Brotherhood of Ascalon

Brotherhood of Ascalon

*"We bear God's light, and with His fire burning in our hearts, we shall scour the earth of all the Devil's creatures."*

The Brotherhood of Ascalon is the oldest Christian society dedicated to the utter destruction of all superantural entities. The Brotherhood was founded by the penitent crusader, Grunfeld Zugmann, after he retrieved Ascalon, the sword of Saint George, during the Sack of Constantinople in 1204. Since its foundation the Brotherhood has grown from what was originally no more than Grunfeld and his six companions to a secret military arm of the Catholic Church. Today they operate on every continent on Earth, with their strongest branches in Southern Europe, France, South America, parts of Africa, South-East Asia and Poland. Hated, feared, and respected in equal measure, little is known about their early history, and huge gaps of knowledge are lost to even the Brotherhood itself, enduring nearly a millennium of turmoil, hardship, and struggle in the face of evil. Yet still they stand as the most powerful, influential, and vaunted of all the opponents of heresy and darkness.

## History

### Foundation

The Brotherhood traces its origins to the Fourth Crusade, where Grunfeld Zugmann, a knight from the Holy Roman Empire, found an ancient, worn sword in the cellar of a house that he and several of his friends were looting during the Sack of Constantinople. The sword seemed to call out to him, and Zugmann took it in hand, carrying it off as he and his friends went through the city to find rape and plunder. In the days that passed, however, Zugmann and his companions began to experience nightmares about the terrible sins that they had committed, and a voice whispering for them to repent. When the blade was unsheathed from its worn scabbard in curiosity, a shining spirit sprang forth, clad in the armor of an ancient soldier. The spirit introduced itself as George, Slayer of Monsters, and the crusaders knew him as Saint George, who had slain a dragon and died for his faith. Saint George scorned the men for the sins that they had committed, and they cowered before him, begging his forgiveness and that of the Lord. The Saint told them that in order to repent, they must conduct a new crusade, one of penitence, where they and those that followed would fight to cleanse the world of creatures of darkness. The seven companions swore that they would obey, and Grunfeld Zugmann, eighth of their number, now their leader, took up the sword, named Ascalon, and pledged to be its Guardian, and the Guardian of mankind from all that is evil.

## Structure

### The Guardian

The Guardian is the leader of the Brotherhood, charged with leading its sacred war against the creatures of the night and guarding mankind from their predations. The Guardian communes directly with the Pope, and is officially responsible for conveying the Heavenly Father's will to the Brotherhood. Unofficially, most Guardians rarely seek out the Pope's consultation for most matters, and typically runs the Brotherhood as they see fit. The Guardian has absolute authority over the Brotherhood, and is able to deliver orders to all members, try them for heresy or any other manner of crime, and order their torture or execution if need be.

Guardians are chosen from within the Brotherhood by the College of Exarchs. Typically, the Exarchs choose a Guardian from among their own number, but on occasion have been known to elevate exceptional individuals from lower among the ranks.

Unless an event of great turmoil requires their direct presence, the Guardian typically remains in Rome, near the Vatican, in the Chapterhouse located there.

### Exarch

Exarchs achieve their position after the Prefects of the region within their jurisdiction vote them into the position, to provide a voice for their region to the Guardian and the rest of the College, and to convey the College's will to their Prefects and ensure it is carried out. The Exarchs all come together to meet in Rome once annually, to discuss the war efforts of the Brotherhood, though they do make individual visits from time to time. It should be noted that while it is Prefects who vote an Exarch onto the College, the Guardian does have the authority to dismiss them if need be.

### Prefect

Prefects are Inquisitors appointed by the College of Exarchs to oversee a Chapterhouse, and direct the resources and efforts of the Inquisitors based there. Prefects carry the authority to judge lower ranking members of the Brotherhood for any acts of heresy they might be accused of, and to sentence them as well. They are the authority within their Chapter, but they themselves report to the Exarchs and carry out the edicts they issue. Prefects are appointed by the Exarchs from among the ranks of the Inquisitors, and can be dismissed by them at any time.

### Inquisitors

If an Acolyte proves themselves worthy by surviving the Inquisitorial Trials, they will be elevated to the rank of Inquisitor, and be fit to be addressed as "Master" by subordinates, and by equals who wish to be polite. At that point, they will receive command of Acolytes of their own, and be charged with leading their retinue in the eternal war against the forces of darkness, reporting to the Prefect of whatever Chapterhouse they base their operations in. Should it be necessary, Inquisitors are often transferred to the jurisdictions of Prefects in most need of manpower in their never ending battle against the forces of Satan.

