The StillWalkers
Few people know much about the StillWalkers or have any idea of the tasks that
they perform. To most people,
including the vast majority of House Sar'Donnath, the StillWalkers are a
mysterious group of robed figures who go where they will and do what they want.
This, of course, is not quite true, but this mysterious image does much
to make the assigned tasks of the StillWalkers that much easier.
There are two parts to this document.
This first section is available to any member of House Sar'Donnath and to
those people that the Ruler of the House sees fit to allow to read it.
It gives the general description and history of the StillWalkers along
with some quotes and articles of interest.
It may help to allow people to understand this group slightly better, or
perhaps it will just give them more to be wary of.
"Too many people spend too
much time asking me what it's like, being a StillWalker.
They want to know what it means to never have to sleep again.
Most of them think that it must be wonderful, having so much more time to
do anything that you want, never being completely vulnerable while you lie
there, asleep and unknowing. What
they don't understand is that a StillWalker is always completely exhausted,
always on the very edge of what anyone could cope with.
Have you ever gone for two or three days without sleep?
Have you ever felt that close to collapse? Well, imagine going through your entire life like that?
Not a pleasant thought, is it?"
Jullius StillWalker (Deceased)
The StillWalkers were initially given the gift of being eternally awake
by Lordhel. In a complex Ritual that only the Ruler of House Sar'Donnath
can perform, the apprentice StillWalker gives their complete devotion and
loyalty to both Sar'Donanth and Lordhel and in return, their need for sleep is
removed from them. What actually
happens in this Ritual is known only to the StillWalkers and the Ruler of the
House and it is a secret that is guarded very carefully.
After going through the Ritual, the StillWalker goes through a long
period of adjustment to their new situation.
This can take some of them only weeks while others take years to come to
terms with what they now are. In
this time, the StillWalkers grow more withdrawn, they tend to avoid the company
of others and talk less and less. Usually,
they lose weight, growing gaunt and pale, and they seem to be filled with a
nervous energy.
Most people who try to become StillWalkers are very much loners to begin
with and, once they have been changed, they become even more so.
What they have gone through can never be described or explained to anyone
and no-one can understand the complex turmoil of emotions that run through the
StillWalker's mind. Knowing this
all too well, the StillWalker will often try to bury their emotions, they will appear
to become colder and more callous with little in the way of care or feelings for
anyone, even themselves. Whether
this is true or not is hard to be certain of, but that is surely the way that it
appears to be.
"Yes, I have been called
.......... emotionless before. What
of it?"
Perian StillWalker
In appearance, most StillWalkers are tall and quite slim.
They all wear long, black robes of some kind and most of them use weapons
that are light and fast. Not every
StillWalker will conform to this image and, if necessary, they are quite
prepared to dress and look completely differently, but this is the image that
mot people know them by. If any
armour is worn it is light and does nothing to restrict the movement of the
StillWalker and their fighting styles often show a preference for speed over
strength.
All full StillWalkers have a band of jagged black and white colours
around their eyes. No-one is quite
certain what these are or what they signify, but as part of the Ritual, these
appear and nothing can be done to remove them.
Most StillWalkers wear them as a mark of pride, something to show that
they have been chosen by Lordhel, but they can make it difficult to perform any
task which requires them to appear as someone other than a StillWalker.
Not that these sort of tasks come around very often.
Many of the tasks of the StillWalker requires them to travel long
distances, often at great speed and because of this, they seldom choose to
burden themselves with anything that is not absolutely necessary.
Thus, very few StillWalkers will have much in the way of personal
possessions or unnecessary items. It
is not unusual for a StillWalker to own nothing more than their clothing, armour
and weapons, a sleeping roll and a pouch of money to support themselves with.
Material possessions seldom mean much to any of the StillWalkers.
"Yes, I do try to gather as
much coin together as I can and yes, I will do whatever it takes to get that
money. But I use the money for the
good of the House and so that I can perform my tasks.
I gamble, I will steal if necessary, but everything that I do is for the
good of Sar'Donnath."
Val'Thar StillWalker
The job of a StillWalker is a complex one, difficult to explain to anyone
who is not part of that organisation. Part
of what they do is to act as runners in time of battle.
Each unit commander will have a StillWalker assigned to them and they
will use them as a messenger, using them to pass important information or
commands on to other leaders. A
dangerous task, for the StillWalker often has to make their way across the
battle-field without the aid of any shield-brothers or Spell Casters.
Not a job for anyone of a nervous disposition and not a job for anyone
who has any fear of working on their own.
Another part of their job is to act as information gatherers, usually in
an urban environment. The House
will use the StillWalkers to collect anything that they deem useful, whether
this is information, coin, items or people matters not to them.
While a StillWalker is often used to scout out strange cities or
encampments, they do not usually venture too far into the wilderness as the
FeyBane are more suited to this environment.
It is often difficult to clearly define the dividing line between the
tasks of the StillWalkers and the FeyBane and this can sometimes lead to
disagreements between the two groups.
"There are some who seem to
think that the job of a StillWalker on the field of battle is easier than that
of a House soldier. All I have to
say to them is that they should try it and see just how easy it is.
Let them discover exactly how alone and vulnerable they are when there is
no shield wall to defend them and no brethren to protect them."
Herrena StillWalker (Deceased)
Currently, the StillWalkers are attached to the Sul'Kath.
They have been told to act as aids to the Sul'Kath in any way that is
required. As long as this does not
interfere with their other tasks, of course.
It is not uncommon to see one of the Sul'Kath casually walking along with
a robed StillWalker shadowing them only few
paces behind. There are some people
that believe that the StillWalkers are being used to spy on and keep track of
the Sul'Kath as much as help them, but there are always rumours of this type
going around.
The command structure of the StillWalkers is quite a simple one.
Their ultimate commander, as with all House Sar'Donnath, is the head of
the Royalty of the House, whoever that may be at the time.
Other than that there is very little fixed structure.
Perian is the eldest of the StillWalkers, by far, and it is to him that
the other, younger recruits tend to look for guidance but he seldom gives direct
orders. By the time that you have become a full StillWalker, you
should be well aware of what your tasks are and what is required of you without
having to be told. The other
commanders within House Sar'Donnath look upon Perian as the leader of the
StillWalkers but whether this is true or not is open to debate.
The full extent of the duties and responsibilities of the StillWalkers is
hidden from anyone who is not part of that group.
Only the Head of House Sar'Donnath knows all their history and their
responsibilities and part of their uneasy mystery is the fact that so little is
known about them. Those who pry
into the history or activities of the StillWalkers too deeply are actively
discouraged and it has been known for people with too much curiosity to be
visited by tall, robed figures in the middle of the night.
After this, they tend to ask less questions.