Herzhi Order
Common knowledge (Folkloric lore / Legends & myths / History)
Hidden-knowledge (Arcane / Herzhi)
[...] Then came forth a dark-haired knight, mounting a withered mare. Many a husband could hardly stand his imperious gaze for his aquamarine eyes shone in the most eldricht way, many a wife hid their child behind their backs for he wore sharpened steal and horrendous scars, yet many a maiden caressed him with a brazen glance for his greyish head sat on strong shoulders and he still stood as tall in the saddle as a youth. He was as foreign as could be, with his swart skin, his curved sword and his coat of woven metal.
They say a child bore a basket full of apples and he almost ran away when the horse rider approached him, yet he stayed there, trembling. The stranger leant towards him and all the sudden it was as if the seas in his eyes flickered and his smile bore the warmth of the exotic suns which birthed him.
He nonchalantly asked the kid if he could buy him an apple. And life came back to the statues of the villagers, who went their ways, ignoring the foreigner. Little did they know then that he was the hero who just slew the Beast of Javolles.[...]
- The Rider From Faraway South,
southern Gandian tale about the Herzhi Sayyum âl-Tafri
A common figure in many popular tale is the image of 'the White Knight' coming to rescue the meek, protect the widow and orphan and stand for truth and justice, while demanding nothing in return. In some of these legends, descriptions will insist in peculiar details; shining armor, 'woven' metal, silver swords, eerie sheen in the eye, magic-wielding,... The reason for these reccuring specificities is that these tales actually describe a member of a secret organization called the Herzhi Order.
While greatly embelishing the grim reality of their trade, popular tales end up giving a somehow accurate description of the Order's purpose; to protect humans from magical threats, be they monsters, curses or any affliction. It also get one other fact right; despite of looking just like your every-other-day sell-sword, Hunters are not motivated by gain and will not 'charge' for their help, but rather ask for help in return, in kind or in coin, depending on one's wealth.
While greatly embelishing the grim reality of their trade, popular tales end up giving a somehow accurate description of the Order's purpose; to protect humans from magical threats, be they monsters, curses or any affliction. It also get one other fact right; despite of looking just like your every-other-day sell-sword, Hunters are not motivated by gain and will not 'charge' for their help, but rather ask for help in return, in kind or in coin, depending on one's wealth.
'I saw one these Hunters; Herzhi'n they's call'd, fight once. And, boy, I ne'er want to see this e'er again! 't was outright awful, disgus'ing; bloody butcher's work... He kill'd four men in a matter of seconds. 'bastards ne'er stood a chance, not e'en to run away. Not that I wish'd they'd got away with what they did to the poor lassy, nah; I'd have kill'd 'em meself. But not 'n that way though... 'Cause what happen'd was...
Well, I know my way with a blade, 't is simple: hit and don' get hit, wound the enemy 'til he drops dead. Well, that's not these guys' way... Them strategy's but one word: 'MUTILATE'. I get the point; when you's facing mons'ers, you can't always get 'em off that easy, can yah? Nay, you's have to cut 'em, clean an' prope' 'fore you's finsih 'em. An' that's the thing: them Herzhi'n, they's mons'er-slayers, and when they turn on humans, 't is a bloodbath.
They move so quick and hit so strong. I saw the man swing his blade to a ban'it's head, just with the wrist's momen'um. Good hit, all 'n' all; cut the sclap an' get blood in them eyes. Solid! But what truly happen'd is that the sword split the skull op'n an' dove in'o the brains. Instant death.
'won't pity them, though. They should have lis'en'd to the man when he told 'em to leave the country and behave for the rest of them lives. 'was a honest offer.'
- A guardsman at the inn
As the legends testify, the Herzhi'n once inspired awe and respect, to the point some actually treated them as heroes. If the various names they were then designated by still survive in fairy tales, the situation has taken a turn for the worse: as many places around are being tamed by Humanity, the need for its most stalwart protectors is decreasing.
In addition, due to over-embelishments the actual Herzhi does not fit his legendary character; their armor are often just as dented as they are scared, being dupped one too many times turned philanthropy into securing payments and their use of magic became a taboo as it is widely scorned. For most people, those famished dirty wandering sell-sword are just freaks hunting other monsters. Consequentially, the Herzhi'n themselves end up finding it more reliable to inspire unspoken fear and shy defiance than chasing a respect and grattitude they will never get anymore.
