Houndspriest

Overview

For many, the Houndspriest is the image of a Greenwealder; a weilder of faith and steel against the evil of a dark and malevolent world. To the Houndspriests, they are a service to their people, driven by obligation, revenge, regret and a thousand other personal reasons. Their path takes them deep into the woods and beyond searching for the the curses, maladies and monsters that would bring down the Baronies. With the Spheres as their light they will succeed.

“To do what must be done.”

Need:

Divine Lore (Any)

While not all Greenwealder Priests follow the path of the Hound, all Houndspriests are religiously trained preachers in addition to their more martial talents.

Shouldn’t:

Bloodmage

All skills are generally valid for a Houndspriest but the sacrifice and bargaining of a Bloodmage is a step beyond and would not be accepted.

Costume Marker:

Foul Trophies

While monster hunters are a key a dozen in the Greenweald, taxidermy is only commonly practiced among the Houndspriests. The influence of their founder's dedication to retaining knowledge. And while it is more likely that you will recognise a Houndspriest by their religious garb, armed appearance, or solemn bearing, the presence of a gnarled claw, exsanguinated head or scarred horn on the belt will be the final clue.

Each Houndspriest will carry only a single trophy, some from a recent hunt, others from a hunt whose lessons they want to keep close to mind. Through enchantment, alchemy and artisan works these trophies are kept intact. So that their lessons may remain pertinent.

Houndpriest trophies should be notable and have meaning to the character. A small ribbon on the belt, while possibly very pertinent won't carry the intended meaning, and a massive gory head, while notable, won’t work if it does not carry an appropriate tale.

Finally, it's also important to remember that the backstory of your character should not outshine their lived actions. The claw of the greatest hydra on your belt will become invalid quite quickly if you cannot back it up with live-action actions. The creatures of the Greenweald are often unique creatures of their own kind of danger, each trophy does not need to be the greatest beast that ever lived.

History:

The term Houndspriests originates from the earliest successful methods that Greenwealders used to clear out the Baronies, packs of shaggy hunting hounds followed up by Priests armed with what they could. The mixture of raucous barking, sharp teeth, blessed weapons, and wild-faced bravery was enough for the Baronies to be established. Thankfully for all involved the process has been refined over the centuries.

These Houndspriests grew with the Baronies. For a people with such strong religious foundations, that should come as no surprise. With a true Greenweald pragmatism it was seen that if they kept blindly charging into dens of monsters and cursed dales, there would not be many of them left. The establishment of the first Houndspriests Chapter in Resinderholz laid the groundwork for the future. These civil organisations acted as the logistical, record keeping, and training arm of the Houndspriests, while the various churches and abbeys would continue to support and educate them. It should come as no surprise that the first Chapter Keeper was a priest of Stallia named Kristov Letzer, an intelligent warrior and sage, they laid the first stones with the words;

“In protecting our souls and homes, all are welcome, all are equal.

From Anarch’s holy flame to the golden hearts of Panoply.

I will turn none away who have the heart and steel to do what must be done.

To do what must be done.”

As with the Ritters and Huntsmarshalls that would come later, the Chapters spread to the other Baronies. Unlike other orders or guilds, the Houndspriest Chapters did not require exclusive membership, nor did they charge dues. A Houndspriest would know themselves and be known by their willingness, faith, and skill, not by any test or papers. They would also not be beholden to any one Chapter, rather they would travel the Weald to where they were needed, treating the Chapter houses as barracks, armouries, repositories of lore, and gathering points. Regardless, plenty of Priests had hunting grounds and Chapters they grew attached to.

