Umbral Knights & Crimson Guard - Setting Up

[Uta]

Blood for the Blood God

The Blood god Sanguis has finally awoken after centuries of deep sleep. Exactly why he slept is still fuzzy, and he hasn't yet gone into any great detail regarding his sleep, but he is back and looking to rebuild his temple. Additionally, he's on the hunt for certain individuals that might wish to devote themselves to him and his temple.

Long has the world borrowed and used his domain. As it stands, Sanguis has offered a great investment to mortals, and now and again, he wishes for the blood that has been borrowed to be returned. In other cases, Sanguis is happy to offer his domain to those who in the greatest need. Like the blood that runs to the heart through veins, only to return to the body through arteries, so does Sanguis both give and take the blood found on Faetasia.

So it is, Sanguis is aware that his devotees are lacking. So he is on the hunt for a few good Fae who might wish to work more closely with him.

What's Needed:

Allegiances & Allies:
For those who own Racial & Domained Gods & Deities, Sanguis is interested in getting to know you. He has a soft-spot for blood drinkers, as well as individuals who either spill blood frequently, or at least, are known to dabble or are tied with blood. Any depraved or dark creature who relishes blood will likely find favor with Sanguis. Of course, he won't turn his nose up from those who come to him in need or with requests of any alignment -- blood pours through plenty in Faetasia and he won't turn any away.

While he is an evil god, he can still favor those who are good. Plenty of blood has been spilled due to righteousness and moral superiority and he might well grant favor to those who wish to wipe out an enemy. Truly, whose hands are clean when it comes to bloodshed? Good and evil spill it in equal amounts -- they just present it differently.

If you are a God or Deity wishing to make friends or form an allegiance with Sanguis, he's more than ready to play the politics game. This includes individuals who might see him as an enemy, or stop his bloodshed.

Umbral Knights
For Faekats of any stripe, Sanguis has essentially hand-picked individuals to join his horde. They are there purely to serve Sanguis and his will -- and essentially cut down any Faekat who gets in their way. While there are exceptions and some sorts Sanguis protects against, generally, these knights are not good news.

The knights are led by Sanguis' angelique -- Umbra. Sanguis himself has imbued various swords with his will and power, and brought them to life. These sentient swords have their own personalities and quirks, but are dedicated servants to Sanguis. Sanguis can and does work his will through the swords.

The swords, upon creation, choose their knight -- not the other way around. If chosen by one of the swords, the Fae will be tapped as the newest Umbral Knight. These Knights can be of any personality, temperament, race, and class -- but they all serve Sanguis. They are often sent out into the world on missions or tasks -- or are there to simply let their swords drink and return blood to the blood god and his Temple.

They all learn the art of battle, and Sanguis will use them as he sees fit. Sometimes they're their just to cause a little chaos, while other times they're more god blessed mercenaries

Crimson Guard
Closer to home, Sanguis is also searching for devotees and eventually, trusted individuals to be part of his Crimson Guard. Where the Umbral Knights are out there spilling blood and working for Sanguis often at a distance, the Crimson Guard is made up for individuals who serve Sanguis himself at his Temple. The Crimson Guard are those who choose, or are asked, to make the temple, or its surrounding land, their home.

The Crimson Guard protects devotees or visitors should Sanguis be away or distracted elsewhere. The guard can also take on a more cleric or priest/high priest sort of role as well. Blood mages, blood drinkers, blood takers, any could become part of his guard.

This Guard is mostly there to work in the temple. While some go out into the world to aid those in need of blood, or to spread word of the blood god and his temple, the majority of the guard stay and work at the temple.

The most devout might even be gifted the art of blood magic.

 

[Uta]

Umbral Knights

Umbral Knights serve the blood god whole heartedly. Their devotion is true, and they are at Sanguis' beck and call. Generally speaking, they're divine mercenaries. There are various ranks of the Umbral Knight, but no matter how new, or how long they've served, they devote themselves wholly to the blood god Sanguis.

The swords Sanguis creates are living weapons. They have their own personality, their own quirks, their own desires. They are very much alive and have their own personalities. These might not always be in line with their chosen Wielder, but the bond between the Umbral Knight and her Sword is permanent.

True Death is the only way to sever the bond, silencing both the Wielder and the Sword. These magic swords know the difference between trickery and true loss, but coming across a Fallen Sword is a day of rage and mourning for any Umbral Knight.

Every sword is unique in its design, just as they are unique in their personality. Some might look similar but have small differences, while others are incredibly unique. To bond with a Sword is to devote your life to the blood god Sanguis. Most of the time a Sword will find his or her counterpart at the Blood Temple -- however, a Sword could find their match anytime, anywhere. Sanguis might offer one to a worthy subject, to see if there's a match, and various unattached Swords are usually brought with the Umbral Knights on their journeys and missions through Faetasia.