In addition, due to over-embelishments the actual Herzhi does not fit his legendary character; their armor are often just as dented as they are scared, being dupped one too many times turned philanthropy into securing payments and their use of magic became a taboo as it is widely scorned. For most people, those famished dirty wandering sell-sword are just freaks hunting other monsters. Consequentially, the Herzhi'n themselves end up finding it more reliable to inspire unspoken fear and shy defiance than chasing a respect and grattitude they will never get anymore.
[...]
'Hence fair Duchess Anna went to meet him in bliss,
Offering him kind words and a white hand to kiss.
But the Rider stood there, answering in few words,
His wounds still untended, the fiend's blood on his swords.
'Noble stranger' she said, 'none could match your valor,
The slaying of this Beast did this land great honor.
Your courage inspiring, worthy of knights of old,
How could it be repaid?' The Rider answered: 'Gold.'
Duchess Anna was in shock, disappointed truly:
'How can such a strong soul be a slave to money?'
'Fair Duchess' he replied, 'Know that I'm slave to none,
Neither made leech by greed, nor knight by oath to crown.
I'm a craftsman of Death and I know my grim trade:
Hunting is a gamble where profit must be made...'
[...]
- The Slaying of the Serpent,
ballad by the Ostrian trobatritz Sinclair 'Dawn-Song' (760)
A few tales insist on a rather odd aspect of the Herzhi'n; their strong-will and independance, as well as their refusal to acknowledge any other authority than their own code of conduit. This very aspect might be one of the reason why the Order's many names survived throughout the ages and why there are still people 'believing' in their existance; because legends about Wardsson, Silver-Knights, Dusk-Walkers,... convey the idea that someone still stands for even the downtrodden or the poor.
This often forgotten detail ends up being pretty important, as it might give one insights about who these wandering strangers are and what are the goals of the organization they represent...
This often forgotten detail ends up being pretty important, as it might give one insights about who these wandering strangers are and what are the goals of the organization they represent...
'Let us set some ground-rule for better mutual understanding, will we?
You can call me to solve your problems, but you can't boos me into having it your way.
You can ask me for protection but you can't have my steel for paid murder.
You can call to kill any magiclings in the world but you can't expect me to follow on that as I will be protecting those in need.
You can be sure I'll settle your problem but you can't be granted that you'll like the outcome.
You can count on me to charge nothing but what is square and fair to repay my work but you can't even dream of trying to strip me from my due paiement.
Oh, and you have one extra downside-free right just in case you don't like my conditions; you can go and find someone else for the job.'
- Master-Herzhi Maniello Manielli's 'negociation opener'
Hidden-knowledge (Arcane / Herzhi)
[...] Upon first observation, there is little to say about the corpse of the so-called Wardsson Gérault Savtier, the legendary 'gem-eye' glow even disappeared. After closer full-body inspection, though, the list of his wounds is way beyond any former body I have dissected;
head: five scars over two inches long on scalp and face (triple claw-mark on the right temple over three inches long), left ear halfway torn off, broken left cheekbone, three knock-out teeth, traces of multiple breaking of the nose, complex fracture of the right brow (might have risked the lose of the eye),
arms and hands: acid-burnt patch over the left shoulder (over one span wide), regnerated tissue from a flesh-tear on the left arm's muscle, deep lengthwise clean cut on the left forearm (self-inflicted?), scars of second degree burn over the entire left hand up to the wrist, deep one span wide jaws' scar enclosing the right shoulder (edged borders of the wounds and bone damage suggesting that the shoulder was short from being biten off), multiple lacerations on the right forearm (claws?), missing last phalange of the right auricular,
chest and belly: superficial scars on the chest and upper belly except for one deep arrow/bolt-like scar above a puncture of the left lung (regenerated, must take a closer look), six broken ribs (some of them on multiple occasions - three of them having been broken simulanteously), regenerative tissue and anomalies on and in the lungs (scars? mutation? reaction to exposure to acid vapors?), deeper wounds on the lower belly (one of them so deep it cut the guts open, yet, and despite the likely contracted mud-fever, it wasn't lethal - shape, angle and irregularities of the stitches suggest it was even self-operated),
back: many overlapping scars of diverse origins (claws' mark and cuts mostly, few burns), one piercing wound with irregular edges (unknown origin) have slightly damaged the vertebrae (no visible consequence on the spinal column - regenerated too),
legs and feet: large and irregular lengthwise wound on the back of the left thigh, broken right thighbone and shinbone (at the same time?) and complex fractures of the left foot's bones (likely to be the result of a crushing).
