Order of the Veil

Dromaria is a world open to the elements, where conduits of energy move through pathways connected to the Primal Dragons. These openings are fundamental to providing sustenance to the world and its inhabitants, but they leave vulnerabilities to that which lurks beyond reality. There are aberrations, elementals, and other outsiders that live to meddle, disturbing the natural order. Protecting against these events, and guarding the world from metaphysical threats, is the purpose of the Order of the Veil.   The Order works in relative secrecy, known only to world leaders and the citizens of Stonehome, where their headquarters is located. Their goal is to observe and stop that which originates from beyond Dromaria, whether extraplanar or from other worlds. The organization has approximately two hundred agents spread throughout the realm, with another hundred or so stationed at Stonehome. Most have ties to nature, stemming from the teachings of Groman.   Cooperating with animals and naturally spawned elementals, the Order maintains surveillance globally. Known to operate out of Emperor's Peak, Heslish, Kurago, Tao, and the Shifting Citadel, the Order is generally the first group on the scene at any major incursion, albeit usually observing secretly from the fringes. Utilizing the Worldtrees to travel quickly from one continent to another, the Order works diligently to save Dromaria from the same fate as the other worlds in the Sunrun System.

Purpose

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The Order of the Veil was founded to observe and eliminate threats that come from beyond Dromaria, based on the tenets of Groman. They actively work across the world to prevent external entities from causing harm. As part of their doctrine, they preserve and maintain the balance of nature in all of their endeavors, working with it to create planar stability.   Of late the Order’s primary directives have been observing the rising tide of warlocks. Patrons, specifically of the demonic variety, have become an ever-increasing concern; now, more than ever, people are beseeching whatever exists beyond the veil to grant them power. The Order has been tracking and observing these individuals but has yet to interfere.   To maintain their secrecy, the Order rarely intercedes directly. Instead, they draw the attention of those in power and work to bring the correct people to task. Once stability has been maintained, they will work to prevent it from happening again. Due to the Demon War and subsequent breaking of the Ley Prison, the Order’s resources have been stretched extremely thin. For now they continue as they always have, but with an initiative to recruit new members.

Allies & Enemies

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Due to the secretive nature of the Order of the Veil they are selective in who they work with. Those considered allies are individuals who can maintain discretion and have interest in protecting the greater whole.   At the Worldtree in Stonehome the god Groman is occasionally seen working alongside the Order. Since the Summertide faith is devoted to Groman and their teachings, those who know of the Order often conflate the two, despite members of both refuting the claims.   Groups such as the Arcane Collective and Odelian Order both recognize the Order of the Veil’s importance. However, they regularly enter into power struggles against each other. The magical factions are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and the Order works to maintain a delicate balance. These conflicts have regularly caused the Sovereign Sage to intercede on the Order of the Veil’s behalf, demanding their presence when necessary. The dragons look to the Order of the Veil as the mortal custodians of nature and consider them a subsidiary of the Sovereign Sage.   The Otherwyld has been, until recently, the biggest threat to Dromaria’s survival. Their goddess Dipthi is considered an outsider presence with a firm foothold on the world. Now, with the breaking of the Ley Prisons, the Order of the Veil has been left scrambling for damage control, leaving the Otherwyld largely unsupervised. The horrors who escaped the prisons, contain outsiders that may do irreparable damage to Dromaria, making them the Order’s top priority.

Cressa Tidestride

Neutral Good, Female Triton   Cressa Tidestride unexpectedly found her Calling on the surface, serving in the Order of the Veil. As a Triton of Flotsodom, she spent her entire life underwater. There she studied as an explorer, fulfilling her youth traveling the vastness of Dromaria’s oceans. Blessed by Narwel with an eidetic memory, Cressa became a cartographer, mapping places thought lost to time. As her education progressed, Narwel continued to grant Cressa boons and she enrolled as a cleric in the goddess’s service.   When the Tritons returned to the surface, Cressa was eager to set out. She walked onto the beaches of Don Shou and was overcome with a feeling of foresight. Cressa sat and prayed, remaining for four days and nights, unmoving in the sand. On the fifth day, an elvenari woman named Orphea Lenswa found Cressa, and she woke from her prayer.   Orphea was a member of the Order of the Veil and in her Cressa found a new purpose. They made the trip to Stonehome and Cressa joined the Order, eager to assist however she could. Her skills were invaluable and the druids harnessed them frequently, a prized new member to serve the world.   Her elusive goddess spoke with the young triton regularly. Narwel had long been considered an anomaly by the Order of the Veil, and with Cressa they could learn and observe. In the Order’s eagerness to maintain Cressa, she has been elevated quickly, considered one of their most protected assets.

