House Eclipse

The night lays claims.

## History

The formation of House Eclipse occured during the initial attacks of the xenos horde. Many orders and militant groups had been torn asunder and left scattered by the ferocity of the attack, and soon they began to gather around the then living legend that was Dustin Tyde. The ferocity with which the man fought brought more and more forces to his side, taking back the order and structure of their world one kill at a time. Even with the rallying of so many forces behind them, the Warlords of the Eclipse as they then called themselves were beaten back further and further until finally joined by what would become the other great houses. In a pact formed under the threat of extinction, House Eclipse fought side by side with both those they held great respect, and those only days prior they had called hated enemies. This alliance managed to gain a foothold in the last city known to any of them, Kallistria. It took weeks of fighting, forifying, slaying and dying before the chance the Warlords had waited for presented itself. A subtle shift in the xenos horde, an unspoken and night unnoticed change, but as soon as it presented itself the desiplined fury of House Eclipse rode out and led what would be the first retaking of land this war for survival had seen.

## Purpose

House Eclipse practices a form of warfare that has seen them assume the role of Kallistria's counter attack specialist when outside its walls. Within the city and those areas its taken however, those on patrol are told to keep what peace and order they can within their given areas. While this may suggest them to be part of a policing force, it is rare that a Warlord will actually act as such, save for breaking up outright brawls or stopping terribles crimes such as murder. It is not that they lack any care for the people, but the House is taught that its duty is to protect those still alive by taking as many xenos lives as possible, making any other duty they may perform in the meantime more of a distraction than an honorable task.

## How to Join

Those looking to join House Eclipse may do so in one of two ways. The most common is to visit their headquarters in Kallistria and request membership. Such applicants are organized into 'Whiteshield' squads, overseen by blooded members and brought into the field to work on anything from fighting back the xenos threat to establishing fortifications or recovering resources. Once an applicant has shown suffiecent dedication to the House they are asked to swear oaths of duty before being fully inducted. The second, and far rarer method, is to be inducted by a senior member immediately. This usually follows when said individuals pulls off a particularly heroic act in the presence of one of these senior members.

## Tactics

The Warlords prefer to fight in disciplined ranks, advancing slowly and letting their enemy waste their energy closing the range, letting the warriors of House Eclipse expend theres slaughtering said enemies one after another. While initially this left the Warlords open to being flanked, the introduction of supporting formations of archers and casters to 'encourage' those enemies to run straight into the waiting blades of the House's warriors. These formations are rotated when possible, keeping a House Eclipse battleforce fighting for as long as possible before needing rest. Those observing such fights may notice the greatest of those with a blade leading in the front, with clerics and paladins just behind to take the burden when needed or apply battlefield healing, and lastly the heaviest armored warriors form a their rank ready to form a living wall of steel with which to push back the enemy.

## Code of Conduct

A member of House Eclipse is expected to abide by, and if needed enforce the basic laws that keep the nine houses working in a sort of order. Aside from that there are three core tenets a Warlord shall abide by:

-1: All who swore oaths to the House are expected to answer when the Warlords of the Eclipse sound the call to battle.

-2: Loyalty to the House first, the people second, and the city third.

-3: Save one's fury for the xenos, and the xenos alone. For no other being deserves such hatred.

## Punishments

Being a militant order consisting only of volunteers allows the House to deal out punishments as they see fit. Wrongs committed to fellow members of the house are seen as the worst of crimes, and as such could grant punishments ranging from imprisonment on bread and water, lashings, up to public execution. Those wrongs committed against anyone outside the house are still punished accordingly, but held to less sever standards. Where attacking another Warlord could see one lashed or killed, attacking a member of another house might just see that Warlord sent on extra duty somewhere less comfortable, as to ensure they don't have the free time to make that mistake again anytime soon.

## Day to Day Operations

When not actively engaged in battle the members of House Eclipse are usually found performing a few different tasks. Most are set to the construction and maintaining of fortifactions, or moving supplies between them. A smaller faction spends their time training and socializing amongst the House, as to better prepare for fighting alongside them. The smallest group is dedicated to patrolling the streets around House Eclipse's holdings. While this is could be seen as them enforcing order, it is primarly to ensure the protection of House Eclipse and its resources against the xenos threat. Or, more likely, against other houses.