. During times of crisis, be it theological or practical, these Orders utilise the strength of the Witch Hunters in their regions and bend them to their purpose.
Once known as the Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame, the Witch Hunters were once a formidable force in Runetalras. However, the era of the Grand Cleanings marked their downfall, as kingdoms and religious hierarchies targeted and dismantled the organisational structure of the Righteous and Holy Order. Reduced from a once-great institution to disorganised factions, the Witch Hunters now carry out their duties in a fractured and piecemeal fashion throughout the
Free States,
Kasari Dominion,
Velgan Empire, and the
Kingdom of Thaxnoria.
Purpose
Depending upon one's view the single most important purpose is to either protect or persecute.
Those who favour the Witch Hunter’s proclaim they are essential as they purge Runetalras of evils, undead, demons, devils, mutants, and the most insidious threat that faces faces Runetalras magic; magic is sword without a hilt those who practise it a wreck destruction whether they want to or not and the people should decide if they willing to take risk, the Witch Hunter’s are merely the will of those who do not wish to abide such corruption and danger. As the Witch Hunter’s purge the world of these dangers they therein make Runetalras a safer place, where people are not threatened by abominations.
Those who reject the Witch Hunters argue all that is perpetrated is persecution dressed up in bigoted zealotry. Whilst the Witch Hunters do indeed burn monsters, they also torture and execute innocent people for their race, sexuality, being born with magic, or simpley for who they are; this is an unacceptable trade off.
Training
The Witch Hunters have fallen far from the heights the Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame once attained. Now the rank and file of the Witch Hunters are only trained in the most rudimentary forms of combat, detection, interrogation, and justice. But in honesty the rank and file are akin to a rabble.
The higher members of the Witch Hunters however, undergo rigorous spiritual and physical training and initiations.
Members' sides are pierced by a blessed blade, their blood boiled in ritual to ensure purity, and the wound cauterised. They are then given a potion which causes a mania and hallucinations, with their minds then being probed and tested; some break at this stage being rendered mentally feeble and lame. If the member retains their wits they undertake the Rite of Knowledge; within the Rite they are tested upon their knowledge of the Orders’ history, laws, rites, and lore as well as knowledge of deities, mages, witches, maleficarum, undead, demons, devils, and other abominations. Once the member passes their initiation to become a higher member, if they are capable they are able to undertake further rites and tests to raise higher eventually to Upper Circle.
History
Formation
The Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame was forged in the crucible of the
Age of Blood. Heinrich Wolfgard, the charismatic and zealous founder, established the Order in approximately 200:Blood and became its first Lord Protector. The Order gained popularity rapidly by ruthlessly purging maleficarum, witches, mages, and mutants, becoming a stalwart defender against the threats of the Age.
The Apex of the Order
Over centuries during the
Age of Blood, the Order reached its zenith at approximately 800:Blood. It expanded its influence across most
Human kingdoms, earning the favour of the smallfolk. At its peak an estimated fifty to one hundred thousand members and a vast bureaucracy, the Order waged a holy war against extraplanar threats, undead, and those with magical abilities, earning renown for their effectiveness.
Post-Age of Blood
Despite the end of the
Age of Blood, the Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame continued its mission. While extraplanar threats waned, the cults seeking to summon them persisted, as did the threats of magic. The Order remained vigilant against maleficarum, mages, mutants, and nonhumans, maintaining its prominence during the Grand Cleansing. The Order's size and power rivalled that of factions and kingdoms.
Destruction of the Order
When the Wild Cleanings, a stage of the Grand Cleansing, were brought to an end by kingdoms seeking to restore order and curb populist power. This led to the downfall of the Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame which had been at the core of the Wild Cleanings and had ceased a great deal of power. Outlawed throughout much of the
Free States,
Kasari Dominion,
Velgan Empire, and what would become the
Kingdom of Thaxnoria, the Order's leaders faced imprisonment and trials for crimes ranging from murder to corruption.
Secret Survival and Emergence of the Witch Hunters
Loyal members of the Order kept its flame alive in secret. Over time these members re-emerged as the various factions of Witch Hunters. The esoteric rituals, initiations, and practices of the Order persisted, as did their Nine High Secrets, known only to true Lord Protectors of the Witch Hunters.
Resurgence of the Witch Hunters
The power and influence of the Witch Hunters never reached the zenith of their predecessor. Infighting, destruction of organisational and financial structures, and competition from other factions contributed to their diminished stature. However, Witch Hunter chapters persisted across the
Free States,
Kasari Dominion,
Kingdom of Thaxnoria, and
Velgan Empire. During crises, particularly magical ones like the
Crystalline Convergence, the Witch Hunters' influence rapidly grew. the Witch Hunters continue their eternal vigil against the abominations of magic, maleficarum, mutants, undead, and fiends.
The six founding principles of the Holy Order
Obedience to the Lord Protector, the Order and its hierarchy.
The right to accuse, dispense justice, declare anathema, heretic, and excommunicate.
Suffer not corruption of the mage, maleficarum, mutant, undead, Demon, and Devil.