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Devrem Wolfborne

Neutral, Male Halfling   In the hushed places of Dromaria, where the veil between realms thins and the balance of life teeters, you will find Devrem "D" Wolfborne. A halfling whose countenance whispers of elemental mysteries, his grey eyes carry the stillness of stone and the flicker of untamed fire. Attired in robes that flutter like leaves in a quiet breeze, his bare feet touch the ground as if whispering to the earth itself. Alongside him strides Kessler, a wolf of otherworldly presence and an Anointed of Benikio. More than a mere companion, Kessler serves as D's mount, confidant, and guardian of lost animal spirits, their bond a lifelong interplay of man and beast.   D's path is not one of flamboyant heroics, but of quiet, deliberate action. As the Chosen of Groman, he is the unyielding guardian at the world's edge, a vigilant presence guiding the Order of the Veil. His approach to conflict mirrors his nature: precise, focused, and dispassionately effective. He discerns the linchpin in every challenge, the pivotal point that, when addressed, pinpoints the most intricate of schemes or the most formidable of foes. As a warrior, he is a maelstrom of elemental prowess, his fists trailing flame, his legs turning to unyielding rock, all part of the combat form he birthed - the Way of the Formless Fist.   Devrem has imbued his presence into the living world. His hands vanquished the Demon Lord Lucca and his wisdom foiled the schemes of the malevolent Lilith the Cruel upon her return. When the fifth Sovereign Sage, Harvie Ambrosius, whose name has been uttered with reverence for generations, found himself ensnared in the Abyss, it was D's resolve that shattered his chains. Devrem is a living embodiment of the Formless Fist doctrine, inspiring a new generation of martial artists. These monumental feats only hint at the unfathomable depths of a man as changing as the elements he communes with.   Beneath the stoic exterior, D's life is a series of quiet, undeniable marks on the world. He speaks to the soil to bring forth abundant crops, communes with local fauna to ease their distress, and orchestrates anonymous sanctuaries for the downtrodden. These humble acts of compassion are seldom seen by others, but their impact resonates in the lives he's touched. Those who see his calm demeanor as aloofness simply haven't taken the time to know the real D.   In his rare moments of reprieve, D finds solace in the simple joys of dance and the meticulous craft of wood carving, a glimpse into the softer shades of a hero otherwise carved in the sterner hues of duty and destiny.

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Kessler

Neutral, Male Wolf   The great wolf Kessler is a hero of the Demon War, a leader of the Order of the Veil, and animal companion to Devrem Wolfborne. As a pup, it was clear that Kessler would not be an ordinary wolf. Born in the shadow of the World Tree in Stonehome, Kessler was much larger than his packmates.   Those of the Order began training Kessler quickly, recognizing that his sense of reasoning and intelligence were far beyond normal. The druids believed Kessler was born with the blood of Benikio, shaping and grooming the young pup to join their ranks. Kessler was a fast learner but was a wild being, uninterested in being tamed or conditioned. Only one person fully understood, a halfling youth named Devrem.   “D” trusted Kessler to be himself and in exchange, Kessler learned how to behave in most interactions by observing his new pack mate and mimicking his mannerisms. There was much to discover about Kessler. As his connection to nature grew so did his bond with Devrem. The two could connect to nature, both living and dead, in ways only the most powerful druids could achieve.   The spirits of nature recognize Kessler as an ardent protector and defend him. Whenever he or Devrem find themselves in a predicament the spirits are beside them. Together the pair has risen through the Order of the Veil’s ranks, becoming distinguished leaders. The duo has become a legendary example of what can be achieved by those who listen to the needs of nature and are able to coexist with it in perfect harmony.

