Radiant Scimitar

The Radiant Scimitar was formed during the earliest days of the Liberation Wars raging between the newly arrived Khalens, their twisted kindred – the Sar-Khalens, and the menacing Gleyks that dominated the new world. Members of the Radiant Scimitar call themselves Rungins or Law-Bringers and are easily recognizable by their bright orange tunics, blue face paint, tattoos and loud nature. They took the name after an ancient traditional weapon forged by Khalen weapon smiths to defeat the Gleyks – the fabled crystal scimitars – made from the deadly vea crystals. Although they are rare and almost forgotten now, the vea crystals were said to melt their way through any material cutting through solid stone like a knife through soft butter.

Only a handful of the original vea scimitars are left, but the Rungins still carry their trademark – the wingblade which only a member of the Radiant Scimitar may carry. The members of the Scimitar come from all free races although a majority of Khalens and the less privileged like Nennings, Maril and Bremians have been known to seek glory and influence through the ranks of the army. Lead by generals called Thots the Rungins of the Scimitar are stationed throughout the Concordia keeping law and order from fortified strongholds called Ronges. Each ronge is a pentatonic building centred around an open arena where gladiator fights are held regularly giving entertainment to the surrounding city as well as giving new recruits a chance to prove their worth.

Although the ronge is mainly a military building most of them house countless small booths, shops, inns and brothels providing entertaining, gambling and trade to its visitors. Although originally meant to entertain the soldiers the arena, bazaars and brothels have grown into a prosperous trade lead by the local thot – most often a wealthy member of the city nobility – and in most cities the ronge acts the centre of entertainment and trade. As a result of this the rungins – who are notorious for being loud and dominating the street life – have in some cases developed into a mob-like business running inns, brothels and bazaars throughout major cities.

Despite their motley reputation the Scimitar is responsible for upholding the law of the Concordia, and they cooperate with the Zilc nobility as city guards, executioners and defenders leaving the law and courthouses to the Zilc. In most major cities the Scimitar also has close relations to the Order of the Tome with whom they share city defence by maintaining the Humming Stones – glowing crystal devices that emit rhythmic waves of sound to reveal Gleyk presence. Each ronge has a humming stone in its middle and thanks to the divine crafts of the Order the Scimitar is able to defend a city with an array of mystic crystals, stones and gems crafted by the priests and members of the Shapers’ Guild.