The Iron Cordon
Composition
Manpower
The Halgvord are a small organisation by design. At any given time, their total number is estimated to range between 250 and 400 members across all of Bryttan. Only a portion of these are active in the field at once, with others assigned to site guardianship, recovery, training duties, or withdrawn due to injury or ritual burden. Most operations are conducted by individual wardens or small groups of two to six, while larger gatherings of ten to twenty are rare and reserved for major breaches or highly unstable sites.
Equipment
Halgvord equipment is functional and standardised. Members carry iron restraints and tools, fire-making equipment and fuels, binding chains, sealing nails, and containers made of stone or ceramic for containment. Marking tools are used for carving sigils and wards, and protective clothing is worn during operations. Equipment is maintained for repeated use and prioritises durability over comfort or ornamentation.
Weaponry
Halgvord weaponry is limited to close-range implements suited for control, destruction, and final enforcement. Common weapons include iron swords and short blades, axes and heavy cutting tools, spears used primarily for restraint, and mauls or sledges for structural destruction. Fire is recognised as a sanctioned method, and chains or hooks are used where capture or controlled destruction is required.
Vehicles
The Halgvord do not maintain formal military vehicles. Movement is primarily on foot, supplemented by pack animals when necessary. Carts and sledges are used to transport equipment, bodies, or sealed objects. In marsh or river regions, small boats may be employed for access rather than transport in formation.
Logistics
Logistical Support
The Halgvord do not maintain an independent supply system. Their logistical support is provided collectively by Bryttan through oath-bound obligation. Hallsteads, temples, and local communities are required to provide food, shelter, fuel, tools, and basic transport when the Doom-Wardens are summoned. Sacred sites under Halgvord protection often maintain small stockpiles intended for emergency use. This system ensures the order remains mobile while preventing it from accumulating independent economic power.
Auxilia
The Halgvord do not employ permanent auxiliary forces. In rare cases, local labour or escorts may be compelled to assist under direct supervision, typically for tasks such as hauling stone, clearing collapsed structures, or maintaining perimeter control. Such auxiliaries are never involved in ritual actions, enforcement, or direct contact with tainted sites. Once the task is completed, all auxiliaries are dismissed and ritually cleared.
Upkeep
Upkeep of the Halgvord is treated as a communal responsibility rather than a salary-based system. Members are provided with food, lodging, equipment maintenance, and medical care through levies agreed upon by the Þingstafnar. Individual Doom-Wardens do not accumulate wealth through their service, and personal property is limited. This structure reinforces their neutrality and prevents financial dependence on any single clan or region.
Recruitment
Recruitment into the Halgvord is limited and selective. Candidates are drawn from across Bryttan, often identified due to resilience, temperament, or prior exposure to dangerous sites. Entry is voluntary but binding requires the taking of oaths that sever certain kin obligations. Training is lengthy, and many candidates do not complete it. Losses through death, injury, or withdrawal ensure recruitment remains continuous but controlled.
Founding
Late First Baltian Age
Overall training Level
Elite
Assumed Veterancy
Veteran
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