It is Corindas, 1st of the Month of Rain, in the year 96
Paragon Skoteg
The Custodes
Lord Commander, Kelrindal Ronak
Ronak's First Company
For the most part, the Custodes were the only Dwarven group that many New World inhabitants had encountered. Their understanding of Dwarf Kin was then shaped by these dark-clad mercenaries who were eager and proficient at fighting.
The Custodes are the premier mercenaries fighting in the New World. Heavily armed and armoured, their formations and tactics emphasise exposing little while maximising damage inflicted. Their staying power is infamous, and even Humanity has eventually sought to hire them. - In some instances, they have accepted the aimless into their ranks, even wayward humans, to replenish their manpower. Those inducted are required to undergo vigorous training and a religious re-alignment.
"Paragon Skoteg was no Renegade, you lot were deceived!"
- The inevitable spoken to their Ancient Dwarven cousins
Play As...
Custodes
General Characteristic
Race
Dwarf Primarily; Other Races Included
Language
Common, Dwarven, Custodial
Height
146cm - 162cm (4'8 - 5'3) (Dwarves)
Hair Colours
Brunettes, Blondes, Darker Browns, Ginger
Eye Colours
Hazels, Greens, Browns, some Blues
Skin Tone
Pale, Greying, Tanned
Ethos
Bellicose
Naming Convention
Dwarven (Dragon Age, Lord of The Rings)
Custodes Rundown
Themes
Mercenary Company, Military RP
Aesthetics
Utilitarian, Simple, Unexcessive, Legion of the Dead (Dragon Age)
Unique Aspects
Military Culture, Unjustly Scorned by their kin, Mercenary Game-play
General Attitudes Towards
Attitude Scale:
Allied
Friendly
Cordial
Neutral
Unfavourable
Antagonistic
War
Gallia:
Neutral
Dumanon:
Neutral
Great Houses:
Neutral
Azuchi:
Neutral
Daurans:
Cordial
Asturias:
Neutral
Komanali:
Neutral
Banen’Rhûn:
Antagonistic
Dynasty:
Neutral
Sasanshahr:
Neutral
Ancient Dwarves:
Unfavourable
Amu-Tep:
Neutral
Turak:
Cordial
Custodes and Aether Users:
The Custodes in their true fashion have been contracted to deal with Aether users in the past. Often these were in the form of those deeply corrupted and require 'special' attention, in which case sending someone else to deal with the problem. - It is customary for the Cutodes to be cautious and even fear Aether users because of their experience fighting against them. Trust will be hard to come by.
Custodes and Demons:
Similarly to how the Custodes have been recruited to deal with errant Aether Users, they have also more rarely been hired to handle the demonic too. Although where some like the Kazad's would know more about the nature of the Demons, the Custodes were mainly brought in when the situation deteriorated enough that they would be fighting the creature in its true form, not any other. - Custodes would not be aware of the true nature of demons, and would otherwise regard them as monsters with potential bounties.
When Playing...
The Custodes are not singularly focused, or entirely engaged in warfare. It is best to describe them as military units with civilian life attached. Companies can vary greatly in what it is that they are doing at any given time, be it on the campaign trail, camping, vacationing or building a stationary home for themselves.
The core however is a military focus, but not military exclusive. Those companies that wander the continent taking up contracts make up a part of the greater whole, with others building settlements and forts for permanent residence.
What will you do as a Custodes, take your time to build a home for you and yours or wander the land in search for contracts to fulfil with the factions across the New World?
"My ancestors are smiling on me this day!"
- A common phrase said before a fight
The History of The Custodes
The Custodes began as a force of the King's Guard for the Ancient Dwarven monarchs. They were founded as a brotherhood with the creed of defending the royal houses of Dwarf kind from threats internal and external. Companies of Custodes were delivered to Dwarven Monarchs by their founder, Paragon Skoteg, who has since become a shunned and distasteful name for Ancient Dwarves but is still revered by the Custodes.
Despite their many years of service, their place in Dwarven society unravelled in a matter of months. A string of murders, all monarchs under the protection of the Custodes brought into question their effectiveness first. Then as doubt set it, the question of who -exactly- was responsible made many of the more paranoid royals point fingers at the Custodes. They had little ability to fight against these accusations, and their inability to do so sealed their fate.
