Crimson Order

The Crimson Order is the militia of Medua. Once a mighty order of knights and a great defender of the Twins region, the Order fell mightily when they were suddenly betrayed by the barbarians of Ziragzig. All living members of the Order went into hiding at the Village Toz, Brekkin's Cave, or at an undisclosed secret hideout belonging to the arcane members of the order except for Lex Gerus, who returned to Medua following the defeat of Zola Shadowmend.

Structure

The Crimson Order is made up of 10 official ranks and one rank for new recruits totalling 11 different tiers of the Order. Each of these roles and their major responsibilites are described below, in descending order of importance.

1. Shield of the Order
• The Shield of the Order is responsible for every member of the Order, and is given unbridled access to all of the Order's knowledge, resources, and weaponry. The Shield is expected to hold once-daily logistical meetings with their Assembly, and is charged with the management of all of the Order's facilities (including Village Toz, where new recruits are trained).
2. Captain of the Guard
• The Captain of the Guard serves as the right hand of the Shield within Medua and reports directly to their Shield. Moreover, they are tasked with the maintenance of the city's defenses, including all sentry postings, wall assignments, defensive acquisitions (armor, tar, arrows, ballista, etc.), as well as the maintenance of the Chains (Grimm Point, Fury Aisle, and Bleeding Pass).
3. Major General
• Major Generals are assigned to a quadrant of the city (normally the section they are from) and serve on the Shield's Assembly. Major Generals spend most of their days overseeing their men, making rounds to ensure that they are completing their tasks and that they are sufficiently provisioned. Major Generals have access to all major supply depots in Medua, which means they are an integral part in keeping the Order on its feet.
4. Commandant
• Commandants tend to be the Knights within the order, and thus are revered as skillful warriors on the battlefield. During battle, commandants serve as battlefield masters who lead from the front, while in peaceful times they return to the countryside to manage their estates and build relations with the country folk. All Commandants are required to pay two annual visits to Village Toz to confer some of their specialized training to the recruits.
5. Colonel
• Colonels traditionally monitor the flow of goods into and out of Medua. One Colonel is posted at each gate and at each sentry tower during the day to allow them a clear view of the local region. One Colonel is also posted at each of the Chains, and is typically the ranking officer when present at these stations.
6. Tactician, Armsman
• Tacticians are charged with coordinating the Order's tactical response to situations, whether their goals be military, civic, agricultural, or anything in between. Specialized training and years of logical reasoning exercises distinguish a Tactician from any other rank, and any member of the Order who was once a Tactician holds other such members in exceptionally high regard.
• Armsmen live for the forge and the armory. Skilled in the creation and maintenance of nearly any weapon and armor, many armsmen enjoy proving their prowess with the same in battle. Amongst armsmen, it is standard for them to create a customized weapon in their third year of the practice which signifies that they are ready to be dedicated to the maintenance of their own battalion's gear. Armsmen are exceedingly proud of their capabilities, and battalions with an armsman tend to be more boastful than others even while they protect their armsman with their lives.
7. Lieutenant
• Lieutenants spend most of their time overseeing the battalion of men to which they are assigned, typically numbering 60-70 men. Lieutenants receive specialized training in personnel management and tend to be the entry point for high-ranking officers to interact with men in the lower ranks. As such, lieutenants tend to know the most officers in the Order and have a working rapport from Major Generals down to the men-at-arms.
8. Sergeant-at-arms
• Sergeants-at-arms are a unique rank — generally assigned to a specific task within Medua, sergeants-at-arms oversee most of the daily maintenance of the city. If there is a team of men working to complete a patch in the wall, repair a well, organize a section of the library, or reset the sconces with unused torches, a Sergeant-at-arms will be overseeing the task. Which sergeant-at-arms is assigned to each task is generally determined by the Lieutenants at their daily meeting, as Lieutenants know well nearly all of the order.
9. Captain
• Captains are the lowest rank dedicated to oversight of their fellow soldiers. Captains are typically dedicated to the maintenance of their lance, a group of soldiers and men-at-arms that numbers from 20-30 men. Captains do not lead these men in battle, but they do serve as middle men for relaying assignments, postings, mealtimes, and training hours from the Major Generals to their lance. Captains also follow the assignment of their lance, traveling and living with them as an equal more oft than not.
10. Soldier
• Soldiers are individuals who have completed the minimum requirements for admission to the Order. Soldiers are trained in the art of swords, spears, and above all, shields. Soldiers spend their days taking orders and picking on men-at-arms, holding their Order names over the heads of the men-at-arms that haven't yet received theirs. Order names are a significant point of pride, and soldiers earn them at some point during their time at Village Toz but superior officers will not refer to them by that name until they are full soldiers.
11. Man-at-arms
• Men-at-arms are individuals who are currently undergoing their training period at the Village Toz. They have completed training in at least one of the three major disciplines, so they are no longer considered mere recruits. However, they have not yet earned their Order name and have more training yet to complete.

Culture

The Crimson Order believe strongly in a responsibility to protect the residents of Medua and to be a shield for those who are less capable of defending themselves. Off the battlefield, they are quality stewards of Medua and the Twins region, supporting trade, commerce, and the locals in whatever ways they can. There is a strict hierarchy within the Order, though typically the ranking officers do show adequate respect for the members under their command.

Crimson Order Salute

The Crimson Order Salute is a full-body greeting that is given amongst members of the Order. To properly execute a salute, an individual assumes a stance with feet wider than shoulder-width apart then clasps their hands behind their back. The person delivering the salute then raises their chin and looks down their nose at the person they are addressing and speaks the true name

kaasang diseng

of the Order.
Though this stance may not portray respect to those outside the Order, there is much respect baked into the stance. The wide-footed position and tall posture indicate the strength of the individual, while clasping one's hands behind the back refer to the strength of the group. Putting their hands behind their back indicates that they do not need to defend themselves, and that they are placing their ultimate trust in the Order. Finally, inclining one's chin might seem officious but in reality a Soldier knows that they are exposing themselves significantly by leaving their throat unguarded. This is the ultimate gesture of deference and trust to place in your comrades, and concludes the salute's symbolic nature.

Current personnel assignments:
Arena construction — 50
City maintenance — 20
Sentry duty — 12
Assembly — 4

Specials

Diplomacy — Gambit
Forgemaster — Daga
Researcher — Prodigy
Trade — Lenox
Fundraising — Royal
Walls — Pitch
Recruitment — Weaver
Farming — Frost
Carpentry — Grimace

Capital

Medua

Leader Title

Shield of the Order

Location

Medua

Related Ranks & Titles

• Shield of the Order

Controlled Territories

• Medua
• Tower of the Shield

Notable Members

• Anastasia Procter
• Justin Torosa
• Lemund Torbid
• Rella Aranas