Order of the Nail

Order of the Nail

(Hellknight Orders)

Creed

"Savagery must be quelled, in the land, home, and mind."

Fortress

Citadel Vraid, near Korvosa

Leaders

Lictor Severs DiViri,
Master of Blades Maidrayne Vox,
Paravicar Acillmar

Symbol

Thick nails forming a sunburst

Armor

Breastplate emblazoned with a fiendish face, helm bearing forward-facing horns

Weapon

Lance or halberd

Reckoning

Piercing one's flesh with sharp metal

Images of Order of the Nail

Source: What Lies in Dust, pg(s). 62

The Order of the Nail is an order of Hellknights based in Citadel Vraid near Korvosa. It concerns itself with quelling "savage" practices and bringing their idea of civilization to the inhabitants of the wild frontier.

Philosophy

To certain dogmatic, rigid-minded individuals, civilization seems under siege. Beyond the bulwarks of cities and national borders lies an endless expanse of wilderness populated by those who, all too often, shun the rules of settled, lawful societies and follow their own callings. To the Order of the Nail, these beings enviously prey upon the children of the law, seeking to draw civilization into a regressive mire. The Order of the Nail stands staunchly against what it views as barbarity.

History

A Hellknight of the Order of the Nail.

One of the original seven orders of Hellknights founded in 4638 AR, the Order of the Nail was coaxed to relocate to Varisia in 4682 AR by Korvosa's Queen Domina. Although the belief of the Queen was that her invitation and generosity would make the Hellknights indebted to the crown, this was not the case, and the government has since held a decades-old grudge against the Order. The Hellknights instead pursue their own agenda and follow their own ideals of law and justice. Even so, they have aided the city on several occasions (after being well-compensated) and their subjugation of the surrounding wilds have been of assistance to the Korvosan crown. Feared and misunderstood by both the populace and the city guard, the Hellknights are sometimes referred to as "Domina's Devils".

Magnimar

Impressed by their efficiency and devotion to law, the Justice Court of Magnimar invited a detachment of Order of the Nail Hellknights to their city. The commanders in Citadel Vraid eagerly took them up on the offer to bring their brand of order to a place notorious for its lack of strong laws. The unit is garrisoned in the Bastion of the Nail in the Naos District under the command of Paralictor Darean Halst. Even though their numbers are few, they are fiendishly devoted to their charge. The Hellknights often take protection contracts more dangerous than any other mercenary company would dare. When not working on a particular contract, the members of this unit patrol the city looking for trouble, especially in the distant Ordellia district, where even the town guard does not often venture. Amongst the locals, the Order of the Nail Hellknights are colloquially known as Nail-Knights.

References

Paizo published an appendix in Runescars 2 entitled "The Order of the Nail" and a significant article about Citadel Vraid in Castles of the Inner Sea.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.