#### Inquisitor Primaris

Certain Inquisitors demonstrate sufficient skill and faith in hunting down the enemies of God that they draw the attention of the Guardian himself. Such skilled individuals will be brought before the Guardian, and given the position of Inquisitor Primaris. None ever refuse it, for being one of these agents of the Guardian is not merely an honor, but a sacred duty. Just as there were originally seven members of the Brotherhood under the first Guardian, Grunfeld Zugmann, there are seven Inquisitor Primaris to serve his successors. These seven carry out missions assigned to them directly by the Guardian, and speak with his voice, and are beholden to no authority save his own, though the wise among them do not abuse their power. When not under direct assignment from the Guardian, the Inquisitor Primaris travels from chapter to chapter as he is needed, bringing them his skill and expertise. Once appointed, an Inquisitor Primaris serves for life, just like the Guardian.

### Acolytes

Once a Novitiate has sworn their vows to the Brotherhood, and earned the right to be addressed as a Brother, they are inducted into the order as Acolytes, and placed under the command of an Inquisitor. At that time, the Inquisitor may then send them on whatever assignments they see fit. Some Acolytes accompany their Inquisitor wherever they may venture upon their missions, whilst others are stationed in chosen locations to watch for the influence of the armies of darkness, while others still are sent to infiltrate the circles of evil so that they might be brought to ruin.

### Novitiates

The new inductees to the Brotherhood, Novitiates are still in training, learning of the horrors that stalk the night, of their foul powers and how best to slay them, as well as the general histories of the Brotherhood of Ascalon. Novitiates also see to all manner of mundane tasks for their superiors as they train, such as organizing records, maintaining equipment, and keeping their Chapterhouse orderly. Once the Novitiate is deemed ready, they will be allowed to swear their vows to the order and be inducted into their ranks as Acolytes, joining the Eternal Crusade.

## Practices

### Recruitment

The Brotherhood recruits Catholic men, without exception. Members are typically those who have survived encounters with the supernatural, and demonstrate a desire to destroy such fiends. If they have killed one on their own, all the more reason to recruit them, so long as they possess the necessary religious devotion.

### Vows

When a Novitiate is deemed ready to swear their vows, they must first stand a vigil within a church (typically within the one in the chapterhouse) for a night. Once their vigil is completed, the members of their chapter will gather. One of the priests of the chapter will bless them, and the Novitiate will then kneel before an icon of Christ, and swear themselves to the Eternal Crusade.

The vows go thusly:

*"In the sight of God, I pledge myself to the Eternal Crusade. I swear that I will seek out and destroy all enemies of the Lord. No darkness shall hide them from me, for I carry the Lord's light. No infernal powers shall deter me, for my strength is the strength of the Lord. No serpent's words will beguile me, for my heart belongs only to the Lord. Whatever the Lord needs of me, I shall not balk. His fire is in me. So long as one of His foes does live, I shall not rest. I am a soldier of God. I am a bane of the Devil and all his servants. I am a Brother of Ascalon."*

### Inquisitorial Trials

In order for an Acolyte to be elevated to the status of Inquisitor, they must undergo the three Inquisitorial Trials: The Trial of Flesh, the Trial of Vigilance, and the Trial of Spirit. These trials serve to ensure that Acolytes possess the necessary physical fortitude, intellect and observational skills, and purity of spirit to be an Inquisitor. Generally speaking, the Trials occur in the field, and are not formally held. Instead, the Prefect and the Inquisitors under their command take council together, and debate whether the deeds of an Acolyte warrant them as having passed one of the Trials. Oftentimes, Inquisitors will set forth the achievements of Acolytes within their own retinues when they think their them worthy of advancement.

#### Trial of Flesh

All Inquisitors must be strong of body, and willing to endure physical pain and suffering in God's service as they fight in the Eternal Crusade. An Acolyte is counted as having completed their Trial of Flesh after having suffered some form of physical loss or undergone some deadly test of their physical prowess. Surviving a battle with an undead blood drinker, having an arm torn off by a shapechanging beast, or losing one's sight at the hands of an infernal sorcerer would all satisfy the requirements for a Trial of Flesh.

#### Trial of Vigilance

It is a requirement for any Inquisitor to be clever, cunning and wary, so as to be able to root out the spawn of darkness and thwart their vile schemes at any time. As such, before becoming an Inquisitor, an Acolyte must demonstrate the aptitude of their mind by passing a Trial of Vigilance. Such trials are typically counted as complete when an Acolyte makes such accomplishments as unmasking a vampire ghoul planted in a position of power, ferreting out a demon summoning ritual, or discerning the location of a werebeast's den.

#### Trial of Spirit

Perhaps most importantly of all qualities within an Inquisitor is their faith, their zeal, their courage, and their resistance to the seductive corruptions of the creatures of the dark. Facing such challenges successfully, an Acolyte will count as having passed their Trial of Spirit. Withstanding a demonic possession, facing down a pack of werecreatures, refusing an offer of infernal immortality from a vampire, or executing a corrupted human who sympathizes with the armies of darkness could all be adequate ways to pass the Trial of Spirit.

## Orders

The Brotherhood of Ascalon, while all its members serve as soldiers of God, finds that certain divisions in ideology and specialization run through it. As a result, factions have formed within the Brotherhood over the centuries, with differing viewpoints on how to best fight the creatures of darkness. These factions are known as Orders, and consist of gatherings of like minded individuals who focus on varying methods of destroying the enemies of the Lord. Generally speaking, Inquisitors who are members of an Order tend to pass on its teachings to any Initiates who serve them.

