The Vigilants of Heb'dar

## **The History of the Vigilants**

The Vigilants of Heb'dar are an ancient order older than the Republic of Hierman Ja itself dedicated to the protection of Hierman Ja's people from mischievous demons and devils who want to cause harm the great land's citizens. The Vigilants are subdivided into three orders; The order of the mind, the order of the soul, and the order of the body. The divided orders each have primary roles to fill and focused areas of operation. Separating them serves as a system of checks and balances for training, mission structure, and resource allocation.

The order of the Mind focuses mostly keeping both the operations and image of the Vigilants upheld. Their scribes track the history of the Vigilants, everything from simple transactions to the origins of legends and myths. Their Scientists, Alchemists, and Engineers help to push the technology of the Vigilants forward and study new ways to bolster their defensive and offensive capabilities. Their inquisitors enforce the standards of the order both in their own ranks and in the republics populace. Discovery, history, and investigation, the order of the mind is cited for knowing everything, even things that haven't happened yet.

The order of the Body has a wide and varied skill set. They make up the largest portion of the Vigilants military. In addition to supplying the most non-specialized troops, the Body also has many special units that don't fit into the other branches. Large troop deployments, naval action, supply missions, and upkeep often find their way to the order of the body. Be it logistics or manpower the order of the body will ensure that the road to victory for the Vigilants is as smooth as possible.

The order of the Soul acts as both a force multiplier, and the poster child of the Vigilants. Their Paladins, Clerics, and Oracles use powers granted by their faith to heal, divine, or fight for the Vigilants. Those in the order of Souls are often selected as diplomats, as their members spend much of their training time studying, and often have noble backgrounds. When the troops need healing or the inquisition needs force applied with tact, the soul is called upon. Through faith, honor, and selflessness, the order of the Soul will do all they can to assure victory for their brothers and sisters in the Vigilants.

Members of the Vigilants may come from many walks of life, and many different races. However, most of their soldiers are raised into the ranks of the Vigilants from teenage years. The Vigilants of Heb'dar have been seen as knights in shinning armor to many of the residents of Hierman Ja commanding respect and being viewed as a beacon of what is *truly* good.

## **The Treaties of Ja**

During *The Planar War*, thousands of years before the founding of Hierman Ja's republic, the Vigilants of Heb'dar gathered treaties with many ancient cities. Being the only fighting force fit to deal with hordes of demons assaulting the lands of Hierman Ja, The Vigilants of Heb'dar accrued these treaties allowing them to gather resources and conscript troops from many of Hierman Ja's largest ancient cities.

After the war, the Vigilants were given resources to build a defense in case this ever happened again, and the treaties that had been made were revised. While the Vigilants lost the ability to request resources from these ancient cities they were still able to conscript anyone they considered "vital" to the protection of Hierman Ja.

Many new cities have been built since *The Planar War* ended, and control of the nation has switched a few times over, but these treaties are still upheld to this day by all of the holds they were made in, some of the Republics most prosperous cities.

## **The Recent History of the Vigilants**

Thirty five years ago, *Head Protector Verndari Líf* was killed by a Tiefling assassin while attempting to uncover a plot to awaken a Demon Lord. With Verndari killed, leadership of the great Order fell to his trusted lieutenant, and daughter Mara Líf *(Now Mara the Incorruptible).* Five years after she rose to the title of *Head Protector, Mara* broadened the definition of devils and demons, to fit any other planar outsider, and exiled anyone who fit the description to Hierman Ja's easternmost reaches.

## **The Vigilants Current Influence**

Now at war with the outsiders exiled to the far east of Hierman Ja, the Vigilants have once again began to recruit. The Vigilants hold their line at the fortress of Verndari Keep, a former ruin brought to life when the Vigilants found need for a new front line structure. While the exiled outsiders, and sympathizers accused of treason have been pushed into the Desert of Swords, an ancient part of Hierman Ja, filled with intrigue and mystery.

As for the citizens of Hierman Ja, the definition change of demons and devils make the two words now almost interchangeable in Jaja and has caused many younger citizens of Hierman Ja to not know the difference between outsiders, and actual demons. The civil war has caused a new generation to rise, full of warmongers, and children who only know outsiders as the reason their friends and family have died in a war.

Many people flee Hierman Ja's largest cities in favor of newly founded towns and villages, to avoid being conscripted by the Vigilants of Heb'dar. This has put the territories of Hierman Ja in great disarray as the Republics largest sources of income are losing their citizens, while the youngest territories are being forced to hold more people than their infrastructure allows.