The world of Wardenfall is not only shaped by ancient forces and mythical creatures, but also by those who rule and rebel from the shadows and seats of power. The section Factions & Orders delves into the complex political web that binds the realms together, and just as often, tears them apart. Across every continent and kingdom, countless factions operate both in the open and behind veils of secrecy, steering the fates of nations through law, coin, steel, and subterfuge. These are the architects of influence, the brokers of destiny, and the unseen hands that guide the sword and the scepter alike.
The ruling structure of the Kingdom of the Forge stands apart from other great nations. Though power is officially held by the royal House of Greysteel, whose bloodline has endured since the time of the World’s Expansion and the forging of the Sacred Pacts, true authority is shared through the Council of Mantles. This council comprises twelve lords and ladies, each representing a cornerstone of Volarion’s identity. Innovation. Labor. Trade. Arcana. Faith. Diplomacy. Defense. Agriculture. Infrastructure. The Forge. Law. And History. King Varion Greysteel, the current ruler, acts as both monarch and mediator, balancing his crown’s legacy against the ever-shifting weight of council politics. Behind closed doors, alliances form and fracture between Mantle seats, and whispers of influence carry more weight than gold.
Far across the sea in Yvelia, where shadow and ambition breathe the same air, the Ebonblade Compact serves as the invisible edge of the crown. This deadly guild of assassins does not operate freely, but under the cold and calculating hand of Queen Mavis Varyion herself. It is said that her word sends the Compact across all corners of Wardenfall, slipping between borders to silence voices, erase heirs, and punish traitors. Their methods are silent. Poisoned blades. Vanishing curses. Whispers turned to blood. Where the queen’s army cannot go, the Ebonblade walks without question. Along the coasts, pirate fleets like the dreaded Broken Tide sail freely, bound by no nation’s laws. They are kept afloat by secret treaties with coastal nobles who profit in silence. Beneath even the grandest courts, smuggler rings and black-market guilds twist laws into tools, shifting power without ever stepping into the light.
As the Heroes for Hire and the Fated cross the lands and seas of Wardenfall, they will encounter these forces firsthand. Some will welcome them with open hands. Others will watch them from behind veils of silk and steel. This section will grow with each discovery they make, recording every faction they uncover, every alliance they challenge, and every secret they carry. With time, this archive will become a living map of the powers that shape Wardenfall, where every name holds a purpose, and every purpose casts a shadow.
