Urielites
Urielites are the lawful followers of the Archangel Uriel, and are usually found in civilised areas, working as judges and advocates, and also jailers, guards and even executioners.
Urielites are charged with the dispensing of justice, and the punishment of criminal and unethical behaviour. In areas where the Powers of Light are very strong, the followers of Uriel are often accorded the legal right to try and punish criminals. The Urielites are intensely concerned with Justice.
Most courts are held on the Urielite Holy day (Duesday) and are predominantly in church buildings attached to the chapel.
The Urielite sect will accept some mages, favouring Thaumaturges and Mind Mages in particular. Mages that belong to the sect tend to be fanatical about finding and bringing to justice criminals who use magic.
Urielites are usually found in civilised areas. Urielites found in wilderness areas will almost certainly be hunting escaped criminals, and may be accompanied by Michaelines or Raphaelites.
They often dress in the manner of their patron, in gold edged purple robes, or in white robes edged with purple, and sometimes have their armour embossed with her symbols, Jus & Fas (trans: Law & Justice) a pair of scales. Urielites wear armour when it is fitting for their job or station, or when hunting criminals.
The relationship between Urielites and the other major sects will depend on the individual orders involved, but as a general guide:
- Michaelines are zealous in the pursuit of justice, but must often be reminded of the process of law, without which they risk being mere vigilantes.
- Gabrielites are learned scholars and love the law, but can become overly concerned with its letter, arguing syntax and semantics while losing sight of the intent and purpose.
- Raphaelites are staunch defenders of the poor and the common-folk, but their closeness and compassion can blind them to the failings of their charges, and cause them to withhold rebuke and punishment that is both deserved and necessary.
- Sammaelites clearly understand both damnation and repentance, but in their pursuit of knowledge they may skirt the law; claiming what they do is for the greater good. In doing so they lose sight that the law must apply evenly against high and low and none must be beyond reproach.
Orders
- Order of Justice
- One of the oldest and most prestigious Urielite Orders, the Justiciars, or Judges as they are known in some areas, are exclusively concerned with law enforcement and the levying of penalties for unlawful activities holding the active prosecution of criminals as a sacred trust and the living truth of their patroness. In areas were the Unified Western Church holds sway the Order of Justice will act in support of the civil authorities, investigating difficult crimes, pursuing dangerous criminals, determining penalties, and (where appropriate) carrying out execution warrants. Justiciars are famously incorruptible; unable to be bribed or otherwise turned from the pursuit of justice. In the Old Kingdom the head of the order (the "Lord High Justiciar") and the masters of the order's chapters formed the highest court in the kingdom, and the arms of the order indicates this, displaying the royal eagle on a background of Urielite purple. Members of the order carry badges emblazoned with the eagle to identify them and their authority.
