The Greylord Covenants

As Ordens dos Magos de Khador

The Greylords Covenant is Khador’s exclusive arcane order. The organization began as an act of patriotic schism against the Fraternal Order of Wizardry in 243 AR, but has since transcended those roots. Members of the Greylords Covenant are united by an unshakeable patriotic devotion to the Motherland. They rightly consider themselves both shield and sword in the service of the Motherland.

Since Queen and then Empress Ayn Vanar came to power, the Covenant has become an increasingly pervasive tool of the government. The crown relies on the Covenant’s support to supervise a number of vital tasks. Various high ranking Greylords are trusted to lead significant military efforts, to govern captured cities, to direct mechanikal and arcane innovation, and to coordinate the nation’s intelligence gathering efforts.

Even in modern times, there is no denying the Greylords Covenant is
a secretive and mysterious group, steeped in ritual and occult tradition. Mastery of its lore requires members to be willing to risk life and limb in the investigation of deeply buried secrets, to explore profane tombs, and to unravel the use of unholy relics. Greylords deem themselves uniquely qualified for such tasks by rigorous occult training, considering such tasks an opportunity and a grave responsibility.

Success as a Greylord requires a thirst for power, uncompromising patriotism, courage in battle, and a keen political and military mind. Those who exemplify all of these qualities become some of the most formidable individuals in western Immoren.

Organization

The Covenant and the Army

The Greylords Covenant is an inextricable part of the Khadoran Army, serving as battlefield arcane specialists and respected leaders. The exact authority given to specific Greylords depends on the needs of the High Kommand. Even lower ranking Greylords have endured training and education far beyond that received by most officers. In addition to a regimen focused on occult matters, Greylords learn Khadoran history and military tactics. Rather than relying on a centralized military academy the Covenant employs numerous smaller regional facilities to shoulder this ongoing task. Each reports to the headquarters of the Covenant in Korsk, the Strikoya (IKWG, p. 215).

After completing training, Greylords are posted according to individual skill and acumen. Every Greylord serves for a time among military units, most often as battle wizards, but those demonstrating unusual aptitudes might transition into other roles. The Strikoya grooms some to supervise the massive mechanikal and engineering factories of the Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly. Such wizards learn to fabricate cortexes for Khador’s essential war industry. Others support teams working on existing research projects, including Orgoth archaeological digs. Military needs always take priority over abstract research and every Greylord must be ready to take to the front line when tasked by the High Kommand.

High Obavnik Arbiter Vasily Dmitirilosk is the current leader of the Greylords Covenant and presides over the Strikoya. The High Obavnik Arbiter reports to Great Vizier Simonyev Blaustavya, the former Lord Regent of Khador and the current head of Khadoran Security. Through the High Obavnik Arbiter the Strikoya works closely with the High Kommand.

The Greylords Prikaz Chancellery

The Prikaz Chancellery is a cabal within a cabal. They are a carefully chosen group tasked to investigate and root out domestic threats, including seditious conspiracies. While the existence of this chancellery is no secret, the group conceals the identity of its agents and the nature of its ongoing investigations. In theory, any Greylord might be serving the Prikaz Chancellery, and this implied watchfulness keeps all but the most ambitious wizards in line. Any member of the military — including the Greylords themselves — could come under their scrutiny at any time. In addition to its arcane means the chancellery employs an extensive network of contacts, informers, and skilled specialists.

The Prikaz also coordinates espionage abroad, serving as a “spy hub” for the Khadoran Empire. Not every Greylord who conducts espionage belongs to the Prikaz, but it is safe to presume that all intelligence gathered eventually passes through the office before reaching Great Vizier Simonyev Blaustavya or the crown. As an intentional security measure, the High Obavnik Arbiter does not have direct oversight over this chancellery. Koldun Fedor Rachlavsky supervises the Prikaz from the remote city of Skrovenberg, deliberately isolated from Korsk politics.

Other Chancelleries

The scope of its activities has necessitated the Greylords Covenant to divide its operations into several governing chancelleries. This includes the Cortex Production Chancellery, the War Improvements Chancellery, the Research Chancellery, and the Doctrinal Training Chancellery. None of these groups have nearly the influence or unique scope of operations as the Prikaz. Periodic meetings of the governing kolduns are sufficient to maintain their plans and operations. Clashes between the chancelleries are common and usually involve the juggling act of allocating specific Greylords to various ongoing projects.

Ranks

The freshest inductees enter the Greylords Covenant with the rank of uchenik, or apprentice. Such neophytes come from a wide variety of backgrounds, generally found among those with an interest in arcane scholarship. Youths manifesting sorcery are required by law to be sent to the nearest chapterhouse in order to be mentored to serve the state. Uchenik spends years serving as menial servants while learning arcane theory fundamentals and military history before promotion to rastovik.

