Based in Crockport in Furyondi, this chivalric order of paladins and knights was founded circa 100 yrs ago to ward off the evil forces of Iuz and the Horned Society. Constant conflicts with such evil forces have caused this order to remain strongly aligned to the good.
Members of the order include Prince Thrommel of Furyondy and Lord Soothra of Babylon. Also within the order is a special group called the Dragon Club. Knights in this club earn entrance only through the killing of a dragon by themselves. The club meats regularly for members to boast of their accomplishments and plan new quests.
The Order of the Lion is a new paladin sub Order started by Lord Soothra and is specifically for paladins of Ishtar. Based in Babylon, training involves several level goals such as leadinmg an army or destroying and evil artifact, which members are to accomplish before gaining various god granted powers which include speak with lions, barbarian bonuses while naked, and limited rod of rulership powers over armies. Progression includes lion westling and eventually taming - done naked and without weopons. Members of this order are often noted by the accompanyment of one of these lions.
This Order of Knights is based in the Theocracy. Numbering over 40,000, their main duty is the guarding of religious paraphenalia, relics, and artifacts of the Theocracy's many churches and temples. The order is otherwise very apolitical. Many of the senior members are equiped with magical items that will alert them, transport them, and aid them in fending off thieves and aggressors into those temples. They are aided by many of the clerical orders in the Theocracy.
This group of warriors are paladins of the Cresent Moon Goddess, Sin, who monthly fights the demons and devils of the underworld. The warrior group is based out of Beer, the only city dedicated to Sin. Minimum of 18 of strength, 16 of const is required to become part of the order. They are known for their quests to battle and rid the world of all manner of demons, daemons, and devils. These warriors may be identified not only by their large, heavily armoured build, but also by the silver cressent moon emblem rising from their great helms. These warrior always carry several weopons of various types and are extraordinarily tough. As with the clerics of the moon goddess in the Church of Sin they loose all god granted powers on nights with no moon.
The name given to the army of Woodwych. These fighters are renouned for their fanaticall belief in their god and their often self sacrificing tactics in combat. As the clergy of Gula, the healing god to which the city is dedicated, automatically reward fallen soldiers with resurection, this is not so surprising. The city of Woodwych is fairly poor, so the Jikud, warradanum usually have poor weopons and armour - often wooden spears and padded armour. This does not comprimise their beserker, fanatical, and often tribal battle frenzy.
The Duchy of Urnst has several different schools which teach high swordsmanship. Always available only to the upper classes or already well trained fighters, their training is of very high quality. Sword specialization and advanced swordsmanship and fencing skills are taught here. The schools can be quite pricey.
The above named cities often participate in arena style gladiator competitions. Such warriors are trained specifically for gladiator combat in all manner of weopons - often barbaric ones that draw much blood. Champion gladiators are sent from one city to represent them in combat with another city. Such gladiators can be very tough - sometimes as high as 20th - 23rd level (2nd ed. version)! The most notable tend to come from Rel Mord.
These are paladins of Nusku, the god who delivers sacrifices made to the gods to their proper location. These chivalric paladins are equipped with the finest weopons and armour that money can buy and they escort the transportation of tithe money from the various cities to the theocracy. They also participate on retributive missions and missions to catch thieves, and criminals that have transgressed against Nusku, the tithe transports, or other crimes. The Order is based out of Nellix but many more will be found in the Theocracy.
The swere-arcanna are elven fighter-magic users also possesing psionics. There are very few of them but they are considered heroes among the elves. Indeed, the single most important factor governing progression into and through the swere-arcanna is popularity. Etiiquete, flaring style, and partying skills are the most favoured in this warrior caste. Interestngly, the elves included also tend to be master swordsmen. Swere-arcanna very rarely do things in groups - tending to act as single adventuring heroes, or parts of adventuring groups with non-swere-arcanna.
These fighters arent part of a particular order but more often members of a certain Leukish/Urnstian House. They are defined by the great number of psionic probes and tests to ascertain their loyalty to the house. A great amount of psychological training, mental probing, etc is used to help insure loyalty. A Leukish Protector NEVER betrays his house. They are the most steadfast in their service. Such Protectors are even resistant to many mind affecting magics which would try to compromise that loyalty. Protectors are found serving various Urnstian houses in Leukish, Nellix, or abroad. They are also employed by the Duke himself on national security matters.
These non-chivalric fighters have been selected by the House of Naelix as a personal guard for the Overking, the royal family, and for House Naelix. The fighters were taken and trained in the underworld - most likely one of the Hells. It is rumoured training was done on the estate of Hutigin after payment from the Royal House. Now that the Overking is dead and the House has fled Rouxes to the Barron Isles, the Naelix Knights might possibly be found abroad. Some of the Naelix Knights are most assuredly anti-paladins who gain their powers from demonic or devilish sources.
Human rangery started before the founding of the Great Aerdian Empire 600 yrs ago. It was the result of teachings the elves gave to the barbaric & nomadic human children placed by the aerdy sea during the Reign Of Colorless Fire. Aerdian Rangery is what is credited as being responsible for the great success humans had in driving back all the other nonhuman, demi-human, and humanoid races over the last 800 years. Rangers were officially the fighter of choice during the Aedian Empire until Overking Herrik disbanded them circa 650 AD. Since then, the rangers have maintained a tightly disciplinned non politically aligned structure. Because of the roving and solitary nature of its members, their is no central governing or guiding authority. Members are expected to fight off humanoid creatures where they exist and are also expected to listen to orders from those rangers they meet who outrank them. Most rangers have forsword involvement in human vs human political or religious wars and prefer to combat humanoids. Accordingly, many have migrated to the northern reaches of Furyondy or other fringe regions. The Western Style ranger is a later version of rangery where members have long since forgotten many skills. These rangers (new players) do not boast the two weapon ability of the older aerdian rangers (all abilities of new and old players handbook). For a time, some rangers were based in the Celadon Forest, but since its destruction, only a few remain.
A new generation of rangers with additional dragon fighting skills are being trained by Finerio McBain in New Evermore.
Wrestling permeates Rel Mordian culture and its use can be found in the fighting styles of any fighter type who originally came from Rel Mord. Wrestling is popular in Womtham, Midmeadow, Stoink, and Babylon.
Barbarian figthing style, characterized by alternate weapon use, and heavy reliance on agility is of course used by the barbarians of the Tiger & Wolf Nomads, the Bandit Kingdoms, and the barbarians of Hold of the Stonefist (almost all of the northern tribes). Also, the city of Rhadigast and the city of Stoink also employ such styles in their armies and militias (as well as gladiators).
Ketian styles are unique. They rely on the use of the curved Ketian blades simialr to wider edged scimitars or falchions. Ketian schools are unknown at this time by this author and are not characterized here.