Here are listed only the ante-mortem wounds and scars, as any peri-mortem injury suffered during the interrogation is to be deemed irrelevant to this study. The later would however give a more accurate idea of the resiliance of the members of this so-called 'Order'. For informative purposes only, here is the list of the Questions that Gérault Savtier has been put under: beating (hands, wet rugs, bludgeon), floging, flaying, red-iron branding, rug-drowning, druging, starving, sleep deprivation,...
None of them had made an effect on the questioned; while he tolerated properly inhumane extense of the Question, he would always end up fainting before giving any information we could use. It took us several days before realizing that he was able to enter at will in a dissociative state that would make him utterly insensitive to pain. Several more days were needed to further the investigation on this ability. The conclusion was that under such a 'stasis', the 'Hunter' retains some control over his body while suppressing instincts such as pain, stress or fear, hence rendering Question pointless.
After such observation, Géraud Savtier was slain and exsanguinated in view of a white autopsy.
This Scholar emits a new tenet for further research: capture of a live 'Wardsson' for Questioning purposes only is pointless.
- Notes of Wilfurth 'Godflay',
advisor and physician to the Duke Alfred II of Windmoore,
written three days before his execution by Agent John Bluecloud
Structure
As is the organization of any secret society, the hierarchy of the Order is kept foggy on purpose and entire branches of the Brotherhood is unknown to the public knowledge (one may consider that only expert scholars in ancient history, trusted Order's sympathizers, shady underworld individuals dealing with the Brotherhood or heads of powerful intellignce networks might ever have heard of them). Any leak about the Order's organization and membership is viewed as a potential threat and have even been met with deadly response in the past.
One might think that no hierarchy is required amongst logisticians and local informants, but the Dwellers' Network is crucial for the Order as it is its main way to hide and secure both informations and artifacts. Over centuries, this clandestine branch has concealed immense knowledge and dangerous powers, with secrecy as its main (if not only) line of defense.
Hence, a Dweller's main qualities are not skill or merit, but loyalty and dedication to the Order. The Network adopts a secret society's structure, where secrets are progressively revealed to members, or even to trustworthy long-term sympathizers, as they prove their reliability. One secret that is not reveled is the identity of other Dwellers, in order to warrant the Network's security. Each Dweller has ways to contact the closest Bretheren and, over time, they end up knowing (if not personnaly) the closest Dwellers. Some of them having their secret office in key-location will end up compiling and redirecting colossal amounts of intel while having met or knowing quite a few Herzhi'n, Wanderers and Dwellers alike; these will become de facto 'Master-Dwellers'. While not being a 'title' per se, these Dwellers are highly respected and their advice often looked for, up to a point were some will be considered equal to Master-Hunters, both in Councils (see side note), in validating a mastership or as keepers of traditions.
In certain rare occasions, senior Dwellers or retired Wanderers having proved their loyalty beyond any possible doubt are introduced to secrets viewed as so important than they cannot be expose within the Order itself. Obviously, the existence of such deeper level cannot be proved or dismissed, as anyone coming across it would know it better not to talk about it. Any Master however, as the existence of the Agents is revealed to them, might make consider that they would need an even more powerful network as Hunters do and that some Dwellers might work for/with them; these are occasionnaly nicknamed 'Masters-In-Below'.
Top-secret knowledge (Underworld / Herzhi)
Herzhi'n are well aware that strength can only come with weaknesses and blind-spots, and as such, know to well that their decentralised structure might be used to infiltrate them by the enemies they made over time or simply by envious powerlusters. To counter it, they rely both on generic safeguards (dead-drops, passwords, means of recognition and identification,...), some of them as volatile as a peculiar sentence to the right person, some embedded in the very stone of monuments.
Two of these means, however, are specific to the Order; the Brand and the Sealed Words. The former leaves that unique alteration of the essence it was named from and labels its carrier as Herzhi, however, it is not absolute, as some other rare magical phenomena might mark someone in a similar way; that is why it is always completed by the latter or by using password and coded speaking.
Beyond security, an other challenge for the Order is to be able to work as a whole will having every member being so independant from the others and that is why their is one actual enforced authority; the Councils of Twelve. Even there however, the Herzhi'n would not consider a Council's decision as a 'law', but rather as a moral tenet and guideline, validated by the wisdom of gathered Masters.
(for details on the Brand, the Sealed Words or the Council, see side notes)
The Wanderers' Brotherhood
Common knowledge
(Folkloric lore / Legends & myths / History)
This branch of the Order is the only one the commoner might have ever heard of, without knowing it most of the time. Despite being the only branch to publicly assuming its identity, the scarcity of its members around the world make it that few are those who realize they represent an actual structure and coherent organization.
