While they are paragons of lawfulness, Hellknights are not stringent enforcers of local laws; the law they prioritize is their own, untainted by corrupt officials or democratic compromises. On occasion, governments beset by chaos contact a Hellknight order with an offer of mercenary employment, simultaneously filling the grim knights’ coffers and permitting them to enforce their law unchallenged. In cases where a Hellknight’s mission draws her into conflict with local authority, she works within the law to the extent she can, but accepts no compromises in pursuit of her mission. In addition to these universal aspects of Hellknight philosophy, each Hellknight order has its own ideals and a specific form of disorder it seeks to combat. The major orders and their areas of concern are as follows.

• Order of the Chain: These bounty-hunting knights seek escaped convicts and other fugitives from the law, and they ofen serve as jailers of politically inconvenient prisoners.

• Order of the Gate: With three spellcasting Hellknight Signifers to every Hellknight, this order wields infernal magic to learn of catastrophic crimes before they occur.

• Order of the Godclaw: Driven by faith, this order believes in a pantheon of lawful deities including Abadar, Asmodeus, Iomedae, Irori, and Torag.

• Order of the Nail: Headquartered in Varisia, Hellknights of the Nail crusade against “uncivilized” peoples, from Belkzen orcs to native Shoanti and Varisians.

• Order of the Pyre: This order zealously hunts shamans, witches, occult practitioners, and disciples of less-established faiths.

• Order of the Rack: Destroyers of dangerous knowledge and revolutionary philosophies, Hellknights of the Rack eagerly crush rebel activity across Cheliax.

• Order of the Scourge: The Hellknights of the Scourge oppose criminal activities both minor and organized, in addition to watching authorities for signs of corruption.

Joining the Hellknights

Potential Hellknights typically petition to join a Hellknight order at that order’s citadel or by receiving the patronage of a serving Hellknight. This begins a course of intensive reeducation and physical training. In some cases, a veteran Hellknight might be allowed to train her own initiate— known as a Hellknight armiger—in the feld. Preparation to become a Hellknight takes as long as the trainer considers necessary, though the basic curriculum takes about 3 years. At any time, an armiger may petition to take the Hellknight test. Those who fail die and are not mourned; those who pass become Hellknights.

Starting Characters: Only those who pass the trial are true Hellknights. This challenge requires the hellknight to slay a summoned devil in ritual combat. As such, most starting characters are not already ranking Hellknights. They may, however, be armigers, or hellknights in training. Armigers are best represented by taking the Hellknight Armiger theme. The Hellknights only allow those who can prove their absolute devotion to law to join. Dilettantes, rule-benders, and the free-spirited have no place in the organization.

Gaining Prestige

Devoted as they are to law, the main way one achieves status with the Hellknights is by following lawful orders from superior members and eliminating chaos whenever possible.

Hellknight Tenants

The following tenets and practices—the Measure and the Chain, Hellknight titles, the Hellknight test, and Hellknight reckonings—are central to the various orders.

The Measure and the Chain

The law and order the Hellknights live by and seek to impose are not the laws of any one nation. Rather, they are a set of strict philosophies known as the Measure and the Chain. The Measure: A massive codex of duties, laws, and crimes, the Measure serves as a guide to a strict, ordered society. Based upon centuries of Chelish and Taldan legal codes, as well as passages from the strictures of Hell itself, this body of laws extols justness rather than justice.

The Chain: This philosophy encourages discipline through trial, whether such tests involve memorizing and meditating upon the Measure or exposing oneself to stress and pain that threaten to break the weak. At its more philosophical level, the Chain concerns itself with three virtues: order, discipline, and mercilessness. Each of these virtues is embodied by dual maxims.

Order teaches that Hellknights should strive to create a world that has no need for them and that every soul should punish those who hold back progress. It is embodied by the maxims “embrace obsolescence” and “every soul a tyrant.” The former encourages Hellknights to build a world of perfect, self-sustaining order, while the latter encourages every mortal—Hellknight or otherwise—to be a force for order.

