Vanquishers

The Vanquishers is an order founded after the Stag's conversion to the Holy Light, widely regarded as heroes in the Stag, soldiers of prowess in the Heron, and heretical zealots in the Bull.

History
Two generations after the Stag's religious conversion, more witches were believed to have sprouted up. Since House Kresten's threats were becoming more and more dire, the Lord of Caer decreed that any man who can suit soldiers for the Light's wars would be handsomely rewarded. House Maine was the first to speak up, and the wealth they received made them the second most powerful family in the Caer to this day.

Although lacking in the Light's martial benefits, they were able to hasten their wound's recovery and sense heretical magics; Both natural and unholy. The process was extremely gruesome and left many Vanquisher's faces deformed, replaced by a mask with holy scripture burned in. After three years, twenty Vanquishers had been created, and so their training began. House Kresten's practices were the most grueling that House Vaught was willing to allow, but House Caer's needs were urgent, and most men survived the training purely through their new-found skills.

The need for these new-found soldiers had only grown more urgent, as witches, spies, and Old Ways stragglers clung about the Stag. After they were purged from the Thornwood and Vaugholde, it was discovered that the eldest son of Caer had broken his oath to the Light, worshipping the Thornwood as his forefathers had. Without question, or permission, the Vanquishers executed him on the spot. Although unsettling, nothing was done against them.

Honorbrook had been seized by rioting peasants and farmers, being renamed "The Mountain's Holdfast" and barricaded heavily. Fortunately, their guardsmen were ill-trained and easily dispatched, allowing the maimed soldiers to severely weaken Honorbrook for a siege. It was rebuilt afterwards, though such gave word to House Kresten, which would only cause their feuds to become more violent.

By the time of Haron the Pious, the creation of Vanquishers had been whole-heartedly supported by the Crown, allowing House Caer to create three legions of them. All were launched against the Bull once the Stag was attacked, mostly sent to defend Honorbrook and, where that failed, guard the Thornwood and its heart. After the war, House Caer lost its funding for Vanquishers, reducing their numbers drastically.

Modern Day
Though still an order, the horrid deformation that comes with their power has been eliminated since the Church's creation of Paladins. Still, masks are worn at any chance of combat, if only out of respect for their brethren. Since Haron's decree, there have never been more than thirty official Vanquishers at any given time, though each have three squires and many initiates wait years to become part of the Order. Meanwhile, House Maine's family keep, the Iron Bastion, has been the most fervant in trying to blossom his family's order back into fertility, causing many of his family to have normal, Gilnean accents rather than the Stromic-esque of the Great Mountain.

Notable, recent members include:

Raetin Caer

Beuith Vaught

Portard Payge

Haerith Payge

Taerith Maine