At their height, there were five Chapters within the Baronies. They were as follows:

Chapter Kristov, founded in Wolstad, Resinderholz. Oldest of the Chapters and known for its vast repository of Houndspriests personal accounts and taxidermied ‘Hall of Lessons’. In recent years Chapter Kristov has been refounded in Krezenberg, the first of the returning Chapters.
Chapter Benedikt, based in Hasselbach, Vassertal. Sharing grounds with the great Arcstone Cathedral of the Iron Star, known for its religious training.
Chapter Anselma, based in Ulsterberg, Verlorenhertz. Built in the ruins of an old fortress, Chapter Anselma was the largest, capable of housing hundreds of priests, sometimes jokingly referred to as “Mothers House” and hosted great gatherings of the Houndspriests
Chapter Ottfried, based in Castle Ritter, Ritterswald. Set across from the Ritterswald College of Warfare, the two organisations share resources, training some of the most martially skilled Houndspriests.
Chapter Randi, Based in Woodflame Abbey, Vassertal. Remote and small, Chapter Randi trained and equipped priests to travel beyond the borders of the Greenweald.

Unfortunately, as the years grew long, the great dangers of the Weald proved not to be monsters but men and malady. More and more often Houndspriests found themselves fighting alongside the soldiers of the Weald against mundane dangers rather than arcane ones. Through disaster and plague, the Chapter Houses fell, leaving only Chapter Kristov in Resinderholz and even that is a shadow of its former self. There is no ill will to the Houndspriests, rather they are known to stand on their own and the Greenweald needs its resources elsewhere. And the Houndsprests will stand on their own two feet, to do what must be done.

In Summer 224, Chapter Kristov was refounded at the Krezenberg Abbey following the heroic determination of the Houndspriests of the Region. The first Chapter to be reforged following the collapse of the Baronies, it bodes well for the future of the Houndspriests, the Weald and The Concord.

Becoming a Houndspriest:

To become a Houndspriest is a complex process, largely due to their split attentions in both the divine and martial proficiencies. Every Houndspriest is expected to be a fully versed priest as well as capable combatant, a skillset which is then augmented by their own knowledge of monster hunting, curse breaking and investigation.

This varied skillset necessitates a two stage process of training. Those who would wish to become a Houndspriest appeal to either their local Houndspriest Chapter / Guilder or even just the resident Houndspriest for their Haven. If those Houndspriests are taking apprentices (it is generally seen as poor form to have more than two apprentices per Houndspriest at a time), the applicant will be put through their Shattering Trial in short order.

The Shattering Trial is a tough challenge, mixing faith, fear and fortitude in an attempt to immediately remove candidates who might not hold up to the training in their chosen profession undertaken before training begins. The trial varies from circumstance to circumstance but could include assisting with a monster hunt, spending a night in a haunted ruin or a series of tests at the Chapterhall.

An applicant who passes their first trial becomes a Novice and is permitted to wear their Chapter sigil in bronze and identify themselves as a Novice Houndspriest. This first period of apprenticeship is focused on study and learning. Novices learn scripture of their chosen Sphere(s), understand the moral role of a priest in society and undertake assisting roles for local religious ceremonies. Any time not spent in this role is augmented by physical lessons focusing on simple fitness. Unless the Novice is overseen by only a single Houndspriest (such as in a Haven without a nearby Chapter or Guilder), Novices are generally held in common among the Guilder or Chapterhall, acting as an overall cohort rather than the focus of a single Houndspriest Mentor. It is the duty of all Houndspriests present to assist with their training and education. During this time Novices are members of the Guild, are able to attend meetings, sermons and similar, but are not privy to any secrets held by the Chapter or Guilder, may not access any armouries or vaults and are not permitted a vote. After a year, novices are permitted to request their Blessed Trial.

The Blessed Trial challenges the Novice’s soul and faith, attempting to test the loyal foundation at the core of the Novice. Circumstances vary from test to test, but hallucinogens, curses, religious rites and arcane bewitchment are common. A novice that succeeds at their Blessed Trial should demonstrate strength of mind, an ironclad faith and dedication to the Houndspriest cause. Among many Houndspriests the Blessed Trial is seen as not the hardest, but arguably the most important. It is in the Blessed Trial that you leave your loyalty to your old life behind and become truly loyal to your Chapter and the Barony.