### Harbingers of the Flame

The Harbingers of the Flame are among the oldest of the Orders within the Brotherhood, dating back to its early years in the thirteenth century. Harbingers are among the most fanatic members of the Brotherhood, the most rigid and unyielding, but are also viewed by many as the most incorruptible. They view merely being in the presence of the servants of darkness as potentially corrupting. To them, every word such foul beings speak, every instance in which one is subjected to their dark powers, and any knowledge they have gathered is dangerous, and must be destroyed. Whilst the more liberal Harbingers are willing to torture the night beasts for information which will help them capture their fellow abominations, many view even this as dangerous, and instead seek to end all such creatures with as little exposure to them as possible, using the power of cleansing flame to wipe their taint from the earth. Burning the creatures of darkness alive in their view is the surest way to cleanse their corruption from the world, and anyone who demonstrates the slightest hint of corruption is fit only to be purged. Harbingers also tend to be among the most dogmatic and zealous members of a group that is already zealous and dogmatic. They are utterly without mercy, both for the creatures of darkness and any they corrupt, and will ruthlessly and relentlessly pursue any they encounter until they are dead, using absolutely any means to do so. To a Harbinger of the Flame, no price is too high to scourge the armies of Satan from the earth. As a result of their absolutist attitudes, they have an intense rivalry with the Guardians of the Flock.

### Keepers of the Vigil

The Keepers of the Vigil are an Order within the Brotherhood whose adherents believe that its efforts should be firmly focused on rooting out supernatural corruption among their fellow man. While the creatures of Hell all must be destroyed, of course, the greatest danger they pose is through the subtle treacheries of their human servants. Only by wresting away control of mortal institutions can the Brotherhood hope to prevail against evil, the Keepers believe, and to do so, they must discern and destroy their mortal agents, wherever they may be. This includes the Brotherhood itself, as many a time, such as during the Great Schism, Inquisitors have fallen to corruption. Due to their beliefs, Keepers tend to be suspicious and paranoid, even of fellow members of the Brotherhood, always on the lookout for any signs of treachery. They specialize in espionage, and locating servants of the spawn of darkness within mortal society.

### Guardians of the Flock

The Guardians of the Flock are an Order who believe that first and foremost, God has tasked them to defend mankind from the forces of evil. While they share the goal of one day wiping all supernatural beings from the face of the earth, they believe that protecting the innocent takes priority over destroying the damned. Among all the Brotherhood's Orders, they are the most likely to take the time to exorcise a victim of demonic possession after subduing the demon without killing the host, or to wean a man addicted to vampire blood off of the corrupting vitae of the nightspawn. While most Guardians are willing to torture any who they deem as corrupted, they never kill nor torment their fellow man until their guilt is ascertained, and even then, they prefer to cleanse them of supernatural influence rather than kill them, if they can. As one might expect, Guardians of the Flock and Harbingers of the Flame tend to have intense dislike for one another.

### Seekers of Rebus

Amongst the most pragmatic, flexible, and boundary-pushing of the Brotherhood's Orders, the Seekers of Rebus often toe the line of blasphemy. Seekers share the belief that in order to best combat and destroy the enemies of God, they must seek to study and understand them in every way they can. The histories, cultures, and powers of the damned are all things to be researched and understood. Pieces of arcane lore that members of other Order would burn as heresy would instead be combed for every piece of knowledge by a Seeker, which could then be used to help bring about the ruin of all soldiers of darkness. As a result of their inquisitiveness, the Seekers tend to be among the most knowledgeable members of the Brotherhood in matters of the occult. Unfortunately, as a result of their relative youth within the Brotherhood, given that they originated during the early eighteenth century during the Enlightenment, and the way they strain the boundaries of the Brotherhood's tolerance into studying the arcane, the Seekers tend to be ostracized by other Orders within the Brotherhood, and at best, viewed with suspicion. The highly dogmatic Harbingers of the Flame are among their staunchest opposition.

### The Disciples of Thaddaeus

The Disciples of Thaddaeus are a heretical order of the Brotherhood of Ascalon, having been branded as traitors during the Great Schism during the sixteenth century. The Disciples hold to the blasphemous belief that not all creatures of darkness are irrevocably evil. According to their teachings, some of the damned beasts of the night are able to overcome their inherent evil nature, and act as both agents of good and servants of God. As such, it was the practice of the Disciples to attempt to ascertain the goodness of any unnatural creature they encountered, and attempt to redeem them if possible, rather than attempting to destroy them on sight. Following the defeat of the Disciples at the end of the Great Schism, all members of the Order were branded as heretics, with any sort of adherence to their ideology being deemed a betrayal of God, and punishable by death. As a result, members who adhere to the principles of the Disciples of Thaddaeus in the modern day must do so in secret, or else be branded as traitors to the Brotherhood.