Oddly enough, local tales and traditional legends relating Wanderers' high feats are found all around the known world, their characters however being named by so many different local name variations that it hardly builds an accurate image. Most of the time, when a Wanderer would be identified by populace, they would simply assume he is some kind of sell-sword who coincidentally happens to look like their local folkloric image of a Herzhi. As a consequence, their is no 'public opinion' about the Wanderers (except for prejudice towards magic-wielders) and they would face the usual reaction an armed, independant, strong-willed stranger would meet.
Everything is different in regions of the world were both wilderness and magical phenomena threatens daily life (Şto Valley, Terrante's war-front, Skälle inland,...). While their defient populations would drive off strangers more easily, the greatly increased activity of the Order makes it far more likely Wanderers would be correctly identified and even welcomed, as some of them are local living-legends and everyday heroes. In these regions, any well-informed person might identify them as part of an organization.
(Folkloric lore / Legends & myths / History)
This branch of the Order is the only one the commoner might have ever heard of, without knowing it most of the time. Despite being the only branch to publicly assuming its identity, the scarcity of its members around the world make it that few are those who realize they represent an actual structure and coherent organization.
Oddly enough, local tales and traditional legends relating Wanderers' high feats are found all around the known world, their characters however being named by so many different local name variations that it hardly builds an accurate image. Most of the time, when a Wanderer would be identified by populace, they would simply assume he is some kind of sell-sword who coincidentally happens to look like their local folkloric image of a Herzhi. As a consequence, their is no 'public opinion' about the Wanderers (except for prejudice towards magic-wielders) and they would face the usual reaction an armed, independant, strong-willed stranger would meet.
Everything is different in regions of the world were both wilderness and magical phenomena threatens daily life (Şto Valley, Terrante's war-front, Skälle inland,...). While their defient populations would drive off strangers more easily, the greatly increased activity of the Order makes it far more likely Wanderers would be correctly identified and even welcomed, as some of them are local living-legends and everyday heroes. In these regions, any well-informed person might identify them as part of an organization.
Secret knowledge (Herzhi)
The actual organization of the Wanderers' cast contrasts abruptly with their semi-mythical popular identity, as it is the most structured branch in the Order. A challenging apprenticeship and a steel discipline is required to ensure the validated-by-peers meritocratic system that rules this Brotherhood.
To grant this branch's integrity and to keep it from any infiltration (beyond the effect of the Brand - see side notes), its members are completly independant one from another and it has no hierarchy; every single Hunter calls another 'Brother' and is his equal, even Disciples are requested to treat their elders as such, as a humbling lesson even to veterans. There is, however, a superior 'degree', even if it doesn't grant any enforced authority; the Master-Hunters.
Purposedly established in order to prepare the Hunter to educate his own Disciples, the Master rank is acquired through extra years of training and/or completion of truly remarkable tasks, once the applicant's merit is validated by other Masters. As a consequence of these hardship, a Master is superiorly trained and conditioned, his encyclopaedic knowledge as well as his ethical wisdom developped beyond which of the usual Hunter and his magic abilities reaching levels of complexity and skill of a mage. This is why, even though called their Brother's equal, Masters will attain some kind of a moral authority, leading the Order by example and wisdom rather than by rights and duties.
The actual organization of the Wanderers' cast contrasts abruptly with their semi-mythical popular identity, as it is the most structured branch in the Order. A challenging apprenticeship and a steel discipline is required to ensure the validated-by-peers meritocratic system that rules this Brotherhood.
To grant this branch's integrity and to keep it from any infiltration (beyond the effect of the Brand - see side notes), its members are completly independant one from another and it has no hierarchy; every single Hunter calls another 'Brother' and is his equal, even Disciples are requested to treat their elders as such, as a humbling lesson even to veterans. There is, however, a superior 'degree', even if it doesn't grant any enforced authority; the Master-Hunters.
Purposedly established in order to prepare the Hunter to educate his own Disciples, the Master rank is acquired through extra years of training and/or completion of truly remarkable tasks, once the applicant's merit is validated by other Masters. As a consequence of these hardship, a Master is superiorly trained and conditioned, his encyclopaedic knowledge as well as his ethical wisdom developped beyond which of the usual Hunter and his magic abilities reaching levels of complexity and skill of a mage. This is why, even though called their Brother's equal, Masters will attain some kind of a moral authority, leading the Order by example and wisdom rather than by rights and duties.