Novices who pass their Blessed Trial become Houndspriest Adepts. They can identify themselves as such and may wear their Chapter sigil in Silver. Their second period of Apprenticeship is focused more so on the Houndspriest’s trade, with swordsmanship, arcane knowledge and the unique skills of a monster slayer being taught through arduous days of study and practice. During this time the Adept will take a Master to act as their primary tutor. Generally the Chaptermaster or Guilder-Leader will decide on Master/Adept pairings, although often with consultation with their Houndspriests. During this time Adepts gain access to the Chapter’s armoury and vaults and may depart on their own at the behest of their Master, often carrying messages or investigating the machinations of the Weald that their master believes them ready for. After a year, Adepts are permitted to request their Hounds Trial.

The Hounds Trial is the final test of any would-be Houndspriest and is the encapsulation of years of study. Where the Shattering Trial was designed to cull those unsuited to the life of a Houndspriest, the Blessed Trial was designed to test their faith and mind, the Hounds Trial tests loyalty and skill. It is traditional that multiple Houndspriests take part in a Hounds Trial, testing an adepts ability to work within the Chapter, as hunts are seldom successful alone. These trials include the most direct application of a Houndspriests skill; monster hunts, cursebreaking and investigation are at the forefront. It is also during this time when an Adept will be exposed to any secret knowledge, traditions or pasts for the Chapter or Guilder, completely binding them, complicit in the knowledge of their role.

Those that pass the Hounds Trial are fully fledged Houndspriests of the Chapter (should they choose to remain), afforded all appropriate responsibilities and powers within the Chapter. They are permitted to wear their Chapter’s sigil in fire-blackened iron and call themselves a Houndspriest.

In some circumstances an individual may approach the Houndspriest already bearing some of the skills required, such as a veteran soldier who has found a calling in the Spheres or a priest eager to push back the darkness. In these circumstances, a Chaptermaster, and only a Chaptermaster can recognise this prior knowledge and permit an individual to move directly from the Shattering Trial to the Blessed Trial. In all circumstances, a would-be Houndspriest must complete at least a year of training as an Adept before they can take their Hounds Trial. But the title of Houndspriest Adept is one of respect to be worn proudly.

Three Things Houndspriests Are:

Preachers of Steel

The religious base of the Houndspriest is not secondary to the martial or monster-slaying nature of the archetype, rather it is equal primary to their martial pursuits. All Houndpriest characters are trained priests capable of preaching the wisdom of the Spheres and guiding others on their path. It is just that Houndspriests will also keep that path free from the things that lurk in the dark.

Problem-Solving Slayers

Houndspriests primary duty is to seek out the cursed dangers of the Greenweald and protect the people of the Baronies. They slay monsters, break curses and push back the dark. To do this they employ any and all skills available to them. They keep records and they train hard. But when curse comes to cry, they rely on faith and steel.

Shadowed by Choice

“To do what must be done” are the words of the Houndspriest. As many hunts result in failure as they do success and in many cases, Houndspriests will work alongside Huntsmarshalls and Wealdsages to see their tasks complete. These tasks often require a heartless pragmatism and it has been the duty of many Houndspriests to put down a corrupted Wealdsage, abandon a doomed village or witness the carnage of a bestial hunt. Houndspriests are armed with cold pragmatism and pursued by the memories of their failures.

Two Things Houndspriests Aren't:

Competitive Champions

Monster hunting and curse-breaking aren’t competitive acts and Houndspriests don’t do it for glory. It is a religious and social duty, not bragging rights.

Monstrous Diplomats

Houndspriests are not here to treat with the arcane dangers of the forest, or to learn how to work with curses. They are the fire and brimstone that will carve a place for the Baronies to live. Leave the corrupting diplomacy to the Wealdsages.

Additional Houndspriest Information:

Among the Hounds, there is a chiding insult of ‘Rattepriests’ .This refers to Stallian priests so absorbed with the collection and discovery of knowledge that they begin to seem closer to Wealdsages than Houndspriests. Stallia’s veneration of secrets and their power often runs afoul of the suspicion and rightful paranoia of Hounspriests. As such, those Hounds dedicated to the pursuit of secret knowledge often find themselves regarded with some derision. Those who push this to its furthest extent, seeking knowledge regardless of cost or meddling in affairs beyond the ken of Houndspriests would see them branded a Rattepriest and perhaps even asked to leave the order should it become too burdensome.