Suit Wardens

The role of a Suit Warden within the Cinderlock Wardens is not won through election or succession, but rather through appointment by the remaining Suit Wardens. This typically occurs when a current Suit retires, falls in battle, or is otherwise removed from their post.

Years of service are not the defining factor in selection. What truly matters is whether the candidate possesses the right balance of combat prowess, supernatural knowledge, tactical leadership, and social intelligence and most importantly, if their skills match the unique demands of the role they are filling.

Once a candidate is chosen whether an individual or a pair they are summoned and formally offered the opportunity. If they accept, they must undergo a series of high-level trials, crafted to test both halves of the Suit’s dual identity:

Trial One: The Field Operation

The candidate is placed in command of a real world mission, often one with high stakes and multiple moving parts. This task assesses their ability to lead, adapt, and execute under pressure often involving cursed terrain, supernatural threats, and managing a Warden team. Within their respective quadrants, each of these areas is represented by one of a deck of cards' four suits. Failure to complete the mission or poor leadership can disqualify the candidate.

Trial Two: The Social Crucible

This trial varies depending on whether the candidate is being groomed for the Face-Up or Face-Down role:

Face-Up Candidate (The Diplomat):

Must attend and navigate a high society event often a noble banquet, gala, or summit where they are introduced formally as a prospective Suit. They will be expected to negotiate with nobles, scholars, clergy, and military figures, all while managing subtle cues, veiled threats, and political undercurrents. Their goal is usually to secure an agreement, extract key information, or represent the Wardens in a delicate arrangement.

Face-Down Candidate (The Shadow):

Acts as the servant or aide to their Face Up counterpart. However, behind this unassuming façade, they are tested on their stealth, subterfuge, and improvisational problem-solving. Tasks may include smuggling in a critical message or item, infiltrating a restricted area during the event, or ensuring a safe escape route. Success demands they remain undetected while fulfilling their objective.

Both trials are essential. A candidate must prove that they are more than capable they must demonstrate that they embody the spirit, discipline, and dual nature of a Suit Warden.

Once both parts are complete, and if the current Suit Wardens agree, the candidate(s) are formally inducted, taking on the mantle and responsibilities of their predecessor guardians of the balance, faces of the order, and shadows beneath the silk.

Each Suit Warden's tasks are separated into two unique positions based on their current operational mode: Face Up and Face Down. These names characterize their public and covert responsibilities.

Face-Up Role The Public Face:

In their Face Up position, the Warden serves as the organization's public representative. From the outside, it appears that there are only four actual leaders, each accompanied by a loyal butler or aide, despite the fact that both are Suit Wardens of equal rank. The Face-Up Warden manages diplomatic relations, dealing with monarchy, nobility, guildmasters, and other powerful figures. They must be etiquette experts who understand the norms, laws, and social dynamics of the area they manage.

They dress in a formal, battle-ready manner, seeming composed, powerful, and respectable even when not armored. Though diplomacy is their primary focus, they are also excellent combatants who can protect themselves or others at any time.

Face-Down Role The Shadowed Hand:

The Face-Down Warden works in the shadows, taking on the roles of butler, servant, or common retainer. This job is much more than appearance. The Face-Down Warden is a spy, tactician, and quiet enforcer. They blend in, obtaining information from the working class, servants, and underserved areas of society. Their responsibilities frequently include secret missions, assigning tasks to others, opening doors, disarming wards, and ensuring that the correct information is delivered to the appropriate parties.

While they do spy work the Warden must be competent at stealth, deceit, and surveillance while maintaining the appearance of humble subservience. They must endure verbal abuse and contempt from people who believe they are inferior, all while serving a larger cause. Few realize that the silent "butler" next to the noble Warden is just as deadly and important to the task.

Shared responsibilities

Regardless of the mode they are in, both Suit Wardens are responsible for maintaining operations at their regional base, managing missions, and training the Alu Wardens stationed there. They are actively engaged in strategic planning, high-level diplomacy, and crisis response. Both Wardens are constantly on the go, leading operations, managing staff, and dealing with massive volumes of paperwork and intelligence.

Despite this, they happily bear the load because they believe in one truth:

To preserve the planet, someone must bear the burden that no one else can.