The Dwellers' Network
Secret knowledge (Underworld / Herzhi)One might think that no hierarchy is required amongst logisticians and local informants, but the Dwellers' Network is crucial for the Order as it is its main way to hide and secure both informations and artifacts. Over centuries, this clandestine branch has concealed immense knowledge and dangerous powers, with secrecy as its main (if not only) line of defense.
Hence, a Dweller's main qualities are not skill or merit, but loyalty and dedication to the Order. The Network adopts a secret society's structure, where secrets are progressively revealed to members, or even to trustworthy long-term sympathizers, as they prove their reliability. One secret that is not reveled is the identity of other Dwellers, in order to warrant the Network's security. Each Dweller has ways to contact the closest Bretheren and, over time, they end up knowing (if not personnaly) the closest Dwellers. Some of them having their secret office in key-location will end up compiling and redirecting colossal amounts of intel while having met or knowing quite a few Herzhi'n, Wanderers and Dwellers alike; these will become de facto 'Master-Dwellers'. While not being a 'title' per se, these Dwellers are highly respected and their advice often looked for, up to a point were some will be considered equal to Master-Hunters, both in Councils (see side note), in validating a mastership or as keepers of traditions.
In certain rare occasions, senior Dwellers or retired Wanderers having proved their loyalty beyond any possible doubt are introduced to secrets viewed as so important than they cannot be expose within the Order itself. Obviously, the existence of such deeper level cannot be proved or dismissed, as anyone coming across it would know it better not to talk about it. Any Master however, as the existence of the Agents is revealed to them, might make consider that they would need an even more powerful network as Hunters do and that some Dwellers might work for/with them; these are occasionnaly nicknamed 'Masters-In-Below'.
The Agents
Top-secret knowledge (Underworld / Herzhi)
Show spoiler
The very existence of this branch of the Order is an absolute secret, even within the Order itself, and Agents would litteraly kill to keep it so. This is considered as one of the ultimate secrets of the Order, both because of the nature of the Agents work and purposes, but also because its very existence conflicts with many Order's tenets (manslaughter, political and criminal activities,...) and should then be revealed only to those who understand the Order's agenda perfectly.
As such, both the way the Agents identity, as well as their ways of recrutement or coordination is thoroughly cloudy, but some remarkable similarities can be observed amongst them; they all bear the Brand and are conditionned (psychologically and magically) to be stalwart, if not fanatical, supporters of the Order while having exceedingly flexible moral guidelines, to be ferociously independant while being seasoned manipulators. One might also note that Agents tend to have inborn magical talents (shadow-weave or transpathic abilities mostly).
Agents work alone, often going underground for many weeks to few decades, while requiring a support that would allow them to infiltrate courts or dismantle secret societies. Their efforts grant the Order both great knowledge and the occasional influence or leverage; as such, they work as a mixture of an intelligence society and criminal underworld, with the fabled 'Masters-In-Below' at their head.
As such, both the way the Agents identity, as well as their ways of recrutement or coordination is thoroughly cloudy, but some remarkable similarities can be observed amongst them; they all bear the Brand and are conditionned (psychologically and magically) to be stalwart, if not fanatical, supporters of the Order while having exceedingly flexible moral guidelines, to be ferociously independant while being seasoned manipulators. One might also note that Agents tend to have inborn magical talents (shadow-weave or transpathic abilities mostly).
Agents work alone, often going underground for many weeks to few decades, while requiring a support that would allow them to infiltrate courts or dismantle secret societies. Their efforts grant the Order both great knowledge and the occasional influence or leverage; as such, they work as a mixture of an intelligence society and criminal underworld, with the fabled 'Masters-In-Below' at their head.
Coordination means
Secret knowledge (Herzhi)Herzhi'n are well aware that strength can only come with weaknesses and blind-spots, and as such, know to well that their decentralised structure might be used to infiltrate them by the enemies they made over time or simply by envious powerlusters. To counter it, they rely both on generic safeguards (dead-drops, passwords, means of recognition and identification,...), some of them as volatile as a peculiar sentence to the right person, some embedded in the very stone of monuments.
Two of these means, however, are specific to the Order; the Brand and the Sealed Words. The former leaves that unique alteration of the essence it was named from and labels its carrier as Herzhi, however, it is not absolute, as some other rare magical phenomena might mark someone in a similar way; that is why it is always completed by the latter or by using password and coded speaking.