A rastovik is a full member of the Greylords Covenant, although a junior member who has yet to fully prove his or her worth. Greylords often spend five years or longer at this rank, although faster promotion may come with exceptional service or accomplishments. Other members of the military are required to treat a Greylord of this rank with the same respect and deference as a junior officer in any of the other branches of the military, treated similarly as a lieutenant. It is rare for a rastovik to have command authority, but in some cases they may be given oversight of a platoon of Winter Guard, coordinating with a sergeant to achieve an objective.

A magziev is a veteran Greylord. Most Greylords reaching this status remain at this rank for the rest of their careers. One common use of Greylords of this rank is to form their signature trio of battle wizards called a ternion. Most ternions are comprised of two magziev and a leading koldun, who have been trained to fight together as a group unleashing their mastery of cold magic. Situational command authority is common at this rank; a magziev may be responsible for a force similar to those overseen by a kapitan or junior kovnik. For extended postings some Greylords of this standing have a commissioned military rank in addition to their arcane rank.

Promotion to koldun is reserved for senior magziev with impeccable service records. Each koldun is responsible for leading a team of Greylords in battle or for supervising smaller training, production, or research facilities. Frequency of elevation varies based on the needs of the Covenant and inevitable deaths or retirement. In a period of war, such opportunities are frequent. When interacting with the military of other branches, a koldun has similar clout as a senior kovnik or a kommander, and some individuals are commissioned with these ranks.

The honorary rank of “koldun lord” brings other honors and privileges, loosely equivalent to southern knighthood. Rewarded for a combination of exceptional arcane skill and proven service, this elevation is a singular honor. It includes the receipt of token lands, minor titles, and possibly other honors. Such gifts have become simpler and more symbolic in the modern era.

The highest non-singular rank in the Greylords Covenant is that of obavnik. This title is reserved for leaders of major chapterhouses and those who oversee large numbers of koldun. An obavnik has similar standing as a kommandant or supreme kommandant in the Khadoran Army.

Rank: Uchenik
Requirement: Admission to the Greylords Covenant
Rank: Rastovik
Requirement: Greylord feat
(including associated prerequisites)
Rank: Magziev
Requirement: Loyalty
testing (4th level spell mastery recommended)
Rank: Koldun
Requirement: Appointment by an Obavnik (6th level spell mastery recommended)
Rank: Koldun Lord
Requirement: Appointment by High Obavnik Arbiter
Rank: Obavnik
Requirement: Unanimous accord of all Obavniks
Rank: High Obavnik Arbiter
Requirement: Appointment by the High Kommand (advised by the Prikaz)

Paths of Power

The following a Greylords specializations in service of the Motherland.

Battle Magic Paths

These Greylords specialize in magic that shapes and directs cold as a destructive force, as well as learning techniques to protect themselves in battle.

Path of Winter’s Bite — Some Greylord battle wizards have learned to make frost their primary weapon.

Path of Frozen Discipline — Greylords on this path can reduce the cost of enhancing their cold-based battle magic with metamagic effects.

Path of the War Ready — Greylords have become a common sight on the battlefield, wielding magic in support of their fellow soldiers. The perils of war have encouraged such wizards to avail themselves of protection. Practiced battle wizards can evoke their power reliably despite the constraints of lighter armor and resist the sting of cold damage.

Savant of the Motherland Paths

Those Greylords on these paths are focused on research, fabrication, higher arcane lore, and the skills required to work with and fight against warjacks. This includes mechanikal experts, those tasked with creating cortexes, and those who have delved into deeper occult studies.

Path of the Iron Wall — Some Greylords have demonstrated mechanikal aptitude or a knack for directing warjacks as well as fighting against them.

Path of Eldritch Lore — This path represents a dedication to the deeper arcane lore and occult mysteries sometimes neglected by battle mages focusing purely on powerful evocations.

Path of Cortex Fabrication — Some Greylords have learned how to assemble cortexes with considerably less personal investiture and how to shoulder this burden as a team.

About Cortexes — North and South
There are similar teamwork methods utilized in other nations regularly producing ‘jack cortexes or other complicated items. Cortexes are extremely complex pieces of enchanted hardware rarely fabricated by a single wizard.
Khador has traditionally had difficulty producing a large number of cortexes. This is a matter of materials scarcity, not a lack of manpower. Cortexes require trace amounts of extremely rare and difficult to extract minerals and metals. These elements are one reason cortexes are so expensive. Access to raw cash (in GP) does not always guarantee access to these materials.

Espionage Paths

Greylords on these paths may be part of the secret Prikaz chancellery or report to other superiors collecting intelligence abroad. Wizards investing in a level or two of rogue will have an easier time qualifying for these paths.

Path of the Censor

For the good of the Motherland, these agents of the Prikaz are watchful for signs of insurrection or treachery. They have learned both mundane and arcane methods for investigating suspects.

Path of the Hidden

With the aid of magic, certain Greylords learn to conduct clandestine operations with greater ease than their peers who rely on mundane disguises and tools.

Path of Influence

The Greylords on this path are discreet, as Khadorans distrust magic that violates the sanctum of the mind. Yet sometimes arcane pressure is required to force the guilty to betray their allies.

Fonte: No Quarter 19