Discipline teaches that no achievement occurs without loss and that emotions are a distraction and a vulnerability—this includes fear, which the Hellknights turn into a weapon against the weak. The maxim “emotion is weakness” encourages Hellknights to purge their minds of all tempestuous feelings and desires, be they fear and sorrow or love and pride. “Execution by flame” teaches that Hellknights must be ready to destroy all to accomplish their aims, and that only by casting off something may one become greater.

Mercilessness claims that all are guilty of something and that compassion is damaging to civilization. The lesson that “society cannot survive mercy” is one of the oldest philosophical tenets of the Hellknights, teaching that exceptions pave the path to anarchy and that a bleeding heart sickens all society. Tied in with this idea, the maxim “none are innocent” reminds Hellknights that everyone has transgressed and harbors unjust thoughts, and so none are truly deserving of mercy or exceptional treatment under the law.

Together, these three virtues and the six lessons they encompass are symbolized in the Hellknights’ symbol, the Ennead Star

Orders and Titles

Hellknights divide themselves into orders that have more commonalities than differences. There are seven major Hellknight orders, as well as a smattering of lesser orders (detailed in the following chapters). Numerous ranks exist within the Hellknight orders, but the most pervasive— from highest in authority to lowest—are the following.

• Lictor: A general of a Hellknight order.

• Vicarius: A spellcasting leader of a Hellknight order (rarely used).

• Master/Mistress of Blades: A colonel of a Hellknight order, equal in rank to a paravicar.

• Paravicar: A leader of a Hellknight order’s signifers, equal in rank to a master of blades.

• Paralictor: A high-ranking Hellknight ofcer, similar to a major.

• Maralictor: A mid-level Hellknight officer, similar to a lieutenant. Maralictors with titular concerns or duties— such as the common arms-maralictors, feld-maralictors, and gate-maralictors—are of lesser rank.

• Hellknight: Rank-and-file knights.

• Signifer: A Hellknight arcane or divine spellcaster.

• Armiger: A Hellknight in training; a Hellknight squire.

The Test

To become a Hellknight, one must literally face an immortal champion of Hell. The specifics of the test differ in minor ways between Hellknight orders, but for all of them, it is a somber, trial-like rite conducted at dawn twice per year. A high-ranking officer - typically the order’s lictor - oversees this test, which is administered by a signifer and witnessed by every available member of the order.

After a lengthy introduction, the armiger to be tested enters a clearly marked arena. Once the initiate signals readiness, the signifer summons a devil into the area (likely using the infernal challenger ritual). The armiger and the fend then fight to the death. If the armiger falls, he dies. If the armiger triumphs, he’s allowed to recite a series of memorized vows, swearing to uphold the Measure and live by the Chain. If his performance is judged suitable, he receives the right to wear the armor of his order as a true Hellknight.

Not all tests are ceremonial spectacles. By the word of the Measure, any Hellknight can serve as witness for any worthy soldier who bests a mightier devil in single combat. If a Hellknight vouches for an individual and swears that the challenge conformed to the test’s standards, the victor can join any Hellknight order that accepts him as a true Hellknight.

Reckonings

Similar to an ascetic’s flagellations or a paladin’s atonement, Hellknight reckonings are rites of mortifcation a Hellknight uses to focus her mind, excise unwanted thoughts, and bring herself closer to the champion of law her order idealizes. A reckoning is typically a personal matter, performed in private by a willing, unarmored Hellknight while she meditates on some aspect of the Measure and the Chain.

Hellknights are assumed to police their own thoughts and perform reckonings as necessary. If a Hellknight doesn’t regularly perform reckonings as part of her scheduled meditations, she doesn’t lose any abilities or suffer negative effects - however, she might be censured by her fellow Hellknights if they learn of this dereliction.

Performing a Reckoning: Reckonings are usually performed at the beginning of the morning before a hellknight's armor is donned. This usually takes about 10 minutes. The nature of the reckoning is up to the individual order.