Laila Yardley

Neutral Good, Female Upiryrial   Destined from birth to serve, Laila has forever denied her fate. Born in Yen Su Ma to the judicial Yardley family of Sorona's Crest, Laila had no interest in an impartial life. She would frequently escape into the Sunwise Woods, connecting with nature. The creatures of the woods spoke to her, an experience she would reciprocate on a spiritual level. Only briefly did Laila consider trying to be the daughter her family wanted, before fleeing into the woods to start anew.   Laila lived peacefully among the animals, finding an elevated kinship with the birds. The longer she spent among the creatures of the forest the more secrets they shared with her. They whispered of dangers and threats that transcended the forest from beyond the veil. The warnings terrified Laila so she sought aid to confirm what her friends were saying. In her quest for answers, Laila found the Order of the Veil and a new home.   Among the Order Laila found her family, a group dedicated to serving Dromaria through nature and protection. When the Demon War began Laila changed once again, taking to battle with fervor. Calling the predators of the air to her aid, she protected Stonehome against the invasion. The embers named her “Songbird,” her voice calling the birds to her side, an endless flock of perfect murmuration, swirling and swooping to her command.   During the battle of the Shifting Citadel, where the boundary of the world was thinnest, Laila held the outer walls against Lucca’s forces, driving them away in a chorus of feathers and talons. In the wake of her victory, Laila was tasked with guarding the Citadel, where she has remained since.   Located within the Thorn Territory, the Shifting Citadel is within the boundaries of the Odelian Order's control. The structure’s nature changes constantly and is among the highest threats currently active on Dromaria. Laila and the Order have been at odds since her appointment, and she refuses to give them access. While Thorn pushes politically for Laila’s ousting, she continues to hold her post, monitoring the skies with her avian allies.

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Orphea Lenswa

Neutral, Female Elvenari   When she was a child Orphea emerged from the edges of the Otherwyld, wandering in front of a caravan on its way north to Pilien. From there she was passed around from orphanages to churches, eventually making her way back to her heritage homeland of Leng. She was raised in the small town of Star by the church of Dromadaes, and adopted by cleric Heathrow Lenswa.   While there, Orphea met the future Sovereign Sage, Malik Kincaid, to whom she would become like an older sister. When it came time for Malik to leave, the young ember was concerned for his awkward friend. Hoping to give her a greater purpose, Malik introduced her to Devrem Wolfborne of the Order of the Veil, and she was recruited.   In her time with the Order, Orphea has been assigned to scout and gather information where the boundaries are thinnest. Because of her reclusive nature, Orphea has found comfort in living on her own, seeking places no one else wants to go. While she does not understand her own powers yet, Orphea has manifested abilities that allow her to shift in and out of reality—more than once she has briefly touched the ethereal plane with no idea how to return.   Orphea regularly reports to the Order, giving them recent news from across Dromaria. Of late her reports have contained a growing concern surrounding Zan'deil and the return of Seveth the Bloodstained.

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Zuhgan Chatterbog

Neutral Evil, Male Orc   In the dankest bogs of the Viscino Swamp, the Shell-Dog clan of druids acts as a barrier between the Otherwyld and the world. Their chief, Archdruid Zuhgan Chatterbog, has declared their naturalist sect at war. His goal is to prevent the fey’s spread, demanding a balance that has evaded the region, and he is willing to enact his will through flame.   For more than a decade the druids have spent their lives burning controlled swathes of the enchanted forest Tempus Nova. When other groups, such as the Odelian Order have attempted to intervene, the Order of the Veil has interceded on Zuhgan’s behalf. Long-time allies, the Order and the Shell-Dogs have a mutual understanding concerning the danger of the Otherwyld.   Zuhgan is a hard-nosed man who leads by example. He bears the scars of his endeavors proudly, concerned only with Belwin and its methods of dealing with Otherwylders. Although his inclusion in the Order of the Veil is considered informal, his enemies find no distinction and have targeted the Order in retaliation.