Kenabres is a city of glory, but not one of spotless virtue. The Mendevian Crusaders riding out from the city have slain countless demons, and many of them have been carried back to town on their shields to be interred in the catacombs beneath the Cathedral of Saint Clydwell.
However, some of these same crusaders—many of them even immortalized in the Hall of Heroes—spent years hunting supposedly demon-tainted faiths and burning at the stake cultists and innocent Mendevians alike. The frequency and intensity of these pogroms have diminished, but the dark history of Kenabres remains ever-present in the minds of its leaders and many of its citizens.
Kenabres hosts camps of crusaders who have come from all across the continent to battle demons. Though many of these crusaders are pure-hearted and noble of spirit, others are little more than fortune-seeking mercenaries. Still, none can deny the good deeds done by the knights of Kenabres under the direction of their zealous, strategically brilliant leader Hulrun.
Factions of Kenabres
Known as a city of demon slayers and witch hunters, Kenabres is home to dozens of groups and factions. Some of the more important groups operating out of Kenabres are listed below.
The Blackfire Adepts are circumspect about their goals and activities. On occasion, a zealot dressed in trademark red-and-black robes ventures out across the river to explore the Worldwound, sometimes returning with tales of the furious energy of the planar rift.
The Everbright Crusaders allow only the most virtuous warriors, who live lives of temperance and restraint, into their ranks. Members scrupulously avoid drinking, gambling, and lying, and take any promises they make seriously. Commander Ciar Cobelen maintains a humble, good-natured attitude that appeals to others, and is widely regarded among the camps as the most approachable of the Everbright Crusaders.
The Order of the Flaming Lance believes in doing what needs to be done to triumph. None doubt the fierce conviction of the order’s crusaders, but some whisper that the order cares more about vanquishing evil than maintaining their own purity. The crusader Miammir is known as “The Scholar” for the time she spends at Blackwing researching all she can on demon-fighting tactics.
The Order of the Sunrise Sword is well established in Kenabres. They were once known for the great ballads and odes their members composed about the crusades, but after an incident in which several of their number were possessed by demons, they have altered their focus to exorcism. Commander Ashus Striegher, a somber and soft-spoken Taldan, specializes in recognizing and ending demonic possession.
The Eagle Watch is a group of righteous crusaders who realized that though most of their enemies live in the Worldwound across the river, a great many walk the streets of Kenabres and make their camps north of the city walls.
The Riftwardens research the Worldwound’s effect on the surrounding land. The organization has sent its own agents into the Worldwound to gather firsthand research, but also pays crusaders to collect information for them.
Though the identity of the Riftwarden leader in Kenabres remains unknown, the spokesperson for the organization is a popular figure in town. Beltran Ravenken is a friendly, gregarious man who remembers names and faces after a single meeting and always knows the latest bit of gossip.
The Witch Hunters finds its origins from the formalized groups of witch hunters emerged from the disorganized chaos of the First Crusade. The sight of their Iomedaean vestments edged with orange flames makes even the most pure-hearted citizen uneasy. Hulrun’s witch hunters are led by the stone-faced Liotr Hawkblade, an Ulfen warrior who has served under Hulrun for the last 15 years.