The Great Council of the Ancient Dwarves met to decide once and for all what should be done with the Custodes. Many ideas were voiced, some of them extreme and others urging caution. But what became clear is that this issue had pierced the heart of Dwarven society and risked doing more damage. The Great Council eventually decided to exile the Custodes, for the betterment of the Dwarf kind.
The Custodes have never forgiven their ancient kin for this betrayal. Banished from their old homes and Dwarven holds, they were forced to adapt to life with the rest of the New World. This period was marked with strife and great difficulty as the Royal Guards had to forage for food, build shelter and find meaning in other ways.
One such way came naturally to them and then became the mainstay of their professions. Company commanders started to take on jobs given to them by Elves to deal with various pests, problems, bandits or otherwise that would require physical force to get violent. This suited the Custodes well, and they later leaned into this profession so successfully that they became highly sought after.
The Custodes as they are now, are a collection of mercenary companies that are descendants from those that were originally exiled. They are known to take in other Dwarven exiles too, provided they are cooperative, and even recruit from other races to fill their manpower needs.
The plague that entered the continent following the arrival of Humanity hit the Custodes worse than it did their Ancient Kin. Though they suffered just as much, their lower population meant additional strain was placed upon the healthy to compensate.
"Our shield so not break!"
- Lord Commander Therim, The Fifth Lord Commander coining a popular phrase
Custodes:
Civilization & Politics
The Custodes are a remnant of a period of time of the Ancient Dwarves, mixed in with occasional Elven influence from the centuries they have been interacting with them. The companies excel more than the Elves in small-unit tactics and conditioning of a cohesive army, something that has really only been truly replicated by Humanity owing to how they fought wars in the Old World. Unlike many humans, every member of the Custodes is a trained fighter regardless of their role and is inducted into the way of life from a young age.
Much of the focus for Custodes' effort outside of warfare has been geared towards ensuring that their people stay alive. Be it through the use of advanced medical treatments of Elves to the development of greater methods of protection from their smiths. - Most crucially, different Custodes Companies have sided with different opponents in war and in battle. Though they will never fight one another, instead they demand they are used not against their kin. Rather against the true enemy.
Despite a company needing to maintain a force of two hundred by their code, most do not. This is mostly because of the inability to maintain such numbers given their chosen profession, and the lack of access to large pools of Dwarven soldiers from settlements and holds. It is common to find companies much smaller than they should be, and in some rare cases far greater than they ought to be.
Custodes Ranks
The ranks of the Custodes have not changed much in the centuries of their exile and it has been beneficial for them to maintain discipline and stability after having adopted their new role as a mercenary fighting force.
Lord Commander
The Lord Commander is the overall Commander-In-Chief of all Custodes Regiments. Their personal command receives the honour of the title of ‘First Company’, of the First Regiment.
Commander
The Commander is the leader of a Custodes Regiment. They are responsible for the deployment of the various companies within the regiment, as well as its successes and defeats.
Captain
A Captain is often a veteran member of the regiment who takes on the role of leading a company in battle, but also administrative or other authoritative duties entrusted to veteran members such as recruitment, job seeking, information gathering and more.
Sergeant
A company sergeant will be placed in charge of two or three Battle Brothers or Sisters. The sergeant ensures that they are properly trained, their equipment is well-maintained and their well-being is looked after.
Battle-Brother/Sister
The rank of most Custodes. Their roles vary depending on their needs and what their company is currently doing. Besides fighting in battle, they can be used as scouts, chefs, engineers, craftsmen and whatever else is required of them.
Recruit
A recruit notes a younger member of the Custodes who has not yet matured enough to be deployed for battle. This is typically Dwarves between the ages of one and eighteen and being promoted is seen as a mark of adulthood.
Auxiliary
Given to non-dwarven individuals who have been accepted into the company to undergo their education into becoming Custodes. Once the company Sergeants feel as though the individual is acclimatised enough to the Custodes' culture and religion, will they be permitted to be given the rank of Recruit.
"Beat them senseless, beat them until broken, beat them till they cry out for their mamas!"
- Captain Rodil, also known as The Bloody Captain
Custodes:
Faith
The Custodes still hold to the original Paragons that they share with their Ancient Dwarven brethren. However, they have diverged in the centuries since their exile and see Skoteg as a Paragon, not a Renegade.
Unlike the Ancient Dwarves, the Custodes avoid having distinct Paragons per group or company and are more uniform in their faith and worship.
