Order of the Eightfold Path

The Brotherhood of the Eightfold Path
(AKA The Warrior's Way)

Responding equally well to both names, the Brotherhood is an organization espousing eight virtues: discipline, strength, courage, fortitude, honor, insight, mercy, and wit. Somewhere between Zen monks and ronin samurai, they serve as mercenaries within Karimas and often, outside of it as well. The Brothers have only two rules – they will not harm a Brother (often they have found themselves against a Brother in political maneuverings, and both tend to enjoy this a great deal), and they will not meddle in politics within Kariman borders. There are three Brotherhood monasteries within Karimas; one sits on the northeastern shore of Crossings Lake, one is set into the mountains south of Stonekeep, and the third is in Coastal on the shore of the Brightwater.

There are no true rankings within the monasteries – all men are brothers within its walls, and despite its name, the Brotherhood has no few women among its ranks. While Brothers are not required to be chaste, it is strongly encouraged, and for students, it is one of the few missteps that can get one expelled from the monastery, should they be caught with another student. Discipline is, after all, one of their primary virtues.

In general, Brothers tend to be easygoing when off duty; most live at the Monastery. The rules there are fair, although the enforcements are brutal; the Brothers do not look kindly on those who flaunt the rules.

There are three acknowledged ranks in the Monastery: that of students, who come and learn the academia offered there as well as some degree of martial skill, and pay for this teaching with the performance of menial tasks around the Monastery; Initiates, those students who have decided to try for the Brotherhood's mark and become full Master, a fully-recognized Brother. Generally, a students spends between one and three years at the monastery; Initiates spend the first year as students, and then another four as Initiates, and assuming they survive the tests put to them, they then are awarded the rank of Master.

The Brotherhood's mark is an eight-pointed star, usually tattooed or branded on the left wrist. Brothers are considered citizens of no Regency, though most still identify with their place of birth – assuming they know it. No small number of Brothers are orphans or unwanted children, given to the Monastery to raise.

Brothers are paid for their missions, and while the lion's share of their usually high fee goes to the Monastery, the brother who completed the mission does share in some of the profits.