Hands of Ord

Description

The Hands of Ord enforce the laws of Ank'Harel, which are based on the Code of Ord. They even determine which magic potions are too hazardous for public consumption. Duels in the city must be sanctioned by the Hand, and must take place in the Bowl of Judgment.

The organization's headquarters, located in the city's central Sand-Herald District, is known as Ord Bastion, a sturdy, largely unadorned, mud-brick stronghold with watchtowers. It is the second-largest building in the city, surpassed only by the (much larger) Cerulean Palace. Ord Bastion serves as a comfortable barracks and training center that provides weapons, armor, food, and places of worship. Those who join the Hands commit to do so for life, so many of them bring their families to live at the Bastion. Most of the courts are in the Cerulean Palace, and the Scarlet Prison (or Scarlet Oubliette) lies beneath it, so the Hands are active there as well; close to 50 Hands could be seen patrolling the grounds around the front gates of the palace. Several heavily armored Hands could be seen vigilantly guarding the heights of the Indala Skyport. Indeed, at a glance, almost everyone in the Sand-Herald District seems to be dressed as either a Hand or a noble.

The Hands also maintain a jail in the Sigil District. They patrol the sandstone battlements over the Suncut Bazaar around the clock, and keep a substantial presence in the Guided District as well. As of 812 PD and 836 PD the streets of Ank'Harel were considered safe, and the Hands' protection extended out to the villages and townships near Ank'Harel and into the desert, but only so far; caravans crossing the desert were always at risk, and the marshes and scrubland south of the desert were beyond their reach.

Appearance

Hand of Ord guards wear an ornate and tastefully-designed panoply of deep sapphire blue with an armor of dark reddish brass, carrying scimitars at their sides, but most often only spears and shields. Their helmets cover most of their faces, giving them an intimidating presence. They all wear intricate helmets that crest down past the nose to the point where only eyes and lower jaw are peeking through. The armor is designed to be beautiful ornate fashion, but also to be quite functional.

Background

Around the early 400s PD, J'mon Sa Ord established the Hand of Ord to bring order and keep the peace, and they helped thwart the banditry that threatened the burgeoning settlement and make Ank'Harel a great city.

Campaign One: Vox Machina

Soldiers of the Hand of Ord accompanied J'mon Sa Ord to Vasselheim when Vecna returned and threatened the world. The soldiers were brought to help defend the city.

Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep

Circa 836 PD, the leader of the Hands of Ord is Ironhand Sem, a minotaur who also oversees all of Ank'Harel's military operations. Their earnest attempts to combat the largest crime syndicate in the city, the Veil, had been unsuccessful to that date. Adima Shemsilver, who owns and operates the Luck's Run casino and secretly supports the Veil, tries to avoid involving the Hands of Ord in security matters, preferring to pay heavily to hire out from the shady Consortium of the Vermilion Dream when they suspect a well-organized heist is in the works. Still, if the thieves are caught, they'll turn over the criminals to the Hands. The Consortium, for its part, makes sure to clear out its secret headquarters before creating chaos nearby, to ensure the Hands don't find anything incriminating.

Relationships

Circa 836 PD, the Hands of Ord maintains a strong alliance with the Cobalt Soul. Operatives at the Temple of the Mentor need proof before they turn over suspected criminals to the Hands, but they will summon Hands when they have suspects detained.