Paragon Skoteg, The Dishonoured
The Father of the Custodes and the dishonoured by the Anicnet Dwarves, Paragon Skoteg holds a prominent place in the hearts and minds of the Custodes.
Skoteg is revered and his favour is sought for the greater protection of all Custodes in perpetuity and especially before any contract is forged for their mercenary services.
He is often patronised more by the officers and commanders within the Custodes who see him as a guide in difficult or troubling times.
He is still depicted as wearing his golden armour, often taller than most Dwarves and bearing a large golden shield by the Custodes.
Paragon Gani Urgarum, The Saviour
Paragon Gani is the first Custodes-only Paragon that has since their exile come to be accepted and revered by the former Royal Guards. She embodies the eternal fighting spirit of the Cutodes, and no matter the adversary or situation, the will to carry on.
She played a crucial role in the first years of the Custodes' exile, leading her people from the safety and security of the Ancient Kingdoms and establishing the Custodes as the Mercenary force it now is. - Her reforms are still in place to this date, and many see Gani as the Mother of the Custodes and aspire to her perseverance against the odds. She was the First Lord Commander.
She is often depicted in tarnished royal armour, battered by the elements of Awenasa and a facial expression of sheer determination that it can often seem intimidating.
Paragon Varhud Anenkul, The Army of One
Paragon Varhud came to prominence in his company for his seemingly endless ability to fight without tiring or needing food. Through his love of conflict, he excelled where the Custodes needed him most and rose rapidly through the ranks.
He gained fame in a battle against the Elves of House Galasaar, where he is credited with single-handedly causing a route of Galasaar Rangers through sheer killing power.
His most famous bout was against the Banen’Rhûn, where he swung his hammer with such force, that not only did he cave the Captain of the Banen’Rhûn helmet and skull in, but he broke his hammer. - Earning him the nickname 'Broken-Hammer'.
His most common depiction is of a fully armoured Custodes with a warhammer strapped to his back, missing its head.
"Our greatest crime was not abandoning each other."
- Lord Commander Deneruk Braltack, Third Lord Commander of the Custodes
Custodes:
Norms & Culture
Life as a Custodes can vary greatly depending on what the company is currently doing and what stage of life the particular member is at. The young are initially raised by their family in the camps or more permanent holdings of a company. They begin being trained in the life skills they are believed to need and start practising to fight as soon as they can realistically hold a training weapon.
They are later taught how to be cohesive, the best methods to cooperate and vital skills to ensure the safety and maintenance of the company as a whole before then selecting an area to specialise. - Specific regimes and specialisations can differ from company to company, though all are expected to adhere to the minimum expectations to be a Custodes. Such a bar is set by the Lord Commander.
The Custodes young are used to working in teams and working towards a common goal once they hit the stage of being fully-fledged Battle Brothers or Sisters. Company cohesion is taken seriously by the officers, and so is morale. When they are able the Custodes will typically enjoy a feast, a party, or other experiences of life by permission of their respective Captains.
Regiments
As the Custodes have evolved and grew, they split from their singular large force and formed a number of Regiments that were then sub-divided into various companies of that regiment. A Custodial Company is still the most common force that a regiment will deploy, but when the price is right an entire regiment can be requested.
Some regiments have since been disbanded, assimilated or were outright destroyed following a particularly brutal campaign.
1st Regiment, ‘The First’
The First are the progenitors of nearly every other regiment. By far the largest group and the one with the most companies and the most widely known group of the Custodes. They are renowned for their ability to meet any match and overcome the challenge, no matter the terrain, weather or odds they're against.
They have served in most regions of Awenasa, with many of their companies being contracted by the Elven Houses, great or otherwise, in their petty squabbles that turned violent. In more recent years, the regiment has lingered in the southern continent where it finds no end of employment with House Ritan. Although the Great Houses prefer not to publicly praise their contribution, The Firsts have been present in nearly every victory they have scored against Asturias.
Regiment Commander: Kelrindal Ronak
Colours: Darkened Shield with White Finish.
Motto: “We Remember.”
2nd Regiment, 'The Breachers'
Born out of necessity, The Breakers were one of the first distinct companies within 'The First' to be geared towards sieging a fortification and the resulting street fighting that would ensue afterwards. Due to their specialised demand, they were formed into their own regiment to meet the needs of their work.