Never be disarmed of means to dispense righteous justice.
Instil fear and obedience through public dispensation of justice through trials of ordeal and execution by burning at the stake.
Suppress mercy and harden thy heart, for the work of the Witch Hunter is a difficult task.
Orders
The Witch Hunters are several separate organisations who are colloquial all known as the Witch Hunters. Almost all claim to be the true successors of Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame, generally hold similar views, and have broadly the same purpose. The various factions of Witch Hunters have a mixed reputation when it comes to cooperation, sometimes the Witch Hunters work together to achieve common goals, other times conflict and violence erupt over minor doctrinal differences.
The orders of Witch Hunters are countless with some existing in a single community whilst others operate throughout and beyond whole kingdoms. A source of conflict amongst the orders is hunters operating in territories claimed by other Witch Hunter Orders, however, there are many areas of conflicting claims by various orders. Another source of conflicts are the countless religious, ritualistic, organisational, and ideological differences.
The orders that operate throughout kingdoms are few, they are known as the Great Witch Hunter Orders and are listed below with the kingdom or country they primarily operate within and their religious sect.
Nine Sacred Mysteries
The Witch Hunters inherit the Nine Sacred Mysteries from the Righteous and Holy Order of the Silvered Flame. These mysteries are revealed gradually as members ascend through the ranks:
First Mystery: Revealed during initiation, marking the beginning of a member's journey.
Second to Sixth: Mysteries: Disclosed as members advance through the lower ranks and upper ranks.
Seventh and Eighth Mysteries: Known only to the Inner Circles.
Ninth Mystery: Reserved exclusively for the Lord Protectors.
Tools
The most common tools that the Witch Hunters employ are the hammer, axe, and club. The Witch Hunters are likewise proficient in armour and shields. Witch Hunters employ more obscure tools to aid in their works.
Silvered Steel
The Witch Hunters make ample use of secretive silver-steel alloy in their hammers, axes, studded clubs, and even swords. This alloy is far more robust and stronger than simply silvering a weapon.
Leaded Coat
The large coats of the Witch Hunters are lined with lead to provide an additional layer of protection from weapons and magic. The Leaded Coat is also used by Witch Hunters as improvised weapons to beat attacks with.
Demonstration Dagger
The demonstration dagger is perfect for situations where magistrates or plebs refuse to accept a Witch Hunter’s accusations without physical evidence. When pressure is applied The dagger’s blade recedes into the pommel. This allows the Witch Hunter to thrust it against the side of a heretic and leave onlookers aghast at the lack of wounds, leading to an easy execution.
Dimeritium Shackles
Dimeritium shackles are in fact a mixture of
Dimeritium and lead. Not only do the shackles bind the hands but also have pointed metal rods to prevent figures from being moved. These shackles prevent maleficarum, or any mage, from using magic.
Mages Fork
A fork made of iron, lead, or
Dimeritium, when placed under the chin of a mage renders them unable to cast most magic.
Methods to test a Heretic
In most circumstances a Heretic, be they a suspected witch, mage, abomination, or possessed, is subjected to three trials in precise order. Trial by Steel, by Fire, and by Water, only after passing all three is it possible that the accused could be innocent. When useful a Witch Hunter can also enact a trial by combat or trial by cheese but it is important to take care that they are used rarely and to the correct effect.
Trial by Steel- the accused’s hand is placed upon a block and a Witch Hunter brings down his hammer with great force. If a finger in each bone is shattered the accused may be innocent. If the accused is uninjured or if bones are not broken in each finger they are guilty.
Trial by fire- the accused must pick up a burning coal with their bare hand and hold it for ten seconds. If they drop the coal they are guilty, if they show any sign of harm they are guilty, if they show no sign of harm they must otherwise be tested for they may be a maleficarum.
Trial by water - the accused is thrown into a river or the sea three times. If the accused rises to the surface of the water or otherwise floats they are guilty. If the accused sinks they may be innocent.
Trial by Cheese - the accused presents themselves to a righteous temple where they are given 3 portions of cheese with either bread or cake which has been blessed by a priest. If the accused chokes on the food they are guilty. This trail is often used for particular nobles or wealthy patrons of the Witch Hunters.
Trial by Combat - the accused and a righteous member of the Witch Hunters duel in combat to the death. If the accused is victorious they are innocent. It is essential that a Witch Takes care when enacting this trial for the forces of evil can be potent fighters.
Faith
The majority of Witch Hunters are zealously and dogmatically faithful to the
Radiant Lady, although denominations of the faith differ, this faith interweaves the kinds of bigoted view favoured by Witch Hunters; these views include distrust and hatred of magic, maleficarum, nonhumans, and abominations. With the execution of the Brothers of True Flame of the
Uvani Hilllands, the Witch Hunters within the
Kingdom of Thaxnoria do not worship the
Radiant Lady, instead they pay worship to the Faith of the
Octurn, but still manifest the zealous hatred of magic, maleficarum, nonhumans, and abominations. Below is a list of Order, the region they operate within, and the religion or denomination they follow.
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