Beyond security, an other challenge for the Order is to be able to work as a whole will having every member being so independant from the others and that is why their is one actual enforced authority; the Councils of Twelve. Even there however, the Herzhi'n would not consider a Council's decision as a 'law', but rather as a moral tenet and guideline, validated by the wisdom of gathered Masters.
(for details on the Brand, the Sealed Words or the Council, see side notes)
Public Agenda
About the Herzhi Order's agenda, it must be noted that due to its structure and policy of secrecy there is quite a gap between what common knowledge assumes to be its purposes and the actual ones.
Demography and Population
Top-secret knowledge (Underworld / Ancient history / Herzhi)
It is difficult to estimate the number of members in the brotherhood, as only the Wanderers will openly assume their belonging to the Order.
Extremely secretive by nature and by duty, no Hunter will ever mention the other branches of the Order. One may consider that only a person well versed in ancient (and controversial) history or in the underworld might have clues of the existence of the network behind the Wanderers. Others might suspect the need of such an organization, but only if they have an active interest in the Order as efforts are made for the Hunters to seem completly unrelated one from another.
One additionnal hurdle is the sacrecity of Hunters throughout the known world; by allocating a great amount of time, ressources and contacts, one may get a rough estimation of their number, which would be shy of 200, for a 650,000 square leagues wide hunting-ground.
The best source of information about the Order, though, is obviously the Herzhi'n themselves. However, no central record nor member list is kept by the Herzhi'n, in case of a security breach (additionaly, such effort would be redudant with very efficient means of recognition anyway - see Coordination Means above).
As the Dwellers' network keeps track of the Wanderers' coming and going and also register any Hunter who won the title of Master, they could yet estimate the number of silver-wielders to around 280 - 300. Amongst them, almost the half (some 120) end up becoming Masters at a certain point of their career.
This number however only concerns Wanderers, and one might easily guess that as any visible part of a secret society, they are a minority compared to the number of Dwellers. However, if not hermetically, both branches are kept separeted for security purposes; Wanderers would only meet them in case of emergency and Dwellers themselves would only know the closest members in their area. In addition, it is sometimes hard to define who is or isn't a Dweller, as they work like a secret society; most of their contacts being kept unaware of who they are working for, while the Dwellers would teach and influence the most promising sympathizers into joining the Order completly.
Based on how often Wanderers and Dwellers have to meet and on the manpower the Dwellers' network's workload requires, one might extrapolate a rough idea of the Dwellers' number. This information is regarded as one of the most important herzhi secrets, as even Masters (Hunters or Dwellers) are denied this information. According to this projection, the number of Dwellers might be around 500 to 650.
This number, however, is treacherous, as the network isn't evenly spread throughout the known world; the need for on-site support is directly proportionnal with the danger level of an area, thus the lack of infrastructure (roads, bridges, postal services). As such, dangerous regions such as the Şto Valley needs a lot of Dwellers, who will barely be able to be in touch with one another, while the Holy Kingdom of Gand is home to only a handful of Dwellers sharing a very powerful network.
The last branch of the Order, the Agents, is even more shady, as it deals on a daily basis with illegal and clandestine activity. The Master-Dwellers might be th most knowledgeable about the Agents, as they gather wide streams of information. They may estimate the number of Agents in few dozens (between 30 and 50).
As such, in a hypothetical collective effort, Masters of the Order might come out with an estimated number of Herzhi'n way different from outside sources, with around 850 actual members to the Order, spread throughout the entire continent.
Extremely secretive by nature and by duty, no Hunter will ever mention the other branches of the Order. One may consider that only a person well versed in ancient (and controversial) history or in the underworld might have clues of the existence of the network behind the Wanderers. Others might suspect the need of such an organization, but only if they have an active interest in the Order as efforts are made for the Hunters to seem completly unrelated one from another.
One additionnal hurdle is the sacrecity of Hunters throughout the known world; by allocating a great amount of time, ressources and contacts, one may get a rough estimation of their number, which would be shy of 200, for a 650,000 square leagues wide hunting-ground.
The best source of information about the Order, though, is obviously the Herzhi'n themselves. However, no central record nor member list is kept by the Herzhi'n, in case of a security breach (additionaly, such effort would be redudant with very efficient means of recognition anyway - see Coordination Means above).
As the Dwellers' network keeps track of the Wanderers' coming and going and also register any Hunter who won the title of Master, they could yet estimate the number of silver-wielders to around 280 - 300. Amongst them, almost the half (some 120) end up becoming Masters at a certain point of their career.