They are perhaps single-handedly responsible for the strength of newer Elven fortifications before the arrival of humanity. And have since become one of the more despised regiments of the Custodes for their lack of restraint in breaking whatever obstacle is in their way. They are otherwise renowned for their military engineers and tactical creativity to defeating a foe. They are, more than other regiments, willing to experiment to see what works best.
Regiment Commander: Merik Broka
Colours: Black with blue
Motto: "Time is not on your side."
4th Regiment, ‘The Golden Chorus’
The Golden Chorus get their name, firstly, from the colour of their helmets which are distinctly golden in finish and then their nature to engage in battle while chanting in Custodial. Often in the thick of fighting, their frontlines rhythmically vocalise their fighting effort not through screams or war cries, but through intimidating and fury filled songs.
The 4th Regiment often lingers in the lands of House Tzukyn as many of their companies are on a near semi-permanent retainer for the House. This lucrative relationship was born out of a great battle against the Scourge, and the regiment’s effectiveness at securing both alive and dead specimens for the Tzukyn researchers.
In some of their more recent war hymns and battle chants, the regiment has started to incorporate elements of the Tzukyn language.
Regiment Commander: Daten Oro
Colours: Golden or golden finished helmet with black armour.
Motto: “Hear Our Voices”
Marriage, Social Status & Sexuality
Due to the limits of their population, the Custodes have instilled the need for marriage and for new generations to be brought into the world to ensure their long-term survival. This mindset is perhaps the strictest in Custodes society compared to any other. And even those with alternative preferences are expected to have children.
Men and women have equal rights in all aspects, except women gain more privilege due to their importance in reproduction. Priority is given to a woman recently married or pregnant for medical attention, rations and other materialistic things considered a priority to ensure their health so that they can establish families. - Unlike their Ancient Dwarven kin, family homes are distinct and usually built when a family needs it rather than joining the home of another.
Bisexuality is accepted so long as their duty is fulfilled and a family is created. Homosexuals face more discrimination and other problems as they are often seen as unwilling to do their duty.
"Praise the brave!"
- Paragon Varhud Anenkul Words of encouragement spoken to his company.
Custodes:
Reputation & Interactions
The Custodes are famous among the New World, they are the most distinctive version of Dwarves and have a reputation for being brilliant fighters. They also maintain a track record of siding with whoever provides them with the most benefits, which has opened them up to contract with humanity to the displeasure of the Elves.
Since the introduction of Humanity, their services have been requested even more. The increase in work has enriched the Custodes, something which they are fond of. Another unforeseen consequence of their fame is the induction of fresh recruits, Dwarves from the Ancient holds seeking something different who are becoming a more popular sight since the Kingdoms opened up.
With Humans
The first human interaction with the Custodes originates from Asturias during their conquests in the southern half of the New World. Elven cities paid for their services to use against Humanity, and they distinguished themselves by more than just their smaller height. - They have quickly gained a reputation as a formidable fighting force, and many colonial governors and leaders seek them out rather than using their own forces.
With Banen’Rhûn
Custodes present a challenging opponent to the Banen, they are not easy prey nor easy to deal with. They force these raiders to pay more attention and be less careless. But this goes both ways as they mutually understand that such a fight will never be easy.
With Amura
There have been few interactions with the Custodes and the Amura, with one being mostly hidden and isolated there has been a lack of opportunity for encounters. The Custodes profession of being mercenaries could serve the Amura well, so long as it serves the Custodes benefits in turn.
With Turak
The Custodes often provide mercenary services for the pacifistic people known as Turak. They handle their errant problems and also even teach them the art of warfare for a price.
With Elves
The Elves have often fought over Custodes contracts with different companies when they play their game of war against one another. They also have used them extensively to deal with problems they otherwise prefer not to use Elves for, to the irritation of the Cult of the Seventh.
The Komenali have rarely hired the assistance of the Custodes, and rarely have reason to. They lack the full political machinations of the Elves and often have their own warriors to deal with other such issues for themselves.
With Dwarves
The Ancient Dwarves still view the Custodes with some disdain. They are descendants of betrayers, and oathbreakers and are now a cabal of sell-swords dealing in death. Despite the stories about the Custodes, some Dwarves have opted to join them for their own reasons. Though most tend to avoid the companies.
Author: Hokan
Page Created by: Hokan