Might For Right or Might to Blight?
The Umbral Knights are notoriously bad news. They are there to spill blood for the blood god and let their swords drink that sweet crimson liquid. However, that isn't the only thing they do. Unless on a mission from Sanguish himself, the Knights are generally allowed to pick and choose their own missions.

Some might hunt down something or someone evil, to spill their blood for revenge. Others might band together to defend another group being hunted down by holy warriors. The Umbral Knights don't usually care if the group they're aiding is known to be good or ebil - so long as their swords get to drink, that's the only outcome that matters.

Of course, some Umbral Knights are known to fight for right and defend good against evil. While others are known to work only with those who are dark and twisted. And others still are an enigma. Of course, it isn't just the Umbral Knight's choice -- each Sword might have its own opinion or preference.

Additionally, spilling blood might not always end in death. A cut to the cheek, a small flesh wound, could be enough to satisfy the Umbral Knights payment.

They're a rogue group, but when Sanguis calls them for a task or demands they return to the Temple, they are all of one mind.

Sword Play

The Swords themselves all have a name which becomes immediately known to their Wielder.

OOCly, the Swords might have pre-determined names if given out iby Uta n a premade Sword contest, or they could be named by the player if a player creates an Umbral Knight from scratch.

The Swords are bonded to their Umbral Knight usually by cutting them to seal the bond -- however, the scar that forms is one worn with pride.

All Swords can move of their own volition -- they can float near their Wielder, and even attack on their own if their Wielder is wounded or fallen, to protect them. But the Sword is bonded to the Wielder just as the Wielder is bonded to the Sword. It's a deeper connection, spiritual in a way, and they are all devoted to Sanguis.

Generally, the stronger the bond, the better the swordsman. The better and more practiced the Swordsman, the better the Knight, and the more the Sword is able to drink. Every Sword has its own opinions and personalities, and while they don't speak, the Wielder seems to know what its Sword wants or prefers to do. Some Swords don't care to draw blood from Fae's of a certain age or nature, and become dull or refuse to cut; while other times the Sword will resist and fight their Wielder, becoming suddenly heavy, or even unruly, unbalanced.

The Swords might be magic but they still need tending. Cleaning, sharpening, used in practice... The Wielder should know how to care for their Sword. The Swords might even have their own preference of color wrap or jewels adorning it. The blades are exceptionally strong, but should they break or shatter, the Sword itself is still alive. It just would require re-forging back at the Blood God's temple. A broken sword is a sign of bad luck though, and it can cause the Wielder pain until fixed.

Should a Wielder try to leave the Umbral Knights, or turn on their devotion to the god, the Sword will turn on its owner and likely attempt to kill them. If your knight somehow manages to escape, that Sword will come after you because the bond is not properly severed.

OOCly, if you really no longer want an Umbral Knight, take your pleas to Sanguis. Better to beg with the god you serve than wind up on the chopping block by your own sword. However, the purpose of these knights is a permanent devotion to Sanguis, so keep that in mind before you create one!

Umbral Knight Ranks

There are various different ranks of an Umbral Knight. Some of these ranks have specific duties and roles, while others are just a sign of position. The higher the rank, the more responsibility and trust granted by Umbra and Sanguis.

Blood Pages:
The lowest rank of an Umbral Knight is a Blood Page. The Pages are responsible for performing various tasks, such as running errands, assisting with armor and weapons, and learning basic combat techniques. They are often instructed by the Knights but most often spend much of their time within Sanguis' Temple. The Pages are required to serve the higher ranking Knights and obey their orders without question.

At this time, the Blood Pages have not yet been bonded with a Sword. Any sword or weapon they use is either wooden, a practice blade, or a simple crafted sword.

Pages serve both the Knights as well as those in the Temple. They are often found around the armory and forges, and they are known to care for, clean, and patch up the armor and even sometimes the Swords themselves.

OOCly: Pages are open and anyone can make a Page. Those who begin as a Page will either need Uta's permission to rank up to Squire (and have been a page for at least six months), or will need to complete 5 RPs with your character acting as a Page.

Dark Squires (Squires)

Shadow Knight (Bachelor Knights)

Blood Knight (Banneret Knight)

Nefarious Knight (Knight Commander)

Umbral Knight (Knight Champion)

Infernal Knight (Knight Commander of an Order)

Supreme Commander: This position has only ever been held by Umbra himself, and the great angelique continues to hold this title today. He is considered to be the pinnacle of an Umbral Knight, and the only Fae more powerful than him within this order is the god Sanguis himself. All Umbral Knights follow him without question.

 

[Uta]

Crimson Guard

 

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Allies & Other Sorts