The Janessar were a group of warriors and priests throughout Calimshan, all worshiping The Triad (Torm, Tyr, and Ilmater), who opposed the slave trade and protected travelers from bandits.[1]
Organization[]
The Janessar were active in loose collections of small groups of between four and twelve. These groups always included skilled warriors and riders—fighters, priests, and crusaders. The Janessar included a good number of escaped slaves who continued the cause that freed them. Because they did not gather together in large numbers outside of their enclaves, their total numbers were hard to estimate.[1]
Janessar enclaves were controlled by a captain or lord who was often a cleric of one of the members of the Triad.[2]
In 1370 DR, the Janessar as a whole were led by three elderly priests who no longer rode nor fought, each worshiping a different member of the Triad:[1]
- Holy Justice Kadar al Haerim, paladin of Tyr
- Brother Kalil the Painbearer, paladin of Ilmater
- Vanguard Shellidar, crusader of Torm
These three men remained hidden in the Tower of the Three in the Khanall enclave.[1]
Activities[]
In general, the Janessar sought for the betterment of the common folk of Calimshan.[3] This most often involved the rescuing of travelers from bandits and the freeing or protection of slaves. Under threat of violence, they would often ride into Calishite plantations and demand that owners better treat their slaves, and they would attack slave caravans, freeing those held captive.[1]
Tactics[]
As many of the Janessar were trained warriors, they used sound military tactics. This, together with the use of memory-altering magic, prevented their hideouts from being discovered by their enemies.[2]
Enclaves[]
The Janessar maintained many military bases in the Marching Mountains.[3] The three largest strongholds were Faeressar, Khanall, and Rutawwa. They also had hideouts in a secret cavern complex northeast of Almraiven in the Alimirs and in Suldolphor, Memnon, and Yhep.[1] Each enclave was a self-sufficient and defended military stronghold.[2]
Relationships[]
Naturally, the syl-pasha and his government hated the Janessar and sought to destroy them, seeking aid from the government of Tethyr in the matter, but the queen of Tethyr refused to actively work against the group.[1]
Within Tethyr, the Janessar had ties with the Triad temple Barakmordin and the leaders of the border forts Agis, Tufenk, and Calim and the Iltakar Garrison.[1]
History[]
The order was founded in the Year of the Yellow Rose (1242 DR), which inspired the order's symbol: "a yellow rose entwined around Torm's holy symbol".[1]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 83–84. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 156. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.