This number however only concerns Wanderers, and one might easily guess that as any visible part of a secret society, they are a minority compared to the number of Dwellers. However, if not hermetically, both branches are kept separeted for security purposes; Wanderers would only meet them in case of emergency and Dwellers themselves would only know the closest members in their area. In addition, it is sometimes hard to define who is or isn't a Dweller, as they work like a secret society; most of their contacts being kept unaware of who they are working for, while the Dwellers would teach and influence the most promising sympathizers into joining the Order completly.
Based on how often Wanderers and Dwellers have to meet and on the manpower the Dwellers' network's workload requires, one might extrapolate a rough idea of the Dwellers' number. This information is regarded as one of the most important herzhi secrets, as even Masters (Hunters or Dwellers) are denied this information. According to this projection, the number of Dwellers might be around 500 to 650.
This number, however, is treacherous, as the network isn't evenly spread throughout the known world; the need for on-site support is directly proportionnal with the danger level of an area, thus the lack of infrastructure (roads, bridges, postal services). As such, dangerous regions such as the Şto Valley needs a lot of Dwellers, who will barely be able to be in touch with one another, while the Holy Kingdom of Gand is home to only a handful of Dwellers sharing a very powerful network.
The last branch of the Order, the Agents, is even more shady, as it deals on a daily basis with illegal and clandestine activity. The Master-Dwellers might be th most knowledgeable about the Agents, as they gather wide streams of information. They may estimate the number of Agents in few dozens (between 30 and 50).
As such, in a hypothetical collective effort, Masters of the Order might come out with an estimated number of Herzhi'n way different from outside sources, with around 850 actual members to the Order, spread throughout the entire continent.
'Hence they were named 'Herzhi'n',
And they walked in the Dusk
To fight the Night.'
Founding Date
Times immemorial
Type
Secret, Brotherhood
Alternative Names
Wardssons
Shadow-Hunters
Dusk-Walkers
Three-Beasts
Silver Brotherhood
Gem-Eyed
Dawn-Light
Keepers Of The Balance
Shadow-Hunters
Dusk-Walkers
Three-Beasts
Silver Brotherhood
Gem-Eyed
Dawn-Light
Keepers Of The Balance
Demonym
Herzhi (pl.: Herzhi'n)
Official Languages
To realize how true this saying is, one most understand the consequences of a Branding and how the Herzhi'n exploit it. Branding a person is basically 'unmaking' them, leaving their essence 'shapeless', 'blank'. Once the Disciple is Branded, his Master will make use of this flexibility to mold him back into a true Herzhi. It is often overlooked that this shaping is a psychological as it is physcial or magical; the very mind and personnality of the Herzhi are bent towards selflessness, accute sense of justice, dissociation from passions and fears,... The extent of these alterations is such that the Herzhi'n end up experiencing a palette of feelings way different from most of humanity, which make them close to incorruptible.
An additional perk is that, no matter how radical the changes induced (or made possible) by the Brand are they alter the essence in a very subtle, almost intangible way, that only a very sensitive person to magic would notice, which includes another Branded individual. The physical alterations too are very discrete compared to their effects, as they mostly affect internal organs abilities (immune and nervous system, sensitivity,...) while preparing the body for magic-imbibition.
All things considered, one may say that 'the Brand makes the Herzhi, body, essence and soul.'
An additional perk is that, no matter how radical the changes induced (or made possible) by the Brand are they alter the essence in a very subtle, almost intangible way, that only a very sensitive person to magic would notice, which includes another Branded individual. The physical alterations too are very discrete compared to their effects, as they mostly affect internal organs abilities (immune and nervous system, sensitivity,...) while preparing the body for magic-imbibition.
All things considered, one may say that 'the Brand makes the Herzhi, body, essence and soul.'
Tulk sivraèdh Herzhi'n
Use of the Sealed Words by the Order
The Herzhi'n themselves do not know exactly where does the Sealed Words come from. Supposedly it was the original group's mothertongue and/or the language in which were transmitted the teachings of the Order's founder, aeons ago during the Dawn Of Time. In the current era, this language is long-dead and forgotten by all but the Herzhi'n, to the point where even its last users have forgotten its original name. And that is precisely what the Order wishes; no one can tell when the use of the Word went from tradition to one of the most secret safeguards of the Order's security.
Every member of the Order is required to learn it, even Disciples, as any sensitive or confidential information is recorded in the Words. It is worth noting that this is not the only caution Herzhi'n take when it comes to their language; anything written in the Words most be either few words short, destroyed after reading or stored within a Dweller's custody. Making sure that no text in the Words is circulating around the world is one of the Agents crucial tasks, as well as dealing with anyone having studied them, by chosing whether they should be recruited or dealt with.
