Characedo, Myrandol, Vedari and Doeneik
Between the continents of Lothgar and Mologan lies the treacherous Great Reef. The largest single living organism on Geis, the Great Reef is a coral structure encompassing several hectares. Just east of the Great Reef lies the deepest trench on Geis: Owaha Chasm. Along the north western edge of the Chasm is the largest settlement of Merfolk while within it is believed to be the home of the Owaha. On the western side of the Reef is the remains of the fortress of the former master assassin, the man known only as Shark Tooth. He rose to prominence during the Age of War and was among the most powerful psychics the world has ever known. During his lifetime, he became the Consort of Death and established the Academy of Death. To get admittance, one had to kill a close friend or relative and have psychic abilities. While he stood as the headmaster, the Academy allowed all stripes of psychic ability. The graduates were known as the Characedo. Before he died, Shark Tooth killed every single graduate and destroyed the Academy as well as his fortress before killing himself as a final sacrifice to his Mistress. Some time during the beginning of the Age of Dreams, the most secretive of all organizations returned; the Characedo returned. Every single Characedo is a master of death by using their psychic abilities. They are not warriors. They are actors and masters of poison and hiding in plain sight. They kill with a thought and leave no trace. It is believed that they are a wholly owned subsidiary of one of the Noble Houses for every monarch seems to be able to call upon them. They are death incarnate. There are no rumors of the Characedo for they ruthlessly eliminate those who do not need to be aware of them. Their training is arcane, obscure and inescapable. Once hired, the target of the Characedo always die. Always.
High on Jorton Mountain, after the devastation of the fifth Psy-Mage War, the Orian Barve started receiving petitions from those with magical and psychic ability to join the order. Most of these were those who did not want to exercise their gifts. The Orian Barve order strictly forbids teaching of their arts to those who have access to those abilities, so all were denied. A single master of the Orian Barve named Myrandi spoke out against tradition, stating that they could indeed teach those with magical and psychic ability for in so doing they might avoid the devastation of war. The other masters disagreed with him and he was threatened with removal from the order. After delivering a passionate speech, one of the other masters agreed with him and the gathering agreed that Myrandi would be given permission to teach basic fighting arts to select candidates chose by the assembled masters. Three candidates were chosen and Myrandi taught them. Bowing to the wisdom of the other masters, he modified the stringent training and martial art forms to accommodate the magical and psychic abilities of the students he taught. He made adjustments to the training after seeing where his students struggled. Their progress was checked by the assembly of masters regularly. Having to divide their time between their martial and magic or psychic studies, they needed weapons and tools. Myrandi sought to make them unique in the world and so, working with his most gifted students, they crafted the tools of their order. Their code different from the Orian Barve, but their philosophy was very similar. The Orian Barve masters conceded that Myrandi was correct in his choice. They aided the fledgling order in creating a new training temple deep in the Gray Mountains. Unlike Jorton Mountain, the new location was secret, buried within the depths of the living stone. The temple doors are undetectable except by those who are worthy. After his death, those three initial students took over the training and leadership of the corps that they named after their beloved master. Thereafter they were known as the Myrandol.
Shortly after the first High King consolidated the Southern Kingdoms in peaceful union, rumors of the Kol Draahl surviving again spread. To abate the terror caused by these rumors, the High King commissioned the creation of an order of warrior mages. The aim was to create a force strong enough to stand against the most terrifying members of the Kol Draahl; the Myde Laethe. After many failed attempts, the representatives of the High King decided upon using rune mages. Runes were capable of creating powerful magical items and each member of the fighting force would be expected to create their own arsenal of weapons. It was, after all, the equipment and armor of the Myde Laethe that struck such fear into the hearts of the populace. A new rune language, unique to the order, was created. Masters of various fighting styles drawn from Nazd, Merebal and Gloanoq in order to create unique fighting style. The training regimen was established, the first volunteers were chosen and the Vedari order was born. They quickly became the mainstay of the Southern Kingdom forces, though it would be many many years before they faced their intended foes. They were called upon to investigate all sightings of the Kol Draahl. They became the primary investigators, special forces and law enforcement of the High King. Their authority and ability was soon recognized throughout the Southern Kingdoms, then the free world.
None know how the Doeneik faded. Their role in the shadows focused them more on information and secrecy, which kept them out of the limelight and histories of the world. It is known that they did fade from prominence sometime during the Age of Wars. It is believed by the Doeneik that they were persecuted and destroyed by the Moragai but proof is sparse, if it exists at all. Like the Moragai, two individuals found Doeneik texts that began the resurgence of the order some centuries after they had faded from memory. It wasn't until each had gathered followers that they met and it took them some time and effort before they realized that they were part of the same order. It has been postulated that Doeneik never really faded and the masters of the resurgence were instead led to the Doeneik by those texts. None really know. Those masters' identities have been a closely guarded secret, as has the current membership. Unlike the Characedo, the Doeneik do not destroy those who find them out. Their numbers are still too few for such efforts. Their stock in trade is information, not death, specifically secrets. They have techniques for accessing the Astral Plane, or Spirit World, that are unique to them. Like the Characedo, they are not warriors. They are not powerhouses who can level buildings. They focus on the more subtle forms of the psychic arts. They are masters of subterfuge and as such, they know best how to guard their secrets. Very little is known about them for that is how they wish it to be.
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