Rangers of Greyhawk: The Justicar Conclave

Art by Anthony Devine

The Justicar presented here, while influenced by the class that appeared in Dragon Magazine #290, is based more upon the Justicar character that author Pauli Kidd popularized in his novels "White Plume Mountain, Descent into the Depths of the Earth, and Queen of the Demonweb Pits."

In those novels, the Justicar was part of an organization of commandos and raiders that fought a guerrilla war against the forces of Iuz with stealth and guile. The title of Justicar was one that the main character bestowed upon himself to reflect his transformation and not one given to him upon joining a specific organization. With this Archetype, I look at what if there was such an organization.

The Justicars
The order known as the Justicars grew out of the military ranks of the Shield Lands and Furyondy. These scouts and rangers patrolled the borders between these kingdoms, fighting in the endless skirmishes between those nations and developing a deep hatred for them. Among these rangers was a band of freelancers under the command of Partaxian Valrune.

Valrune despised being tied down to anyone's command or being obliged to hold an allegiance to lords he often found to be nearly as corrupt as the Iuzian's. He preferred to come and go as he saw fit to fight the evil hordes of Iuz and the Horned Society. The rulers of Furyondy and the Shield Lands gladly employed them and often entrusted them with the most dangerous of missions instead of endangering their troops. The ranks of Valrune's band grew and soon took on the moniker of Justicars. The label was given to them by the troops of Furyondy for their willingness to undertake the most suicidal missions if innocents were being treated unjustly. 

With the outbreak of the Greyhawk Wars, Valrune split his group up into several bands and recruited more heavily, especially from the ranks of the disenfranchised ex-soldiers of the downtrodden Shield Lands. The Justicars became a proper organization during the war, with chapters popping up across the west and central Flanaess. 

The Justicars never recognized the truce that ended the war and continued their fight against Iuz and all injustice wherever they found it. This philosophy has brought them into direct conflict with many kingdoms in the post-war years, so much so that Justicars are banned from Furyondy. 

Principles of the Justicars
Justicars strictly follow a simple code. To be a Justicar, one must follow it faithfully; those who do not are cast out or executed in certain rare cases. Justicars see themselves as judge, jury, and executioner of these principles. Those who interfere with their ability to follow these simple principles are the enemy.

• Justice and freedom are a right to every living person. Those who defy others of this right must be judged.
• No law, Kingdom, or ruler has the right to deny the right of freedom and justice to anyone. Laws that prohibit this must be broken and disobeyed. 
• The gods, religions, and their tenets are shackles that deny all living people freedom. Follow no god, and obey no one but yourself.

The Organization
Justicars are loosely organized freedom fighters of like mind and principle. The driving force behind their persistence and continued existence is that they feel they cannot trust anyone but themselves. During the war, the Justicars established a headquarters in Radigast city in the County of Urnst, where they often take covert missions from Countess Belissica herself. ​

Their headquarters in Radigast City is known as the keep and is a place where those seeking to enlist into the cause can come and get training, share information, arms and equipment. Recruits will undergo a trial period where they assist in operations and are observed to judge their worth. When one Justicar feels they are ready and is willing to vouch for them, they are welcomed into the ranks.

Artist Unknown, if you know the artist please let me know so I can credit them.