Every member of the Order is required to learn it, even Disciples, as any sensitive or confidential information is recorded in the Words. It is worth noting that this is not the only caution Herzhi'n take when it comes to their language; anything written in the Words most be either few words short, destroyed after reading or stored within a Dweller's custody. Making sure that no text in the Words is circulating around the world is one of the Agents crucial tasks, as well as dealing with anyone having studied them, by chosing whether they should be recruited or dealt with.
A Council Of Twelve
The only kind of 'temporal' authority the Herzhi'n obey to is not embodied by some influencial individuals, but is rather a prescribed way to reach both common sense, enlightened wisdom and accurate knowledge. Herzhi'n of yore established that a Council of twelve Master-Hunters, expressing a unanimous opinion would be close enough to that ideal. If the exact origin of this convention is unknown, its three tenets are well understood; a Council speaks through Master-Hunters (or Dwellers) who they are viewed as possessing the required knowledge and harnessed the necessary wisdom for the task of running a Council and are even prepared to this task by the Master who approved their mastership of Herzhi traditions. A Council would gather twelve of them, as this number is considered as being the largest number were individual opinions can be expressed without having the assembly divolving into smaller groups: yet this requires a shared effort as a Council is basically an assembly of strong-willed independant knowledgeable individuals who usually involve themselves completly in the debate at hand. Moreover, they have to express their opinion as one single voice and any opinion that has been expressed must be either answered to and willingly withdrawn or involved within the final 'declaration'; the Council's purpose is not to find some compromise, but rather to find the common ground in various opinions.
As a consequence, a Council's 'conclusion' might be somehow underwhelming, as it never enacts a 'law' or an 'edict'; rather it expresses some piece of knowledge and moral guidelines, and these declarations are seen as such by Hunters and Dwellers; some reminder of the 'Herzhi way' concerning troublesome, rare or new matters. If these ordinary Councils are quite rare (one or two per decade), they will often cover a vast array of subjects and will embody the current 'state of mind' of the Order. Their main impact though is more about how it shapes the Herzhi mindset; it both encourages free will as one should stand for his opinions, intellectual integrity as one should know when he is wrong, teamwork and respect as one should listen and cooperate with fellow Hunters and humility as one should not rush to absolute conclusions. Even if entire Councils are seldom called for, their existence makes it that Herzhi'n are used to respect and look for wisdom in others, even outside the Order, and as such would often advocate the Order's integrity to the public eye.
An other 'kind' of Council is sometimes called for, and a strong and immediate action is asked from them. These 'concerting' Councils often are more flexible than cannon ones (common Hunters taking a more active role, fewer number of participants,...) as their purpose is to settle quickly a pressing issue. The conclusion they draw is more around the lines of an active concerted plan then, and will sometimes involve territories as large as small kingdoms. Through the history, some of these Councils have even evolve into cannon one of Twelve or more Masters: these are the few handful who ever enacted law-like bans or condamnations.
As a consequence, a Council's 'conclusion' might be somehow underwhelming, as it never enacts a 'law' or an 'edict'; rather it expresses some piece of knowledge and moral guidelines, and these declarations are seen as such by Hunters and Dwellers; some reminder of the 'Herzhi way' concerning troublesome, rare or new matters. If these ordinary Councils are quite rare (one or two per decade), they will often cover a vast array of subjects and will embody the current 'state of mind' of the Order. Their main impact though is more about how it shapes the Herzhi mindset; it both encourages free will as one should stand for his opinions, intellectual integrity as one should know when he is wrong, teamwork and respect as one should listen and cooperate with fellow Hunters and humility as one should not rush to absolute conclusions. Even if entire Councils are seldom called for, their existence makes it that Herzhi'n are used to respect and look for wisdom in others, even outside the Order, and as such would often advocate the Order's integrity to the public eye.
An other 'kind' of Council is sometimes called for, and a strong and immediate action is asked from them. These 'concerting' Councils often are more flexible than cannon ones (common Hunters taking a more active role, fewer number of participants,...) as their purpose is to settle quickly a pressing issue. The conclusion they draw is more around the lines of an active concerted plan then, and will sometimes involve territories as large as small kingdoms. Through the history, some of these Councils have even evolve into cannon one of Twelve or more Masters: these are the few handful who ever enacted law-like bans or condamnations.
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